Welcome to Nova Roma! This guide will help you establish your first Roman settlement and understand the core game mechanics.
1. Your First Settlement
Choosing a Map Seed
Start by selecting a map seed that matches your experience level. For beginners, look for seeds with abundant water sources and large fertile areas. Use our Seeds Database to find the perfect starting map.
Placing Initial Buildings
Your first priority should be establishing food production and housing. Place a Woodcutter's Hut near forests for lumber, then build a Wheat Farm on fertile land near water. Add a few Insulae (housing) to accommodate your initial population.
Understanding the Interface
The top bar shows your resources, population, and happiness. The right panel contains building categories. Pay attention to the alerts system which warns you about shortages and problems.
2. Essential Resources
Wood & Stone Basics
Wood is gathered from forests by Woodcutter's Huts. Stone is quarried from rocky terrain. Both are essential for construction. Plan your resource buildings near their sources for maximum efficiency.
Food Production
Citizens need food to survive. Start with Wheat Farms, then build a Mill to process wheat into flour, and a Bakery to make bread. Fish and meat provide variety and boost happiness.
Worker Management
Each production building requires workers. Monitor your population to ensure you have enough laborers. Unemployed citizens reduce happiness, while understaffed buildings produce nothing.
3. Water Management Basics
Water Sources
Rivers and lakes provide water for your settlement. Farms need irrigation to function. Position agricultural buildings near natural water sources or build aqueducts to transport water.
Basic Irrigation
Water flows downhill. Build aqueducts from higher water sources to lower farmland. Wells can supplement water supply in areas far from rivers.
Avoiding Floods
Heavy rain can cause flooding. Avoid building in low-lying areas near rivers. Dams can control water flow and prevent flood damage.
4. Pleasing the Gods
Building Your First Temple
Temples provide happiness bonuses and unlock divine blessings. Start with a temple to Ceres for agricultural bonuses. Place temples in central locations to maximize their effect radius.
Understanding Offerings
Gods require regular offerings to maintain their favor. Each god has specific offering requirements. Failing to provide offerings may trigger divine wrath.
Avoiding Divine Wrath
Neglected gods may punish your city. Keep track of offering schedules and maintain surplus resources for temples. Multiple temples to the same god increase favor faster.
5. Growing Your City
Population Growth
Population grows when food and housing are abundant. Build more Insulae and Domus to accommodate growth. Higher-tier housing attracts wealthier citizens.
Happiness Factors
Happiness affects productivity and population growth. Provide varied food, entertainment, temples, and avoid pollution. Keep unemployment low and ensure all citizens have housing.
Expanding Production
As your city grows, expand production chains. Build multiple instances of bottleneck buildings. Use our Production Planner to calculate optimal building ratios.
6. Next Steps
Now that you understand the basics, explore our other resources: