Civilization Wiki
Register
Advertisement

BackArrowGreen Back to the list of units

Game Info[]

Basic economic unit of the game.

Strategy[]

The Worker is vital for a civilization - absolutely the most important civilian unit in the game. It builds all land improvements like Farms and Mines that give access to resources and improve tile productivity. It also constructs roads and railroads to connect the cities, both in an empire and city-states. Finally, it can repair damaged improvements.

Workers may also clean tiles from vegetation or marshland, thus freeing resources found on them for exploration.

Each of the individual improvement types, as well as the different Remove actions, only become available after you research certain technologies.

To build an improvement, the Worker needs to be within a civilization's territory, so you must make sure first to expand your borders to the tile where you want to build. Roads and railroads, however, can be built both within and outside your territory. Likewise, Forts may be built and the Remove Jungle/Forest/Marsh actions may be performed outside of your territory.

While Workers cannot be gifted to a city-state, they can perform tasks such as repairing pillaged tiles in one.

The Worker is a civilian unit. While it can clear a vacant barbarian encampment, it cannot defend itself, so accompany it with a military unit when it is in dangerous territory. Otherwise you risk it being captured by the enemy!

On the other hand, the Worker can be used as a scout during a war because instead of being damaged or destroyed, it will only be captured and can be easily recaptured at a later time.

Once a player researches Industrialization, all of his or her Workers change in appearance, looking more like stereotypical factory workers.

Civilopedia entry[]

To survive, a civilization needs skilled workers. They may be highly trained engineers, or civilians conscripted into labor - or, indeed, slaves - but someone has to dig the mines, plant the fields and pave the roads. Without these men and women, a civilization will stagnate and eventually fall prey to a more vigorous neighbor. 

Unofficial custom card[]

Unit-Civilian-Worker(content©Firaxis)

Custom homemade card featuring the Worker.

See also[]

Civilization V Units [edit]
Civilian Archaeologist BNW-onlyCaravan BNW-onlyCargo Ship BNW-onlySettlerWork BoatWorker
Land military Anti-Aircraft GunAnti-Tank GunArcher (Atlatlist GodsKings5 clearBowman1Slinger1) • ArtilleryBazooka BNW-onlyCannonCatapult (BallistaSiege Tower BNW-only) • Cavalry (Berber Cavalry BNW-onlyComanche Riders BNW-onlyCossackHussar GodsKings5 clear) • Chariot Archer (Hand-Axe BNW-onlyHorse Archer GodsKings5 clearWar ChariotWar Elephant) • Composite Bowman GodsKings5 clearCrossbowman (Chu-Ko-NuLongbowman) • Gatling Gun GodsKings5 clearGiant Death RobotGreat War Infantry GodsKings5 clear (Foreign Legion) • Helicopter GunshipHorseman (African Forest Elephant GodsKings5 clearCataphract GodsKings5 clearCompanion Cavalry) • Infantry (Pracinha) • Knight (Camel ArcherConquistador1Keshik1Mandekalu CavalryNaresuan's Elephant) • Lancer (Hakkapeliitta GodsKings5 clearSipahiWinged Hussar BNW-only) • Landship GodsKings5 clearLongswordsman (Berserker1Samurai) • Machine Gun GodsKings5 clearMarine GodsKings5 clearMechanized InfantryModern ArmorMobile SAMMusketman (JanissaryMinutemanMusketeerTercio1) • ParatrooperPikeman (Impi BNW-onlyLandsknecht) • Rifleman (Carolean GodsKings5 clearMehal Sefari GodsKings5 clearNorwegian Ski Infantry1) • Rocket ArtilleryScout (Pathfinder BNW-only) • Spearman (Battering Ram GodsKings5 clearHopliteImmortalPictish Warrior GodsKings5 clear) • Swordsman (Kris Swordsman BNW-onlyLegionMohawk Warrior) • Tank (Panzer) • Trebuchet (Hwach'a1) • Warrior (BruteJaguarMaori Warrior1) • XCOM Squad BNW-only
Naval military BattleshipCaravel (Nau BNW-onlyTurtle Ship1) • CarrierDestroyerFrigate (Ship of the Line) • Galleass (Great Galleass BNW-only) • GalleyIroncladMissile CruiserNuclear SubmarinePrivateer GodsKings5 clear (Sea Beggar GodsKings5 clear) • SubmarineTrireme (Quinquereme GodsKings5 clearDromon GodsKings5 clear)
Aircraft Atomic BombBomber (B17) • Fighter (Zero) • Great War Bomber GodsKings5 clearGuided MissileJet FighterNuclear MissileStealth BomberTriplane GodsKings5 clear
Religious Inquisitor GodsKings5 clearMissionary GodsKings5 clear
See also Great PeopleSpaceship Parts
1 Requires a DLC

GodsKings5 clear Added in the Gods & Kings expansion pack.
BNW-only Added in the Brave New World expansion pack.

Advertisement