Civilization 7: Ranking Modern Civilizations

The Modern Age in Civilization 7 marks the pinnacle of the game, where strategies culminate and victories are forged. Transitioning from the Exploration Age, it's crucial to leverage your advantages and make strategic decisions to secure your triumph. The choice of civilization plays a pivotal role in determining your success, offering a diverse array of ten civilizations, with an additional one available through the Crossroads of the World DLC. When paired with the right Civ 7 Leaders, these civilizations can unlock powerful synergies. To help guide your selection, here's our tier list for the best Modern Age civilizations in Civ 7.

Note: Your Leader choice can significantly enhance your gameplay through specific buffs. Consider how your selected civilization will synergize with your Leader for optimal results. This Tier List focuses on the standalone strength of each civilization, so factor in the potential Leader interactions when making your choice.

Civ 7 Modern Civs Tier List

S-tier: America, Meiji Japan

A-tier: French Empire, Mexico, Qing

B-tier: Buganda, Prussia, Russia, Siam

C-tier: Mughal

Note: We haven't ranked the new DLC Civ Great Britain yet - time will tell how it measures up!

S-Tier Modern Civs

These civilizations stand out as the cream of the crop in Civilization 7, offering unparalleled military prowess and resource access, enabling you to dominate the game map effectively.

S-tier: America

Frontier Expansion - Gain 100 Gold every time you improve a Resource. +30% Production towards constructing the Statue of Liberty. Marine - American Unique Infantry Unit. Equipped with the Amphibious ability, making it cheaper to train. Prospector - American Unique Civilian Unit. Capable of claiming a Land Resource outside your regular Settlement radius. Industrial Park - American Unique Quarter formed by constructing the Railyard and Steel Mill in the same district. Boosts the city's Food output by +2 for every Resource assigned. Railyard - +5 Production. +1 Production Adjacency for Quarters and Wonders. An ageless American Unique Production Building. Steel Mill - +6 Production. Provides Gold adjacency for Resources and Wonders. Another ageless American Unique Production Building.

America excels in the Modern Age by leveraging its resource management capabilities. The Frontier Expansion trait offers significant Gold boosts through resource improvement, while the Industrial Park synergizes Railyard and Steel Mill to amplify Food, Production, and Gold. This versatility enables rapid expansion and robust production, making America a well-rounded choice for players aiming for a strong economic foundation. The Prospector's ability to claim additional resources and the Marine's Amphibious advantage further enhance America's strategic flexibility and military might.

S-tier: Meiji Japan

Goisshin - Gain Science equal to 50% of a Building's Production cost when Overbuilding. +30% Production towards constructing Dogo Onsen. Mikasa - Meiji Japanese Unique Heavy Naval Unit. Respawns at 50% HP in the nearest Settlement upon destruction. Zero - Meiji Japanese Unique Fighter Air Unit. Boasts increased range and +4 Combat Strength against other Fighter Air Units, with the ability to intercept enemy Air Units. Zaibatsu - Meiji Unique Quarter formed by constructing the Ginko and Jukogyo in the same district. Enhances adjacent Districts with +1 Gold and Production on Buildings. Ginko - +5 Gold. +1 Gold Adjacency for Gold Buildings and Wonders. An ageless Meiji Japan Unique Gold Building. Jukogyo - +5 Production. +1 Production Adjacency for Coastal Terrain and Wonders. An ageless Meiji Japan Unique Production Building.

Meiji Japan offers a robust resource and military advantage, making it a formidable choice in the Modern Age. The Goisshin trait facilitates strategic rebuilding with Science gains, while the Zaibatsu Quarter boosts economic output significantly. The Mikasa's respawn ability and the Zero's aerial dominance ensure Meiji Japan's military strength, providing players with powerful tools to navigate the endgame successfully.

A-Tier Modern Civs

A-Tier civilizations offer a balanced mix of resource access and military capabilities, making them reliable choices for various victory paths.

A-Tier: French Empire

Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite - Choose Celebration effects from any standard Government in the Modern Age. +30% Production towards constructing the Eiffel Tower. Garde Imperiale - French Imperial Unique Infantry Unit. Capable of Ranged attacks and gains +2 Combat Strength within a friendly Army Commander's Radius, though more expensive to train. Jacobin - A Great Person with one charge, trainable in Cities with an Avenue. Each Jacobin is unique and costs more to train subsequently. Avenue - French Imperial Quarter formed by the Jardin a la Francaise and Salon. Boosts Happiness by +2 on Quarters in the city. Jardin a la Francaise - +5 Culture. +1 Happiness Adjacency for Culture Buildings and Wonders. An ageless French Empire Unique Culture Building. Salon - +5 Happiness. +1 Culture Adjacency for Happiness Buildings and Wonders. An ageless French Empire Unique Happiness Building.

The French Empire is an excellent choice for those pursuing a Cultural victory, thanks to the synergistic effects of the Avenue, which combines the Jardin a la Francaise and Salon to enhance Culture and Happiness. This feedback loop can propel the French Empire through the Modern Age, supported by the Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite trait that allows flexible Celebration effects. While the Garde Imperiale isn't the strongest unit, it provides a solid defensive option to protect your cultural progress.

A-Tier: Mexico

Revolucion - Starts with a unique Government, Revolucion, offering a Celebration effect of +30% Culture for 10 Turns. Cannot transition to other Government types. +30% Production towards constructing Palacio de Bellas Artes. Soldaderas - Mexican Unique Infantry Unit. Enhances adjacent Units' healing by +10 HP, but the effect does not stack. Revolucionario - A Great Person with one charge, trainable in Cities with a Zocalo. Each Revolucionario is unique and costs more to train subsequently. Zocalo - Mexican Unique Quarter formed by the Catedral and Portal de Mercaderes. Provides +2 Culture for every Tradition slotted into the Government. Catedral - +5 Culture. +1 Happiness Adjacency for Culture Buildings and Wonders. An ageless Mexican Unique Culture Building. Portal de Mercaderes - +5 Culture. +1 Gold Adjacency for Gold Buildings and Wonders. An ageless Mexican Unique Culture Building.

Mexico stands out as a powerhouse for Culture, with the Zocalo Quarter boosting Culture through the Catedral and Portal de Mercaderes. The Revolucion trait and the ability to initiate Celebrations provide significant Culture bonuses, making Mexico a prime candidate for a cultural victory. The Soldaderas unit adds a layer of durability to your forces, ensuring you can sustain a long cultural campaign.

A-Tier: Qing

Kang Qian Shengshi - Provides +4 Gold, +3 Culture, +2 Influence, but -1 Science from imported Resources. +30% Production towards constructing Chengde Mountain Resort. Gusa - Qing Unique Infantry Unit. Gains +4 Combat Strength when adjacent to another Gusa. Hangshang - Qing Unique Merchant capable of establishing Trade Routes to import Resources from foreign Settlements. Gains 50 Gold per Resource acquired via naval Trade Routes. Huiguan - Qing Unique Quarter formed by the Qianzhuang and Shiguan. Boosts Influence by +35% in the Settlement. Shiguan - +6 Science. +1 Happiness Adjacency for Happiness Buildings and Wonders. An ageless Qing Unique Science Building. Qianzhuang - +5 Gold. +1 Gold Adjacency for Gold Buildings and Wonders. An ageless Qing Unique Gold Building.

Qing offers a mix of economic and cultural benefits, though it requires careful management due to the Science penalty from imported resources. The Kang Qian Shengshi trait provides a broad range of yield boosts, and with strategic resource management, the Shiguan can mitigate the Science drawback. The Gusa unit offers strong military potential when grouped, making Qing a versatile choice for players who can balance its unique traits.

B-Tier Modern Civs

B-Tier civilizations offer solid benefits but may be more specialized or effective in specific scenarios.

B-Tier: Buganda

River Raids - Gain Culture from pillaging Buildings or Improvements equal to the yield or healing gained. Land Military Units gain the Amphibious ability. +30% Production towards constructing Muzibu Azaala Mpanga. Abambowa - Bugandan Unique Infantry Unit. Heals +10 HP from Pillaging any tile. Mwami - Bugandan Unique Army Commander. Enhances yields from pillaging within its Command Radius by 50%. Kabaka’s Lake - +3 Happiness. Receives Lake yield bonuses, including those for Buganda's abilities and the Muzibu Azaala Mpanga Wonder. An ageless Bugandan Unique Improvement placed on Flat Terrain, one per Settlement.

Buganda excels in aggressive playstyles, leveraging the River Raids trait and units like the Abambowa and Mwami to gain significant resources from pillaging. However, this civilization requires constant military action to thrive, as it lacks direct access to key Modern Age yields like Science, Culture, Gold, and Influence. For players who enjoy a war-focused strategy, Buganda offers a unique and rewarding path.

B-Tier: Prussia

Blood and Iron - Units gain +1 Combat Strength for every Unfriendly or worse Civ Relationship. Hussar - Prussian Unique Cavalry Unit. Gains +1 Movement and +1 Combat Strength for every Movement it has remaining. Stuka - Prussian Ground Attack Air Unit. Boasts +3 Combat Strength against Land Units. Staatseisenbahn - Prussian Unique Railroad. Provides +2 Gold and Production on Rural tiles.

Prussia is ideal for players who relish a confrontational approach, as its Blood and Iron trait rewards aggressive diplomacy. The Hussar and Stuka units are powerful in combat, making Prussia a strong military choice. However, its focus on combat may leave you lagging in Science and Culture, essential in the Modern Age. Prussia's Staatseisenbahn can help with economic output, but maintaining hostile relations with everyone can lead to overwhelming opposition.

B-Tier: Russia

Prosveshchenie - Grants +1 Culture on Districts in Cities and +1 Science on Districts in Tundra. +30% Production towards constructing the Hermitage. Cossack - Russian Unique Cavalry Unit. Gains +4 Combat Strength in friendly territory. Katyusha Rocket Launcher - Russian Unique Siege Unit. Has +1 Movement and the Splash ability, dealing damage to enemy Units adjacent to the target. Obschchina - +2 Food from adjacent Farms and +2 Culture in Tundra. An ageless Russian Empire Unique Improvement.

Russia's Prosveshchenie trait offers modest yield boosts, particularly in Tundra, which can limit its effectiveness based on terrain. The Cossack and Katyusha Rocket Launcher provide defensive capabilities, but Russia's overall strategy relies on managing its yields effectively to keep up with other civilizations. It's a solid choice for players who can work with its unique geographical advantages.

B-Tier: Siam

Itsapharahab - Allows a unique Diplomatic Action to immediately become Suzerain of a City-State at a higher Influence cost. +30% Production towards constructing Doi Suthep. Chang Beun - Siamese Unique Ranged Unit. Boasts increased Ranged Strength and +1 Movement, capable of moving after attacking. Uparat - A Great Person with one charge, trainable in Cities after befriending an Independent Power. Each Uparat is unique and costs more to train subsequently. Bang - +3 Culture and Happiness. An ageless Siamese Unique Improvement placed on a Navigable River.

Siam's Itsapharahab trait offers a unique diplomatic advantage by allowing immediate Suzerainty over City-States, though at a higher Influence cost. The Chang Beun provides strong ranged capabilities, but Siam's success hinges on managing Influence effectively. It's a civilization that can thrive with the right City-States but requires careful planning and resource management.

C-Tier Modern Civs

C-Tier civilizations are situational or require a specialized playstyle, best suited for experienced players.

C-Tier: Mughal

Paradise of Nations - Boosts Gold from all sources by +75% but reduces all other yields by -25%. +30% Production towards constructing the Red Fort. Sepoy - Mughal Unique Infantry Unit. Capable of making a Bombard Ranged attack. Zamindar - Mughal Unique Settler. Can found new Towns and provides +1 Population on new Settlements. Stepwell - +2 Food from adjacent Farms. An ageless Mughal Unique Improvement placed on Flat Terrain.

Mughal's Paradise of Nations trait offers a significant Gold advantage, but the -25% penalty on other yields requires careful management. In the right circumstances, Mughal can be a powerhouse, but it demands a strategic approach to offset the yield penalties. The Sepoy and Zamindar units add versatility, but Mughal's success largely depends on leveraging its Gold advantage effectively to compensate for other deficits.