"Civilization 7: Ranking Modern Civilizations"

In *Civilization 7*, the Modern Age is the critical phase where the game's outcome is often decided. As you transition from the Exploration Age, it's crucial to leverage your advantages and make strategic choices to secure victory. The civilization you select in this era can significantly influence your success, with ten civilizations available (and an eleventh if you own the Crossroads of the World DLC). Pairing these with the right leaders can create powerful synergies, making your choice even more impactful. To help you navigate this pivotal decision, we present our tier list for the best Modern Age civilizations in Civ 7.

Keep in mind, your leader's abilities can enhance your civilization's performance, potentially shifting their effectiveness through synergistic effects. Our tier list ranks civilizations based on their standalone capabilities, so consider how your chosen leader will interact with your civilization when making your decision.

Best Civ 7 Modern Civs

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: The new DLC civilization, Great Britain, has not been ranked yet. Its performance will be assessed over time.

S-Tier Modern Civs

This tier represents the cream of the crop in Civilization 7, offering exceptional military units and resource access, allowing you to dominate the 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 with the Amphibious ability, making it cheaper to train.

Prospector - American Unique Civilian Unit that can claim a Land Resource outside your regular Settlement radius.

Industrial Park - American Unique Quarter created by constructing the Railyard and Steel Mill in the same district. Provides +2 Food in this City for every Resource assigned to this City.

Railyard - +5 Production. +1 Production Adjacency for Quarters and Wonders. American Unique Production Building. Ageless.

Steel Mill - +6 Production. Gold adjacency for Resources and Wonders. American Unique Production Building. Ageless.

America excels in resource utilization, making it a top contender in the Modern Age. The Frontier Expansion trait boosts your gold significantly when improving resources, while the Railyard and Steel Mill combine to form the Industrial Park, enhancing your city's Food, Production, and Gold. This versatility allows the USA to expand rapidly and maintain high production levels. Additionally, the Prospector unit helps secure vital resources, and the Marine's Amphibious ability adds tactical flexibility.

S-tier: Meiji Japan

Goisshin - Gain Science equal to 50% of the Building’s Production cost when you Overbuild a Building. +30% Production towards constructing Dogo Onsen.

Mikasa - Meiji Japanese Unique Heavy Naval Unit that respawns at 50% HP in the closest Settlement after being destroyed.

Zero - Meiji Japanese Unique Fighter Air Unit with increased range and +4 Combat Strength against other Fighters. Can intercept enemy Air Units.

Zaibatsu - Meiji Unique Quarter created by constructing the Ginko and Jukogyo in the same District. Provides +1 Gold and Production on Buildings in adjacent Districts.

Ginko - +5 Gold. +1 Gold Adjacency for Gold Buildings and Wonders. Meiji Japan Unique Gold Building. Ageless.

Jukogyo - +5 Production. +1 Production Adjacency for Coastal Terrain and Wonders. Meiji Japan Unique Production Building. Ageless.

Meiji Japan is renowned for its resourcefulness and powerful units. The Goisshin trait allows you to adapt your buildings to modern needs while earning Science, and the Zaibatsu Quarter can generate substantial Gold and Production. The Mikasa's ability to respawn adds resilience to your naval strategy, while the Zero ensures air superiority, making Meiji Japan a formidable choice for the endgame.

A-Tier Modern Civs

A-tier civilizations offer a balanced approach, providing access to crucial resources and military power through unique units.

A-Tier: French Empire

Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite - Select the Celebration effects of any standard Government in the Modern Age. +30% Production towards constructing the Eiffel Tower.

Garde Imperiale - French Imperial Unique Infantry Unit with Ranged attack capability and +2 Combat Strength within a friendly Army Commander Radius. More expensive to train.

Jacobin - A Great Person with one charge, trainable only in Cities with an Avenue. The specific Jacobin is received once, with cost increasing per Jacobin trained.

Avenue - French Imperial Quarter created by constructing the Jardin a la Francaise and Salon in the same District. Provides +2 Happiness on Quarters in this City.

Jardin a la Francaise - +5 Culture. +1 Happiness Adjacency for Culture Buildings and Wonders. French Empire Unique Culture Building. Ageless.

Salon - +5 Happiness. +1 Culture Adjacency for Happiness Buildings and Wonders. French Empire Unique Happiness Building. Ageless.

The French Empire is ideal for a Cultural victory, thanks to the synergistic effects of the Avenue, which boosts Culture and Happiness. This feedback loop can propel you through the Modern Age, with the Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite trait enhancing your Celebrations. The Garde Imperiale provides defensive strength, ensuring you can focus on cultural development without being easily disrupted.

A-Tier: Mexico

Revolucion - Starts with a unique Government, Revolucion, with one Celebration effect, granting +30% Culture for 10 Turns. Cannot enter any other Government type. +30% Production towards constructing Palacio de Bellas Artes.

Soldaderas - Mexican Unique Infantry Unit that heals adjacent Units +10 HP. Does not stack.

Revolucionario - A Great Person with one charge, trainable only in Cities with a Zocalo. The specific Revolucionario received is random, and each can only be received once. Cost increases per Revolucionario trained.

Zocalo - Mexican Unique Quarter created by constructing the Catedral and Portal de Mercanderes in the same District. Provides +2 Culture for every Tradition slotted into the Government.

Catedral - +5 Culture. +1 Happiness Adjacency for Culture Buildings and Wonders. Mexican Unique Culture Building. Ageless.

Portal de Mercaderes - +5 Culture. +1 Gold Adjacency for Gold Buildings and Wonders. Mexican Unique Culture Building. Ageless.

Mexico is another strong contender for a Cultural victory, offering a significant boost to Culture and Gold. The Revolucion Government enhances your Cultural output, and the Zocalo Quarter further amplifies this. The Soldaderas unit provides tactical healing, making Mexico a robust choice for those aiming to dominate through culture.

A-Tier: Qing

Kang Qian Shengshi - +4 Gold, +3 Culture, +2 Influence, but -1 Science from imported Resources. +30% Production towards constructing Chengde Mountain Resort.

Gusa - Qing Unique Infantry Unit with +4 Combat Strength if adjacent to another Gusa.

Hangshang - Qing Unique Merchant capable of establishing a Trade Route to import Resources from a foreign Settlement. Gains 50 Gold for every Resource acquired when creating a naval Trade Route.

Huiguan - Qing Unique Quarter created by constructing the Qianzhuang and Shiguan in the same District. Provides +35% Influence in this Settlement.

Shiguan - +6 Science. +1 Happiness Adjacency for Happiness Buildings and Wonders. Qing Unique Science Building. Ageless.

Qianzhuang - +5 Gold. +1 Gold Adjacency for Gold Buildings and Wonders. Qing Unique Gold Building. Ageless.

Qing offers a balanced set of bonuses, though it requires careful management due to the Science penalty from imported resources. The Kang Qian Shengshi trait provides a mix of Gold, Culture, and Influence, making it versatile. The Gusa unit is strong in formations, and the Huiguan Quarter boosts Influence, making Qing a solid choice for players who manage their resources well.

B-Tier Modern Civs

B-tier civilizations are good but often more specialized, suitable for specific scenarios and strategies.

B-Tier: Buganda

River Raids - Gain Culture when 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 that heals +10 HP from Pillaging any tile.

Mwami - Bugandan Unique Army Commander that gains 50% yields from pillaging within its Command Radius.

Kabaka’s Lake - +3 Happiness. Receives Lake yield bonuses, including yields for all Buganda’s abilities and the Muzibu Azaala Mpanga Wonder. Bugandan Unique Improvement. Ageless. Does not remove Warehouse bonuses on a tile. Must be placed on Flat Terrain. One per Settlement.

Buganda is ideal for aggressive players who enjoy pillaging. The River Raids trait, along with the Abambowa and Mwami units, provides significant benefits from pillaging, though it requires constant warfare to maintain. The Kabaka’s Lake offers Happiness but lacks direct access to crucial Modern Age yields like Science and Culture, making Buganda a unique but challenging choice.

B-Tier: Prussia

Blood and Iron - Units receive +1 Combat Strength for every Unfriendly or worse Civ Relationship.

Hussar - Prussian Unique Cavalry Unit with +1 Movement and +1 Combat Strength for every Movement it has remaining.

Stuka - Prussian Ground Attack Air Unit with +3 Combat Strength against Land Units.

Staatseisenbahn - Prussian Unique Railroad that provides +2 Gold and Production on Rural tiles with a Staatseisenbahn.

Prussia is designed for aggressive players who aim to dominate through military might. The Blood and Iron trait boosts Combat Strength based on poor relationships, making it ideal for those who want to antagonize other civilizations. The Hussar and Stuka units are powerful, but Prussia's focus on military strength can leave it lagging in Science and Culture if not balanced properly.

B-Tier: Russia

Prosveshchenie - +1 Culture on Districts in Cities. +1 Science on Districts in Cities in Tundra. +30% Production towards constructing the Hermitage.

Cossack - Russian Unique Cavalry Unit with +4 Combat Strength in friendly territory.

Katyusha Rocket Launcher - Russian Unique Siege Unit with +1 Movement and the Splash ability, dealing damage to enemy Units adjacent to the target Unit.

Obschchina - +2 Food from adjacent Farms. +2 Culture in Tundra. Russian Empire Unique Improvement. Ageless. Does not remove Warehouse bonuses on a tile. Cannot be placed adjacent to another Obshchina.

Russia offers modest bonuses to Culture and Science, particularly in Tundra. While these bonuses are helpful, they may not be enough to outpace more specialized civilizations. The Cossack and Katyusha Rocket Launcher provide defensive capabilities, but Russia's overall strategy may require more nuanced management to excel.

B-Tier: Siam

Itsapharahab - Gains a unique Diplomatic Action to immediately become Suzerain of a City-State at a higher Influence cost than Befriend Independent. +30% Production towards constructing Doi Suthep.

Chang Beun - Siamese Unique Ranged Unit with increased Ranged Strength and +1 Movement. Can move after attacking.

Uparat - A Great Person with one charge, trainable only in Cities when an Independent Power has been befriended. The specific Uparat received is random, and each can only be received once. Cost increases per Uparat trained.

Bang - +3 Culture and Happiness. Siamese Unique Improvement. Ageless. Does not remove Warehouse bonuses on a tile. Must be placed on a Navigable River.

Siam's unique trait allows for immediate Suzerainty over City-States, which can be powerful if you can generate the necessary Influence. The Chang Beun unit offers tactical advantages, but Siam's success heavily depends on the City-States available and your ability to manage Influence effectively.

C-Tier Modern Civs

C-tier civilizations are situational and often require a specific playstyle, best suited for experienced players.

C-Tier: Mughal

Paradise of Nations - +75% Gold from all sources. -25% to all other yields. +30% Production towards constructing the Red Fort.

Sepoy - Mughal Unique Infantry Unit that can make a Bombard Ranged attack.

Zamindar - Mughal Unique Settler capable of founding new Towns. +1 Population on new Settlements.

Stepwell - +2 Food from adjacent Farms. Mughal Unique Improvement. Ageless. Does not remove Warehouse bonuses on a tile. Must be placed on Flat Terrain. Cannot be placed adjacent to another Stepwell.

Mughal's high Gold bonus can be incredibly powerful, but the -25% penalty to other yields requires careful management to mitigate. In the right hands, Mughal can be a strong choice, but its success depends on balancing the Gold advantage against the yield penalties, making it a challenging civilization for less experienced players.