Civilization 7: Ranking Modern Civilizations

In Civilization 7, the Modern Age is pivotal—it's the stage where the game's outcome is determined, marking the culmination of your strategic journey from the Exploration Age. To secure victory, choosing the right civilization is crucial, as it sets the foundation for your endgame strategy.

The Modern Age in Civ 7 presents you with ten civilizations to choose from, with an additional eleventh if you have the Crossroads of the World DLC. When combined with the right leaders, these civilizations can create powerful synergies, enhancing your chances of success. To help you make an informed decision, here's a comprehensive tier list of the best Modern Age civilizations in Civilization 7.

Note: Your chosen leader will further enhance your gameplay with specific buffs. These synergies can significantly impact the civilization's overall power. The following tier list ranks each civilization based on their standalone strength, but always consider how your leader's abilities will interact with the civilization you choose.

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: We haven't yet ranked the new DLC civilization, Great Britain. Its performance will be assessed over time.

S-Tier Modern Civs

These civilizations are the cream of the crop in Civilization 7, offering exceptional military units 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 them cheaper to train. Prospector - American Unique Civilian Unit. Can claim 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. 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's ability to utilize a wide range of resources makes it one of the top civilizations in the modern era. The Frontier Expansion trait can provide significant gold boosts from resource improvements. Additionally, the synergy between the Railyard and Steel Mill to form the Industrial Park results in substantial Food, Production, and Gold, enabling rapid expansion and robust production capabilities. The Prospector allows for strategic resource acquisition, while the Marine's Amphibious ability adds versatility to your military strategy. America is a well-rounded choice with multiple paths to victory.

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. Respawns at 50% HP in the closest Settlement after being destroyed once. Zero - Meiji Japanese Unique Fighter Air Unit. Features increased range and +4 Combat Strength against other Fighter Air Units. Can intercept enemy Air Units. Zaibatsu - Meiji Unique Quarter. Created by constructing the Ginko and Jukogyo in the same District. +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 excels in resource management and boasts powerful military units. The Goisshin trait allows for flexible district and building adjustments while earning Science, crucial for staying competitive in the late game. The Zaibatsu Quarter, formed by the Ginko and Jukogyo, significantly boosts Gold and Production, facilitating a strong endgame economy. The Mikasa's ability to respawn offers a second chance in naval engagements, while the Zero provides superior air combat capabilities, ensuring dominance in the skies.

A-Tier Modern Civs

A-Tier civilizations offer versatile resource access and robust military units, making them reliable choices for various victory paths.

A-Tier: French Empire

Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite - Choose 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. Can perform a Ranged attack. +2 Combat Strength within a friendly Army Commander Radius. More expensive to train. Jacobin - A Great Person with one charge. Can only be trained in Cities with an Avenue, and the specific Jacobin received once. Cost increases per Jacobin trained. Avenue - French Imperial Quarter. Created by constructing the Jardin a la Francaise and Salon in the same District. +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 an excellent choice for a Cultural victory, thanks to the synergistic effects of the Avenue, formed by the Jardin a la Francaise and Salon. This combination creates a powerful feedback loop of Culture and Happiness, essential for thriving in the Modern Age. The Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite trait enhances this with flexible Celebration effects. While the Garde Imperiale is not the strongest unit, it provides defensive capabilities to protect your cultural expansion.

A-Tier: Mexico

Revolucion - Starts with a unique Government, Revolucion. This Government has one Celebration effect, +30% Culture for 10 Turns. Cannot enter any other Government type. +30% Production towards constructing Palacio de Bellas Artes. Soldaderas - Mexican Unique Infantry Unit. Adjacent Units heal +10 HP. Does not stack. Revolucionario - A Great Person with one charge. Can only be trained in Cities with a Zocalo, and the specific Revolucionario received is random. Each Revolucionario 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. +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 powerhouse for Culture, offering a balance of Culture, Gold, and Happiness. The Revolucion trait provides a significant Culture boost during Celebrations, while the Zocalo Quarter, formed by the Catedral and Portal de Mercaderes, further enhances Culture output. The Soldaderas unit offers a tactical advantage by allowing units to heal each other, making Mexico a strong contender for a cultural victory if Happiness and Celebrations are managed effectively.

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. +4 Combat Strength if adjacent to another Gusa. Hangshang - Qing Unique Merchant. Can establish a Trade Route to import Resources from a foreign Settlement. Gain 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. +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.

The Qing civilization offers a mix of Gold, Culture, and Influence, though it requires careful management due to the Science penalty from imported resources. The Kang Qian Shengshi trait provides a strong foundation for economic and cultural growth, while the Shiguan helps mitigate the Science penalty. The Gusa unit offers a tactical advantage in combat, and the Hangshang's ability to establish lucrative trade routes can significantly boost your economy. With proper resource and building management, Qing can be a formidable choice.

B-Tier Modern Civs

B-Tier civilizations offer specific advantages and are suitable for certain victory paths, though they may require more specialized 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. Heals +10 HP from Pillaging any tile. Mwami - Bugandan Unique Army Commander. 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 tailored for aggressive players who enjoy pillaging enemy territory. The River Raids trait, combined with the Abambowa and Mwami units, offers substantial benefits from pillaging, making it essential to engage in frequent warfare. While the Kabaka’s Lake provides Happiness and resource bonuses, Buganda lacks direct access to key Modern Age yields like Science and Culture, necessitating a focus on pillaging to compensate. This civilization requires an active and aggressive playstyle but can be rewarding if executed correctly.

B-Tier: Prussia

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

Prussia is ideal for players who thrive on conflict and want to dominate through military might. The Blood and Iron trait rewards aggressive diplomacy, boosting combat strength as relationships deteriorate. The Hussar and Stuka units are powerful in combat, enabling you to win most engagements. However, Prussia's focus on military prowess can be a double-edged sword; without a strong economy to support technological and cultural advancements, you may struggle in the Modern Age. The Staatseisenbahn helps with resource management, but Prussia's strategy requires careful balancing to avoid being overwhelmed by multiple adversaries.

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. +4 Combat Strength in friendly territory. Katyusha Rocket Launcher - Russian Unique Siege Unit. Has +1 Movement. Lower base Combat Strength but has 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 steady yield bonuses on Districts, particularly in Tundra, which can support a balanced approach to Science and Culture. However, these bonuses are modest, and the civilization's reliance on Tundra may limit its territorial expansion. The Cossack and Katyusha Rocket Launcher provide defensive capabilities, but Russia's overall strategy may not match the more specialized civilizations in terms of yield output. A strategic focus on maximizing District bonuses can still make Russia a viable choice for players who prefer a more defensive approach.

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. Has increased Ranged Strength and +1 Movement. Can move after attacking. Uparat - A Great Person with one charge. Can only be trained in Cities when an Independent Power has been befriended, and the specific Uparat received is random. Each Uparat 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 advantageous if you can secure multiple City-States to boost various yields. However, Siam lacks inherent means to generate the necessary Influence, making it dependent on your leader and other game mechanics. The Chang Beun is a versatile ranged unit that can maneuver effectively in combat. While Siam's strategy revolves around City-States, it requires a nuanced approach to leverage its full potential.

C-Tier Modern Civs

C-Tier civilizations are more situational and may require experienced players to navigate their unique playstyles effectively.

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. Can make a Bombard Ranged attack. Zamindar - Mughal Unique Settler. Civilian Unit 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.

The Mughal civilization offers significant Gold generation with the Paradise of Nations trait, potentially making you the wealthiest player. However, the -25% penalty to other yields requires careful management to avoid falling behind in Science and Culture, which are critical in the Modern Age. The Sepoy and Zamindar units are useful but not game-changing. Mughal can be powerful in the right hands, but its high-risk, high-reward nature makes it less straightforward than other options, better suited for players who can adeptly manage its unique economic dynamics.