Civilization 7: Top Modern Civilizations Ranked

The Modern Age in *Civilization 7* is a pivotal era where the game's outcome is determined, marking the culmination of your strategic endeavors. Transitioning from the Exploration Age, it's crucial to leverage your advantages and make strategic decisions to secure victory. The choice of Civilization plays a vital role in achieving success, with the Modern Age offering a selection of ten civilizations, and an additional one if you own the Crossroads of the World DLC. When paired with the right leaders, these civilizations can create powerful synergies. To guide your choice, here's our comprehensive tier list for the best Modern Age civilizations in *Civ 7*.

Note: Your chosen Leader will enhance your gameplay with specific buffs, potentially altering the effectiveness of your civilization through strong synergies. This Tier List ranks civilizations based solely on their standalone capabilities, so consider how your Leader's abilities will interact with your chosen civilization.

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 evaluated over time.

S-Tier Modern Civs

This elite category represents the cream of the crop in Civilization 7. These civilizations offer 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 with the Amphibious ability, making it cheaper to train.

Prospector - American Unique Civilian Unit that claims 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, providing +2 Food in this City for every Resource assigned.

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 stands out in the Modern Age for its versatility and resource utilization. The Frontier Expansion trait offers significant gold boosts by improving resources, while the Industrial Park, formed by the Railyard and Steel Mill, enhances your city's Food, Production, and Gold. This combination allows for rapid expansion and robust production capabilities. Additionally, the Prospector unit can secure vital resources, and the Marine's Amphibious ability adds a strategic edge, making America a well-rounded and powerful civilization.

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S-tier: Meiji Japan

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

Mikasa - Meiji Japanese Unique Heavy Naval Unit that respawns at 50% HP in the closest Settlement upon first destruction.

Zero - Meiji Japanese Unique Fighter Air Unit with increased range and +4 Combat Strength against other Fighter Air Units, capable of intercepting enemy Air Units.

Zaibatsu - Meiji Unique Quarter formed by constructing the Ginko and Jukogyo in the same District, providing +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 units. The Goisshin trait allows for efficient district and building management, boosting your Science output. The Zaibatsu Quarter enhances Gold and Production, propelling you into the endgame. The Mikasa's respawn ability adds resilience to your naval forces, while the Zero's capabilities make you a dominant force in the air.

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A-Tier Modern Civs

A-Tier civilizations are solid choices, offering a balance of resource access and military strength.

A-Tier: French Empire

Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite - Select 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 +2 Combat Strength within a friendly Army Commander Radius, though more expensive to train.

Jacobin - A Great Person with one charge, trainable only in Cities with an Avenue, with the specific Jacobin received once. Cost increases per Jacobin trained.

Avenue - French Imperial Quarter formed by constructing the Jardin a la Francaise and Salon in the same District, providing +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 combines the Jardin a la Francaise and Salon to boost Culture and Happiness. This setup can lead to frequent Celebrations, enhancing the Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite trait. The Garde Imperiale unit provides a defensive edge, ensuring your cultural progress remains unchallenged.

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A-Tier: Mexico

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

Soldaderas - Mexican Unique Infantry Unit that heals adjacent Units by +10 HP, non-stacking.

Revolucionario - A Great Person with one charge, trainable only in Cities with a Zocalo, with the specific Revolucionario received randomly. Each Revolucionario can only be received once. Cost increases per Revolucionario trained.

Zocalo - Mexican Unique Quarter formed by constructing the Catedral and Portal de Mercanderes in the same District, providing +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 a powerhouse for Culture, offering substantial Culture and Gold yields. The Zocalo Quarter, formed by the Catedral and Portal de Mercaderes, enhances your Culture output. The Soldaderas unit adds a tactical advantage by healing adjacent units, making Mexico an excellent choice for a cultural victory if you can manage Happiness effectively.

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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, gaining 50 Gold for every Resource acquired on a naval Trade Route.

Huiguan - Qing Unique Quarter formed by constructing the Qianzhuang and Shiguan in the same District, providing +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 robust mix of Gold, Culture, and Influence, though at the cost of Science from imported resources. Effective management of this trait is crucial in the fast-paced Modern Age. The Gusa unit provides a strong military option, and the Huiguan Quarter significantly boosts your Influence, making Qing a versatile choice.

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B-Tier Modern Civs

B-Tier civilizations offer good benefits but may be more specialized or situational.

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 provides 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 players who enjoy a more aggressive, pillaging-focused strategy. The River Raids trait, along with the Abambowa and Mwami units, offers significant benefits from pillaging. However, the civilization lacks direct access to crucial Modern Age yields like Science, Culture, Gold, and Influence, making constant warfare necessary to compensate.

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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 providing +2 Gold and Production on Rural tiles with a Staatseisenbahn.

Prussia is perfect for players who relish conflict and aim to dominate through military might. The Blood and Iron trait enhances your units' Combat Strength based on your relationships with other civilizations. The Hussar and Stuka units are formidable, but Prussia's focus on military prowess means you must also capture Settlements to keep up with Science and Culture, which are crucial in the Modern Age.

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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 solid yield bonuses on Districts, particularly in Tundra, but these bonuses may limit your expansion if you're not situated in the right terrain. The Cossack and Katyusha Rocket Launcher provide defensive military options, making Russia suitable for players focused on building a strong, culturally and scientifically advanced civilization.

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, capable of moving after attacking.

Uparat - A Great Person with one charge, trainable only in Cities when an Independent Power has been befriended, with the specific Uparat received randomly. 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 ability to instantly become Suzerain of a City-State can be powerful if you can generate the necessary Influence. The Chang Beun unit offers strategic flexibility, but Siam's overall impact may depend on the availability of suitable City-States.

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C-Tier Modern Civs

C-Tier civilizations are situational and may require a specialized 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 capable of making a Bombard Ranged attack.

Zamindar - Mughal Unique Settler capable of founding new Towns, providing +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 a significant Gold boost, which can be incredibly powerful if managed correctly. However, the -25% penalty to other yields requires careful management to avoid falling behind in Science and Culture, both critical in the Modern Age. With the right strategy, the Mughal can be a strong contender, but it's a high-risk, high-reward choice.