In *Civilization 7*, the Modern Age is the pinnacle of the game's timeline, where the final outcomes are determined and the journey concludes. Mastering this era is crucial as you leverage your strengths and make strategic decisions transitioning from the Exploration Age.
Choosing the right Civilization in the Modern Age can be the key to clinching victory. With ten civilizations available (and an eleventh if you own the Crossroads of the World DLC), selecting the one that synergizes best with your chosen leader is vital. Here’s a detailed tier list to guide you through the top Modern Age civilizations in *Civ 7*.
Remember, your leader can significantly enhance your gameplay by providing additional buffs. These synergies with the civilization you choose can amplify your power. The following tier list ranks civilizations based on their standalone strength, but consider how each civilization interacts with your chosen leader 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: We haven't ranked the new DLC Civ Great Britain yet - time will tell how it measures up!
S-Tier Modern Civs
These civilizations are the cream of the crop in Civilization 7, offering exceptional military units and access to vital resources, enabling you to dominate the map.
S-tier: America
Frontier Expansion - Earn 100 Gold every time you improve a Resource. Gain +30% Production towards constructing the Statue of Liberty.
Marine - American Unique Infantry Unit with the Amphibious ability. Cheaper to train.
Prospector - American Unique Civilian Unit that claims 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 the Modern Age with its versatile resource utilization. The Frontier Expansion trait can generate significant gold spikes by improving resources. The combination of Railyard and Steel Mill into the Industrial Park boosts Food, Production, and Gold, making the USA a well-rounded civilization capable of rapid expansion and substantial production. The Prospector unit enhances your resource gathering, and the Marine unit's Amphibious ability adds tactical flexibility, making America a top choice for the Modern Age.
S-tier: Meiji Japan
Goisshin - Gain Science equal to 50% of a Building's Production cost when you Overbuild a Building. +30% Production towards constructing Dogo Onsen.
Mikasa - Meiji Japanese Unique Heavy Naval Unit that respawns in the closest Settlement at 50% HP the first time it's destroyed.
Zero - Meiji Japanese Unique Fighter Air Unit with 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. 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 a powerhouse in the Modern Age, offering robust resource management and powerful military units. The Goisshin trait allows for efficient district and building reshaping, providing a Science boost. The Zaibatsu Quarter can generate substantial Gold and Production, propelling you into the endgame. The Mikasa's respawn ability and the Zero's aerial dominance make Meiji Japan a formidable force on both land and sea.
A-Tier Modern Civs
A-Tier civilizations offer a balanced mix of resource access and military strength, 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 that can make a Ranged attack. Gains +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 received once, with increasing cost 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 those aiming for a Cultural victory. The synergy between the Avenue, Jardin a la Francaise, and Salon creates a powerful loop of Culture and Happiness, accelerating your progress through the Modern Age. The Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite trait enhances this with frequent Celebrations. While the Garde Imperiale isn't the strongest unit, it provides a defensive edge as you focus on cultural development.
A-Tier: Mexico
Revolucion - Starts with a unique Government, Revolucion, offering 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 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, with increasing cost 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 a strong contender for a Cultural victory, offering a robust Culture output with additional Gold benefits. The Revolucion trait provides a significant Culture boost during Celebrations, and the Zocalo Quarter enhances this further. The Soldaderas unit adds a defensive layer, making Mexico a solid choice for those focusing on cultural dominance.
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 who 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. 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.
The Qing civilization offers a mix of Gold, Culture, and Influence, though it comes with a Science penalty from imported resources. Managing this trait effectively is crucial in the fast-paced Modern Age. The Shiguan helps offset the Science deficit, and the Gusa unit provides strong military potential. With careful resource and building management, Qing can be a versatile and powerful choice.
B-Tier Modern Civs
B-Tier civilizations are solid but may be more specialized, fitting well in specific scenarios or victory paths.
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 with 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 aggressive playstyles. The River Raids trait and units like the Abambowa and Mwami make pillaging highly rewarding. However, Buganda lacks direct access to crucial yields like Science, Culture, Gold, and Influence, requiring constant warfare to compensate. This unique playstyle can be rewarding but demands active engagement and strategic resource targeting.
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 perfect for players who thrive on conflict. The Blood and Iron trait boosts combat strength based on poor relationships with other civilizations, making Prussia a formidable military power. The Hussar and Stuka units are strong, but Prussia's focus on military might can be a double-edged sword. Without balancing Science and Culture, you might struggle to keep up with technological advancements, and maintaining hostile relations with everyone can lead to overwhelming opposition.
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 yield bonuses on Districts, with a focus on Science and Culture, particularly in Tundra. While these bonuses are helpful, they may not be as impactful as those of more specialized civilizations. The Cossack and Katyusha Rocket Launcher provide defensive capabilities, but Russia's overall strategy might not be as aggressive or versatile as others.
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, with increasing cost 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 manage to secure multiple City-States. However, Siam lacks inherent Influence generation, relying on your leader and ageless buildings. The Chang Beun unit offers tactical advantages, but Siam's overall strategy depends heavily on the right City-States being available.
C-Tier Modern Civs
C-Tier civilizations are not inherently weak but may require more specific strategies or experienced play to excel.
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.
The Mughal civilization offers a significant Gold boost but at the cost of reduced yields in other areas. This can be a powerful strategy if managed correctly, allowing you to become the richest player. However, the -25% penalty to other yields, particularly Science and Culture, requires careful investment to mitigate. The Mughal's other traits are functional but not standout, making this civilization a high-risk, high-reward choice best suited for experienced players.
