In Civilization 7, the Modern Age marks the decisive phase where the game's outcome is determined, making strategic choices crucial as you transition from the Exploration Age. Your selection of civilization is pivotal to clinching victory, with the Modern Age offering a diverse range of ten civilizations to choose from, plus an additional one if you have the Crossroads of the World DLC. Pairing these with the right leaders can create powerful synergies. To aid in your decision-making, here's a comprehensive tier list of the best Modern Age civilizations in Civ 7.
Note that your chosen leader can significantly enhance your gameplay by providing additional buffs. These synergies can shift the power dynamics of a civilization. However, this tier list focuses solely on the standalone capabilities of each civilization. Be sure to consider how your selected civilization will interact with your leader when making your choice.
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 are the top-tier civilizations in Civilization 7, offering exceptional military units and access to powerful resources, enabling you to dominate the game map.
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. Cheaper to train.
Prospector - American Unique Civilian Unit. 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. +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 excels in resource utilization, making it one of the best civilizations in the Modern Age. The Frontier Expansion trait provides significant gold boosts by improving resources. The combination of Railyard and Steel Mill to create the Industrial Park yields substantial Food, Production, and Gold, making the USA a versatile and robust civilization capable of rapid expansion and production.
For insights on achieving an Economic Victory, explore how to leverage Factory Resources in Civilization 7.
Additionally, the Prospector can secure crucial resources, enhancing your yields, while the Marine unit's Amphibious ability makes it a versatile and effective unit on the battlefield.
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. Respawns at the closest Settlement at 50% HP upon destruction.
Zero - Meiji Japanese Unique Fighter Air Unit with increased range. +4 Combat Strength against other Fighter Air Units. Can intercept enemy Air Units.
Zaibatsu - Meiji Unique Quarter, formed 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 is renowned for its resourcefulness and powerful attributes. The Goisshin trait allows for strategic district and building reshaping, earning Science in the process. The Zaibatsu Quarter can generate significant Gold and Production, propelling you towards an endgame victory.
The Mikasa naval unit's ability to respawn once after destruction adds resilience, while the Zero air unit's enhanced range and combat strength make it a formidable force in aerial combat.
For a deeper understanding of the game's military dynamics, explore all the Civ 7 Unit Types.
A-Tier Modern Civs
A-Tier civilizations offer a balanced mix of resource access and military prowess, making them reliable choices for various victory paths.
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 capable of Ranged attacks. +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. 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 ideal for those pursuing a Cultural Victory, thanks to the synergistic effects of the Avenue, formed by the Jardin a la Francaise and Salon. This setup creates a powerful feedback loop of Culture and Happiness, enhancing your progress through the Modern Age.
Learn more about Celebrations and Government Types in Civ 7 to optimize your strategy.
While not the most dominant, the Garde Imperiale unit provides defensive capabilities, ensuring your cultural focus remains undisturbed.
A-Tier: Mexico
Revolucion - Starts with a unique Government, Revolucion, with 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. 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 Mercaderes 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 a powerhouse for Culture, offering more Gold and a significant Culture boost. By leveraging Happiness through buildings and initiating Celebrations, you can access a 30% Culture bonus. The Zocalo Quarter further amplifies your Culture output.
For comprehensive victory strategies, check out How to Win Civ 7 - every victory type explained.
The Soldaderas unit's healing capability makes it a resilient choice in battle, supporting your cultural ambitions.
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. Establishes Trade Routes to import Resources from foreign Settlements. 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.
Qing offers a robust mix of yields, though managing the Science penalty from the Kang Qian Shengshi trait is essential. With careful resource and building management, this can be mitigated, allowing you to leverage the civilization's strong Gold, Culture, and Influence gains.
For a fresh start, explore all the Civ 7 Map Settings explained.
The Gusa unit's combat strength in formations provides military strength to support your strategic objectives.
B-Tier Modern Civs
B-Tier civilizations offer specific advantages but may require more specialized strategies to excel.
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 thrives on an aggressive playstyle, leveraging pillaging to gain resources and Culture. The River Raids trait, along with the Abambowa and Mwami units, makes pillaging highly rewarding. However, this civilization's success hinges on constant warfare and strategic resource acquisition.
For effective military strategies, check out the best Civ 7 Commander Upgrades.
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. +1 Combat Strength for every Movement 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 embrace a confrontational approach, gaining Combat Strength from hostile relationships. The Hussar and Stuka units are potent in battle, enabling you to dominate military engagements.
However, Prussia's focus on military aggression can be limiting, requiring you to capture Settlements to keep up with Science and Culture advancements. The Staatseisenbahn provides some economic support, but balancing aggression with technological progress is crucial.
For those who prefer diplomacy, learn How to Get and Use Civ 7 Influence.
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 with +1 Movement. Lower base Combat Strength but has the Splash ability, damaging enemy Units adjacent to the target.
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 benefits from yield bonuses on Districts, particularly in Tundra regions. While these bonuses are beneficial, they may not be sufficient against more specialized civilizations. The Cossack and Katyusha Rocket Launcher units offer defensive capabilities, protecting your technological and cultural advancements.
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. Can only be trained in Cities when an Independent Power has been befriended. 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 immediate Suzerainty over City-States, which can be powerful if you manage to gather enough Influence. The Chang Beun unit's mobility and ranged strength make it a valuable asset. However, without inherent Influence generation, your success depends on strategic management of other resources and leader abilities.
For more on diplomatic strategies, learn about Civ 7 Independent Powers and their bonuses.
C-Tier Modern Civs
C-Tier civilizations may be less straightforward but can be highly effective in the right circumstances.
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. 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 can be exceptionally strong with its +75% Gold boost, making it potentially the richest in the game. However, the -25% penalty to all other yields requires careful management to prevent falling behind in crucial areas like Science and Culture.
While the Mughal's other traits are serviceable, they may not be essential for victory. In skilled hands, this civilization can excel, but it presents more challenges for less experienced players compared to other options.
