In *Civilization 7*, the Modern Age marks the pinnacle of your journey, where victories are clinched and games are concluded. It's crucial to leverage your advantages and make strategic decisions as you transition from the Exploration Age. The civilization you select can be the key to your triumph. With ten civilizations available (and eleven if you have the Crossroads of the World DLC), choosing the right one, paired with the appropriate leader, can unlock potent synergies that propel you to victory. To aid your decision-making, here's a detailed tier list of the best Modern Age civilizations in *Civ 7*.
Note: While this tier list focuses on the inherent strengths of each civilization, remember that your chosen leader's abilities can significantly enhance or alter these strengths. Consider how your leader's traits will interact with your civilization when making your choice.
### Best Civ 7 Modern CivsCiv 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, is not yet ranked. Its performance will be assessed over time.
S-Tier Modern Civs
These civilizations are the cream of the crop in Civilization 7, offering superior military units and resource access that can dominate the map.
S-tier: America
Frontier Expansion - Earn 100 Gold each time you improve a resource. Gain +30% Production towards the Statue of Liberty.
Marine - American Unique Infantry Unit with the Amphibious ability. Less expensive to train.
Prospector - American Unique Civilian Unit that can claim a Land Resource beyond your Settlement's radius.
Industrial Park - Unique Quarter formed by constructing the Railyard and Steel Mill in the same district. Adds +2 Food in the city for each assigned Resource.
Railyard - +5 Production. +1 Production Adjacency for Quarters and Wonders. American Unique Production Building.
Steel Mill - +6 Production. Gold adjacency for Resources and Wonders. American Unique Production Building.
America's versatility is unmatched in the Modern Age, utilizing resources efficiently to fuel rapid expansion and robust production. The Frontier Expansion trait boosts gold significantly, while the Industrial Park synergizes Railyard and Steel Mill to provide ample Food, Production, and Gold. Additionally, the Prospector can secure vital resources, and the Marine unit's Amphibious ability offers strategic flexibility, making America a well-rounded choice for any victory path.
Economic Victory: Learn how to leverage Factory Resources in Civilization 7.
S-tier: Meiji Japan
Goisshin - Gain Science equal to 50% of a Building's Production cost when Overbuilding. +30% Production towards Dogo Onsen.
Mikasa - Meiji Japanese Unique Heavy Naval Unit that respawns at 50% HP in the nearest Settlement upon destruction.
Zero - Meiji Japanese Unique Fighter Air Unit with increased range and +4 Combat Strength against other Fighters. Can intercept enemy Air Units.
Zaibatsu - Unique Quarter created by constructing Ginko and Jukogyo in the same District. Adds +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.
Jukogyo - +5 Production. +1 Production Adjacency for Coastal Terrain and Wonders. Meiji Japan Unique Production Building.
Meiji Japan's resourcefulness is evident in its ability to adapt buildings and districts for modern needs, earning Science through Goisshin. The Zaibatsu Quarter can generate substantial Gold and Production, pushing you toward an endgame advantage. The Mikasa and Zero units are formidable, offering resilience and aerial dominance, respectively, making Meiji Japan a powerful contender in the Modern Age.
Learn more about all the Civ 7 Unit Types!
A-Tier Modern Civs
A-Tier civilizations offer a balanced mix of resources and military prowess, suitable for various victory conditions.
A-Tier: French Empire
Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite - Choose Celebration effects from any standard Government in the Modern Age. +30% Production towards the Eiffel Tower.
Garde Imperiale - French Imperial Unique Infantry Unit that can perform Ranged attacks. +2 Combat Strength within a friendly Army Commander's Radius. More expensive to train.
Jacobin - Great Person with one charge. Can only be trained in Cities with an Avenue, and specific Jacobin received once. Cost increases per Jacobin trained.
Avenue - French Imperial Quarter formed by constructing Jardin a la Francaise and Salon in the same District. Adds +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.
Salon - +5 Happiness. +1 Culture Adjacency for Happiness Buildings and Wonders. French Empire Unique Happiness Building.
The French Empire excels in cultural victories, with the Avenue Quarter synergizing Jardin a la Francaise and Salon to boost Culture and Happiness. This feedback loop, combined with the Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite trait, can lead to frequent Celebrations, accelerating your progress. The Garde Imperiale, while not the strongest, provides a defensive option to protect your cultural pursuits.
Learn more about Celebrations and Government Types in Civ 7!
A-Tier: Mexico
Revolucion - Starts with a unique Government, Revolucion, offering a Celebration effect of +30% Culture for 10 Turns. Cannot enter other Government types. +30% Production towards Palacio de Bellas Artes.
Soldaderas - Mexican Unique Infantry Unit. Adjacent Units heal +10 HP. Does not stack.
Revolucionario - 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 formed by constructing Catedral and Portal de Mercaderes in the same District. Adds +2 Culture for every Tradition slotted into the Government.
Catedral - +5 Culture. +1 Happiness Adjacency for Culture Buildings and Wonders. Mexican Unique Culture Building.
Portal de Mercaderes - +5 Culture. +1 Gold Adjacency for Gold Buildings and Wonders. Mexican Unique Culture Building.
Mexico is another strong contender for cultural victories, providing substantial Culture and Gold. The Zocalo Quarter amplifies Culture through the Catedral and Portal de Mercaderes, while the Revolucion Government offers periodic Culture boosts. The Soldaderas Unit adds resilience to your military formations, making Mexico a solid choice for those aiming for cultural dominance.
Check out How to Win Civ 7 - every victory type explained!
A-Tier: Qing
Kang Qian Shengshi - +4 Gold, +3 Culture, +2 Influence, but -1 Science from imported Resources. +30% Production towards 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 via naval Trade Route.
Huiguan - Qing Unique Quarter formed by constructing Qianzhuang and Shiguan in the same District. Adds +35% Influence in this Settlement.
Shiguan - +6 Science. +1 Happiness Adjacency for Happiness Buildings and Wonders. Qing Unique Science Building.
Qianzhuang - +5 Gold. +1 Gold Adjacency for Gold Buildings and Wonders. Qing Unique Gold Building.
The Qing Civilization offers a robust mix of Gold, Culture, and Influence, though managing the Science penalty from Kang Qian Shengshi is crucial. With strategic resource and building management, the Shiguan can mitigate this drawback. The Gusa Unit's strength in formations and the Hangshang's ability to gain Gold from trade make Qing a versatile choice for players adept at balancing yields.
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B-Tier Modern Civs
B-Tier civilizations offer solid benefits but may be more specialized or less versatile than higher tiers.
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 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. Must be placed on Flat Terrain. One per Settlement.
Buganda is ideal for aggressive players who enjoy pillaging. The River Raids trait and units like the Abambowa and Mwami make pillaging highly rewarding. However, Buganda's reliance on pillaging for essential yields like Science and Culture means constant warfare is necessary. Kabaka's Lake provides Happiness and Lake bonuses, but without direct access to key Modern Age yields, maintaining a strong position requires active pillaging.
Waging war? Take a look at 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 the choice for players who relish in confrontation. The Blood and Iron trait rewards aggression, boosting Combat Strength as relations sour. The Hussar and Stuka are powerful units that excel in combat, making Prussia a formidable military force. However, its focus on warfare means you must secure Settlements to keep up with Science and Culture, crucial in the Modern Age. The Staatseisenbahn helps with Gold and Production, but maintaining a broad coalition of enemies can be risky.
Prefer diplomacy? Find out How to Get and Use Civ 7 Influence.
B-Tier: Russia
Prosveshchenie - +1 Culture on Districts in Cities. +1 Science on Districts in Tundra Cities. +30% Production towards 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.
Obschchina - +2 Food from adjacent Farms. +2 Culture in Tundra. Russian Empire Unique Improvement. Cannot be placed adjacent to another Obshchina.
Russia offers modest yield bonuses on Districts, particularly in Tundra, which can bolster your Science and Culture. However, these bonuses are not game-changing, and the civilization may struggle to match more specialized ones. The Cossack and Katyusha Rocket Launcher provide defensive capabilities, useful for protecting your progress but less effective in offensive scenarios.
B-Tier: Siam
Itsapharahab - Gains a unique Diplomatic Action to immediately become Suzerain of a City-State at a higher Influence cost. +30% Production towards Doi Suthep.
Chang Beun - Siamese Unique Ranged Unit with increased Ranged Strength and +1 Movement. Can move after attacking.
Uparat - Great Person with one charge. Can only be trained in Cities when an Independent Power has been befriended. Each Uparat can only be received once. Cost increases per Uparat trained.
Bang - +3 Culture and Happiness. Siamese Unique Improvement. Must be placed on a Navigable River.
Siam's unique ability to instantly become Suzerain of a City-State can be powerful if you manage to secure multiple City-States for their benefits. However, without inherent Influence generation, you'll need to rely on your leader and other sources. The Chang Beun's mobility and ranged strength make it a valuable asset, but overall, Siam's effectiveness depends on the right City-States being available.
Learn more about Civ 7 Independent Powers and their bonuses!
C-Tier Modern Civs
C-Tier civilizations are more situational and may require experienced play to excel.
C-Tier: Mughal
Paradise of Nations - +75% Gold from all sources. -25% to all other yields. +30% Production towards the Red Fort.
Sepoy - Mughal Unique Infantry Unit that can perform 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. Cannot be placed adjacent to another Stepwell.
The Mughal civilization can be incredibly powerful with its +75% Gold boost, potentially making you the richest player. However, the -25% penalty to other yields requires careful management, especially in the Science and Culture-driven Modern Age. The Sepoy and Zamindar units are useful but not game-defining. Mughal is best suited for players who can strategically invest their Gold to offset the yield penalties and leverage their economic advantage.
