In *Civilization 7*, the Modern Age is where the game's climax unfolds, determining the ultimate victor. Transitioning from the Exploration Age, your strategic choices and the advantages you leverage here are crucial. Selecting the right Civilization is key to clinching victory. With ten civilizations to choose from (and an eleventh if you have the Crossroads of the World DLC), pairing them with the appropriate leaders can unlock powerful synergies. To guide your selection, here's our tier list for the best Modern Age civilizations in Civ 7.
Note: While your chosen Leader will enhance your gameplay with additional buffs, this tier list focuses solely on the inherent strengths of each Civilization. Consider how your Leader's abilities will synergize with the Civilization when making your choice.
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!
These are the crème de la crème of Civilization 7, offering superior military units and access to vital resources, enabling you to dominate the map.
Frontier Expansion - Gain 100 Gold every time you improve a Resource. +30% Production towards constructing the Statue of Liberty.
Marine - American Unique Infantry Unit. Has the Amphibious ability. Cheaper to train.
Prospector - American Unique Civilian Unit. Claims a Land Resource outside of your regular Settlement radius.
Industrial Park - American Unique Quarter. Created by constructing the Railyard and Steel Mill in the same district. +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 stands out in the Modern Age due to its resource utilization. The Frontier Expansion trait significantly boosts your gold income by improving resources. The synergy between Railyard and Steel Mill to form the Industrial Park provides a robust mix of Food, Production, and Gold, making the USA a versatile and fast-expanding civilization. Additionally, the Prospector can secure crucial resources, while the Marine unit's Amphibious ability adds tactical flexibility. America is a well-rounded choice with a lot to offer.
Economic Victory: Find out how to use Factory Resources in Civilization 7.
Goisshin - When you Overbuild a Building, gain Science equal to 50% of the Building’s Production cost. +30% Production towards constructing Dogo Onsen.
Mikasa - Meiji Japanese Unique Heavy Naval Unit. The first time this Unit is destroyed, it respawns in the closest Settlement you own at 50% HP.
Zero - Meiji Japanese Unique Fighter Air Unit. Increased range. +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 military prowess. The Goisshin trait allows you to adapt your infrastructure while earning Science, and the Zaibatsu Quarter maximizes Gold and Production output. The Mikasa and Zero units offer formidable military options, with the Mikasa's respawn ability providing strategic depth and the Zero dominating the skies.
Find out more about all the Civ 7 Unit Types!
A-tier civilizations provide strong resource access and military units, making them reliable choices for a successful playthrough.
Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite - You can 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. Can make a Ranged attack. +2 Combat Strength when 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 excels in cultural victories, with the Avenue boosting a positive feedback loop between Culture and Happiness. The Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite trait enhances this further by allowing flexible Government celebrations. While the Garde Imperiale unit isn't the strongest, it provides defensive capabilities to protect your cultural focus.
Find out more about Celebrations and Government Types in Civ 7!
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 cultural powerhouse, offering significant Culture and Gold gains. The Revolucion trait provides a strong Culture boost, and the Zocalo Quarter amplifies this further. The Soldaderas unit supports your military with its healing capabilities, making Mexico an excellent choice for cultural victories.
Check out How to Win Civ 7 - every victory type explained!
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. Civilian 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. +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 mixed bag of yields but comes with a Science penalty from imported Resources. The Kang Qian Shengshi trait provides boosts in Gold, Culture, and Influence, which can be managed effectively with the right resource strategy. The Gusa unit offers strong military potential in formations, and the Huiguan Quarter significantly enhances your Influence.
Starting up a new game? We've got all the Civ 7 Map Settings explained.
B-tier civilizations are solid choices with specific strengths, suitable for certain playstyles or scenarios.
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 ideal for aggressive players who enjoy pillaging. The River Raids trait and the Abambowa and Mwami units make pillaging highly rewarding. However, this Civilization lacks direct access to key Modern Age yields like Science and Culture, making it reliant on pillaging to compensate.
Waging war? Take a look at the best Civ 7 Commander Upgrades.
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 perfect for players who thrive on conflict. The Blood and Iron trait rewards you for having poor relationships with other civilizations, boosting your military strength. The Hussar and Stuka units are formidable, but Prussia's focus on military might can leave you lagging in Science and Culture if not managed properly.
Prefer diplomacy? Find out How to Get and Use Civ 7 Influence.
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 modest yield bonuses, particularly on Tundra, which can limit your expansion options. The Prosveshchenie trait provides a balanced boost to Culture and Science, but the Cossack and Katyusha Rocket Launcher units are best suited for defensive strategies.
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 you to become the Suzerain of a City-State immediately, which can be powerful if managed correctly. However, without inherent Influence generation, you'll need to rely on your leader and other resources. The Chang Beun unit provides strong ranged capabilities, but overall, Siam's strengths are situational.
Learn more about Civ 7 Independent Powers and their bonuses!
C-tier civilizations are more niche and require specific playstyles or conditions to excel.
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 can be incredibly powerful with its +75% Gold boost, but the -25% penalty to other yields requires careful management. In skilled hands, Mughal can dominate economically, but the risk of falling behind in Science and Culture is significant if not addressed effectively.
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