Civilization 7: Modern Civilizations Tier List

In Civilization 7, the Modern Age is pivotal—it's where the game's outcome is determined, marking the end of your journey. Transitioning from the Exploration Age, it's crucial to leverage your strengths and make strategic decisions to secure victory. The civilization you select plays a critical role in achieving success, and with ten civilizations to choose from in the Modern Age (eleven with the Crossroads of the World DLC), your decision is vital. When paired with the right Civ 7 Leaders, these civilizations can create powerful synergies. To aid your choice, we've compiled a tier list of the best Modern Age civilizations in Civ 7, focusing on their standalone power, though remember to consider how they interact with your chosen Leader.

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. With access to superior military units and abundant resources, they can dominate the 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. 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 is exceptionally versatile in the Modern Age, leveraging resources effectively. The Frontier Expansion trait can spike your gold significantly, while the Railyard and Steel Mill combine to form the Industrial Park, boosting Food, Production, and Gold. This makes the USA a well-rounded civilization capable of rapid expansion and high production. The Prospector unit further enhances resource acquisition, and the Marine unit's Amphibious ability adds tactical flexibility.

S-tier: Meiji Japan

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 with its resourcefulness and powerful units. The Goisshin trait allows you to adapt your districts and buildings to modern needs while gaining Science, and the Zaibatsu Quarter can generate substantial Gold and Production. The Mikasa naval unit's ability to respawn and the formidable Zero fighter enhance your military prowess, making Meiji Japan a strong contender for endgame dominance.

A-Tier Modern Civs

A-Tier civilizations offer a strong mix of resources and military power, suitable for various victory paths.

A-Tier: French Empire

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 thrives on synergy, particularly for a Cultural victory. The Avenue, formed by the Jardin a la Francaise and Salon, creates a feedback loop of Culture and Happiness, fueling the Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite trait. The Garde Imperiale unit provides defensive capabilities, ensuring your cultural pursuits are not easily disrupted.

A-Tier: Mexico

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 a cultural powerhouse, providing substantial Culture and Gold. The Zocalo Quarter, formed by the Catedral and Portal de Mercaderes, boosts Culture, while the Revolucion government's Celebration effect offers periodic Culture bonuses. The Soldaderas unit's healing ability supports your cultural pursuits by maintaining a strong military presence.

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. 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 balanced approach with its Kang Qian Shengshi trait providing boosts in Gold, Culture, and Influence, though at the cost of Science from imported resources. The Shiguan and Qianzhuang buildings help mitigate this, while the Gusa unit's combat strength in formations adds military might. Careful management is key to leveraging Qing's strengths effectively.

B-Tier Modern Civs

B-Tier civilizations offer solid benefits but may be more specialized, fitting fewer 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. 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, gaining resources through pillaging. The River Raids trait and units like the Abambowa and Mwami make pillaging highly rewarding, though this requires constant warfare. The Kabaka’s Lake provides Happiness, but direct access to key yields is limited, making active pillaging essential.

B-Tier: Prussia

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 ideal for players who enjoy a confrontational approach. The Blood and Iron trait rewards you for poor relations, while the Hussar and Stuka units are formidable in combat. However, Prussia's focus on military might can leave you lagging in Science and Culture if not balanced with territorial gains.

B-Tier: Russia

Prosveshchenie - +1 Culture on Districts in Cities. +1 Science on Districts 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 in Tundra, making it a solid choice for Science and Culture. The Cossack and Katyusha units provide defensive capabilities, though their benefits are situational. Russia's strengths are best utilized with careful territory management.

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. 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 ability to become Suzerain of a City-State immediately can be powerful, but it requires high Influence, which Siam does not inherently generate. The Chang Beun unit offers tactical flexibility, but Siam's success largely depends on leveraging City-States effectively.

C-Tier Modern Civs

C-Tier civilizations are situational and may require a unique 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. 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.

Mughal offers a significant Gold boost, but at the cost of other yields. Managing this trade-off is crucial, as the Modern Age demands high Science and Culture. The Sepoy and Zamindar units are useful, but the civilization's success hinges on effectively leveraging its Gold advantage to compensate for its penalties.