Civilization 7: Ranking Modern Civs

The Modern Age in *Civilization 7* is pivotal; it's where victories are secured and the game concludes. Mastering this era, building upon your Exploration Age successes, is crucial for winning. Your civilization choice significantly impacts your chances of victory. The Modern Age presents ten civilizations (eleven with the *Crossroads of the World* DLC), each offering unique strengths when paired with the right leader. This tier list ranks civilizations based solely on their base capabilities, independent of leader synergies—remember to consider leader bonuses when making your final decision.

Best *Civilization 7* Modern Age Civilizations

*Civilization 7* Modern Age Civilization Tier List

S-tier: America, Meiji Japan

A-tier: French Empire, Mexico, Qing

B-tier: Buganda, Prussia, Russia, Siam

C-tier: Mughal

Note: Great Britain (DLC) is unranked pending further evaluation.

S-Tier Modern Civilizations

These civilizations offer unparalleled advantages, from superior military units to powerful resource access, often dominating the map.

S-tier: America

Frontier Expansion: Gain 100 Gold for each improved resource; +30% production towards the Statue of Liberty.

Marine: Amphibious unique infantry unit; cheaper to train.

Prospector: Unique civilian unit; claims land resources outside your settlement radius.

Industrial Park: Unique quarter (Railyard + Steel Mill); +2 Food per resource assigned to the city.

Railyard: +5 Production; +1 Production adjacency bonus for quarters and wonders; ageless.

Steel Mill: +6 Production; Gold adjacency bonus for resources and wonders; ageless.

America excels in resource utilization, making it a top Modern Age contender. Frontier Expansion provides significant gold spikes, while the Industrial Park (Railyard + Steel Mill combination) generates substantial Food, Production, and Gold, enabling rapid expansion and strong production capabilities. The Prospector secures vital resources, and the Marine's amphibious nature adds tactical flexibility.

S-tier: Meiji Japan

Goisshin: Gain Science equal to 50% of a building's production cost when overbuilding; +30% production towards Dogo Onsen.

Mikasa: Unique heavy naval unit; respawns at 50% HP in the nearest settlement upon destruction.

Zero: Unique fighter aircraft; increased range; +4 Combat Strength against other fighters; can intercept enemy aircraft.

Zaibatsu: Unique quarter (Ginko + Jukogyo); +1 Gold and Production on buildings in adjacent districts.

Ginko: +5 Gold; +1 Gold adjacency bonus for Gold buildings and wonders; ageless.

Jukogyo: +5 Production; +1 Production adjacency bonus for coastal terrain and wonders; ageless.

Meiji Japan's resourcefulness and powerful units make it a formidable choice. Goisshin allows for efficient district and building adaptation while generating Science. The Zaibatsu quarter generates massive Gold and Production. The Mikasa's respawning ability provides a significant advantage, while the Zero dominates the skies.

A-Tier Modern Civilizations

A-tier civilizations offer strong, well-rounded capabilities, providing access to crucial resources and military might.

A-Tier: French Empire

Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite: Choose any Modern Age government's celebration effects; +30% production towards the Eiffel Tower.

Garde Imperiale: Unique infantry unit; ranged attack; +2 Combat Strength within a friendly army commander's radius; more expensive to train.

Jacobin: Great Person (one charge); trainable in cities with an Avenue.

Avenue: Unique quarter (Jardin a la Francaise + Salon); +2 Happiness on quarters in the city.

Jardin a la Francaise: +5 Culture; +1 Happiness adjacency bonus for Culture buildings and wonders; ageless.

Salon: +5 Happiness; +1 Culture adjacency bonus for Happiness buildings and wonders; ageless.

The French Empire's synergy between Culture and Happiness makes it ideal for Cultural victories. The Avenue, created by combining the Jardin a la Francaise and Salon, fuels a powerful feedback loop. The Garde Imperiale provides additional military support.

A-Tier: Mexico

Revolucion: Unique government; +30% Culture for 10 turns (one celebration effect); +30% production towards Palacio de Bellas Artes.

Soldaderas: Unique infantry unit; adjacent units heal +10 HP.

Revolucionario: Great Person (one charge); trainable in cities with a Zocalo.

Zocalo: Unique quarter (Catedral + Portal de Mercaderes); +2 Culture per Tradition in the government.

Catedral: +5 Culture; +1 Happiness adjacency bonus for Culture buildings and wonders; ageless.

Portal de Mercaderes: +5 Culture; +1 Gold adjacency bonus for Gold buildings and wonders; ageless.

Mexico is a Culture powerhouse, offering significant Culture bonuses through the Revolucion government and the Zocalo quarter. The Soldaderas provide defensive capabilities.

A-Tier: Qing

Kang Qian Shengshi: +4 Gold, +3 Culture, +2 Influence, -1 Science from imported resources; +30% production towards Chengde Mountain Resort.

Gusa: Unique infantry unit; +4 Combat Strength adjacent to another Gusa.

Hangshang: Unique merchant; establishes trade routes to import resources; gains 50 Gold per resource acquired via naval trade routes.

Huiguan: Unique quarter (Qianzhuang + Shiguan); +35% Influence in the city.

Shiguan: +6 Science; +1 Happiness adjacency bonus for Happiness buildings and wonders; ageless.

Qianzhuang: +5 Gold; +1 Gold adjacency bonus for Gold buildings and wonders; ageless.

The Qing civilization offers a strong blend of Gold, Culture, and Influence, although managing the Science penalty from imported resources is crucial. The Gusa unit provides military strength.

B-Tier Modern Civilizations

B-tier civilizations offer solid benefits but may be more specialized or situational.

B-Tier: Buganda

River Raids: Gain Culture from pillaging equal to the yield or healing gained; land military units gain Amphibious. +30% production towards Muzibu Azaala Mpanga.

Abambowa: Unique infantry unit; heals +10 HP from pillaging.

Mwami: Unique army commander; +50% yield from pillaging within its command radius.

Kabaka’s Lake: +3 Happiness; receives Lake yield bonuses; ageless.

Buganda thrives on aggressive play, gaining significant benefits from pillaging. While the Kabaka's Lake provides Happiness and resource bonuses, the civilization lacks direct access to crucial yields like Science, Culture, Gold, and Influence, necessitating a proactive, war-focused strategy.

B-Tier: Prussia

Blood and Iron: Units gain +1 Combat Strength per unfriendly civilization relationship.

Hussar: Unique cavalry unit; +1 Movement; +1 Combat Strength per remaining movement point.

Stuka: Unique ground attack aircraft; +3 Combat Strength against land units.

Staatseisenbahn: Unique railroad; +2 Gold and Production on rural tiles.

Prussia excels in aggressive warfare, gaining Combat Strength based on negative relationships with other civilizations. The Hussar and Stuka units are powerful assets, but the civilization's reliance on military conquest can be a double-edged sword, requiring constant expansion to maintain momentum.

B-Tier: Russia

Prosveshchenie: +1 Culture and Science on Districts; +30% production towards the Hermitage.

Cossack: Unique cavalry unit; +4 Combat Strength in friendly territory.

Katyusha Rocket Launcher: Unique siege unit; +1 Movement; splash damage.

Obschchina: +2 Food from adjacent Farms; +2 Culture in Tundra; ageless.

Russia offers strong District bonuses, but these benefits are not overwhelming. The Cossack and Katyusha Rocket Launcher provide solid military options.

B-Tier: Siam

Itsapharahab: Unique diplomatic action to immediately become a City-State's Suzerain (at increased Influence cost); +30% production towards Doi Suthep.

Chang Beun: Unique ranged unit; increased range strength and +1 Movement; can move after attacking.

Uparat: Great Person (one charge); trainable when befriending an Independent Power.

Bang: +3 Culture and Happiness; ageless.

Siam's unique diplomatic action allows for swift City-State control but requires sufficient Influence. The Chang Beun is a strong ranged unit.

C-Tier Modern Civilizations

C-tier civilizations are more situational and may require specialized strategies.

C-Tier: Mughal

Paradise of Nations: +75% Gold from all sources; -25% to all other yields; +30% production towards the Red Fort.

Sepoy: Unique infantry unit; bombard ranged attack.

Zamindar: Unique settler; +1 Population on new settlements.

Stepwell: +2 Food from adjacent Farms; ageless.

The Mughal civilization offers massive Gold generation but suffers from significant penalties to other yields. Careful resource management is crucial to mitigate these drawbacks.