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 victory chances. The Modern Age presents ten civilizations (eleven with the Crossroads of the World DLC), each offering unique synergies with various leaders. This tier list ranks civilizations based on their inherent strength, independent of leader bonuses—consider leader synergies when making your final choice.

Best Civ 7 Modern Civilizations

Civilization 7 Modern 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's ranking (new DLC civ) is pending further evaluation.

S-Tier Modern Civilizations

These are Civilization 7's elite, offering strong military units and powerful resource access for map dominance.

S-tier: America

Frontier Expansion: Gain 100 Gold per resource improvement. +30% production towards the Statue of Liberty. Marine: Amphibious unique infantry unit; cheaper to train. Prospector: Claims land resources outside your settlement radius. Industrial Park: Unique quarter (Railyard + Steel Mill); +2 Food per resource assigned. Railyard: +5 Production; +1 Production adjacency for Quarters and Wonders. Ageless. Steel Mill: +6 Production; Gold adjacency for Resources and Wonders. Ageless.

America excels in resource utilization. Frontier Expansion provides significant gold boosts, while the Industrial Park (Railyard + Steel Mill combination) generates substantial Food, Production, and Gold, fueling rapid expansion. The Prospector secures vital resources, and the Marine's amphibious capabilities offer tactical flexibility.

S-tier: Meiji Japan

Goisshin: Overbuilding yields Science (50% of building's production cost). +30% production towards Dogo Onsen. Mikasa: Unique Heavy Naval Unit; respawns at 50% HP in nearest settlement upon destruction. Zero: Unique Fighter Air Unit; increased range, +4 Combat Strength vs. fighters, intercepts enemy air units. Zaibatsu: Unique Quarter (Ginko + Jukogyo); +1 Gold and Production on adjacent district buildings. Ginko: +5 Gold; +1 Gold adjacency for Gold buildings and Wonders. Ageless. Jukogyo: +5 Production; +1 Production adjacency for coastal terrain and Wonders. Ageless.

Meiji Japan's resourcefulness is undeniable. Goisshin allows district and building repurposing with significant Science gains. The Zaibatsu Quarter generates massive Gold and Production. The Mikasa's respawn ability is a game-changer, and the Zero provides air superiority.

A-Tier Modern Civilizations

A-tier civilizations offer diverse resource access and strong military capabilities.

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 an army commander's radius. More expensive to train. Jacobin: Great Person (one charge); trained in cities with an Avenue. Avenue: Unique Quarter (Jardin a la Francaise + Salon); +2 Happiness on city quarters. Jardin a la Francaise: +5 Culture; +1 Happiness adjacency for Culture buildings and Wonders. Ageless. Salon: +5 Happiness; +1 Culture adjacency for Happiness buildings and Wonders. Ageless.

The French Empire synergizes Culture and Happiness effectively. The Avenue (Jardin a la Francaise + Salon) creates a powerful feedback loop, maximizing celebrations via Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite. The Garde Imperiale provides solid 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); trained in cities with a Zocalo. Zocalo: Unique Quarter (Catedral + Portal de Mercanderes); +2 Culture per Tradition in government. Catedral: +5 Culture; +1 Happiness adjacency for Culture buildings and Wonders. Ageless. Portal de Mercaderes: +5 Culture; +1 Gold adjacency for Gold buildings and Wonders. Ageless.

Mexico is a Culture powerhouse, slightly less focused on Happiness but boasting strong Gold generation and substantial Culture bonuses through celebrations. The Zocalo Quarter amplifies Culture output, and the Soldaderas offer tactical healing.

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 for resource imports (50 Gold per resource via naval trade routes). Huiguan: Unique Quarter (Qianzhuang + Shiguan); +35% Influence in the city. Shiguan: +6 Science; +1 Happiness adjacency for Happiness buildings and Wonders. Ageless. Qianzhuang: +5 Gold; +1 Gold adjacency for Gold buildings and Wonders. Ageless.

The Qing civilization offers a balanced approach with strong Gold, Culture, and Influence gains, offset by a Science penalty from imported resources. Careful resource management is key to maximizing this civilization's potential. The Gusa unit provides strong military presence.

B-Tier Modern Civilizations

B-tier civilizations are strong but may be more specialized or effective in specific scenarios.

B-Tier: Buganda

River Raids: Culture from pillaging (equal to yield/healing). Land units gain Amphibious ability. +30% production towards Muzibu Azaala Mpanga. Abambowa: Unique Infantry Unit; heals +10 HP from pillaging. Mwami: Unique Army Commander; 50% increased pillaging yields within command radius. Kabaka’s Lake: +3 Happiness; receives lake yield bonuses. Ageless.

Buganda thrives on aggressive expansion and pillaging, generating significant resources through destruction. This requires a strong military and active warfare. The Kabaka’s Lake provides Happiness and lake resource bonuses.

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 Air Unit; +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. However, this strategy requires careful resource management to sustain a strong military.

B-Tier: Russia

Prosveshchenie: +1 Culture and Science on district tiles (additional Science on Tundra). +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 on Tundra. Ageless.

Russia offers balanced Culture and Science generation, particularly strong on Tundra tiles. The Cossack and Katyusha Rocket Launcher provide defensive capabilities.

B-Tier: Siam

Itsapharahab: Unique diplomatic action to become City-State suzerain (higher 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); trained when befriending an independent power. Bang: +3 Culture and Happiness. Ageless.

Siam's unique diplomatic action allows rapid City-State suzerainty, but requires sufficient Influence. The Chang Beun is a powerful ranged unit.

C-Tier Modern Civilizations

C-tier civilizations are situational or require specific playstyles.

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 yield penalties. Careful management is crucial to offset these drawbacks and achieve victory.