Civilization 7: Ranking Today’s Societies

In Civilization 7, reaching the Modern Age is crucial. It’s the stage where some players clinch their victories while others watch their empires fade. So, it’s crucial to shift gears effectively from the Exploration Age and make decisions that pave the way to triumph.

Choosing the right civilization becomes pivotal. In the Modern Age, you have ten civilizations to choose from—or eleven if you opt for the Crossroads of the World DLC. Pairing them with the right leaders can unlock powerful synergies. To help you in selecting the best match for your strategy, here’s a ranking of the top Modern Age civilizations in Civ 7.

Keep in mind, while your leader offers boosts that enhance gameplay, this list ranks civilizations based on their standalone capabilities. Consider how well a civilization complements your leader when strategizing.

Let’s dive into our rankings:

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’ve yet to evaluate DLC’s Great Britain, so stay tuned to see how it holds up!)

S-Tier Modern Civs:

These civilizations stand at the top with their superior military units and resource access, giving you the advantage to dominate.

S-tier: America

• Special Abilities: Frontier Expansion offers 100 Gold for every Improved Resource and a 30% boost in constructing the Statue of Liberty.
• Unique Units and Buildings: The American Marines have amphibious capabilities, while the Prospectors claim distant land resources. The Industrial Park uniquely combines a Railyard and Steel Mill, offering ample food, production, and gold, making America a robust choice for territorial expansion.

America excels in resource utilization, allowing for rapid expansion and development thanks to its powerful economic infrastructure. The Marine unit’s nimbleness through the Amphibious ability further enhances its strategic mobility.

S-tier: Meiji Japan

• Unique Traits: With Goisshin, you gain science from overhauling structures, and a production boost for the Dogo Onsen is applied.
• Military Strengths: The Mikasa naval unit revives once, making it resilient, while the Zero aircraft excels in air combat.
• Economic Infrastructure: The Zaibatsu Quarter, along with Ginko and Jukogyo buildings, boost both gold and production significantly.

Meiji Japan stands out for its agile adaptation capabilities, allowing you to reposition your empire’s strategy while reaping scientific rewards. Its military strength is formidable, with units like Mikasa and Zero primed to maintain dominance on seas and skies.

A-Tier Modern Civs:

Opting for A-tier civilizations presents a balanced approach with access to resources and competent military powers.

A-Tier: French Empire

• Cultural Prowess: The Avenue, formed through the Jardin a la Francaise and Salon, creates a cycle of Culture and Happiness, ideal for those eying a Cultural victory.
• Military Support: Although not leading in combat, the Garde Imperiale can deter aggression with its ranged capabilities.

The French Empire weaves together cultural and happiness synergies that boost celebration effects, making it a strong choice for peaceful burgeons of society.

A-Tier: Mexico

• Cultural Power: With its unique Government, Revolucion, it leans on cultural bonuses, and the formation of Zocalo offers explosive cultural growth.
• Supporting Units: Soldaderas support military units through healing while building fortitude for your cultural rise.

Mexico shines brightly as a cultural leader, adept at building expansive cultural capacity while maintaining sufficient defensive measures to shield its pursuits.

A-Tier: Qing

• Economic and Cultural Yield: Though hampered by a science penalty, it boasts a healthy surplus in influence and culture.
• Military Edge: The Gusa Unit, when correctly positioned, can add significant combat strength.

Qing promotes territorial influence and resource acquisition but requires adept management to prevent technological lag.

B-Tier Modern Civs:

Throughout the B-tier, civilizations provide specialized value, yet come with limitations that require nuanced strategies.

B-Tier: Buganda

• Pillaging Potential: Buganda thrives on destructive campaigns, deriving culture from their plunder.
• Resource Needs: You’ll need an aggressive military stance to compensate for missing direct yield access in resources like Science and Culture.

Choosing Buganda is about embracing chaos; adept players can potentially maximize their gains through aggressive strategies ranging over enemy territories.

B-Tier: Prussia

• Aggressive Diplomacy: By perpetually conflicting with others, you harness strength boosts, but it’s a precarious balance.
• Military Intensity: The Hussar and Stuka units are combat front-runners, shining in confrontations.

While fun for its belligerent playstyle, Prussia’s reliance on external conflict can backfire without thorough territory control and technological evolution.

B-Tier: Russia

• Balancing Strategies: Russia accesses cultural district bonuses but faces Tundra limitation challenges.
• Defensive Play: Its military units aim more at territorial defense with creative offensive tactics.

Russia blends cultural foresight with defense, but demands adaptability in granular Tundra strategies.

B-Tier: Siam

• City-State Sovereignty: Immediate suzerainty over city-states gives a strategic boost if influence is managed.
• Dynamic Combat: Chang Beun units offer enhanced tactical versatility.

Siam’s potential lies with smart city-state management, offering diversified yield support if players harness effective influence scoring.

C-Tier Modern Civs:

C-tier civilizations require seasoned acumen for their situational advantages, unlikely to outperform without experienced play.

C-Tier: Mughal

• Economic Strength: With a 75% gold boost, the Mughal Empire can become a financial powerhouse if players ably cover the penalties to other yields.
• Foundational Flexibility: Unique infantry and settlers are stable but lack the ‘big-ticket’ advantage.

The Mughal offer financial mastery to those willing to take risks, enticing players cautious enough to leverage gold most extendible yield void.

As an experienced gaming analyst and freelance journalist, I’ve dedicated countless hours to delving into games like Overwatch 2 and Destiny 2, mastering their complexities and strategies through immersive play.