The Modern Age in *Civilization VII* is the endgame – where victories are secured and the game concludes. Mastering this era requires leveraging your advantages from the Exploration Age and making strategic choices. Your civilization selection is paramount. The Modern Age offers ten civilizations (eleven with the *Crossroads of the World* DLC), each boasting unique synergies with different leaders. This tier list ranks the best Modern Age civilizations based solely on their base capabilities; remember leader bonuses can significantly alter a civilization's strength.

Best *Civilization VII* Modern Age Civilizations

*Civilization VII* 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 not yet ranked.

S-Tier Modern Age Civilizations

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

S-tier: America

• Frontier Expansion: Gain 100 Gold per resource improvement. +30% production towards the Statue of Liberty.
• Marine: Amphibious infantry unit; cheaper to train.
• Prospector: Claims land resources outside your settlement radius.
• Industrial Park: (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's versatility shines through its resource utilization. Frontier Expansion provides significant gold spikes, while the Industrial Park (Railyard and Steel Mill combination) generates substantial Food, Production, and Gold, fueling rapid expansion. The Prospector secures crucial 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: Respawns at 50% HP in the nearest settlement after destruction.
• Zero: Increased range fighter unit; +4 Combat Strength against other fighters; can intercept.
• Zaibatsu: (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 is evident in its powerful units and economic strength. Goisshin allows district and building repurposing while generating Science. The Zaibatsu Quarter massively boosts Gold and Production. The Mikasa's respawning ability provides a significant tactical advantage, while the Zero dominates the skies.

A-Tier Modern Age Civilizations

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

A-tier: French Empire

• Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité: Select any Modern Age government's celebration effects. +30% production towards the Eiffel Tower.
• Garde Impériale: Ranged attack; +2 Combat Strength within a friendly army commander's radius. More expensive to train.
• Jacobin: Great Person (one charge); trained in cities with an Avenue.
• Avenue: (Jardin à la Française + Salon) +2 Happiness on Quarters in this city.
• Jardin à la Française: +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 synergizes Culture and Happiness effectively. The Avenue, created by the Jardin à la Française and Salon, generates a strong feedback loop, maximizing celebrations through Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité. The Garde Impériale provides decent military support.

A-tier: Mexico

• Revolución: Unique government with a +30% Culture celebration (10 turns). +30% production towards Palacio de Bellas Artes.
• Soldaderas: Adjacent units heal +10 HP (does not stack).
• Revolucionario: Great Person (one charge); trained in cities with a Zócalo.
• Zócalo: (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 excels in Culture generation, though slightly less in Happiness. The Zócalo Quarter further boosts Culture, and the Soldaderas provide defensive capabilities. Consistent celebrations are key to maximizing the Revolución bonus.

A-tier: Qing

• Kang Qian Shengshi: +4 Gold, +3 Culture, +2 Influence, -1 Science from imported resources. +30% production towards Chengde Mountain Resort.
• Gusa: +4 Combat Strength adjacent to another Gusa.
• Hangshang: Establishes trade routes to import resources; gains 50 Gold per resource via naval trade routes.
• Huiguan: (Qianzhuang + Shiguan) +35% Influence in this settlement.
• 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 balanced approach, but requires careful resource management due to the Kang Qian Shengshi trait's science penalty. The Gusa unit's strength in formations, and the Hangshang's trade route capabilities, provide significant advantages.

B-Tier Modern Age Civilizations

B-tier civilizations are strong but may be more specialized or situational.

B-tier: Buganda

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

Buganda thrives on aggressive warfare and pillaging. The River Raids trait, combined with the Abambowa and Mwami units, maximizes gains from destruction. However, this strategy requires constant military activity and careful resource management.

B-tier: Prussia

• Blood and Iron: Units gain +1 Combat Strength per unfriendly civilization relationship.
• Hussar: +1 Movement; +1 Combat Strength per remaining movement point.
• Stuka: Ground attack unit; +3 Combat Strength against land units.
• Staatseisenbahn: +2 Gold and Production on rural tiles.

Prussia excels in aggressive expansion, gaining strength from negative relationships with other civilizations. The Hussar and Stuka units provide powerful military support, but this strategy requires a strong military and proactive expansion.

B-tier: Russia

• Prosveshchenie: +1 Culture and Science on district tiles (bonus Science on Tundra). +30% production towards the Hermitage.
• Cossack: +4 Combat Strength in friendly territory.
• Katyusha Rocket Launcher: +1 Movement; splash damage.
• Obschchina: +2 Food from adjacent Farms; +2 Culture in Tundra. Ageless.

Russia offers balanced Culture and Science generation, with bonuses on Tundra tiles. The Cossack and Katyusha provide defensive capabilities. However, the bonuses are not overwhelming compared to other civilizations.

B-tier: Siam

• Itsapharahab: Unique diplomatic action to instantly become a City-State's suzerain (at increased Influence cost). +30% production towards Doi Suthep.
• Chang Beun: Increased range and 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 for rapid City-State control, but relies heavily on Influence generation. The Chang Beun is a strong ranged unit. Success depends on securing beneficial City-States.

C-Tier Modern Age Civilizations

C-tier civilizations are situational and may 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: Bombard ranged attack.
• Zamindar: +1 Population on new settlements.
• Stepwell: +2 Food from adjacent Farms. Ageless.

The Mughal civilization's high gold generation can be extremely powerful, but the significant penalty to other yields requires careful management. The other traits are useful but not game-changing. Success depends on mitigating the yield penalty.