How to accomplish a military victory in Civilization 7

Achieving a military victory in Civilization 7 means one thing — dominating your enemies with raw power. Instead of winning through culture, science, or diplomacy, you’ll be using your armies to conquer cities, crush opponents, and rule the world by force. If you love strategy, warfare, and expansion, this is the best way to play.

This guide will walk you through each age, showing you exactly what to do and how to reach victory.

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Military victory walkthrough for Civilization 7

To win a military victory in Civ 7, you must complete the Manhattan Project and Operation Ivy Project in the modern age. However, getting there requires working through the military legacy path, which involves waging wars, capturing cities, and earning legacy points throughout the game.

Let’s take an age-wise look:

1) Antiquity age: Establish military dominance

Stacking up units using army commanders (Image via 2K Games)

In the antiquity age, you must conquer settlements on your starting continent and earn 12 pax imperatoria points. Begin by researching discipline in the civics tree, which unlocks an army commander.

Train at least four military units, then combine them into an army. Build a siege unit to attack enemy settlements more effectively. Scout nearby civilizations and identify a weak target. Once you find a vulnerable opponent, damage your relationship with them by refusing deals or making threats.

When you are ready, declare war and capture their cities. Each settlement you capture gives two pax imperatoria points while founding a new city grants one point. Keep fighting until you reach 12 points, securing your military dominance early.

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2) Exploration age: Expand across the world

Exploration age in Civilization 7 (Image via 2K Games)

The exploration age is all about naval expansion and earning 12 Non Sufficit Orbis points by conquering settlements on foreign continents. Begin by researching cartography and astronomy, allowing you to travel across oceans. Prioritize shipbuilding and master shipbuilding so you can transport armies efficiently.

Send settlers to establish new cities on other continents, which will earn you one point per city. Meanwhile, explore and identify another civilization to target. Choose one with weak military defenses and declare war.

Capture their cities to earn two points per conquest. Continue expanding until you reach 12 points, ensuring that you have a strong overseas presence while maintaining defenses at home.

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3) Modern age: The final push to victory

Building nuclear weapons will give you a military victory (Image via 2K Games)

In the modern age, you must conquer cities based on ideology to earn 20 ideology points. Start by researching political theory in the civics tree, which allows you to adopt an ideology such as fascism, democracy, or communism. Research combustion and flight to gain access to modern military units.

Target civilizations with different ideologies to maximize points. Capturing a settlement from a civilization without an ideology gives two points while capturing from a civilization with an opposing ideology gives three points. Choose your enemies wisely and wage war until you reach 20 ideology points.

Once you reach the required points, you can build the Manhattan Project wonder in your capital. The number of military legacy points you gained earlier reduces construction time. After completing it, initiate the Operation Ivy Project. If no other civilization completes its victory path before you, you win the game with a military victory.

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To ensure your campaign victory, always keep a strong economy to fund wars, form temporary alliances to weaken other civilizations, and upgrade your military consistently. Stay aggressive, keep expanding, and make sure no one else reaches their victory condition before you complete your final military project. If you follow this plan, you will crush your enemies and rule the world.