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Civilization’s combat has always thrived in the late-game, thanks in large part to aircraft, and Civilization 7 is no exception. Much of the more modern Civ titles’ mechanics have been ported over in this regard, even as so much else has shifted. But the three-ages system has shaken things up to some extent.
In this quick guide, we’ll tell you what you’ll be getting yourself into once the world takes to the skies, as well as why you might want to get into the clouds with the rest of them even if you aren’t pursuing a Military Victory.
If more is added to aerial warfare in future DLC, we’ll be sure to update our article.
How To Unlock Planes In Civ 7
Unsurprisingly, planes are only available during the Modern Age. Since Civ 7 splits the game into three sprawling eras, you’ll not be seeing aerial bombardments from one particularly advanced civilization launched upon hapless archers from an especially elementary one.
This means you will almost certainly be contending with enemy aircraft, which, in turn, makes the system more of a guaranteed thrill.
Plane types are unlocked in two waves. The first is via the Flight tech, which provides the following aircraft types and all their unique unit equivalents:
- Biplane
- Bomber
- Aerodrome Commander
- Squadron Commander
- Trench Fighter
The second wave comes through the Aerodynamics tech:
- Dive Bomber
- Fighter
- Heavy Bomber
Don’t think of Flight as entirely within the realm of Military Victory. You’ll also need it for Science Victory, as Flight unlocks the Aerodrome (which is necessary for constructing aircraft!) and the Trans-Oceanic Flight project, and Aerodynamics unlocks the Break the Sound Barrier project.
As the Flight technology comes later into the Modern Age, there are only Tier 2 and Tier 3 Aerial units, so don’t feel confused if you “miss” Tier 1.
How Aerial Combat Works
Once you’ve built Aerodromes in cities within which you intend to build aircraft, you’ll want to get yourself familiar with the several attack types:
- Melee Strength: This is the measure of an aircraft’s head-to-head, one-tile-apart, combat potential. In other words, it’s not unlike when your Infantry units clash, except, well, in the sky instead. Fighters are the ideal units for this, though even Bombers are capable.
- Bombard Strength: This is the measure of an aircraft’s air-to-land combat potential. How well does your plane perform when assaulting settlements? Fittingly, Bombers are best here, though Fighters can still do some damage from above.
- Ranged Strength: This is the measure of an aircraft’s multiple-tile-range combat potential. The Trench Fighter category is excellent for ranged attacks against Infantry and Naval units, and the Bomber category is pretty good at it as well.
As with Land and Naval units, Civilization 7’s Commanders system is also included for Aerial units. As such, you’ll want to have a Commander accompany any groups of aircraft you’ve dispatched for offensive and/or defensive play.
Unique to Aerial units is the Range stat. This dictates the distance from an Aerodrome or other plane-carrying facility that the unit can traverse. The limited range – in addition to be realistic! – prevents players from simply launching these rapid military units across the map in no time.
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