Here are 6 things every new Total War player should know before diving into the popular strategy series. From ruling Rome as Caesar to conquering Rome as Napoleon, here are the best and most useful Total War tips and tricks.
Creative Assembly’s Total War has been one of the most popular strategy franchises over the last decade. The games in the series combine the real-time strategy formula with turn-based elements. Total War has something to deliver for the fans of both genres.
If you enjoy games like Age of Empires or Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War, it offers the chance to command a wide range of unit rosters. But do not worry if you like on-map strategy, because Total War games offer a campaign map where you can focus on diplomacy and resource management as well.
Things Every New Total War Players Should Know
Set in various periods of history, the games task players with securing their nation’s borders, signing agreements, and delving into the world of diplomacy and intrigue. So you have decided and are ready to wage wars in the name of glory and total domination.
What is a good Total War game to start with?
Here are some of the most useful Total War tips and tricks.
1. Jump into the world of modding
Total War has a massive modding community that has been supporting the game for over a decade. The modders have managed to deliver amazing experiences through the game’s mechanics. From Game of Thrones to the Lord of the Rings, various mod packs transform Total War games into brand new titles depicting amazing worlds.
After spending hundreds of hours in the base game, you will realize that a whole new world awaits you. Mod packs like Third Age: Total War or Rise of Mordor invites players to rule nations in the brutal land of Middle Earth. Though there are also other mods that do not offer a new setting. Mod packs like Darth Mod offer a complete overhaul to the game’s existing factions and units. They come with options to make the gameplay more realistic by adjusting unit damage and defense rates.
2. Do not trust auto-resolve
Total War games come with the auto-resolve feature to ask the player whether they want to manually command the battle. When the player’s army is contested or a settlement is besieged, the player has the chance to automatically resolve the conflict.
The feature takes the number of units and their levels of experience into account. That being said, the auto-resolve sometimes tends to exaggerate your enemy’s power. It can also work in your favor when you have artilleries. In critical situations, quicksave your game and try commanding the battle by yourself first. If you are one of those players who loads a previous save file after defeat, you can try automatically resolving the battle to see how things will end up.
3. Acquire new provinces
Peace is not the option in Total War games. Every peace agreement must be made in order to gain some time and make preparations for a new war. In a setting of constant conflict, make sure that you expand your faction’s borders.
Always have an eye out on provinces with weaker garrisons. One of the best Total War tips and tricks we could give you is probably being an imperialist.
4. Sign trade agreements
Signing new trade agreements will help you preserve the integrity of your treasure. During a time of war, most of your income will melt away paying the upkeeps of your armies.
Every new trade agreement will provide another source of income to keep your treasure steady.
5. Improve your settlements
Improving the infrastructure in your settlements will have positive or negative effects on your taxes. If you advance your settlements by constructing new buildings, make sure that they positively affect your goal.
If you specifically want a place to recruit special units, for example, you will have to build the required barracks. But note that it might have a negative effect on the public, resulting in a lower amount of taxes.
6. Do not go overboard on recruiting new units
We know that amazing feeling when you recruit new units. Seeing them wait in the training queue only to take their part in a new and massive army after a couple of turns is just great. Yet again, you should not go overboard when you raise new armies. Do not forget that every unit is another burden on your treasure.
Simply right-click on the unit to see its upkeep. After making sure that it does not affect your finances, you can move on and add the new unit to your ranks.
We listed some of the most important tips and tricks that every new Total War player should know. We hope the tips above help you before you dive into the world of war and strategy.