What is Immortal Empires?
Immortal Empires is the definitive, combined campaign for Total War: Warhammer III. To access it, you must own Total War: WARHAMMER III on your platform, with previous games (WHI and WHII) providing access to their respective factions and Legendary Lords. It merges the continents of the Warhammer Fantasy world---from the jungles of Lustria and the Old World to the desolate wastes of Chaos and the empires of Cathay---into a single, sprawling map. This mode is the ultimate sandbox, where over 80 Legendary Lords from all three games can clash, ally, or betray one another in a fight for total dominance.
Unlike the more narrative-driven Realms of Chaos campaign in WHIII's base game, Immortal Empires focuses on open-ended, sandbox gameplay. Victory conditions are tailored to each faction, ranging from outright territorial domination to completing specific rituals or defeating major end-game threats. The scale is immense, the faction variety is unmatched in any strategy game, and the emergent stories that unfold are uniquely your own. For newcomers and veterans alike, navigating this colossal experience can be daunting. The key to a successful and enjoyable campaign lies in selecting the right faction to start with.
Choosing Your First Immortal Empires Faction: Key Considerations
Before diving into our top picks, understand what makes a faction "beginner-friendly" in Immortal Empires:
- Strong Economy & Defensible Start Position: A safe-ish corner of the map or a capital with natural chokepoints reduces early-game pressure.
- Forgiving and Effective Army Roster: Units that are straightforward to use and effective in auto-resolve or in your hands.
- Clear Campaign Mechanics: Mechanics that are powerful but not overly micro-intensive or punishing.
- Resilience to Major Threats: Some factions are perpetually at war with powerful neighbors or face inevitable late-game invasions.
With these factors in mind, here are the best starter factions for your first Immortal Empires campaign.
Grand Cathay (Miao Ying, The Northern Provinces)
Why they are great for starters: Cathay offers a perfectly balanced and modern Total War experience. Their campaign mechanics are powerful, intuitive, and teach core game concepts.
- Start Position: Miao Ying starts in the fortress-city of Nan-Gau, guarding the Great Bastion against northern Chaos hordes. This gives you a clear, defendable frontline while your southern expansion is more open.
- Gameplay: Cathay's harmony mechanic (balancing Yin and Yang) encourages building a balanced province and army, teaching vital campaign map management. Their armies are combined-arms excellence, with sturdy infantry, devastating rocket artillery, and powerful flying lords.
- Economy: Strong, safe internal provinces allow for tremendous economic growth. The Caravan system provides bonus income, items, and global relations.
- Tip: Maintain Harmony, defend the Bastion proactively, and use your incredible artillery to win battles.
The High Elves (Tyrion, Eataine)
Why they are great for starters: The classic "good guy" faction with a versatile, top-tier roster and a diplomatic toolkit to control the campaign.
- Start Position: Tyrion begins on the paradisiacal donut-shaped continent of Ulthuan. Uniting this island provides a incredibly wealthy and defensible heartland.
- Gameplay: High Elves have arguably the most well-rounded roster. Strong infantry, the best basic archers in the game, powerful dragons, and excellent magic. Their Influence mechanic lets you manipulate other factions' relations and recruit superior lords.
- Economy: Ulthuan is immensely rich. High Elven ports and trade goods generate huge income, funding multiple elite armies.
- Tip: Use Influence to keep other Elven factions friendly, unite Ulthuan, and then decide if you want to be a global peacekeeper or a colonial power.
The Dwarfs (Thorgrim Grudgebearer, Karaz-a-Karak)
Why they are great for starters: Incredible durability, straightforward gunpowder tactics, and a forgiving playstyle focused on defense and firepower.
- Start Position: Thorgrim starts in the World's Edge Mountains, surrounded by ancestral holds to reclaim. You have clear, mountainous corridors to secure.
- Gameplay: Dwarfs are slow but incredibly tough. Their infantry holds the line forever, while thunderers, quarrelers, and organ guns obliterate the enemy. The Grudge mechanic encourages methodical, goal-oriented expansion.
- Economy: Secure a few key provinces with gold or gem mines, and you'll be wealthy. Their defenses are the best in the game, making held territories hard to take.
- Tip: Form a solid, defensible bloc of mountains. Build strong garrisons, and let your artillery win battles. Manage the Book of Grudges diligently.
Warriors of Chaos (Archaon the Everchosen)
Why they are great for starters (for a more aggressive player): The reworked Warriors of Chaos are no longer a horde! They are now a powerful, momentum-driven faction with incredibly strong lords and units.
- Start Position: Archaon starts in the chilly north. While enemies are everywhere, your units are far superior to most early-game foes.
- Gameplay: The Warband and Dark Fortress mechanics are fantastic. You upgrade units in the field and establish impregnable strongholds in the Chaos Wastes. Your armies, especially your Chosen and Chaos Knights, are devastating.
- Economy: Reliant on sacking, razing, and controlling Dark Fortresses. It's a different economic loop but very powerful once you understand it.
- Tip: Focus on leveling up your Warbands into elite stacks. Secure key Dark Fortresses for global recruitment and income. You are the apocalypse---act like it.
Immortal Empires Starter Guide: First 20 Turns
Regardless of your faction, these general steps will set you up for success:
1. Secure Your Province: Your first goal is always to conquer your starting province to benefit from the commandment and eliminate immediate threats.
2. Read Your Victory Conditions: Open the objectives panel. Know your short and long-term goals. Some factions want rituals, others want specific cities destroyed.
3. Build Economically: Prioritize growth and income buildings in your capital. A second army, even a cheap one, is crucial for defense and expansion.
4. Learn Your Diplomacy: Identify one or two natural allies or non-aggression pacts. Don't try to fight the world at once. Use diplomacy to isolate your target.
5. Develop Your Legendary Lord: Skill points are vital. Early points should often go into the blue (campaign) line for movement range and upkeep reduction, then into combat or unique skills.
6. Understand the End-Game Scenarios: In the game settings, you can enable or adjust massive late-game events like the "Legion of Chaos" or "Vermintide." For a first game, leaving them on default or low can provide a thrilling challenge without being overwhelming.
Advanced Tips for Conquering the Immortal Map
- The Winds of Magic Matter: When planning expansion, look at the magical winds on the campaign map. High winds empower your spells and can enable crucial rituals.
- Hero Actions are Key: Use heroes to scout ahead, wound enemy agents, and steal technology. A embedded hero in your army can provide vital campaign bonuses.
- Threat Prioritization: Some enemies must be destroyed utterly (Skaven, Chaos). Others can be valuable buffer states or trading partners. Learn who hates you inherently.
- Don't Fear the Auto-Resolve: Use it to clean up easy fights, but fight manually in key battles or when the predictor shows a valiant defeat---you can often do better.
Your Saga Awaits!
Total War: WARHAMMER III's Immortal Empires is the ultimate fantasy strategy experience, a game of near-infinite depth and replayability. Starting with a forgiving yet powerful faction like Grand Cathay or the High Elves allows you to learn the immense scale and interlocking systems at your own pace. Remember, every failed campaign is a story written in blood and conquest, teaching you lessons for the next. Secure your provinces, build your economy, master your army's strengths, and prepare to write your legend across the combined map. The Immortal Empires await a ruler. Will it be you?
Ready to begin your conquest? Dive into the ultimate Warhammer strategy experience with Total War: WARHAMMER III and unlock the colossal Immortal Empires campaign.
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