Total War: Warhammer III Guide#
Total War: WARHAMMER III, developed by Creative Assembly and published by SEGA, is the finale of the Total War: WARHAMMER trilogy, released on February 17, 2022. Built on the Warscape engine, it combines a turn-based strategy map with real-time command of massive battles: run provinces, diplomacy, and armies on the strategic layer, then personally lead troops and war monsters on the battlefield.
Platforms: Windows (Steam / Epic Games Store / Microsoft Store / PC Game Pass) | macOS and Linux versions ported and published by Feral Interactive | Genre: Turn-based strategy + real-time tactics
This section is compiled from official and publicly available information verified as of October 2026, covering official statements from launch through patch 9.0. Data not published in official or otherwise verifiable sources is neither included nor speculated about; see each page for its specific disclaimers.
| Item |
Detail |
| Official name |
Total War: WARHAMMER III, the finale of the Total War: WARHAMMER trilogy |
| Release date |
February 17, 2022 (the Steam store page shows February 16, 2022 due to time zones) |
| Developer |
Creative Assembly; macOS/Linux ports developed by Feral Interactive |
| Publisher |
SEGA; macOS/Linux versions published by Feral Interactive |
| Genre |
Turn-based strategy + real-time tactics |
| Engine |
Warscape, with Denuvo anti-tamper |
| Price |
$59.99 USD at US full price; CNY 298 in the CN region, historical low around CNY 44.7 |
| Playable factions |
16 factions in the base game; with all DLC and previous titles, Immortal Empires has roughly 96 factions across 24 races |
| Map |
Immortal Empires — the largest combined map in the series: 554 settlements, 533 regions, 278 starting factions |
| Core gameplay |
Turn-based strategic management + real-time large-scale battlefield command |
| Campaign modes |
Prologue “The Lost God”, the Realm of Chaos main campaign, and the Immortal Empires combined sandbox |
| Multiplayer |
Realm of Chaos multiplayer campaign for up to 8 players; Immortal Empires supports 8-player online play |
The Three Campaign Modes#
| Mode |
Description |
| Prologue: “The Lost God” |
Kislevite prince Yuri Barkov, dispatched by Tzarina Katarin, heads north in search of the silent bear god Ursun; the story leads directly into the Realm of Chaos campaign |
| Realm of Chaos |
The main campaign: enter the four gods’ realms under time pressure to collect souls, then face Be’lakor in the Forge of Souls survival battle at the end |
| Immortal Empires |
The trilogy’s combined sandbox grand campaign, released in open beta on August 23, 2022 with patch 2.0 and open to all Warhammer III owners since 2.4.0 |
Versions and DLC Overview#
| Version |
Contents |
| 1.0 (2022-02-17) |
Base game launch: Realm of Chaos campaign, prologue, 7-8 launch factions |
| 2.0 (2022-08-23) |
Immortal Empires open beta; Champions of Chaos DLC; Blood for the Blood God III effects pack |
| 3.x (2023-04-13) |
Forge of the Chaos Dwarfs DLC |
| 4.0 (2023-08-31) |
Shadows of Change DLC: the Changeling, Yuan Bo, Mother Ostankya |
| 5.0 (2024-04-29/30) |
Thrones of Decay DLC: Tamurkhan, Elspeth von Draken, Malakai |
| 6.0 (2024-12-12) |
Omens of Destruction DLC: Golgfag, Arbaal the Undefeated, U’zhul the Skulltaker |
| 7.0 (2025-12-04) |
Tides of Torment DLC; Immortal Empires made free for Warhammer 1/2 owners |
| 8.0 (2026-05-21) |
Grand Cathay expansion: the White Tiger Bashva character pack DLC, plus free legendary lord Tao Yan the Merciless |
| 9.0 (2026-09-24) |
Lords of the End Times DLC: Nagash and other new lords; Vampire Counts rework |
See the Updates page for the complete version timeline.
Trilogy Linkage#
| What you own |
What it unlocks |
| Warhammer III only |
All factions and campaigns in this game; Immortal Empires open to all players since 2.4.0 |
| Warhammer I or Warhammer II |
Since December 4, 2025, the corresponding previous-title content unlocks for free in Immortal Empires |
Immortal Empires merges the maps and factions of all three games into a single campaign map: players who own the earlier titles and their DLC bring the corresponding Old World and New World factions and Legendary Lords into the combined map. As of patch 8.0 there are 105 playable Legendary Lords; after 9.0, third-party tools count roughly 110 (including Warhammer I and II content).
Key Features#
| Feature |
Description |
| Four Chaos gods |
Full faction mechanics for Khorne, Nurgle, Tzeentch, and Slaanesh, plus the Daemon Prince “Daniel”, whose daemonic fusion combines the gods’ powers |
| Grand Cathay |
An eastern dynasty of dragon-blooded rulers, with a Yin-Yang balance mechanic and the Great Bastion defensive line in the north |
| Kislev |
The frost kingdom, with Ice magic, the Devotion support mechanic, and Bear Cavalry |
| Ogre Kingdoms |
A launch-DLC faction (sold separately since February 24, 2022) with camp mechanics and monstrous infantry |
| Immortal Empires |
The series’ largest combined map, a free-form sandbox with no turn pressure |
| Magic system |
Carries over the eight Winds of Magic spell lores and adds new ones such as Ice, Storms, Yin, Yang, Nurgle, Tzeentch, and Slaanesh |
| Endgame crises |
Trigger by default within turns 100-150 (adjustable in campaign settings), testing your armies in the late game |
Getting Started Tips#
| # |
Advice |
| 1 |
Play the prologue first: “The Lost God” is the official tutorial line, fully covering the basics of turn-based management and real-time battles |
| 2 |
Don’t fight wars on multiple fronts: Focus early on enemies in one direction and secure your remaining borders with non-aggression treaties |
| 3 |
Economy before mass recruitment: Build income buildings before expanding your armies and keep a positive per-turn income |
| 4 |
Wall your border settlements: Walled settlements stall enemy sieges and buy time for your main armies to march back |
| 5 |
Make good use of heroes: Mages and heroes on the campaign map shape the war just as much — never leave them idle |
| 6 |
Save magic for the melee: Cast area spells after enemy formations deploy and infantry makes contact for the highest payoff |
| 7 |
Manage public order: Newly captured cities go through an order slump; offset it promptly with buildings or garrisons |
| 8 |
Lord levels are the core investment: A Legendary Lord’s skills and level directly cap your army’s potential |
System Requirements#
| Item |
Verified information |
| Storage |
Minimum spec requires 120 GB of free space |
| Memory |
6 GB minimum, 8 GB recommended |
| Other specs |
Processor, GPU, and OS requirements follow the official Steam store page; this site does not restate them |
Combat Mechanics Quick Reference#
| Concept |
Description |
| Morale |
A unit’s core stat; units rout when morale hits zero. Flank attacks, a fallen general, and heavy losses all accelerate morale collapse |
| Fatigue |
Running and prolonged combat build fatigue; high fatigue significantly weakens attack and defense |
| Armor-piercing damage |
Damage that ignores armor — heavily armored targets demand high-AP units and spells |
| Shield block |
Shields grant missile block chance, effective only against the front and left; there is no block from behind or the right |
| Charge bonus |
Attack and damage are greatly boosted for a short time after a charge connects — the core value of cavalry and shock cavalry |
| Splash damage |
Monstrous units and artillery hit multiple targets at once, devastating dense formations |
FAQ#
| Question |
Answer |
| Can I play III without Warhammer 1/2? |
Yes. Immortal Empires has been open to all Warhammer III owners since 2.4.0; owning the earlier titles unlocks the corresponding Old World and New World factions |
| How long does full completion take? |
Steam full achievement completion takes on the order of 200 hours (see the achievements page for details) |
| When do endgame crises trigger? |
By default within turns 100-150; the trigger method and scope can be adjusted in campaign settings |
| Where can I see version updates? |
See the Updates page in this section, organized along the official version timeline |
All Pages#
- Beginner Basics
- Faction Breakdowns
- Campaign Strategy
- Combat Tactics
- Legendary Lords
- Builds and Armies
- Boss Guides
- Items and Equipment
- Secrets and Hidden Content
- Achievements
- Magic and Spells
- FAQ
- Controls and Settings
- Gallery
- Lore and Worldbuilding
- Useful Resources
- Tips and Tricks
- Updates
- Challenges
- Walkthrough
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Full Guides#
In-depth sub-guides — beginner basics, faction breakdowns, campaign strategy, combat tactics, legendary lords, army builds, boss and endgame crisis tactics, and the magic system — are available in Chinese on NTGame’s Total War: Warhammer III section.