New Historical total war era - Total War: Three Kingdoms!

[ParthianWarrior]

This is simply not true. I do not wish to stray this discussion in the wrong direction, so suffice it to say, The Chinese government is only interested in the contemporary period when it comes to portraying China.

It is no secret that the Chinese government has gone at great lengths to rewrite ethnic history to collectivize Chinese identity. Also, considering what is going on with the Uighurs, I wouldn't be surprised if it was an issue CA is concerned about.

Just some things to chew on here -

https://www.e-ir.info/2010/01/10/the...ic-minorities/
http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/201...its-minorities
https://www.axios.com/china-communis...bd1d99bfb.html
https://thediplomat.com/2018/08/the-...hnic-identity/
https://case.edu/affil/tibet/moreTib...relations2.pdf

I don't want to stray too far either, but let's not ignore how sensitive the Chinese market is, especially when it comes to depicting things like this.

[ParthianWarrior]

To be fair most of the non-Han factions at this point were fairly irrelevant, weak and divided. None of the nomads, Koreans, or southern barbarians ever posed a real threat to a Chinese faction in this period.

The Nanman with Meng Huo was a significant rebellion and threat in the south, and the Qiang and Shanyue both caused some headaches for local rulers. The nomads played a similar role as well.

[Daruwind]

Han Sui is a military general and Ma Teng’s sworn brother. Although he appears to be a minor warlord, he prefers to stay behind the scenes and place someone else in the position of leadership while holding the real power himself.

[Daruwind]

Ma Chao is the son and heir of the warlord Ma Teng. He’s an accomplished warrior known for his aggression and bravery on the battlefield. He’s also earned the nickname Ma Chao the Splendid due to his magnificent armour.

[Seether]

Oh joy it's Romance Ma Teng. I love how they completely omit the fact that he became friends with Han Sui when he defected from the Han army during the Liang revolt, and that he was granted an officer's title as a bribe to buy his loyalty back.

This. Already not liking the road CA is taking with characters...

[zoner16]

This. Already not liking the road CA is taking with characters...

Eh, it's not as bad as it could be. They're mostly not outright lying. It's just the omission of certain details that changes the interpretation of the characters.

They're mostly seem to be trying to stick with the most positive interpretation of each character that they can get away with in order to not piss off any fanboys. God knows they'd probably have an internet firestorm if they went with Rafe's interpretation of Liu Bei or one of the less flattering portrayals of Zhuge Liang.

These kinds of things I can tolerate. I'm generally ok with borrowing Romance stuff that leaves certain characters looking better than they did historically so long as it's not one of the instances where they drag someone else through the mud to make it happen. Character assassination of decent people I cannot abide though.

[Ngazi]

What is the supply mechanic, I thought Britannia was really stripped down.

[AHumpierRogue]

This. Already not liking the road CA is taking with characters...

Eh, CA has said that they will be having different campaign map events based on whether you choose Classic or Romance mode, and so I assume backgrounds and stuff are included in those differences. Also they did make Ma Teng be on Dong Zhuo's side as he was historically. And besides, it's not like CA is just going completely off kilter, they are just following the Romance version, which while incorrect completely isn't reason to oppose CA here, atleast in my opinion.

[Daruwind]

Total War: THREE KINGDOMS Warlord Legends – Liu Biao










Disclaimer: All details included below are subject to change as development continues and should not be considered final.
In Total War: THREE KINGDOMS, players step into the shoes of one of 11 legendary warlords in this age of glorious conquest. Although the ultimate goal for each leader is the same – unite China under your banner and forge the next great dynasty – the preferred means and methods can differ greatly. Every warlord has their own unique personality, motivations, and experience, while all shape the way they play and the kind of conquest they favour.
With such an iconic and varied cast available, each campaign starts with an important choice: which of these heroes, villains, or murky-shades-of-grey types do you want to lead to glory?
It’s hard to make that decision without knowing all your options, so over the coming weeks we are taking a deep dive on each playable warlord in Warlord Legends, a series of blogs focusing on a specific playable warlord, showcasing their unique personality, story so far, and what that means for gameplay (we’ll also go into more detail on the three playable warlords we’ve already revealed).
For those unfamiliar with the setting, we’re also going to use archetypes to explain exactly who’s who and why you would want to play as them. These are names defined by gameplay mechanics and aren’t taken directly from the history books, but they should help you figure out which character/s best suit you.
Our next warlord is Liu Biao, the Aristocrat
Liu Biao, the Aristocrat

• Hero Class: Commander
• Nickname: Gentleman of the Han

Who is he?

Esteemed academic Liu Biao is known as one of the Eight Geniuses of Jiangxia: a group of scholars during the later Han era. Governor of Jing Province, he’s a smart and charismatic man with an appreciation of etiquette, nobility, and the finer things in life. A man seldom ruffled, Liu Biao demonstrates his aristocratic pedigree through stable officiality.
Though the Han crumbles, its spirit and legacy endures through its many branches and descendants. Liu Biao holds this lineage closely, serving with unwavering sense of duty and prospering greatly during a time of peace. An accomplished administrator, and ever the traditionalist, Liu Biao wishes to preserve the status quo, earnestly hoping that the chaos will abate and reason will prevail. But times are changing, and Liu Biao must find his place in this new land, or fade forever into the mists of the forgotten…
Yet with change comes opportunity. Liu Biao is an exceptional Governor and has potential to be much more, provided he can adapt to this era of conflict. If he succeeds in exercising his authority on Xiangyang commandery, he can lead his commandery to a time of stability in this chaos. Using that as his foundation, it may only be a matter of time until he can restore peace to all of China.
Playstyle

Liu Biao’s focus on academia and intelligence defines his playstyle. He offers a safe haven to nobles and gentry, and as such, he values sophistication, knowledge, and harmony. This grants him unique scholarly court positions (Student, Tutor, Scholar) that increase experience gain for these and all characters in his faction, and his unique building chain (Lodging and Tea Gardens) can further increase experience gain.
When used well, Liu Biao’s bonuses to character growth can offer you a path to employing high ranking generals earlier in the game than other Warlords. Meaning, although not a significant military force at the outset, Liu Biao can use this strategy to compete with the more military-minded warlords on the map. Liu Biao also starts in a relatively secured diplomatic situation, being the master of two vassals: Cai Mao and Huang Zu. These vassals occupy land to the south of him and offer valuable support in shoring up his southern borders.
A calm and steady hand at the wheel, Liu Biao offers a public order bonus to his lands while faction leader, and a satisfaction boost to all characters under his control. However, he’s a no spring chicken at the start of the game, so when playing as him you’ll need to be careful who you select as your heir. Your sons, though your flesh and blood, sadly don’t show the same level of promise that their father did at their age, and you may need to look outside of your current family to secure your legacy.
Guanxi


Liu Biao starts the game with the support of his close friend, Huang Zhong, a brave and wise elderly general. Despite his age, Huang Zhong is still a more than capable warrior and one of the greatest archers around, something he is keen to prove whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Liu Biao also has the support of his sons, Liu Qi and Liu Cong. As time goes by, they should be given greater responsibilities to carry on Xiangyang administration. However, it is known that Liu Biao puts more trust in Huang Zhong than either of them. While Huang Zhong’s age makes him unsuitable for an heir, some say that Liu Biao is already looking to others to pick up the mantle.
Starting Position


The game begins with Liu Biao in Xiangyang commandery in Jing province as the Governor of this province, an office given to Liu Biao by the great Han Empire. However, rebels are rising all around his territory. Liu Biao needs to bring them down, protect his people, and restore order to the commandery before going further. Only then can Liu Biao expand, moving closer to the territory of other warlords. Among them, Yuan Shu and Sun Jian may be the first he has to deal with…
Initial Dilemma


Early in a campaign, each playable Warlord will face an initial dilemma after fulfilling certain prerequisite actions. These dilemmas will position the player at a fork in the road, marking a pivotal moment in that Warlord’s story. One of the options available to you is a choice reflecting what happened in history, and the outcomes will follow the events of the period. The other lets you forge a tale of what might have been. Total War is all about giving players the freedom to create their own stories in some of the most exciting periods in human history, and these initial dilemmas epitomise that spirit.
Liu Bia’s dilemma starts when Yuan Shao secretly send him a message to take the Imperial Seal back from Sun Jian. The player will have to make a choice: Accept Yuan Shao’s request and attack Sun Jian, which will trigger a war against Sun Jian and Yuan Shu, his ally. Or ignore Yuan Shao’s request and angering the warlord in the north.
The choice of this dilemma will have a big impact on the immediate situation in this central area with Sun Jian, Liu Biao, and Yuan Shu. Ignoring Yuan Shao will mean that the situation is calmer, but your potential enemies will have the ability to grow much stronger as well. Attacking Sun Jian on the other hand will mean a difficult start, but with great opportunities…
As the ruler of Xiangyang commandery, the player needs to unite this commandery by conquering regions that were lost to rebels. Afterwards, Liu Biao will have difficulties expanding and he needs to pick his enemies in a smart way. If he does not go to war with Sun Jian and Yuan Shu, he might have to think about cutting himself loose from the Han Empire, or potentially focus on building up Xiangyang before making further steps and expand his realm.
What kind of player is Liu Biao for?

Liu Biao is the choice of those who seek wisdom, knowledge, and clarity of thought to take the right decisions and bring peace back to this chaotic land. The lands are beset by conflict and you must restore order; Liu Biao is a man who views wisdom and experience as the sword and shield with which to protect the realm.
Further Reading

• A Biographical Dictionary of Later Han to the Three Kingdoms (23-220AD) by Rafe de Crespigny (Brill, 2007) (https://researchers.anu.edu.au/publications/40121)
• Romance of the Three Kingdoms chapters 6, 7, 8, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 29, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38, 39, and 40
• Kongming (http://kongming.net/novel/sgz/liubiao.php)

[zoner16]

That's honestly not too far off the mark. The only thing that's actually silly is his connection to Huang Zhong (the two have no recorded relationship), but nobody actually likes Huang Zu or Cai Mao (his actual generals), and they have to fit Huang Zhong in somewhere. One of the Tiger Generals just mucking around in southern Jing under an unplayable nobody (Han Xuan) probably isn't what CA wants.

[AHumpierRogue]

He looks pretty good. That said, I do find it a bit weird that CA seems to feel the need to have all the starts be equal sized alla Warhammer, with each start being just 1 region(normally). Apparently according to CA all of Jingzhou(not counting his vassals) was ruled by rebels, which while there were a few rebellious area's south of the Yangtze I don't think it was so bad that Liu Biao had to fight his way to control of the land around his capital. But anyway like I said, it's a good central start.

[Daruwind]

Huang Zhong may be elderly, but he has a youthful air and is still in strong health. He is known for being a brave and fierce warrior, and is a skilled archer who has a reputation for never missing.

[Seether]

That's honestly not too far off the mark. The only thing that's actually silly is his connection to Huang Zhong (the two have no recorded relationship), but nobody actually likes Huang Zu or Cai Mao (his actual generals), and they have to fit Huang Zhong in somewhere. One of the Tiger Generals just mucking around in southern Jing under an unplayable nobody (Han Xuan) probably isn't what CA wants.

Han Xuan didn't control Changsha commandery at this time. That would be Zhang Xian. But I agree, Cai Mao would make a ton more sense, seeing as he was their leading general/naval commander, the Cai family pretty much ran affairs in Jingbei, and he was Liu Biao's brother-in-law.

[Daruwind]

New blogpost and video about Diplomacy, part1 of 2:
https://www.totalwar.com/blog/diplom...ln4U8304lGHSgg



*in video we can notice that population mechanics is back and another one being army supplies..:-)

[AHumpierRogue]

Where do you see population?

[Daruwind]

Where do you see population?

Courtesy of reddit:
https://www.reddit.com/r/totalwar/co...ation_is_back/

[Foeurdr]

Where do you see population?

Look in the bottom left from 1:08 minutes onwards. You will see the town general information, seems like the population is represented by the two little green figures, in that case it would be 350 and growing each turn. We also see the description for the tool forge that say there is +50 population capacity. I'm unsure what could the 350/400 is, the green arrow with the population icon seems to says it's growing, so maybe the max population capacity of the village before it can grow more. Unless it the village we see at 1:22 which is also in Xiangyang province but under another faction, in that that case 400 would be the total population in the province, 350 would be in the large village and the other 50 at the toolmaker village.

[Daruwind]

Plus very good video with a lots of details from PartyElite:

[zoner16]

Interesting to note that the Han Empire owns most of the territory around visible part of the map here. However, the Han is also a vassal of Dong Zhuo, who you can see on the strategic map has an icon that is almost certainly the emperor under his faction's name.

This makes me think that the Han is going to do the WRE thing of slowly disintegrating over time rather than starting the game as already balkanized.

Also Huangfu Song leads it. Glad he's getting some recognition, despite being stuck leading the dead end faction.

[ptoss1]

You can also see a symbol representing the emperor above Dong Zhuo.