I bought Total War: Three Kingdoms before the promotion mentioned in my original post, so seeing it offered later was bittersweet. The mix of turn-based campaign decisions and real-time battles will be familiar to Total War players.
Manage the army before expanding
A general normally commands a retinue of up to six units, and an army can contain three generals. Expanding one force can be more useful than creating several understrength armies, but watch upkeep and replenishment.
Campaign income, buildings, taxation, and the cost of troops all interact. Conquest can help your position, but fighting constantly is not a substitute for a stable budget. Learn the behavior of nearby factions and choose wars you can sustain.
Reforms and unit roles
Use available reform choices to support your campaign economy and recruitment needs. Archers are relatively affordable early options; cavalry can be powerful but expensive. Spears discourage cavalry charges, shields help against missiles, and flanking matters as much as a simple counter chart.
Different factions and expansions change the available units and campaign starts. The original suggestion of Shi Xie may require content or a mod that is not present in every base-game installation.
My verdict
I liked the historical setting but was less enthusiastic about the price and separate campaign DLCs. Consider the base game’s features and legitimate expansion options before buying. The original suggestion to search for DLC-unlocking bypasses is omitted from this guide.
If you enjoy managing a campaign and then commanding formations directly, it remains a distinctive combination. My own preference sometimes leans toward other strategy or battle-simulation games.
Adapted from the original Chinese article, published on January 3, 2026.
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