Koei Tecmo put the fourteenth entry on Steam on 15 January 2020 and added English language support on 28 February that year. The map covers 46 cities and roughly 340 regions of Han China, and territory is tracked by painting individual hexes in your faction colour, which is simultaneously how income, ownership and supply are calculated. More than 1,000 named officers carry over 150 different traits between them.
This walkthrough takes you from your first session to endgame content. Each phase has specific goals, priorities, and milestones. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Progression Summary
| Phase | Area | Focus | Build | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Start | Luoyang | Hex painting and region control basics | Liu Bei | 1-2 hours |
| 2. Early | Chang'an | Supply lines from the origin city mastery | Liu Bei | 3-5 hours |
| 3. Mid | Chengdu | Thirteen formations and unit types + gear | Cao Cao or Liu Bei | 5-10 hours |
| 4. Late | Jianye | Build optimization | Cao Cao | 5-10 hours |
| 5. Endgame | Xiangyang | Min-max | Cao Cao or Yuan Shao | Ongoing |
See our maps guide for detailed area breakdowns.
Phase 1: Getting Started (Luoyang)
The Han capital in Sili, sitting at the junction of the routes east to the plains and west to Chang'an. Whoever holds it controls the centre of the map and inherits every border problem that comes with it.
Level/Difficulty: Contested from the 184 Yellow Turban scenario onward Key Rewards: Central position, high income, and legitimacy for a ruler chasing higher court rank
What to Do in Luoyang
- Learn Hex painting and region control. Marching an army across neutral land converts those hexes to your colour, and an officer's Conquer Land value decides how quickly that happens. Spend your first session getting comfortable with this.
- Pick Liu Bei as your starting build. See our builds guide for why.
- Check the coloured hex chain behind every army before you commit it. An army whose supply route runs through a single undefended corridor can be beaten by a smaller force that simply walks onto that corridor and waits.
- Acquire your first equipment upgrade: Crane Formation or whatever's available.
- Clear all main content before moving on.
Phase 1 Checklist
- Understand Hex painting and region control fundamentals
- Liu Bei selected and functional
- Luoyang main content cleared
- Ready for Chang'an
Phase 2: Early Game (Chang'an)
The western anchor of Sili, reached through defensible approaches that make it awkward to attack and awkward to leave. Dong Zhuo moved the court here, and factions holding the west treat it as their gateway east.
Level/Difficulty: Key in the 190 anti Dong Zhuo period Key Rewards: A defensible capital and a staging point for campaigns into Liang and Yi Province
What to Do in Chang'an
- Work on Supply lines from the origin city. Every army draws supplies back along a coloured chain of hexes to the city it deployed from. This system becomes critical from here on.
- Farm for Crane Formation if you haven't already. It's the key upgrade for this phase.
- Send officers with the Debater trait on diplomatic missions and officers with Planner on plots. Success rates on both are tied to traits and to the Politics stat, not to how famous the officer is.
- Complete all objectives before pushing to Chengdu.
- Consider whether Cao Cao might suit your playstyle better than Liu Bei.
Phase 2 Checklist
- Supply lines from the origin city integrated into gameplay
- Crane Formation acquired
- Chang'an fully cleared
- Ready for Chengdu
Phase 3: Mid Game (Chengdu)
The seat of Yi Province, ringed by mountains that funnel any invasion into a handful of passes. It is the safest capital on the map and the slowest one to expand out of.
Level/Difficulty: Central from the 214 period through the 227 Chu Shi Biao scenario Key Rewards: Strong agricultural income, mountain defence, and a base for northern campaigns via Hanzhong
What to Do in Chengdu
- Master Thirteen formations and unit types. Field formations such as Fish, Crane, Awl, Goose, Snake and Ring each favour different terrain and roles, while Siege Tower, Battering Ram and Catapult exist purely to break bases. This unlocks a new layer of gameplay.
- Start working toward Fish Formation. It's the best equipment and becomes accessible around now.
- Assign a governor with high Politics to every captured city immediately. Development, security and recruitment all stall in a city that is technically yours but has nobody competent running it.
- This area is the main skill check. If you can clear it, you're ready for late game.
- Start investing in Officer traits and battle tactics for the tactical depth you'll need going forward.
Phase 3 Checklist
- Thirteen formations and unit types mastered
- Fish Formation acquired or in progress
- Chengdu fully cleared
- Ready for Jianye
Phase 4: Late Game (Jianye)
The Wu capital on the lower Yangtze, defended by the river more than by its walls. Naval formations deployed from here can reach most of the southeast faster than a land army can march half that distance.
Level/Difficulty: Central from the 208 Chibi period onward Key Rewards: Naval dominance on the Yangtze and a secure base for pushing west into Jing Province
What to Do in Jianye
- Finalize your build. You should be running Cao Cao or Liu Bei with optimized gear.
- Fish Formation should be your primary. If you don't have it yet, prioritize getting it.
- Alliances last up to 24 months, which is 72 turns, so time them around a campaign rather than signing them the moment a partner is willing. An alliance that expires mid siege leaves you fighting two wars.
- Diplomacy, plots and submission optimization starts here. Small improvements compound into massive advantages.
- Farm this area for the resources needed to push into Xiangyang.
Phase 4 Checklist
- Build fully optimized
- Fish Formation upgraded to max
- Jianye fully cleared
- Ready for Xiangyang
Phase 5: Endgame (Xiangyang)
The hinge of Jing Province, wanted by every one of the three major powers because it opens routes north, east and west at once. Expect it to change hands more often than any other city in a long campaign.
Level/Difficulty: Contested in every scenario from 200 onward Key Rewards: Access to Jing Province officers and a forward position against two neighbours at the same time
What to Do in Xiangyang
- Xiangyang tests everything. Come prepared with your best build and gear.
- Duels resolve automatically over five matches and a lost duel can wound, capture or kill your officer while gutting the unit's morale. Only initiate one when your officer's War rating is clearly higher.
- The endgame loop: run Xiangyang, optimize gear, push harder content.
- Experiment with Yuan Shao for a fresh take once you've mastered the standard builds.
- This is where Diplomacy, plots and submission mastery separates good players from great ones. See our tips guide for advanced strategies.
Phase 5 Checklist
- Endgame content on farm
- Best-in-slot gear acquired
- Xiangyang fully cleared
- Ready for challenge content
Common Progression Mistakes
- Marching a strong army deep into enemy land while leaving the hex corridor behind it completely unguarded.
- Sending the highest War officer on diplomatic missions instead of an officer with Politics and the Debater trait.
- Building siege formations before beating the field army, then losing the rams to cavalry in the open.
- Using Awl formations in a fight and wondering why no tactics ever trigger.
- Capturing four cities in one year with no governors assigned, so income and security collapse across all of them.
Key Tips for Smooth Progression
- Check the coloured hex chain behind every army before you commit it. An army whose supply route runs through a single undefended corridor can be beaten by a smaller force that simply walks onto that corridor and waits.
- Send officers with the Debater trait on diplomatic missions and officers with Planner on plots. Success rates on both are tied to traits and to the Politics stat, not to how famous the officer is.
- Assign a governor with high Politics to every captured city immediately. Development, security and recruitment all stall in a city that is technically yours but has nobody competent running it.
- Alliances last up to 24 months, which is 72 turns, so time them around a campaign rather than signing them the moment a partner is willing. An alliance that expires mid siege leaves you fighting two wars.
- Duels resolve automatically over five matches and a lost duel can wound, capture or kill your officer while gutting the unit's morale. Only initiate one when your officer's War rating is clearly higher.
For more advanced strategies, see our tips & tricks guide.
More ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS XIV Guides
- ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS XIV ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS XIV Overview
- ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS XIV Best Builds
- ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS XIV Tier List
- ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS XIV Beginner's Guide
- ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS XIV Tips & Tricks
- ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS XIV Weapons Guide
- ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS XIV Combat Guide
- ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS XIV Boss Guide
- ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS XIV Maps & Locations
- ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS XIV Crafting Guide
- ROMANCE OF THE THREE KINGDOMS XIV Classes & Characters
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