Creative Assembly released Attila on 17 February 2015 and set the Grand Campaign in 395 AD, the year Theodosius died and the Roman Empire split permanently in two. Ten factions are playable in the base Grand Campaign, and the Western Roman Empire opens with more provinces than it can garrison, more armies than it can pay and a treasury already sliding. A cooling climate drives fertility down across the north while the Huns arrive from the east. This is the Total War where burning your own city is frequently the right decision.
Total War: ATTILA features distinct areas with increasing difficulty. This guide covers every major location in progression order: what to do, what to get, and when to move on. For the step-by-step path, see our walkthrough.
Area Progression Order
| Order | Location | Difficulty | Key Rewards | Recommended Build |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roma | Turns 1 to 40 as the Western Roman Empire, a mid campaign target for anyone else | High income, large population, strong building slots, and the political weight that keeps Western public order from collapsing | Eastern Roman Empire |
| 2 | Constantinopolis | Turns 1 onward as the Eastern Roman Empire, a late campaign objective for the Huns | Exceptional defensive value, high trade income from the strait, and the Eastern Empire's main recruitment centre | Eastern Roman Empire |
| 3 | Ravenna | Turns 1 to 60 as the Western Roman Empire | Defensible Italian position, court and administration buildings, and a fallback capital when Roma is threatened | Western Roman Empire |
| 4 | Carthago | Turns 10 to 70, contested by the Vandals in most campaigns | Grain production that feeds Italia, strong trade income, and denial of the Vandal migration's historical destination | Western Roman Empire |
| 5 | Ctesiphon | Turns 1 onward as the Sassanid Empire, a very late objective for Rome | Stable fertility, Zoroastrian religious centre, and the Sassanid heavy cavalry recruitment chain | Western Roman Empire |
Roma: Starting Area
The old capital, still enormously valuable and no longer the seat of the Western court. Holding Roma is a public order and prestige question as much as a military one, and losing it to a horde is one of the fastest ways a Western campaign unravels.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Turns 1 to 40 as the Western Roman Empire, a mid campaign target for anyone else |
| Key Rewards | High income, large population, strong building slots, and the political weight that keeps Western public order from collapsing |
| Recommended Build | Eastern Roman Empire |
| Key Equipment | Limitanei |
What to Do Here
- Learn the basics of Razing, sacking and occupying settlements. This is where you practice without heavy punishment.
- Collect starting resources and your first equipment upgrade.
- Clear all main content before moving to Constantinopolis.
- If you're struggling, read our beginner's guide.
Constantinopolis: Early Game
The Eastern capital and the strongest defensive position on the map, sitting on the strait between Europe and Asia. Its walls and its position mean a competent Eastern player can lose most of the Balkans and still be entirely secure behind them.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Turns 1 onward as the Eastern Roman Empire, a late campaign objective for the Huns |
| Key Rewards | Exceptional defensive value, high trade income from the strait, and the Eastern Empire's main recruitment centre |
| Recommended Build | Eastern Roman Empire |
| Key Equipment | Limitanei |
What to Do Here
- Focus on mastering The migration and horde mechanic. It's critical from this point on.
- Farm for Limitanei if you don't have it yet.
- Complete all objectives for maximum rewards.
- Prepare for the difficulty spike in Ravenna.
Ravenna: Mid Game
The Western court's seat in this period, chosen historically for its marshes and defensibility rather than its size. In campaign terms it is the settlement that keeps a shrinking Western Empire administratively alive after the outer provinces are gone.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Turns 1 to 60 as the Western Roman Empire |
| Key Rewards | Defensible Italian position, court and administration buildings, and a fallback capital when Roma is threatened |
| Recommended Build | Western Roman Empire |
| Key Equipment | Limitanei |
What to Do Here
- This is the main skill check. Bring an optimized build.
- Legio Comitatenses becomes accessible here. Prioritize getting it.
- Master Climate cooling and fertility for the boss encounters.
- Check our boss guide if you get stuck.
Carthago: Late Game
The centre of Roman Africa and the grain supply the Western Empire cannot survive without. This is also exactly why the Vandals go for it, and why a Western player who has already abandoned the north must hold Africa at almost any cost.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Turns 10 to 70, contested by the Vandals in most campaigns |
| Key Rewards | Grain production that feeds Italia, strong trade income, and denial of the Vandal migration's historical destination |
| Recommended Build | Western Roman Empire |
| Key Equipment | Legio Comitatenses |
What to Do Here
- Full build optimization is expected by this point.
- Legio Comitatenses should be your primary, fully upgraded.
- The family tree, gravitas and civil war mastery starts mattering here.
- Farm resources for the push into Ctesiphon.
Ctesiphon: Endgame
The Sassanid capital on the Tigris and the anchor of the eastern half of the map. Unlike almost everywhere else, this region is barely touched by the cooling climate, which makes the Sassanid economy the most stable in the game across a long campaign.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Turns 1 onward as the Sassanid Empire, a very late objective for Rome |
| Key Rewards | Stable fertility, Zoroastrian religious centre, and the Sassanid heavy cavalry recruitment chain |
| Recommended Build | Western Roman Empire |
| Key Equipment | Legio Comitatenses |
What to Do Here
- This is endgame. Best-in-slot gear and a perfected build are mandatory.
- See our boss guide for endgame fight strategies.
- The reward loop: clear content → upgrade → push harder content.
- Experiment with Visigoths for variety once you've mastered the meta.
Exploration Tips
- Clear areas in order: Roma → Constantinopolis → Ravenna → Carthago → Ctesiphon. Skipping areas means missing resources you'll need later.
- Check every corner: Hidden caches and secrets are often in non-obvious locations.
- Match your equipment: Some areas favor different equipment types.
- Read the walkthrough: Our walkthrough provides exact progression milestones for each area.
- Don't rush: Clearing an area fully gives more resources than speedrunning two areas.
More Total War: ATTILA Guides
- Total War: ATTILA Total War: ATTILA Overview
- Total War: ATTILA Best Builds
- Total War: ATTILA Tier List
- Total War: ATTILA Walkthrough
- Total War: ATTILA Beginner's Guide
- Total War: ATTILA Tips & Tricks
- Total War: ATTILA Weapons Guide
- Total War: ATTILA Combat Guide
- Total War: ATTILA Boss Guide
- Total War: ATTILA Crafting Guide
- Total War: ATTILA Classes & Characters
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