Creative Assembly and SEGA released Total War: SHOGUN 2 on 15 March 2011, opening the campaign in 1545 and handing every clan the same win condition: take Kyoto and hold it. Nine clans ship in the base game, each with one signature discount, from Shimazu katana samurai to Mori warships. Fall of the Samurai is a separate standalone expansion set during the 1860s Boshin War, so its Gatling guns and ironclads never show up in the Sengoku campaign covered here.
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 | Kyoto | Realm Divide basics | Shimazu | 1-2 hours |
| 2. Early | Owari | Chi and Bushido arts research mastery | Shimazu | 3-5 hours |
| 3. Mid | Kai | Ashigaru and samurai unit tiers + gear | Oda or Shimazu | 5-10 hours |
| 4. Late | Satsuma | Build optimization | Oda | 5-10 hours |
| 5. Endgame | Tosa | Min-max | Oda or Tokugawa | Ongoing |
See our maps guide for detailed area breakdowns.
Phase 1: Getting Started (Kyoto)
The imperial capital and the campaign win condition. Take it and hold it for four seasons to be declared Shogun, which is also the point where every remaining clan stops pretending to like you.
Level/Difficulty: Turn 40 and later on a long campaign Key Rewards: Shogun status, plus 1 morale for all units, plus 2 percent clan tax rate, plus 1 daimyo honour, and access to Great Guard and the Nihon Maru
What to Do in Kyoto
- Learn Realm Divide. Fame climbs as you capture provinces, and somewhere around 13 to 18 provinces every neutral and friendly clan turns on you in the same handful of turns. Spend your first session getting comfortable with this.
- Pick Shimazu as your starting build. See our builds guide for why.
- Count your provinces from turn 10 onward. Realm Divide fires somewhere between 13 and 18 provinces, so keep two full stacks and a war chest ready before you take the province that crosses the line, because you will not get a quiet turn afterwards.
- Acquire your first equipment upgrade: Yari Ashigaru or whatever's available.
- Clear all main content before moving on.
Phase 1 Checklist
- Understand Realm Divide fundamentals
- Shimazu selected and functional
- Kyoto main content cleared
- Ready for Owari
Phase 2: Early Game (Owari)
The Oda home province, sitting in central Honshu with Mino and Ise as immediate expansion targets. Its central position is a blessing early and a liability once Realm Divide turns every border into a front.
Level/Difficulty: Turns 1 to 15 as an Oda start Key Rewards: Good farmland, short marching distance to Kyoto and early access to the ashigaru dojo chain
What to Do in Owari
- Work on Chi and Bushido arts research. Research splits into two branches that advance on separate timers. This system becomes critical from here on.
- Farm for Yari Ashigaru if you haven't already. It's the key upgrade for this phase.
- Yari Ashigaru with the yari wall order will hold any cavalry charge in the game, but only if they are already braced. The order takes a moment to apply, so set it as soon as you see horses moving, not after the charge starts.
- Complete all objectives before pushing to Kai.
- Consider whether Oda might suit your playstyle better than Shimazu.
Phase 2 Checklist
- Chi and Bushido arts research integrated into gameplay
- Yari Ashigaru acquired
- Owari fully cleared
- Ready for Kai
Phase 3: Mid Game (Kai)
The Takeda home province, landlocked and mountainous with hostile neighbours on most sides. There is no safe direction to grow, which is why the Takeda cavalry discount matters so much from the first turns.
Level/Difficulty: Turns 1 to 20 as a Takeda start Key Rewards: Defensible mountain terrain, horse breeding buildings and quick reach into the eastern provinces
What to Do in Kai
- Master Ashigaru and samurai unit tiers. Ashigaru are conscripted farmers who cost a fraction of a samurai unit and rout once their morale cracks. This unlocks a new layer of gameplay.
- Start working toward Katana Samurai. It's the best equipment and becomes accessible around now.
- Fight on high ground whenever the map offers it. Archers gain range shooting downhill and lose it shooting up, and infantry charging uphill arrive already tired, which turns a coin-flip battle into a comfortable win.
- This area is the main skill check. If you can clear it, you're ready for late game.
- Start investing in Ninja, Metsuke and Monk agents for the tactical depth you'll need going forward.
Phase 3 Checklist
- Ashigaru and samurai unit tiers mastered
- Katana Samurai acquired or in progress
- Kai fully cleared
- Ready for Satsuma
Phase 4: Late Game (Satsuma)
The Shimazu home province at the southwestern tip of Kyushu, with a single land approach to defend. The safest opening on the map, at the cost of the longest march to Kyoto once you finally head north.
Level/Difficulty: Turns 1 to 25 as a Shimazu start Key Rewards: A single chokepoint to garrison, Kyushu trade ports and room to build the katana dojo chain undisturbed
What to Do in Satsuma
- Finalize your build. You should be running Oda or Shimazu with optimized gear.
- Katana Samurai should be your primary. If you don't have it yet, prioritize getting it.
- Build the dojo chain before you plan a samurai army. A katana dojo in one province only lets you recruit there, so a clan-wide samurai force means either several dojos or a lot of marching new recruits across the map.
- Castle sieges and province capitals optimization starts here. Small improvements compound into massive advantages.
- Farm this area for the resources needed to push into Tosa.
Phase 4 Checklist
- Build fully optimized
- Katana Samurai upgraded to max
- Satsuma fully cleared
- Ready for Tosa
Phase 5: Endgame (Tosa)
The Chosokabe home province on Shikoku, separated from the main island by water. Clear the island first, then use naval movement to pick which mainland province you invade instead of grinding through a land border.
Level/Difficulty: Turns 1 to 20 as a Chosokabe start Key Rewards: Island isolation, strong farm income and the bow dojo chain that carries the whole campaign
What to Do in Tosa
- Tosa tests everything. Come prepared with your best build and gear.
- Use Metsuke on your own provinces rather than only on the enemy. Corruption grows with distance from your capital, and a metsuke stationed in a far province can pay for himself several times over in recovered tax income.
- The endgame loop: run Tosa, optimize gear, push harder content.
- Experiment with Tokugawa for a fresh take once you've mastered the standard builds.
- This is where Castle sieges and province capitals 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
- Tosa fully cleared
- Ready for challenge content
Common Progression Mistakes
- Expanding past 13 provinces with no reserve army, then discovering that every neighbour declared war in the same two turns
- Sending Katana Samurai head-on into braced Yari Ashigaru, where the spear bonus cancels their entire melee advantage
- Fielding Matchlock Ashigaru in rain or behind friendly infantry, so they spend the battle unable to fire
- Ignoring the Chi branch entirely and running out of money halfway through the campaign with a large upkeep bill
- Leaving conquered provinces without a Metsuke or a garrison, then losing them to rebellion while the field army is elsewhere
Key Tips for Smooth Progression
- Count your provinces from turn 10 onward. Realm Divide fires somewhere between 13 and 18 provinces, so keep two full stacks and a war chest ready before you take the province that crosses the line, because you will not get a quiet turn afterwards.
- Yari Ashigaru with the yari wall order will hold any cavalry charge in the game, but only if they are already braced. The order takes a moment to apply, so set it as soon as you see horses moving, not after the charge starts.
- Fight on high ground whenever the map offers it. Archers gain range shooting downhill and lose it shooting up, and infantry charging uphill arrive already tired, which turns a coin-flip battle into a comfortable win.
- Build the dojo chain before you plan a samurai army. A katana dojo in one province only lets you recruit there, so a clan-wide samurai force means either several dojos or a lot of marching new recruits across the map.
- Use Metsuke on your own provinces rather than only on the enemy. Corruption grows with distance from your capital, and a metsuke stationed in a far province can pay for himself several times over in recovered tax income.
For more advanced strategies, see our tips & tricks guide.
More Total War: SHOGUN 2 Guides
- Total War: SHOGUN 2 Total War: SHOGUN 2 Overview
- Total War: SHOGUN 2 Best Builds
- Total War: SHOGUN 2 Tier List
- Total War: SHOGUN 2 Beginner's Guide
- Total War: SHOGUN 2 Tips & Tricks
- Total War: SHOGUN 2 Weapons Guide
- Total War: SHOGUN 2 Combat Guide
- Total War: SHOGUN 2 Boss Guide
- Total War: SHOGUN 2 Maps & Locations
- Total War: SHOGUN 2 Crafting Guide
- Total War: SHOGUN 2 Classes & Characters
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