Total War: THREE KINGDOMS opens in 190 CE with the Han dynasty coming apart and a dozen warlords convinced they can do better. Creative Assembly built the campaign around characters rather than armies: generals lead retinues of three units, hold court positions, form friendships and grudges, and walk out when you ignore them. Romance mode turns them into duelling heroes, while Records mode makes them officers with a bodyguard and nothing more.
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 | Si Li | Romance and Records modes basics | Sentinel | 1-2 hours |
| 2. Early | Ji Province | Five hero classes and Wu Xing attributes mastery | Sentinel | 3-5 hours |
| 3. Mid | Xu Province | General retinues + gear | Vanguard or Sentinel | 5-10 hours |
| 4. Late | Jing Province | Build optimization | Vanguard | 5-10 hours |
| 5. Endgame | Yi Province | Min-max | Vanguard or Champion | Ongoing |
See our maps guide for detailed area breakdowns.
Phase 1: Getting Started (Si Li)
The imperial heartland around Luoyang, held by Dong Zhuo and the Han Empire at the 190 CE start. Taking it is a statement of intent, and it puts you next to almost everybody.
Level/Difficulty: Turns 30 to 80 for most factions Key Rewards: Imperial legitimacy, central position, wealthy commanderies
What to Do in Si Li
- Learn Romance and Records modes. Romance mode turns named characters into single model heroes who duel each other and carve through massed infantry. Spend your first session getting comfortable with this.
- Pick Sentinel as your starting build. See our builds guide for why.
- Every hero class scales off one attribute: Instinct for Vanguards, Expertise for Sentinels, Authority for Commanders, Cunning for Strategists and Resolve for Champions. Assigning a character to a job that rewards a different attribute wastes most of what they are.
- Acquire your first equipment upgrade: Sabre Militia Cavalry or whatever's available.
- Clear all main content before moving on.
Phase 1 Checklist
- Understand Romance and Records modes fundamentals
- Sentinel selected and functional
- Si Li main content cleared
- Ready for Ji Province
Phase 2: Early Game (Ji Province)
Rich, populous and Yuan Shao's power base in the northeast, which is why control of the north is usually settled early rather than late.
Level/Difficulty: Turns 1 to 40 for northern factions Key Rewards: Food and income, control of the north
What to Do in Ji Province
- Work on Five hero classes and Wu Xing attributes. Vanguard, Sentinel, Commander, Strategist and Champion each key off one attribute: Instinct, Expertise, Authority, Cunning and Resolve respectively. This system becomes critical from here on.
- Farm for Sabre Militia Cavalry if you haven't already. It's the key upgrade for this phase.
- Satisfaction is a countdown rather than a status. A general with high rank ambitions and no promotion will leave, usually with his retinue and sometimes with a settlement, so act while the number is still amber.
- Complete all objectives before pushing to Xu Province.
- Consider whether Vanguard might suit your playstyle better than Sentinel.
Phase 2 Checklist
- Five hero classes and Wu Xing attributes integrated into gameplay
- Sabre Militia Cavalry acquired
- Ji Province fully cleared
- Ready for Xu Province
Phase 3: Mid Game (Xu Province)
The eastern coastal province: wealthy, flat and difficult to defend, which makes it the ground that changes hands most often across a campaign.
Level/Difficulty: Turns 20 to 60 Key Rewards: Trade income, coastal commanderies
What to Do in Xu Province
- Master General retinues. Each general commands a retinue of up to three units that gain experience with him, and an army holds up to three generals. This unlocks a new layer of gameplay.
- Start working toward Ji Militia. It's the best equipment and becomes accessible around now.
- Armies are three generals with three units each, so recruitment starts with picking the leader. A Champion fills his retinue with defensive spear infantry and a Strategist with missile units, and changing leader later does not change the retinue.
- This area is the main skill check. If you can clear it, you're ready for late game.
- Start investing in Character satisfaction and defection for the tactical depth you'll need going forward.
Phase 3 Checklist
- General retinues mastered
- Ji Militia acquired or in progress
- Xu Province fully cleared
- Ready for Jing Province
Phase 4: Late Game (Jing Province)
The large central southern province, contested between southern factions and anyone pushing down from the north. Sun Jian starts at Chang Sha inside it.
Level/Difficulty: Turns 1 to 50 for southern factions Key Rewards: Chang Sha, river access, southern expansion room
What to Do in Jing Province
- Finalize your build. You should be running Vanguard or Sentinel with optimized gear.
- Ji Militia should be your primary. If you don't have it yet, prioritize getting it.
- Cunning improves a Strategist's retinue ammunition and his army's military supplies, which matters more on long campaigns fought outside your own territory than any individual unit upgrade.
- Diplomacy and coalitions optimization starts here. Small improvements compound into massive advantages.
- Farm this area for the resources needed to push into Yi Province.
Phase 4 Checklist
- Build fully optimized
- Ji Militia upgraded to max
- Jing Province fully cleared
- Ready for Yi Province
Phase 5: Endgame (Yi Province)
The mountainous southwest, hard to invade and equally hard to break out of, which makes it a fine fallback base and a poor launch pad.
Level/Difficulty: Turns 40 onward Key Rewards: Defensible terrain, sustainable income
What to Do in Yi Province
- Yi Province tests everything. Come prepared with your best build and gear.
- Court positions are both a bonus and a pressure valve. An unassigned officer with high expectations sours quickly, and the position itself usually pays a faction wide effect you would otherwise have to build for.
- The endgame loop: run Yi Province, optimize gear, push harder content.
- Experiment with Champion for a fresh take once you've mastered the standard builds.
- This is where Diplomacy and coalitions 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
- Yi Province fully cleared
- Ready for challenge content
Common Progression Mistakes
- Ignoring satisfaction until a general defects with his retinue and a settlement
- Building armies out of Ji Militia because they are cheap, then losing every infantry melee
- Expanding fast in every direction and triggering a coalition around turn 45
- Putting a Strategist into a frontline duelling role where Cunning does nothing for him
- Leaving court positions empty while high rank officers sit around waiting for a job
Key Tips for Smooth Progression
- Every hero class scales off one attribute: Instinct for Vanguards, Expertise for Sentinels, Authority for Commanders, Cunning for Strategists and Resolve for Champions. Assigning a character to a job that rewards a different attribute wastes most of what they are.
- Satisfaction is a countdown rather than a status. A general with high rank ambitions and no promotion will leave, usually with his retinue and sometimes with a settlement, so act while the number is still amber.
- Armies are three generals with three units each, so recruitment starts with picking the leader. A Champion fills his retinue with defensive spear infantry and a Strategist with missile units, and changing leader later does not change the retinue.
- Cunning improves a Strategist's retinue ammunition and his army's military supplies, which matters more on long campaigns fought outside your own territory than any individual unit upgrade.
- Court positions are both a bonus and a pressure valve. An unassigned officer with high expectations sours quickly, and the position itself usually pays a faction wide effect you would otherwise have to build for.
For more advanced strategies, see our tips & tricks guide.
More Total War: THREE KINGDOMS Guides
- Total War: THREE KINGDOMS Total War: THREE KINGDOMS Overview
- Total War: THREE KINGDOMS Best Builds
- Total War: THREE KINGDOMS Tier List
- Total War: THREE KINGDOMS Beginner's Guide
- Total War: THREE KINGDOMS Tips & Tricks
- Total War: THREE KINGDOMS Weapons Guide
- Total War: THREE KINGDOMS Combat Guide
- Total War: THREE KINGDOMS Boss Guide
- Total War: THREE KINGDOMS Maps & Locations
- Total War: THREE KINGDOMS Crafting Guide
- Total War: THREE KINGDOMS Classes & Characters
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