Total War: WARHAMMER II moves the trilogy south to the New World, where High Elves, Dark Elves, Lizardmen and Skaven race to seize control of the Great Vortex above Ulthuan. The Eye of the Vortex campaign is a five ritual sprint with a final defensive battle at the end, which makes it far tighter and more directed than the sandbox of WARHAMMER III's Immortal Empires. Tomb Kings and Vampire Coast arrived as paid races with their own rules, one paying no upkeep but capped by unit limits, the other chasing Infamy and a star metal harpoon to kill the merwyrm Amanar.
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 | Ulthuan | Eye of the Vortex ritual race basics | Dark Elves | 1-2 hours |
| 2. Early | Naggaroth | Rites mastery | Dark Elves | 3-5 hours |
| 3. Mid | Lustria | Skaven food and under-cities + gear | High Elves or Dark Elves | 5-10 hours |
| 4. Late | The Southlands | Build optimization | High Elves | 5-10 hours |
| 5. Endgame | Nehekhara | Min-max | High Elves or Tomb Kings | Ongoing |
See our maps guide for detailed area breakdowns.
Phase 1: Getting Started (Ulthuan)
The ring shaped High Elf homeland with the Great Vortex at its centre, split into inner and outer kingdoms and defended by the best missile infantry on the map.
Level/Difficulty: Turn 1 onward Key Rewards: High Elf starts, Vortex proximity, Influence economy
What to Do in Ulthuan
- Learn Eye of the Vortex ritual race. Each race performs five rituals to bend the Great Vortex to its will, gated behind a race specific resource. Spend your first session getting comfortable with this.
- Pick Dark Elves as your starting build. See our builds guide for why.
- Time your rituals around your army positions, because every completed ritual spawns Chaos and Skaven intervention armies at the settlements performing it.
- Acquire your first equipment upgrade: Witch Elves or whatever's available.
- Clear all main content before moving on.
Phase 1 Checklist
- Understand Eye of the Vortex ritual race fundamentals
- Dark Elves selected and functional
- Ulthuan main content cleared
- Ready for Naggaroth
Phase 2: Early Game (Naggaroth)
The frozen Dark Elf continent to the north west, where Malekith rules from Naggarond and the coastline supports Black Ark operations.
Level/Difficulty: Turn 1 onward Key Rewards: Dark Elf starts, slave income, Black Ark access
What to Do in Naggaroth
- Work on Rites. Every race can pay gold for temporary faction wide effects, from campaign movement bonuses to recruitment discounts. This system becomes critical from here on.
- Farm for Witch Elves if you haven't already. It's the key upgrade for this phase.
- Do not start the fifth ritual until you can win a defensive battle, since finishing it gives you only five turns before the final battle arrives at your door.
- Complete all objectives before pushing to Lustria.
- Consider whether High Elves might suit your playstyle better than Dark Elves.
Phase 2 Checklist
- Rites integrated into gameplay
- Witch Elves acquired
- Naggaroth fully cleared
- Ready for Lustria
Phase 3: Mid Game (Lustria)
The jungle continent of the Lizardmen temple cities, contested by Skaven from below and by Vampire Coast raiders along the coast.
Level/Difficulty: Turn 1 onward Key Rewards: Lizardmen starts, Geomantic sites, contested three way expansion
What to Do in Lustria
- Master Skaven food and under-cities. Food is the Skaven currency of stability. This unlocks a new layer of gameplay.
- Start working toward Lothern Sea Guard. It's the best equipment and becomes accessible around now.
- As Skaven, watch the food stocks constantly. Falling to around 40 percent costs you growth, leadership and public order at the same time.
- This area is the main skill check. If you can clear it, you're ready for late game.
- Start investing in Dark Elf slaves and Black Arks for the tactical depth you'll need going forward.
Phase 3 Checklist
- Skaven food and under-cities mastered
- Lothern Sea Guard acquired or in progress
- Lustria fully cleared
- Ready for The Southlands
Phase 4: Late Game (The Southlands)
The jungle and savannah continent south east of Lustria, crowded with Skaven, Lizardmen and Greenskins, and the main route north into the desert.
Level/Difficulty: Turn 5 onward Key Rewards: Skaven expansion, contested provinces, route to Nehekhara
What to Do in The Southlands
- Finalize your build. You should be running High Elves or Dark Elves with optimized gear.
- Lothern Sea Guard should be your primary. If you don't have it yet, prioritize getting it.
- Plant Skaven Under-Cities beneath wealthy enemy settlements rather than conquering them, because a cove of income and corruption costs no garrison to hold.
- Mortal Empires campaign optimization starts here. Small improvements compound into massive advantages.
- Farm this area for the resources needed to push into Nehekhara.
Phase 4 Checklist
- Build fully optimized
- Lothern Sea Guard upgraded to max
- The Southlands fully cleared
- Ready for Nehekhara
Phase 5: Endgame (Nehekhara)
The desert Land of the Dead in the north of the Southlands, home to Khemri, Zandri, Numas and Quatar, and the Tomb Kings starting region.
Level/Difficulty: Turn 1 onward for Tomb Kings Key Rewards: Tomb Kings starts, Books of Nagash, Canopic Jar sites
What to Do in Nehekhara
- Nehekhara tests everything. Come prepared with your best build and gear.
- As Dark Elves, never sit at peace for long. Slaves come from winning battles and several quest chains demand specific slave counts to progress.
- The endgame loop: run Nehekhara, optimize gear, push harder content.
- Experiment with Tomb Kings for a fresh take once you've mastered the standard builds.
- This is where Mortal Empires campaign 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
- Nehekhara fully cleared
- Ready for challenge content
Common Progression Mistakes
- Completing rituals as fast as possible without garrisons in place, then losing the ritual settlements to the intervention armies they summon.
- Playing Skaven like a normal race and letting food fall below the threshold where public order and leadership start collapsing.
- Sitting at peace as Dark Elves, which starves the slave economy that funds the whole faction.
- Recruiting endless free Tomb Kings units without building the cap buildings that would let you field more of the good ones.
- Occupying every Vampire Coast port instead of establishing pirate coves, which trades free income for provinces you then have to defend.
Key Tips for Smooth Progression
- Time your rituals around your army positions, because every completed ritual spawns Chaos and Skaven intervention armies at the settlements performing it.
- Do not start the fifth ritual until you can win a defensive battle, since finishing it gives you only five turns before the final battle arrives at your door.
- As Skaven, watch the food stocks constantly. Falling to around 40 percent costs you growth, leadership and public order at the same time.
- Plant Skaven Under-Cities beneath wealthy enemy settlements rather than conquering them, because a cove of income and corruption costs no garrison to hold.
- As Dark Elves, never sit at peace for long. Slaves come from winning battles and several quest chains demand specific slave counts to progress.
For more advanced strategies, see our tips & tricks guide.
More Total War: WARHAMMER II Guides
- Total War: WARHAMMER II Total War: WARHAMMER II Overview
- Total War: WARHAMMER II Best Builds
- Total War: WARHAMMER II Tier List
- Total War: WARHAMMER II Beginner's Guide
- Total War: WARHAMMER II Tips & Tricks
- Total War: WARHAMMER II Weapons Guide
- Total War: WARHAMMER II Combat Guide
- Total War: WARHAMMER II Boss Guide
- Total War: WARHAMMER II Maps & Locations
- Total War: WARHAMMER II Crafting Guide
- Total War: WARHAMMER II Classes & Characters
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