Total War: Warhammer III is the capstone of Creative Assembly's Warhammer trilogy, and the Immortal Empires campaign is the largest strategy map ever made — combining all three games' factions across a massive world map. With 86 playable legendary lords across 24 factions, each with unique campaign mechanics, army rosters, and quest battles, there are thousands of hours of content. The real-time battles feature armies of thousands clashing with cavalry charges, artillery barrages, monster duels, and devastating magic spells. Whether you want to play a Chaos daemon horde, an organized Empire gunline, a sneaky Skaven underempire, or elegant High Elf spearwalls, every faction plays completely differently.
Resource management and crafting determine how quickly your power scales. This guide covers what to prioritize, where to farm, and how to avoid wasting resources on the wrong upgrades.
Crafting Priority List
The order you should invest resources:
| Priority | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Primary equipment | Biggest damage increase per resource spent |
| 2 | Core build gear | Enables your build's key synergies |
| 3 | Defensive upgrades | Survivability for boss fights |
| 4 | Secondary equipment | Situational options for specific content |
| 5 | Consumables | Temporary boosts for hard content |
Resource Farming by Area
Chaos Wastes
Key resources: Chaos settlement control, daemon encounters, high-difficulty campaign challenge Farming efficiency: Low value per run, but safe and consistent
Focus on gathering materials for Terracotta Sentinel upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Empire Provinces
Key resources: Rich provinces, Elector Count confederation, balanced strategic position Farming efficiency: Good early-game farming spot
Focus on gathering materials for Terracotta Sentinel upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Cathay
Key resources: Ivory Road trade income, Great Bastion defense bonuses, jade resource Farming efficiency: Best mid-game farming, worth revisiting
Focus on gathering materials for Terracotta Sentinel upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Lustria
Key resources: Gold provinces, Lizardmen artifacts, Star Chamber buildings Farming efficiency: High-value materials for late-game upgrades
This is where you farm materials for War Bear Riders max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Ulthuan
Key resources: High Elf trade bonuses, Phoenix Gate defense, Shrine of Asuryan, elite unit recruitment Farming efficiency: Best resources in the game, requires strong build
This is where you farm materials for War Bear Riders max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Upgrade Path
Early Game (Chaos Wastes — Empire Provinces)
- Upgrade your starting equipment to functional level
- Craft basic defensive gear
- Save specialty materials — you'll need them later
- Focus on Terracotta Sentinel once accessible
Mid Game (Cathay)
- Push Terracotta Sentinel to mid-level upgrades
- Start collecting materials for War Bear Riders
- Craft situational consumables for boss fights
- Upgrade build-specific gear pieces
Late Game (Lustria — Ulthuan)
- Max out War Bear Riders — this is your top priority
- Complete your build's core gear set
- Craft endgame consumables
- Optional: upgrade secondary equipment for variety
Crafting Mistakes to Avoid
- Spreading upgrades across multiple equipment — Focus one weapon to max before diversifying.
- Hoarding materials — Use them. The game provides enough if you farm efficiently.
- Upgrading the wrong gear — Check our builds guide before investing.
- Ignoring Cathay farming — This area has the best resource-to-time ratio in mid-game.
- Crafting consumables too early — Save specialty materials for late-game recipes.
Resource Efficiency Tips
- Cycle-charge cavalry by selecting them, right-clicking the enemy to charge, then immediately pulling them back with a move order after impact. This repeats the charge bonus damage without getting bogged down in melee.
- Farm Cathay during mid-game for the best return on time
- Check the walkthrough to know when each resource becomes available
- Match your farming route to your build — some classes farm faster in certain areas
More Total War: Warhammer III Guides
- Total War: Warhammer III Total War: Warhammer III Overview
- Total War: Warhammer III Best Builds
- Total War: Warhammer III Tier List
- Total War: Warhammer III Walkthrough
- Total War: Warhammer III Beginner's Guide
- Total War: Warhammer III Tips & Tricks
- Total War: Warhammer III Weapons Guide
- Total War: Warhammer III Combat Guide
- Total War: Warhammer III Boss Guide
- Total War: Warhammer III Maps & Locations
- Total War: Warhammer III Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Total War: Warhammer III, check out these related guides:
- Sid Meier's Civilization V Crafting Guide — strategy game with similar mechanics
- Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord Crafting Guide — strategy game with similar mechanics
- RimWorld Crafting Guide — strategy game with similar mechanics
