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.
Total War: Warhammer III 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 | Chaos Wastes | Late game | Chaos settlement control, daemon encounters, high-difficulty campaign challenge | Cathay |
| 2 | Empire Provinces | Early-mid game | Rich provinces, Elector Count confederation, balanced strategic position | Cathay |
| 3 | Cathay | Early-mid game | Ivory Road trade income, Great Bastion defense bonuses, jade resource | Kislev |
| 4 | Lustria | Mid game | Gold provinces, Lizardmen artifacts, Star Chamber buildings | Kislev |
| 5 | Ulthuan | All game phases | High Elf trade bonuses, Phoenix Gate defense, Shrine of Asuryan, elite unit recruitment | Kislev |
Chaos Wastes — Starting Area
The northern wasteland controlled by Chaos factions. Attrition damage affects non-Chaos armies. Contains powerful Chaos settlements and daemon armies. Only invade with high-tier armies and attrition resistance. The endgame crises often originate here.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Late game |
| Key Rewards | Chaos settlement control, daemon encounters, high-difficulty campaign challenge |
| Recommended Build | Cathay |
| Key Equipment | Terracotta Sentinel |
What to Do Here
- Learn the basics of real-time battles — this is where you practice without heavy punishment.
- Collect starting resources and your first equipment upgrade.
- Clear all main content before moving to Empire Provinces.
- If you're struggling, read our beginner's guide.
Empire Provinces — Early Game
Central Old World region with rich settlements and multiple factions. The Empire start location provides balanced resources and enemies. Vampires to the east, Greenskins to the south, and Chaos from the north create a multi-front challenge.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Early-mid game |
| Key Rewards | Rich provinces, Elector Count confederation, balanced strategic position |
| Recommended Build | Cathay |
| Key Equipment | Terracotta Sentinel |
What to Do Here
- Focus on mastering campaign map — it's critical from this point on.
- Farm for Terracotta Sentinel if you don't have it yet.
- Complete all objectives for maximum rewards.
- Prepare for the difficulty spike in Cathay.
Cathay — Mid Game
Far eastern region behind the Great Bastion wall. Cathay faces constant Chaos incursions from the north while managing Ogre threats. The Great Bastion mechanic requires defending against waves of Chaos forces. Rich provinces once secured.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Early-mid game |
| Key Rewards | Ivory Road trade income, Great Bastion defense bonuses, jade resource |
| Recommended Build | Kislev |
| Key Equipment | Terracotta Sentinel |
What to Do Here
- This is the main skill check. Bring an optimized build.
- War Bear Riders becomes accessible here — prioritize getting it.
- Master magic system for the boss encounters.
- Check our boss guide if you get stuck.
Lustria — Late Game
Southern jungle continent home to Lizardmen and contested by multiple factions. Dense terrain and many settlement battles. Rich in gold and trade goods but difficult to expand due to dense faction clustering. The Lizardmen's Geomantic Web makes their cities powerful.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Mid game |
| Key Rewards | Gold provinces, Lizardmen artifacts, Star Chamber buildings |
| Recommended Build | Kislev |
| Key Equipment | War Bear Riders |
What to Do Here
- Full build optimization is expected by this point.
- War Bear Riders should be your primary, fully upgraded.
- legendary lord skills mastery starts mattering here.
- Farm resources for the push into Ulthuan.
Ulthuan — Endgame
The island continent of the High Elves surrounded by sea. Ulthuan is naturally defensible with limited naval access points. High Elf factions start strong with excellent trade income and elite units. Controlling all of Ulthuan provides massive economic bonuses.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | All game phases |
| Key Rewards | High Elf trade bonuses, Phoenix Gate defense, Shrine of Asuryan, elite unit recruitment |
| Recommended Build | Kislev |
| Key Equipment | War Bear Riders |
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 Empire for variety once you've mastered the meta.
Exploration Tips
- Clear areas in order — Chaos Wastes → Empire Provinces → Cathay → Lustria → Ulthuan. 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: 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 Crafting Guide
- Total War: Warhammer III Classes & Characters
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