Total War: PHARAOH is just around the corner, bringing exciting changes to the Total War experience. Everything you need to know in 3 minutes.
As the title might suggest, Total War: PHARAOH brings Creative Assembly’s stunning epic strategy formula to Ancient Egypt.
Set in the Bronze Age collapse of this great empire. Pharaoh his Merneptah died and a power struggle erupted in his vacuum. There is also widespread unrest across the empire, brought on by natural disasters, turmoil, and an invasion from the Sea Peoples, a serious threat to the empire as a whole.
Did you know – several factions are vying for supremacy, each with their own units, different starting locations, and distinct challenge levels. These leaders represent his three different cultures, Egyptian and Canaanite, across his eight playable factions. Who will win and become the next great Pharaoh?
Take the young genius Ramses, for example. Despite his inferior royal lineage, he has all the characteristics to be a great leader, but must contend with the wrath directed at him by those close to power.
No matter which faction succeeds in painting the map in their colors, the game requires some new combat mechanics to master. The pace of combat is deliberately slowed down to really show how tactical decisions play out.
These tactics also have all sorts of new issues, with unit weights, terrain and attrition systems playing an important role in the outcome. There are many things worth noting.
However, even the strongest generals cannot control the weather. With Total War: PHARAOH’s new dynamic weather system, you’ll have to battle seven different provinces, from storms that disrupt the effectiveness of your missile squads and fire spread, to sweltering heat. It is also a place where fatigue recovers quickly and wildfires spread.
Weather can affect the terrain, so after a rain, previously perfect positions can become muddy, slowing your troops down. Strategic placement of units is more important than ever.
Zooming in on combat reveals more detailed information, such as hand-to-hand combat animations that match across the field, not just between generals. You’ll also notice that the bodyguards are adorned with customizable armor and weapons to protect your cadres.
Unit stances also allow for more tactical control. Here is a simple example. Using the new “Concession” stance allows enemies to advance towards you while you are still in combat and facing them. Remember dynamic terrain systems and muddy areas after rainstorms? The solution is here.
Digging deeper, there’s a new system to manage armor degradation, so it’s worth checking your armored units to see if they’re actually holding their armor.
Siege warfare is still a big part of the experience here, with key locations in the campaign featuring unique maps that truly represent the majesty of Ancient Egypt. However, there have been major changes to the mechanics of siege warfare, with multiple victory points added to sieges and small settlement battles to make them more dynamic.