(Or the one where CA WENT TOO FAR!)

The Old World has evolved massively since Total War: WARHAMMER first Launched. With the proliferation of new Races, sub-factions, Legendary Lords, monsters, magic, Mammoths and more, the original Races and Legendary Lords have become increasingly embattled.

So the chief request from players – and one that’s grown in volume with every DLC and FLC release – is that we bring the old-timers up to a fighting trim equivalent to the new guys.

Your wish is our command. This is the update that supercharges the foundation races.

All the old Legendary lords get bonus campaign buffs and new, extra skills trees. The Empire, under AI control, starts with an entire province, giving it a much stronger start. The Warriors of Chaos have a whole slew of tweaks and changes, increasing their campaign momentum and enabling easy vassalisation of Norscan tribes. And Wood Elves finally have new followers (Yay!). If these changes appear sweeping, it’s probably because they are. The Old World is in for a shakeup.

As always, we’ll be paying close attention to your experiences and feedback, and based on that, we might reign in some of the changes. But play it and judge for yourself. We want to let things bed in before we consider any redress.

In the meantime, have fun!

On with the show…

The Norscan Incursion

The tribes of the frozen north have awoken! Wulfrik the Wanderer and Throgg the Troll King lead their hunting parties south, seeking worthy prey across the Old World with which to honour their dark gods.

With their towering, slavering beasts, they present a significant new challenge to all players, and are also available to play for owners of the Total War: WARHAMMER – Norsca Race Pack DLC. This DLC is available free if you preorder Total War: WARHAMER II, or can be bought separately direct from Steam.

A Birthday Gift!

Creative Assembly turns 30 this year, and to celebrate this major milestone in our history we’re giving away a birthday present to all players. The “30th Anniversary Regiments” are a collection of 30 new elite Regiments of Renown for use in your game, and you can grab them for free from your inventory on TotalWar.com by logging into your Total War Access account. If you haven’t yet registered for an Access account, you only need a valid email address and you can do so from that link. There will be other free items for you to collect in your inventory when you join.

Chinese Translation

We’re pleased to say that Total War: WARHAMMER is now available with both Simplified and Traditional Chinese text translations. We appreciate the patience of our Chinese-language players while we implemented this, and are pleased to say that the forthcoming Total War: WARHAMMER II will feature Chinese translations from launch in September.

Warriors of Chaos: Design Changes

To improve the Warriors of Chaos gameplay experience, we’ve made a number balance and design changes to the way they work. Broadly speaking, you’ll now find it easier to vassalise the Norscan tribes, and maintain a greater sense of momentum in your crusades of destruction across the Old World.

Added extra Legendary Lord Campaign Effects to Archaon, Kholek and Sigvald (see New Campaign Effects heading below)

-Chaos technology categories now provide replenishment bonuses

-Awakened tribes will now become your vassals instead of allies

-Vassals of Chaos now provide their master with a small amount of income

-Vassals from Awakened tribes have personalities that make them much more loyal

-Chaos Encampments reduce unit upkeep by a greater amount – maxed out Hordes can now in many cases become self-sustaining

-Reworked post-battle occupation options – Chaos can now “Raze” or “Loot & Raze”, providing growth and replenishment or Chaos favour respectively

-Reworked infighting: only unruly Marauder units suffer from infighting; higher tier Chaos Warrior units no longer do

-Defeating a Norscan faction leader will make them highly susceptible to becoming your vassal

-New Skill Trees for Archaon, Kholek and Sigvald (see Legendary Lords: New Skill Trees heading below)

Empire: StartPos Overhaul

We’ve heard a lot of talk regarding how much weaker the Empire is, relative to its chances of success at the game’s launch. To combat this, when the Empire is under AI control, it now begins play with full ownership of the province initially controlled by the Empire Seccesionists AI faction, comprising the settlements of Helmgart, Eilhart and Grunberg.

Along with Altdorf herself, this gives the Empire a full province, meaning more stable and profitable base to work from and, coupled with new Skill Trees and Campaign Effects for Karl Franz and Balthasar Gelt, this should give them a greater fighting chance. We’ll be interested to hear how this change affects your games, so keep us posted in all the usual places.

Wood Elves: New Followers

After an exhaustive (and perilous!) search of Athel Loren turned up nothing, we’ve finally unearthed a clutch of new Followers for Orion, Durthu and their loyal Lords. The tricksy knaves were holidaying in Parravon all along…

-Dryad Spy

-Royal Standard Bearer

-Hunting Hound

-Young Stag

-Hawk Companion

-Elder Scout

-Eternal Guard Commander

-Vaul’s Anvil Smith

-Wardancer Drummer

-Forest Spirit

Legendary Lords: New Campaign Effects

Many Legendary Lords have gained new permanent Campaign Effects.

Karl Franz increases the recruitment level of new lords by 2.

Volkmar The Grim increases the chance of magical items drops for his faction.

Thorgrim Grudgebearer increases the XP of newly recruited Hammerers.

Ungrim Ironfist increases the speed of all forces factionwide by 10%.

Grimgor Ironhide’s forces don’t lose Fightiness while in enemy territory.

Azhag The Slaughterer increases the Research Rate of his faction.

Archaon The Everchosen suffers a diplomatic negative with all factions.

Kholek Suneater’s army suffers an increased chance of being ambushed.

Sigvald The Magnificent has a diplomatic bonus with Norscan tribes.

Khazrak One-Eye increases the Charge Bonus of Bestigor Herds.

Malagor The Dark Omen gains a diplomatic bonus with other Beastmen Warherds.

Mannfred Von Carstein increases the XP of newly recruited Grave Guard and Black Knights.

Legendary Lords: New Skill Trees

Older Legendary Lords have now been enhanced with unique new lore-inspired skills trees, bringing improvements to a whole variety of campaign and battle factors.

Karl Franz

The Prince of Altdorf himself now has an even greater variety of unit, army and personal buffs, making him a more effective leader overall.

Best of the empire

Lords: + 1 recruit rank

Karl Franz’ army:

Spearmen, Swordsmen, Free Company, Halbediers +5 LD

Imperial Special Forces

Karl Franz’ army:

Reiksgard: +5 bonus VS Large, +4 Melee Attack

The Emperor’s Men

Karl Franz’ army:

Greatswords: +5 LD, +7 Armor

Heroic Knightly Band

Empire Captain: +2 recruit rank, +1 recruit cap

Majestic Enforcer

All units in Karl Franz’ army:

+2 recruit experience, -5% upkeep

An Emperor’s Journey

Karl Franz: +10% Weapon Strength, Unbreakable

Balthasar Gelt

The Supreme Patriarch now brings heavier technological and magical support for his army, and his Imperial Pegasus is now called Quicksilver.

Golden Face Mask

Balthasar Gelt: +20 Armour

Stronger Than Steel

All units in Gelt’s Army: +6 Armour

New Formulations

Gelt’s Army:

Pistoliers, Free Company, Outriders, Handgunners: +6% Ammo, +6% missile damage

Additional Orb of Sorcery

Gelt’s Army:

Luminark: +10% Missile Damage, +10% Ammo

Steam Tank: +10% Missile Damage, +8% Ward Save

Renowned Scholar

Wizards: -10% Hero Action Cost, +1 Recruit Cap

Research Rate +10%

Metal to Gold to Magic

Gelt’s WoM Power Reserve +25

Building income +7% (local province)

Ungrim Ironfist

The Slayer King now gets further combat buffs. The more combat damage he sustains, the deadlier he becomes, with two optional upgrades to his Deathblow augment, making it either Determined, or Extremely Daring. The player may only choose one!

Determined Deathblow

Triggers at 50% HP or lower:

+24% Weapon Damage, +16% AP Damage

Or:

Extremely Daring Deathblow

Triggers at 20% HP or lower:

+44% Weapon Damage

+36% AP Damage

+30% Physical Resistance

More skills follow the Deathblow upgrade:

Great Green Nemesis

Ungrim: Weapon Strength +15% VS Greenskins

Unliving Antagonist

Weapon Strength +15% VS Undead

Ruinous Rival

Weapon Strength +15% VS Chaos & Norsca

Doomseekers

Ungrim: Wound Recovery Time -2

Ungrim and Slayers in Ungrim’s army: +30% Casualty Replenishment

Thorgrim Grudgebearer

The saturnine steward of the Dammaz Kron is now an even greater leader in both campaign and battle.

Ancient Bloodline

Local Province: Growth +15, Public order +3, +2 reduction in Vampiric/Chaos Corruption

Elite Enforcer

Thorgrim’s army: Longbeards & Hammerers -7% Upkeep

Thane: Hero recruit rank +1, recruit cap +1

Fire Support

Thorgrim’s army: Artillery Missile Damage and Ammo +6%

Master Engineer action cost -15%, recruit cap +1

Advanced Forging

Runesmith recruit cap +1

Research rate +7%

Income from all buildings +5% (local province)

Grudge Against Chaos

Thorgrim’s army VS Chaos/Norsca:

Leadership +4, Melee Attack +5

Grudge Against the Greenskins

Thorgrim’s army VS Greenskins:

Leadership +4, Melee Attack +5

Grudge Against Mankind

Thorgrim’s army VS Humans:

Leadership +4, Melee Attack +5

Grudge Against the Vampire Counts

Thorgrim’s army VS Undead:

Leadership +4, Melee Attack +5

Grudge Against the Elves

Thorgrim’s army VS Elves:

Leadership +4, Melee Attack +5

Heinrich Kemmler

Sylvania’s Lichemaster Lord now has a skill tree entirely devoted to improving Krell. Plus, Master Necromancer Lords serving Kemmler are also more adept at leading their putrid hordes.

Undying Guardian

Krell degrades at half speed

Immortal Challenger

Krell gains the Deadly Onslaught and Foes Seeker abilities

Perpetual Regeneration

Krell gains +25% Health and +10 Melee Defence

Black Axe

Krell gains +5 Melee Attack and +10 Charge Bonus

Eternal Bastion

Krell no longer degrades in battle

In addition, all Master Necromancer Lords under Kemmler get two new 3-tier skills:

Lord of the Scourge

Lord’s Army:

LD: +2/+4/+6

Attrition: -5/-7/-10%

Casualty Replenishment: +5/+7/+10%

Thrall Master

Lord’s Army:

Skeletal/Zombie recruits bonus Unit XP: +2/+4/+6

Recruitment costs: -5/-10/-15%

Raise Dead cost: -5/-10/-15%

Grimgor Ironhide

Grimgorz got an’ ‘ole lot’ ‘ARDER, an makes da best boyz EVEN BETTAAAAAAAH!!!

Nevva Second Best!

Lord recruit rank +2

Black Orc Wrecking Ball

Grimgor’s army:

Black Orcs +4 AP Damage, +6 Charge Bonus

Bigger ‘n’ ‘Arder

Grimgor’s Army:

Orc & Savage Orc Big ‘Un units: +5 Bonus vs Large, +4 LD

Imposing Presence

Grimgor Causes Fear

Vitamin-Shrooms

Grimgor gains +8% HP

From the Front

Grimgor gains +15% Speed and Frenzy

Azhag The Slaughterer

The Greenskins’ crowned sorcerer gains a new range of campaign and low-tier unit buffs, improvements to his command of the Winds of Magic, and Regeneration. Azhag also benefits from a revised starting army composition, gaining Orc Boar Boy Big’Uns, Orc Big’Uns and Trolls.

Imbued by Madness

Azhag’s Army:

Attrition -8%

Upkeep -8% for Orc Boyz, Savage Orcs, and Orc/Savage Orc Boar Boyz

Earthshaking Orders

Azhag’s Army:

LD +4 for for Orc Boyz, Savage Orcs, and Orc/Savage Orc Boar Boyz

Melee Defence +5 for Orc Boyz, Savage Orcs, and Orc/Savage Orc Boar Boyz

Missile Damage +8% for Orc/Savage Orc Arrer Boyz

Insane Visions

Shaman Heroes recruit rank +2, recruit cap +1

Not Orcy Enuff!

Azhag: Underway/Beast-Path/Worldroot interception chance +12%

Enemy Siege Holdout Time -2

Wild Abandon

Azhag gains +10 Charge Bonus, +4 Melee Attack

Darkest Nimbus

Azhag gains +15 WoM Power Reserve and Regeneration

Archaon The Everchosen

As the Everchosen marshals his twisted forces agains the Old World, he brings new improvements to core units, Lords and Heroes in the roster.

The Grand Marshal of Chaos

Lord recruit rank +2

Abyss-Forged Armour

Archaon’s Army:

Chaos Warrior units: -8% Upkeep, -10% Recruitment Cost

The Chosen Ones

Archaon’s Army:

Chosen Units: +6% Physical Resistance, +4 Melee Defence

Knights of the Herald

Archaon’s Army:

Chaos Knights units: +8% Weapon Strength, +8% Speed

Distinguished Champions

Exalted Hero Recruit Rank +2, Recruit Cap +1

Ascension to Daemonhood

WoM Power Reserve +15

Physical Resistance +10%

Chaos Corruption +2 (local province)

Sigvald The Magnificent

If looks could kill… Sigvald’s vanity swells ever further, bringing unexpected benefits to his troops and stirring enmity in other Chaos Lords!

Egomaniacal

+5 LD (Sigvald’s army)

+25% Upkeep for Chaos Lords & Sorcerer Lords

Self-Obsessed

+3% Melee Defence

+3 Melee Attack

Stylish

Sigvald’s Army:

+4 Armour

+3 Melee Defence

Driven by Lust

Sigvald’s Army:

-5% Upkeep, +8% Income from Post-Battle Loot & Razing Settlements

Born to Serve

+5% Hero Action Success Chance

-5% Hero Action Cost

Unworthy

Sigvald Causes Terror

Kholek Suneater

Kholek becomes more monstrous still, and imbues earth-shaking ferocity in his Dragon Ogres and Dragon Ogre Shaggoths.

A Moving Mountain

Kholek’s Army: +4 LD when laying siege, -2 Enemy Siege Holdout Time

Toughened Skin

Kholek gains +10 Armour, +8% Magical Resistance

Giant Killer

Kholek gains +6 Bonus vs Large, +6% Weapon Strength

Seismic Shock

Kholek’s army:

+8% Weapon Strength, +5% Charge bonus for Dragon Ogres & Dragon Ogre Shaggoths

Unearthly & Anomalous

Kholek’s Army:

+4% Campaign Movement Range & Casualty Replenishment

The Sun Eater

Kholek gains Chaos Corruption +2 and Frenzy

Balance Changes

Dragon Ogre Shaggoth

+ 50 Armour

Kholek

+ 30 Armour

Minotaurs

– 100 Recruitment Cost

Minotaurs (Shields)

– 100 Recruitment Cost

Minotaurs (Great Weapons)

– 100 Recruitment Cost

Crypt Horrors

+ 100 Recruitment Cost

Terrorgheist

– 200 Recruitment Cost

Forest Dragon

– 300 Recruitment Cost

Dwarf Cannon

+ 38 Bonus vs Large

Reduced Calibration Area (more accurate)

Dwarf Bolt Thrower

+ 24 Bonus vs Large

Bug Fixes

-MPC quest chain blockers: in co-op campaigns, players can now head straight to a quest battle and not get caught up in missions that can’t be completed, which previously blocked them from completing the quest.

-Fixed some Bretonnia Knight textures patterns, which appeared mostly black on High Texture Quality Settings.

-Fixed a skinning issues with the medallion around the Beastmen Giant’s neck.

-Fixed a rare crash/floating point exception when loading into a Grand Campaign as Karl Franz.

-Improved Wood Elves Hawk Riders animations while in melee combat with enemy infantry (reduced slowdown).

-Fixed a bug where the Paladin hero could lose his shield during an attack animation when mounted on a Warhorse.

-When the Bestigor Herd are in melee combat, their axes will no longer become misaligned with their hands between attacking and turning.

-Improved how the Royal Pegasus Knights are holding their lances when zoomed in.

-Improved the idle animation when the General of the Empire is on the Hippogryph mount.

-Chaos Sorcerers will no longer be able to cast Searing Doom twice in quick succession.

-Wider Ploughs technology in Bretonnia will now correctly reduce the construction cost of Infrastructure buildings.

-AI Vampire Counts are no longer able to recruit Regiments of Renown when the player is the Von Carstein faction.

-When a quest appears which requires the player to embed a Hero, the player can now use the Unit Exchange system to embed the Hero.

-Rebels are now more likely to occupy settlements.

-Fixed the paint buttons in multiplayer coop campaign.

-When ordering Archaon to cast a Fireball at an out-of-range unit, he will now move into range then fire.

-Minor smoke effects/haze will no longer appear black at the edges of siege maps, as experienced by a few users.

-Under-Morking no longer automatically leads to over-Gorking, and vice-versa.

The waxing or waning of Morrslieb may affect this. Or it may not.



Characters

Archaon: Added Frenzy, +10 Physical Resistance.

Sigvald: +5 defence, +5 morale.

Sigvald: also increased health by +4%

Grimgor Ironhide: +5 charge bonus, increased health by +5%

Prophetess: -150 cost.

Fay Enchantress: +150 cost.

Wyvern mounts: added poison attacks.

Regiments of Renown: 10 cooldown period after the RoR has been killed or disbanded before they can be recruited again

Abilities

Earth Blood & Upgraded: Halved duration to 7 and 14, reduced casting cost to 6 and 11 respectively

Raise Dead & Upgraded: Increased cooldown to 19.

Reikland Runefang: Re-designed to be an AoE attack and leadership buff.

Icon of Devotion: Leadership increase reduced to +12.

Mist of the Lady: Added an ‘engaged in melee’ condition flag.

Wrath of Manann: Should deal more damage to targets as detonation forces have been adjusted.

Cloak of Isha: Added small healing effect.

MP Ability attachments

Azhag: replaced Spider Banner with Scrolls