Much like the cities you’ll sack and settle while playing, Total War: Rome 2 will get bigger when you’re not looking. First the Pontus faction will drive its scythed chariots into the game at launch. And now we’ve learned that the Seleucid Empire will bring civil engineering and cataracts – sorry, cataphracts – to Rome 2’s already packed world map in October. All for no additional cost.

Creative Assembly have a post-release support plan that takes in both free and paid-for factions and feature updates.

Here’s James Russell, Rome 2’s lead designer: “As with Shogun 2, we will continually improve the game’s compatibility, optimisation and integral features such as AI and gameplay balancing post-release, and plan to add to that with new control schemes and additional free formats on other operating systems.”

The same forum post also saw Russell go out of his way to talk up Creative Assembly’s newfound commitment to modding.

“We are very proud of how Shogun 2 is our most moddable Total War to date with over 500 user-made mods on Steam Workshop alone,” he said. “We hope to support ROME II in a similar fashion.”

Paid-for DLC will begin at launch with the Greek States Culture Pack, and continue with the Nomadic Tribes Culture Pack – which takes in the Royal Scythians, Roxolani and Massagetae.

Rome 2’s out on September 3, or Sooner Than You Think Day. Will you be buying it on launch, or waiting for it to make like the neglected fruit fool in your fridge and grow?