Summary
There is a lot of variety inTotal Wargames. Some, likeTotal War’s popularRomeandMedievalseries, try to be as broad and open-ended as possible. Others likeTroy,Three Kingdoms, and theWarhammertrilogy focus on specific events and characters.Total War: Pharaohfalls into the second category, depicting the ancient Near East during the opening years of the Bronze Age Collapse.
Total War: Pharaohplayers take the role of one of eight historical rulers as they attempt to weather the storm and make sure their kingdom emerges from the oncoming dark age. Each leader has unique personalities, units, strengths, and weaknesses, all of which inform their recommended playstyles inTotal War: Pharaoh.
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Ramesses, The Paragon
Total War: Pharaoh’s poster boy, Ramesses III, ruled from 1186 BC to 1185 BC, defending Egypt from the invading Sea People.Total War: Pharaohdepicts Ramessesas a daring and heroic leader seeking to surpass his namesake, the legendary Ramesses II “The Great.”
Ramesses' Medjay and Sherdan infantry are less numerous but more elite than other units. Many are great at flanking, and others excel at facing multiple enemy units simultaneously. Ramesses also moves quickly on land and sea and gets an extra action when interacting with the Royal Court. His unique buildings boost Happiness, Influence, Production, and Workforce growth and improve the quality of his armies. Ramesses begins the game in the Sinai Peninsula, near the center of the map, and he is the only Egyptian ruler without immediate access to the Nile.
Seti, The Brute
The chosen successor of Pharaoh Merneptah,Seti held Egypt’s thronefrom 1203 BC to 1197 BC but faced rebellion from his half-brother Amenmesse. InTotal War: Pharaoh, he seeks to secure his right to rule by any means necessary, preferring force to the subtleties of court politics.
Seti’s unique forces include numerous but weak Levy infantry and aggressive but undisciplined warriors. The former are so disposable that other units won’t care if they are routed or destroyed, while the latter may charge ahead with or without orders. His buildings help expand the army and gather resources at the cost of the province’s Happiness and Workforce growth. He starts with the largest army, and his position in northern Egypt gives him easy access to resources. Seti also has good relations with Tausret.
Tausret, The Strategist
Seti’s wife Tausret ruled as regent for Seti’s heir Siptah, and then as Pharaoh after Siptah’s death in 1191 BC. She either died or was deposed in 1189 BC.Total War: Pharoah’s Tausretis a cunning strategist skilled in diplomacy, finance, and war.
Tausret’s unique units emphasize power and mobility, combining ranged Chariots with the light but durable Queen’s Guard infantry. Her unique buildings offer the most effective resource gathering but take planning to make the most out of them. She starts the game about halfway up the Nile and has good relations with Seti.
Amenmesse, The Gilded
The Viceroy of the Egyptian vassal of Kush, Amenmesse waged a civil war against Seti from the late 1200s BC until his defeat in 1198 BC. Notably, Seti and Amenmesse are the only playable Egyptians who fought each other in real life. InTotal War: Pharaoh’s campaign, the wealthy and headstrong prince marches north to claim what he sees as his rightful throne.
Amenmesse’s Nubian Mercenary Bowmen offer excellent range and damage, while the Kushite Royal Guard are powerful melee attackers resistant to flanking. His buildings boost the economy, especially Gold production, but at the cost of Influence. As Viceroy, he starts the game already in the Egyptian Court. Amenmesse’s starting territory is the farthest south, near the bottom right corner of the map.
Bay, The Schemer
Total War: Pharaoh’s Canaanite leader Bay was Seti’s advisor and Tausret’s co-regent until he was executed for allegedly plotting against Siptah. The game depicts him as a cunning schemer who seesdiplomacy and manipulationas the true paths to power.
Bay’s unique units focus on stealth and hit-and-run tactics, but his real strength is politics, gaining more Legitimacy from Court Positions and Plots. He can also steal Legitimacy and take over Plots from other members of the Court, while his unique buildings help greatly with resources and diplomacy. Bay’s starting position is along the Canaan coast, about halfway between Egypt and Anatolia.
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Irsu, The Ravager
Historians know little about Irsu, who rose to power in Canaan during the civil war between Seti and Amenmesse and the chaos following Tausret’s death. ThenewTotal Wargamedepicts him as a nihilistic warlord who will gladly see the world burn for personal gain.
Irsu’s unique units include heavily armored infantry and chariots. They are resistant to ranged attacks and specialize in brute-force assaults. Irsu’s men also have access to the Reckless Advance Stance, sacrificing defense for improved attack. Meanwhile, his unique buildings trade Happiness for Production and strengthen his armies. Irsu begins the game on the western edge of the map, close to Bay and not too far from Ramesses.
Suppiluliuma, The Defender
Ruling from 1207 to 1178 BC, Suppiluliuma II fought the Sea People but failed to save Hatti from theBronze Age Collapse depicted inTotal War: Pharaohand his fate is a historical mystery.Pharaoh’s Suppiluliuma wants to see his kingdom prosper in peace but will stop at nothing to keep Kurunta from taking the throne.
Creative Assembly has yet to reveal much about how Suppiluliuma plays inTotal War: Pharaoh. However, he starts the game as Great King, giving him access to the most elite Hittite units. His capital is in north-central Anatolia, near the top of the map.
Kurunta
Few records survive of Kurunta’s life, though he’s believed to have temporarily usurped the Hittite throne and likely fought a civil war against Suppiluliuma II.Total War: Pharaohdepicts Kurunta as an old man with an extravagant horned helmet. However, developers have yet to release his character profile.
Creative Assembly also hasn’t revealed anything about Kurunta’s gameplay other than that the Hittites generally utilize heavily armoredunits inTotal War: Pharaoh. He begins the game on the coast of southern Anatolia, across the sea from Cypress.
Total War: Pharaohreleases on July 28, 2025 for PC.
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