You could undermine fortifications to make them crumble and open up a path for your troops, or use fire to smoke the defenders out. With no siege weapons like catapults or trebuchets, other tactics are required. Gone are the so-called pocket ladders that were prevalent in previous games, now, players have to build the actual ladders and assign them to enable units to get up high over walls. The tweaks are also not just limited to battles happening out in the plains or hills, but also when it comes to sieges and settlement conflicts. As Vasilev shared, “out of all the Total War games, this is the one that terrain, weather manoeuvring around the battlefield, those are going to have the most importance for you to win the battle.” Whatever advantages players can leverage apply to the enemy AI as well, so it remains to be seen just how well players will adapt to these changing conditions during the course of a campaign. Land that becomes muddy can stop heavier units in their tracks, and it becomes clear strategic positioning has never been more important in the series than in Total War: Pharaoh.

Thunderstorms can render ranged combat an ineffective solution, while sandstorms and the like can reduce visibility to make stealth more viable. More impressive is the dynamic weather and terrain, with Mother Nature doing her best to affect proceedings in, once again, a logical fashion. That meant a number of changes had to be made.

The gameplay certainly looks familiar at first glance, with large armies being positioned to take advantage of the terrain and army composition, but therein lies a greater emphasis on a more realistic simulation that is both dynamic and engaging.

To build an empire, hands must get dirty, and it made perfect sense for our early preview to focus solely on the improved battle simulation in Total War: Pharaoh. With the three main factions of Egypt, Canaan, and Hittite and their leaders being part of the mix, together with the invading Sea People, it is indeed a ripe period for managing a kingdom while fighting off any would-be pretenders to the crown.

“The Bronze Age collapse is particularly suitable for Total War, because Total War thrives in times of crisis, where every survivor hinges on the balance, and everybody can fight against everybody else.” “For a long time, we’ve been thinking about bringing the Bronze Age to the Total War historical series, because it’s such an interesting time filled with great empires from history,” shared Maya Georgieva, Creative Director.

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