Total War: Pharaoh - Priam Beginner's Guide

Who hasn't heard of the Trojan War, right? Total War: Pharaoh has heaps of names that might not stick out in a memorable way for those who aren't Bronze Age (and Greek Heroic Age) gurus, but surely, we all know Troy. Do we know its intricacies, however? Mythical though they largely may be?

Total War: Pharaoh - Pillars Of Civilization, Explained

The Pillars of Civilization are a global score in Total War: Pharaoh. The lower it gets, the more dangerous invading armies will become!

Do you know the tales of Priam? Of Hector and Paris, of the great defensive gallantry of this Aegean realm? After spending some time in Trojan shoes, we've gained a foothold on what works for their faction, what seems to work but maybe-not-so-much, and how to get ahead of the curve.

Overview And Perseus' Ancient Legacy

Perseus; Ancient Legacy is diplomacy-centric, so it's perfect for Troy. You'll gain access to Global Recruitment. You'll also be able to Host Games at the cost of ancillaries to force peace between warring factions and gain resources. Let's break these both down.

Troy's reliance on diplomacy is paramount to your understanding if you are to play them well as a beginner. Although this applies broadly across the board with myriad mechanics, Host Games is uniquely terrific. It works with many factions, including Hittites, Canaanites, and Mesopotamians.

At minimum, treat this mechanic as a good source of economic resources, since you'll gain rewards. But enforcing peace accords is fantastic.

Global Recruitment allows you to recruit from across the map via allies elsewhere; thus, you can tap into a wellspring of abilities you would not otherwise have had - at least, not without a great deal of bloodshed.

You'll want to build up your number of allies to gain more of the Unity resource, which, in turn, shoulders you up for greater recruitment options as the game goes on.

The Trojan Foreign Relations Office provides a +4 Diplomatic Relations bonus - just another example of how pivotal diplomacy is for this faction (and it's well worth constructing).

Total War: Pharaoh - Tausret Beginner's Guide

Become Queen of the Nile with Tausret in Total War: Pharaoh!

Performing Hecatombs

Unique to the Aegean factions (both Priam and Agamemnon) is the ability to perform hecatombs, ritual sacrifices which require set amounts of food (the creatures being sacrificed) and are conducted in service to your chosen deity.

Hecatombs are possible for any Aegean god, but both starting example Apollo and also Aphrodite are particularly keen, especially earlier on.

Hecatombs To Apollo

• Shrines: Missile damage on recruitment +10 percent for all units in this province. Happiness +7 in this province.
• Prayer: Reload Speed +16 percent in this army. All units. Line of sight +75 percent for this general.
• Devoted General: +20 percent Ammunition in this army. Ranged Lethality +6 percent in this army for Missile Infantry. Fairly major boost.

Hecatombs To Aphrodite

• Shrines: Food Recruitment Cost -40 percent for your own armies in this region. Workforce Growth +10 for this province.
• Prayer: Captives Taken +16 percent for this army. Happiness +10 in this region.
• Devoted General: Morale +18 percent for this army for Light Infantry, Medium Chariots, Medium Infantry, Light Chariots. Instant Replenishment +18 percent for this army.

Note the importance of Apollo's hecatombs toward missile damage, ammunition, and reload speed. Many of Troy's foremost boosts play straight into its defensive orientation and ranged capabilities rather than prolonged melee boosts.

This isn't to say those don't exist; indeed, it would be a very difficult faction without close-range viability. But bulking up your armies' range and defensive bulwark is key to victory as a rule, as you'll be unable to compete early on in head-first melee skirmishes unless you have ample and sturdy backup.

Play Troy to its strengths, especially diplomacy. Boosts in this regard are there for a reason. Seize the uses of Foreign Presence to gain gold, request aid, and lower your enemy's capabilities.

Total War: Pharaoh - Complete Guide To Court

Total War: Pharaoh lets you leverage your position at court for powerful benefits.