Total War: Three Kingdoms – Fates Divided sees Cao Cao and Yuan Shao clash

Folks knew that we’d see a “Guandu DLC” for Total War: Three Kingdoms one day and, now, it’s finally official. Creative Assembly’s announcement for this DLC, known as Total War: Three Kingdoms – Fates Divided, brings to life the epic clash between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao. It also provides you with the 200 A.D. start date.

Moreover, this Chapter Pack aims to introduce the Northern Army’s troops. Likewise, it adds the first cross-generational faction led by Liu Yan and his son Liu Zhang.

Total War: Three Kingdoms – Fates Divided DLC announcement — The clash between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao

As mentioned, Cao Cao and Yuan Shao take center stage in Total War: Three Kingdoms – Fates Divided. The focus is on the struggle between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao. This lasted for many years, culminating in a disastrous defeat at Guandu for the fatuous lord Yuan Shao. This allowed Cao Cao to establish his hegemony in the north.

Cao Cao and Yuan Shao will each receive five new units in this DLC. Likewise, once your faction leader reaches level 7, the soldiers of the Northern Army will pledge themselves to you. You’ll be provided with five colonels who’ll need to be “equipped” by your generals. By doing this, your generals may recruit various units from the Northern Army. Beware, though, because you can’t remove or reassign these colonels anymore unless your general dies or if the colonel is “stolen” due to a general’s capture in battle. Still, it begs the question of whether the tribesmen in the north (i.e., Wuhuan) would play a role in the conflict too.

Now, although Cao Cao and Yuan Shao are the two dueling leaders here, Total War: Three Kingdoms – Fates Divided still presents options in case you want to try other notable leaders. Examples include Liu Bei and Zheng Jiang. Liu Yan is even added as a playable lord for the 190 and 194 A.D. start dates, and his son, Liu Zhang, takes the helm if you pick the 200 A.D. start date. Others, such as Sun Ce and Meng Huo can be used if you own their respective DLCs.

We’ll find out more details about this new Chapter Pack DLC as we wait for its eventual release on March 11. Creative Assembly has promised reworked mechanics for Cao Cao and Yuan Shao, as well as improvements to the faction council system and faction ranks.

For now, you can watch the announcement trailer for Total War: Three Kingdoms – Fates Divided. You’ll also notice Cao Cao smile, which, to be honest, reminds me of this moment from the 2010 TV show. Of course, if you’re interested in learning more about Total War: Three Kingdoms in general, you can take a peek at our guides and features hub, as well as our review for The Furious Wild (the previous Chapter Pack DLC). Lastly, you may also check the DLC’s official FAQ page.