Do You Need to Buy Total War: Warhammer 1 and 2? A Comprehensive Guide

The Total War: Warhammer trilogy is a grand strategy experience unlike any other, blending the deep tactical gameplay of the Total War series with the rich fantasy world of Warhammer. This fusion has led to a confusing question for newcomers: Do you need to purchase Total War: Warhammer and Total War: Warhammer II to enjoy the full experience, particularly with Total War: Warhammer III now available? The short answer is: No, you do not need to buy Total War: Warhammer 1 and 2 to play and enjoy Total War: Warhammer III and its massive Immortal Empires campaign. However, understanding why you might want to purchase them, and what you’d be missing, requires a deeper dive.

Understanding the Total War: Warhammer Ecosystem

The Total War: Warhammer series operates differently from traditional Total War titles. While each game can be enjoyed individually, they were designed to be interconnected, unlocking greater content through owning multiple games. This concept was fully realized with the release of Total War: Warhammer III and its Immortal Empires campaign.

The Core Games and Their Focus

• Total War: Warhammer: This first entry focuses on the Old World, including regions like the Empire, the Dwarfs, and the Badlands. Your objective is generally to either fend off Chaos or, conversely, to destroy the world as Chaos.

• Total War: Warhammer II: This sequel shifted the focus to regions like Ulthuan, Naggaroth, Lustria, and the Southlands. The main campaign centers around a race to harness magical macguffins to perform crucial rituals. This is a standalone game.

• Total War: Warhammer III: The final game introduced a brand new campaign and map around the Realm of Chaos, and ultimately provides the portal for the combined experience. It does not require ownership of the previous games to function.

The Key to the Combined Experience: Immortal Empires

The release of Total War: Warhammer III introduced Immortal Empires, a massive campaign that combines all three world maps into one gigantic experience. This campaign features all factions from the three games. Crucially, Immortal Empires is accessible to all owners of Total War: Warhammer III, regardless of whether they own the previous two games.

Why You Might Consider Buying the Older Titles

While they are not required, owning Total War: Warhammer and II unlocks a substantial amount of additional content in Total War: Warhammer III‘s Immortal Empires campaign. Here’s why you might still consider them:

• Access to More Factions: Owning the previous games unlocks all of the base factions from those titles for use in the Immortal Empires campaign. Without them, you’ll only be able to play as the factions from Warhammer III.
• Expanded Content: While you can play the base races and content from the previous titles, many key races and factions within those titles are available only as DLC. Therefore, a more complete experience requires access to these expansions as well.
• Mortal Empires: In Total War: Warhammer II, owners of both Warhammer and II gained access to the Mortal Empires campaign. This campaign merged the maps and factions from the first two games and was the original combined experience. While Immortal Empires has superseded it, players with an existing investment in Warhammer II will find it still works as expected.
• Historical Value: Some players simply enjoy experiencing the progression of the games, and going through each one in order of release might enhance the overall sense of scale.

The Drawback of Starting with Older Titles

Despite the benefits of playing the older titles before moving to Warhammer III, there are reasons why new players should jump straight into the third title. Older Total War: Warhammer games have less optimized mechanics and gameplay and many factions have been reworked in later titles.

• Outdated Mechanics: The core mechanics of the Warhammer series have evolved over time. Total War: Warhammer III features many improvements and tweaks that streamline the experience. Playing the older titles may feel like a step backwards.
• Faction Reworks: Many of the factions in Warhammer and II have received significant reworks in Warhammer III. This means that jumping to the third game will provide you with the most up-to-date, refined versions of those races. For example, the Empire, Greenskins, Dwarfs, and Beastmen all received substantial reworks that were absent from the first game.
• Potentially Unnecessary Expenditure: Buying the first two games is an extra cost, and if you simply want to jump into the full grand strategy experience as efficiently as possible, Warhammer III and Immortal Empires are the most direct method to do this, particularly with any DLC that may be desired down the line.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions that further clarify the relationship between Total War: Warhammer 1, 2, and 3:

1. Do I need to have Total War: Warhammer 1 and 2 installed to play Total War: Warhammer III?

No. You only need to have Total War: Warhammer III installed to play it. The older titles do not need to be installed for Immortal Empires.

2. If I own Warhammer 1 and 2, do I need to install them to play Immortal Empires?

No. As long as you own them on the same platform as Warhammer III, the additional content will be available in Immortal Empires without the need to install them.

3. Can I play races from Warhammer 1 and 2 in Warhammer III without owning those games?

Yes, but only if they are one of the races from the original Warhammer III release. Otherwise, you’ll need to own the previous games to unlock the relevant races in Immortal Empires.

4. What is Mortal Empires, and do I need it?

Mortal Empires is a campaign in Total War: Warhammer II that combines the maps and factions of Warhammer I and II. You need to own both games to play it in Warhammer II. However, Immortal Empires is superior and renders Mortal Empires obsolete and no longer required.

5. If I own DLC for Warhammer 1 or 2, does that carry over to Warhammer III?

Yes. Any owned DLC for Warhammer 1 or 2 will be usable in the Immortal Empires campaign of Warhammer III.

6. Is Total War: Warhammer 1 worth playing?

Total War: Warhammer is still a fun game, but it is missing many of the reworks and quality of life improvements that were added in the later games, most notably for factions like Empire, Greenskins, Dwarfs, Beastmen, and Wood Elves. If you have the option of jumping to the next title, it is probably the better choice.

7. Should I play Total War: Warhammer in order?

While it’s not necessary, it can be beneficial for new players as it allows you to see the evolution of the series. However, if you only have the time or resources for one game, starting with Warhammer III is the most efficient path.

8. Can I combine Total War: Warhammer 1 and 2?

Yes, through the Mortal Empires campaign in Total War: Warhammer II. However, Immortal Empires in Warhammer III is a significantly improved version of the combined experience.

9. Is there a story that carries over between Warhammer 1, 2, and 3?

No. Each game has its own campaign with a separate narrative. While the lore is consistent across the games, there is no continuous storyline between the titles. They are sandbox games first and foremost.

10. Is Immortal Empires free?

Yes, Immortal Empires is a free campaign for all owners of Total War: Warhammer III.

11. Is Total War: Warhammer II standalone?

Yes, Total War: Warhammer II is a standalone game, and the base game is fully playable on its own, without owning the first game.

12. Which Total War: Warhammer game is best to start with?

Total War: Warhammer III is often cited as the most beginner-friendly title. It also has access to the massive Immortal Empires campaign, making it the most appealing starting point.

13. Is Total War a AAA game?

Yes, Total War is a multi-award-winning AAA franchise developed by Creative Assembly.

14. What are the system requirements for Total War: Warhammer?

The minimum requirements for the first game include an Intel Core 2 Duo 3.0Ghz/ AMD Athlon II X4 640 3.0GHz CPU, 3 GB of RAM, and a dedicated video card of AMD Radeon HD 5770 1024MB / NVIDIA GTS 450 1024 MB / Intel HD4000 @720p. Warhammer II and III have higher minimum requirements.

15. Can I uninstall Total War: Warhammer 1 and 2 after getting Warhammer III?

Yes, you can uninstall them without impacting Immortal Empires. However, some players may prefer to keep them installed in case they want to experience those games independently at some point in the future.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while owning Total War: Warhammer and Total War: Warhammer II can add to your experience in the Immortal Empires campaign of Total War: Warhammer III by unlocking more factions, it is not a requirement. New players can jump directly into Warhammer III and experience the best and most up-to-date version of the game. The choice is ultimately yours, based on whether you want to expand your content and enjoy more factions, or simply dive into the latest and most comprehensive title in the trilogy.