Settlements



Settlements are towns, cities or fortresses on the campaign map. Most factions are focused around fighting to control and manage settlements. Horde factions do not control settlements.

Overview
Each province on the campaign map has a capital settlement, and usually also from 1-3 minor settlements (a few provinces have only 1 settlement). Owning a settlement means you own the region around it and have vision of the area. It also lets you tax the people for money. Owning all settlements in a province grants you control of that province, and controlling an entire province allows you to issue a commandment. In the screenshot to the right, notice how the player controls 3 settlements in a province, while the last one is controlled by an enemy faction.

For regular factions, settlements are where they construct buildings. As horde factions do not control settlements, they construct buildings when their horde armies are encamped.

Different kinds of settlements have different amounts of building slots, which changes depending on campaign and faction. See the building slots article for more detailed info.

Which settlements can be controlled by which races?

 * Total War: Warhammer has the regional occupation system. This system limits which races can occupy which settlements. No faction can settle everywhere on the campaign map.
 * Total War: Warhammer II has the climate system instead. Every faction can settle anywhere (except hordes of course), but each faction is affected differently by the various climates.

Combat
An enemy army may attack a settlement in an effort to capture it. On the campaign map, settlements have a zone of control which prevents enemy armies from going too close without attacking.

Most settlements will have garrison armies which are provided by the main settlement building, and protect the settlement from attacks. The controlling faction may also position an army directly a settlement to 'garrison' it. Additionally, armies which are close by can reinforce a settlement garrison in battle.


 * If there is no garrison and no defending army, then a settlement can be taken without a battle.
 * If there is a garrison and/or defending army, then attacking the settlement will initiate a battle or autoresolve.
 * If a settlement has walls, then armies have the option to lay siege to a settlement before attacking. When they do choose to attack, it will be a siege battle.

Winning the battle for a settlement brings up the settlement options such as occupy, sack, raze etc.

Ruins
Ruined settlements dot the campaign map.
 * Ruined settlements are not controlled by any faction and do not provide income or other bonuses. They have no garrison.
 * Some settlements on the campaign map begin as ruins.
 * Settlements become ruined when they are razed by a hostile army.
 * Ruined settlements can be colonized by an army. This takes a turn, money and many troops (ie: your army will become damaged).
 * Skaven and Tomb Kings have the ability to colonize ruins and start them off at a higher level than other races, by spending food or using a Ptra's Necrotect.
 * All Skaven settlements appear as ruins to other races, until explored.
 * In Total War: Warhammer II, armies can treasure hunt in ruined settlements.
 * Ruins refresh every 20 turns

Province capitals and minor settlements
Most provinces have a capital settlement and from 1-3 minor settlements.
 * Minor settlements have only 4 building slots, and can only upgrade to level III.
 * Province capitals (major settlements) have more building slots, and can upgrade all the way to level V.
 * Thus, if a building chain goes up to level IV or V, it is usually best to construct it in the province capital.
 * Likewise, if a bulding chain only goes to level III, it's usually best to put it in a minor settlement.

Racial capitals
Some province capitals are also racial capitals.
 * Racial capitals sometimes have a unique Settlement Chain buildings depending on which race the occupying faction belongs to.

Faction capitals
A faction capital is the capital settlement of one specific faction (not a whole race). It is indicated by a golden border around the faction crest next to the settlement's name. If the faction capital is taken/razed then another one of the faction's cities will automatically be assigned as the new faction capital. A faction capital can be a minor settlement, if no province capital is available.

Example: In The Old World and Mortal Empires, the Myrmidens settlement (province capital for Western Border Princes) is the faction capital for Border Princes. If this city is taken, then another faction capital will be assigned. But Myrmidens is not a racial capital.

Ports, resources and landmarks
Some settlements have special building chains available.
 * Coastal settlements usually have a port building chain available. These settlements also allow trade routes to connect over water.
 * Some settlements have special resources, and an associated building chain.
 * Some settlements, especially faction capitals, have special landmark buildings available.

Strategic Locations
Some settlements will be marked as a strategic location for their chosen race - players should make conquering these a priority. This is usually because a landmark can be constructed there.

Fortress Gates
Fortress Gates were introduced in Total War: Warhammer II, they are a special type of settlement found in Ulthuan.

Unique settlements
The Black Pyramid of Nagash (located in Great Mortis Delta) and the Oak of Ages (located in Yn Edri Eternos) can be considered special unique settlements which are important for the campaign objectives of Tomb Kings and Wood Elves respectively.

Elven Colonies
Elven Colonies were introduced in Total War: Warhammer II, they have a special settlement building chain and some special bonuses for elf factions, but are otherwise normal.

Wood Elves settlements
Main article: Wood Elves settlements.
 * The Oak of Ages is a unique settlement with only one building slot.
 * Forest Settlements have many building slots and the full range of Wood Elf buildings.
 * Outside of their magical forests, Wood Elves can only build limited Asrai Lookouts.

Norscan settlements
Main article: Norsca settlements.


 * Settlements in the Norscan peninsula have only a limited number of building slots, even in Mortal Empires.
 * Norscan factions may only occupy settlements inside the Norscan peninsula, or coastal/port settlements and racial capitals outside the peninsula.

Under-Cities
Main article: Under-City.

Pirate Coves
Main article: Pirate Coves.