Hordes or horde armies are armies which can act as a mobile settlements when in encamped stance, allowing them to construct buildings which they take with it when they move again.
Some races and factions are only hordes, and don't occupy settlements at all. However, the exact specifics differ by race and faction.
Horde armies don't have to worry about public order, taxes, regional occupation or climate limitations.
In battles, horde factions are no different to other factions.
How they work[]
Hordes generally don't occupy settlements on the campaign map. Instead they have their armies enter encamped stance to quickly create buildings before moving on.
Horde armies have a maximum of 10 building slots when fully upgraded.
As horde factions cannot truly take over a settlement, they will always sack, loot, or raze it after conquering. This also means horde armies cannot garrison a settlement.
Horde faction buildings often don't generate much income, so horde factions rely on the money they get from winning battles and sacking/razing enemy settlements to get money. In the case of Beastmen from TWW2 onwards, they don't really rely on money (Favour) very much, because they do not pay unit upkeep - instead being limited by unit caps.
Because hordes do not truly occupy settlements, they are not affected by climate or regional occupation. However, they can still face attrition due to corruption (or lackof) and terrain.
Horde Growth[]
Instead of normal growth, hordes have Horde Growth. Horde growth generates population surplus as normal. However unlike normal factions where usually only the main settlement building requires population growth to upgrade, many horde buildings require population growth to be built/upgraded.
Horde growth can be increased in various ways. The Beastmen in WH2 onwards rely on a high 
Bestial Rage level to ensure horde growth.
Recruiting a new Lord from your horde starts a new horde. This requires population surplus. New hordes must sometimes be protected until they are large enough to survive on their own.
Horde infighting[]
Horde infighting is a mechanic unique to the Warriors of Chaos. If two Warriors of Chaos hordes are near each other, the Marauder units in the hordes will suffer attrition from Horde infighting. In earlier versions of the game, this affected all Warriors of Chaos units and not just the Marauders. This mechanic is no longer present in Warhammer III.
Full Horde[]
Warriors of Chaos[]
In Total War: Warhammer I & II, 
Warriors of Chaos are a playable race which operates as a horde which does not occupy and manage settlements and all their armies are horde armies. This is no longer the case in Total War: Warhammer III, as they were completely reworked so they are no longer a horde race.
Beastmen[]
Beastmen are a playable race which operates as a horde faction which does not occupy and manage settlements and all their armies are horde armies. However, they can occupy settlements and these are called Herdstones which are special settlements with only very limited building options, which the Beastmen can construct after razing a settlement and spending a 
Herdstone Shard.
Spirit of the Jungle[]
Spirit of the Jungle is a playable 
Lizardmen faction which operates as a horde. However, when they take a settlement, it instead becomes controlled by the AI 
Defenders of the Great Plan faction which are permanent vassals to Spirit of the Jungle.
Rogue Armies[]
Rogue Armies are a non-playable race which operates as a horde. Rogue Armies will spawn from time to time and attack other races. In WH2, they can take settlements but in WH3 they can no longer do it.
Rogue Pirates[]
Rogue Pirates are a non-playable race which operates as a horde. They're similar to rogue armies but instead of spawning, they already exist on the various oceans of the world and will attack armies that travel the seas. However, some rogue pirates factions will spawn when playing certain races and factions like 
Vampire Coast.
Semi-Horde[]
Savage Orcs[]
Savage Orcs are a non-playable 
Greenskins factions which operates as a semi-horde. Savage Orcs will spawn from time to time and attack other races and take settlements. It should be noted that Wurrzag da Great Green Prophet's faction 
The Bloody Handz is not part of the Savage Orc faction category.
Dark Elves[]
Dark Elves are a playable race that is not inherently a horde race, but thanks to their Black Arks mechanic they become a semi-horde.
Vampire Coast[]
Vampire Coast is a playable race which operates as a semi-horde thanks to their Shipbuilding mechanic. This mechanic is activated when a Vampire Coast army travels the sea. However, they can can take settlements like any other faction.
Masters of Innovation[]
Masters of Innovation is a playable 
Dwarfs faction which operates as a semi-horde only with Malakai Makaisson's army thanks to the Spirit of Grungni mechanic. However, they can can take settlements like any other faction.
Playable Horde factions[]
Total War: Warhammer[]
The Old World[]
An Eye For An Eye[]
Warherd of the One-Eye (Khazrak only)
Total War: Warhammer II[]
Eye of the Vortex[]
Mortal Empires[]
Total War: Warhammer III[]
Realm of Chaos[]
- Dwarfs
- Masters of Innovation (Malakai Makaisson's army only)
Immortal Empires[]
- Beastmen
- Dwarfs
- Masters of Innovation (Malakai Makaisson's army only)
- Lizardmen
- Vampire Coast
Minor non-playable horde factions[]
Note that some non-playable hordes--such as Rogue Armies and Savage Orcs--can take over settlements, though the amount of buildings they can create is limited, and they otherwise continue to function as a Horde army.
Total War: Warhammer[]
The Old World[]
An Eye For An Eye[]
The Season of Revelation[]
Total War: Warhammer II[]
Eye of the Vortex[]
Mortal Empires[]
Total War: Warhammer III[]
The Realm of Chaos[]
Immortal Empires[]
Gallery[]
-
Archaon's horde, encamped in The Chaos Wastes. -
A Warriors of Chaos encamped army.
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