Warriors of Chaos is a race originally introduced in Total War: Warhammer.
In Total War: Warhammer III, they received a total overhaul, making them play completely differently to the previous 2 games.
The Warriors of Chaos are barbaric Chaos-worshippers from the far north who seek to bring ruin and destruction to the world. Corrupted and mutated by the power of Chaos, they have become something less than human... and also something more. A Warriors of Chaos army primarily consists of melee infantry, including heavily armoured Chaos Warriors, alongside a variety of mutated monsters such as two-headed Chaos Dragons. Alongside these mortal forces march Daemons gifted by the Chaos Gods.
How they play[]
- Dark Fortresses: Establish bases of power to vassalise and recruit followers of Chaos.
- Gifts of Chaos: Purchase god-aligned units and bonuses aligned to strengthen your faction in various ways.
- Warbands: Gather warriors and upgrade them into more powerful units.
- Path to Glory: Upgrade your lords and heroes, dedicate them to a Chaos God, and even transform them into Daemon Princes
- Souls: A unique resource gained by fighting non-Daemonic factions
- Dark Authority: Each Lord has separate authority levels over marked and undivided units, conferring bonuses.
- Eye of the Gods: A recurring dilemma which occurs more frequently the more Gifts of Chaos you have.
- Units: Lightly armoured marauders backed up by elite heavy-armoured warriors and huge monsters. Most factions have few ranged options.
Background[]
| “ | Fear me, mortals, for I am the Anointed, the Favoured Son of Chaos, the Scourge of the World. | „ |
To explain Chaos is to define the undefinable; it permeates the world - the ultimate foe against which the forces of Order must battle to survive. Chaos - and all magic, for that is of Chaos - seeps into the world from the two poles, one of which lies at the Realm of Chaos in the far north. This is the legacy of the Old Ones, an ancient star-faring race who, in their arrogance, used the immaterial dimension to travel and manipulate the tangible. Unknown to them, the empyrean was home to the sub-conscious desires, aspirations and emotions of all sentient races. Over time, this force coalesced into the Chaos Gods – the Ruinous Powers. It is these omnipotent beings that control the fates of all, viewing the world as a game board, the mortal denizens on it as nothing more than playing pieces to be pushed aside and destroyed at will. The Chaos Gods have many names and aspects. For most in the Old World who are aware of such things they are Khorne - the Blood God, lord of murder, rage, violence and battles; Tzeentch - the Arch-Manipulator, master of magic and weaver of time; Nurgle - the Lord of Decay, father of plagues, poxes and contagions; Slaanesh – the Dark Prince of Chaos, the great summoner of excess, desire and perversion.
To the north of the Old World lies Norsca and beyond that the Chaos Wastes, which lie in the shadow of the Chaos realm - its people the Gods’ primary pawns. The Northmen congregate in tribes. They are savage and brutal, for the lands are harsh, full of ice-covered fjords and roving monsters. No crops grow here so they must raid south to survive. They do this not just out of necessity but for glory and the chance to be recognised by the Chaos Gods. Those that do well will be gifted with all manner of mutations, and for the very few, even Daemonhood. However, those that disappoint the Ruinous Powers will be turned to Chaos Spawn - mewling mountains of flesh, teeth and tentacles.
And so Chaos armies march south, consisting of Chaos Marauders, the aforementioned fur-clad barbarians, and Chaos Warriors - particularly ruthless fighters chosen by the Ruinous Powers and gifted with arcane suits of all-encompassing armour. A Chaos force is also accompanied by a mass of mind-fraying creatures – from Hellcannons to Dragon Ogres and abhorrent Spawn. These hordes can be raiders that cross the icy seas in longships, large armies that raze entire cities, or full-scale invasions where entire nations quake in fear, convinced the End Times are upon them… And quite possibly they are, for now is the time of the Three-Eyed King. Archaon the Everchosen gathers his countless servants, who are ready at their Lord’s whispered command to bring doom down upon all!
Factions[]
Playable factions[]
Warriors of Chaos players can choose from 8 lords when starting a campaign. See the individual lord pages for information on their various bonuses in campaign. Despite being available in custom battles and multiplayer, Sarthorael the Everwatcher cannot be used in the campaign.
Warhost of the Apocalypse, led by Archaon the Everchosen.- Heralds of the Tempest, led by Kholek Suneater.
- The Decadent Host, led by Sigvald the Magnificent.
- Shadow Legion, led by Be'lakor.
- Legion of the Gorequeen, led by Valkia the Bloody.
- Puppets of Misrule, led by Vilitch the Curseling.
- The Fecundites, led by Festus the Leechlord.
- The Ecstatic Legions, led by Azazel.
Minor factions[]
Factions introduced in previous games that are also in Warhammer III:
- Acolytes of the Keeper
- Challenger of the Crow
- Challenger of the Eagle
- Challenger of the Hound
- Challenger of the Serpent
- Chaos Rebels
Factions introduced in The Realm of Chaos campaign:
- Dreaded Wo - this faction was removed from The Realm of Chaos later on with the release of the Champions of Chaos DLC
- Gharhar
- Khazag
- Kvellig
- Tong - this is a Norsca faction in Immortal Empires and The Lost God
In Battle[]
Unit Roster[]
Large and diverse roster. Majority are lightly-armoured marauders backed up by elite heavy-armoured Chaos Warriors, Chosen and huge mutant monsters. Melee focused roster, but there are some ranged options, particularly in Tzeentch-themed units. Generally a fairly elite army that will often be outnumbered by the opponent. Also has access to a large variety of Daemonic units, although in the campaign this is limited by the Gifts of Chaos mechanic.
Magic[]
Warriors of Chaos spellcasters have access to 7 lores of magic:
- Lore of Death
- Lore of Fire
- Lore of Metal
- Lore of Nurgle
- Lore of Shadows
- Lore of Slaanesh
- Lore of Tzeentch
Regiments of Renown[]
Warriors of Chaos have a very large selection of Regiments of Renown available. Some were added for free in the Foundation Update, others were drawn from Khorne, Nurgle, Tzeentch and Slaanesh rosters, while still others arose from the Champions of Chaos DLC. Regiments of Renown are elite, unique versions of standard Warriors of Chaos units.
In the Campaign[]
Unique game mechanics[]
Common to all Warriors of Chaos factions:
Faction-specific mechanics[]
Some Warriors of Chaos factions also have mechanics specific to their faction:
- Shadow Rifts - Shadow Legion
- Unholy Manifestations - Shadow Legion
- Be'lakor's Shadow - Shadow Legion
- Plague Cauldron - The Fecundites
- Changing of the Ways - Puppets of Misrule
- Bloodletting - Legion of the Gorequeen
- Seduction - Ecstatic Legions and The Decadent Host
Technology[]
Differs by faction:
- Warriors of Chaos tech tree - for Warhost of the Apocalypse, The Decadent Host, Heralds of the Tempest and Shadow Legion.
- The Fecundites tech tree
- Legion of the Gorequeen tech tree
- Puppets of Misrule tech tree
- The Ecstatic Legions tech tree
Buildings[]
The full suite of buildings are available in Dark Fortresses. Outside of this, building options are limited.
Corruption[]
Differs by faction, see Total War: Warhammer III corruption.
Climate[]
Because of the Dark Fortress system, climate does not affect Warriors of Chaos factions.
Diplomacy[]
- Warhost of the Apocalypse and Shadow Legion are the only 2 Warriors of Chaos factions that can confederate other factions.
- When you capture the last settlement of another Warriors of Chaos faction, you get the option to forcibly confederate them or not.
- After this, the leader of the defeated faction appears in your lord recruitment pool.
- Warriors of Chaos are hated by most other factions, with the exception of Chaos-aligned factions (Norsca, Beastmen, Khorne, Nurgle, Slaanesh, Tzeentch, Daemons of Chaos and Skaven.)
- Warriors of Chaos factions can automatically vassalize a Norscan faction by capturing the Norscan Capital Dark Fortress associated with their faction. See the page on Dark Fortresses for a list.
Inventory[]
- Category:Warriors of Chaos items
- Category:Warriors of Chaos followers
- Category:Warriors of Chaos banners
Stances[]
Warriors of Chaos stances:
- March
- Encamp
- Ambush
- Raiding
- Channelling - all factions except Legion of the Gorequeen
- Teleport - Puppets of Misrule only
Post-battle options[]
Settlement options[]
- Occupy settlements and construct buildings. Armies will also suffer attrition if the faction has no settlements left, as normal.
- However they seek out special Dark Fortress settlements, and other settlements do not contain the full suite of building options.
Faction and lord effects[]
See individual faction pages.
Start position and victory conditions[]
- Differs by faction, see individual faction pages.
Warriors of Chaos names[]
Downloadable content[]
 DLC list
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
| The Warriors of Chaos can be expanded upon with the following paid and free DLC: | |||
| Name | Base game | Paid/free | Type |
| Chaos Warriors Race Pack | Total War: Warhammer | Paid | Race Pack |
| Champions of Chaos | Total War: Warhammer III | Paid | Lord Pack |
| Be'lakor | Total War: Warhammer III | Free | Legendary Lord and faction |
| Marked Chaos Warriors | Total War: Warhammer III | Free | Unit Pack |
| Harald Hammerstorm | Total War: Warhammer III | Free | Legendary Hero |
| Aekold Helbrass | Total War: Warhammer III | Free | Legendary Hero |
| Shadows of Change | Total War: Warhammer III | Paid | Unit Pack |
| Thrones of Decay | Total War: Warhammer III | Paid | Unit Pack |
| Karanak | Total War: Warhammer III | Free | Legendary Hero |
| Omens of Destruction | Total War: Warhammer III | Paid | Unit Pack |
Strategy[]
The Warriors of Chaos, with their diverse Marks of the Gods, vast roster, and specialized lords, stand as the most customizable race in Total War: Warhammer III. As such, no single, definitive strategy exists for playing them, as different factions encourage diverse playstyles and prioritize unit upgrades and marks differently.
God-Dedicated Factions:
When playing factions devoted to a specific god, marking units accordingly is generally advisable. However, when playing an undivided faction, the optimal choice of marks can vary. Fortunately, the Warriors of Chaos roster is powerful enough that experimenting with different unit dedications rarely results in severe penalties. Therefore, feel free to create themed armies based on your desired playstyle and experiment with different combinations.
Campaign Strategy:
In the campaign, regardless of the chosen faction, capturing Dark Fortresses takes priority. Occupying smaller settlements is often unproductive, and they are best left under the control of your vassals. Vassals form a valuable buffer zone between your forces and opposing armies (except for the Fecundites).
Combat Strategy:
As a faction with top-tier infantry and an extensive monstrous unit roster, the Warriors of Chaos thrive on an aggressive approach. Lead the charge with your infantry, supported by monstrous units, while deploying cavalry, hounds, and fliers to neutralize enemy artillery and ranged units. Generally, the Warriors of Chaos roster is robust enough to prevail in most melee engagements.
However, their lack of ranged options leaves them vulnerable to artillery and concentrated fire from ranged units. Tailor your army compositions to address these weaknesses when facing factions that possess these strengths.