Start Here

Total War: ARENA servers are offline.

New to the game? Start here!

Summary

Total War: ARENA is a multiplayer game where you control three units and a historical Commander. Each commander has its own abilities and work better in certain combinations. It is important to understand those combinations and the game mechanics.

But first things first, you need to get your hands on the game and play the tutorial. Pay attention to each and every part of it as everything explained during the tutorial is important, even if some aspects may look simplistic at first. Once done, come back here to get some of the missing bits.

Choose your troops

What combination of Commander and units should you choose? It usually is either 3 similar/identical units or 2 identical units + 1 unit that covers for its weakness. (For example, taking 2 sword infantry + 1 cavalry - to chase archers away from your infantry) Check your Commander skills to maximize his efficiency with units you are taking.

You’ll start with 3 commanders:
- Germanicus (Roman) – specializes in melee infantry
- Cynane (Greek) – specializes in ranged infantry
- Arminius (Barbarian) – specializes in cavalry

Factions are usually orientated this way:
- Romans specialize in being the main core and centre of the army
- Greeks specialize in defensive tactics, raining arrows down on the enemy from afar or blocking a passage with spears/pikes
- Barbarians specialize in high-speed maneuvers to outflank the enemy team and hit and run tactics
- Carthage doesn't specialize, but is instead a jack of all trades

Going to Battle

Once in battle, you have a few important things to keep in mind, such as the game mechanics that are listed below:
• Vision
• Morale
• Friendly Fire
• Charge
• Phalanx

These are complemented by the following decisions:
• Engaging in melee combat
• Retreating to a safe position
• Positioning your troops effectively
• Protecting your allies
• Trapping your enemies

More info

Read the article “What is Total War: ARENA?”

Guides: YouTube Beginner playlist