Major Empire Rework Coming as Total War: Warhammer 2 Free-LC
Earlier today, Creative Assembly announced The Hunter and The Beast, the next upcoming Total War: Warhammer 2 Lord Pack DLC. Featuring both the Empire and Lizardmen factions, the DLC will launch on the 11th of September. Of course, as per usual, the studio also plans to release a Total War: Warhammer 2 Free-LC on the same day. This time, the Free-LC adds a new Legendary Lord for the Lizardmen, Gor-Rok, and also brings a huge Empire rework to the game.
The Empire Rework Coming as Total War: Warhammer 2 Free-LC
The Empire hasn’t had a significant content update for a very long time. In fact, this will be the first DLC featuring the Empire since the launch of Total War: Warhammer 2. The DLC itself will add a fourth Legendary Lord, Markus Wulfhart, as well as a host of new units and Regiments of Renown. Wulfhart will be playable in the game’s Eye of the Vortex campaign and has access to new unique campaign mechanics. However, things are changing significantly for the Empire’s homeland as well.
The Empire will be gaining new provinces, including Solland, and new mountain pass regions. Similar to the High Elf gates in Ulthuan, these passes will feature Empire Fort settlements. Plus, these forts will have their own unique battle maps. Empire players can expect more variety in their opponents too, with new Greenskin and Wood Elf factions coming to the Drakwald and Wasteland regions, respectively.
New Starting Positions and the New Elector Counts System
One of the biggest new changes is that Balthasar Gelt will no longer start in Altdorf. Until now, all three Empire Legendary Lords have shared the same starting position. This has had an unfortunate secondary effect; it has been impossible for two players to both play as Empire in multiplayer. (No other faction has this problem.) Now, Balthasar Gelt will have his own faction, the Golden Order, which will start in Solland. Together with the addition of Wulfhart, leading the Huntsmarshal’s Expedition faction in Lustria, the Empire will now have three different starting positions. As a result, players will finally be able to play Empire co-op campaigns.
The other major change coming to the Empire is that the existing Offices system will be removed and replaced with a new Elector Counts system. All 13 Elector Counts of the Empire will feature in this system. “New resources of Prestige and Imperial Authority will be used to improve Fealty with other Elector Counts via Electoral Machinations,” explains Creative Assembly. This system will make it much easier for Empire players to confederate other Empire factions. Plus, the Elector Counts each gain their own Runefang and have access to “exclusive unit” when they are defending their state capitals! Plus, there is even a button in this new system to “Summon Elector Counts”. It looks like Karl Franz will finally be getting what he’s been calling for… In any case, the new Total War: Warhammer 2 Free-LC will be available on the 11th of September, alongside The Hunter and The Beast.