Total War: Three Kingdoms’ New DLC Lets You Play as Young Dong Zhuo
Mandate of Heaven, the next big Chapter Pack DLC for Total War: Three Kingdoms, is set to bring a lot of new content to Creative Assembly’s latest strategy game. Set just over a decade before the start of the main game, the DLC will feature events like the Yellow Turban Rebellion, as well as adding 40 new units and 6 new playable warlords. However, in addition to those new characters, you’ll also be able to play as several of the game’s existing warlords, albeit a decade earlier in their careers. Most notably, you’ll be able to play as a younger (and significantly slimmer) Dong Zhuo, years before he became the brutal tyrant who dominates the Han Empire in the main game.
Young Dong Zhuo in the Mandate of Heaven DLC
In Total War: Three Kingdoms’ core campaign, Dong Zhuo is a major adversary for most of the playable warlords. Indeed, all of the coalition warlords, and several of the others, start the game at war with him. He controls the capital of Chang’an, as well as the child emperor, granting him control over the remnants of the Han Empire. Once players defeat him in battle, or complete the game on a certain difficulty, they actually unlock the ability to play as Dong Zhuo himself. Indeed, his campaign is possibly the game’s most unique; after all, he starts with substantially more power than any of the other warlords. Of course, there’s also a high likelihood that he gets assassinated by Lu Bu very early in the game…
In the upcoming Mandate of Heaven DLC, however, Dong Zhuo is still just an imperial general and administrator in the Han Empire. He’ll have the same faction mechanics and unique units as he does in the core campaign. However, he will have a very different starting position; the far north of the map, on the very edge of the empire. This places him due west of the newly-emergent Yellow Turban Rebellion, his starting opponents. Most importantly, this campaign deprives him of his usual expansive territory and power, as well as Lu Bu.
Of course, it will be up to players how they choose to progress his campaign. Perhaps you’ll follow history and seek to seize power in the chaos? Or, alternately, perhaps you’ll try to change history and stay loyal to the Han? Historically, Dong Zhuo fought for the empire against the Yellow Turbans during this period, earning significant distinction and power. Then, in 189, following the death of Emperor Ling, He Jin ordered him to come to the capital to overthrow the Ten Attendants; corrupt eunuchs who were controlling the new emperor. Unfortunately, He Jin was assassinated by the eunuchs before Dong Zhuo arrived. In the resulting turmoil, the warlord replaced the emperor with a puppet and seized power himself; becoming the bloody tyrant with whom players should already be familiar.