New to Total War and finding yourself overwhelmed in battle? Don’t worry—mastering a few core tactics can completely change the tide of war. This guide walks you through five essential battlefield strategies every beginner needs to know. Learn them, practice them, and you’ll be crushing your enemies in no time.

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1. Flanking – Outsmart Your Opponent

Flanking is one of the most fundamental and effective tactics in Total War. It involves attacking enemy units from the sides or behind, which leads to:

• Massive leadership penalties for the enemy.
• Disrupted formations, reducing their combat effectiveness.
• Increased damage, as many units have weaker rear and flank defenses.

How to Flank Effectively:

• Use fast units—like cavalry, chariots, flying units, or even fast infantry—to get around the enemy’s front line.
• Always keep a reserve. Don’t commit everything to the front; hold back units that can maneuver into flanking positions.
• Skirmishers and missile cavalry are perfect for hitting unshielded flanks or breaking morale from behind.

Successful flanks often result in chain routes, where multiple enemy units flee simultaneously.

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2. Focus Fire – Eliminate High-Value Targets

Your missile units are far more powerful when they concentrate their fire. Randomly attacking low-threat targets wastes potential. Instead:

Focus Fire Tips:

• Identify threats early: Target elite infantry, monsters, cavalry, or enemy artillery.
• Use multiple missile units to overwhelm a single target and remove it quickly.
• Focus fire to delete one enemy unit at a time, rather than spreading damage inefficiently.

Example: Four archers focusing on one monster can eliminate it quickly—giving you an instant tactical edge.

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3. Disrupt Enemy Ranged Units

Letting enemy missile units shoot freely is a recipe for disaster. Disrupt them as soon as possible to limit their impact.

How to Shut Down Missiles:

• Charge them with fast-moving units—light cavalry, chariots, or flying creatures.
• Pressure and distract them. Even just forcing them to reposition interrupts their firing.
• Use monsters or stealth units to sneak in and silence enemy archers early.

Neutralizing missile units early on often decides battles before melee even begins.

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4. Use Terrain to Your Advantage

Terrain isn’t just cosmetic—it dramatically affects battle outcomes. Understanding and leveraging it can give you a serious upper hand.

Terrain Tactics:

• Hold the high ground: Attacking downhill increases damage; missile fire is also more effective.
• Use choke points: Narrow terrain forces the enemy into tight formations, making them easy to control or bombard.
• Exploit forests and water: Cavalry is slowed in trees; infantry is vulnerable in water. Use this to disrupt enemy charges or retreats.
• Ambush and hide: Use forests and hills to conceal units and spring ambushes.

Always take a moment during deployment to assess the battlefield and place your forces with terrain in mind.

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5. Kill the Enemy Lord – Break Their Army

The enemy Lord is the backbone of their army. Take them down, and the entire force can collapse due to morale penalties.

How to Eliminate Enemy Leaders:

• Wait for the right moment—Lords often expose themselves in the middle of fights.
• Focus fire with missile units or artillery if the Lord is large and visible.
• Send assassins or hero units designed for duels to bring them down quickly.

Just be careful: don’t overcommit your own Lord unless you’re certain of a win. Losing your leader can have the same devastating morale effect.

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Final Thoughts

Mastering these five tactics—flanking, focus firing, disrupting missiles, using terrain, and targeting the enemy Lord—will instantly improve your battle performance in Total War. They apply across nearly every title in the series, whether you’re playing historical or fantasy campaigns.

Practice them consistently, and they’ll become second nature—turning you from a struggling general into a battlefield master.