Hello Total War: WARHAMMER fans! Welcome to the latest instalment of the Immortal Empires blog series. This week, we’ll be focusing on start positions! More notably, we’ll use this opportunity to kick off a gradual reveal over the coming weeks of where each of your favorite races will begin their conquest within the vast and unforgiving landscape of Immortal Empires.

As war-hardened veterans, you’re (likely) already aware that start positions are more than where your campaign begins; they set the tone for what you experience and the level of difficulty you’ll encounter due to a variety of factors: from the number of enemy factions surrounding your settlements to the availability of resources and type of terrain (or corruption) that envelops your land.

While the starting positions for most of our Legendary Lords will be unchanged in Immortal Empires, we’ve altered where 29 factions begin their journey based on a variety of factors.

The key reasons for these changes? While some were made to be more lore-friendly, add racial diversity to certain regions, or to spice up your familiar battles, it’s worth remembering that authenticity is key! So, you won’t be seeing any crazy or drastic changes: such as Karl Franz starting in the middle of Lustria-bowl (even if that would be fun to watch…).

As you’ve no doubt gleaned from the banner image, there are few better races to kick off this set of reveals than The Empire.

The poster-boys of the original Total War: WARHAMMER, The Empire is the largest and most important Human race in The Old World (don’t tell Kislev) and have been fighting all forms of foul beasts encroaching upon its borders for millennia.

	KARL FRANZ: It wouldn‘t be the Empire without an Emperor; Karl Franz continues his ambitions to unite the Elector Counts from the starting settlement of Altdorf.
	BALTHASAR GELT: The Supreme Patriarch of the Colleges of Magic continues his own fascination with alchemy from the starting settlement of Pfeildorf.
	MARKUS WULFHART: Leading his motley crew of warriors known as ‘Wuflhart’s Hunters’, the Huntsmaster continues his expeditions within the dangerous jungles of Lustria, starting in the settlement of The Creeping Jungle.
	VOLKMAR THE GRIM: The Grand Theogonist for the Church of Sigmar has abandoned the petty squabbles of the Elector Counts in favor of a zealous crusade within the Southern Realms. His starting settlement will be Sudenberg, where rumor has it that he’s hellbent on finding certain dark artifacts…

To provide context for WARHAMMER III’s starting positions, we should also include the locations of the game’s poster daemons. That’s right: the hellspawn of the Chaos Gods will all enjoy new starting positions in Immortal Empires:

	N’KARI: Defeated by the High Elves of Ulthuan long ago, N’kari has returned to the Shrine of Kurnous where he seeks his vengeance after waiting for an eternity.
	KAIROS FATEWEAVER: The Oracle of Tzeentch has invaded from the Southern Wastes and conquered the Fortress of Dawn, though his designs are an unknowable as ever.
	SKARBRAND: Driven by his endless rage and bloodlust, Skarbrand wages war against the Savage Orcs in the Badlands: collecting and piling their skulls in Deff Gorge.
	KU’GATH PLAGUEFATHER: Kugath has sailed from the southern wastes, drawn by the putrid sludge near the mouth of the River Ruin, settling nearby in Dragon Fang Mount within the Dragon Isles.
	DAEMON PRINCE: The Daemon Prince moves to the Forest of Decay in the northern Chaos Wastes, allowing him to compete for the ultimate leadership of Chaos.

That’s all the starting positions we’ll be unveiling today, but we’ll be revealing the starting locations of all 86 Legendary Lords on our social channels over the coming weeks. While some of these will have relatively minor (but exciting) changes like The Empire, others will see several factions jumping to entirely new pastures:

Lizardmen

	Lord Mazdamundi – Hexoatl
	Kroq-Gar – The Golden Tower
	Tehenhauin – Xlanzec
	Tiktaq’to – Tlaqua
	Gor-Rok – Itza
	Nakai the Wanderer – Tower of Ashung
	Oxyotl – The Godless Crater

Norsca

	Wulfrik the Wanderer – Monolith of Borkill the Bloody-Hand
	Throgg – Monolith of Flesh

Kislev

	Tzarina Katarin – Kislev
	Kostaltyn – Erengrad
	Boris Bokha – Tower of Torment

High Elves

	Tyrion – Lothern
	Teclis – Sotek’s Trail
	Alarielle – Gaean Vale
	Alith Anar – Karond Kar
	Eltharion the Grim – Tor Yvresse
	Imrik – Fortress of Vorag

Bretonnia

	Louen Leoncoeur – Couronne
	Alberic de Bordeleaux – Bregonne
	The Fay Enchantress – Carcassonne
	Repanse de Lyonesse – Copher

Grand Cathay

	Zhao Ming – Qiang
	Miao Ying – Nan Gau

Skaven

	Queek Headtaker – Misty Mountain
	Lord Skrolk – Sabatuun
	Tretch Craventail – Crookback Mountain
	Ikit Claw – Skavenblight
	Deathmaster Snikch – Xing Po
	Throt the Unclean – Hell Pit

Greenskins

	Grimgor Ironhide – Sabre Mountain
	Azhag the Slaughterer – Khazid Irkulaz
	Skarsnik – Mount Gunbad
	Wurrzag – Ekrund
	Grom the Paunch – Massif Orcal

The Ogre Kingdoms

	Greasus Goldtooth – Karak Krakaten
	Skrag the Slaughterer – Myrmidens

Beastmen

	Khazarak the One Eye – The Black Pit
	Malagor the Dark Omen – Sunken Khernarch
	Morghur the Shadowgave – Montenas
	Taurox the Brass Bull – Clar Karond

Tomb Kings

	Settra the Imperishable – Khemri
	Grand Hierophant Khatep – Clarak Spire
	High Queen Khalida – Lybaras
	Arkhan the Black – Sorcerers Islands

Wood Elves

	Orion – King’s Glade
	Durthu – Waterfall Palace
	Sisters of Twilight – The Witchwood
	Drycha – Gryphon Wood

Vampire Coast

	Luthor Harkon – The Awakening
	Count Noctilus – The Galleons Graveyard
	Aranessa Saltspite – Sartosa
	Clyostra Direfin – The Twisted Glade

Dwarfs

	Thorgrim Grudgebearer – Karaz-A-Karak
	Ungrim Ironfist – Karak Kadrin
	Belegar Ironhammer – Zarakzil
	Thorek Ironbrow – Karak Zorn
	Grombrindal – Dracla Spire

Dark Elves

	Malekith – Naggarond
	Morathi – Ancient City of Quintex
	Crone Hellebron – Har Ganeth
	Lokhir Fellheart – Haichai
	Malus Darkblade – Black Rock (owns Hag Graef)
	Rakarth – Great Turtle Isle

Vampire Counts

	Mannfred Von Carstein – Ka-Sabar
	Heinrich Kemmler – Blackstone Post
	Vlad & Isabella Von Carstein – Castle Drakenhof
	Helman Ghorst – The Haunted Forest

Warriors of Chaos

	Archaon The Everchosen – The Writhing Fortress
	Kholek Suneater – The Challenge Stone
	Prince Sigvald – Palace of Princes
	Be’lakor – Isle of Wights

Champion of Chaos: Azazel

Azazel, Prince of Damnation – The Tower of Khrakk

Champion of Chaos: Festus

Festus the Leechlord – Brass Keep

Champion of Chaos: Vilitch

Vilitch the Curseling – Red Fortress

Champion of Chaos: Valkia

Valkia the Bloody – Dagrak’s End

 

Next week, we’re offering an inside look at Be’lakor and the other new dedicated factions coming to Immortal Empires! Watch for more news (including the rest of the starting positions) on our social channels, and we’ll see you on the battlefield this August!