3 games, a world of DLC, even DLC for DLC. If you’re new to the Warhammers, you might get confused. I’ll try to clear the clouds a little bit. First of all, the simplest question:

What game should it start from?

There are many correct answers and one wrong answer. If you say, “Don’t make a salad, give me one short answer,” my answer is Warhammer 2. If it wraps, you’ll see what goes on. But let me give you a little more detail.

Warhammer 3 is a nice entry point. There’s a department of education that teaches mechanics well and is successful as a story. Ideally Steam is for this series, but it’s a hefty hike, so I can’t recommend buying it in peace of mind right now. But it’s also available on Game Pass, so you can try it from there if you like it or not.

Warhammer 2 is also a nice entry point. The script mechanics are a little better than WH3. Besides, these strange factions of WH3 may not have attracted you, but WH2 has elves, dinosaurs, mice, etc. If you’re not familiar with the Warhammer universe, these factions will probably be more attractive to you. Yes, Warhammer 3 has a lot of problems solved, Warhammer 2, but they’re not vital for a beginner.

Warhammer 1+2 is also a good option. If you have both games, you can play by combining the map of the two games, which is still the best Total War: Warhammer experience. You have to bury it on sale, but don’t let it tire the budget out of two games.

Warhammer 1+2+3 is also a good option. It’s going to happen in a few months. The map of the three games will be merged. He’s going to be great at it, but he still has time.

The wrong answer is Warhammer 1. Total War: You shouldn’t start the Warhammers with the first game. Warhammer 2 came out of the first game a year later, and the producers stopped updating the first game. It’s too shallow and too problematic right now, warhammer 1 is with the others. I don’t recommend it. There’s no story you’re going to miss.

Free add-ons

There’s such a thing as Total War Access. If you connect your Steam to it, you get a world of new lords, units, heroes, etc. for free. Nothing for Warhammer 3 yet, but don’t take them for Warhammer 1 and 2.

A note about DLC’s

All DLC you have for previous games will be fully valid when the combined map of the three games is published. All the DLC you get will be useful for the rest of the game, so they won’t go to waste.

Fraction DLC

These are the most valuable DLC, of course, each adding a whole new faction. None of it’s necessary. But when the factions in the main games are not enough for you, you can take a look at them. My personal suggestion would be Tomb Kings and Beastmen, but it’s a matter of taste, whichever one interests you more. Don’t get involved in norska (Norsca) and Chaos Warriors DLC before it’s updated for Warhammer 3, but for now.

Lord DLC

DLC’s called “the thing and the thing.” They add legendary new playable lords first and foremost, and some offer very different mechanics and starting points from other selectable lords. Not to mention the units they’ve added, etc. Most of them are good DLC. You don’t have to worry about me taking it all, but there’s too much, it’s a lot of expense. Especially if there is a faction you like, you can check out the DLC that expands it. The only exception is The Prophet & The Warlock. If you play the Skaven faction without this DLC, you’ll miss a lot. It’s a annoyingly good DLC. That’s a little vital for the High Elves.

Note: There are also lord DLC for faction DLC. It’s possible to buy them directly and play them. You can’t pick lords with faction DLC, but you’re playing with that faction. For example, when you get The Twisted & The Twilight DLC, even if you don’t have the Wood Elves faction DLC, you can play with the most powerful and fun lord of its faction and use all units.

Blood DLC

Yes, you need to get the Blood for the Blood God DLC to add blood to the game. They say they did so to keep the main game’s age limit low, but when they saw the Khorne venues at Warhammer 3. Anyway. It’s annoying, yes, but it feels incomplete without a blood DLC. If you’ve taken a blood DLC in at least any of the previous 2 games, you’ll be considered to have taken it in Warhammer 3 (when the blood DLC came out for Warhammer 3, it hasn’t come out yet). Well, that’s something.