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Cao Ren is a Chinese name; the family name is Cao.

Cao Ren is a unique Commander hero in Total War: Three Kingdoms. He is a member of Cao Cao in 190, 194, and 200.


General Information[]

Attributes[]

Main Article: Attributes (Total War: Three Kingdoms)

  • Expertise: 71
    • -12% construction cost (administered commandery)
    • +19 melee evasion
  • Resolve: 40
    • +7% general's health
    • +1k population growth (administered commandery)
  • Cunning: 40
    • +7% ammunition (own retinue)
    • +2 military supplies (own army)
  • Instinct: 55
    • +8% melee damage
    • -2% recruitment cost (this army)
  • Authority: 94
    • +4 unit morale (own retinue)


Background[]

Main Article: Background (Total War: Three Kingdoms)

Brave Hunter

  • +15 expertise
  • +10 instinct
  • +5 authority
  • +1 resilience

Commends Flexibility, Commends Physical Ability.

Unit Statistics[]

  • Morale: 55
  • Melee Toughness: 26
  • Ranged Toughness: 36
  • Melee Power: 5
  • Ranged Power: 38


  • Hit Points: 18k
  • Melee Charge Bonus: 181
  • Melee Attack Rate: 30
  • Base Melee Damage: 239
  • Armour-Piercing Melee Damage: 164
  • Base Melee Evasion: 19%
  • Base Armour: 41%
  • Ranged Block Chance: 30%
  • Ranged Attack Rate: 30
  • Base Ranged Damage: 1.3k
  • Armour-Piercing Ranged Damage: 600
  • Range: 250
  • Ammunition: 11
  • Speed: 97


Traits[]

Main Article: Traits (Total War: Three Kingdoms)

Dutiful

  • +8 authority
  • -50% desire for higher office
  • +10 satisfaction

Focuses on Duty.


Determined

  • +6 resolve
  • +2 instinct

Admires Zeal, Respects Decisiveness.


Intrepid

  • +2 expertise
  • Enables: Immune to Fear & Terror

Commends Honour, Commends Bravery.


Skills[]

Main Article: Skill (Total War: Three Kingdoms)

Stone Bulwark

  • +4 resolve
  • +4 authority
  • Enables: Stone Bulwark


Mobility

  • +8 authority
  • +2 morale when attacking (when commanding)
  • +25% battle running speed (own retinue)


Intensity

  • +8 instinct
  • Enables: Mighty Knockback
  • +25% charge speed (own retinue)


Abilities[]

Main Article: Ability (Total War: Three Kingdoms)

  • Immune to Terror
    • The unit is immune to scare and terror effects.
  • Mighty Knockback
    • Causes extra damage when knocking back enemies.
  • Stone Bulwark (Active)
    • Can use if:
      • Not on Elephant
    • +100% ranged block chance
    • Unbreakable
    • Range: 75m
    • Duration: 30s
    • Cooldown: 120s


Ancillaries[]

Main Article: Ancillary (Total War: Three Kingdoms)

Jian

  • Base Melee Damage: 220
  • Armour-Piercing Melee Damage: 163
  • Melee Attack Rate: 30
  • +9 expertise


Cao Ren's Armour

  • Base Armour: 41
  • +17 authority
  • +10% ranged damage
  • +30% ranged block chance


White Horse

  • Speed: 97
  • Mass: 1.5k
  • +2 authority


Honour Manifested

  • Ranged Attack Rate: 30
  • Base Ranged Damage: 1.1k
  • Armour-Piercing Ranged Damage: 600
  • Range: 250
  • +10% ammunition (own retinue)
  • Enables: Mounted Fire while Moving
  • Enables: Fire Backwards


Guanxi[]

Main Article: Guanxi

Family

Friends


Biography[]

Compared to Cao Cao, Cao Ren's life is rather unremarkable. He was born in 159 in the Qi commandery to his father, Cao Chi. He had a little brother named Cao Chun. Their parents died at an early age and the two brothers were mostly raised by a different family until they were old enough to inherit their father's wealth. The two brothers did the responsible thing and immediately hired hundreds of servants, threw lavish parties, and bought expensive clothes and properties. They didn't care about any of the problems facing China. Their vast fortune had taken a massive dent before all too long and things only got worse when the Han dynasty collapsed.

Sensing the chaos in China, Cao Ren gathered a militia from around Qi and started roaming around until eventually joining his cousin Cao Cao in fighting Dong Zhuo. Over the years, Cao Ren became something of a sidekick to Cao Cao. Whilst a formidable commander, he lacked the cunning talents of his cousin and other warlords and stuck mostly to established and well-tested tactics. Despite this his bravery and loyalty were unmatched. Cao Ren was a strict commander, closely following rules and laws and having a strong sense of justice. This was very much a change of character from his younger self who cared very little about authority.

He spent many years serving Cao Cao in his campaigns, distinguishing himself against Yuan Shao and winning a victory alongside Niu Jin at Jiangling that managed to even impress Cao Cao himself, where a small group of 300 volunteers managed to not only hold off but cause chaos in the ranks of a much larger army, before overrunning them with the rest of his forces.

When Cao Cao died in 220, Ren continued to serve his successor Cao Pi who had declared himself emperor of Wei. Besides being a general he was also a Marquis of multiple towns, the largest one being Chen. After Cao Ren's victory over Sun Quan at Xiangyang, he was appointed as the general-in-chief of Wei. His final campaign was in 222 against Sun Quan, where he was defeated during the Battle of Ruxu despite outnumbering his enemy greatly, losing many men but also some of his best commanders. Soon after, Cao Ren gave up his position as general-in-chief as his health started to decline. He returned to his home in early 223 and died a few months later.

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