Factions (Total War: Pharaoh)

For a general overview of factions across Total War games, see Factions.

Overview

Factions

Factions are the various coherent power blocs in Total War: Pharaoh. Each faction is led by a charismatic leader, with unique bonuses, military specialisations, units and faction mechanics that define the benefits and playstyle of their faction. Aside from the main playable characters who had a major role in the fate of the Bronze Age, there are many more computer-controlled factions in the game, all of whom seek to become the dominant force in the world.

Minor Faction description

Egyptians

Egyptians arose from local tribes who lived along the Nile Valley. Over time they coalesced into a single culture, creating the kingdoms of Kemet, also known as Ancient Egypt, which became the dominant power in northeast Africa. Egyptian culture, traditions, and political customs endured for many centuries, with Ancient Egypt reaching its peak during the New Kingdoms era, which lasted from 16th to 11th century BC.

Egypt desperately awaits the emergence of a divine heir to rally the empire against their common foe.

Hittites

Hittites were a tribe living in Anatolia, who established the Empire of Hattusa (known historically as the Hittite Empire) in the Late Bronze Age by the gradual assimilation and conquest of many small polities in north-central Anatolia. The Hittite Empire was prosperous and culturally significant thanks to its complex legal system, but essentially short-lived, lasting only from 17th to 13th century BC, eventually becoming annexed by the Assyrian Empire after many conflicts with foreign powers and invading nomadic tribes.

The empire's heart may be hardened by corruption and strife, but the Great King vows to keep it beating.

Canaanites

Canaanites lived in the land of Canaan, a region which encompasses parts of modern-day Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Israel. Most historical sources about Canaanites come from other people who had contact with them. There is no evidence that Canaan was ever united into a single kingdom, and scholars argue that, during the Late Bronze Age, Canaanites weren't even a district culture but instead a diverse melting pot of various tribes and smaller cultural groups.

War-torn realms vie for survival, aligned by nothing but their thirst for conquest.

Sea Peoples

We will find a new home for our people even at the expense of others. Sea Peoples are the only faction that has no playable minor factions.

The Aegean

The Aegean's power structure is under enormous strain. Mycenae holds onto its influence for deal life, while Troy is on the cusp of true independence from Hatti. Both kingdoms vie for supremacy in Western Anatolia, threatening the whole region with blood war. Thracians care for neither of the two powers and will oppose them vehemently.

Fortunes rise and fall with the ebb and flow of the tides amid kingdoms consumed by rivalry.

Mesopotamian

Mesopotamia is the collective name for a vast region centred on the rivers Tigris and Euphrates within the territories of modern-day Iraq, Kuwait, and parts of Syria, Iran, and Turkey. Mesopotamia is the home of the oldest known civilisation, Sumer. Sumerians were the first to create written from of communication, which involved in the cuneiform script, one of the oldest scripts in the world. Thousands of writing tablets have survived through the ages, giving great insight into society and events of the Bronze Age, and most still await translation due to their sheer volume.

Mush like Canaanites, Mesopotamians consisted of many different cultural groups, through they were semi-unified across history by various empire such as Akkad, Babylon, Assyria, and Elam.

The sprawling plains of an exhausted battlefield, whose legacy of conquest has been tempered by the sands of time.

List of Factions

Total War: Pharaoh has a total of 162 factions at the start of its campaign, of which 39 are playable and 123 are non-playable. There are 14 major and 25 minor playable factions. Below is a full list of all factions at the start of the campaign.

HTD = Introduced in High Tide DYN = Introduced in Dynasties

Pl = playable NPl = non-playable

Playable Factions

Major factions

Faction	Leader	Culture	Capital	Realm	Royal Path	Difficulty
Ramesses Ramesses	Ramesses	Egyptians	Neb-Gehes	Sinai	Egyptian	Easy
Seti Seti	Seti	Egyptians	Hardai	Lower Egypt	Egyptian	Easy
Tausret Tausret	Tausret	Egyptians	Yebu	Upper Egypt	Egyptian	Normal
Amenmesse Amenmesse	Amenmesse	Egyptians	Per-Ramesses meri-Amon	Kush	Egyptian	Normal
Hatti Hatti	Suppiluliuma	Hittites	Hattusa	Highlands	Hittite	Hard
Tarhuntassa Tarhuntassa	Kurunta	Hittites	Tarhuntassa	Lowlands	Hittite	Normal
Irsu Irsu	Irsu	Settled Canaanites	Tadmor	Retjenu	Hittite	Normal
Bay Bay	Bay	Settled Canaanites	Tzor	Fenkhu	Egyptian	Hard
Peleset PelesetHTD	Walwetes	Sea Wanderers	Nomads (near Megiddo)	Fenkhu	?	Hard
Sherden SherdenHTD	Iolaos	Western Islanders	Nomads (near Adana)	Lowlands	?	Easy
Hanigalbat HanigalbatDYN	Ninurta-Apal-Ekur	Mesopotamians	Dur-Katlimmu	Mat-Assur	Mesopotamian	Normal
Babylon BabylonDYN	Adad-Shuma-Usur	Mesopotamians	Babylon	Mat-Tamti	Mesopotamian	Normal
Mycenae MycenaeDYN	Agamemnon	Achaeans	Mycenae	Achaea	Aegean	Easy
Troy TroyDYN	Priam	Pelasgians	Troy	Assuwa	Aegean	Normal

Minor factions

Faction	Leader	Culture	Capital	Realm	Royal Path
Merneptah	Merneptah	Egyptians	Mennefer	Lower Egypt	Egyptian
Setnakhte	Setnakhte	Egyptians	Amunia	Lower Egypt Western Desert	Egyptian
Napata	DjarhuNPl MemnonDYN, Pl	Kushites	Napata	Kush	Egyptian
Dungul	Djedefhe	Libu Nomads	Dungul Oasis	Western Desert	?
Meshwesh	Meryey	Libu Nomads	Wehat Mehtet	Western Desert	Egyptian
Carchemish	ZuwaNPl Talmi-TeshubDYN, Pl	Hittites	Carchemish	Lowlands Yamhad	Hittite Mesopotamian
CimmeriansDYN	Hulliya	Urartu	Zalpa	Isuwa	Hittite
Alashiya	Ibiranu	Settled Canaanites	Alashiya	Yamhad	Hittite
Malidiya	Hellarizzi	Hittites	Malidiya	Isuwa Yamhad	Hittite
Sangarian PhrygiansDYN	Zuwalla	Phrygians	Kuwaliya	Assuwa	Aegean
Ugarit	DonisNPl AmmurapiDYN, Pl	Settled Canaanites	Ugarit	Yamhad	Hittite
Ashkelon	Jabin	Settled Canaanites	Ashkelon	Fenkhu	?
Byblos	Abdosir	Settled Canaanites	Gubla	Fenkhu	?
Damascus	Hariyu	Settled Canaanites	Damascus	Retjenu	?
Emar	Arhalba	Settled Canaanites	Emar	Retjenu	Mesopotamian
AssyriaDYN	Ashur-Nadin-Apli	Mesopotamians	Assur	Mat-Assur	Mesopotamian
ShutrukidDYN	Hallutash-Inshushinak	Elamites	Susa	Haltamti	Mesopotamian
LullubiDYN	Ashpabara	Urartu	Musasir	Zagros	Mesopotamian
ShubruDYN	Ukkura	Hittites	Hayasha	Isuwa Zagros	?
SutuDYN	Yakum	Settled Canaanites	Ashimon	Aber Nahra	?
AeoliaDYN	Achilles	Achaeans	Pteleon	Achaea	Aegean
IthacaDYN	Odysseus	Achaeans	Cephallenia	Achaea	Aegean
LyciaDYN	Sarpedon	Pelasgians	Telmessos	Assuwa	Aegean
ThraceDYN	Rhesus	Thracians	Scione	Thrace	Egyptian Hittite Aegean
BoeotiansDYN	Ajax	Achaeans	Thebes	Achaea	Aegean

Non-Playable Factions

Faction	Leader	Culture	Capital	Realm	Royal Path
AbantesDYN	Cyllenos	Achaeans	Eretria	Achaea	Aegean
Abdju	Hehefi	Egyptians	Abdju	Upper Egypt	Egypt
AethaleiaDYN	Alcimos	Achaeans	Myrina	Assuwa	Aegean
AetoliansDYN	Aesymnos	Achaeans	Calydon	Achaea	Aegean
Amurru	Ilimilku	Settled Canaanites	Kadesh	Fenkhu
Ancyra	Nuwanza	Hittites	Ancyra	Highlands	Hittite
AnemoessaDYN	Enyalius	Achaeans	Arcasia	Assuwa	Aegean
AntheadaDYN	Arathos	Achaeans	Halicarnassos	Assuwa	Aegean
ApaesosDYN	Admetos	Achaeans	Adresteia	Assuwa	Aegean
ApsynthioiDYN	Eptaporis	Thracians	Apsynthia	Thrace
ArcadiansDYN	Hebryzelmis	Achaeans	Altis	Achaea	Aegean
Ascanian Phrygia	Chromios	Phrygians	Gordion	Highlands Lowlands
AthinaDYN	Menestheus	Achaeans	Athens	Achaea	Aegean
AthuraDYN	Ili-Pada	Mesopotamians	Kahat	Mat-Assur	Mesopotamian
Beersheba	Naaman	Settled Canaanites	Hathor	Sinai	Egyptian
BithyniDYN	Drenis	Phrygians	Apollonia	Assuwa	Aegean
Buhen	Sute	Kushites	Buhen	Nubia	Egyptian
Buto	Wenebay	Egyptians	Paiuenamun	Lower Egypt	Egyptian
CariansDYN	Hattusalamma	Pelasgians	Cabalis	Assuwa	Hittite Aegean
CassopaeiDYN	Aisakos	Achaeans	Cassope	Achaea	Aegean
ChersonesosDYN	Chromis	Achaeans	Sestos	Thrace
Cibyra	Sunaili	Hittites	Cibyra	Lowlands	Hittite
Cicones DYN	Amatakos	Thracians	Ismaros	Thrace	Aegean Egyptian
CorinthiansDYN	Amythaon	Achaeans	Corinth	Achaea	Aegean
CuretesDYN	Cleolaos	Achaeans	Lefcas	Achaea	Aegean
Dakhla	Pamuna	Libu Nomads	Mut	Western Desert	Egyptian
Denyen	Drakokardos	Aegean Sea Raiders	?	?
DionysiasDYN	Botton	Achaeans	Naxos	Achaea	Aegean
DolopiaDYN	Lycomedes	Achaeans	Dolopeis	Achaea	Aegean
DurankiDYN	Boktnassar	Mesopotamians	Nippur	Mat-Tamti	Mesopotamian
EkurmaDYN	Lik-Ba-Gas	Mesopotamians	Arrapha	Zagros	Mesopotamian
Ekwesh	Naubolos	Aegean Sea Raiders	?	?
EphesosDYN	Archeptolemos	Achaeans	Ephessos	Assuwa	Aegean
Farafra	Munakhte	Libu Nomads	Ta-Iht	Western Desert
Garamantes	Netahu	Libu Nomads	Nomads (near Ner-Neb)	Western Desert
GashamDYN	Nigsummulugal	Mesopotamians	Urbilim	Zagros
Gu-EdinDYN	Kara-Bel	Mesopotamians	Eshnunna	Mat-Tamti	Mesopotamian
GutiumDYN	Hsathrita	Urartu	Tumma	Zagros
Habiru	Resheph	Nomadic Canaanites	Horde (near Ammon)	Retjenu
Halab	Tammuz	Settled Canaanites	Halab	Yamhad
Hazor	Hanno	Settled Canaanites	Hazor	Fenkhu
Het-Nesut	Nebaendjau	Egyptians	Henen Nesut	Lower Egypt	Egyptian
Hetch	Danel	Nomadic Canaanites	Hetch	Sinai	Egyptian
Hubishna	Summalaziti	Hittites	Hubishna	Lowlands	Hittite
HurruDYN	Zuzulli	Hittites	Irridu	Aber Nahra
Igihalkid DYN	Kidin-Hutran III	Elamites	Der	Haltamti Mat-Tamti	Mesopotamian
IshtaranDYN	Tattannu	Mesopotamians	Agade	Mat-Tamti	Mesopotamian
Kanesh	Pittaliya	Hittites	Kanesh	Isuwa	Hittite
KareDYN	Ahiyababa	Mesopotamians	Duara	Mat-Assur	Mesopotamian
Kaska Invaders	Harashi	Hittites	Nomads (near Hattusa)	Highlands
Kawa	Inmontuer	Kushites	Kawa	Kush
KengirDYN	Ibilsin	Mesopotamians	Lagash	Mat-Tamti	Mesopotamian
Kerma	Menakhty	Kushites	Musha	Kush	Egyptian
Kharga	Pairenha	Libu Nomads	Wehat Resyt	Western Desert	Egyptian
Khemenu	Tasenayu	Egyptians	Khemenu	Lower Egypt	Egyptian
Khent-Min	Aref	Egyptians	Khent-Min	Upper Egypt	Egyptian
KirataDYN	Happi	Hittites	Tuttul	Aber Nahra
KishuDYN	Shushushi	Mesopotamians	Malgu	Mat-Tamti	Mesopotamian
Kizzuwatna	Isputahsu	Hittites	Tarsus	Lowlands	Hittite
KnossosDYN	Idomeneus	Achaeans	Knossos	Achaea	Aegean
Kummanni	Summalaziti	Hittites	Kummanni	Isuwa	Hittite
Kurkur	Khorenpti	Egyptians	Kurkur Oasis	Western Desert	Egyptian
KymeDYN	Argyrios	Achaeans	Kyme	Assuwa	Aegean
Larawanda	Wanni	Hittites	Larawanda	Lowlands	Hitttie
Lelegia MinoaDYN	Azatarhunda	Pelasgians	Minoa	Achaea	Aegean
Libu	Akhthor	Libu Nomads	Horde (near Peh)	Western Desert
Lukka	Asasumaises	Sea Wanderers	Per-Wadjet	Lower Egypt	Egyptian
MaeoniansDYN	Uaksatar	Pelasgians	Hapalla	Assuwa
MagnetesDYN	Acoetes	Achaeans	Iolcos	Achaea	Aegean
MaitaDYN	Pilliya	Hittites	Melid	Aber Nahra Isuwa	Mesopotamian
MakariaDYN	Amphitryon	Achaeans	Eressos	Assuwa	Aegean
Manyan Phrygia	Podalirios	Phrygians	Dusae	Highlands	Hittite
MariDYN	Putur-Sin	Mesopotamians	Mari	Mat-Assur	Mesopotamian
Marion	Protesilaus	Settled Canaanites	Paphos	Yamhad
Megiddo	Biridiya	Settled Canaanites	Megiddo	Fenkhu
Mes	Karnakhty	Egyptians	Mes	Upper Egypt	Egyptian
Miam	Adiamep	Egyptians	Miam	Nubia	Egyptian
MiletusDYN	Celaeneus	Achaeans	Miletus	Assuwa	Aegean
NamarDYN	Mashdaiukku	Urartu	Atlila	Zagros
NidrDYN	Ara	Urartu	Mardama	Zagros
NirbuDYN	Menua	Urartu	Tushhap	Zagros
Nubt	Netahu	Egyptians	Nubt	Nubia Upper Egypt	Egyptian
NudimatDYN	Ugurnaszir	Mesopotamians	Rapiku	Mat-Tamti	Mesopotamian
PaeoniansDYN	Mukalas	Thracians	Apsalos	Achaea	Aegean
PalaDYN	Aliziti	Hittites	Tummanna	Highlands
PaphlagoniansDYN	Mestylos	Phrygians	Cythoros	Assuwa Highlands
Parha	Nawiniya	Hittites	Parha	Lowlands
PelasgiotesDYN	Muwaurmah	Pelasgians	Dolyche	Assuwa	Aegean
Per Amun	Wenefy	Egyptians	Per Amun	Lower Egypt	Egyptian
PhlegraDYN	Bias	Achaeans	Olophyxos	Thrace
Pi-Ramesses	Wenefy	Egyptians	Pi-Ramesses	Lower Egypt	Egyptian
Purushanda	Zikar	Hittites	Purushanda	Highlands	Hittite
PylosDYN	Nestor	Achaeans	Pylos	Achaea	Aegean
QinguDYN	Balasi	Mesopotamians	Sur-Marrati	Mat-Tamti	Mesopotamian
QuihaDYN	Aduman	Hittites	Sinope	Isuwa
Rhacotis	Siesebuy	Egyptians	Ra-Ked	Lower Egypt	Egyptian
RhodesDYN	Epistrophos	Achaeans	Ialysos	Assuwa	Aegean
Sakka	Tanit	Settled Canaanites	Sakka	Retjenu
Sapinuwa	Taha	Hittites	Zippalanda	Highlands Isuwa	Hittite
Saww	Djediamay	Egyptians	Saww	Upper Egypt
Shechem	Zimrida	Settled Canaanites	Shechem	Retjenu	Egyptian
Shedyt	Nebay	Egyptians	Shedyt	Lower Egypt	Egyptian
Shekelesh	Nashuya	Sea Wanderers	?	?	Aegean
SkyrosDYN	Acontes	Achaeans	Skyros	Assuwa	Aegean
SuhuDYN	Ipqu-Annunitum	Mesopotamians	Sangaritu	Mat-Assur	Mesopotamian
Sukkot	Hanno	Nomadic Canaanites	Azzati	Sinai	Egyptian
TehenouDYN	Tsont-Nofre	Libu Nomads	Wehat Siwa	Western Desert
TeishebaDYN	Armanani	Hittites	Aripsha	Isuwa Zagros	Mesopotamian
TeleboansDYN	Aigipan	Achaeans	Hyrie	Achaea	Aegean
TemenDYN	Uras	Mesopotamians	Anat	Mat-Assur	Mesopotamian
TereiaDYN	Tarhuziti	Pelasgians	Pelopia	Assuwa	Aegean
Teresh	Dawas	Sea Wanderers	?	?
ThrakesDYN	Diuzenes	Thracians	Athyra	Thrace	Hittite
ThyniDYN	Ketriporis	Thracians	Salmydessos	Thrace	Hittite
Timna	Eshuwara	Settled Canaanites	Timna	Sinai
Tjeker	Kanajami	Sea Wanderers	?	?
TlawaDYN	Uaksatar	Pelasgians	Myra	Assuwa	Aegean
TriopionDYN	Cleson	Achaeans	Mobolla	Assuwa	Aegean
Tuwana	Unnupa	Hittites	Mokissos	Highlands Lowlands	Hittite
Uba-t Duat	Munakhte	Egyptians	Uba-t Duat	Lower Egypt Upper Egypt	Egyptian
UrDYN	Ea-Nasir	Mesopotamians	Ur	Mat-Tamti	Mesopotamian
UrumuDYN	Sidirparna	Urartu	Upumu	Isuwa Zagros
Urushalim	Tanni	Settled Canaanites	Urushalim	Fenkhu Sinai
UtuDYN	Adad-Shuma-Iddina	Mesopotamians	Idu	Mat-Tamti	Mesopotamian
VehindaDYN	Mizramuwa	Pelasgians	Phellos	Assuwa	Aegean
Waset	Tepety	Egyptians	Waset	Upper Egypt	Egyptian
WeilaDYN	Aguragas	Mesopotamians	Sapiratum	Mat-Assur	Mesopotamian
Weshesh	Nauplios	Aegean Sea Raiders	?	?	Egyptian
Zawty	Pahi	Egyptians	Zawty	Upper Egypt	Egyptian

Trivia

• The early/pre-release names of the non-playable factions are as follows:
  • Aleppo becomes Halab
  • Akhmin becomes Khent-Min
  • Paphos becomes Marion
  • Faiyum becomes Shedyt
  • Mefka Qes becomes Uba-t Duat
• Ramesses, Seti, Tausret, Amenmesse, Irsu, Bay, Merneptah, and Setnakhte are the only remaining Egyptian and Canaanite factions named after the overlord (leader) similar to Total War: Three Kingdoms.
  • Merneptah is the only faction that would become "Mennefer" in Pharaoh, and "Khaemwaset" onward in Dynasties.
  • Setnakhte is the only faction led by a generic turned unique leader.
• Hatti and Tarhuntassa are the only Hittite factions whose names are changed from their leaders' names in Dynasties.
• Napata, Carchemish, and Ugarit have different leaders.
• Meshwesh and Shutrukid were originally known as "Bahariya" under Wiaeadjaha's leadership and "Igihalkid".