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Gongsun Zan is a Chinese name; the family name is Gongsun.
For the faction, see Gongsun Zan

Gongsun Zan is a unique legendary Vanguard hero in Total War: Three Kingdoms. He leads his own faction, Gongsun Zan, in 190 and 194.


Description[]

Gongsun Zan is heard like a clarion call above the chaos. He stands firm in his beliefs and is unafraid to do what he feels to be right. As defender of the dangerous fringes of the empire, Gongsun Zan believes that military precision must be observed in all things.

Gongsun Zan is the choice of expert militarists – he is a warrior without fear or restraint, but also a defensive master when the situation requires it. Bravery is his calling card, and if there's an obstacle he has to conquer, you'd better hope he's on your side.


Overview[]

Gongsun Zan is a traditional military-minded character, and his playstyle reflects this. Focusing on a militaristic approach to empire management, Gongsun Zan doesn't have access to administrators but instead has his civic matters overseen by the commanding generals of his armies – who also provide bonuses to the commanderies in which they're stationed.

Gongsun Zan himself provides two important bonuses as a faction leader. The first is a 50% reinforcement range bonus, meaning that his armies are more likely to reinforce each other in all situations. This makes him particularly strong when he's on the defensive, and synergises well with the civic bonuses gained from his commanding generals.

The second is his shock cavalry, which are more heavily armoured compared with other factions' and as such much more durable in combat. However, both of these bonuses are specific to Gongsun Zan, meaning that they will both be lost should he fall and be replaced by his heir.

General Information[]

Attributes[]

Main Article: Attributes (Total War: Three Kingdoms)

  • Expertise: 39
    • -3% construction cost (administered commandery)
    • +5 melee evasion
  • Resolve: 57
    • +16% general's health
    • +2k population growth (administered commandery)
  • Cunning: 30
    • +1% ammunition (own retinue)
    • +1 military supplies (own army)
  • Instinct: 131
    • +29% melee damage
    • -8% recruitment cost (this army)
  • Authority: 87
    • +5 satisfaction (faction-wide)
    • +4 unit morale (own retinue)


Background[]

Main Article: Background (Total War: Three Kingdoms)

The Iron Fist General

  • +10 expertise
  • +20 instinct
  • +30 authority
  • +1 resilience
  • +25% post-battle loot income (faction-wide)
  • -25% recruitment cost for ranged cavalry units
  • +3 starting rank for all cavalry units (faction-wide)

Respects Discipline, Opposes Criminality, Dislikes Carelessness, Dislikes Impulsiveness.


Unit Statistics[]

  • Morale: 40
  • Melee Toughness: 26
  • Ranged Toughness: 34
  • Melee Power: 26


  • Hit Points: 18k
  • Melee Charge Bonus: 251
  • Melee Attack Rate: 24
  • Base Melee Damage: 609
  • Armour-Piercing Melee Damage: 1.9k
  • Base Melee Evasion: 5%
  • Base Armour: 65%
  • Speed: 109


Traits[]

Main Article: Traits (Total War: Three Kingdoms)

Brave

  • +12 resolve
  • +3 morale (when commanding)

Commends Bravery.


Indecisive

  • +4 expertise
  • -4 authority
  • -10% character experience
  • +10 cover cost for enemy spies
  • Decreases ambition to gain independence as administrator

Resents Decisiveness.


Determined

  • +6 resolve
  • +2 instinct

Admires Zeal, Respects Decisiveness.


Skills[]

Main Article: Skill (Total War: Three Kingdoms)

  • 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)
  • Roar of the Beast
    • +4 resolve
    • +4 instinct
    • Ability: Roar of the Beast
  • Dignity
    • +8 instinct
    • Enabled: Disciplined (own retinue)
    • +5 faction support (faction-wide)


Abilities[]

Main Article: Ability (Total War: Three Kingdoms)

  • Scare
    • Reduces nearby enemy morale. Does not stack.
  • Mighty Knockback
    • Causes extra damage when knocking back enemies.
  • Roar of the Beast (Active Debuff)
    • Can use if:
      • In melee
      • Engaged in a duel or has an attack order
      • Not on Elephant
    • -18 Morale
    • Range: 50m
    • Duration: 15s
    • Cooldown: 60s


Ancillaries[]

Main Article: Ancillary (Total War: Three Kingdoms)

  • Dread Bringer
    • Base Melee Damage: 471
    • Armour-Piercing Melee Damage: 1.9k
    • Melee Attack Rate: 24
    • -15 expertise
    • +24 instinct
    • Enables: Scare
  • Gongsun Zan's Armour
    • Base Armour: 65
    • +15 instinct
    • +6 authority
    • +12% speed
  • White Horse
    • Speed: 97
    • Mass: 1.5k
    • +2 authority


Game progression[]

Starting position[]

TW3K Gongsun Zan-Start-Postion

Gongsun Zan's Starting Position Note: This graphic is outdated.

Gongsun Zan's starting position in Youbeiping Commandery is relatively secure. It can easily be turned into a stronghold – but breaking out of is no mean feat. Gongsun Zan's faction also benefits from the unique unit that is the white horse archer cavalry, which are the some of the most powerful horse archer units in-game and can be used for a number of potent strategies in battle.

Gongsun Zan's immediate rival is Liu Yu stationed to the west, posing a significant threat. It falls to the Gongsun Zan, Defender of the North, to defeat him and win control of the surrounding areas – the player need to unify the North before the chaos overtakes it. Meanwhile, the old neighbour Yuan Shao grows ever more powerful, and conflict with him is almost inevitable – unless player can find a way to negotiate with him and Han Fu and turn a historical enemy into an ally.

Gongsun Zan's initial focus should be securing a stronghold in the north. This could incorporate securing an alliance with Gongsun Du, but it also might be more efficient to subjugate Gongsun Du and dominate the area entirely. This could also be the opportunity to take out rival Liu Yu and lay claim to the Han Empire region.

Once this stronghold is established, player's progression will inevitably lead west – where conflict with Yuan Shao is very likely. As such, it might be wise to find allies beyond Yuan Shao's realm – such as his half-brother Yuan Shu, the cunning Cao Cao, or even the bandits in the mountains Zhang Yan or Zheng Jiang.

Initial Dilemma[]

TW3K Gongsun Zan-Inital-dilemma

Gongsun Zan's Initial Dilemma

There is a conflict brewing between Gongsun Zan and the neighbouring Liu Yu, who adopted a very different and more lenient strategy when dealing with the Wuhuan and Xianbi peoples. Liu Yu is also supported by Dong Zhuo, and Gongsun Zan is resentful about Liu Yu's success. Additionally, Yuan Shao is asking Gongsun Zan for aid against Han Fu, meaning the player has the option to channel the resources towards this conflict in an attempt to appease to him.


Guanxi[]

Main Article: Guanxi


Biography[]

Main article: Timeline (Total War: Three Kingdoms)

Gongsun Zan is a military-minded man who sees ruling a state much like commanding an army.

He's long defended the northern territories against the barbarians along with Liu Yu, however a rivalry formed between them due to their differences in approach. Liu Yu favoured a more lenient policy towards the non-Han Wuhuan and Xianbi peoples, while Gongsun Zan's was far more hardline – he used white horses when dealing with the Wuhuan people as they considered them to be a holy animal and wouldn't attack him.

In the cacophony of rising chaos, Gongsun Zan is heard like a clarion call above the fray. He stands firm in his beliefs and is unafraid to do what he feels is right. A childhood friend of Liu Bei, Gongsun Zan earned a reputation as a fierce warrior, defending the empire against foreign foes beyond the border. Gongsun Zan rules his lands with the same martial mindset with which he governs his forces – on the dangerous fringes of the empire, military precision in all things must be observed.

Whichever allies he chooses, it remains to be seen whether Gongsun Zan can successfully seize the north and establish a dynastic line strong enough to see him become emperor.[1]


Trivia[]

  • The knight is a title that given by The Creative Assembly to Gongsun Zan after his playstyle, since cavalry is his specialty.
  • Despite sharing the same family name while also having adjacent territory, Gongsun Zan and Gongsun Du have no blood lineage.

Gallery[]

Reference[]

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