- 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
- Can use if:
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[]
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[]
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
- Family
- Song Jinting (wife)
- Gongsun Xu (son)
Gongsun Zan's Guanxi
- Friends
- Acquaintances
- Negative Acquaintances
- Rivals
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[]
| Total War THREE KINGDOMS playable characters | |
|---|---|
| Sentinel | Bao Xin・Cai He・Cai Yang・Cao Ren・Chang Diao・Chang Xia・Chen Heng・Chen Qian・Chen Wu・Chen Xiu・Cheng Pu・Congqian・Cui Jun・Deng Ai・Ding Feng・Gan Li・Gao Gan・Gongsun Du・Gongsun Xu・Guo Xian・Hou Yin・Han SuiS・Huang She・Huang YueyingF・Huang ZhongS・Huangfu Song・Jia Long・Jian Yong・Li Dian・Liang Xing・Liu Shang・Liu Yao・Lu Meng・Lu Zhi・Ma Mao・Qu Ying・Song Jian・Sui Gu・Sun JianS・Sun Shao・Taishi CiS・Tao Shang・Tian Fen・Wang Kuang・Wang Su・Wang Yu・Xia Zhao・Xiaoqiao・Xu HuangS・Xue Li・Yan Xing・Yang Bo・Yang Hong・Yang Zhong・Yin Li・Yu Jin・Yuan Shang・Yue JinS・Zang Hong・Zhang Hu・Zhang LiaoS・Zhang Ya・Zhao YunS・Zheng Bao・Zhu Zhi |
| Champion | Cai Zhong・Cao Ang・Cao Hong・Cao Shuang・Cao Xi・Cao Zhang・Chang Xi・Chen Jiu・Chen Lan・Cheng Yi・Dong Feng・Dian WeiS・Gao Ding・Gao Sheng・Guan Xing・Guan YuS・Han Fu・Han Hao・Hong Ming・Huan Lin・Huan Zhi・Huang Gai・Huang Zu・Huo Nu・Ji Ben・Jiang Gong・Li Damu・Li Huan・Li Yu・Ling Tong・Liu Shao・Lu Kang・Pang De・Qu Gong・Quan Rou・Sen Pei・Song Yang・Tao Ying・Tuoba Liwei・Wang Xi・Wei Huang・Wei Jie・Wen Chou・Xiahou DunS・Xianyu Yin・Xin Ping・Xu ChuS・Xu Rong・Xuan Fan・Yang Feng・You Tu・Yu Qin・Zang Ba・Zao Zhi・Zhang Fang・Zhang Fu・Zhang Guang・Zhang Lu・Zhang YanS・Zhao Du・Zheng Yan・Zheng JiangSF・Zou Lin・Zuozi Hangba |
| Strategist | Bao Xun・Bian Rang・Bu LianshiF・Cai YanF・Cai Yong・Cao Chong・Cao Zhi・Chang Lin・Che Zhou・Chen Biao・Chen Di・Chen Gong・Chen Lin・Chen Qun・Chen Zhen・Cheng Xu・Cheng Yu・Cui Lin・Cui Yan・DiaochanF・Ding Yi・Dong Yun・Dong Zhao・Du Qiong・Fa Zheng・Fan Qin・Lady FengF・Feng Shuo・Fu Gan・Fu Jia・Fu Wan・Gao Rou・Gaotang・Gongsun Xiu・Gu Yong・Guan Chun・Guan Jing・Guan Lu・Guan Ning・Guanqiu Dian・Guo Jia・Guo Tu・Han Ji・Han Ran・Han Rong・Han Yin・Handan Chun・Handan Shang・He Yan・He Zeng・Hu Zhao・Hu Zhi・Hu Zong・Hua Biao・Hua Tuo・Hua Xin・Huan Dian・Huan Fan・Huan Jia・Huang Wan・Hungfu Mi・Ji Miao・Ji Mu・Jia Chong・Jia Cong・Jia Xu・Jiang Ji・Jin Yi・Ju Shou・Kan Ze・Kong RongS・Kong Zhou・Kuai Liang・Kuai Yue・Liu Ba・Li Chao・Li Fu・Li Kang・Li Ru・Li Shao・Li Xiu・Liang Mao・Liu Dai・Liu Fu・Liu He・Liu Ji・Liu Yan・Liu Ye・Liu Yi・Liu Zhen・Lu An・Liu Fan・Lu Ji・Lu Kai・Lu Mao・Lu Su・Lu Xing・Lu Xun・Lu Yi・Lu Yu・Lu ZhengF・Ma Liang・Ma Midi・Ma Qiu・Ma Su・Ma Yu・Mao Jie・Mi Heng・Mi Zhu・Miao Xi・Min Chun・Pan Xu・Pang Ji・Pang Tong・Pei Jun・Pei Qian・Peng Yang・Qi Zhou・Qiao Zhou・Qin Mi・Quan Ji・Que Xuan・Ren An・Ren Jun・Ruan Yu・Shan Gu・Shan Tao・Shen You・Sheng Xian・Shi Wei・Shi Xie・Shi Yi・Shi Zhi・Sima Feng・Sima Fu・Sima Lang・Sima YiS・Su Shuo・Su Ze・Sun Qian・Sun Xu・Tao QianS・Teng Yin・Tian Chou・Tian Feng・Tian Jing・Wang Biao・Wang Can・Wang Dang・Wang Fu・Wang Jian・Wang Lan・Wang Lei・Wang Lie・Wang Su・Wang Xiang・Wei Dan・Wei Feng・Wei Shu・Wei You・Wei Zhao・Wei Hui・Wu Fan・Wu Shuo・Wu Zhi・Xiahou Rong・Xiahou Xuan・Xiahou Zuo・Xiahou Lang・Xiao QiaoSF・Xin Xianying・Xing Yong・Xu Gan・Xu Jing・Xu Miao・Xu Shao・Xu Shu・Xu Ta・Xu Xuan・Xu You・Xue Zong・Xun Wei・Xun Yu・Xun Yue・Yan Pu・Yan Xiang・Yan Yu・Yang Chou・Yang Dao・Yang Xi・Yang Xiu・Yao Tai・Yao Zhou・Ying Qu・Ying Yang・Ying Yu・Yu Fan・Yuan Long・Yuan Yi・Yue Dun・Zhang Chao・Zhang Cheng・Zhang Chunhua・Zhang Hong・Zhang Ji・Zhang Miao・Zhang Min・Zhang Quan・Zhang Song・Zhang Wen・Zhang Yun・Zhang Zan・Zhang Zhao・Zhang Zhen・Zhang Zhi・Zhao Ang・Zhao Qi・Zhao Wei・Zhao Yan・Zhao Yi・Zheng Mao・Zheng Mo・Zheng Sui・Zheng Tai・Zheng Xuan・Zhong Yao・Zhongchang Tong・Zhou Huan・Zhou YuS・Zhou Zhi・Zhu En・Zhu Gui・Zhu Han・Zhuge Jin・Zhuge LiangS |
| Vanguard | Bu Ji・Bu Zhi・Cai Mao・Dong Zhuo・Gan Ning・Gongsun ZanS・Liu Qi・Lü BuS・Ma ChaoS・Ma TengS・Shisun Rui・Sun CeS・Sun RenSF・Xiahou Jie・Xiahou YuanS・Yan Liang・Ze Rong・Zhang FeiS・Zhang He・Zhang Yang |
| Commander | Lady BianF・Lady CaiF・Cai Xun・Cao CaoS・Cao JieF・Cao Ren・DaqiaoF・Da QiaoSF・Dong PeishanF・Guan YinpingF・Liu BeiS・Liu BiaoS・Lady LiuF・Liu Yu・Liu ZhangS・Wang Lang・Lady WuF・Sun QuanS・Yuan AnyangF・Yuan ShaoS・Yuan ShuS・Yuan Tan・Yuan Xi |
| Healer (YTR) | Han Xian・He YiS・Liu Pi・Wang Du |
| Veteran (YTR) | Gong DuS・Guan Hai・Liao Hua・Pei YuanshaoS・Zhang KaiS・Zhao Bo |
| Scholar (YTR) | Guo Da・He ManS・Huang ShaoSWang Rao・Xu He |