For the general information and subculture, see Han Empire.
For the playable emperor faction, see Liu Hong (faction).
The Han Empire is a non-playable faction in Total War: Three Kingdoms. However, the faction can become playable if the player chooses to restore the Empire. As a result, this page has been split into two sections to avoid confusion. Info related to the non-playable Han Empire at the top and info on the reformed Han Empire at the bottom.
Non-Playable Han Empire[]
The Han Empire is a non-playable faction in Total War: Three Kingdoms. It appears in 190, 182, and 200. It is located in almost every corner of China, with its capital in Cangwu commandery. The Han Empire cannot gain a rank and is permanently stuck on the rank of Imperial Holdings.
Unique Features[]
Unique Units
- None
Unique Buildings
- None
Unique Features
- Emperor Xian
- Annexation
Emperor Xian[]
Main Article: Emperor Xian
Emperor Xian is the puppet emperor of the Han Dynasty. Whoever controls Xian controls the Han Empire. He starts the game off in Jingzhao commandery under the control of Dong Zhuo. However, if Chang'an were to be conquered by a foreign power, Emperor Xian – and, subsequently, the Han Empire – would fall under their control instead. Controlling Xian leads to a faction vassalizing the Han Empire which is particularly profitable in the early game as it gives the players the early benefits of a strong economy and the ability to annex Han territories at their discretion before the Han dissipates into a rump state, the Imperial intrigue system offers new benefits in later stages of the campaign once Emperor Xian comes of age in 197 CE. However this comes at the cost of garnering large opposition as the Warlord controlling the Emperor is therefore bound to defend the Han from any who attack them as their vassal lord.
Annexation[]
The Han Empire, while easily the largest faction at the start of the game, the faction is passive and does not tend to raise armies to defend itself, and comes under attack from all sides. Oftentimes, it is better to annex parts of the Empire instead of leaving it as a weakened shell of its former glory. The faction that controls Emperor Xian can annex Han settlements at a small cost, transferring the county into their faction without bloodshed. Controlling Emperor Xian in the early game can be somewhat profitable as the vassalised Han Empire offers a strong economy and the ability to annex its territories at a small cost, this advantage can be used for early expansion as the Han becomes an insignificant rump state over time.
Starting Situation[]
Rise of the Warlords (190)[]
190, Han Empire - Green, Dong Zhuo - Blue, Enemies - Red
The year is 190, and the Han Empire is the largest faction in China. However, the AI faction itself is quite passive and non-aggressive and does not often raise armies to defend its territories and as a result become an easy target to conquer. Furthermore, they are a vassal of Dong Zhuo, who happens to be at war with almost everybody in China. All these issues combined will lead to the Han Empire collapsing into an insignificant rump state in short order.
Characters
- Huangfu Song
- Bao Xin
- Zhao Qian
- Deng Yuan
- Bian Rang
- Xun You
- Huan Dian
- Quan Rou
- Jia Cong
- Chang Xia
- Lu Kang
- Dong Cheng
- Zao Zhi
- Cui Lie
- Yang Biao
- Fan Min
- Tian Feng
- Wei Jie
- Zhao Wen
- Zheng Tai
- Du Ji
- Wang Yun
- Taishi Ci
- Tian Fen
- Yang Feng
- Han Rong
- Cui Jun
- Huang Wan
- Chen Ji
- Yuan Huan
- Xuan Fan
- Zhu Jun
- Cai Yong
- Yang Zhong
- Xu Huang
- Zheng Xuan
- Liu Mao
- Shisun Rui
- Liu Fan
- Liu Dan
Candidates
- Fan Chou
- Lu Zhi
- Chen Gong
- Yu Jin
- Guo Jia
- Ji Ling
- Mao Jie
- Lü Fan
- Zhang Hong
- Ju Jun
- Zhou Tai
- Wei Huang
- Shen Pei
- Yang Ren
Mandate of Heaven (182)[]
182, Han Empire - Green, Liu Hong - Yellow
In 182, the Han Empire is a bit more stable, as their only enemies are in the yellow turban leaders to the north. However, they are still a vassal to Emperor Liu Hong, and they are (per usual) constantly bankrupt. This leaves them vulnerable to yellow turban rebels rising up across China, and this version of the Empire will also collapse into a rump state, albeit at a much slower pace. In the Mandate of Heaven DLC the Empire itself is composed of the vassal state of Liu Hong and territories inhabited by Warlords and Governors who are nominal subjects to Emperor Liu Hong. The Han itself is not directly playable but rather indirectly playable by playing as Emperor Liu Hong who has his own unique faction, through this mechanic the players are able to manage the affairs of the Han Empire and their subjects through options in diplomacy.
Characters
- Wang Yun
- Zou Jing
- Liu Fan
- Yang Zhong
- Zhu Jun
- Tian Feng
- Liu Zhang
- Shisun Rui
- Bian Rang
- Chen Ji
- Han Rong
- Zhou Huan
- Yang Biao
- Ling Zheng
- Dong Cheng
- Zhao Qian
- Quan Rou
- Huang Wan
- Bao Xin
- Deng Yuan
- Liu Mao
- Liu Yan
- Geng Bi
- Chang Xia
- Cheng Qiu
- Xun You
- Fan Min
- Du Ji
- Taishi Ci
- Xuan Fan
- Zao Zhi
- Zheng Xuan
- Jia Cong
- Liu Dan
- Zhou Shen
- Xun Yu
- Tian Fen
- Zhao Wen
- Sang Mengan
- Yang Feng
Candidates
- Cai Yong
- Lü Fan
- Wei Huang
- Ju Jun
- Yu Jin
- Shen Pei
- Zhou Tai
- Ji Ling
- Chen Gong
- Mao Jie
- Zhang Hong
- Yang Ren
- Fan Chou
A World Betrayed (194)[]
194, Han Empire - Green, Li Jue - Dark Blue, Fellow Vassals - Light Blue, Enemies - Red
In 194, barely anything is left of the Empire. All its territories in northern China have been lost, and it remains a vassal under Dong Zhuo's successor, Li Jue. Most of the military has either died or defected to warlords.
Characters
- Huangfu Song
- Jia Cong
- Huan Dian
- Han Rong
- Wei Huang
- Xun You
- Ju Jun
- Liu Mao
- Bian Rang
- Liu Dan
- Yang Zhong
- Zheng Xuan
- Deng Yuan
- Liu Fan
Playable Han Empire[]
Han restoration decision
The Han Empire can be restored if the player owns the Fates Divided DLC. This can be done by any faction which controls Emperor Xian and becomes the first person to gain the rank of King. This faction is granted two options: declare themselves Emperor or restore Emperor Xian to the throne. This choice is given only once and the decision is irrevokable. If the faction chooses to restore the Empire, their name will change to Han Empire, they will adopt the Han Flag, and Liu Xie (Emperor Xian) becomes the ruler of the restored Empire.
Interestingly, the Empire does retain the map colour of the original faction that formed it. For example, if the Han Empire is restored by Cao Cao, the faction becomes blue on the map instead of its usual red colour.
There are some factions who do not get the option to restore the Han Empire, however. These are:
- Bandits (Zheng Jiang, Zhang Yan, etc.)
- Yellow Turbans (He Yi, Huang Shao, etc.)
- Nanman Factions (King Meng Huo, King Shamoke, etc,)
Unique Features[]
The Han Empire after being restored by Liu Chong. Note how it keeps Chong's orange colour instead of the default red.
Unique Units
- Inherited from the faction that restored the Empire.
Unique Buildings
- Inherited from the faction that restored the Empire.
Unique Features
- Inherited from the faction that restored the Empire.
- Liu Xie
- Han Dynasty Restored
Liu Xie[]
Liu Xie, or Emperor Xian, is restored to the throne upon the restoration of the Han Empire. However, he is not like your typical faction leader. He has no military stats whatsoever and can never be deployed on the campaign map. He is the only character from 190 onwards who has this effect, as only a few select characters in the faction of Emperor Liu Hong have this same effect in 182. The previous faction leader, for example, Cao Cao, becomes a character in the court of Liu Xie and can be deployed as a general.
Han Dynasty Restored[]
Han Dynasty Restored is a modifier granted after reforming the Han Empire. It is a powerful modifier that allows the player to conquer large amounts of territory without worrying about revolts or public order too much. However, it is a temporary modifier.
Han Dynasty Restored
- Turns: 20
- +10 public order (faction-wide)
- +25 diplomatic relations with Han Empire factions
Having placed Emperor Xian back on the throne, all of China rejoices and praises your devotion.
Two Han Empires[]
Reforming the Han Empire does lead to a confusing situation. If the non-playable Han Empire still exists upon the player reforming the Han Empire themselves, two Han Empires will exist on the map simultaneously with the same flag, as the AI faction will not be annexed. Furthermore, they will immediately break vassalization as the new Han Empire no longer "controls" Emperor Xian. As a result, the AI Han Empire will become a free nation that might very well ally itself with the player's enemies, leading to the two Han Empires being at war with each other.
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