- Ma Chao is a Chinese name; the family name is Ma.
Ma Chao is a unique legendary Vanguard hero in Total War: Three Kingdoms. He is the heir of Ma Teng in 182, 190, 194, and 200. In 182 and 190, Ma Chao is still a child.
General Information[]
Attributes[]
Main Article: Attributes (Total War: Three Kingdoms)
![]() Expertise |
![]() Resolve |
![]() Cunning |
![]() Instinct |
![]() Authority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 85 | 83 | 26 | 116 | 45 |
| -16% construction cost (administered commandery) +26 melee evasion +30% general's health +5k population growth (administered commandery) +0% ammunition (own retinue) +0 military supplies (own army) +25% melee damage -7% recruitment cost (this army) +1 satisfaction (faction-wide, if leader, heir or prime minister) +1 unit morale (own retinue) | ||||
Background[]
Main Article: Background (Total War: Three Kingdoms)
Most-Brilliant Warrior
- +30 expertise
- +10 resolve
- +20 instinct
- +1 resilience
- -10% upkeep for Qiang units (faction-wide, if leader, heir or prime minister)
- +15% armour for all shock cavalry (faction-wide, if leader, heir or prime minister)
- +15% melee damage for all shock cavalry (faction-wide, if leader, heir or prime minister)
- Admires Attractiveness, Admires Refinement
Traits[]
Main Article: Traits (Total War: Three Kingdoms)
- Brave
- Reckless
- +6 resolve
- -4 instinct
- -10% chance of evading capture post-battle
- -1 mustering turns (armies in administered commandery)
- -5 public order (administered commandery)
- +10% speed
- Accepts Impulsiveness, Resents Discipline, Resents Caution
- Fraternal
- +8 resolve
- -50% desire for higher office
- Focuses on Friendship
Skills[]
Main Article: Skill (Total War: Three Kingdoms)
- Roar of the Beast
- +4 resolve
- +4 instinct
- Ability: Roar of the Beast
- Reach
- Flexibility
- +8 resolve
- -25% redeployment cost (if leader, heir or prime minister)
- +5% replenishment (when commanding)
- Passion
- +8 instinct
- Unlocks assignment: Conscription
- +25% melee damage for all shock cavalry (own retinue)
Abilities[]
Main Article: Ability (Total War: Three Kingdoms)
- 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)
- Heirloom Spear
- Ma Chao's Armour
- Red Horse
- Speed: 97
- Mass: 1.5k
- +2 instinct
Guanxi[]
Main Article: Guanxi
- Family
- Acquaintances
Biography[]
Ma Chao was born in 176 AD in Youfufeng (modern-day Shaanxi) to Ma Teng. He participated in his father's campaign against Han Sui as an officer after the two allies had a falling out, but was heavily wounded by Yan Xing, one of Han Sui's own officers. Despite this defeat, Ma Chao was not deterred and returned to the campaign as soon as possible. In fact, Ma Chao was so brave that it often bordered on suicidal stupidity, yet he nevertheless became quite well-known as a skilled warrior. In time, the Ma clan would gain the hand over Han Sui, greatly expanding their influence and territory.
Ma Teng also arranged an alliance with Cao Cao's Duchy of Wei to the east, and Ma Chao was sent to assist Cao Cao's forces in their wars against Guo Yan and Gao Gan as a sign of goodwill. In the latter half of the 210s, Ma Chao was appointed by his father as a lieutenant-general, marquis, and held de facto control over Chang'an, though years of civil war had turned the city into a shadow of its former glory. What followed was one of the strangest sequences of events of the Three Kingdoms era. As most of the Ma clan fell in line with Cao Cao, Ma Chao turned his back on his family and made a "deal with the devil" with Han Sui, as the two worked together to oust the Ma and Duchy of Wei from northwestern China.
The coalition against Cao Cao, while an unlikely feat of comradery, was nonetheless hopelessly outnumbered by Wei's forces, and Ma Chao and Han Sui were forced to retreat west into the borderlands. Here, they allied with the "barbarians" beyond China's borders, who made up most of their army at this point. Together with another warlord resisting Cao Cao further to the south, Zhang Lu, Ma Chao launched an invasion and proclaimed himself ruler of Bing and Liang provinces. Xiahou Yuan, who was sent to deal with the invasion, failed to dislodge Ma Chao, yet when Ma's own officers rebelled against him, he was forced to flee once more, this time south into Zhang Lu's territory.
Zhang Lu supported Ma Chao during another invasion of Liang province, which failed. Afterwards, Zhang Lu decided to cut his losses and deny Ma Chao entry back into his territory. Ma Chao then sheltered once more with the barbarians until he was invited to join Liu Bei's campaign against Liu Zhang in Yi province. Ma Chao fought for Liu Bei and later the Kingdom of Shu-Han until his eventual death in 222 AD, having changed allegiances many times yet achieving very little.
Other Languages[]
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Ma Chao - Mengqi |
| French | Ma Chao - Mengqi |
| German | Ma Chao - Mengqi |
| Italian | Ma Chao - Mengqi |
| Spanish | Ma Chao - Mengqi |
| Portuguese | Ma Chao - Mengqi |
| Polish | Ma Chao - Mengqi |
| Czech | Ma Čchao - Meng-čchi |
| Turkish | Ma Chao - Mengqi |
| Chinese (Simplified)
|
马超 (孟起) Mǎ Chāo (Mèngqǐ)
|
| Chinese (Traditional)
|
馬超 (孟起) Mǎ Chāo (Mèngqǐ)
|
| Korean | 마초 (맹기) Ma-cho (Maeng-gi)
|
| Russian | Ма Чао - Мэнци Ma Chao - Mentsi
|




