Retinues are groups of units in armies of Total War: Three Kingdoms.[1]
Overview[]
In Total War: Three Kingdoms, units and armies are different from previous titles such as Total War: Rome II and Total War: Warhammer. In the game, armies are still the active pieces on the campaign map. However, armies consist of up to 3 retinues instead of units directly. Recruitment, modifiers, and death are all organized by retinues.
Each retinue belongs to a character (ie. general) or a captain. In Romance mode, the general is fielded in the battle as single-model hero unit with outsized combat abilities to match. In records mode, every general goes to battles with a group of bodyguards. A retinue can field up to six additional units.
Units are recruited to the retinue instantly at a low number, requiring several turns to muster to full strength (like units in the earlier Thrones of Britannia). Mustering speed can be modified by reforms and other faction-wide factors. Individually, units are never truly wiped out as long as the retinue as a whole survives. Instead, fully routed units require a number of turns to return to the retinue. The number of turns required maybe 1 or 2 depending on the remaining strength at the time of the route. After returning, units start at low health and require time to muster again. Only when all units are routed and when the commanding general is killed all retinues in an army will be removed from the campaign as a whole.
Units in a retinue can receive bonuses (or maluses) from the commanding general that are labeled own retinue. In Romance mode, this includes the generals themselves. For example, a character skill that unlocks fatigue resistance will make the general themselves fatigue more slowly; the ammo bonus from Cunning and Brilliant will apply if the character is equipped with a bow item. Similarly, in records mode, retinue bonuses apply to the general's bodyguard.
Retinue will follow their commanding general wherever they go, even across factions, adding extra value to the talented individuals wandering the campaign map seeking a new master.[2]
Recruit retinue[]
- Main article: Army (Total War: Three Kingdoms)#Raise and recruit
Add retinue[]
An army is composed of up to three retinues, each of which is led by a general, and may contain up to six units. To add a retinue to an army, the player must first recruit a character to become its general. The character’s class defines which units he can recruit into his retinue. For example, only a Strategist may recruit artillery. The generals will immediately populate their retinue with at least two units of their own, defined by their character class.
Players can then recruit up to two more characters to lead further retinues in the army, and recruit units into those retinues.
If there's an existing army, select the army model on the campaign or in the armies list interface, and the army panel will be visible, the player will see a button marked 'recruit' to the left of the army panel. This enables players to hire new generals and troops into the selected, existing army. Hiring a new general into the army creates a new retinue, and that general will immediately populate their retinue with at least two units of their own, defined by their character class.
Add units into retinue[]
Units can be added to each retinue by then clicking the plus symbols to the right of existing retinues.
When recruiting units into a retinue, the player can choose from a roster that the general of that retinue has access to according to his character class, character rank, and affiliated faction. The recruitment panel shows each unit’s recruitment cost, seasonal upkeep cost, and mustering time. Recruitment can only be performed in territory owned unless a specific faction mechanic allows it.
Retinue cap[]
Each general can lead up to six retinues. Each army contains up to three generals, so the maximum number of retinue is 18 per army.