For the faction, see Zhang Yan (faction)
- Zhang Yan is a Chinese name; the family name is Zhang.
Zhang Yang is a unique legendary Champion hero in Total War: Three Kingdoms. He leads his own faction, Zhang Yan, in 190, 194 and 200.
Description[]
Zhang Yan is the leader of the Black Mountain bandits, to attack him is to invite both deception and ambush. An opportunist, Zhang Yan seeks to form alliances and friendships with anyone that will further his own interests, be they noble or tyrant.
Zhang Yan is an underdog and a man of opportunity, hovering between nobility and banditry and taking the path that best serves him. Without status or promise behind him, he must fight for renown among some of the era’s most iconic heroes. Zhang Yan’s campaign is for players who want to triumph against the odds and don’t mind having a few tricks up their sleeve to turn things in their favour.
General Information[]
Attributes[]
Main Article: Attributes (Total War: Three Kingdoms)
 Expertise |
 Resolve |
 Cunning |
 Instinct |
 Authority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37 | 116 | 31 | 55 | 72 |
| -2% construction cost (administered commandery) +3 melee evasion +49% general's health +7k population growth (administered commandery) +1% ammunition (own retinue) +1 loot (own army) +8% melee damage -2% recruitment cost (this army) +3 satisfaction (faction-wide, if leader, heir or prime minister) +3 unit morale (own retinue) | ||||
Background[]
Main Article: Background (Total War: Three Kingdoms)
King of Black Mountain
- Enables: Ignore Forest Penalties (faction-wide, if leader, heir or prime minister)
- +50% post-battle loot income (if leader, heir or prime minister)
- +10 expertise
- +20 resolve
- +30 authority
- Unlocks assignment: Bandit Patrols
- +1 resilience
- +3 starting rank for all Black Mountain units (faction-wide, if leader, heir or prime minister)
- +5% chance of ambushing (own army)
Accepts Criminality, Resent Lawfulness.
Traits[]
Main Article: Traits (Total War: Three Kingdoms)
- Stubborn
- +6 resolve
- -4 authority
- Enables: Unbreakable
- Respects Discipline, Disregards Flexibility.
- Greedy
- -4 resolve
- +6 authority
- 50% desire for higher office
- +10% corruption (administered commandery)
- Increases ambition to gain independence as administrator
- Indulges Greed, Disregards Charity.
- Careless
Skills[]
Main Article: Skill (Total War: Three Kingdoms)
- Endurance
- +8 resolve
- -50% attrition from military supply shortage (when commanding)
- Enables: Fatigue Resistance (own retinue)
- Mending
Abilities[]
Main Article: Ability (Total War: Three Kingdoms)
- Immune to Fatigue
- Never feels fatigued.
- Unbreakable
- Does not suffer any morale loss and will never rout.
- Mending (Active Buff, 4)
- Can target it:
- General
- Can use if:
- Not on Elephant
- +50% Armour
- +50% Melee Evasion
- Heal Amount: 1.6k (over 20 seconds)
- Range: 35m, requires target
- Duration: 20s
- Cooldown: 60s
- Can target it:
Ancillaries[]
Main Article: Ancillary (Total War: Three Kingdoms)
- Dual War Axe
- Zhang Yan's Armour
- Base Armour: 47
- +6 expertise
- +15 resolve
- Enables: Fatigue Immunity
- Brown Horse
- Speed: 97
- Mass: 1.5k
- +2 resolve
Guanxi[]
Main Article: Guanxi
- Family
- Zhang Jinglan (wife)
- Zhang Fang (son)
- Acquaintances
Biography[]
- Main article: Timeline (Total War: Three Kingdoms)
Not much is known of Zhang Yan’s early life. Born Chu Yan in Changshan commandery, he was nicknamed Flying Swallow by his men due to his speed, agility, and bravery.
In 185CE, Chu Yan raided the town of Yingtao with fellow bandit leader Zhang Niujue, also known as Oxhorn Zhang. Zhang Niujue was killed in the assault, but before dying he ordered his men to take Chu Yan as their new leader. In order to honour Zhang Niujue, Chu Yan changed his family name to Zhang. He was called Flying Swallow Zhang for his agility.
Although Zhang Yan’s background is one of banditry, making him an enemy of the state, his sole motivation is personal gain and he will happily integrate into the Han Empire elite if it furthers his pursuit of riches. Because of this, Zhang Yan leads his faction with the idea that loyalty is something always up for negation. At the drop of a hat he is willing to switch allegiance to the highest bidder, particularly if he feels that will help him increase his holdings and control in northern China. A man driven by a thirst for power and riches, he believes that words like honour and duty are excuses thrown around by lesser men when they are unable to achieve their desires.
Between the light of the civilised Han, and the chaos of opportunistic banditry, Zhang Yan straddles the twilight – he sees the carnage wrought by Dong Zhuo and wonders how this can be turned to his advantage. To attack the Black Mountain bandits is to invite deception and ambush, as they have mastered the art of war unseen. Yet all the same, Zhang Yan will form alliances and friendships with any who will serve his interests – be they high-born or mud-stained…[1]
Zhang Yan's leadership and military reputation expanded his confederation, dubbed the Heishan bandits, to reportedly one million members, though historians estimate tens of thousands. Operating in the Taihang Mountains, they likely consisted of peasant-led rebels, as noted by scholars, despite the "bandit" label. Their strategic position gave access to Henei, Bing, Ji, Yan, and areas north of the Yellow River. Though Lu Zhi managed to push them from Henei, the Han failed to quell the rebellion. To pacify Zhang Yan, the government appointed him "General of the Household Who Pacifies Disorder," integrating his group into the administration while maintaining Han authority.
In the early 190s, amid civil war, Zhang Yan allied with Gongsun Zan against Yuan Shao. In 193, the Heishan bandits supported rivals of Yuan Shao, nearly capturing his family at Ye. Yuan Shao retaliated with reinforcements, including Lü Bu, and marched through the Taihang Mountains, destroying Zhang Yan’s camps. Despite suffering heavy losses in Changshan, Zhang Yan maintained independence but lost his regional influence. In 199, Zhang Yan marched to aid Gongsun Zan at the Battle of Yijing, but Gongsun Zan was defeated and killed before Zhang Yan arrived.
Zhang Yan contacted and surrended to Cao Cao, bringing his 100000 men with him. He was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Anguo Village. After his death, his son retained the fief, and his grandson probably also retained it but what happened afterwards is unknown. Atleast he had a decently happy ending unlike many other characters during this period.
Other Languages[]
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Zhang Yan |
| French | Zhang Yan |
| German | Zhang Yan |
| Italian | Zhang Yan |
| Spanish | Zhang Yan |
| Portuguese | Zhang Yan |
| Polish | Zhang Yan |
| Czech | Čang Jen |
| Turkish | Zhang Yan |
| Chinese (Simplified)
|
张燕 Zhāng Yàn
|
| Chinese (Traditional)
|
張燕 Zhāng Yàn
|
| Korean | 장연 Jang Yeon
|
| Russian | Чжан Янь Chzhan Yan'
|
Gallery[]
References[]
| Total War THREE KINGDOMS playable characters | |
|---|---|
| Sentinel | Bao Xin・Bian Zhang・Bu Ci・Cai He・Cai Yang・Cai Yuan・Chang Huijie・Chang Wenning・Chang Xia・Chen Dan・Chen Heng・Cheng PuS・Chu Gong・Congqian・Cui Jun・Deng Ningqin・Dong Chong・Fan Qi・Feng Peiyan・Gao Gan・Gongsun Du・Gongsun Xu・Gu Yanyan・Gui Duo・Guo ShengS・Han Anyue・Han SuiS・He JinS・Hu Mao・Hua Lanli・Huang Li・Huang She・Huang Xin・Huang ZhongS・Huangfu Shang・Huangfu SongS・Jia Long・Jia Mo・Jia Xiao・Jian Yong・Ju Lu・Lady Lu・Lao Zhumeng・Li Xian・Liang Sui・Liang Xing・Ling Zheng・Ling Zhenyan・Liu Pingmin・Liu Qi・Liu Shang・Liu YaoS・Lu Yu・Luo Luban・Lü Meng・Mao Ren・Mi Fang・Miao Anzhu・Miao Wanwan・Mu Shen・Nie Tingping・Pei Minshu・Princess Pei・Qi Sheng・Qian Yanjuan・Qu Pan・Qu Zhenlan・Qu Zhushu・Ren Lixiu・Rong Lanrui・Shi Chao・Shi Wei・Shi Yi (Shie Xie's Brother・Shisun Cen・Sima Cui・Sima Fu・Sima Gan・Sima Hong・Sima Mao・Sima Xu・Sima Yan・Sima You・Sima YueS・Sima Yujie・Song Jian・Su Ting・Sui Gu・Sun JianS・Sun Shao・Taishi CiS・Tao Shang・Tian Fen・Wang Guo・Wang Kuang・Wang Yu・Wu Gong・Xia Diao・Xia Zhao・Xie Yingxiu・Xing Junya・Xu HuangS・Xue Li・Yan BaihuS・Yan Junya・Yan Xing・Yan Yuanshao・Yang Bo・Yang Hong・Yang Zhong・Yi Yuean・Yijian Liting・Yin Li・Yu JinS・Yu Wanhui・Yue JinS・Yue Jiong・Zang Hong・Ze Yue・Zhang Chao・Zhang HeS・Zhang Hu・Zhang Jinglan・Zhang LiaoS・Zhang Ya・Zhao YunS・Zheng Ningzhen・Zhou Shen・Zhousheng Min・Zhu Zhi・Zou Jing・Zuo Yu・Zuozi Zhulan |
| Champion | Bian Bing・Cai Zhong・Cao Ang・Chen Jiu・Cheng Wu・Cheng Yi・Dian WeiS・Ding Yuan・Dong Hong・Dong Shuo・Fan Yuanshao・Fu Xie・Gao Jue・Ge Ju・Geng Bi・Gu Zhen・Guan YuS・Guo Si・Han Chong・Han Fu・Han Hao・Han Tong・Hou Cheng・Huang Zu・Huangfu Yu・Jin Hu・Jin Mao・Li Damu・Liao Yan・Liu Dan・Liu Shen・Liu Yong・Lu Bao・Lu Kang・Lu Qian・Lu Xie・Luo Jun・Lü Boshe・Pang De・Pang Xu・Pu Shi・Pu Xu・Qu Gong・Quan Rou・Que Chang・Shen Pei・Shi Xin・Sima AiS・Sima Chang・Sima LiangS・Sima Pi・Sima Yao・Sun ZhangS・Tang Wen・Tao Ying・Tian Ben・Wang Bao・Wei Huang・Wei Jie・Wei Teng・Wei YanS・Wen ChouS・Xiahou DunS・Xianyu Xin・Xin Ping・Xing Zhang・Xu ChuS・Xu Rong・Xuan Fan・Xun Shuang・Xun Wenggui・Yan YuS・Yan Yun・Yang Feng・Yin Can・Yu Bin・Yu Pi・Yu Yan・Zang Ba・Zao Zhan・Zao Zhi・Ze Bu・Zhang GongS・Zhang Lu・Zhang YanS・Zheng Dan・Zheng JiangS・Zheng Yan・Zuo Cen |
| Strategist | Bao Dan・Bi LanS・Bian Rang・Cai Yong・Chen Deng・Chen GongS・Chen Gui・Chen Yu・Cheng Baojuan・Cheng Qiu・Cheng Yu・Cui Yan・DiaochanS・Du Cha・Fa Pingjin・Fa ZhengS・Fan Zhou・Fu Gan・Gai Ji・Gan Changren・Gao Dai・Gao Ruo・Gao WangS・Gao You・Gongsun Hong・Guan Chun・Guan Jing・Guo JiaS・Guo Tu・Han Rong・Hua Jinting・Hua Xin・Huan Dian・Huang Wan・Huang Yan・Humu Juanjie・Jia Cong・Jia XuS・Jiu Dan・Ju Ruo・Ju Shou・Kong RongS・Kong Zhou・Kuai Liang・Kuai Yue・Lady Feng・Lady Gan・Lady Liu・Lady Liu Yanglan・Lady Shi・Lady ZhenS・Li RuS・Li Xiu・Li Ying・Liang Mao・Liu Dai・Liu He・Liu Hong・Liu Mao・Liu Min・Liu YanS・Lou Juanshu・Lu Ji・Lu Su・Lu Zheng・Lu ZhiS・Lu Zhi・Luo Fangbao・Lü Fan・Ma Midi・Mao Jie・Mi Zhu・Nai Jingjuan・Pan Lin・Pang Ji・Qiang Lianshi・Qiao Xuan・Que Xuan・Ruan Shen・Sang Mengan・Shang Ju・Sheng Xian・Shi Lingyun・Shi XieS・Shi Yi・Shi Zhi・Sima Chi・Sima Di・Sima Jian・Sima Qian・Sima Shi・Sima Yang・Sima YingS・Sima Zan・Song Jinting・Su Neng・Sun Qian・Sun Xiu・Tao QianS・Ti Ying・Tian Chou・Tian Feng・Tong Yurui・Wang Baolan・Wang Dang・Wang Fangyue・Wang Lei・Wang Song・Wang Wenping・Wei Guan・Wei Jinshu・Wei You・Wen Yuejin・Xia YunS・Xiang Xun・Xiao QiaoS・Xin Fangyue・Xu Jing・Xu Shao・Xu ShuS・Xu Yan・Xu You・Xun YouS・Xun YuS・Yan Pu・Yan Xiang・Yan Yuanshao・Yang Chou・Yin Zhuwen・Yong Huili・Yu Fan・Yuan Yi・Zhai Miao・Zhang Cheng・Zhang HongS・Zhang Hua・Zhang Ji・Zhang Miao・Zhang Min・Zhang Shanmin・Zhang Song・Zhang Wen・Zhang Yun・Zhang ZhaoS・Zhao Wei・Zhao ZhongS・Zheng Tai・Zheng Xuan・Zhou Bi・Zhou Huan・Zhou YuS・Zhu Fu・Zhu Gui・Zhuge Jin・Zuozi Li |
| Vanguard | Bai Jin・Bao Luan・Bao Xiangru・Bu Jun・Cai Mao・Cao DingS・Chen Chao・Cheng Fu・Chenggong Fang・Chenggong Ying・Chunyu Qiong・Cui Lie・Da Jing・Deng Sheng・Deng Sheng・Dong Cheng・Dong ZhuoS・Du Ji・Duan GuiS・Empress HeS・Fan Chou・Fan Yan・Feng Zixiu・Fu Chun・Gan NingS・Gao ShunS・Gongsha Zhi・Gongsun ZanS・Guanqiu Kan・Han Dang・Han Xin・Hao Meng・Hua Rang・Huang GaiS・Huanglong・Huanglong Luo・Ji LingS・Jia Mi・Jiang Qin・Jin Yu・Ju Jun・Lai Qian・Li JueS・Li Kan・Li Li・Li SongS・Li Yan・Liang Qing・Lin Jun・Liu Bian・Liu Feng・Liu Qi・Liu Xun・Lou Gui・Lu Jing・Lu Yun・Lü BuS・Lü Gong・Ma ChaoS・Ma Han・Ma TengS・Ma Tie・Ma Wan・Ma Xiu・Niu Fu・Ren Qi・Shao Damu・Shi Wei・Shi Wu・Shisun Rui・Sima Ji・Sima Mo・Sima Rui・Sima Tai・Sima WeiS・Sima Wei・Sima YongS・Su Fei・Sun CeS・Sun RenS・Tang Si・Ti Yu・Tian Yu・Wan Buyi・Wang Jing・Wang Rui・Wu Jing・Xia Zhi・Xiahou YuanS・Xianyu Fu・Xie Cun・Xu Gong・Yan Gang・Yan Jian・Yan LiangS・Yang Biao・Yang Ren・Yang Yi・Ying Shao・Ying Xun・Yu Du・Ze Rong・Zhang Fang・Zhang FeiS・Zhang Xiu・Zhang Yang・Zhang Yu・Zhao Qian・Zhou TaiS・Zhou Xin・Zhou Yu・Zhu Jun・Zong Yi・Zong Yuan |
| Commander | Bi Jieyan・Bu Yin・Cai Xun・Cang Qinting・Cao CaoS・Cao De・Cao Huan・Cao PiS・Cao RenS・Cao Song・Chai Chang・Chen Ji・Da QiaoS・Deng Yuan・Diao Yi・Dong He・Dong Min・Dong Peishan・Dou Juanyue・Fan Liyan・Fan Min・Feng Fang・Geng Wu・Gongsun Gong・Gongsun Kang・Gongsun Shu・Gu Ruilan・Guan Xu・Han KuiS・Han Lian・He Lun・Huan Shuwan・Jiao Fan・Jin Xuan・Jing Hong・Ju Xin・Jue Jiejie・Kang Qinmeng・Kuang Yingzhu・Lady BianS・Lady Cai・Lady Cheng・Lady Ding・Lady Liu・Lady MiS・Lady Wu・Lady Yan・Lang Jingxiu・Li Chang・Li Han・Lian Zhi・Liang Shi・Ling Pingjing・Ling Yu・Liu BeiS・Liu BiaoS・Liu ChongS・Liu Cong・Liu Fan・Liu HongS・Liu Huimin・Liu XieS・Liu Yu・Liu ZhangS・Lu Jun・Lu Jun・Lu Lianshi・Pei Wei・Qian Ji・Qiao Mao・Que Jian・Rao He・Rui Juanwan・Shan Yu・Sheng Qinqijn・Shi Chen・Shi Hui・Shi Mengzhu・Sima Dan・Sima Fu・Sima Hun・Sima JiongS・Sima Ju・Sima LunS・Sima Rui・Sima Song・Sima Yu・Sima Zhi・Song DianS・Song Wei・Song Zhou・Su Ming・Sun Hua・Sun QuanS・Tian Kai・Wang Hong・Wang LongS・Wang Xiu・Wang Yun・Wei Di・Wei Ding・Wu Qiong・Xi Jiao・Xi Kan・Xi Yangting・Xianyu Ji・Xu Zhao・Yan Ruian・Yan Yueshang・Yang Ang・Yang Song・Yang Xiang・Yang Zhuo・Yin Yi・Yin Yinglan・Ying Feng・You Jue・Yu Minxiang・Yuan Anyang・Yuan Huan・Yuan ShangS・Yuan ShaoS・Yuan ShuS・Yuan TanSYuan Xi・Yuan Xiangshan・Yuan Yao・Zhang Fang・Zhang RangS・Zhang Yanyan・Zhao Wen・Zhou Ang・Zhou Bo・Zhousheng Han |
| Healer | Chenggong Min・Han Xian・Han Zhong・He YiS・Hua Zixiu・Liang Boning・Liu Pi・Ma Xiang・Tang Zhou・Wang Du・Wu Ba・Zhang JueS・Zhao Hong |
| Veteran | Bo Cai・Gong DuS・Guan Hai・Liang Zhongning・Liao Hua・Pei Yuanshao・Wei Desheng・Yao Feng・Zhang BaoS・Zhang Kai・Zhang LiangS・Zhang Mancheng・Zhao Bo |
| Scholar | Bu Si・Gongxu Yan・Gui Yuan・Guo Da・He ManS・Huang ShaoS・Ma Yuanyi・Peng Shen・Sima Ju・Taishi Yin・Wang Rao・Wu Huan・Xu He・Zhao Zhi |
| Nanman | A Jia Ju・A Lu She Su・A Lu Su Nu・A Lu Su Nu・A Nuo Qu Ju・A Nuo Qu Ju・A Nuo Wu Liang・A Nuo Zhi Bang・A Su Er Xia・A Su Zi Ri・A Xi Mu Xia・A Xi Zhi Yu・A Yu Bo Jia・Ahuinan・Ba Ba・Cai・Chou Changwu・Chou Leigong・Chou Zhao・Cuan Shangshang・Cuan Yuan・Dailai Dongzhu・Di Pei・Dong Ao・Dong Fu・Dong Zhufang・Dongtuna・DuosiS・Gao Wangzhi・Huo Qiong・Huo Wan・Jia Bang Rou・Jia Huan She Beng・Jia Huan Su Nu・Jia Ju Hao・Jia Su Ce Li・Jia Su Ce Li・Jia Su Shi Bin・Jiao Shushu・Jin Huan Nan・Jinhuansanjie・Lady ZhurongS・Lei Yu・Li Bao・Li Jing・Long Pingxiu・Lu Shi・Lu Yun・Luo Beng・Luo Beng・Luo Bo・Luo Cai・Luo Go Bin Xia・Luo Gu Bin Xia・Luo Gu Bin Xia・Luo Gu Er Xia・Luo Gu Pi Yong・Luo Gu Pi Yong・Luo Gu Su Nu・Luo Gu Xian She・Luo Jilong・Luo Ju・Luo Ju・Luo Shang・Lü Chen・Lü Juanping・Lü Quan・Lü Xu・Mangyachang・Mao Jingmeng・Mao Ling・Meng HuoS・Meng Jie・Meng Tu・Meng You・Mengli・MuluS・Nuo Ba Er Le・Nuo Ba Su Bo・Nuo Beng・Nuo Ge Nu・Nuo Go Shi Jia・Nuo Gu Er She・Nuo Gu Luo Cai・Nuo Gu Shi Jia・Nuo Gu Shi Jia・Nuo Guo Bo Luo・Nuo Guo Ce Li・Nuo Guo Hao Beng・Nuo Guo Jia Li・Nuo Guo Ri Ju・Nuo Jia Bang・Pang Anfang・Pang Dao・ShamokeS・She Bo・She Ju・She Luo・She Ri Nuo・Su Beng・Su Beng Ce Li・Su Le・Su Li・Tu An・Wang Li・Wang Peili・Wei Jinshang・Wu Beng Ju・Wu Bin She・Wu Bo Xian・Wu Bo Xian・Wu Ce Li Beng・Wu Ce Li Beng・Wu Dan Beng・Wu Hao・Wu Ju・Wu Nu・Wu Qu Ju Beng・Wu She Nu・Wu Xian Beng・Wu Xian Nu・Wu Zhu Hao・Wu Zhu Nu・WutuguS・Xi Ni・Xian Bo・Xian Le・Xian Nan・Xian Shi・Xian Su・Xie He・Xie Lei・Yang Feng・Yao Chen・Yin Shuying・Yin Zhenyu・Yin Zhubao・Yong Yan・Yong Yumin・Yu Bo Luo・Yu Bo Xian・Yu Luo・Yu Pi Yong Jia・Yu She・Yu She Jia・Yu Wu Bo Luo・Yu Wu Bo Xian・Yu Wu Su Bo・Yu Xian Nuo・Zhao Fu・Zhou Dian・Zhou Yuan・Zhu Mei・Zhu Nu |