Total War Three Kingdoms Unlock Dong Zhuo ^hot^ Online

How to Unlock Dong Zhuo in Total War: Three Kingdoms – The Complete Tyrant’s Guide Total War: Three Kingdoms is a masterpiece of grand strategy, blending Romance-era heroics with gritty historical warfare. Among its roster of legendary warlords, few are as terrifying—or as mechanically unique—as Dong Zhuo , the tyrannical villain who effectively ended the Han Dynasty’s authority. Unlike Liu Bei, Cao Cao, or Sun Jian, Dong Zhuo is not available at the start. He is a locked legendary faction leader with a specific, somewhat cryptic unlock condition. If you are searching for "Total War Three Kingdoms unlock Dong Zhuo" , you have come to the right place. This guide will walk you through every method, from the straightforward campaign victory to the infamous "turn one" exploit. Why Bother Unlocking Dong Zhuo? Before diving into the how , let’s look at the why . Dong Zhuo’s campaign is unlike any other.

Unique Mechanics: He leads the "Tyranny" faction. Instead of managing satisfaction, he uses Intimidation . Low Intimidation causes rebellions; high Intimidation allows you to instantly annex your own vassals without war. The Lu Bu Factor: Dong Zhuo starts with Lu Bu —the single most devastating duellist and general in the game. However, Lu Bu has a personal grudge. Let his loyalty drop too low, and he will betray and assassinate you. Unbreakable Economy: Dong Zhuo controls the Chang’an region, a mega-city with Silk Road trade wealth. He also starts with immense treasury reserves. The Tyrant’s Campaign Goal: His victory conditions involve controlling the Emperor, demolishing the Han aristocracy, and reducing other major factions to ruins.

In short, if you enjoy playing the villain, being hated by everyone, and winning through sheer terror rather than diplomacy, Dong Zhuo is your perfect warlord. Method 1: The Standard Campaign Unlock (Recommended) The most reliable, bug-free way to unlock Dong Zhuo is to achieve a campaign victory (or defeat) as any other playable faction. The Exact Step-by-Step Process:

Select any starting faction (Liu Bei, Cao Cao, Sun Jian, Yuan Shao, Gongsun Zan, Ma Teng, etc.). You do not need to play as a "nearby" faction—any works. Play the campaign either until the victory conditions screen pops (Short or Long victory), OR until your faction is completely destroyed. total war three kingdoms unlock dong zhuo

Tip: The fastest way is to play as Cao Cao on Easy/Easy and rush the Short Victory conditions (control the Henan region, own Xuchang, etc.).

Once the final cinematic plays (or the defeat screen appears), return to the main menu. Select "New Campaign." Scroll to Dong Zhuo’s portrait. It should now be lit up and selectable.

Important Note: Some older versions of the game required you to defeat Dong Zhuo in battle or kill him specifically. That is no longer strictly necessary. In the current patch (as of the Fates Divided and later DLCs), a simple campaign victory with any lord will unlock the Tyrant. Does losing count? Yes. If Dong Zhuo’s forces wipe out your faction, the game registers a "defeat" and still unlocks him. There is a famous cheese strategy: start as Yuan Shao, disband your entire army on turn 1, and wait for Dong Zhuo to conquer you. You’ll unlock him in under three minutes. Method 2: The "Turn One" Cheese (Fastest Unlock) If you do not want to play a full campaign, use this exploit. It works on all versions of the game (including the base game and all DLCs). How to Unlock Dong Zhuo in Total War:

Start a new campaign as Liu Bei (or any faction adjacent to Dong Zhuo’s territory, though Liu Bei works best). On the very first turn, recruit a full retinue of militia units. Do not worry about upkeep. Declare war on Dong Zhuo immediately. You do not need a casus belli. March your army directly toward Chang’an (Dong Zhuo’s capital). Do not capture any other settlements. Siege Chang’an and launch a manual battle. You will likely be outnumbered and outmatched. Lose the battle decisively. Ensure your faction leader (Liu Bei) is either killed in battle or his army is completely routed. On the defeat screen, click "Continue" or "Main Menu." Check the faction selection screen. Dong Zhuo should now be unlocked.

Why this works: The game checks for faction destruction or major leader elimination. By suiciding against Dong Zhuo, you trigger the defeat condition that unlocks him. Method 3: The Honorable Kill – Execute Dong Zhuo in Battle For Roleplayers: You can also unlock Dong Zhuo by personally killing him in battle using any other faction. This is harder than it sounds because Dong Zhuo seldom leads from the front (he prefers to let Lu Bu fight for him).

Start as Yuan Shao or Ma Teng . Tech into Spy networks to reveal Dong Zhuo’s exact location. Ambush his army. Target Dong Zhuo’s bodyguard unit with cavalry charges and archers. Once he is declared "Killed in Action," finish the battle and return to the menu. He is a locked legendary faction leader with

Note: The game will prompt a pop-up saying "Dong Zhuo is dead. The Tyrant of Chaos has fallen." At that moment, he becomes playable. Common Problems & Fixes (Troubleshooting the Unlock) Even after you satisfy the conditions, sometimes Dong Zhuo remains greyed out. Here is why: Problem 1: You Are Using Mods Some overhaul mods (like MTU or TROM) change the unlock scripts. Disable all mods , perform the unlock on the vanilla game, save your profile, then re-enable your mods. Problem 2: You Haven’t Reached the Main Menu Properly The game only writes the unlock to your preferences.script file when you cleanly exit a campaign to the main menu—not if you Alt+F4. Fix: After your victory/defeat, let the end-game popup fully appear. Click "Main Menu." Do not force quit. Problem 3: You Are Playing the "191" Start Date (DLC) Dong Zhuo is only playable in the 190 AD (Rise of the Warlords) start date. He does not exist in the 194 AD (A World Betrayed) because… well, history. Make sure you have the correct start date selected. Pro Tips for Your First Dong Zhuo Campaign Once you’ve unlocked him, do not dive in blind. Here’s how to survive the first 20 turns.

Manage Lu Bu Immediately: On turn 1, give Lu Bu a high-ranking court position (Champion or Grand Commandant). This boosts his loyalty. Keep him in battles frequently—winning increases his loyalty, losing decreases it. Use Intimidation to Vassalize: Do not conquer minor Han factions. Instead, intimidate them into becoming your vassal. You get a massive Intimidation bonus for having vassals. Beware the Coalition: By turn 10, a massive coalition of Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, Liu Bei, and others will declare war on you. Do not fight all of them. Fortify Hangu Pass (the choke point East of Chang’an) with a full stack of spearmen and archers. The Dong Zhuo Special Ability: Use his unique faction command "Tyrant’s Grip" to instantly take over a vassal’s territory without war. This is your best tool for rapid expansion after turn 50. Assassination Event: Around turn 15-20, you will get a dilemma: "Lu Bu conspires with Wang Yun." You can choose to execute Lu Bu (lose best general, survive) or trust him (risk assassination). Do not trust him. Execute Lu Bu. Yes, you lose a powerhouse, but Dong Zhuo will survive. Without Lu Bu, the assassination event fails.