So you want to know about the best Total War: Warhammer 3 Immortal Empires starting positions? The epic combined map, which brings together the territories of all three Total Warhammer strategy games comes with 86 playable Warhammer 3 Immortal Empires factions waiting for you to take them on a unique journey of conquest across the iconic Warhammer Fantasy world.
But where do you start? Where in the vast Warhammer 3 Immortal Empires map do you pick? If you’ve been playing the Total War: Warhammer games for a while, the majority of the legendary lords will start in the same places they do in other campaigns across the three games. However, 29 Legendary Lords have had their starting positions changed for Immortal Empires, with reasons ranging from being more lore-friendly, to balancing concerns, to spicing up regions with new challenges.
Best Immortal Empires starting positions
So we know where everyone starts, but who has the ‘best’ starting position? Which Legendary Lord has the ideal place to begin your conquest of Warhammer The Old World? Your mileage will vary depending on who you want to play as – even if (for the sake of the argument) one of the Dark Elf lords has the objectively best starting locations, you’re still not likely to pick them if you don’t like playing as the Dark Elves.
Still, we’ve got the rundown of the best starting positions now we know where everyone begins, taking into account nearby settlements, other lords, and potential conflicts.
Grimgor Ironhide and Kholek Suneater
These two lords, for the Greenskins and Warriors of Chaos respectively, currently represent two very interesting starts for those who want some space to grow without having too much competition.
With Grimgor starting in Sabre Mountain and Kholek starting practically next door in The Challenge Stone, the only real challenge these two have is each other. They are otherwise surrounded by a lot of minor settlements in the immediate area, or the hard borders of the map to the north.
Stray too far east and you’ll be encountering the forces of Grand Cathay and the Great Bastion, and Greasus Goldtooth’s Ogres can bubble up from the south. Kholek has a potential ally in fellow Warriors of Chaos lord Archaon the Everchosen, who is north-west, while Grimgor has two Greenskin brethren to the west, Azhag the Slaughterer and Skarsnik. These starting positions are strong enough that, even if you don’t pick either of these two yourself, you should be wary of their AI controllers snowballing as a game progresses.
Morathi
The Dark Elf Shadow Queen also has a lot going for her. While she doesn’t have as much empty space as Grimgor and Kholek, she is largely uncontested in her starting area around the Ancient City of Quintex, and the provinces either side which give her access to multiple coastlines. There is a mini thunderdome of four Legendary Lords to her north which she will need to keep in check, but to the south she only has the Lizardman’s Lord Mazdamundi. If she can push him out, that’s a strong empire occupying the centre ground between Lustria and Naggaroth.
Further to that, off her western shore are two sea lanes – one connecting her to the eastern coast of Grand Cathay, and then there’s the underworld sea lane which allows her to emerge off Naggaroth’s northern coast, opening up a new flank to attack from.
Greasus Goldtooth
South of Grimgor and Kholek, Greasus exists in the heart of the Ogre Kingdoms pretty much uncontested. Further to that, the settlements he’s likely to be surrounded by will be other Ogre minor factions, so those he can’t conquer he can likely confederate with anyway. As his empire grows, he will start having to contend with the fact that he’s likely to get surrounded – the Cathayans to the east, whoever wins out of Grimgor/Kholek to the north, and westward there are High Elven and Skaven lords which will require watching.
A Greasus player can make a play for access to the sea by pushing south. Ku’Gath Plaguefather has moved to Dragon Fang Mount, at the southern tip of the Dragon Isles just below Greasus, who can be a problem. There’s also Vampire Count Helman Ghorst in the Haunted Forest, who may also contest your coastal ambitions – if you can sweep aside these two however, your southern flank will be a bit more secure as you focus your attention elsewhere.
The Empire and Grand Cathay
While the strength of the two central Empire starting lords and the Dragon lords Zhao Ming and Miao Ying is up for debate, in general these lords have similar advantages to what Greasus enjoys. They will be surrounded by minor factions within the same grouping, so those who can’t be conquered, can be confederated. This will allow you to grow your empire quickly, and save the strength of your armies for more genuine threats.
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The two Grand Cathay lords especially have an added advantage at being towards one edge of the map, which in theory means they don’t have to concentrate on as many fronts. The sea lanes though should mean that no Cathayan player or AI can be complacent. The two Empire lords – Karl Franz and Balthasar Gelt – will also have the perpetual problem of being surrounded on all sides. If they can keep the Bretonnians strong and on side, that might help with the western coast, and one of the Kislev lords to the north might prove a useful ally as well.
All Immortal Empires starting locations
Above is an official map from the developers detailing all the starting positions for every legendary lord. If you’ve not memorised the heraldry of every Warhammer fantasy lord (and if not, why not?), then here’s a breakdown of where everyone starts:
The Empire
- Karl Franz – Altdorf, central area of the Old World
- Balthasar Gelt – Pfeildorf, central area of the Old World
- Markus Wulfhart – The Creeping Jungle, north-eastern coast of Lustria
- Volkmar the Grim – Sudenberg, south-western coast of the Southern Realms
Chaos Daemons and Champions of Chaos
- N’kari – Shrine of Kurnous, northern coast of Ulthuan
- Kairos Fateweaver – Fortress of Dawn, south-most tip of the Southlands
- Skarbrand – Deff Gorge, central Badlands
- Ku’gath Plaguefather – Dragon Fang Mount, Dragon Isles
- Deamon Prince – Forest of Decay, northern Chaos Wastes
- Azazel, Prince of Damnation – The Tower of Khrakk, northern mountains
- Festus the Leechlord – Brass Keep, northern Empire
- Vilitch the Curseling – Red Fortress, north-eastern Cathay
- Valkia the Bloody – Dagrak’s End, far-western end of northern Chaos Wastes
Lizardmen
- Lord Mazdamundi – Hexoatl, the lands between Lustria and Naggaroth
- Kroq-Gar – The Golden Tower, south-eastern coast of the Southlands
- Tehenhauin – Xlanzec, southern coast of Lustria
- Tiktaq’to – Tlaqua, south-western coast of the Southlands
- Gor-Rok – Itza, central Lustria
- Nakai the Wanderer – Tower of Ashung, south of Grand Cathay
- Oxyotl – The Godless Crater, southern Chaos Wastes
Norsca
- Wulfrik the Wanderer – Monolith of Borkill the Bloody-Hand, northern mountains
- Throgg – Monolith of Flesh, across from the northern Chaos Wastes
Kislev
- Tzarina Katarin – Kislev, central Kislev
- Kostaltyn – Erengrad, northern Kislev
- Boris Bokha – Tower of Torment, northern Chaos Wastes
High Elves
- Tyrion – Lothern, southern Ulthuan
- Teclis – Sotek’s Trail, south coast of the Southlands
- Alarielle – Gaean Vale, central Ulthuan
- Alith Anar – Karond Kar, north-eastern Naggorath
- Eltharion the Grim – Tor Yvresse, western coast of the Badlands
- Imrik – Fortress of Vorag, on the coast south of World’s Edge mountains
Bretonnia
- Louen Leoncoeur – Couronne, coastal Bretonnia
- Alberic de Bordeleaux – Bregonne, eastern coast of Lustria
- The Fay Enchantress – Carcassonne, southern Bretonnia
- Repanse de Lyonesse – Copher, north coast of Araby
Grand Cathay
- Zhao Ming – Qiang, south-western Cathay
- Miao Ying – Nan Gau, north-western Cathay
Skaven
- Queek Headtaker – Misty Mountain, central coast of the Badlands
- Lord Skrolk – Sabatuun, southern Lustria
- Tretch Craventail – Crookback Mountain, southern World’s Edge mountains
- Ikit Claw – Skavenblight, southern Bretonnia/Empire
- Deathmaster Snikch – Xing Po, central Cathay
- Throt the Unclean – Hell Pit, north of Kislev
Greenskins
- Grimgor Ironhide – Sabre Mountain, central Steppes region
- Azhag the Slaughterer – Khazid Irkulaz, northern World’s Edge mountains
- Skarsnik – Mount Gunbad, central World’s Edge mountains
- Wurrzag – Ekrund, northern Badlands
- Grom the Paunch – Massif Orcal, central Bretonnia
Ogre Kingdoms
- Greasus Goldtooth – Karak Krakaten, Mountains of Mourn
- Skrag the Slaughterer – Myrmidens, southern Vampire Coast
Beastmen
- Khazarak the One Eye – The Black Pit, nortthen Old World
- Malagor the Dark Omen – Sunken Khernarch, central Badlands
- Morghur the Shadowgave – Montenas, Vampire Coast
- Taurox the Brass Bull – Clar Karond, central Naggaroth
Tomb Kings
- Settra the Imperishable – Khemri, Southlands
- Grand Hierophant Khatep – Clarak Spire, western Naggaroth
- High Queen Khalida – Lybaras, eastern coast of Southlands
- Arkhan the Black – Sorcerers Islands, western coast of Araby
Wood Elves
- Orion – King’s Glade, central Bretonnia/Old World
- Durthu – Waterfall Palace, central Bretonnia/Old World
- Sisters of Twilight – The Witchwood, central Lustria
- Drycha – Gryphon Wood, eastern area of the Old World
Vampire Coast
- Luthor Harkon – The Awakening, eastern coast of Lustria
- Count Noctilus – The Galleons Graveyard, off the south coast of Ulthuan
- Aranessa Saltspite – Sartosa, north of Araby
- Clyostra Direfin – The Twisted Glade, eastern coast of Naggaroth
Dwarfs
- Thorgrim Grudgebearer – Karaz-A-Karak, southern World’s Edge mountains
- Ungrim Ironfist – Karak Kadrin, central World’s Edge mountains
- Belegar Ironhammer – Zarakzil, southern area of the Old World
- Thorek Ironbrow – Karak Zorn, central Southlands
- Grombrindal – Dracla Spire, north-western Naggaroth
Dark Elves
- Malekith – Naggarond, northern Naggaroth
- Morathi – Ancient City of Quintex, southern Naggaroth
- Crone Hellebron – Har Ganeth, western area of the northern Chaos Wastes
- Lokhir Fellheart – Haichai, eastern coast of Cathay
- Malus Darkblade – Black Rock (owns Hag Graef), northern Chaos Wastes
- Rakarth – Great Turtle Isle, western coast of Lustria
Vampire Counts
- Mannfred Von Carstein – Ka-Sabar, central Southlands
- Heinrich Kemmler – Blackstone Post, central Bretonnia
- Vlad & Isabella Von Carstein – Castle Drakenhof, eastern Empire/Old World
- Helman Ghorst – The Haunted Forest, northern Sea of Dread costal area
Warriors of Chaos
- Archaon The Everchosen – The Writhing Fortress, northern Chaos Wastes
- Kholek Suneater – The Challenge Stone, northern Steppes area
- Prince Sigvald – Palace of Princes, northern Chaos Wastes
- Be’lakor – Isle of Wights, Albion, off the coast of Bretonnia
That’s everything you need to know about Total War: Warhammer 3 Immortal Empires starting positions. For more tips, check out our Warhammer 3 mods guide, as well as what we know about upcoming Warhammer 3 DLC so far.