Total War: Warhammer 3 update 2.2 has finally arrived, and as promised, it’s a big ‘un. This patch adds the new Skaven-flavoured endgame crisis, the Vermintide of co-op game fame, and the much-requested rework to the way the strategy game’s settlement battles work, as well as their frequency. Above and beyond that, there’s a new regiments of renown free unit pack, another round of race balancing, and some significant adjustments to how battle XP is calculated.
In the new endgame crisis, Vermintide, it’s the Skaven versus everybody else on the map. The ratmen are expanding their underground empire and readying warpbomb doomsday devices under major cities, all whilst pouring out into the overworld in a ceaseless, gnawing tide. It’s up to the remaining non-Skaven factions to eliminate the major Skaven clans before they can bring about the end of the world (spoilers, they bring about the end of the world).
There are some exciting new regiments of renown included in this patch. Grand Cathay gets the Green Guardian, a terracotta sentinel who has the ability to deflect arrows back at their source (and a boosted missile defence stat, just in case). For Khorne, there’s Khorne’s Bloody Fist, a bloodthirster who has an ability called Goreshell, which adds damage resistance when he’s near large enemy units.
The Frozen Heart of Winter, an elemental bear, is available for Kislev. It casts a bound version of the Heart of Winter spell that creates an area-of-effect that will cause damage over time. Nurgle forces get to hang out with Uncle Furuncle, a great unclean one whose defiling deluge active ability heals him while damaging enemies nearby.
For the Ogre Kingdoms, there’s the new Snowhorn of Mourn. It’s a stonehorn that can freeze itself with the glacial defence active ability for increased armour and missile resistance, and has a frostbite active that slows down any unit it hits with melee attacks. Slaanesh gets the Marquis of Masochism, a keeper of secrets whose passive ability, feasting on fear, regenerates health based on how many enemies have had their morale break nearby. Finally, Tzeentch’s new unit is the Golden Griffin of Theurgy, a lord of change who has a glittering robe for increased armour and some updated spells.
Another important change in update 2.2 is to the way Total War: Warhammer 3 calculates post-battle experience gain. From now on, the type of victory is no longer part of that calculation; instead, the XP gained from a battle will depend on the enemy army’s total value and the percentage of that army that you destroyed, regardless of whether you won or lost the battle.
You’ll also notice that heroes gain experience faster – their XP gain has been increased by 50% to bring their progression closer to that of lords.
The developers have also made huge adjustments to the frequency of unwalled settlement battles. While major walled settlements will keep their walled settlement battles (if they have walls built, that is), attacks on minor settlements will now trigger a normal land battle by default. That can change with an added effect that shows up for most minor settlement garrisons at tiers two and three.
The full Total War: Warhammer III update 2.2 patch notes has the full rundown of the changes in this beefy update, including the balance pass done to many of the races in Immortal Empires. Check out our Immortal Empires map guide if you need some orientation tips when you’re starting out on a fresh campaign.