Total War Pharaoh how to win a Civil War

Want to win a Civil War in Total War Pharaoh? Civil Wars are a key faction mechanic in Creative Assembly’s newest entry into the strategy title. Leaders within the same faction can vie for conquest with the ultimate prize up for grabs, the power of the crown. But how exactly do you win civil wars?

Here, we’re going to cover how to win a Civil War in Total War Pharaoh, and the big factors at play which affect this feature of the game. You’ll want to make sure you understand both the Pillars of Civilisation mechanic and how to win battles to help you coast your way to victory.

How do you win a Total War Pharaoh Civil War?

To win a Civil War in Total War Pharaoh, you need to have the highest legitimacy of all competing leaders when the Civil War event ends.

Legitimacy is a special resource which effectively determines how strong your claim to the crown of your faction is. Unlike trying to get resources in general, this one can’t be traded or mined. It’s the key metric of success in a Civil War event. When the civil war lands on its final turn, whichever leader has the most legitimacy will automatically become the new Pharaoh or High King. This cannot then be contested until another Civil War is sparked, either by you or by another leader in your faction.

How to gain legitimacy in Total War Pharaoh

Given its necessity for a victory in a Civil War event, gaining a lot of legitimacy quickly is important. Here are the best ways you can earn legitimacy in Total War Pharaoh.

• Hold high positions in the court.
• Perform successful plots in the court.
• Win battles.
• Build powerful buildings, landmarks or monuments.
• Conquer Sacred Lands and Cult Centers.
• Defeat all your rivals.

Each of these methods can provide a path to raised legitimacy, but pursuing all of them at once is the best way to get yourself the crown as fast as possible.

Holding high positions in court

Court is separated into a hierarchy of tiers. The higher the tier, the more legitimacy a position on that tier is worth. On Semshu Hor, you have the opportunity to take vacant court spaces, which can be a great way to earn a permanent amount of legitimacy. The High Priest and Vizier positions just below the Pharaoh in the Egyptian court both provide 14 legitimacy, permanently boosting you up by that amount.

Performing successful plots

In court, you can plot against other court members to accomplish various ends. One such plot is called “Discredit”, which allows you to steal a small amount of legitimacy from another ruler. The higher in the hierarchy they are, the better your chances. Be careful however, as failing a plot will cause you to lose legitimacy.

✓

Did you know?

When you fail a plot, you’ll lose an additional point of legitimacy for every member of court who knew about it.

Being victorious in battle

Winning a lot of victories in battles is a great way to earn prestige, both in single player and Total War Pharaoh multiplayer campaigns. When you win a battle or take an important settlement, you’ll gain some legitimacy. Be aware though that this kind of legitimacy isn’t permanent, and you’ll lose it again over time.

Building landmarks or monuments

Within major settlements such as Cult Centers, you’ll find options to build unique buildings or outposts. It’s worth saving resources and manpower for these, as many of these impressive monuments will give small permanent bonuses to your legitimacy score.

Conquering Sacred Lands or Cult Centers

Sacred Lands are lands which have historically been part of your faction’s empire. Claiming them for your own is a great way to massively boost your legitimacy, and the more land of your forefathers you own, the better.

Similarly, Cult Centres, the epicentres of influence, culture and wealth in the ancient world, provide far greater legitimacy to your claim to the throne. You should aim to make these priority targets during your campaign, though be aware that they’re very challenging cities to capture.

Defeating all your rivals

This one’s a bit of an obvious one, but if there’s no one else alive to contest the crown, then you’ll have the highest legitimacy by default. If you’re struggling to outpace the other leaders in your faction, their total destruction is always a path open to you. If you defeat opponents during the civil war, it will also reduce the number of turns left until the war’s end.

That’s everything you’ll need to know to help you win a Civil War in Total War Pharaoh. This is a complex game, albeit one with plenty of missed potential, as we covered in our Total War Pharaoh review. But if you’re determined on sticking with it and in search of more Total War Pharaoh tips and tricks, check out some of our other guides to help you get to grips with all the mechanics.

How do you start civil war in Total War Pharaoh?

To start a civil war, simply declare war on the current Pharaoh to contest the crown.

Can you join ongoing civil wars in Total War Pharaoh?

You can join any ongoing civil war for your chosen faction. Doing so will extend the time until the civil war ends.