Total War: ARENA Open Beta charges into battle soon with War Elephants in tow

Wargaming Alliance has blown its battle trumpet this afternoon with news that Total War: ARENA will be entering its Open Beta phase on February 22. The game’s servers will briefly shut up shop on February 19 until the taster begins. 

The studio also shed light on the latest faction to join in the bloodbath, namely the fearsome Carthage, headed by Hannibal and Hasdrubal Barca. The battle-hungry duo will be flanked by new units and gameplay mechanics, including the hulking War Elephants. As an army, Carthage ‘excels at ambush tactics, and their speed allows them to adapt to an ever-changing battlefield.’ 

Hannibal’s strengths lie in his ability to crack the whip (quite literally) and get even the most lumbering of units up to speed, building on his reputation as not only a vicious commander but also a brilliant tactician. Hasdrubal on the other hand can buff and debuff units, which comes in handy when you want to bolster your lighter units or impede the progress of any foes in your path. 

As for the War Elephants, needless to say you’ll find yourself effortlessly squashing prone units to a pulp with these near-unstoppable behemoths, giving Roman forces more than a few headaches in the process.