How many questions are in the Total War 25th anniversary quiz?

The quiz has 10 multiple-choice questions, each with three options, covering games from Rome: Total War to Total War: Warhammer III.

Which Total War game was the first with 3D battles?

Rome: Total War (2004) was the first with fully 3D battles: Shogun and Medieval fought on 3D terrain, but their soldiers were 2D sprites.

Which Total War game lets you play as Vikings?

Total War: Thrones of Britannia (2018) lets you lead historical Viking factions: the Great Viking Army (Northymbre, East Engle) and the Viking Sea Kings (Dyflin, Sudreyar).

Total War 25th Anniversary Quiz: 10 Tricky Questions

Q: Which Total War game introduced real-time naval battles?

Empire: Total War (2009) added real-time naval combat, with ships of the line clashing on the open sea.

Over 25 years of Total War: how well do you know the series?

Total War has been delivering massive battles, sweeping campaigns and unforgettable historical moments for more than 25 years. Since Shogun: Total War in June 2000, Creative Assembly’s series has blended empire management with real-time combat in a way few games match. The series celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2025, and to mark the milestone, here is a tricky quiz on the universe of Total War: Warhammer III and its historical cousins. Ready for the challenge? Some of the traps are nasty.

The Total War 25th anniversary quiz: 10 questions

1. Which was the first Total War game with fully 3D battles?

A) Rome: Total War
B) Medieval II: Total War
C) Empire: Total War

Answer: A) Rome: Total War. Shogun (2000) and Medieval (2002) already fought on 3D terrain, but their soldiers were 2D sprites. Rome: Total War (2004) was the first to turn every soldier into a 3D model, and it also replaced the province-to-province campaign board with a 3D map and free movement. A technological leap that shaped the future of the franchise.

2. In Medieval II: Total War, what can a Catholic faction join when the Pope calls for it?

A) The fall of Constantinople
B) A crusade
C) The Hundred Years’ War

Answer: B) A crusade. The Pope can call a crusade against a hostile settlement, Jerusalem being the classic target, and Catholic factions such as England or France can send armies to join it. An epic moment, as long as you can keep your allies in line.

3. Which Total War game introduced real-time naval battles?

A) Napoleon: Total War
B) Empire: Total War
C) Total War: Shogun 2

Answer: B) Empire: Total War. With Empire (2009), Creative Assembly added real-time naval combat, a real boost to immersion. Ships of the line trading broadsides were simply majestic.

4. In the Total War: Warhammer trilogy, which faction is known for twisted creatures and unstable war machines?

A) The Dwarfs
B) The Beastmen
C) The Skaven

Answer: C) The Skaven. The Skaven, those wicked rat-men who joined the series with Total War: Warhammer II in 2017, love deformed creatures and unreliable war machines, and they can be a nightmare for enemy lines.

5. Which legendary figure of Total War: Three Kingdoms is famed as the mightiest warrior of his era?

A) Sun Tzu
B) Lü Bu
C) Cao Cao

Answer: B) Lü Bu. One of the most feared warriors of his era, Lü Bu can hold his own against dozens of enemies. With him in your Three Kingdoms army, a battle can swing, and the A World Betrayed DLC (2020) even gives him his own playable faction. Cao Cao is a great warlord and strategist rather than a duellist, and Sun Tzu lived centuries earlier.

6. In Total War: Attila, which mechanic adds an extra layer of difficulty?

A) Harsh winters
B) Divine invasions
C) Permanent famine

Answer: A) Harsh winters. Attila leans into survival. As the climate cools, winters grow harsher and longer, up to three turns in four in the far north. The soil loses its fertility and hungry armies suffer, in a brutal simulation of the fall of the Roman Empire.

7. Which Total War game lets you play as historical Vikings?

A) Total War: Thrones of Britannia
B) Total War Saga: Troy
C) Total War: Warhammer II

Answer: A) Total War: Thrones of Britannia. Troy has its Greek heroes, but Thrones of Britannia (2018) is the one that lets you lead Viking factions, from the Great Viking Army to the Viking Sea Kings, and raid England.

8. In Total War: Rome II, which heavy cavalry, armoured from rider to horse, is fielded by eastern factions such as Parthia?

A) Cataphracts
B) Teutonic Knights
C) Macedonian Companions

Answer: A) Cataphracts. Parthia fields Royal Cataphracts, and the Beasts of War pack even adds Camel Cataphracts. These heavily armoured riders crush infantry, and a well-placed charge means carnage. Teutonic Knights, for their part, belong to the Middle Ages.

9. Which campaign mode of Total War: Warhammer III brings the realms of the Warhammer series together on one huge map?

A) Chaos Realm
B) Mortal Empires
C) Immortal Empires

Answer: C) Immortal Empires. Launched in beta in August 2022, this campaign combines the maps and playable races of all three Total War: Warhammer games on a single world map. Mortal Empires was its Warhammer II predecessor, and the Realm of Chaos is the setting of Warhammer III’s story campaign.

10. In which Total War game can princess agents marry into other factions and try to win a foreign general over to your side?

A) Total War: Shogun 2
B) Total War: Medieval II
C) Total War: Rome II

Answer: B) Total War: Medieval II. In Medieval II (2006), princesses are agents in their own right: they can marry into other factions or try to lure a foreign general or prince into betraying his liege, along with his army. Neither Shogun 2 nor Rome II has princess agents.

So, what is your score?

In practice, the score matters less than the trip through the series it prompts. Still, here is the scale:

10/10: A true strategist and a Total War veteran. Battles hold no secrets for you.
7 to 9/10: Not bad. You know the series well, but a few gaps remain.
4 to 6/10: You have the basics, but it is time to dive back into the historical campaigns.
0 to 3/10: Time for a refresher. Head straight for Rome: Total War Remastered.

Why Total War is still a reference after 25 years

Total War has evolved without betraying its DNA: a blend of turn-based strategic management and spectacular real-time battles. Whether recreating historical conflicts (Napoleon, Three Kingdoms) or exploring fantasy worlds (Warhammer), the series keeps innovating. A few reasons for its success:

Epic battles: nothing beats the thrill of seeing thousands of soldiers clash on a battlefield.
Strategic depth: running an empire, its resources, its diplomacy and its generals takes real thought.
Historical (or fantasy) immersion: Total War games are packed with anecdotes and realistic details.
An active community: mods, multiplayer tournaments and strategy discussions keep fans engaged.

What comes next for Total War?

The series keeps exploring new eras. Total War: Pharaoh, released in 2023, took it to ancient Egypt, with chariots, pharaohs and gods, and the long-dreamed-of crossover with the grim darkness of Warhammer 40,000 is now on the way, as the first gameplay reveal and closed beta shows. In the meantime, if you want to dive back in, here are a few recommendations:

For purists: Total War: Rome II (with all its DLC) or Three Kingdoms for its hero system.
For fantasy fans: Total War: Warhammer III (even if the latest entry divided opinion).
For a hardcore challenge: Total War: Attila, the most unforgiving game in the series.

Conclusion: a legend that does not age

More than twenty-five years, countless players and hundreds of legendary battles: Total War has left its mark on strategy gaming. Whether you are a veteran grognard or a fresh recruit, the series still has something to offer. Ready to start a new campaign? This time, maybe skip charging your generals into the front line (we all know how that ends). Which Total War is your favourite?