The factions in Total War: Pharaoh are led by four future pharaohs of Egypt: Seti, Tausert, Amenmeses, and Ramses, each with their own history and ties to Mernepath, as well as the pharaoh’s crown. With the final years of Pharaoh Merneptah’s rule just around the corner, everyone aims to seize power to lead the nation through the calamity of the Bronze Age Collapse. All four leaders are worthy claimants to the throne, each offering unique gameplay experiences and playstyles.
On Canaan’s border with Sinai we have Ramses, an offspring of the sun god, Ra. He is a young and ambitious claimant to the throne who intends to follow the path of greatness of his counterpart Ramesses II. He is about a leader who has speed and skills like no other character, and whose armies are made up of elite warriors, few but well balanced. Ramses must put his skills into practice to deal with the incursions of the great Irsu on the Canaanite border without losing sight of the other rivals.
In Hardai and fighting against the tribes of the western desert, we find Seti, the son of Mernepath and the rightful heir to the throne of Egypt. Despite this, he prefers to prove his worth and martial superiority on the battlefield, where he also demonstrates that his language is war. His playstyle is oriented almost entirely towards aggressive expansionism, and he uses a large number of expendable troops with the goal of overwhelming the enemy before his light and medium infantry deal the decisive blow.
Third is Tausert, who despite being Seti’s wife harbors imperial ambitions of her own and approaches power very differently from other leaders. She is a methodical genius with great knowledge who devises economic plans to grow her empire and defeat her enemies. Her strength lies in intelligence and her vast network of resources, which allows her to build powerful chariot-focused armies. Her campaign begins in the deserts of Yebu, in Upper Egypt.
Finally, to the south, we find Amenmeses, the viceroy of Kush and the eldest son of Seti. This leader knows that true power over man is not achieved through loyalty, but through money. As Viceroy of Kush, Amenmeses has control over Egypt’s gold mines and uses this resource to buy or trade power at the diplomatic table. His star unit is the Kushite Piggyback Archers.
