Unit Formations in Total War Three Kingdoms Total War Three Kingdoms guide, tips

Due to the tactical nature of the game in Total War: Three Kingdoms, the game offers the possibility to set up most units in one of the many available formations. These, apart from the visual aspect, offer various bonuses to combat efficiency, allowing, for example, better handling of horses or preventing flanking. In this section you will learn how to use the formations and what formations are available in the latest installment of Total War series.

• How to use Formations?
• Available Formations

How to use Formations?

Formation can only be used during combat. When this starts, select the unit you are interested in and then click on one of the icons above the unit's portrait. When you click on the formation you are interested in, the unit will need a few seconds to change the formation and set up according to the new order. Once the unit has set up, it will receive all the bonuses associated with the formation.

Available Formations

Each unit has a different types of formation available - these can be viewed on the units tab.

In the Total War: Three Kingdoms you may select following formations:

1. Loose - formation that is available for all units. All the soldiers of the unit are standing in loose intervals. This makes the unit more difficult to hit by shooters or artillery, but it is also vulnerable to cavalry attacks.
2. Wedge - formation available only for cavalry. A unit is wedge-shaped, gaining bonus to mass, charge speed, and damage, but at the expense of its armor and overall movement speed. A great formation to break through the ranks of the enemy and smash to more vulnerable targets.
3. Diamond - a second formation unique to cavalry that increases mass, charge damage and dodges in melee, but lowers overall movement speed.
4. Hollowed Square - available only for units equipped with Glaives. Increases the dodge chances of selected units and effectively deflects charges of enemy units from any direction, but at the cost of being unable to move. Excellent formation to protect the flank from enemy cavalry.
5. Spear Wall - another formation that is available for units with Glaives. This formation significantly increases the unit's resistance to charge and increases its chance of evasion, but limits the unit's movement speed when marching.
6. Turtle - this formation is available only for infantry with axes and shields. This formation significantly increases the unit's effectiveness against battles and makes them virtually insensitive to enemy archers, but this reduces their attack speed and limits their movement speed when marching.
7. Circle - a formation used quite commonly by melee infantry. Formation causes the soldiers in the squad to form a circle, which makes the unit insensitive to flanking. The formation itself increases the protection against a charge, the chance to block the attack from a distance and in close combat, but it decreases the unit's attack speed and prevents it from moving until the formation changes.

Note - remember that some units (in particular the militia) are unable to use military formations.