Total War: Pharaoh | Irsu Faction Guide
Irsu is one of the Canaanite Factions in Total War: Pharaoh, from Creative Assembly. Read on to discover everything you need to know to master this Faction in the game.
Total War: Pharaoh | Irsu Faction Guide
Key Details
Name: Irsu
Known As: The Ravager: Canaanite warlord, raider and pillager
Starting Situation: Normal
Court Position: None
Description:
As a savage warlord and raider, Irsu hopes to prey on the fragility of civilisation and reap the rewards of the chaos that follows. In the heart of Canaan, he basks in his stolen wealth, eager to add to his hoard.
Local Deity: Moloch
Native Units
- Habiru Militia (Bronze)
- Habiru Archers (Bronze)
- Habiru Raiders (Bronze)
- Shasu Tribesmen (Bronze)
- Shasu Warriors (Silver)
- Habiru Skirmishers (Silver)
- Shasu Archers (Silver)
- Habiru Mercenaries (Silver)
- Renowned Habiru Slingers (Silver)
- Armoured Canaanite Chariots (Silver)
Faction Units
- Hupshu Clubmen (Bronze)
- Hupshu Warriors (Bronze)
- Canaanite Bowmen (Bronze)
- Sabu Nagib Spearmen (Silver)
- Sabu Nagib Swordsmen (Silver)
- Sabu Nagib Warriors (Silver)
- Canaanite Chariots (Silver)
- Sabu Nagib Chargers (Silver)
- Henkhu Guard (Gold)
- Henkhu Warriors (Gold)
- Maryannu of the King (Gold)
- Maryannu Chariots (Gold)
Unique Faction Buildings
- Forced Labour Compound
- Irsu’s Gold Tally Quarters
- Irsu’s War Camp
Strengths and Weaknesses of Irsu in Total War: Pharaoh
Faction Buildings
- Quick resource gain
- More battle loot
- Resource buildings cannot be upgraded
Tips
As Irsu, your Unique Buildings help with gaining Resources quickly, though at a cost.
Your Resource Buildings are weaker than those of other factions and have less options for upgrade.
Forced Labour Compounds increase their region’s production, but they heavily reduce Happiness. Use them to amass wealth, but don’t build too many in the same Province.
War Camps improve Recruitment and increase battle loot for your faction. Use them to amass wealth by winning battles.
The Gold Tally Quarters is a Building that you can only have one of – it grants Happiness, Influence, Legitimacy and Resources. Build it to capitalise on your riches.
Faction Units
- Well-armoured
- Great at melee
- Slow and vulnerable to terrain
Tips
Your Units are well-armoured and good at fighting in melee. A lot of them have the Raiders & Razors Ability, which allows them to set Buildings on fire. Use them to face your enemy head on and to burn their Buildings during a Siege Battle/
The Sabu Nagib are the backbone of your army. They come armed in all weapon variations. Use them to form a line and advance on your enemy.
Henkhu Warriors are your most elite Units – heavy axemen good at tearing through armour. Use them to defeat heavily-armoured enemies.
Commands
- Decrease Civilisation State
- More income from Raiding stance and Sacking
Tips
You can command your Armies to wreak havoc, decreasing the Civilisation State and having access to the same benefits Nomadic People receive from low values. They will not be able to Occupy settlements until Shemsu Hor.
If you wait until Shemsu Hor, your faction will gain more Resources from Raiding Stance and Sacking during the current Shemsu Hor cycle.
Court
- Free Regard on Shemsu Hor
- Suggested Position: Egyptian First Commander / Hittite High Commander
Tips
You receive Regard with a random Court position for free on each Shemsu Hor. However, you cannot use the following Intrigues: Gossip, Encourage, Discourage.
As soon as you join Court, wait to see what position’s Requests you will have for free and plan to use them.
Key Concepts of this Faction
Outposts
You start with no Outposts. However, in your Province you can conquer the following:
Sedad has a Shrine of Moloch, which increases the Defence of newly-recruited Units. Pray there to increase the respective army’s Morale.
Damascus has a Trading Post, which increases Resource production. Trade there to reduce the respective army’s Upkeep for a few turns.
Worship Moloch
Prayers to Canaanite gods have a longer duration.
Shrines of Moloch improve Defence for newly-recruited Units and increase Workforce for their Province. Use them to recruit better defensive Units.
Prayers to Moloch increase Morale for the respective army’s Units. The Devoted General’s army has more Melee Attack and deals more Melee Damage.
Native Units
You start in Retjenu, which has a shared Native Unit roster with Sinai. It has two main tribes of Units:
The Shasu, though lower-tier, are well-rounded warriors, cheap to hire and maintain. Use them to protect your stronger Units from being flanked.
The Habiru have many Units that can deploy close to the enemy line. Hide them in Forests or Tall Grass, then use them for a surprise attack.
Terrain & Weather
In Canaan, rain tends to be more common than either in Egypt or Anatolia. It makes ranged combat more difficult, so in turn Canaanite Units are better at Melee, with some of them capable of Vanguard Deployment.
Their armour is either medium or heavy, which protects them well, but weighs them down in warmer Weather or muddy Terrain.
Titles
Your Titles reduce your faction’s Happiness in exchange for various bonuses. Your armies can cause fear in enemy Units and you gain more loot from winning battles, especially Sieges.
Equipment
Your starting Equipment is a Heavy Armour, a Spear and a Medium Shield. Deploy your Bodyguard Unit in the front and crush your enemies yourself.
Canaanite
You start in Retjenu and own no Sacred Lands. You gain a higher amount of Legitimacy from winning battles than other factions.
