Best Starter Factions in Immortal Empires

Picking a first campaign without getting lost

Immortal Empires is huge, ambitious, and packed with choices. That is part of its charm, but it can also make the first decision feel weirdly stressful. If you are new, the best starting point is not always the flashiest lord or the most famous race. The strongest first campaign is usually the one that teaches the basics cleanly: how to move armies, manage money, defend settlements, and win battles without demanding perfect knowledge of the game’s systems.

The right beginner faction should give you room to make mistakes. It should also make its own strengths obvious. Some factions specialize in sturdy infantry and straightforward conquest, while others rely on magic, ranged firepower, or unusual economy mechanics. Those can all be fun, but some are easier to understand than others when you are still learning the flow of a turn-based strategy game.

Below is a fresh way to think about the best first picks for Immortal Empires. Rather than ranking by raw power alone, this guide focuses on campaigns that are forgiving, readable, and enjoyable for someone who wants to learn the game naturally.

What makes a campaign beginner-friendly?

Before choosing a faction, it helps to know what qualities reduce frustration. A beginner campaign is usually one that keeps your objectives clear and your army roster manageable. If you can understand your strengths in a few battles, you are more likely to stick with the campaign long enough to learn the broader strategy layer.

• Simple early economy: You should be able to build up without memorizing a dozen special rules.
• Reliable frontline units: Durable troops buy time while you learn positioning and targeting.
• Clear campaign direction: A faction that points you toward nearby enemies or safe expansion is easier to follow.
• Low dependence on DLC: It is helpful when the base roster already feels complete.
• Forgiving battle style: Flexible armies let you recover from mistakes more easily.

If that sounds like your priority list, you are not looking for the most complex faction. You are looking for the one that helps you enjoy the game long enough to understand why the campaign map, diplomacy, and battlefield all matter together.

The golden starting point: a classic high-elf-style campaign

For many new players, the easiest introduction comes from a faction that combines strong basics with a friendly starting position. A campaign like this tends to offer dependable infantry, sturdy economy growth, and ranged units that make battles easier to read. You can usually win by building a balanced army, expanding carefully, and using a few simple battlefield habits instead of micromanaging every unit at once.

This kind of start is especially valuable because it teaches core Total War lessons without drowning you in special-case mechanics. You still need to think about fronts, flanks, and priorities, but your army will often have the tools to survive while you learn. That makes it a great learning environment for players who want a clean, traditional strategy experience.

Why it works so well:

• Units tend to perform clearly defined jobs.
• Ranged support makes battles less punishing.
• Your expansion path often feels understandable early on.
• The faction usually rewards disciplined play without requiring exotic tactics.

Why a durable dwarf campaign is so effective for new players

If you prefer armies that stand their ground and win through patience, a dwarf faction is one of the safest ways into Immortal Empires. Dwarfs are ideal for learning battlefield fundamentals because their units are sturdy, their lines hold well, and their ranged tools punish enemies who rush in carelessly. That means the game often teaches you what works by showing you, very directly, what happens when the opponent walks into a bad fight.

Dwarf campaigns also tend to feel reassuring on the strategic map. Their settlements are generally easy to understand, and their style encourages steady growth rather than reckless expansion. For a first campaign, that can be a huge advantage. You are less likely to overextend, and you can spend more time learning how to stack advantages across multiple turns.

This is a faction for players who want their first success to feel earned, not accidental. If you enjoy the feeling of a line holding firm while artillery and missiles do their work, dwarfs are a natural fit.

A chaos warrior start for players who want power without complexity

Some beginners assume that the safest choices must also be the most passive. That is not always true. A strong chaos-aligned campaign can be surprisingly approachable because it allows you to solve problems with straightforward aggression. When a faction has tough troops, a clear combat identity, and a direct path to fighting nearby threats, you spend less time worrying about delicate economy puzzles and more time learning how to win battles decisively.

A campaign like this is especially appealing if you like the fantasy of an unstoppable army marching across the map. The playstyle is often simple to understand: move forward, choose fights you can win, and use your strength to keep pressure on the enemy. That can be excellent for new players because it rewards confidence and makes the battle layer feel immediately rewarding.

Just keep in mind that raw aggression still needs a little discipline. Even an easy campaign can unravel if you chase too far or leave settlements undefended. The goal is not mindless attacking; it is learning how to apply force efficiently.

Why a vampire campaign can be surprisingly beginner-friendly

Undead factions may look intimidating at first, but a vampire-style start can actually be very welcoming if you enjoy close combat and constant pressure. These factions often rely on attrition, mass infantry, and powerful leadership auras rather than a delicate mix of complex systems. That means your army can be easy to understand in practice: hold the enemy in place, let fear and magical support do their work, and overwhelm weakened opponents.

The appeal here is that vampire armies are usually forgiving in battle. When your troops are designed to sustain pressure and keep fighting, mistakes do not always end the fight immediately. This gives new players more time to experiment with positioning and unit coordination. On the campaign map, the experience can also be satisfying because your early conquests often feel purposeful and threatening, which makes the faction fantasy come through strongly.

This is a good first pick for someone who wants a dark, aggressive campaign without having to master highly technical mechanics right away.

A simple comparison of strong beginner picks

How to avoid beginner mistakes in your first run

Even with an easy faction, Immortal Empires can overwhelm you if you try to do everything at once. The smartest way to start is to play small. Secure your immediate region, learn your army’s best range of movement, and keep your first few wars simple. You do not need to conquer half the map quickly. In fact, doing less often teaches more.

• Do not overbuild: A few useful buildings are better than a messy settlement plan.
• Recruit with purpose: Fill clear gaps in your army instead of stacking random units.
• Protect your income: A stable economy keeps the campaign moving.
• Fight winnable battles first: Early confidence matters more than bravado.
• Use heroes and lords carefully: They are strongest when they support a plan, not when they wander alone.

If you build good habits early, your second or third campaign will feel dramatically easier. The point of a beginner faction is not just to win; it is to teach you how winning works.

Which type of player should choose which start?

Different starter factions suit different personalities. If you like a classic fantasy kingdom with clean battle roles, a balanced elite faction is the easiest on-ramp. If you want an army that feels like a wall of iron, pick the defensive option. If you enjoy momentum and intimidation, a chaos-focused campaign is a strong fit. And if you want something dramatic, aggressive, and a little spooky, undead armies can be a rewarding place to begin.

There is no single correct first choice. The best campaign is the one that matches your patience level and your appetite for complexity. Some players want to learn diplomacy and settlement planning in a safe environment. Others want to dive into warfare immediately and figure out the map later. Immortal Empires supports both, but your first lord should make the journey comfortable instead of stressful.

Final advice for choosing your first lord

When in doubt, choose the faction that makes you feel curious rather than intimidated. A good first campaign should encourage you to keep playing after the first few turns. It should make victories understandable and losses instructive. If you are spending more time reading tooltips than enjoying the map, the start may be too complicated for a first run.

The best beginner faction in Immortal Empires is usually the one that balances power with clarity. Strong fundamentals matter more than exotic mechanics, and a friendly early game can turn a confusing giant sandbox into an exciting strategy playground. Once you have one campaign under your belt, you will be far better prepared to branch out into trickier lords, stranger economies, and more ambitious conquest plans.

So start simple, learn the shape of the game, and let your first faction teach you what Total War: Warhammer does best: big battles, strategic growth, and the thrill of turning a fragile start into a legendary empire.