The Three Kingdoms era features many famous and even legendary figures; Cao Cao, Liu Bei, Zhuge Liang, and so on. However, there are few who are as famed as Guan Yu, Liu Bei’s sworn brother. Roughly four hundred years after his death, Guan Yu became a deity in Chinese folk religion. In fact, people still revere him today across China and even in some of its neighbouring countries. For example, In Hong Kong, every police station contains a shrine dedicated to Guan Yu. In Taoism, he has the titles “Holy Ruler Deity Guan,” and the “Immortal of Chongning”. As one of the Total War: Three Kingdoms heroes, Guan Yu is one of Liu Bei’s greatest assets.
Total War: Three Kingdoms Heroes – Guan Yu
Like faction leaders Zhang Yan and Zheng Jiang, and other heroes like Dian Wei, Guan Yu is a Champion-class hero. Given his legendary reputation, it seems likely that he will be among the strongest Champions, which would make him a very dangerous opponent and highly valuable asset. Champions have been described by Creative Assembly as the best one-on-one fighters. Although they are vulnerable to getting overwhelmed by numbers, they’re often the best duellists. Off the battlefield, they are so inspiring that they boost population growth wherever they are.
Guan Yu’s appearance in Total War: Three Kingdoms certainly seems to take influence from his depiction in Romance of the Three Kingdoms. “Xuande [Liu Bei] took a look at the man,” it reads; “who stood at a height of nine chi, and had a two chi long beard; his face was the colour of a dark zao, with lips that were red and plump; his eyes were like those of a crimson phoenix, and his eyebrows resembled reclining silkworms. He had a dignified air and looked quite majestic”. Although he is certainly tall in the game, Creative Assembly perhaps wisely chose not to portray him as “nine chi” in height. Had they done so, Guan Yu would stand almost 10 feet tall!
Thus far, Creative Assembly have given fans descriptions of four of Guan Yu’s abilities. The exact gameplay details of each are currently unknown. However, we do know that ‘Green Dragon Sabre’ will be a unique weapon which Guan Yu starts with; representing his famous guan dao.
- Binding Fury: “The strength of the forest brought to bear against a single foe.”
- God of War: “With a single blow, Guan Yu rends his enemy asunder!”
- Green Dragon Sabre: “This legendary polearm is imbued with the power of the dragon.”
- Unstoppable: “His relentless attack makes foes cower before him!”
Lord of the Magnificent Beard: The Legend of Guan Yu
Guan Yu is one of the most important characters in Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Indeed, he was a pivotal figure throughout the early years of the era. Like Liu Bei and Zhang Fei, Guan Yu emerged from obscurity with the Oath of the Peach Garden, the now legendary event where the trio swore an oath of brotherhood before setting out to fight the Yellow Turbans. In the year 200, 10 years after the start of the Total War: Three Kingdoms campaign, Cao Cao defeated Liu Bei. The warlord had no choice but to flee and find sanctuary with Yuan Shao. Meanwhile, Cao Cao was able to capture and recruit Guan Yu, appointing him as a Lieutenant-General.
Guan Yu’s service under Cao Cao did not last long, however. Although the peerless warrior quickly won Cao Cao’s admiration, he remained loyal to Liu Bei and refused to break his oath. When Guan Yu eventually left Cao Cao’s army, Cao Cao would not send soldiers to capture him; “He’s just doing his duty to his lord,” he is said to have said; “There’s no need to pursue him.”
Guan Yu returned to serve Liu Bei, and fought against Cao Cao just a few years later at the Battle of Red Cliffs. After their victory over Cao Cao, Liu Bei gave him the task of guarding Jing province; a pivotal territory which Sun Quan was keen to reclaim. Initially, Sun Quan had allowed Liu Bei to borrow the province in order to rebuild his strength, under the understanding that he would eventually move into his own territory. However, Liu Bei refused to give up the province. Threatened by Sun Quan and Cao Cao, Guan Yu nonetheless held the province throughout the 210s.
However, the tide began to turn against Guan Yu in 219. Sun Quan dispatched Lü Meng to invade Jing province after forging a secret agreement with Cao Cao. Lü Meng cunningly disguised his ships as civilian or trading vessels and stealthily captured the river watchtowers so that Guan Yu would be unaware of the coming attack. When he eventually realised his predicament, Guan Yu attempted to flee, but most of his soldiers deserted in the face of the invasion. Surrounded and ambushed by Sun Quan’s forces, the mighty warrior was captured and executed.