Total War: ROME II - Pirates and Raiders Culture Pack expands the core strategy experience of Total War: ROME II by adding a Balkan raiding culture with three distinct factions. These additions focus on plunder, rapid mercenary recruitment, and specialized naval and land units suited to hit-and-run tactics across the campaign map.
Gameplay
The culture pack introduces Balkan cultural traits that emphasize raiding for wealth and quick assembly of mercenary forces. Players control the Ardiaei of Illyria, the Thracian tribes of Tylis, and the Odrysian Kingdom, each with unique starting positions and faction traits. The Ardiaei lean toward piracy, the Odrysian Kingdom excels with archers, and Tylis trains melee infantry recruits to a high standard while drawing from Celtic influences.
New religious building chains for the Ardiaei and Odrysian Kingdom provide campaign benefits. Unique technology trees replace sections of the standard barbarian options and unlock faction-specific units and effects. Battlefield and naval rosters expand with Illyrian Marines, Illyrian Raiders, Illyrian Noble Hoplites, Raiding Hemiola, Assault Hexeres, and Assault Tetreres for the Ardiaei. The Odrysian Kingdom gains Thracian Horsemen. Tylis receives Gallo-Thracian Warriors, Tribal Warriors, and Raiding Horsemen.
Additional mercenaries and auxiliaries become available to other factions when recruiting in Illyria, Thracia, or Dacia. These include Mercenary Thracian Warriors, Mercenary Falxmen, Mercenary Dacian Skirmishers, Mercenary Illyrian Raiders, Raiding Hemiola, and their auxiliary counterparts.
Game Modes
The primary mode centers on the Grand Campaign, where the new factions integrate into the larger map with their raiding-focused playstyles. Battles occur in real time on land and sea, featuring the added unit rosters alongside core barbarian options. The pack does not introduce separate standalone modes beyond these campaign and battle systems.
Factions and Mechanics
Each faction operates with distinct traits that shape long-term strategy. Raiding generates resources while mercenary speed allows sudden strikes on targets. Naval units support coastal operations for the Illyrian-focused Ardiaei. All three share access to core barbarian units but differentiate through the listed additions and cultural bonuses.
Mechanics reward aggressive expansion through plunder rather than static defense. Technologies and buildings tie directly into these raiding elements, altering unit availability and campaign progression compared to standard barbarian factions.
Is It Worth Playing?
The culture pack suits players who enjoy strategy titles centered on asymmetric faction design and historical raiding themes. It adds meaningful variety to the Grand Campaign through new units, traits, and recruitment options that integrate with existing systems. The base game maintains ongoing support with patches that have improved stability and features over time, reflected in positive recent player feedback. Those seeking fresh Balkan options or expanded mercenary interactions will find the content relevant without requiring additional purchases beyond the pack itself.
