Total War: Medieval 2 is one of the most beloved Total War titles of all time, and has been consistently a favourite since its release on 10 November 2006.
But despite how good this game is, it’s now almost 16 years old, which means that some of the graphics and AI are a little dated and could do with some upgrading. It also means that modders have had plenty of time to experiment and get creative with the mods, making Medieval 2 one of the best Total War games for mods.
In no particular order, here are our favourites:
1. Third Age Total War Mod
This mod appears in our guide on how to turn your various Total War titles into Lord of the Rings and is a great way to get that Total War Lord of the Rings experience we all want.
It’s an essential mod for Medieval 2 and we highly recommend checking it out.
Plus, if you enjoy this mod, try adding in the Divide and Conquer submod for some extra factions and content.
2. A Medieval Mod: 1191
Even a game as good as Medieval 2 can’t compete against time, and the graphics and AI of the original don’t compare much to some of the newer Total War titles. That’s why this mod is a must-have, as you will be able to upgrade a lot of the old parts of the game.
This includes:
- Improved AI for the campaign and also in-battle
- New units
- New interactive events (travelling mercenaries)
- Religion plays a stronger role
It also crafts the game to prioritise a slower build-up of your nation, and gives you only six turns per year in the early campaign.
The mod also adds a bunch of new features to the game, such as:
- New castles and cities
- New skins for certain factions
- An expanded Great Britain map
- Bulgaria added as a faction
In light of the title of the mod, the start date for the mod has also been set to 1191. This mod is ideal if you’re looking for the vanilla Medieval 2 experience but want to enjoy it with some graphics and gameplay upgrades.
3. Bulat Steel Total War Mod
Following on from the 1191 mod, this mod does a similar thing but to an even greater extent. It has also been worked on and adapted for over 10 years, and reigns as one of the essential Medieval 2 mods.
Downloading this mod will install:
- Close to 500 new units
- New menus and user interface, such as symbols and loading screens
- A unique campaign
- Hundreds of new scripted events, with pictures and descriptions
This is a seriously impressive mod, and is perfect if you are looking for an upgraded version of Medieval 2 that keeps the spirit of the original alive, but enhances and enriches it.
4. Total War: Game of Thrones
If you’re looking for a Game of Thrones Total War, then this exists for Medieval 2 in the Westeros Total War mod. This adds in models and skins inspired by the hit TV show.
However, this mod still keeps the game looking mostly like Medieval 2, so if you’re looking for the full Game of Thrones experience, we highly recommend downloading the Game of Thrones submod afterwards. This will add a full Game of Thrones theme to the game, including skins, sounds and new factions.
You will also be able to play in specific maps from the series, such as Castle Black.
5. The Italian Wars Mod
If you’re interested in a more historical mod, and are interested in Italian history, then this might be ideal for you.
The setting of this mod is from 1493 to 1559 during the Italian Wars (also known as the Habsburg–Valois Wars) fought in and around the Italian peninsula. This mod creates an entirely new map for you, as well as complete units for each faction, and modified structures to fit the time period. Perfect for the Total War history fans.
