Total War: Napoleon is quite an old game now. As of 2023, it’s now a 13-year-old game, so there are parts of it that could do with some updates. With the level of detail and depth in Three Kingdoms, some of these older Total War titles can seem a bit dated – even though the core quality of the games is still there. But in terms of historical accuracy, the old Total War games seem to prioritise this more than some of the newer titles, which are adopting the ‘hero’ fantasy style of gameplay, meaning that fans aren’t letting some of these titles go.
Napoleon Total War mods are still in full swing and are being updated and improved constantly – producing some seriously impressive results. So with a few texture, graphic and content mods, and a PC with good performance, the game can look as good as new.
Here’s our pick of the best Napoleon mods that still work well in 2023. We have picked these from Mod DB, as they offer the best and most up-to-date mods for Napoleon Total War.
1. Napoleonic Total War Mod 3
This mod is ideal if you’re not sure which mod to pick, but are looking for a general upgrade to the game. It feels almost like a sequel to the game itself, upgrading the historical accuracy as well as gameplay mechanics and units.
One of the main changes this mod makes to gameplay is upgrading the map size, making the maps huge. The vanilla Napoleon maps can feel a little small, and with the reach of some cannons, can make flanking frustrating. It also adds fog of war, adding a level of strategy to the game, as well as smoke graphics to enhance the real battlefield look.
It adds entirely new sections to the map as well as new campaigns. It’s an essential mod if you’re looking to dive back into Napoleon but get a new experience.
2. Victoria at War 1879-1901
If you’re interested in this period of conflict for the British Empire, then this mod has been refined to produce an entire British Empire experience. The original Zulu Khartoum mod was extensive enough, adding new menus, audio, weapons and characters into the game. This mod adds to this, merging in the Afghan, Boer, Egyptian and Madhi conflicts.
3. The Great War Mod
Anyone after a Total War World War 1 game will be interested in trying this out. This mod completely transforms the battlefield and campaign map into the First World War, and adding in tanks and considerably more powerful artillery changes how the game is played. The mod changes all the menus, UI and sound, so the game looks and feels entirely rooted in the era.
4. American Civil War Mod
While there’s no campaign in this mod, it does have an Online Multiplayer mode where you can battle against other players in the mod. If the War of Independence in Empire was to your liking, you can now experience this American conflict.
5. Pike and Shot Mod
This mod is a fascinating transformation of Napoleon into conflicts in the 16th and 17th centuries, including the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648). It adds in a completely new style of solider, as well as a baroque-style UI alongside unique features for major factions.
