Dong Zhuo

Dong Zhuo
Name:	Dong Zhuo
Game:	Total War: Three Kingdoms
Culture:	Han
Starting Faction:	The Dong Clan of Liang
Faction Leader:	Yes
Style Name:	Zhongying
Title:	Grand Master, Marquis of Mei
Class:	Vanguard
Legendary:	Yes

Dong Zhuo is one of the 12 playable warlords in the Total War: Three Kingdoms grand campaign. He is unlocked when the player beats his army as one of the other warlords, or reaches emperor rank.

Historical Background

Probably the face of everything that had gone wrong with the Han dynasty in its twilight years, Dong Zhuo started his life rather innocuously, even valiantly, in Longxi Commandery in Liang Province, on the border of the empire. He was said to be chivalrous as a young man and made friends with the local Qiang people through his generosity and respect for them. Upon entering government service, he was repeatedly dispatched to deal with local tribes and bandits, earning a reputation for military ability and decisiveness. He went on to serve against the Xiongnu in Bing province, earning several promotions as well as an appointment as one of the imperial bodyguards (though he was not required to be in Luoyang). He suffered some defeats during the Yellow Turban rebellion and was demoted, but this was only a minor setback.

His true rise came during the Liang rebellion. Local officials agitated the Hu and Qiang and staged a revolt against the Han. Imperial forces under Zhang Wen sent to put down the rebellion were almost entirely crushed, except for Dong Zhuo, who had foreseen the dire situation and managed to save his army with some clever strategy, but he was forced to retreat out of Liang. Forces under another general, Huangfu Song, arrived later to help clean up the mess, but by this point it seems that Dong Zhuo had realized that serving the dying empire was not going to get him anywhere and began building a personal army from his base in Liang. When Emperor Ling died, the imperial capitol was thrown into chaos, and Dong Zhuo was one of those summoned back to the capitol by General-in-Chief He Jin to help restore order. However, He Jin was assassinated, the Yuan brothers massacred the eunuchs responsible, and in the chaos, Dong Zhuo used his army to seize the capitol and the emperor, putting him in charge of the empire.

Thus began his reign of terror and decadence where, among other things, he had entire clans slaughtered on a whim (even the children, despite the taboo), stole any personal property of the citizens (killing them if they objected), allowed the mass rape of the women of Luoyang by his army, plundered the imperial tombs, poisoned Dowager He, deposed and poisoned Emperor Shao, and desecrated the body of He Jin's half-brother He Miao before killing his elderly mother just to spite him. The rest of the land erupted in rebellion against him, but this coalition was made up of men who hadn't fought a real battle in their lives, while Dong Zhuo had a battle tested and disciplined army he had been building for decades. His general Xu Rong saw off most of the coalition, including Cao Cao. He then started his most infamous atrocity. He forced the entire civilian population of Luoyang to evacuate to the western capital of Chang'an. Anyone who refused was killed. Tens of thousands died of exposure on the ensuing death march, and Dong Zhuo razed the imperial capitol on his way out.

That was when Sun Jian arrived. One of the only remaining imperial veterans of the Liang revolt not under Dong Zhuo, Sun Jian was the one commander among the coalition that Dong Zhuo was said to fear, since he knew the man's capabilities. This turned out to be completely right, as Sun Jian devastated his army in several decisive engagements until he reached the mountain passes that marked the extent of the central plains. Dong Zhuo had long since fortified these areas and the other members of the coalition wouldn't help, so Sun Jian could go no further and was forced to return home. Safe behind the mountains in Chang'an, Dong Zhuo indulged himself once more, even taking upon the ancient title of Grand Master (a position above the rest of the government), until a plot hatched by Wang Yun and several others coerced his adoptive son Lu Bu to assassinate him in 192 CE.

Start Location

Dong Zhuo starts as the faction leader of The Dong Clan of Liang, in Chang'an Commandery. He starts with Emperor Xian as his hostage, and therefore acts as the Prime Minister of the Han Empire, which is his vassal.

Start Overview

Background:

Traits:

Guanxi

Dong Zhuo starts as friends with Lu Bu, his adopted son in the Romance and his historical bodyguard. He starts as rivals with Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, and Sun Jian, who all fought him during the days of the coalition.

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