Tradeoffs and farming Aspiration Points
You might’ve noticed the Aspiration Points mentioned in the previous section. Well, these primarily come from Tradeoffs also seen at the bottom of the Aspiration panel.
Tradeoffs: Points and penalties
Tradeoffs provide Aspiration Points each turn. Likewise, the effects increase (in tiers) the longer they’re active. Beware, though, because you’ll also experience severe penalties the longer they’re up.
Tradeoffs are a balancing act. You want to make sure that you have enough Aspiration points, but you also don’t want your economy or officer court to get wrecked. As such, it’s better to calculate just how many points you’d need. Likewise, consider the cooldowns of the Inheritance Rewards. Since you can’t use them each turn, think of how long you’ll actually play Liu Yan’s grand campaign in Total War: Three Kingdoms – Fates Divided.
Note 1: When a Tradeoff is disabled, it takes effect immediately. However, you can’t activate it again until a few turns have passed. Moreover, the tier/level of this Tradeoff will reset to its default value.
Note 2: Other than unlocking Aspiration tasks, Tradeoffs are another reason why you might want to delay before Liu Yan’s heir inherits. These are disabled the moment Inheritance is triggered.
| Tradeoff | Faction-wide Effects (Divided by Tier) |
| Public Checkpoints | Public Order: -5/-10/-10 Aspiration Points: +5/+10/+20 |
| Smith Education | Unit Upkeep: +10%/+20%/+20% Aspiration Points: +5/+10/+20 |
| Raised Court Standards | Character Salary: +25%/+50%/+50% Aspiration Points: +5/+10/+20 |
| Market Protectionism | Trade Influence: -25%/-50%/-50% Aspiration Points: +5/+10/+20 |
| Military Surplus to Markets | Military Supplies: -10/-20/-20 Aspiration Points: +5/+10/+20 |
| Divert To Coffers | Income From All Sources: -10%/-20%/-20% Aspiration Points: +5/+10/+20 |
What about other sources of Aspiration Points?
Tradeoffs are a great source of Aspiration Points during the pre-inheritance stage for Liu Yan. But, there are other sources, too, and they’ll persist after Inheritance is triggered:
- High-level buildings – A large city provides +2 Aspiration Points each turn. Continue upgrading that settlement and, once it becomes an imperial city, it can provide +10 Aspiration Points each turn.
- Conquering settlements – Naturally, conquest provides you with these. The regular occupation adds +5 Aspiration Points (once only, not per turn). Meanwhile, the “loot & occupy” option adds +10 Aspiration Points.
Note 1: The mechanic is present in all settlements in your Total War: Three Kingdoms – Fates Divided campaign, including settlements owned by the Nanman, Yellow Turbans, and other bandits. Just to be clear, “loot & occupy” might not be a good idea when you think of the Imperial Intrigue mechanic. Since looting leads to a drop in Imperial Favor, you might find yourself targetted often by other Han factions due to being unruly.
Note 2: Speaking of the Nanman and Yellow Turbans, you can actually farm Aspiration Points using them. Just let public order drop and wait until a rebel force captures one of your minor settlements. Each time you re-conquer a settlement, you can still get Aspiration Points.
Okay, let’s discuss a few tips if you pick Liu Yan for the 190 CE campaign in Total War: Three Kingdoms. We’ll become a vassal of Dong Zhuo in that scenario.
