The Shogun 2 Saga faction pack guide covers three small DLC bundles that add the Obama, Tsu, and Sendai clans to Fall of the Samurai, each with a unique economic, diplomatic, or military edge that changes how the 1864 Boshin War campaign plays out. These packs are easy to miss in a Complete Edition bundle, but they meaningfully shift the early-game economy and unit roster for the clans they join. This article breaks down what each faction pack adds, how the three clans differ in playstyle, and where the Dragon War Battle Pack and historical battles DLC slot into the wider Shogun 2 DLC ecosystem.
What the Saga Faction Pack DLC Actually Includes
Fall of the Samurai launched on 22 March 2012 as a standalone expansion, and over the following months Creative Assembly released three small faction packs that add single clans to the ten-domain base roster. According to the standalone Fall of the Samurai store page on Steam, the expansion was later rebranded under the A Total War Saga label, but the DLC structure stayed the same: each faction pack is sold separately and is also folded into the Complete Edition bundle.
Each pack follows the same template: one new playable clan, a small set of unique unit variants, and a couple of exclusive retainers or avatar items. None of the three packs add a full mini-campaign, so the value sits in the faction design rather than new scenarios. For players who already own the Complete Edition, the clans are unlocked automatically and the per-pack price only matters when buying the base expansion à la carte.
The three faction packs are also a good entry point for players who bounced off the main ten-clan roster. Because each clan pushes one economic or diplomatic dial harder than the others, the faction packs effectively act as difficulty knobs, letting you choose a playstyle that matches your strengths rather than relearning the game through trial and error.
| Faction Pack | Clan Added | Standout Trait | Unique Unit Angle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obama Faction Pack | Obama | Higher tax income, cheaper land upkeep | Naval-leaning line units |
| Tsu Faction Pack | Tsu | Improved trade income and naval recruitment | Faster ship build queues |
| Sendai Faction Pack | Sendai | Stronger diplomacy, softer public order penalties | Elite traditionalist infantry |
The table above summarises the headline bonuses; the next sections go deeper into each clan. The community has also pointed out that the unique unit variants are mostly roster polish rather than game-changing, so the real value of the faction packs is the clan-wide economic trait applied across every turn of the campaign.
Obama Faction Pack Guide: Tax Income and Cheap Land
The Obama faction pack guide focuses on one of the most economic-friendly clans in the entire Fall of the Samurai roster. According to community data referenced on the Fall of the Samurai Wikipedia entry, Obama sits on the Shogunate side and pulls higher tax income per province while also reducing land upkeep costs, which together create a snowball effect where each new territory funds the next without forcing you into constant military expansion.
Economic Profile Compared to Other Shogunate Clans
Obama is not the strongest Shogunate clan in a straight fight, but its economy lets you sit back, turtle, and outbuild your neighbours. The trait combination also makes Obama a strong pick for first-time players who want to learn the Realm Divide mechanic without being punished for slow expansion, because the cheaper land upkeep buffers public order penalties that usually snowball when you hold more territory than your army can patrol.
| Shogunate Clan | Tax Modifier | Land Upkeep Modifier | Public Order Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obama | Higher | Cheaper | Moderate |
| Aizu | Standard | Standard (cheaper castles) | High |
| Nagaoka | Standard | Standard | Low (commercial) |
| Jozai | Standard | Standard | Low (guerrilla) |
| Sendai | Standard | Standard | Soft (diplomatic) |
The contrast matters for opening moves. Nagaoka and Jozai are the usual recommendations for first-time Realm Divide runs because their bonuses directly fight public order decay, but Obama is the sleeper pick that wins through money rather than stability. Once you have three or four provinces, the extra tax and reduced upkeep start paying for an extra army, which is when Obama pulls ahead of the more traditionalist clans.
How to Play Obama Effectively
The economic trait only matters if you actually invest in commerce and taxation buildings. Players new to the clan often overlook the fact that Obama does not give a flat gold bonus; it reduces upkeep and boosts tax collection, so the benefit is zero on a province where you have skipped the market and tax office. Treat the first three turns as a setup phase: secure your starting province, build the tax and market chain, and only then push into neutral territory.
For battle-focused players who find the economic playstyle dull, the Obama faction pack also adds a couple of naval-leaning unit variants that let you put pressure on trade routes. This makes the clan versatile enough to pivot from a turtle economy into a coastal raider if the campaign stalls, which is something Aizu cannot easily do.
Tsu Faction Pack Guide: Trade Income and Naval Focus
The Tsu faction pack guide is the most popular pick for players who enjoy the naval side of Fall of the Samurai. Tsu's standout trait is improved trade income combined with faster ship build queues, which together turn the clan into a coastal empire rather than a land-locked traditionalist state. Because the Boshin War is decided partly by who controls the sea lanes around northern Honshu, that focus is more powerful than it looks on paper.
Naval Trait Stack and What It Means in Practice
Tsu's faster ship build queues let you replace lost vessels quickly, which is critical in a campaign where every lost warship is a chunk of trade income gone. The improved trade income then feeds back into the ship-building loop, so a Tsu player who survives the first ten turns without losing a fleet can snowball into an income lead that the Imperial clans struggle to match.
| Naval Clan | Trade Income | Ship Build Speed | Coastal Defence Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tsu | High | Faster | Standard |
| Nagaoka | Moderate | Standard | Standard |
| Sendai | Standard | Standard | Standard |
| Satsuma | Standard | Standard | Stronger on land |
Compared to Satsuma, which leans on elite modern units and aggressive land warfare, Tsu plays the long game through attrition at sea. The trade income also makes Tsu one of the easier clans to fund the expensive Armstrong gun batteries and Western-style warships that the Shogunate side normally struggles to afford, so the faction pack effectively removes the main late-game bottleneck for Shogunate naval powers.
When Tsu Underperforms
Tsu's weakness is land warfare, and players who ignore the navy lose the trait's value entirely. If you are facing an aggressive neighbour who pushes inland before you can secure the coast, the cheaper ships and trade income do not matter, and Tsu ends up playing like a generic Shogunate clan without the traditional unit bonuses that Aizu and Sendai bring. The faction pack works best on maps where the AI is willing to contest the sea, which is more common on harder difficulty levels where the AI makes better use of its fleets.
Sendai Faction Pack Guide: Diplomacy and Public Order
The Sendai faction pack guide is the diplomatic choice of the three. Sendai's standout trait is stronger diplomacy combined with softer public order penalties, which makes the clan ideal for alliance-heavy play and for players who want to delay or avoid the Realm Divide event for as long as possible. According to the Fall of the Samurai Wikipedia summary, Sendai's diplomatic bonuses are part of why the clan is often recommended for first-time players.
Why the Diplomatic Edge Matters
In Fall of the Samurai, public order penalties and Realm Divide are the two timers that force you to either consolidate fast or fall behind. Sendai softens both timers at once: diplomacy opens up trade agreements and non-aggression pacts that keep neighbours from attacking, while the softer public order penalties give you a wider margin to convert traditionalist provinces without losing them to rebellion.
| Clan | Diplomacy Modifier | Public Order Penalty | Alliance Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sendai | Stronger | Softer | High |
| Obama | Standard | Standard | Moderate |
| Tsu | Standard | Standard | Moderate |
| Aizu | Standard | High | Low |
The diplomatic edge is also useful for managing the Imperial-Shogunate split. Because Sendai is a Shogunate clan, you usually end up at war with the Imperial side by mid-game, but the diplomatic bonus lets you flip neutral clans to your side through trade deals and defensive pacts before that happens. Players running co-op campaigns also benefit from the trait, because the alliance mechanics work the same way in co-op as in solo, and a diplomatic clan can serve as the alliance's anchor while partner clans handle the war effort. For more on running a Shogunate alliance, the co-op campaign guide covers how the diplomatic interface differs in multiplayer.
Sendai's Battle Identity
Sendai's unit roster is built around elite traditionalist infantry, which means the clan is comfortable in the early-game before gunpowder dominates. Once the late-game modern units unlock, Sendai has to rely on diplomacy and alliances to keep its army modernised, because its unique units are not enough to win a straight arms race with Satsuma's modern infantry. Players who enjoy the older Sengoku-era feel of Shogun 2 will find Sendai's roster the most familiar of the three faction packs.
Dragon War Battle Pack and Historical Battles DLC
The Shogun 2 Dragon War Battle Pack is a separate bundle that adds six custom battles themed around mythical dragon-themed engagements, while the historical battles DLC adds scripted scenarios from real Sengoku-era engagements. Both packs are sometimes confused with the Saga faction packs because they share the Fall of the Samurai and Shogun 2 product pages, but they serve a different purpose: instead of adding playable clans, they add set-piece battles you can play in single battle mode.
Comparing the Two Battle-Focused DLCs
The Dragon War Battle Pack is more arcade-flavoured, with unit rosters that lean on clan-specific variants and special abilities tied to the dragon theme. The historical battles DLC, by contrast, is closer to a traditional Total War scenario pack, with historically inspired army compositions and victory conditions. Players who want a quick change of pace from the campaign tend to enjoy the Dragon War pack, while players who enjoy learning real Sengoku-era tactics tend to prefer the historical battles DLC.
| DLC Pack | Content Type | Battle Count | Best Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dragon War Battle Pack | Themed custom battles | 6 | Casual arcade play |
| Historical Battles DLC | Historical scenarios | Multiple (varies by bundle) | Tactical practice |
| Saga Faction Packs | Playable clans | 3 (one per pack) | Campaign variety |
The historical battles DLC also overlaps with the Battle of Nagashino scenario pack, which covers one of the most famous gunpowder engagements in the Sengoku period. Playing the historical battles DLC alongside the original Shogun 2 historical battles gives a fuller picture of how unit roles shifted between the 1575 Nagashino engagement and the 1864 Boshin War, which is useful context for campaign players who want to understand why certain units are stronger in the late game.
Where the Battle Packs Fit in the Complete Edition
If you are buying the Complete Edition, all three faction packs, the Dragon War Battle Pack, and the historical battles DLC are bundled in. The Complete Edition also includes the Ikko-Ikki Clan Pack, the Sengoku Jidai Unit Pack, and the Saints and Heroes pack, which were released earlier for the original 2011 Shogun 2 base game. The Otomo clan pack guide covers one of those earlier clan packs, and the comparison is useful for understanding how the Saga faction packs differ in design philosophy: the earlier packs focus on unit variety, while the Saga packs focus on faction-wide economic or diplomatic traits.
Choosing the Right Saga Faction Pack for Your Playstyle
With three small DLC packs and similar price points, most players end up choosing based on which playstyle they want to try rather than raw power. Each pack is well-balanced against the other two, so the "best" pick depends entirely on whether you prefer turtling into a money lead, fighting for the sea lanes, or building a diplomatic alliance.
| Playstyle | Recommended Pack | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Economic snowball | Obama | Higher tax, cheaper upkeep |
| Naval dominance | Tsu | Trade income, faster ships |
| Diplomatic alliance | Sendai | Stronger diplomacy, softer order penalties |
| First-time player | Sendai | Easiest Realm Divide timer |
| Veteran player | Tsu | Rewards naval micro skill |
Players who already own the main ten-clan roster and want the most new content per dollar will probably get more out of Sendai or Obama, because the diplomatic and economic traits carry across the entire campaign. Tsu is more niche and only pulls ahead when you are willing to invest in the naval layer of the game. If you are also interested in the general battle tactics that apply across the whole game, the faction pack choice interacts heavily with how aggressive you can afford to be on the campaign map.
Buying Tips and Complete Edition Value
Each faction pack is sold separately on Steam, and the Complete Edition bundle includes all three plus the larger unit packs and the original Shogun 2 base game. If you already own Fall of the Samurai standalone, the Complete Edition upgrade is often cheaper than buying the three faction packs individually, especially during seasonal sales. According to community reports on the Steam Workshop page for the Complete Edition, players who bought the base expansion and then added the faction packs separately tend to pay around 30-40% more than the Complete Edition bundle would have cost at launch.
The faction packs also unlock the clan on the multiplayer ladder, so players who enjoy head-to-head campaigns will see more variety in opponents once the packs are active in the rotation. This is the single most overlooked reason to grab the packs even if you do not plan to play the clans yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Shogun 2 Saga faction pack guide actually cover?
The faction pack guide covers three small DLC bundles that add the Obama, Tsu, and Sendai clans to Fall of the Samurai, each with a unique economic, naval, or diplomatic trait. The guide explains how those traits change campaign play and which pack suits which playstyle.
Is the Obama faction pack worth it for new players?
Yes, because Obama softens the early-game economy through higher tax income and cheaper land upkeep. New players can turtle through the first ten turns and learn the Realm Divide mechanic without being punished for slow expansion, though Sendai is still the gentler first pick.
How does the Tsu faction pack change naval gameplay?
Tsu improves trade income and reduces ship build times, which lets the clan replace lost warships quickly and snowball into a coastal trade empire. The pack works best on maps where the AI contests the sea, and it loses value on inland-focused campaigns.
What is the difference between the Dragon War Battle Pack and the historical battles DLC?
The Dragon War Battle Pack adds six themed custom battles with a more arcade-flavoured design, while the historical battles DLC adds scripted scenarios based on real Sengoku-era engagements. The first is best for casual variety, the second for tactical practice.
Are the Saga faction packs included in the Complete Edition?
Yes, the Complete Edition bundles the three Saga faction packs alongside the main expansion, the original Shogun 2 base game, and the older clan and unit packs. Players who already own Fall of the Samurai standalone usually save money by upgrading to the Complete Edition rather than buying the packs separately.