Balancing a complex strategy game where a multitude of systems are interacting with each other is a delicate challenge. Players construct buildings, research technologies, appoint administrators in their realm; their realm consists of regions and provinces, with various buildings, edicts, and specialisations. The player's characters have skills, traits and relationships are all interconnected with each other. While it is important that each system is balanced, more importantly, this orchestra of systems in the game must deliver a compelling strategy game experience.

This presentation discusses some key lessons learned from the balancing process of Total War: Three Kingdoms. These lessons learned are explored by considering key paradigms of strategy game balancing, and by looking at examples from Total War: Three Kingdoms, as well as other strategy games.