Crusader Wars is a free fan-made tool that sends field battles from Crusader Kings III into Total War: ATTILA. You fight the battle in real time and the result goes back to your CK3 campaign. The rest of this guide covers what you need, how setup works, and the problems you are most likely to run into.
From Strategy to Tactics: What Crusader Wars Does
Crusader Kings III normally resolves battles automatically through commanders, terrain and men-at-arms numbers.
When a battle starts, Crusader Wars reads your CK3 campaign data. It uses a unit mapper to translate your levies, knights and men-at-arms into ATTILA units, generates a matching battle, and then writes the casualties and outcome back into CK3.
The unit mapper is the most important part. It decides which ATTILA unit stands in for each CK3 culture and troop type. Different mappers target different eras and depend on different ATTILA Workshop mods, which is why the “Ad Maiorem Gloriam” Workshop item shows up in searches next to the tool itself.
Requirements
| Component | Needed for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Crusader Kings III (PC) | Campaign map | Exact DLC requirements not confirmed |
| Total War: ATTILA (PC) | Real-time battles | Steam version is the documented setup |
| Crusader Wars app | Linking both games | Standalone program, not a CK3 playset mod |
| ATTILA Workshop mods | Unit models | The list changes with your chosen mapper |
Crusader Wars does not go through Vortex, Mod Organizer 2 or any other “multi mod manager“. The app handles the bridge itself, so manage it on its own and keep it out of your usual manager setup.
Before you install
Back up your CK3 saves, and do not update CK3 mid-campaign until Crusader Wars confirms it supports the new patch.
Installing Crusader Wars
Install steps
- Download the app from the official Crusader Wars channels only.
- Extract it to a folder outside Program Files.
- Subscribe to the ATTILA Workshop mods your mapper lists.
- Run the app and set both game paths.
- Pick a unit mapper that fits your start date.
- Start CK3 from the app, not Steam.
Starting CK3 through the app matters because the bridge has to be running in the background before a battle triggers. Crusader Wars uses its own dedicated launcher, so if you open CK3 from Steam or the Paradox launcher, the app cannot catch and export the battle.
Modder's note
A common cause of “units missing” errors is an unsubscribed or outdated ATTILA Workshop mod from your mapper’s required list. Before you blame the mapper, check your subscriptions against that mapper’s list.
Settings Worth Checking
The two choices that affect your game most are the unit mapper and battle scaling. Battle scaling controls how CK3 troop counts shrink down to sizes ATTILA can handle. The exact options change between releases, so review the in-app settings after every update instead of assuming your old values carried over.
Compatibility and Conflicts
CK3 overhauls that add cultures, faiths or men-at-arms types can break unit mapping unless a mapper is built for them. Run vanilla CK3 or a mod set your mapper explicitly supports. Major CK3 patches can also stop the tool from working until the author releases an update.
You may also see the name “Crusader Conflicts” in search results presented as a bridge between strategy and tactics. We could not confirm how it relates to Crusader Wars. Check the project’s official pages before you download anything under either name.
Uninstalling
Delete the app folder and unsubscribe from the ATTILA Workshop items you added. We could not confirm how a campaign behaves after you remove the tool mid-playthrough, so continue from a backup save if anything looks wrong.
FAQ
Is Crusader Wars free?
Yes. The tool itself is free, but you need to own both CK3 and Total War: ATTILA.
Does Crusader Wars work with Ironman or achievements?
Since CK3 version 1.9, achievements no longer require Ironman mode or an unmodified checksum, and the Ad Maiorem Gloriam version of Crusader Wars states it is achievements compatible. Test on a backup save first.
Can I use Crusader Wars in multiplayer?
The tool is built around single-player campaigns. We could not confirm multiplayer support.
Why are my CK3 troops showing as the wrong units?
The mapper either does not cover your culture or a required ATTILA mod is missing. Switching to a mapper that matches your era fixes most cases.
