Mastering the Culinary Campaign: A Strategic Guide to Total War: Redwall's Feasting System

Overview

In the evolving fan-conceived universe of Total War: Redwall, strategy extends far beyond the battlefield. Among the most innovative mechanics proposed by Reddit user BuildingAirships is the integration of a cooking and feasting system that transforms culinary arts into a vital strategic resource. This system draws directly from the rich, gastronomic world of Brian Jacques’ Redwall novels, where every dish—from Deeper ’n’ Ever Turnip ’n’ Tater ’n’ Beetroot Pie to Shrimp ’n’ Hotroot soup—carries not just flavor but tactical significance. This guide will walk you through the fundamentals of managing your faction’s kitchen, sourcing ingredients, and leveraging feast buffs to tip the scales of war. Whether you’re a seasoned Total War veteran or a newcomer to the Abbeylands, understanding this mechanic is essential for victory.

Prerequisites

Familiarity with Total War Fundamentals

Before diving into the culinary campaign, you should have a working knowledge of Total War staples: turn-based campaign management, real-time battles, resource allocation, and unit upkeep. The cooking system integrates with existing mechanics like public order, movement points, and morale.

Understanding Redwall Lore

While not strictly required, familiarity with the Redwall universe enhances your ability to predict ingredient availability and feast effects. Key concepts include the four seasons (each affecting harvests), the rivalry between woodland creatures and vermin clans, and the importance of hospitality in the Abbey’s code.

Basic Resource Management Skills

You’ll need to manage food as a multi-faceted resource: raw ingredients for cooking, stored provisions for sieges, and feast consumption for immediate buffs. Expect to juggle multiple stockpiles.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Establishing Kitchen Infrastructure

Your first priority is constructing a functional kitchen within your primary settlement. Navigate to the Buildings tab and select Kitchen under the Infrastructure category. Basic kitchens cost 500 gold and require 2 turns to complete. Upgrade options include Great Hall (unlock banquets), Pantry (increase ingredient storage), and Smokehouse (preserve perishables).

Internal Anchor: Learn more about upgrading in the Common Mistakes section.

2. Sourcing Ingredients

Ingredients are gathered through three primary methods:

• Foraging: Send scouts into adjacent regions to gather wild herbs, roots, and mushrooms. This is a free action but yields low quantities.
• Farming: Allocate farmland to specific crops. For Shrimp ’n’ Hotroot soup, you need Hotroot pepper (grown in warm soil) and River shrimp (from waterways or trade).
• Trade: Establish trade routes with neutral factions. Dibbuns (apprentice cooks) can negotiate for rare ingredients like Honeycomb or Cheese.

Tip: Always maintain at least 10 units of staple ingredients (flour, salt, carrots) to avoid starvation penalties.

3. Preparing Shrimp ’n’ Hotroot Soup

This signature dish provides a +20% movement speed and +15% melee attack buff for three turns. Follow these steps:

1. Open the Cooking Menu (hotkey: C).
2. Select Shrimp ’n’ Hotroot Soup from the recipe list. Check ingredient requirements: 3 River Shrimp, 2 Hotroot Peppers, 1 Onion, 1 Marrow, salt to taste.
3. Assign a Head Cook from your retinue. Higher cooking skill reduces preparation time and risk of disaster.
4. Click Cook. The dish takes one full turn to prepare. A progress bar appears—protect the kitchen from sabotage during this time.
5. Once completed, the soup is added to your Feast Inventory. You can serve it immediately or store it (max 3 dishes stored per kitchen level).

4. Deploying Feast Buffs

To activate the soup’s effects, hold a feast. Go to the Feast Menu (hotkey: F) and select the dish. Feasts can be held in any controlled territory but cost 200 gold and reduce public order by 5 for one turn (beasts of burden dislike rowdy celebrations). Choose the timing wisely—deploy before a major battle to maximize the movement and attack bonuses.

Strategic Note: The buff affects all armies in the same region. If you have multiple fronts, consider serving multiple dishes simultaneously (if kitchen capacity allows) to spread benefits.

5. Managing Resource Scarcity

Ingredients are finite and seasonal. In winter, river shrimp become scarce; plan your soup production for autumn harvests. If you run low on hotroot peppers, substitute with Ground elder seeds (halves the movement buff but keeps attack bonus). Scarcity may force you to prioritize other recipes like Abbey Trifle (public order boost) or Vole Special (stealth bonus). Always keep a backup dish in store.

Common Mistakes

Overcooking and Waste

New players often produce too much soup at once. Each kitchen can only store 3 dishes; excess spoils after 5 turns. Cook in batches aligned with your campaign pace.

Ignoring Scout Reports

Don’t forage blind. Missing a region with abundant river shrimp can cripple your soup supply. Always send scouts ahead to mark ingredient hotspots on the map.

Neglecting Vegetarian Options

Factions like the Badgers have a vegetarian ethos. Serving meat-based dishes causes a -20 morale penalty to badger units. Use the Turnip ’n’ Tater ’n’ Beetroot Pie for herbivore armies.

Skipping Kitchen Upgrades

A basic kitchen cannot handle large feasts. Upgrade early to unlock banquet halls that allow multiple dishes served simultaneously. This is critical for large-scale invasions.

Summary

The cooking and feasting system in Total War: Redwall is not mere flavor—it is a strategic layer that rewards foresight and resource management. By mastering ingredient sourcing, recipe preparation, and feast timing, you gain decisive battlefield advantages. Avoid common pitfalls like overproduction and cultural insensitivity. With practice, Shrimp ’n’ Hotroot soup becomes as vital as your strongest legion. Now, head to your kitchen and start cooking for victory!