15. DarthMod

DarthMod is one of the most popular mods for the Total War franchise. Instead of being a complete overhaul, DarthMod focuses on fixing gameplay inconsistencies and AI behavior both on the campaign map and on the battlefield, all to create an atmosphere authentic to the Middle Ages. Factions and campaign AI are now much more diplomatic and reasonable, and battles will be much riskier and grittier; knights hit harder, and the AI will coherently use formations and maneuvers in an attempt to defeat you.

If you feel that vanilla M2TW is lacking, then this mod may have what you’re looking for.

DarthMod’s Appeal:

• DarthMod offers several upgrades to the base game. A revamped map, improved campaign/battle tweaks and balances and more. All while preserving the original feel of the vanilla game.

14. Rise of the Three Kingdoms

“Rise of the Three Kingdoms” brings China’s Three Kingdoms Era to life in the game, completely overhauling the campaign to feature several historic factions, characters, units and more. Its campaign features the possibility of usurping the throne and establishing your own dynasty, or supporting the restoration of the Han Dynasty.

The period of civil strife following the Han Dynasty’s collapse has become one of the most popular mythologies around the world, and with this mod, you can place your own two feet in it and leave your own mark on history!

ROTK’s Appeal:

• Brings China’s Three Kingdoms Era into the game, allowing you to play as iconic factions and characters from the period, as well as recruit popular military units from the time, with their own unique textures and models.

13. Stainless Steel

Stainless Steel is one of the biggest mods for M2TW. While it doesn’t completely overhaul the setting, it makes major changes to almost every aspect of the game; adding more provinces and regions to the map, coming up with a whole new list of factions to play as (with their own unique unit rosters), changes to campaign and battle AI, and many more.

It’s aimed towards giving a much more authentic, challenging and enjoyable experience to the game, designed to truly make you feel like the omniscient manager of a medieval kingdom in Europe.

Stainless Steel’s Appeal:

• Stainless Steel is the closest mod to a “complete overhaul” while still retaining the game’s vanilla setting and experience. If you feel really dissatisfied with the game’s vanilla experience, or you’re looking for something new and exciting out of the original setting, it can’t get any newer than Stainless Steel.

12. Third Age: Total War

Third Age brings the world of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” into M2TW in this conversion mod. The epic battles you’ve enjoyed in the movies, as well as all the characters involved, are now yours to command.

However, beneath the glamor of Middle Earth, the developers have been working hard to add balances and changes to several aspects of the game, providing the player with a fulfilling but challenging experience, accurately capturing the struggle for the soul of Middle Earth.

Third Age’s Appeal:

• Brings the world of Lord of the Rings into the game, with a brand new map of Middle Earth, unique factions to play and units to recruit. 

11. Call of Warhammer

I’ve always thought that the universe of Warhammer was the perfect setting for the “Total War” franchise. But now, I don’t need to tell people why, I just need to show them Call of Warhammer, a total conversion mod that brings the world of Warhammer into the game, with all the unique factions, units, maps and mercenaries to wage war with!

Call of Warhammer’s Appeal:

• The mod brings the world of Warhammer into the game, as well as its proper atmosphere and experience. Perfect for fans of the Warhammer and Total War franchises.

10. Europa Barbarorum II

EBII is yet another total conversion mod, but instead of overhauling the game into a fantasy setting, the game brings the setting to Ancient Rome, allowing you to play as Rome, or the many barbarian tribes opposing them. It comes with a revamped map of Europe, as well as several gameplay changes to accurately portray how warfare was waged in that era!

EBII’s Appeal:

• People who enjoy Rome: Total War but prefer M2’s engine and gameplay will find this mod meets all their needs. Not only that, but EBII also makes balance and AI changes to give a more challenging experience.

9. Broken Crescent

Broken Crescent is another total conversion mod, setting the game in the Middle East with brand new historical factions, units and figures to lead and fight against! It also introduces a “Tiles” system to the campaign, allowing features like “Area of Recruitment,” adding depth and realism that makes for an immersive and challenging experience!

Broken Crescent’s Appeal:

• Broken Crescent crafts an entirely unique campaign set in a map spanning the Middle East, Anatolia and India. If you’ve always been interested in this side of history, or are simply looking to experience Total War in a different setting, this mod fulfills those needs!

8. Elder Scrolls: Total War

Instead of managing a single character in the Elder Scrolls franchise, this mod allows you to control and manage an entire faction in the world of Tamriel. Play as the Stormcloaks, the Empire or the Kingdom of Skyrim in a complete revamp of the game!

Elder Scrolls’ Appeal:

• This mod brings the wide, wide world of the Elder Scrolls franchise into the game. By this point, you likely know the drill; unique map, factions, units, along with gameplay and AI changes to polish the experience.

7. Westeros: Total War

Game of Thrones has been widely known for its intricate world, full of breadth and detail. This mod allows you to step into that world, with changes to the UI, gameplay and AI to properly reflect the setting, and make your mark in grand events like the War of the Five Kings!

WTW’s Appeal:

• This mod brings the world of Game of Thrones to the game.

6. Total Vanilla Beyond

Total Vanilla: Beyond, unlike many of the conversion mods on this list, largely expands on the vanilla game, aiming to keep its vision while adding new playable factions, changes, rebalances, and even new features such as destroyed factions reemerging!

TVB’s Appeal:

• This mod keeps the vanilla feel of the game, while not being as major a revamp like Stainless Steel or DarthMod.

5. Warcraft: Total War

This total conversion mod brings World of Warcraft into the game, with a whole new slew of factions and units. They even added magic into the game.

The mod is currently in public beta, so it isn’t in its most stable state yet, but the team behind it are all working hard to provide the best experience they can, and properly immerse players into the world of… World of Warcraft.

Warcraft’s Appeal:

• WTW brings the setting of World of Warcraft into the game.

4. Deus lo Vult

The “Deus lo Vult” mod is another vanilla enhancement mod to Medieval II: Total War. In the modders’ words, they wish to add a “civilization-like enhancement” to the game, adding more in-depth campaign features.

Along with new factions, it also adds several new events to decide your characters’ education and training, invest in economic buildings or seize provisions from nobles, attend trade and religious councils, and more!

Deus lo Vult’s Appeal:

• This vanilla overhaul adds a lot of depth to the campaign, providing a much more authentic experience to managing a medieval kingdom.

3. Planetwar: Total War

Out of all the mods on this list, this one is definitely the most… surreal. Most conversion mods on this list often bring the world of another franchise into the game or change the game’s historical setting. This mod throws both of those options out the window, and creates a world where humans are fighting for domination of the planet with several alien and mythological civilizations, all somehow coexisting in the same world together.

If you’re looking for something “new” in the Total War franchise, I can’t guarantee that this will satisfy you, but it is, without a doubt, something you’ve never seen before in Medieval II.

Planetwar’s Appeal:

• A unique and wacky mod, adding factions and units from different fantasies and mythologies and pitting them against each other in a planet rife with war.

2. Expanded Americas

Those who have traveled across the Atlantic and come across the Americas in the base game may have found the experience a little bit underwhelming. With nothing much but a small landmass, a single faction, and a few unique units you can recruit, it hardly seems worth the wait and the expenses to earn such things in the endgame.

The Expanded Americas mod fixes that. It adds new factions and units to the vanilla game, particularly for the American continents, and greatly expands on the region. It also gives you an accelerated start so you can access it earlier in the campaign. If you’re interested in doing more with the Americas in your playthroughs, then this mod is the one for you.

Expanded Americas’ Appeal:

• This mod is for those who felt that the Americas in the vanilla campaign were lackluster. Along with its main goal to expand on the continent, Expanded Americas also adds more factions, features and changes to make the campaign a more challenging experience.

1. The Last Kingdom

The Last Kingdom puts the player in a brand new map set in Northern Europe, 865AD. The player will get to choose one of the many kingdoms vying for the British Isles, whether they be English or viking, and join their struggle for domination. It features as many as 13 factions and 6 cultures, each branding unique units and textures.

If you take an interest in this part of history, then you’ve likely found the vanilla game’s take (and perhaps even the Kingdoms expansion) on it lackluster. If that’s the case, then this mod will definitely fulfill your interest in living out the Viking Age!

The Last Kingdom’s Appeal:

• This mod takes place in Northern Europe during the Viking Age. You’ll be able to immerse yourself in the viking invasion of England and control one of the many factions fighting for the British Isles.

You may also be interested in:

• Medieval 2 Total War Best Factions
• [Top 10] Medieval 2 Total War Best Units 
• Medieval 2 Total War Best Mods For A Brand New Experience
• Medieval 2 Total War Best Infantry That Are Powerful
• [Top 5] Medieval 2 Total War Best AI Mods For A Brand New Experience