Each warlord has a personality, play-style and initial dilemma. The warlords are introduced on the TWC Wiki, on Total War and on the Total War Academy. What attracts you to the warlord you prefer?
Cao Cao, the strategic mastermind
Gongsun Zan, the ironfist general
Kong Rong, the master scholar
Liu Bei, the virtuous idealist
Liu Biao, the gentleman of the Han
Ma Teng, the protector of the West
Yuan Shu, the ambitious powermonger
Yuan Shao, the Dragon of the Yuan
Zhang Yan, the King of Black Mountain
Zheng Jiang, the Bandit Queen
Sun Jian, the Tiger of Jiangdong
Dong Zhou, the Tyrant