The Desert Kingdoms Culture Pack introduces four new playable factions to Total War: ROME II. The Kingdoms of Kush, Saba and Nabatea fall under the African/Arabian subculture, while the Masaesyli are of Numidian origin. These factions are native to the deserts of Africa and Arabia. Surviving these harsh environmental conditions has forged them into hardy warriors who use the shifting desert sands to their advantage in battle. While culturally similar, each faction boasts unique new unit rosters which offer different military strengths. Each faction also has new building chains and technology trees, playing to their strengths and further differentiating their playstyles.

Alongside their individual Faction Traits, the Desert Kingdoms all share the following Cultural Traits:Desert Warriors: +10% morale for all units during battles in the desertDeep-rooted Traditions: Penalty to research rate