Turn 1 Moves for Cao Cao, 190 CE

Playing as Cao Cao, I prefer to focus on Southern expansion while maintaining non-aggression pacts with Northern neighbors with the exception of Tao Quin.

One of Cao's neighbors, Liu Dai, is eligible for you to receive marriage in diplomacy. **Liu Huimin** can join your family tree as a match for your cousin Cao Ren. This can be negotiated with the dowry of a stone pig, 2 food for 10 turns, and 2 credibility. This is an option at the beginning of turn 1, improving relations with on your Northern border while getting an immediate start to expanding the Cao family.

Another scheme to execute immediately is the "Dominion Over the Realm" stratagem, targeting yourself. This unlocks a new reform but has 20 turn cool down, so the sooner you use it the sooner you can use it again.

Either now or in 3 turns, target Tao Qian with "Children of the Hand". At the beginning of turn 4, Tao Qian--who enjoys good relations with his powerful neighbor Liu Bei--assassinates your father and the Cao patriarch, Cao Song. If you follow the story and declare war of Tao Qian and score associated mission objectives, diplomatically isolating Tao Qian is helpful. In my game, Liu Bei was willing to sign a non-aggression pact with Cao Cao during my invasion of Tao Qian.

Once Tao Qian has been dealt with, I try to maintain peaceful borders in the North for as long as possible. Expanding South of the Yangtze River is a sound strategy for Cao since their faction's unique building, the Farming Garrison, interacts differently with rice fields that dominate the southern biome. There, they increase the reinforcement rate of Cao armies in the field--including the most powerful units that are hobbled by very slow replenishment, such as the Imperial units.

Fun Fact: Cao Cao's tomb was discovered in Henan province in 2008. Before his death in 220 CE, Cao Cao is said to have suffered migraine headaches. Travelers who make a pilgrimage to Cao Cao's tomb often leave a bottle of Ibuprofen.