<header class="guide-hero"> <h1>Cheats & Console Commands</h1> <p class="lede"> Napoleon: Total War has a built-in console for single-player cheating — add gold, spawn units, reveal the map, auto-win battles and more. Here is how to open it and the commands players actually use. </p></header><section> <h2>How to open the console</h2> <ul> <li>Press the <strong>~</strong> (tilde) key during a campaign or battle.</li> <li>If nothing happens, add <code>-enable_console</code> to the game’s Steam launch options (right-click the game → Properties → Launch Options).</li> <li>Type a command and press Enter. Most commands need exact spelling and numbers; unit and faction names go in double quotes.</li> </ul> <p class="disclaimer-note"> These are single-player only. Using modify-type commands (anything that adds money or research) <strong>disables Steam achievements for that save</strong> — keep a separate “cheating” save if you care about achievements (the Definitive Edition has 71 of them). </p></section><section> <h2>Command list</h2> <div class="table-scroll"> <table class="data-table"> <thead> <tr><th>Command</th><th>Effect</th><th>Example</th></tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr><td><code>add_money <amount></code></td><td>Add to your treasury</td><td class="stat-num"><code>add_money 40000</code></td></tr> <tr><td><code>add_population <region> <n></code></td><td>Grow a settlement’s population</td><td class="stat-num"><code>add_population madrid 5000</code></td></tr> <tr><td><code>create_unit "<name>" <n></code></td><td>Spawn land units in a region</td><td class="stat-num"><code>create_unit "Line Infantry" 5</code></td></tr> <tr><td><code>add_unit "<name>" <n></code></td><td>Spawn units near a general</td><td class="stat-num"><code>add_unit "Old Guard" 4</code></td></tr> <tr><td><code>add_ship "<name>" <n></code></td><td>Spawn ships in a port</td><td class="stat-num"><code>add_ship "Third Rate" 4</code></td></tr> <tr><td><code>toggle_fow</code></td><td>Reveal (or hide) the map fog of war</td><td class="stat-num"><code>toggle_fow</code></td></tr> <tr><td><code>auto_win <attacker|defender></code></td><td>Win the current battle for a side</td><td class="stat-num"><code>auto_win attacker</code></td></tr> <tr><td><code>toggle_cheats</code></td><td>Enable the cheat mode</td><td class="stat-num"><code>toggle_cheats</code></td></tr> <tr><td><code>research_all_tech</code></td><td>Unlock every technology (disables achievements)</td><td class="stat-num"><code>research_all_tech</code></td></tr> <tr><td><code>give_trait "<name>" <trait></code></td><td>Grant a trait to a character</td><td class="stat-num"><code>give_trait "Napoleon" "Supreme"</code></td></tr> <tr><td><code>season <spring|summer|autumn|winter></code></td><td>Change the campaign season</td><td class="stat-num"><code>season winter</code></td></tr> <tr><td><code>unlock_all_factions</code></td><td>Make every faction playable</td><td class="stat-num"><code>unlock_all_factions</code></td></tr> <tr><td><code>add_faction_relation <a> <b> <n></code></td><td>Adjust relations between two factions</td><td class="stat-num"><code>add_faction_relation austria russia 80</code></td></tr> <tr><td><code>kill_selected</code></td><td>Remove the selected character/unit</td><td class="stat-num"><code>kill_selected</code></td></tr> <tr><td><code>process_cq</code></td><td>Finish construction in a settlement</td><td class="stat-num"><code>process_cq</code></td></tr> </tbody> </table> </div></section><section> <h2>Practical uses</h2> <ul> <li><strong>Broke at the start?</strong> <code>add_money 40000</code> is the safe per-use cap players recommend (very large sums can break the economy UI).</li> <li><strong>Want a custom battle?</strong> <code>unlock_all_factions</code> lets you play minor nations in custom battles.</li> <li><strong>Stuck on a historical battle?</strong> <code>toggle_fow</code> + <code>auto_win</code> gets you through for the unlock, though it spoils the fight.</li> </ul></section><section> <h2>Save hygiene and the achievement trap</h2> <p> Because modify commands disable achievements on the active save, the safe habit is to keep two saves: a "clean" campaign you never cheat on, and a "sandbox" save where you experiment freely. Commands like <code>add_money</code>, <code>create_unit</code>, <code>research_all_tech</code> and <code>give_trait</code> all flip the achievement flag, while purely observational commands such as <code>toggle_fow</code> are less likely to — but the rule of thumb is that anything that changes game state is a risk. When in doubt, cheat on the sandbox save. </p></section><section> <h2>Exact names matter</h2> <p> Unit and faction commands are case-sensitive and must match the game’s internal names, wrapped in double quotes. A wrong spelling silently fails rather than erroring, which confuses first-timers. The reliable way to learn the exact string is to look the unit up in the <a href="/tools/units">unit database</a> and use its in-game name verbatim. Region names for <code>add_population</code> follow the same rule — use the region label exactly as it appears on the campaign map. </p></section><section> <h2>When cheats are the right tool</h2> <p> Cheats are legitimate for testing builds, recovering from a corrupted or unwinnable battle, or just enjoying the sandbox without the economy grinding. They are not a substitute for learning the game — a player who leans on <code>auto_win</code> forever never learns the battle mechanics that make the campaigns fun. Use them to remove a blocker, not to skip the game. </p></section><section class="related"> <h2>Related</h2> <ul> <li><a href="/guides/editions/">Editions & DLC</a> — what’s in the Definitive Edition</li> <li><a href="/guides/troubleshooting/">Troubleshooting</a> — crashes, graphics and install fixes</li> <li><a href="/guides/achievements/">Achievements</a> — why cheats disable them</li> </ul></section>