View source for Wars of the Vampire Counts

[[File:Von Carstein, Manfred- Hell Fen.jpg|300px|thumb|right|[[Mannfred von Carstein]] clashes with [[Elector Count]] [[Martin]] at the [[Battle of Hel Fenn]]]]

The '''Wars of the Vampire Counts''', also called the '''Vampire Wars'''{{Fn|2a}}{{Fn|4e}}, were three major wars fought between the divided and feuding rulers of [[The Empire]], bitter rivals during the [[Age of Three Emperors]], against the Vampire Counts of [[Sylvania]]. The [[Dwarf]]s, [[High Elves]] and [[Wood Elves]] would also fight at the side of their human allies. 

The wars lasted between years 2010 and 2145 in the [[Imperial Calendar]]. {{Fn|9}}

==Timeline==
===First War===
* 2010 [[IC]]
** The first war began on the [[Geheimnisnacht]] of '''2010 [[IC]]''', as [[Vlad von Carstein]] summoned a huge [[undead]] army and invaded The Empire. {{Fn|1a}}{{Fn|1b}}{{Fn|1e}}{{Fn|2b}}{{Fn|3a}}{{Fn|3b}}{{Fn|4a}}{{Fn|4b}}{{Fn|4f}}{{Fn|4a}}{{Fn|6a}}{{Fn|9}}
** Vlad leads the army of [[Sylvania]] across the River [[Stir]], {{Fn|6a}} defeating an army from [[Nuln]] led by [[Arch Lector]] [[Voltan von Khrest]]. {{Fn|7a}}
** [[Ottilia III]] dispatches an army under [[Empire General|General]] [[Hans Schliffen]] to confont Vlads army but it is defeated at the [[Battle of Essen Ford]]. {{Fn|6a}}
* 2014 [[IC]] 
** Vlad turns towards [[Middenheim]] but at the [[Battle of Schwarthafen]] he is again cut down, this time by [[Jerek Kruger]], [[Grand Master]] of the [[Knights of the White Wolf]]. {{Fn|4f}}{{Fn|6a}}{{Fn|6b}}
* 2015 [[IC]] 
** Returned Vlad leads a new army against Middenheim and defeats their force at [[Battle of the Old Forest Road]].The defeated Imperial army retreats with the city, breaking the causeways. The army of Sylvania ravages the surrounding [[Middenland]]. {{Fn|4f}}{{Fn|6a}}{{Fn|6b}}
* ?
** The attention of Vlad and his army turns to [[Hochland]] and then [[Ostland]]. {{Fn|6a}}
** At [[Bluthof]], Vlad is slain once more with five lances and a [[Runefang]] in his heart but he is back three days later {{Fn|6a}}
* ?
** A cannon ball takes off Vlads head at [[Bögenhafen]], but an hour later the Vampire returns. {{Fn|6a}}
* 2050
** In [[Battle of Swartzhafen]] Vlad was smashed down by [[Knights of White Wolf]] but returned for a year.{{Fn|8}}
* 2051 [[IC]]
** Vlad marches on the [[Reikland]] capital and begins the [[Siege of Altdorf (Vlad von Carstein)]]. {{Fn|6a}}
** [[Grand Theogonist]] [[Wilhelm III]] dispatches [[Felix Mann]] to steal Vlad's ring. {{Fn|6a}}
** Vlad is killed in the winter of the year. Unable to face unlife without her husband, [[Isabella von Carstein]] kills herself. {{Fn|1c}}{{Fn|1e}}{{Fn|2b}}{{Fn|2c}}{{Fn|3a}}{{Fn|4d}}{{Fn|4f}}{{Fn|4g}}{{Fn|6a}}
** [[Ludwig]], [[Elector Count]] of Reikland moves to invade Sylvania but the other claimants to the Imperial Throne block him fearing he will become too popular. {{Fn|6a}}

===Interim===
* The surviving vampires feud amongst themselves for the overall leadership of Sylvania. {{Fn|6a}}
* 2053
** [[Fritz von Carstein]] is killed [[Siege of Middenheim (Fritz von Carstein)|besieging]] Middenheim. {{Fn|4f}}{{Fn|6a}}{{Fn|6b}}
* 2058
** [[Konrad von Carstein]] invades the [[Moot]] with an army of [[Wight]]s. When [[Hans von Carstein]] claims [[Drakenhof Castle]] and the rulership of Sylvania, Konrad leaves Moot. {{Fn|4f}}{{Fn|6b}}
* 2059
** Hans is killed by Konrad in a quarrel. {{Fn|4f}}{{Fn|6a}}
* 2092
** [[Pieter von Carstein]] is slain by [[Witch Hunter]] [[Helmut van Hal]] and a force of [[Stirland]]ers at [[Castle Sternieste]]. {{Fn|4g}}{{Fn|6a}}
* 2094
** Mannfred von Carstein leaves Sylvania in search of [[magic]]al knowledge and power. {{Fn|4g}}{{Fn|6a}}

===Second War===
* 2094 [[IC]]
** Eventually [[Konrad von Carstein]] prevails and starts a second war against the Empire. He does not seek to rule the Empire, but rather immerse himself in slaughter. {{Fn|1d}}{{Fn|4g}}{{Fn|6a}}{{Fn|6b}} 
* ?
** He fights through to [[Nuln]] and then to the [[Grey Mountains]] where he enlists the Knights of [[Blood Keep]]. {{Fn|6a}}
** Despite fierce resistance in [[Averland]], he defeats the imperial army at [[Kleiberstorf]]. He pursues the survivors for five days, killing every one of them. {{Fn|6a}}
** Against the advice of his counsellors, he declares war on the [[Dwarf]]s of [[Zhufbar]] and is nearly defeated at [[Nachthafen]] but wins the day when he slays the [[Runesmith]]s.  {{Fn|6a}}
* 2100 [[IC]]
** Rampage of Konrad is stopped at the [[Battle of Four Armies]], as the the Stirland, Reikland and Marienburg claimants for the Imperial Throne unite with a force sent by [[High King]] of the [[Karaz-a-Karak]] against the Vampire.  {{Fn|6a}}
** His necromancers turn the new candidate for Emperor, [[Helmut]] of [[Marienburg]] into a unliving puppet, but its discovered before he can become Emperor. {{Fn|6a}}
** Enraged, Konrad slaughters his way across [[Averland]]. {{Fn|6a}}
* ?
** The Empire and the Dwarfs unite and send a combined army against him. {{Fn|6a}}
* 2121 [[IC]]
** He dies at the [[Battle of Grim Moor]] as [[Dwarf Thane]] [[Grufbad]] holds him down, Helmar kills him with his Runefang. {{Fn|1d}}{{Fn|1e}}{{Fn|2d}}{{Fn|3a}}{{Fn|4c}}{{Fn|4g}}{{Fn|4c}}{{Fn|4e}}{{Fn|6a}}
* 2122 [[IC]] {{Fn|6b}}
** Mannfred von Carstein becomes ruler of Sylvania. {{Fn|6a}}

===Interim===
** Mannfred lures many vampires from across the world to join him {{Fn|6a}} including some from the [[Lahmian Sisterhood]]. {{Fn|6b}}

===Third War===
* 2132 [[IC]]
** The final conflict began with [[Mannfred von Carstein]]'s '''Winter War'''. . He marches on Altdorf. {{Fn|6a}}
** Several Imperial armies are defeated. {{Fn|1e}}{{Fn|2d}}{{Fn|4c}}{{Fn|4e}}{{Fn|4g}}{{Fn|5}}{{Fn|6a}}
** He almost [[Siege of Altdorf (Mannfred von Carstein)|captures Altdorf]], as the city seems undefended, but [[Kurt III]], Grand Theogonist recites the Great Spell of Unbinding from the [[Liber Mortis]]. The undead begin to crumble and Mannfred retreats. {{Fn|4g}}{{Fn|6a}}{{Fn|6b}}
* 2133 [[IC]]
** Mannfred marches along the Reik to [[Marienburg]] and lays [[Siege of Marienburg (Mannfred von Carstein)|siege to the city]]. {{Fn|4g}}{{Fn|6a}}
** An army approaches from Altdorf, forcing the undead once more to retreat. {{Fn|6a}}
* ?
** Half the army of the dead is destroyed by the army of [[Ostermark]] at [[Horstenbad]] but Mannfred escapes to sieze the town of [[Felph]].  {{Fn|6a}}
** [[Felph]] is besieged but Mannfred's magic destroys whole regiments. {{Fn|6a}}
** The combined army of [[Averland]] and [[Stirland]] is defeated at [[Bylorhof]]. {{Fn|6a}}
* 2145 [[IC]]
** Imperial nobles and Dwarf allies unite to end the Vampires once and for all. Sylvania is scourged. Mannfred is slain at the [[Battle of Hel Fenn]] by [[Elector Count of Stirland]] [[Martin]]. But the corpse of the Vampire was never found... {{Fn|1a}}{{Fn|1e}}{{Fn|3b}}{{Fn|4g}}{{Fn|4b}}{{Fn|4a}}{{Fn|5}}{{Fn|6a}}{{Fn|9}}

== Notes ==
*For unknown reasons several sources state that the Mannfred's Winter War began in '''2<u>0</u>32 IC'''{{Fn|1c}}{{Fn|2d}}{{Fn|3c}}, which is a simple and quite obvious mistake. Mannfred became the ruler of Sylvania only after Konrad's death ('''2121 IC''') and for a whole decade did nothing, waiting for a renewal of the civil war between the feuding rulers of The Empire. It seems to be a case of: ''the old book gives a wrong date and the new books copy the mistake again and again''. The last army book provides the correct date. {{Fn|6a}}

== Sources ==
*{{Endn|1}}: [[Warhammer Armies: Undead (4th Edition)]]
** {{Endn|1a}}: pg. 11
**{{Endn|1c}}: pg. 26
**{{Endn|1c}}: pg. 28
**{{Endn|1d}}: pg. 29
**{{Endn|1e}}: pg. 31
*{{Endn|2}}:[[Warhammer Armies: Vampire Counts (5th Edition)]]
**{{Endn|2a}}: pg. 13
**{{Endn|2b}}: pg. 22
**{{Endn|2c}}: pg. 23
**{{Endn|2d}}: pg. 25
*{{Endn|3}}:[[Warhammer Armies: Vampire Counts (6th Edition)]]
**{{Endn|3a}}: pg. 8
**{{Endn|3b}}: pg. 59
**{{Endn|3c}}: pg. 70
*{{Endn|4}}: [[Warhammer Armies: Vampire Counts (7th Edition)]]
**{{Endn|4a}}: pg. 12
**{{Endn|4b}}: pg. 13
**{{Endn|4c}}: pg. 14
**{{Endn|4d}}: pg. 15
**{{Endn|4e}}: pg. 17
**{{Endn|4f}}: pg. 30
**{{Endn|4g}}: pg. 31
*{{Endn|5}}: [[The Empire at War]], pg. 27
*{{Endn|6}}: [[Warhammer Armies: Vampire Counts (8th Edition)]]
**{{Endn|6a}}: The Vampire Wars, pg. 12-15
**{{Endn|6b}}: The Lineage of Blood, pg. 23
* {{Endn|7}}: [[White Dwarf 339 (UK)]]
** {{Endn|7a}}: Vampire Counts Battle Report, pg. 37
*{{Endn|8}}: [[Warhammer Rulebook (6th Edition)]]: Scenario III: Battle of Swartzhafen, pgs. 203-204
*{{Endn|9}}: [[Warhammer: The Old World Rulebook]]: Timeline of Legend, pg. 29

[[Category:The Empire]]
[[Category:Vampire Counts]]
[[Category:Sylvania]]
[[Category:History]]
[[Category:Wars]]
[[Category:Wars of the Vampire Counts]]


[[de:Vampirkriege]]

{{The Empire}}
{{Vampire Counts}}