The Empire (Warhammer)
Encyclopedia
In Games Workshop's
Games Workshop
Games Workshop Group plc is a British game production and retailing company. Games Workshop has published the tabletop wargames Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40,000...

 Warhammer Fantasy
Warhammer Fantasy (setting)
Warhammer Fantasy is a fantasy setting, created by Games Workshop, which is used by many of the company's games. Some of the best-known games set in this world are: the table top wargame Warhammer Fantasy Battle, the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay pen-and-paper role-playing game, and the MMORPG...

fictional universe
Fictional universe
A fictional universe is a self-consistent fictional setting with elements that differ from the real world. It may also be called an imagined, constructed or fictional realm ....

, The Empire is one of the human political factions and armies
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...

, and is featured in many games and novels. In terms of location, language, culture, and society, it bears a strong resemblance to the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...

. The Empire could be considered analogous to Warhammer 40,000
Warhammer 40,000
Warhammer 40,000 is a tabletop miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop, set in a dystopian science fantasy universe. Warhammer 40,000 was created by Rick Priestley in 1987 as the futuristic companion to Warhammer Fantasy Battle, sharing many game mechanics...

's Imperium of Man.

Characteristics

Like much of the Warhammer setting the Empire resembles a period of European history but with the addition of fantasy elements such as the presence of magic and non-human races. Both visually and in geography it is based upon the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...

 during the Late Middle Ages
Late Middle Ages
The Late Middle Ages was the period of European history generally comprising the 14th to the 16th century . The Late Middle Ages followed the High Middle Ages and preceded the onset of the early modern era ....

 and Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...

/Early Modern period. There are wealthy city-states which bear similarity to Hanseatic league
Hanseatic League
The Hanseatic League was an economic alliance of trading cities and their merchant guilds that dominated trade along the coast of Northern Europe...

 cities such as Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...

, and place and character names are Germanic in tone
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....

; for example, the capital of the Empire is the city of Altdorf
Altdorf (Warhammer)
Altdorf was the fictional capital city of the human nation called the Empire in the Warhammer Fantasy universe. It is the capital of the Reikland province of the Empire....

, which translates as "old village" and is the name of several real-world places.

The Empire is the largest and most powerful of all the nations of the Old World. The Empire is bordered by the nation of Kislev
Kislev (Warhammer)
In the Warhammer Fantasy setting, Kislev is the name of a Slavic/Kievan Rus'-themed fictional country that sits northeast of The Empire, between it and the Realm of Chaos. Between Kislev and Norsca lies Troll Country, while beyond that lie the magic-tainted Chaos Wastes...

 to the north and the Sea of Claws
Sea of Claws
The Sea of Claws is a minor part of the Warhammer fictional world. It is roughly equivalent to the real world Baltic Sea. The Sea is mentioned in the many of the settings sourcebooks and maps. Its name comes from its abundance of sea creatures....

, the World's Edge Mountains to the east, and the Great Ocean, Black Mountains, Grey Mountains, the land of Bretonnia
Bretonnia
In Games Workshop's Warhammer Fantasy fictional universe, Bretonnia is a country located west of the Empire, between the Grey Mountains and the Great Ocean in the lands that were once part of the domain of the Elves...

 to the west, and the Border Princes to the south. To the east the Empire is threatened by the Orcs and Goblins. A large amount of the Empire is heavily forested and large numbers of Beastmen
Beastmen (Warhammer)
Beastmen in the fictional Warhammer Fantasy setting from Games Workshop are humanoid creatures with a variety of animal features, usually including cloven feet, horns, excessive body hair, and bestial faces. They are mutants formed from humans by the corrupting influences of Chaos such as warpstone...

 can be found in the deepest forests.

Political structure

The Empire is a confederation of ten large provinces: Averland, Hochland, Middenland, Nordland, Ostland, Ostermark, Reikland, Stirland, Talabecland, Wissenland, each of which is ruled by an Elector Count. There were originally two more provinces Drakwald (lands now under the jurisdiction of the Elector Counts of Middenland) and Solland (lands now under the Elector Counts of Wissenland). Another, Westerland, was originally the areas around Marienburg
Marienburg (Warhammer)
Marienburg is a fictional city in the Warhammer Fantasy universe. It is a wealthy city that has broken apart from the rest of the Empire, and is roughly analogous to the 16th and 17th century Low Countries, although as with many of the Warhammer Background's Cities it also is heavy influenced by UK...

.

The provinces and their counts are derived from the twelve chieftains that followed the god Sigmar
Sigmar
Sigmar Heldenhammer is a fictional deity in the Warhammer Fantasy setting. He is the patron deity of The Empire. Before he became a god, Sigmar was a man, albeit an exceptional, perhaps even superhuman one...

. The naming of some provinces of The Empire are also derived from the river that flows through them, like the river Reik flows through The Reikland, the Talabec through Talabecland and Talabheim and such. Also, some of the major cities of the Empire became more important and as such are classed as city-states; namely
  • Altdorf
    Altdorf (Warhammer)
    Altdorf was the fictional capital city of the human nation called the Empire in the Warhammer Fantasy universe. It is the capital of the Reikland province of the Empire....

    , in Reikland.
  • Nuln, on the borders of Wissenland, Averland and Stirland.
  • Talabheim, in Talabecland.
  • Middenheim
    Middenheim
    Middenheim is a fictional city in the province of Middenland in the land called The Empire in the Warhammer Fantasy setting.Commonly known as The City of the White Wolf, is second only in size and influence to the Empire's capital Altdorf. The city stands upon a sheer pinnacle of rock, five hundred...

    , in Middenland.


Sudenburg is an Imperial enclave in Araby

The Empire is nominally ruled by the Emperor
Emperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...

 who is chosen by majority voting of the various electors. The electors are the ten Elector Counts
Electoral college
An electoral college is a set of electors who are selected to elect a candidate to a particular office. Often these represent different organizations or entities, with each organization or entity represented by a particular number of electors or with votes weighted in a particular way...

, the Grand Theogonist of the Sigmarite Church, the two "Arch Lectors" who are also clerics of the Sigmar church, the High Priest of Ulric
Ulric (Warhammer)
Ulric is a fictional deity in the Warhammer Fantasy setting, and is partially drawn from some real world analogies, particularly Odin and Thor...

 and the Elder of the Moot (representing the halfling
Halfling
Halfling is another name for J. R. R. Tolkien's Hobbit which can be a fictional race sometimes found in fantasy novels and games. In many settings, they are similar to humans except about half the size. Dungeons & Dragons began using the name halfling as an alternative to hobbit for legal reasons...

s). Karl Franz, of the Holswig-Schliestein family, is the current Emperor. The Emperor is usually also one of the Elector Counts; Karl-Franz is the Elector Count of Reikland.

Religion

The religion of the Empire is polytheistic
Polytheism
Polytheism is the belief of multiple deities also usually assembled into a pantheon of gods and goddesses, along with their own mythologies and rituals....

, with the god
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....

 Sigmar
Sigmar
Sigmar Heldenhammer is a fictional deity in the Warhammer Fantasy setting. He is the patron deity of The Empire. Before he became a god, Sigmar was a man, albeit an exceptional, perhaps even superhuman one...

 being the most important. Sigmar was a mortal man, who was elevated to equal status with the other gods of the Old World Pantheon after his disappearance following the establishment of the Empire. The Grand Theogonist is the leader
Leadership
Leadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task". Other in-depth definitions of leadership have also emerged.-Theories:...

 of the Church of Sigmar and is analogous to the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...

. Sigmar's worship is strongest in Altdorf but runs throughout the Empire. Some regions, however, have a stronger link to other gods, such as the Middenheim
Middenheim
Middenheim is a fictional city in the province of Middenland in the land called The Empire in the Warhammer Fantasy setting.Commonly known as The City of the White Wolf, is second only in size and influence to the Empire's capital Altdorf. The city stands upon a sheer pinnacle of rock, five hundred...

ers who revere Ulric
Ulric (Warhammer)
Ulric is a fictional deity in the Warhammer Fantasy setting, and is partially drawn from some real world analogies, particularly Odin and Thor...

 before all others and Talabecland who revere the god Taal. Other gods commonly worshipped in the Empire are Manann along coastal regions and rivers, and Morr by the grieving or those facing death.

Military

The armies of the Empire are amongst the most diverse in the Old World. Older forms of troops like spear
Spear
A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head.The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with bamboo spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fastened to the shaft, such as flint, obsidian, iron, steel or...

men, swordsmen and halberdiers, crossbowmen, and archers especially the personal bodyguard of the Elector Counts
Prince-elector
The Prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire were the members of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire, having the function of electing the Roman king or, from the middle of the 16th century onwards, directly the Holy Roman Emperor.The heir-apparent to a prince-elector was known as an...

 the Greatswords
Greatswords
"Greatswords" are soldiers existing within the fantasy world of Warhammer, a product of Games Workshop.Greatswords are available to armies of the Empire, the largest human nation in the world of Warhammer, and are among the finest Imperial warriors available...

 who fight alongside more 'modern' troops like cannon, Handgunners
Arquebus
The arquebus , or "hook tube", is an early muzzle-loaded firearm used in the 15th to 17th centuries. The word was originally modeled on the German hakenbüchse; this produced haquebute...

 and Pistoliers
Reiter
Reiters were a type of cavalry, which appeared in the armies of Western Europe in the 16th century in place of the outmoded lance-armed knights, at the same time that cuirassiers and dragoons began to attain typological distinction from other kinds of cavalry...

. The inventiveness of the Empire has produced war-machines such as a steam-powered tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...

, rocket batteries and volleyguns, and in the last edition such steam-punk elements as mechanical horses are also present.

The Empire is also noted for having excellent cavalry in the form of its Orders of Knights. The Empire also often fields state-trained Battle Wizards and religious fanatics known as Flagellant
Flagellant
Flagellants are practitioners of an extreme form of mortification of their own flesh by whipping it with various instruments.- History :Flagellantism was a 13th and 14th centuries movement, consisting of radicals in the Catholic Church. It began as a militant pilgrimage and was later condemned by...

s. The armies can be led by Imperial Generals, Grand Masters of the various Knightly Orders, Captains chosen by the Counts, Warrior Priests and Arch Lectors of Sigmar, or even the mighty imperial warlord Emperor Karl-Franz himself.

The historical example for this army is the Early Modern German army, especially that of Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I
Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian I , the son of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor and Eleanor of Portugal, was King of the Romans from 1486 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1493 until his death, though he was never in fact crowned by the Pope, the journey to Rome always being too risky...

 and the Landsknecht
Landsknecht
Landsknechte were European, predominantly German mercenary pikemen and supporting foot soldiers from the late 15th to the late 16th century, and achieved the reputation for being the universal mercenary of Early modern Europe.-Etymology:The term is from German, Land "land, country" + Knecht...

s.

Alliances

The Dwarfs
Dwarf (Warhammer)
In Games Workshop's Warhammer Fantasy fictional universe, The Dwarfs are a race of short, stout humanoids very similar to the dwarves of Middle-Earth and the roleplaying game Dungeons & Dragons. Dwarfs in the Warhammer setting are proud warriors highly driven by honor.-Homeland:Dwarfs reside mainly...

 are the Empire's closest ally and have been from its very founding. This alliance provided not only military support but also technological and commercial trading. A large contingent of Dwarfs have settled in the Empire and owe their allegiance to the Emperor rather than their ancestral homelands.

Bretonnia
Bretonnia
In Games Workshop's Warhammer Fantasy fictional universe, Bretonnia is a country located west of the Empire, between the Grey Mountains and the Great Ocean in the lands that were once part of the domain of the Elves...

 is an oft rival of the Empire in both trade and war, but in the most dire situations Bretonnia has supported the Empire with a few troops, notably in the recent Storm of Chaos
Storm of Chaos Online Campaign
The Storm of Chaos was a massive narrative campaign created by Games Workshop for their Warhammer Fantasy setting, played in the northern hemisphere summer of 2004...

. The wintry kingdom of Kislev
Kislev
Kislev Kislev Tiberian ; also Chislev is the third month of the civil year and the ninth month of the ecclesiastical year on the Hebrew calendar....

 to the north and east has been on good terms with the Empire ever since the Great War against Chaos and the then-Tzar declared Magnus the "Eternal Friend of the People", and their forces have fought together against common enemies many times since. Ties with the High Elves
High elves
Many fantasy settings contain elves, often, particularly in western fantasy elves are divided into multiple different kinds. High elves are one of the most common sub-types of elf appearing in many different fantasy settings....

 are strong and growing.

The Wood Elves
Wood Elves (Warhammer)
In Games Workshop's Warhammer Fantasy fictional universe, the Wood Elves are a variety of Elves who live in an enchanted forest in eastern Bretonnia, referred to as "Athel Loren"....

 have also been one of the Empire's allies in times of turmoil, fighting against the beastmen inside the Forest of Shadows, and killing Morghur, master of skulls when he was reborn in that place.

The Empire maintains a cool relationship with its former province of Marienburg
Marienburg (Warhammer)
Marienburg is a fictional city in the Warhammer Fantasy universe. It is a wealthy city that has broken apart from the rest of the Empire, and is roughly analogous to the 16th and 17th century Low Countries, although as with many of the Warhammer Background's Cities it also is heavy influenced by UK...

, the city of merchants. Trade and travel are maintained with the countries of Tilea
Tilea
In the fictional universe of Warhammer Fantasy, Tilea is the region of the warhammer world roughly analogous with that of renaissance Italy. Some are Republics, such as the Republic of Remas....

 and Estalia
Estalia
Estalia is a fictional realm in the Warhammer World setting and appears in games from Games Workshop.Estalia is the Warhammer equivalent of the Iberian peninsula. The region's kingdoms, cultures and political situation are modelled after medieval Spain and Portugal...

. Great caravans transverse the mountains and continents to bring sought-after goods and treasures from Ind and Grand Cathay
Cathay (Warhammer)
Cathay is a fictional nation in Games Workshop's Warhammer Fantasy universe. Cathay is the Warhammer equivalent of China, based upon Chinese History with an added mixture of High Fantasy and Chinese folklore. Cathay was actually the name given to northern China in the 14th century by Marco Polo...

 in the east. Although Imperials know little of the East, it appears that they are unwitting allies against Chaos.

In the desert lands of Araby, the Imperial colony of Sudenburg has been established along its coast. Arabian trade is also heavy, and extravagant tales are told of the fabulous and wondrous realm of the Sultans.

Battle of Black Fire Pass

The First Battle of Black Fire Pass was the culmination of Sigmar
Sigmar
Sigmar Heldenhammer is a fictional deity in the Warhammer Fantasy setting. He is the patron deity of The Empire. Before he became a god, Sigmar was a man, albeit an exceptional, perhaps even superhuman one...

's campaigns to cleanse the lands of the Empire of Orcs and Goblins, this battle saw the power of the Greenskin races broken in the lands of Men, and drove them into the Bad Lands, their current domain. Taking place in the year IC -1, a year before Sigmar's coronation as the first Emperor, this battle is looked upon as Sigmar's greatest victory and the site is now a site of pilgrimage for members of the Sigmarite faith.

Black Fire Pass lies in the south of Averland, where the Black Mountains part and the Old Dwarf Road moves out into the Border Princes' Realm and toward Karaz-a-Karak, the greatest of the Dwarf holds and the seat of their High Kings. Along with Axe Bite Pass in the west, which leads into Bretonnia, High Pass to the far north-east and Peak Pass to the east, Black Fire Pass is one of the few routes through the mountains.

Magnus the Pious

Perhaps the greatest Emperor after Sigmar, Magnus the Pious saved the Old World in the "Great War against Chaos".

Magnus Von Bildhofen was a noble of the Empire born over 2,300 years after the ascension of Sigmar. The Empire had long been marred by civil war, and was bereft of a single leader. In the Imperial year 2302, the largest Chaos
Chaos (cosmogony)
Chaos refers to the formless or void state preceding the creation of the universe or cosmos in the Greek creation myths, more specifically the initial "gap" created by the original separation of heaven and earth....

 incursion since ancient times erupted, threatening to conquer the Old World. Led by the warlord, Asavar Kul, the Chaos horde swept over Kislev, taking Praag and sacking Erengrad in swift succession. After defeating a large Chaos uprising in his home city of Nuln, Magnus travelled across the Empire, delivering great speeches condemning the invaders and restating the Empire's duty to oppose the evil surging over the north.

Magnus assembled the largest army in Imperial history, splitting it between infantry and cavalry. Flagellants marched next to the mercenaries and state troops of all the Elector Counts, hedge wizard
Hedge wizard
In fantasy literature, a hedge wizard or hedge magician is a wizard of low ability, generally self-taught or with a low education background as opposed to the common examples of being apprenticed to a mentor or studying though a structured educational system. Some fictional backgrounds identify...

s trained by the Elven High Mage Teclis advanced alongside ordinary citizens who hated Chaos. This force marched north to Kislev to meet the Chaos legions which were opposed only by the remnants of the Kislevite
Kislev (Warhammer)
In the Warhammer Fantasy setting, Kislev is the name of a Slavic/Kievan Rus'-themed fictional country that sits northeast of The Empire, between it and the Realm of Chaos. Between Kislev and Norsca lies Troll Country, while beyond that lie the magic-tainted Chaos Wastes...

 armies and a small Dwarven force. Their arrival was aided by the High King Alriksson of the Dwarfs. At the Battle of Four Gates, Magnus and his allies vanquished Kul and his horde.

After the Great War, Magnus "the Pious", as he became known, was elected Emperor and re-established Imperial government, moving the Imperial capital from Altdorf to Nuln. One of his first acts after the War was to co-found the Colleges of Magic. Throughout Imperial history, the practice of sorcery was punishable by death. Under Magnus' approval and Teclis' guidance, a new weapon was added to mankind's arsenal - the Imperial Battle Wizard. Magnus also granted the Artillery and Gunner's School the Imperial Charter for their contribution to the war.

History of the provinces

As of 2522 in the Imperial Calendar, the latest date given in game materials.

Averland

During the The Enemy Within
The Enemy Within Campaign
The Enemy Within campaign is a series of adventures for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay and was originally published by Games Workshop in the late 1980s...

the elector of Averland was the 77 year old Grand Countess Ludmilla von Alptraum. Since fourth edition the elector became Marius Leitdorf. Marius was famous in the Empire for two reasons; first, for being one of the best swordsmen in the Empire, and second, for being completely mad. This prompted some unsubtle 'guidance' from Karl Franz, via Ludwig Schwarzhelm, to curb the worst of Leitdorf's excesses. Leitdorf was eventually slain by an Orc Warlord at the Third Battle of Black Fire Pass in 2520, though it was his holding action (accompanied by his Greatsword bodyguards) that gave time for the Reiksguard to rally and rout the invaders. According to the newest edition of Warhammer Armies: Empire, the position of Averland Elector Count is in dispute, since the last Elector Count never returned from the Storm of Chaos.

Hochland

"Baroness Hildegarde Tussen-Hochen" was elector of Hochland prior to 4th edition, when the elector of Hochland was retconned to "Count Aldebrand Ludenhof"

Stirland

The Moot, or Mootland was established on Stirland territory around the year 1,000. At the end of the Vampire Wars, Stirland annexed the then-independent Imperial province of Sylvania to the east of Stirland. Since then it has officially been a vassal of Stirland. The priests of Morr maintain a watchful presence along the eastern borders of Stirland proper. The current Elector Count is Graf Alberich Haupt-Anderssen the "Hawk of Wurtbad".

Middenland

"Grand Duke Leopold von Bildhofen," elector of Middenland, was retconned out of the background in the fourth edition Empire army book, which also made the separate city state of Middenheim the capital of Middenland. Both are ruled by Graf Boris Todbringer.

Nordland

The province is ruled by Count Theoderic Gausser. Previous background had "Baron Werner Nikse" as the ruler of the Nordland. The Nikse noble family was closely tied to the Todbrigner family of Middenheim through intermarriage. Nordland's border encompass the Laurelorn Forest, home to one of the few communities of Wood Elves The Old World.

Ostermark

Chancellor Maximillian Dachs was killed during the war of 2514 in a terrible slaughter, along with some 4,000 of the men he was leading. His body was found two days after the battle in a watery ditch, punctured by pikes, his limbs hacked apart by halberds and swords. Wolfram Hertwig took command and snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, leading the remaining Ostermark troops to vanquish their Talebecland rivals at the Battle of Wolfenburg. With Maximilian dead and with no surviving heirs, Wolfram Hertwig assumed control of Ostermark and consequently gained electoral powers.

Ostland

Grand Prince Hals von Tasseninck died in battle against the Nordlanders, slain by a barrage of crossbow fire as he charged headlong, at the head of a squadron of heavy cavalry into the opposing Nordlander regiments. His only son and named heir Prince Hergard had prior disappeared on a expedition to the Grey Mountains and thought dead, his father claiming it a Talabecland plot. However his son later returned and claimed his father's title. Currently Valmir von Raukov is Elector Count of Ostland.

Reikland

The richest and most powerful province in the Empire, whose Elector, Karl Franz, is also Emperor. Reikland extends from the frontier with the Wasteland
Marienburg (Warhammer)
Marienburg is a fictional city in the Warhammer Fantasy universe. It is a wealthy city that has broken apart from the rest of the Empire, and is roughly analogous to the 16th and 17th century Low Countries, although as with many of the Warhammer Background's Cities it also is heavy influenced by UK...

 along the course of the river Reik and the Grey Mountains, across from the Kingdom of Bretonnia
Bretonnia
In Games Workshop's Warhammer Fantasy fictional universe, Bretonnia is a country located west of the Empire, between the Grey Mountains and the Great Ocean in the lands that were once part of the domain of the Elves...

. It contains Altdorf, the Imperial capital and largest city in the Empire, home of the Colleges of Magic. Helmgart and Ubersreik are heavily fortified towns at the eastern edge of the Grey Mountains, guarding the Axe Bite Pass and Grey Lady Pass respectively from human and Greenskin intruders. Reiklanders are the most forward-looking and confident people of the Empire, proud of their Unberogen heritage and convinced the brightest days are yet to come - and that as the people of Sigmar, they should naturally take the lead in Imperial endeavours. Unsurprisingly, such an attitude wins Reiklanders few favours in the war-torn north...

Talabecland

As with the Elector of Middenland, Grand Duke Gustav von Krieglitz was found guilty of instigating the 2514 war. The 2515 Volkshalle Edict stripped von Krieglitz of his status as Elector and Count Helmut Feuerbach, a Talabeclander noble who stayed out of the war, was elevated to succeed him. Though no direct evidence was found to prove her complicity, there were strong suspicions that Grand Duchess Elise Krieglitz-Untermensch provided loans to her cousin, von Krieglitz. Rather than submit to harsh imperial questioning and possible execution for treason, Grand Duchess Elise abdicated her Electoral status, but was able to secure the continuance of the city's Freistadt status under her rule.

The current Elector is Helmut Feuerbach, who went missing shortly after the most recent Chaos invasion. Though he has not been formally declared as dead, the nobility of Talabecland are already fighting amongst themselves to be his successor.

Wissenland

Wissenland is contrasted between the dour and hardy people of the countryside and the expressive city-dwellers of the great city of Nuln, former Imperial capital and persistent centre of learning in the arts and sciences. The wealth and power of Nuln paid for much of the reconstruction of the war-torn Empire. Grand Countess Emmanuelle von Liebewitz of Nuln exercised her own form of justice and took over the rule of Wissenland from her errant vassal, Count Bruno Pfeifraucher in 2514. Today she remains Elector Countess of Wissenland, yet has also retained her rule over Nuln.

Former provinces

As of 2522 IC, these provinces are no longer politically individual parts of the Empire.

Drakwald

One of the founding provinces in the time of Sigmar Heldenhammer, located in the centre of the eponymous Drakwald forest, this province was stripped of its assets, its territory divided between Middenland and Nordland.

Solland

Once a province on the southern frontier of the Empire, Solland was lost in the face of a massive Orc invasion, led by Gorbad Ironclaw, its Runefang seized by the invaders after the Battle of Sollands Crown and only retrieved at length. Solland's territory has been subsumed by Wissenland, where there is a profound sense of tragedy at the fall of their once-neighbours. Kurt Helborg however now carries the Solland Runefang.

Sudenland

In former editions of Warhammer, Sudenland was a province in its own right, with the background noted here. However, after Bryan Ansell
Bryan Ansell
Bryan Ansell is a British role-playing and war game designer. He founded Asgard Miniatures before creating Citadel Miniatures in the late 1970s...

 left Games Workshop, Sudenland became Solland, and was destroyed by Gorbad Ironclaw and subsumed into Wissenland. This was part of a short-lived but deliberate strategy to remove aspects of the background thought to be overly influenced by Bryan Ansell and Kim Newman
Kim Newman
Kim Newman is an English journalist, film critic, and fiction writer. Recurring interests visible in his work include film history and horror fiction—both of which he attributes to seeing Tod Browning's Dracula at the age of eleven—and alternate fictional versions of history...

. Former background appears to state that Sudenland had only been separated from Wissenland and ruled by the von Mecklenberg family since the time of Magnus the Pious in recognition for their outstanding services in the Great War against Chaos in 2303. Johann von Mecklenberg abdicated the rule of the province in 2505 to his cousin, Grand Baroness Etelka Toppenheimer. For undisclosed reasons, the Grand Baroness surrendered her Electoral status in 2515 and the province was reunited with Wissenland. Rumours have it that Toppenheimer's heir and adopted son of a distant relative, Baron Olaf Sektliebe, was somehow involved with this strange turn of events.

Westerland

When the great port city of Marienburg
Marienburg (Warhammer)
Marienburg is a fictional city in the Warhammer Fantasy universe. It is a wealthy city that has broken apart from the rest of the Empire, and is roughly analogous to the 16th and 17th century Low Countries, although as with many of the Warhammer Background's Cities it also is heavy influenced by UK...

 lay within the Empire's borders, it was part of the province of Westerland, at the mouth of the river Reik. Upon declaring independence, the region is now referred to as the Wasteland, yet those within the Empire who would seek 'reunification' retain the use of the previous term.

Sylvania

Sylvania
Sylvania (Warhammer)
Sylvania is a land of dark forests home to vampires, ghouls, and other beings. It is a cursed land plagued by the undead and suffers from warpstone meteorite falls. Once ruled openly by the vampire counts, the Von Carsteins, now it is ruled secretly by vampires of other lines...

 (an obvious homage to Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...

) is an area now in the Province of Stirland that has been the source of an Undead threat
Undead (Warhammer)
The Undead of the Warhammer Fantasy Tabletop Wargame , were introduced to the game in its very earliest editions. The term itself can refer either to the undivided and all-inclusive army—ranging from ghosts and vampires to skeletons and mummies—or to the separate components which make up the two:...

 on many occasions.

Sylvania was long considered a cursed and backward area, and gained an ill reputation for being both a refuge for sorcerers
Magician (fantasy)
A magician, mage, sorcerer, sorceress, wizard, enchanter, enchantress, thaumaturge or a person known under one of many other possible terms is someone who uses or practices magic that derives from supernatural or occult sources...

 and necromancers, and where the dead did not rest long in their graves. It first came to infamy after the necromancer Vanhel ruled it with an Undead horde and drove off a massive Skaven
Skaven
Skaven are a race of man-sized anthropomorphic rat-creatures in Games Workshop's Warhammer Fantasy setting. They were officially introduced as a new Chaos race in 1986 by Jes Goodwin....

 incursion that had been ravaging the Empire. After Vanhel's death the province came under the rule of the mad Von Drak family until the heiress of that family, Isabella, was married to a foreigner- a move by the ruling Count to deny his brother the throne. The man was Vlad Von Carstein, an ancient and powerful vampire. For many years, Vlad ruled using a variety of different names as to not draw suspicion, and under his leadership, Sylvania was transformed into an efficient province of the Empire. Vlad built a huge army partly made of undead
Undead (Warhammer)
The Undead of the Warhammer Fantasy Tabletop Wargame , were introduced to the game in its very earliest editions. The term itself can refer either to the undivided and all-inclusive army—ranging from ghosts and vampires to skeletons and mummies—or to the separate components which make up the two:...

. With this horde he attacked the Empire, launching the Vampire Wars. After nearly destroying the Empire, Vlad was slain by Grand Theogonist Wilhelm.

Vlad's heirs continued the war for over a century before Mannfred Von Carstein, last and greatest of Von Carstein's bloodline, was slain by Count Martin of Stirland at the Battle of Hel Fenn. For his bravery in the battle, Martin laid claim to Sylvania and the province was absorbed into Stirland. Since no one else actually wanted the cursed land, no one gainsaid him. Mannfred Von Carstein has since returned and rebuilt his strength, leading a huge army to Middenheim at the peak of the Storm of Chaos
Storm of Chaos Online Campaign
The Storm of Chaos was a massive narrative campaign created by Games Workshop for their Warhammer Fantasy setting, played in the northern hemisphere summer of 2004...

. Other vampiric factions, including vampire nobles in Sylvania, have often taken steps to hinder the Von Carstein's attempts to restart the Vampire Wars for the simple reason that hiding amongst their prey is much harder if the humans are actively hunting vampires.

Gaming

In Warhammer Fantasy Battle
Warhammer Fantasy Battle
Warhammer: The Game of Fantasy Battles is a tabletop wargame created by Games Workshop. It is the origin of the Warhammer Fantasy setting....

, the forces of the Empire are the most diverse of the human armies. They field a number of different troop types as well as artillery and war machines.
  • Cavalry
    Cavalry
    Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...

The Cavalry of The Empire is among the best in the old world, at the forefront are the knightly orders, well equipped, well armoured Heavy cavalry equipped primarily with lances. Not quite as good as the Bretonnia
Bretonnia
In Games Workshop's Warhammer Fantasy fictional universe, Bretonnia is a country located west of the Empire, between the Grey Mountains and the Great Ocean in the lands that were once part of the domain of the Elves...

n knights, it is far superior to other races nevertheless, with possible exception of High Elves. The Empire also maintains light cavalry in the form of the Pistolier corps, primarily equipped with pistol firearms, although some units of specialised outriders who act as scouts are equipped with much more potent firearms. References are made in some novels to the existence of other cavalry such as demi-lancers although no rules have been provided for these troops. In game terms the knights fielded by the empire player have a 1+ armour save, making up for the minus 1" movement restriction due to barding.
  • Infantry
The Empire has a wide variety of infantry and maintains the only standing professional army in the Old World. Every Elector Count has a regiment of elite Great Sword troops as their personal guards. The Imperial Army can call upon units of state troops. The state troop units include Spearmen, Halberd
Halberd
A halberd is a two-handed pole weapon that came to prominent use during the 14th and 15th centuries. Possibly the word halberd comes from the German words Halm , and Barte - in modern-day German, the weapon is called Hellebarde. The halberd consists of an axe blade topped with a spike mounted on...

iers, Sword
Sword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...

smen, Handgunners and crossbowmen in their armies. They can also include a variety of Militia units such as free companies, archers and hunters. Notably the armies of the Empire sometimes make use of Mercenary crossbowmen in particular Tilea
Tilea
In the fictional universe of Warhammer Fantasy, Tilea is the region of the warhammer world roughly analogous with that of renaissance Italy. Some are Republics, such as the Republic of Remas....

ns. Empire infantry regiments are ceaselessly drilled and can fight as detachments, giving them various abilities and strategic options unavailable to any other infantry in the Warhammer world.
  • Artillery
The Empire has an artillery school at Nuln which supplies the gunners and engineers to operate their artillery. The majority of the artillery are Cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...

 and Mortar
Mortar (weapon)
A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....

s. The Empire also uses experimental artillery in the form of the Helblaster Volley Gun, a carriage mounting several barrels similar to a repeating Handgun but on a larger scale, as well as the Helstorm Rocket Battery. Both of these are available in plastic kits. When used in games the Helblaster Volley Gun and the Helstorm Rocket Battery are extremely unreliable, but are potently devastating and capable of wiping out ranks of the enemy with good dice rolls (or blowing up in your face with bad rolls).
  • Magic

After the great war against chaos Teclis founded the 8 Colleges of magic in Aldorf:
  • The Light order known as the Lore of Light studying the wind of Hysh.
  • The Golden order known as the Lore of Metal studying the wind of Chamon.
  • The Jade order known as the Lore of Life studying the wind of Ghyran.
  • The Celestial order known as the Lore of Heavens studying the wind of Azyr.
  • The Grey order known as the Lore of Shadow studying the wind of Ulgu.
  • The Amethyst order known as the Lore of Death studying the wind of Shyish.
  • The Bright order known as the Lore of Fire studying the wind of Aqshy.
  • The Amber order known as the Lore of Beasts, studying the wind of Ghur.

Notable characters

Past Emperors
  • Sigmar Heldenhammer
    Sigmar
    Sigmar Heldenhammer is a fictional deity in the Warhammer Fantasy setting. He is the patron deity of The Empire. Before he became a god, Sigmar was a man, albeit an exceptional, perhaps even superhuman one...

    , the now deified founder of the Empire.
  • Hedrich, Emperor presented with Runefangs created by Alaric the mad.
  • Sigismund II, Emperor at the time of Marienburg's absorption.
  • Ludwig the Fat, Emperor responsible for granting autonomy to the Halflings of the Moot.
  • Boris Goldgather, famously incompetent Emperor during the Skaven induced plague of 1111.
  • Mandred Ratslayer, responsible for the defence of the Empire during the Skaven wars, later elected Emperor.
  • Ottilia, Countess of Talabecland and self-proclaimed Empress during the Age of Three Emperors.
  • Siegfried, Count of Middenland and self-proclaimed Emperor during the Age of Three Emperors.
  • Ludwig, Count of Reikland and self-proclaimed Emperor during the Age of Three Emperors.
  • Martin, Count of Stirland responsible for the absorption of Sylvania after his defeat of Mannfred von Carstein.
  • Magnus the Pious, revered as the saviour of the Empire and greatest Emperor after Sigmar.
  • Leopold, Emperor after Magnus.
  • Dieter IV, Emperor deposed after the Marienburg scandal.
  • Wilhelm III, Emperor after the Marienburg scandal.

Current Electors
  • Marius Leitdorf, deceased former Elector Count of Averland.
  • Aldebrand Ludenhof, Elector Count of Hochland.
  • Graf Boris Todbringer, Elector Count of Middenland.
  • Theoderic Gausser, Elector count of Nordland.
  • Vlamir von Raukov, Elector Count of Ostland.
  • Wolfram Hertwig, Elector Count of Ostermark.
  • Karl Franz, the reigning Emperor, Elector Count of Reikland.
  • Graf Alberich Haupt-Anderssen, Elector count of Stirland.
  • Helmut Feuerbach missing Elector count of Talabecland.
  • Emmanuelle von Liebewitz, Elector Countess of Wissenland.
  • Hisme Stoutheart, Elder of the Moot.
  • Volkmar the Grim,Grand Theogonist of Sigmar, recently reinstated.
  • Kaslain and Aglim, Arch Lectors of Sigmar.
  • Emil Valgeir, Ar Ulric.

Notable characters
  • Johann Esmer, Grand Theogonist of Sigmar during the storm of Chaos, now fled to Marienburg.
  • Luthor Huss, Prophet of Sigmar.
  • Valten, the Exalted of Sigmar. Assassinated by Skaven after the battle of Middenhelm.
  • Johann Helstrum, first Grand Theogonist.
  • Wilhelm III, Grand Theogonist responsible for destroying Vlad von Carstein.

Other notable figures
  • Eldred, last Count of Solland.
  • Konrad Aldrech, last Count of Drakwald.
  • Kurt Helborg, Captain of the Reiksguard Knights, Reiksmarshall of the Imperial armed forces.
  • Ludwig Schwarzhelm, the Emperor's Champion.
  • Balthasar Gelt, incumbent Supreme Patriarch of the Colleges of Magic.
  • Thyrus Gormann, former Supreme Patriarch, prior to Gelt's succession.
  • Morgan Bernhardt, The commander of the mercenary army The Grudgebringers.
  • Mathias Thulman, an infamous witch hunter in the days of Karl Franz
  • Stefan von Kessel, Elector Count of the Ostermark during the reign of Magnus the Pious.

Strategy

The Empire has one of the most varied lists in the game. However, if you try to overload on one thing, you will leave weaknesses open for the enemy to exploit. A good strategy against close combat forces such as Chaos is to build a gun line typically involving Helblasters, Outriders, and lots of Handgunners. The use of hordes of medium costing troops such as Swordsmen can be an effictive way to break a battleline. This strategy does well against most forces.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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