Sylvania, demographic

[Valaris]

These new numbers look better. The population has more than doubled since the last reckoning. Surely immigration has played a big part, especially in the expansion of city dwellers. Villages have also expanded, which may in part be from immigrants establishing new villages rather then grafting themselves onto existing ones. And it appears they have brought more livestock with them, and hopefully more talented workmen. These factors all will help promote a healthy and productive human population.

Sylvania still has a bad reputation in the courts of the Empire, been the home to several Vampire armies. Human memories are thankfully short but historical ones are not. So the common man, seeing lower crime and fewer taints of Chaos really doesn’t care or want to know why that is so. Land is plentiful even if it is not very productive. Trade is up, people are traveling, the roads are safe and the inns and way houses are filled. Times are improving.

But the politicos of the Empire are watching. They have not forgotten the ravages of the Vampire wars. Luckily they have other, more pressing, things to attend to.

[MDMann]

That's a fair summantion. I basically increased the population density to 30 (from 15) which is still very low to reflect the low crime rate and absolute safety compared to the rest of the Empire. I also increased the military (not watch) percentage from very low to average (given twenty years of recruitment). Increasing it much further would start to damage (slow growth in the current climate) the ecconomy (which I haven't done). The increased number of villages (7) is something I also like as it's from GW. A few villages have increased their populations and trade constituents too, and by my (rough and ready) calculations three more are close to it (that's moving from subsistence not from abject poverty).

This gives a very healthy 5% yearly growth rate (whilst inflation remain low). Of course, this is likely to much lower at the start of the twenty years and higher towards the end with a downturn following the Storm of Chaos (and Spring Driving), which I'll maintain is a good thing (for Sylvania) easing inflationary pressures. It is still the poorest province in the Old World by a long way, but it's growth figures are quite high. The growth potential is still high as the carrying capacity for land isn't even close to beig reached. As such most growth will continue to be rural.

Mannfred has obviously improved the defences of all the settlements in the region, returning to the traditional Sylvanian style of building (all stone, not half timbered as in the rest of the Empire) and the digging of ditches and stake lined (likely iron) dry moats. Of course, the pit zombie defences (never before activated) have all been revamped.

I'd suggest Mannfreds next move is to improve the transport infrastructure as he has an unlimited (unskilled) workforce in zombies and the opening of several mines for the same reason. This has military applications too.

His major immediate threat, if declaring indepence from Stirland, is the three! Morrian Templar Chapters nearby (& one Sigmarite), one within Sylvania, one contested with Stirland and one just over the border. This precludes the use of any but the most powerful undead in dispute resolution (even with suprise and infiltration taken into account). The advantages remain: The Sigmarte schism; Averland and Talabeclands hostillity to Stirland; the Freestadt of Schramleben claiming the third Morrian Barony and Stirlands miltary ineptitude. Against this is likely hostillity from Ostermark and Stirlands overwealming (relative to Sylvania) wealth and military might.

The alternative option (non-military) for Mannfred is to improve the sanitation, but it carries less military benefit (though ecconomically, socially, politically and populus density wise it has similar potential) for similar cost. I'm assuming they will not be carried out simultaneously (which would risk over inflation).

Of interest is that Vanhaldenschloss village is reoccupied but the keep is not. Drakenhof of course is and even expanded (two subsidiary villages). Also, Drakenhof has seen by far and away the highest growth in Sylvania.

[MDMann]

Here are the Watch figures for Sylvania. Watch numbers are again doubled for the high incidence of watchmen throughout Sylvania. This will help regulate the recent influx of immigrants, though something has to fall by the wayside in the crime figures (at least temporarilly). I've decided this is most likely the smuggling rate which is more the province of the Excise men and Stir River Patrol, and which is in the interests of the nobility to ignore, further weakening Stirland and Strengthening Sylvania (ecconomically) effectively operating a Black Ecconomy (with Stirlands punitive tax rate) similar to Soviet Russia:

Waldenhof: 56
Egling: 1.09
Hundham: 1.23
Thrynau: 0.73
Drakenhof: 3.33'
Apetlon: 0.45
Tadten: 0.56
Essen: 2.51
Krewlin: 0.6
Zuhlsdorf: 0.71
Eisigfurt: 1.28
*Enzesburg: 1.17
*Grusserl: 1.31
*Barnbach: 0.45
*Hirtenfeld: 0.77
*Texing: 0.92
*Langwald: 1.15
Leicheburg: 5.06'
Mikalsdorf: 2.05
Naubonum: 1.25
Nachtafen: 3.0
Pfaffbach: 1.24
Steurberg: 0.72
Regrakhof: 1.15
Siegfriedhof: 4.26'
Rottbruck: 1.04
Stirfahre: 3.8
Swartzhafen: 7.6
Greith: 0.48
Hagen: 0.55
Tempelhof: 1.11
Teufelheim: 1.16
Gallizien: 0.35
Rechwald: 0.46'
Vanhaldenhof: 1.16

*Contested with Stirland. The neighbours Enzesburg & Langwald (a former capitol of Sylvania...again) should present no difficulty, but the Barony of Grusserl (containing Barnbach, Hirtenfeld and Texing) belongs to the Mórrian Abbey of St. Redwald and the Black Knight Templars (Grandmaster Williband Munsterburg) which could prove a challenge, especially with the Mórrian Abbey of St.Wilfrid another Black Guard stronghold just over the border (though they at least don't manage that land).

This gives a total of 108 Watchmen for the towns and villages of Sylvania (Apetlon, Barnbach, Greith and Rechwald have no Watch presence but receive a weekly patrol). Those townships with three or four Watchmen (Drakenhof, Essen, Nachthafen, Siegfriedhof and Stirfahre) each would have a corporal apiece; Leicheburg would have a sargeant (no corporal) with five; whilst Swartzhafen (with 8 Watchmen) would have an Unterliuetenant and the rest would make do with just a senior Watchman (with a junior where two are present). These numbers lend themselves to a highly centralised system run direct from Waldenhof. One Obercaptain would lead the watch, with two Captains, three Lieutenants, fourteen Unterliuetenants and twenty two sargeants. These numbers could be trebbled before a Watch Commander becomes essential (as the senior rank) could cope with just a Captain and Lieutenants (+ OberLieuenants, not used here) until about 500 men, when urban populations reached around 37'500 people (the last figures place it at 25'553 people) using the high proportion of Watchmen mentioned. There are no calculations available for the numbers of Stir River Patrol, or Roadwardens, so I'm arbitrarilly setting them at 40 and 328.13 respectively, under an Obercaptain. The Roadwardens work out at 1 per 800 head of general population (without urbanisation taken into account), which seems reasonable, though I have no basis for the figure. The Stir R. Patrol (based out of Waldenhof) is subsidiary to and answers to Stirland, though I suspect Mannfred could aquire their loyalty. Regardless, as they're mostly concerned with smuggling (and therefore quite busy) I don't see them opposing Mannfred. Smuggling is one of the very few criminal activities I see Mannfred encouraging, as it allows an ingress of unfranked and illegal goods, which since the duties go to either the Emperor or Stirland shouldn't concern him, although with independence from Striland (in some unspecified future) that would doubtless change.

There are no figures for Mordheim (as the site is still unoccupied) or Vanhaldenschlosse (as it's a ruin) though the village (Vanhaldenhof) is occupied and subsidiery villages should appear soon as this seems a (relatively ~ 5 years or less) recent venture as it can take considerable time to renovate ruins. This is also the logical progression for Mannfred to take as his first concern must have been for Drakenhof (as supported by the figures).

[MDMann]

Since it takes roughly a year to recruit significant numbers to the military and another year to fully train them (infantry, cavalry or artillery) the first large influx of recruits from the Spring Driving migration are entering active service, and the Storm of Chaos migrants are beggining training. This means Mannfred should have a larger body of living troops available soon, not counting Mercenaries.

It takes around three to five years to turn a well trainied soldier into a veteran, not counting seasoning and hardening from war. Sylvania's current soldiery should be at this level from killing ghouls, bandits and Crom's raiders.

Mercenaries are expensive and unrelliable. They care about their reputation not their employer or cause. However, they are often skilled and quick to employ, if you can find the gelt. Mannfred should have no trouble aquiring these, but it's a good idea to use them to pad your forces out rather than rely upon them, and they should never outnumber your forces or they're liable to just go pillaging, unless they fear swift and brutal revenge. This requires examples, so is best avoided where possible. Ogre bands work on a differently, taking their payment in vast quantities (ie expensive) of low grade meat. It's cheaper to use these than hire them as they can eat the enemy. Mannfred could fead them corpses (leaving skeletons) or goblins (which make poor zombies). As Mannfred opens (gold, iron, copper and tin) mines with inexhaustible (zombie) labour, he should gain capitol to do this, although Mercenraies are always a short term solution with the money better spent elsewhere (raising, equipping & training troops; improving infrastucture - roads; building fortifications; purchasing supplies - cannon, equipment, etc etc.), even for Mannfred.

So, of the 7'875 soldiers at his disposal Mannfred has 5'906.25 regulars and 1'968.75 militia (including merchants guards and yeomanry). Since a regiment is roughly 600 to 1'000 troops (using the Roman Legion as a template which seems appropriate) this means Mannfred should have:

2 Regiments Spearmen (these are quick and cheap to equip and train and are popular in the eastern Empire. Note the hafts should be wooden with banded iron and iron or steel heads, carry shields and wear light armour).

1 Regiment Swordsmen (cheap and quick to train but more expensive to equip. Short swords not long sword together with shields and heavy armour).

1 Regiment Halberdiers (expensive and slow to train and equip. These are an Imperial requirement for all provinces. If Mannfred wants independence he requires these. These should be the newest soldiers, equipped and trained but not seasoned yet. Heavy armour and shields).

2 Regiments Crossbowmen (expensive to equip but quick to train. Not as effective as Archers, but always more numerous as it takes a lifetime to learn to use a bow well. Crossbows should be heavy with a wich and crank, heavy armour and shield).

2 Regiments Militia (equipped short sword or crossbow, light armour and shield. Includes merchants guards and yeomanry).

1 Regiment (worth) of Mercenaries (1/3 of which should be ogres of whom 2/3 should be bulls and 1/3 maneaters [simply due to availability]. These guys will be in almost constant use hunting goblins and the like in the far mountains as it's cheaper to use them than not. The maneaters are less likely than the bulls to be used as they have more discipline and are less likely to start eating peasants).

26 Regiments (worth) of Levy (including 3 Regiments [worth] of Free Company. Using Levy [or Free Company] is very expensive, not very effective and destroys the ecconomy. Only of use as a last resort).

There is no field artillery to spare as maintenence is difficult requiring specialist skills where military expansion is better concentrated elsewhere. Artillery exists as defensive emplacements, as maintenence is easier and carries more political benfits.

No Pike are used (other than mercenaries) as they require extensive training better employed elsewhere. It could be possibble to expand in this direction when more immidiate needs are met.

1 Regiment of Archers is currently being trained and equipped, they should be readdy in five years time.

There should be around 330 Pistolliers, not quite two Squadrons worth (given a Squadron of 200 men and beasts). This includes the sons of rich merchants (for Sylvania) as well as the nobility. They won't be picky here (though it hamper promotion prospects), equipped and supplied at thier own cost.

[Gorthuar]

Not entirely on topic, but I belive it's the most appropriate place for:

The new map of Sylvania for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay

I thank you for your time.


Lord Gorthuar de Veris
Cult of Nagash

[MDMann]

A nice map, several new towns and villages. Melkhiors tower just over the border is interesting.