Marienburg

"The Business of Marienburg, is business."

- Director Jaan Van de Kuypens

Marienburg is a minor Empire faction introduced in Total War: Warhammer. Despite tehnically being an independent city-state, Marienburg is classified as part of the Empire, and shares the Empire's unit roster. It is led by Emil von Korden and can be found on the western coast of the Empire.

Background
The wealthy city-state of Marienburg lies to the west of Reikland. It seceded over seventy years ago in a corrupt deal that brought shame on the Empire. It is a rich and corrupt place, rife with intrigue. The settlement of Marienburg can construct the Marienburg port, providing tremendous income.

Marienburg is considered to be the largest trading hub in the Old World and is the greatest of its ports, far more wondrous than even the city-states of Tilea. Straddling the mouth of the River Reik as it drains the mainland into the Sea of Claws, nearly all maritime trade that concerns Bretonnia and the Empire happens here. It is a place of great wealth and great opportunity. It is a place despised by the Empire, despite its reliance on the fabulous port city’s good fortunes.

Marienburg is vast; a bright spot in an otherwise forlorn and wretched landscape. The people of the city are descended by the tribe of the Jutones, who drove the Endals and the Fimir off their lands and made the marshes their new found home. In fact, the people of Westerland are of Endal stock while the city itself is purely Jutones in origin. The city itself rises from the foetid swamp that typifies the Wasteland, that gloomy march between the impenetrable Drakwald Forest and the immense Pale Sisters. With the regular rains, sucking mires, and the strange breed of peasants that make their living trawling the dark waters of the countryside, reaching the grand city can sometimes be a feat in and of itself. A visitor to Marienburg can quickly be overwhelmed by the sheer size of this metropolis, with its innumerable islands, canals, and labyrinthine streets. So large is the city that many of its denizens rarely venture beyond their own districts, and can only speculate about what happens on the other side of the city.

Anyone wishing to get anywhere in the city must cough up a few coins to pay for passage on one of the canals. Certainly, one could get where they want to go on foot, but the streets are so narrow, so twisting, it’s easy to get lost, swallowed whole by a city that always hungers for fresh meat. Thus the canals are the main thoroughfares and the murky waters, glistening with the oily sheen of filth, are filled with skiffs, rowboats, sailing ships, and even galleons come to pass through the city and venture onwards to Altdorf or even as far as Nuln.

Event General News Neutral.pnging Treaties
Marienburg will start with the following treaties already in effect:


 * Treaty War.pngWar:
 * Couronne.pngnne

Strategy

 * Marienburg is an extremely profitable settlement because of its port. When playing as Louen or Karl Franz, Marienburg should be conquered as quickly as possible. This is much easier for Louen than Franz as of the Empire Undivided patch.
 * This and Helmgart are the two places the Empire should consider going to war against the Brettonians should they conquer them first. Not only for the money and resources, but also for the benefits of reinstating an elector count and getting access to its unique unit.