| “ | Cunning, devious and powerful, Mannfred von Carstein sees all before him as prizes to be claimed. | „ |
Mannfred von Carstein is a 
Vampire Counts Legendary Lord unit introduced in Total War: Warhammer. In The Old World and Mortal Empires campaigns, he is one of the two Legendary Lord choices for Sylvania, along with Helman Ghorst. In Immortal Empires, he leads The Drakenhof Conclave.
Description[ | ]
While Vlad von Carstein was the most physically powerful of the Vampire Counts, Mannfred was the most cunning. When Vlad was slain, Mannfred did not involve himself in the infighting that would see Konrad rise to prominence. Instead, he travelled far and wide, seeking to deepen his knowledge of necromantic lore. He made an unholy pilgrimage to the ancient tombs of the Nehekhara and the ancient city of Lahmia, where he wrested the secrets of the Liche Priests from bone-dry papyrus and scrolls made from human skin. Mannfred also studied the ancient spells in the first of the Books of the Dead. Eventually, his journeys took him to Nagashizzar. None can say what foul bargains Mannfred made with that surreal realm's inhabitants in return for forbidden knowledge. When Mannfred finally returned to Sylvania, he was more powerful than ever, and took over the Undead legions in the wake of Konrad's destruction. Mannfred was almost as masterful as Vlad at concealing his true nature. As he sought for allies, Mannfred would travel abroad in the guise of an Imperial lord. He was always courteous to those he met on his travels, as befits a noble from a powerful family. When Mannfred revealed himself at the height of his power, his appearance was far more horrifying - his face became contorted and corpse-like, and his scalp writhed with magical energy. Yet his newfound powers were not enough. In the end, Mannfred was defeated and his army annihilated at the Battle of Hel Fenn. Some storytellers claim that Mannfred is not vanquished. They say he rode from Drakenhof against the forces of Chaos when they invaded the Empire. If Mannfred has survived, then surely he will reveal his designs for the Imperial throne.
Attributes[ | ]
Wizard- ▲ Spellcaster: This unit can cast spells.
- ▲ Armoured: Armoured units can block damage from any source apart from Armour-Piercing damage.
- ▲ Melee Expert: Melee Experts might have a very strong melee attack or melee defence, or high values in both. Some also have melee-focused skills like Charge Defence. Use them to counter other strong melee units. When facing them, it is best to take them out before they can enter melee.
Spells[ | ]
Character abilities[ | ]
Active Abilities[ | ]
- None
Campaign only[ | ]
Passive Abilities[ | ]
Campaign only[ | ]
Multiplayer only[ | ]
Item Abilities[ | ]
Unique Items[ | ]
Mounts[ | ]
Campaign starting units[ | ]
The Old World & Mortal Empires[ | ]
Immortal Empires[ | ]
Lord effects[ | ]
- Winds of Magic power reserve capacity: +15
- Upkeep: -15% for Grave Guard and Black Knights units (Lord's army)
- Ability: "Master of the Black Arts"
WH2[ | ]
- Winds of Magic power reserve: +30
- Leadership: +10 when fighting against Men (Lord's army)
WH1[ | ]
- Campaign movement range: +5% (all characters)
- Upkeep: -10% for Grave Guard and Black Knights units
Character traits[ | ]
Personal trait[ | ]
Dark Acolyte: Some vampires have an affinity for Necromantic magic beyond their peers.
- Winds of Magic power reserve capacity: +15
- Upkeep: -15% for Grave Guard and Black Knights units (Lord's army)
- Ability: "Master of the Black Arts"
Defeat trait[ | ]
Moonslaker: He who quenches his thirst on the blood of the living will find cold steel his just reward.
- Attrition: -50% casualties suffered from Vampiric territory attrition (Lord's army)
Talent Tree[ | ]
- Mannfred's skill tree on TWWH Characters
- Skill Tree on TotalWarhammerPlanner
Chapter Objectives[ | ]
Chapter 1
| Rank | Name | Objective(s) | Reward(s) | In-game description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary objective | Sylvania Resurrected | Occupy, loot, raze, or sack 4 different settlements. | Treasury: +2000 | Since Count Mannfred's unfortunate defeat at Hel Fenn, Sylvania has been in decline. No longer is it feared as the dread land where the dead do not rest, but instead is seen as Stirland's bastard child. Now a von Carstein resides in Castle Drakenhof once again, it is time for the Vampires to take dominion over their haunted realm. |
| Bonus objective I | Intrigues of the Dead | Assassinate 1 Character | Treasury: +1000 | A Vampire strikes from the shadows as well as at the head of his skeletal legions. The von Carsteins have always been masters of plots and manipulation; ensure this Lord's goals are achieved by bringing such intrigues to their conclusion. |
| Bonus objective II | The Blood Kiss | Recruit 1 Hero(es) | Treasury: +1000 | Raising a mortal with the Blood Kiss may sound an easy task, but we do not grant any living fool immortality. Such a gift should not be wasted on serfs - we must choose wisely. |
| Bonus objective III | Fear the Night | Be at War with 4 Factions | Treasury: +1000 | Our Lord's power comes from fear as much from the arcane. We need to ensure that his many enemies fear the von Carstein name and say it only in hushed whispers. Thus is our powerbase maintained and the cattle controlled. |
| Bonus objective IV | Vampires Abroad | Complete 2 Missions | Treasury: +1000 | To tarry in Sylvania, and skulk in other dark places that welcome the dead, is short-sighted. If our master is to achieve his destiny then he must send his servants forth to start pulling - or removing - the levers of power. |
| Bonus objective V | The Curse of Years | Have at least 15 Vampire Corruption in Stirland | Treasury: +1000 | As the dead rise, the land itself revolts against the unnatural. We must spread this curse beyond our borders, let the mortals observe and see that death comes for all! |
Chapter 2
| Rank | Name | Objective(s) | Reward(s) | In-game description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary objective | The Spread of Undeath | Occupy, loot, raze, or sack 8 different settlements. | Treasury: +4000 | Mannfred's influence must spread across all of Sylvania and beyond into the Empire itself if he is to realise his dread ambition of becoming the first and only Eternal Emperor. But before he can rule, a powerbase should be established and fresh troops risen for the challenges ahead. |
| Bonus objective I | Day Walkers | Assassinate 2 Characters | Treasury: +1000 | The von Carstein bloodline has always excelled at deceit and disguise. Vampires have many guises - a court noble, a renowned wizard, a loyal servant, a baron's spymaster - It is in these roles that the Vampires turn fate to their advantage. |
| Bonus objective II | The Legacy of Nagash | Have at least 25 Vampire Corruption in the following provinces: Eastern Sylvania, Stirland, Western Sylvania, Zhufbar, Averland, Ostermark | Treasury: +1000 | When the Great Necromancer, Nagash, first dabbled with Dark Magic it seeped into the world and broke it. Now many millennia later, Nagash's legacy continues - ravaging the world wherever Necromancy is practised. |
| Bonus objective III | Always Another von Carstein | Be at War with 5 Factions | Treasury: +1000 | Mannfred was not the first von Carstein, nor will he be the last. In the last few decades there always seems to be another of Vlad's despicable sires crawling out of his crypt. Each as power hungry as the other. But it is Mannfred we serve and so we must ensure he maintains power. |
| Bonus objective IV | At the Centre of the Web | Complete 8 Missions | Treasury: +1000 | Mannfred lies at the centre of a great web of intrigue. A manipulator worthy of Tzeentch! From his lair, our master sends word to his puppets of tasks to be done, accounts to be settled and missions to achieve. |
| Bonus objective V | A Bloody Quest | Complete 1 Quest Chain | Treasury: +1000 | Our master has scoured the world for forbidden lore and artefacts of power. It's a search that continues and so word has reached us that another item of great power is within Count Mannfred's grasp. |
Chapter 3
| Rank | Name | Objective(s) | Reward(s) | In-game description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary objective | The Long Night | Occupy, loot, raze, or sack 12 different settlements. | Treasury: +6000 | Now is the time for Fell Bats to blot out the sun, for gloom to fall upon the lands of the living and the Long Night to begin. Mannfred's dominion shall extend far and wide if the prophecies in the Liber Noctus are to come true. |
| Bonus objective I | The Ghosts of Hel Fenn | Assassinate 3 Characters | Treasury: +1000 | Of the von Carsteins, it was Vlad who was seen as the military genius - taking his Undead hosts to the walls of Altdorf itself. Mannfred, however, was thwarted at Hel Fenn. If this new incursion is to be considered a threat, then our master's forces need victory in battle. |
| Bonus objective II | Revenge of the Doomlord | Maintain control of 45 units | Treasury: +1000 | Rise the Undead legions - let them tirelessly march forth just like the armies of the Doomlord of olde! |
| Bonus objective III | The Climate of Terror | Have at least 25 Vampiric Corruption in the following provinces:
Eastern Sylvania, Stirland, Western Sylvania, Zhufbar, Averland, Ostermark, Eastern Border Princes, Northern Worlds Edge Mountains, Peak Pass |
Treasury: +1000 | The von Carsteins dominate their homelands because of the terrifying climate they propagate. The few mortals that reside in or close to Sylvania live in constant fear, such is the power of the Midnight Aristocracy. |
| Bonus objective IV | The Curse of Centuries | Complete 15 Missions | Treasury: +1000 | As the Undead rise and march forth, the influence of Dark Magic spreads across the lands - fell creatures take roost in once-homely caves, trees become rotten and twisted, and even houses buckle and decay as the corruption spreads. |
| Bonus objective V | Fury of Nagash | Be at War with 5 Factions | Treasury: +1000 | Back in the mists of time, when the Kings of Nehekhara rose up against Nagash, they were initially repelled by the Great Necromancer's awesome power. Our Lord must echo such victories and repulse all that challenge us! |
Chapter 4
| Rank | Name | Objective(s) | Reward(s) | In-game description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary objective | Behold the Midnight Aristocracy | Occupy, loot, raze, or sack 16 different settlements. | Treasury: +8000 | Mannfred's fell influence saturates the lands, but for the scions of Sigmar's Blood to truly fear the power of the Vampires then all the Old World must be taken in von Carstein's name. Nothing is beyond the reach of the Midnight Aristocracy! |
| Bonus objective I | From the Charnel Pits | Maintain control of 60 units | Treasury: +1000 | The Necromancers have raided the charnel pits and brought us fresh corpses. These should be joined with our legions to create a mighty Undead host worthy of the von Carstein name. |
| Bonus objective II | Political Domination | Have at least 25 Vampiric Corruption in the following provinces: Eastern Sylvania, Stirland, Western Sylvania, Zhufbar, Averland, Ostermark, Easter Border Princes, Northern Worlds Edge Mountains, Peak Pass, Hochland, Ostland, Talabecland, Wissenland | Treasury: +1000 | Mannfred must maintain political power of his domains. If he is to keep his quarrelling, power-hungry siblings in check then there cannot be any reason for them to question his motives and will. For should a rival Vampire sense weakness, it will strike. |
| Bonus objective III | I Grant Thee A Great Boon! | Reach Rank 20 with 1 Lord(s) | Treasury: +1000 | There is a danger by giving a creature as ambitious and predatory as a Vampire too much power. But Mannfred has been around his kin for centuries and knows how to deal with such turn-coats. However, he needs servants that are more than mere pawns, so must grant them a modicum of his power. |
| Bonus objective IV | Invocation of Power | Reach Rank 20 with 1 Hero(es) | Treasury: +1000 | Mannfred sees his agents as little more than tools, yet some tools are more useful than others. For those lucky few minions, great rewards await - depending on how they serve our master of course. |
| Bonus objective V | The Curse of Ages | Be at War with 5 Factions | Treasury: +1000 | Mannfred's pall of darkness reaches across the nations, infusing the land with Dark Magic. Every place it touches, the dead no longer rest easily in their graves and crypts are broken open from the inside. And so the Undead take the world from the living... |
Chapter 5
| Rank | Name | Objective(s) | Reward(s) | In-game description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary objective | An Eternal Emperor | Occupy, loot, raze, or sack 20 different settlements. | Treasury: +10000 | The time is now - Mannfred von Carstein needs to make his move and take Sigmar's throne, or claim the lands from any foe - living or immortal - that dares resist the inevitable. Mannfred will rule over all as an Eternal Emperor - an immortal king that even the Chaos Gods bow to! |
| Bonus objective I | The Endless Legion | Maintain control of 100 units | Treasury: +1000 | The Undead are inexhaustible - able to constantly replenish with each new killing. The mortals fear our legions, for they know deep down that, eventually, they will rise up and join them. It is time for our master to field such an army - a legion of Undeath that no foe can challenge! |
| Bonus objective II | Blackest Will | Have at least 25 Vampiric Corruption in the following provinces: Eastern Sylvania, Stirland, Western Sylvania, Zhufbar, Averland, Ostermark, Eastern Border Princes, Northern Worlds Edge Mountains, Peak Pass, Hochland, Ostland, Talabecland, Wissenland, Middenland, Nordland, Reikland, Southern Oblast | Treasury: +1000 | The machinations of the von Carsteins are complex and despotic. At the height of his power our master, Count Mannfred, must be ready to fend off any plot from a rival sibling ready to strike from the shadows. With immortal glory so close, maintaining his dominion is essential. |
| Bonus objective III | Circle of Blood | Reach Rank 20 with 3 Lords | Treasury: +1000 | The Eternal Emperor stands ready to take his throne! His most loyal subjects will be rewarded with immortality and other gifts that no mortal could even comprehend; prepare those our master has deemed worthy to enter his scared circle. |
| Bonus objective IV | Those Who Serve | Reach Rank 20 with 3 Heroes | Treasury: +1000 | The mortals must fear Mannfred's touch - fear that his reach is long and that nowhere is safe from the dread Count. To extend such a reach he needs willing servants, with the power and status to influence every area of mortal society. |
| Bonus objective V | The Curse of Immortatlity | Be at War with 5 Factions | Treasury: +1000 | For Count Mannfred to sit upon a throne of bone as an Immortal Emperor, he must spread his influence far and ensure that his Unliving Empire is ready for its dread sovereign. |
Strategy[ | ]
Out of all of the Vampire Counts, Mannfred is the easiest to play. The most advantageous skill is the increase in wind of magic reserves, combined with items that give regeneration rate and power reserves, Mannfred can pick off the enemy lord or army before engaging in actual combat. Mannfred's mobility is also boosted by his hellsteed and the Zombie Dragon. A master of magic and a fearsome combatant on his dragon, there are few who can stand against him.
Gallery[ | ]
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