Reikmarshal Von Vincke

The life of Blucher Von Vincke has been a long and interesting one. There will be few friezes depicting his heroic feats, but his contribution to the Empire’s military cannot be underestimated. His elevation to Reikmarshal in 2528 was initially met with bemusement. But time has already begun to tell that this was a wise decision.

Von Vincke’s early life was similar to many nobles: the eldest son of a wealthy Reikland dynasty, he cut a fine if unexceptional figure in the high society of Altdorf. Von Vincke was quiet but confident, strong but reserved. Emperor Luitpold was relieved when Von Vincke submitted his application to the Reiksguard. Luitpold had formed a good impression of the lad, and service in the Reiksguard would likely secure the allegiance of his family – and their considerable resources.

Von Vincke served with the Reiksguard in active service for seven years. He was a robust, competent warrior, more given to minimising friendly casualties than striking down enemies. He was noted as saying that he would always save the lives of his men over killing his enemies. When asked why this was, he simply replied “Our enemies will still be around later. Let’s make sure we are too.”

After seven years, however, Von Vincke suffered a major setback. A rabble of goblins was attempting to set up a racket in Mad Dog Pass and a taskforce was sent to root them out – Imperial trade into the east would suffer if greenskins were robbing or extorting illegitimate tolls from merchant caravans. The goblins were put to flight with relative ease. However, Von Vincke was close to a ramshackle stone thrower, pursuing a broken mob of night goblins, when a cannon ball demolished the war machine. A flying piece of shrapnel caught Von Vincke high in the right leg. Remarkably, he kept his saddle and managed to stay in formation. But after the battle, it was clear that his days as an active knight were over.

In the Reiksguard's barracks, Von Vincke made a slow but full recovery. It took several months, but he regained his ability to walk and even ride. He would grumble of stiffness and aches in the cold or wet for the rest of his life, but he escaped crippling due to his own determination to recover and the work of the surgeons.

During this time, Von Vincke requested to work on the Reiksguard’s inventories and internal policies. He didn’t have much interest in the work at first, but it gave him something to do stop him from becoming bored during his recovery. After a while, Von Vincke found himself growing more interested in the work. He had identified several infrastructural and recruitment issues which could be improved. He took his findings to the quartermasters and senior commanders of the Reiksguard, who were amazed. Von Vincke took a permanent role overseeing recruitment, deployment, stores and training. By the end of his ten years of service within the Reiksguard, he was well established and everyone expected him to remain within the order. 

But Von Vincke surprised all observers by purchasing a commission within the Reikland State Military. His seniority within the Reiksguard made a transition at the rank of Major relatively smooth, and Von Vincke took up a position in the 16th Altdorf Regiment of Heavy Infantry (often listed in gazetteers as the 16th Halberdiers or more colloquially as the Griffon Feathers). Von Vincke's feeling was that he could do more good in the vast state armies, having essentially already smoothed out as many of the issues of the Reiksguard as was possible.

Von Vincke quickly proved as methodical on the battlefield as with stores: his regiment was well prepared, well provisioned, excellently briefed before each battle and used the terrain to perfection. The 16th conducted battles in an orderly, well co-ordinated fashion, never rushing, never taking unnecessary risks. Sometimes, victory took longer. But the survival rate of the regiment soared.

It wasn't long before Von Vincke was promoted to Colonel and within a handful of years, he was seconded to the General Staff of the Reikland. He argued passionately for a wider approach to the military: better supply pacts with the guilds, more investment into road maintenance, stringent requirements for equipment standards.

"Glory is useless, honour is subjective and righteousness gets you killed," he once famously barked during an argument with Kurt Helborg, "we need exacting standards, better layers defences, and soldiers who stay alive!"

Von Vincke eventually ascended to the rank of Grand Marshal of the Reikland. His was not a glorious approach to war, but it was a very successful one which reduced waste of men and materiel.

After Surtha Lenk's invasion under the guise the Empire has come to know as the 'False Archaon', in the war loosely called 'the Storm of Chaos', Von Vincke retired quietly, without fanfare. But his work was not yet done. His greatest test was yet to come.

The dark years are over, years during which Von Vincke's organisation abilities were pushed to the limit. Yet the task is not done. The Empire has survived, but taken a tremendous beating. Now is not the time for great heroes like the lte Kurt Helborg. Now is the time for rebuilding smashed institutions, training new armies and approaching wars with a disciplined, unglamorous approach to victory.

Von Vincke is an old man. But there is work to do, plans to make and problems to solve. His steely blue eyes see all, and the mind behind them is as sharp as ever.