If Transylvania was an independent power...

[gloriousbattle]

...Who do they fight?  What is their political situation?

Say that the Count declared himself for some reason, in a 19th Century setting.  Who are his enemies?  What are his goals?  Why would he declare himself in the first place?

Also, what do his armies look like?  I see some Magyar horsemen of questionable loyalty (serving the Count out of fear more than anything else), lots of wolves, some bats, human sorcerers, and perhaps a few vampires, maybe some minor demons if you really want to beef things up.  I do not think that the Count would run around sucking the country dry to create many vampires, however, as he has to be somewhat forward-looking, and this creates potential rivals for his power.

I don't imagine this would be a particularly strong army in 19th century terms.  It could not have too many human troops, and their technology would probably be fairly limited (muskets, brass cannons, maybe some more modern rifles stolen from the Austrians), but it would probably be effective enough to keep off all but the most determined assault just because of the terror factor and the fear of the unknown that would be generated among the enemy.

And who is the enemy?  The Count certainly has his hands full, as he is right in the middle of the Austrians, Russians and Turks.  He doesn't like the Turks much for personal reasons extending way back, but he doesn't care much for the two Christian powers for more immediate reasons.  Still, it is hard to see these three forming any sort of coalition against him, though it is even less likely that any of them would choose him as an ally against either of the others.  Do they see the real supernatural threat that he poses, or do they just try to add him into the 19th century world of power politics?

And what ARE his true motives?  Somehow, I see him as being a harbinger, preparing the way for some greater evil.  Cthulhu?  The Anti-Christ?  The Ad-Dajjal?  That last one might be particularly tempting, given his hatred of the Turks.  Or is it something really weird and way out?  Is he an ally of the blood-drinking Martians, or perhaps an adversary, seeing them essentially as cattle rustlers on his ranch?  In the latter case, he might even offer supernatural help in the War of the Worlds, and how readily would that be accepted?

What do you think?

[Captain Blood]

I think I already started to do this 

http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=18808.0

...but always room for more good ideas 

[P_Clapham]

I imagine the perception of him, from within and without would be similar to Doctor Doom.  There would be a fair amount of his own people who fear him, but at the same time those who felt him a national hero.  He after all is the one who threw off the yoke of the Turks in the first place.  I'd say the rest of the world would be wary and quite scared.  Not enough to invade Transylvania en mass, after all the Count is a military genius at defending his own territory.  I would think some countries would even make non-aggression pacts with the Count, perhaps even let some of his Pale ambassadors into their borders, just as long as they behave themselves.

As for the Count himself, I'd be tempted to give him a more complex set of motivations.  I would say his number one priority would be himself, and his continued existence.  Second would the upkeep of his homeland, both out of survival and possibly even a genuine care for it's people.  After all he did fight tooth and claw for them even before he died.  Having him working to make Transylvania a better place for his people / cattle would make things rather interesting and complicated.  Especially vampire hunters claiming he is the devil incarnate.

It's also entirely possible that the Count making the public appearances isn't even him.  After all wouldn't it be safest to create a loyal / brainwashed vampire to serve as the figurehead?  If he gets assassinated one of his 'children' will regretfully take the throne.  All while the real count hunts down and makes an example out of the assassins.  This would further his mystique as well.  Being able to hunt down traitors and spies within the country, well at the same conducting it's night to night business.

Army wise, I see the 19th century Transylvania army as one of the sneakiest and highly trained military force.  I don't see the Count keeping his army rooted in the 17th and 18th centuries.  They would be primarily a defensive force, well costumed to the forests and mountains of Transylvania, likely with the most modern weapons available to them.  Depending on how much you want to play the vampire angle, these groups would have unparalleled night surveillance, through their 'air' superiority.  When the army does go on the offensive, it's likely during the night.

[Malamute]

 See if you can pick up a copy of Anno Dracula by Kim Newman. (Its out of print now) It has similar ideas:

 Dracula comes to England as per the original book, he is not however defeated by Van Helsing and co, but instead seduces, makes a Vampire of Queen Victoria and subsequently takes control of the throne therefore becoming head of the most powerful Empire in the world......

[gloriousbattle]

Great figs and nice ideas all.  Thanks gents!

[Red Orc]

A few of us - mostly Argsilverson, former user and myself, ably monitored for 'historical' accuracy by Captain Blood - we kicking round the idea of using Ruritania as a middle-european independent power, with or without an eastern extension called Molvania that bears a strong relationship to Transylavania.

I'm happy for you to plunder anything you like from the thread at http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=17318.0 should you so wish; obviously I can't speak for former user and Argsilverson (or anyone else who contributed) but I doubt anyone would mind very much.

[gloriousbattle]

I'm happy for you to plunder anything you like from the thread at http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=17318.0 should you so wish; obviously I can't speak for former user and Argsilverson (or anyone else who contributed) but I doubt anyone would mind very much.

Thanks man!  Much obliged!  This is only a small facet of my Victorian era game, but any additions are greatly appreciated.

[former user]

first of all, he would be a prince or a wojewod and not a count, and he would be struggling with the forming nations of Romania and Hungaria, and maybe have some aspirations towards galician territories, politically speaking.
Since You already noted that the army could not be that strong, such international complications would be approached in classical 19C diplomatic fashion.
An allianace with Romania and Russia for the war of 1877/78 is also conceivable, first for his hatred for turks, and secondly because many transsylvanian romanians then volunteered for this war illegally crossing the mountains.
furthermore, romanian independance was quelled by the superpowers with the installation of a Hohenzollern Monarch - this could alternatively be Vlad, thus immediately leading to war with Austro-Hungaria and being sided by Russia - this could lead to an erlier WWI if such a conflicht would escalate on a large scale, or to a much later WWI if the both superpowers would settle their influence spheres on this occasion - on a smaller scale repectively. However one has to keep in mind that the installation of the Dual Monarchy resulted from a weak Austrian position

the Year 1866 thus was crucial in that region

there still remains the question where to put bordering Ruritania in that context

[Doc Twilight]

If indeed, he did ally himself with Romania, there would be serious internal dissent, as a large number of the population of Transylvania were, and are, Hungarians (Magyars and Szeklers), who really don't care too much for their Romanian neighbors.
The anti-Hungarian activities and war crimes of the 20th century haven't happened yet, but the two groups have disliked each other for a very long time.

-Doc

[former user]

it would be really interesting to know if the majority that voted for a unification with Romania in 1918 was forged in this alternative history context.
these were difficult times when the Austro Hungarian empire dissolved under the pressure of national movements
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Transylvania#Transylvania_as_part_of_Romania

[Doc Twilight]

it would be really interesting to know if the majority that voted for a unification with Romania in 1918 was forged in this alternative history context.
these were difficult times when the Austro Hungarian empire dissolved under the pressure of national movements
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Transylvania#Transylvania_as_part_of_Romania

Hmm. Yes, particularly since such a vote never actually took place. I would suspect that, if it had, the Hungarian portions of Transylvania would have gone to Hungary, and the Wallachian portions to Romania. Which would, again, make for some interesting alternate history.

-Doc

[former user]

if this map is correct, the outcome would have been pretty patchy

and here we are, in the midst of the HCW!

[Count Winsky]

I would like to know if Dracula (Transylvania) would have repelled or accepted Bollshevik forces spreading revolution during 1917-1920?  This way it could have given them a potential ally or another force to fight against.

[former user]

there is a funny Dracula Movie about this where Dracula escapes with his son from Communists and flees to Britain

I guess Dracula would be Royalist to his last drop of blood 
or otherwise torturer for the NKVD

[Count Winsky]

Do you know the name of the movie?  That sounds like a really cool movie.  Thanks!