- "What man would willingly march to war under the banners of the undead? And why do the counts tolerate these warm-blooded folk and induct them into their otherwise rotting and fleshless ranks? It is hard to understand either of these questions, and I will never be able to fully come to terms with the answers."
- —Grandmarshall Blucher von Vincke[1a]
Although the armies of the Vampire Counts consist predominantly of undead raised through Necromancy, in some cases units of Sylvanian Peasant Levies have followed their von Carstein masters into battle. The peasants of Sylvania live grim and joyless lives, in constant fear of their vampiric overlords. Thus, just as the human rulers of other nations press their peasants into service, so do the Vampire Counts of Sylvania.[1a]
In battle, they are not a very effective fighting force, but are used in a similar manner as zombies or skeletal infantry. However, they are capable of independent thought, which can give them an advantage over their lifeless comrades-in-arms. In particular, they fight with the grim desperation of a man more afraid of his commander than his foes. And, of course, when the levies die in battle, they can simply be reanimated.[1a]
Sylvanian Peasant Levies are sometimes armed by the Vampire Counts, but usually carry their own weapons. Thus they are typically found carrying spears, staves, pikes, axes, hammers, scythes, farm implements, hunting bows, and occasionally crossbows.[1a]
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