To be quite honest, the battle was more for the looks.
As any of the Chaos horde were killed off we allowed them to be recycled from the forest as if more troops were still pouring onto the battlefield. At the start of the game though, Empire was about 7500 and Chaos was probably around 10000 at least
Needless to say the Mammoth never needed recycled, that thing is awesome.
The game was played with slightly simplified rules to aid the speed of the game, e.g panic never affected friendly troops if units ran through them. Also magic users on the table were just for show.
Only 2 heroes per side had magical items, both of those heroes counted as generals with respect to LD tests.
The basic narrative to the game was:
Battle for the Eastern Gate
In the spring of 2008 they came, spewing forth from the forest like pus from a festering wound. There had been little warning of their approach although some preparation had been made. Guard Commander Tobias Klauss had petitioned the Emperor to allow him to re-deploy troops to the eastern gate as over the last two weeks no scouts had returned from their sorties.
The Chaotic Horde had chosen their time of attack well. The eastern passes through the mountains had thawed making them traversable once more. The city was now low on supplies after the unusually harsh winter. The Imperial troops would therefore have no choice but to stand fast before the ever growing tide as they would be unable to survive through a protracted siege.
At the head of this abominable army rode two Generals, both feared in equal measures. Hagar Man tamer, a Beastlord of great renown, feared for his cunning as much as his brutality, led a horde of beasts of all terrible shapes and sizes.
A Chaos Lord known only by the name of Lethkhar sat upon his throne in the howdah of his great war mammoth which strode through the forest shattering trees as if walking through long grass.
Next came the War-machines, propelled forward by nothing but sheer brute force. The army, hell bent on taking the city and brought with them many Siege towers, battering rams and a Daemonic Hell cannon. Hordes of Beasts, Chariots and Minotaur as well as creatures of hideous deformities poured forward baying for fresh blood.
In the sky above, thunder clouds formed, surely a product of foul sorcery. Daemonic winged creatures and a two headed dragon could be made out as lightning flashed across the horizon.
The day was looking to be a dark one for the Empire in more ways than one.
Commander Klauss marshalled the city guard into position. They stood like a pitiful dam against a raging torrent of filth. The militia took to the city walls preparing oil and piles of rocks. The cities fletchers worked tirelessly to produce uncountable arrows and the anvils of the city blacksmiths rang out in a crescendo of hammer strokes.
Priests of Sigmar strode through the army, blessing the warriors weapons and reinforcing the faith of Sigmar within the disciplined ranks.
History has proven that no army is unbeatable.
Today is the day that men of the Empire must stand up, be counted and prove this right.
