Here follows an account of a 4-player, 2,000 point battle between the forces of Dark Elves and mortal Chaos fighting Empire and the High Elves. We played using the Take and Hold scenario from the Warmaster Revolution rules (although using regular Warmaster rules).
Under that scenario victory points are awarded for the possession of 4 different objectives at the end of the game, with those objectives in the centre of the battlefield and furthest from your deployment zone worth more points than the closest. Victory points can also be awarded by breaking the enemy army.
In our game the two central objectives (an ancient ruin and twisted chaos tree) were placed between a farm and a hill while a watch tower was placed near each deployment zone making up the third and fourth objectives. The armies include:
Chaos
- 2 Chaos Warriors
- 3 Chaos Marauders
- 2 Ogres
- 1 Marauder Horsemen
- 3 Chaos Knights
- 2 Chaos Hounds
- 2 Chaos Chariots
- 1 Harpies
- 1 General
- 2 Sorcerer
- 4 Spearmen
- 2 Crossbowmen
- 2 Witch Elves
- 6 Cold One Knights
- 2 Harpies
- 2 Bolt Thrower
- 1 General - (Sceptre of Sovereignty)
- 1 Hero - (Manticore, Sword of Fate)
- 1 Sorceress (Scroll of Dispelling)
Empire
- 4 Halberdiers
- 4 Crossbowmen
- 2 Flagellants
- 6 Knights
- 2 Pistoliers
- 1 Helblaster
- 2 Cannon
- 1 General
- 1 Hero (Griffon)
- 2 Wizard (1 War Altar)
- 4 Spearmen
- 3 Archers
- 3 Silver Helms
- 2 Reavers
- 3 Chariots
- 2 Giant Eagles
- 2 Elven Bolt Thrower
- 1 General
- 1 Hero (Dragon)
- 1 Wizard
The Dark Elves deploy their bolt throwers and crossbows to seize the hill that overlooks the central objectives and a heavy infantry force of chaos warriors, ogres and witch elves to march forward and occupy them. Behind this formidable force are cold one knights, ready to counterattack if the enemy try to overrun the objective with their cavalry. The fearsome chaos knights and chariots deployed to the centre and a force of marauders and chaos hounds holds the closest objective.
As the battle begins the Dark Elves put their plan into action and haul their bot-throwers up the hill to take a commanding position overlooking the central objectives, while the witch elves used the farm houses to shelter from the expected cannon fire. The Chaos forces, meanwhile, bicker amongst themselves and have considerable trouble organising their troops to advance on the objective.
Similar disorganisation occurs across the battlefield between human and high elf. The high elf archers fan out to screen the army, but behind them there's considerable confusion about who will move next, meaning the other elements of the army remain in place.
Then the Cold One Knight mount a fierce counterattack supported by a hero riding a Manticore and the initial wave of High Elf cavalry is destroyed.
Now that half of the Cold One knights and hero have been committed the Elves attack again with chariots and knights, cutting down the lizards and their riders. However the Chaos knights have now repositioned, and the remaining elf forces withdraw to the other side of the forest, rather than push on into the fearsome chaos force.
Meanwhile the battle for the central objectives has begun in earnest. The Chaos Warriors and Ogres claim them to begin, while the Dark Elf repeater bolt throwers destroys elf archers and Empire pistoliers who initially try to drive them back with shooting.
The fighting is fierce but the Chaos Warriors and ogres kill many elves. A rout is prevented only by the elf Hero riding a dragon who joins a beleaguered spear unit and drives off the Chaos Warriors. Cannon fire from the distant hill holds drives the ogres back.
Finally the Empire troops receive their orders to advance and the crossbowmen and halberdiers emerge from the forest and draw up in a line to confront the Dark Elf troops on the hill. Eagles are dispatched to attack the Dark Elf artillery from the flank, but the Dark Elf sorceresses unleashes a mighty doom bolt that drives them away, confused.
Now the Empire Knights charge forward, smashing through the remaining chaos warriors and ogres, and seizing both objectives. One unit smashes on into a unit of Dark Elf crossbows and causes mayhem in the rear of the army. However the remaining Cold one knights have been waiting for this moment and launch a counter-attack, cutting down the Empire troops mercilessly.
Meanwhile one the other flank, the Chaos Knights manage to catch the remaining High Elf cavalry and chariots, and ride them down. The Elves fight valiantly, but they are no match for the mighty chaos warriors who are infused with dark magic cast by their sorcerers. Chaos Chariots now joint the attack and soon the Empire Knights who ride to the rescue of their High Elf allies are caught and destroyed.
The evil alliance overrun the central objectives, with the Witch Elves launching a ferocious assault that destroy Empire halberdiers and the High Elf eagles. Harpies destroy the Empire artillery and even land to contest the far objective.
As the battle draws to a close the High Elves have been decimated and the Empire army is broken. The bold High Elf flanking assault threatened to undo the evil force early in the battle, and had their Empire allies been able to send their knights forward in support, it might have been enough to win the game.
But without that support, the High Elves were destroyed piecemeal and the Chaos knights were able to regroup in time to destroy the Empire knights when they did finally arrive. The Empire and High Elves were also not able to utilise their fire superiority to dominate the central objectives, allowing the Dark Elf bolt throwers and Chaos heavy infantry to dominate proceedings.
The game ends as a 7-0 victory for the Chaos and Dark Elves. Although the final result was decisive, it was an extremely close game until the last two turns.