Storm of Chaos

This still makes me happy thinking about this battle. What an undertaking!

For ages I'd wanted a massive battle, properly massive by our standards, and we blew it out of the water with this one. While we did not finish the game, it was still mostly great fun (don't talk to Sam about how painfully slow it is to cross rivers...).

There was a huge amount of planning going into this one, and we wanted to make it truly epic, so all the heroes were invited. We had Karl Franz, Boris Todbringer, Valten, Teclis, Theodore Bruckner, Archaon, Be'Lakor, Sigvald, Khazrak, Drazhoath, Grimgor and Malekith. All in all we planned to put 36500pts on the table, but I think we went higher in the end, just throwing extra chaos stuff on the table. 12,500pts of the bravest of the Empire, were joined by 1000pts of glittering High Elves and 3000pts of stoic Dwarfs. They were surrounded on three sides by the chaos hordes with Grimgor to come in later.

Below is the scenario rules I made specifically for the game, and to make things interesting each force within the chaos army was given a way to earn victory points separate to their allies. These mostly resolved around certain enemy characters dying, or key buildings being taken. These were kept secret by each player, however because we didn't finish the battle, we don't know who really won in the end.

The Scribings on Heironomous Lex

"Forged from the other world, six treasures shall he possess.

Upon his head the crown shall see all, and open eye will prove woe to mortal kind.

Then shall he ride unto the world.

Here will four be united into one. And five shall be the armies of doom.

Then will the world know that the last war has begun.

With the coming of doom will march a lowly boy. Anger shall be his nourishment and blood his wine.

And from the land tamed will rise a champion. Disease will be his downfall and saviour divine.

A king's son shall be the chosen. In power will he thrive and glory in his name.

And with the coming of the end times, the old will fall by the hand of the new."

The Prophecy of Fate,

Taken from The Celestine Book of Divination

by Necrodomo the Insane

Day 1: Though some claimed the doomsayers were merely being alarmist, our worst fears have been realized. From the north, a great horde has come upon our lands. Count Todbringer has assured us that help is on the way and that the threat, whilst dangerous, will be overcome.

Our correspondents in Altdorf have sent word that the army of the Emperor is ready to march. Some have even witnessed the young miracle of Valten, who some claim is Sigmar Reborn!

Day 6: The dread legions of the Lord of the End Times have fallen upon the lands of the Empire with a thirst for carnage and destruction unseen before. Against this tide of barbarism, the soldiers of Boris Todbringer and his allies have begun well, holding firm against the first onslaught. Within the shattered walls of Wolfenburg, the scattered defenders have waylaid and destroyed the warbands of Archaon with ruthless determination, and in Ferlangen bands of huntsmen under the guidance of Huntsmarshal Wulfhart, have taken a heavy toll of the Chaos forces advancing on the town through the thick woods. However, both these brave defences cannot hold forever, and as more Chaos warriors and bloodthirsty marauders descend upon the realm, the fighting will become ever more desperate.

Day 18: Nordland and Ostland are aflame from north to south, as the forces of Archaon burn and pillage their way toward Middenheim. Tens of thousands of brutal warriors, twisted beasts and horrific monsters have fallen upon the brave defenders of the Empire. Under this onslaught, the Imperial defence is weakening.

Day 19: I have gotten word that the Generals of the Empire have met at the Conclave of Light, and under the guidance of the Emperor have decided on a course of action to end the war once and for all. Their plan is a risky one, if it doesn’t work, almost the entire Empire will be open for the taking. But the Conclave of Light believes they can put their trust in Empire steel and stoicism.

The soldiers of the northern states, their homes already in ruins, have been tasked with continuing their guerrilla war against Archaon’s vast host, while Kurt Helborg has lead a mounted force drawn from most of the Templar houses of the Empire north to free up the besieged forces at Wolfenburg and Zundap

The Emperor himself leads the largest force north. They are meeting up with the Defenders of Talabheim north of the Talabec River and marching to the defence of the Empire. They plan to force Archaon’s hand into attacking them at Shoppendorf, in the foothills of the Middle Mountains. There they will join forces with Valten, and the followers he has managed to attract on his own march North. Greatest amongst those pledged to Valten is Theodore Bruckner, the Judicial Champion of Nuln, the Witch Hunter of Averland and his force of Averlanders and the mysterious Templars of Morr.

Boris Todbringer, Elector Count of Middenheim, has decided to join the final battle, against the advice of not only his advisors, but the Emperor himself. Leaving the defence of Middenheim to the Grand Master of Order of the White Wolves Count Todbringer will fight alongside his Huntsmarshal on the field at Shoppendorf to exact vengeance on the host of northmen and beasts that have ravaged his state.

Shoppendorf was chosen as the site of the climactic battle owing mainly to the favourable terrain and the holy nature of the village. The Chapel of Sigmar on the outskirts of town is a famous pilgrimage site, it was said that this was the site at which Sigmar of the Unberogen tribe made his famous alliance with the Tutogens. It is hoped that the history of the region, as the place where the coalition of tribes that formed the Empire was born will spur the fighting men on to great deeds. The town is also home to the great guildhall of the Ice Trade, home of the guild that controls the trade between Kislev and the Empire. Housed within is a priceless relic of unknown origin. Only a few know of its existence, but hope it will be an important tool in the battle to come

While preparing their defences at Wolfenburg, the Emperor was greeted with an unexpected surprise. Marching at the head of a grand host of Dwarfs was Thordrik, son of Grondrikson, King of Zufbar. Hearing of the plans of the Defenders of the Empire, he marched west with all haste to be a part of this final battle. Much like his ancestor at the Battle of Blackfire pass, Thordrik will deploy the bulk of his forces alongside the soldiers of the Empire, while the king himself and his personal bodyguard will be digging themselves in in the old abandoned Dwarfen outpost right in the path of the oncoming horde of darkness. There they hope to delay enough of the Chaos forces, and stop them hitting the Empire lines in a single, overwhelming wave of destruction.

Day 27: As the sun rose over the ridge line, gleaming points of light reflected off the spear and halberd tips of the waiting empire soldiers. All were quiet save the warrior priests who were praying to both Sigmar and Ulric for their soldiers to have the strength to make it through the day to come.

The sun seemed to take an eternity to climb its way above the hills, and finally the foe was seen on the horizon. Karl Franz climbed into Deathclaw’s saddle and took the sky, he rose quickly, before banking around to swoop over his gallant defenders below. As he passed over them, the men of the Empire gave voice to a deafening cry of defiance. This was their home, and they would defend it to the last.

As instructed, I took to the skies myself on my faithful Pegasus Swiftwing, I was tasked with recording the battle to come, so that future generations could learn about how their freedom was won.

Heironomous Lex,

Scribe to the Elector Count of Middenheim, Graf Boris Todbringer.

Now onto the battle. I'm still kicking myself that I never wrote up what occured on this glorious day of warhammering. I think I was too busy playing to keep track of what happened, and now the grand memories have faded.

We played until the sun finally set (and had to pack up in the dark). It was a fun but exhausting day