Imagine you are watching a game of Warhammer as a spectator. Two players line up their armies opposite each other across the wargames table. Then they begin the battle, playing turn by turn until one army has mostly fled or been wiped out. The army with the most troops left is deemed to be the winner. You are observing the game in its simple and typical form. This is in fact, a 'pitched battle' in which both sides have approached the battlefield head on, made camp for the night and formed up their battle lines at dawn, steadily marching in battle array towards each other until they clash. The only strategy in the minds of the Generals is to smash the opposing army in a frontal attack. In reality, this only represents one sort of scenario. There are many others.

In the course of a war or a campaign, many battles will not be 'pitched battles' since a General will try to outwit his opponent in strategy, by leading bis army by devious routes or luring him into a trap, for example. This will more often than not lead to one of many possible battle scenarios such as an ambush, flank attack, encirclement or even a siege.

Nor is it likely that the armies would always be equally matched in numbers or fighting strength when they encounter each other.

In this section, various battle scenarios are described. These have been gleaned from the diverse annals and legends of the known world. Each scenario, as the name suggests, sets the scene of a particular battle. These encounters occurred during the course of wars and campaigns which had an influence on the time, the place and the circumstances in which the battle was fought as well as the forces involved. The commanders tried to outmanoeuvre each other with their entire armies during the marches which led up to the final encounters. Some succeeded in bringing their opponent to battle at a disadvantage. Others recklessly or despite every effort, found themselves fighting against the odds. For each side the challenge was that of a real battle: Can we fight our way out of this? Will our strength of numbers and tactical advantages win the day? Can we snatch victory from the jaws of defeat? Or if all seems lost: Can we at lease the heroically and win a place in legend?

Different scenarios require the players to re-examine their army choices and tactics, and ensure that ever; game is always different to the last. A player might choose an army which they feel confident can beat any foe in a Pitched Battle, but how would they fare if faced with fighting a Last Stand? It is this variety which constantly tests the generalship of the players, and every battle tells a different story and adds to the history of your army.