@TableTopComposer
I wrote the whole piece in a minor key fitting for a battle. Even in the hopeful later half, I find minor keys to be more fitting for a battle.
The beginning is fierce and get's fiecer. It's accomplished by high volume, high bps, chromatic notes, short notes, many instruments.
In the middle part I emphized the vanishing of instruments, to represent to falling of men. To get the vanishing really stand out, I increased the volume right before the disappearence and then cut the volume (including reverb).
The violin represents the last man standing in the losing side. It plays a sad hopeless melody. Right before the listener expects the tonic to appear to finish the piece, all instruments come back (plus brass) in a new key, which represents the sudden appearence of the reinforcement.
A little victory jingle finishes the piece, because I found that cute. It represents the won battle.
Instumentationwise I used a lot of percussive sounds, to represent the clanking/hitting/running sounds a battle would have. Like drums, cymbals, guitar (used percussivly).