# Who Plays Dwarfs?



## ACoz (Oct 23, 2007)

I ask because, as of now, the Dwarfs are really, really winning the battle in my head as to which Fantansy army I'll be starting up.

So, does anyone have any advice for a reborn-noob to Fantasy? I used to play, but it was so so very long ago, it's like learning a totally new system.

Anyway, I've always tried to go by the maxim of collect an army that you are totally into, be it abilities on the table-top, to the look and feel of.

I think that's why I'm leaning so heavily on the little bearded guys.

I totally love the models, and the theme of the race as a whole, and well... an army that's almost nothing but armor and beards can't be too hard to paint up relatively quickly, right?

So, yeah, any helpful advice would be very much apreciated!


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## Lord Sinkoran (Dec 23, 2006)

simple tactic don't move use lots of crossbows/handgunners and don't beef up your characters too much.


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## Hespithe (Dec 26, 2006)

Also, ensure that you do actually have a few blocks of solid troops. Having nothing but war machines, characters, and thunderers/quarrelers will lose a lot of games for you, even considering the massive firepower such an army can produce.

The Gyrocopter is your friend. Bolt-throwers are awesome. Dwarven infantry may just be the best in the game. Dwarven runes are the schizzle.

Take a long look at making a stubburn ranked unit with US40+ and a character with a 2+ rerollable armor save, 4+ ward, and simply refuses to budge. It can be done, thus allowing all of your slower dwarf units to pile in and crush your foe.


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## Huron_Blackheart (Sep 9, 2007)

Take this from a seasoned dwarf vetran . have 3 shooty units some units like miners/slayers/hammerers almost aways have an organ gun


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## cccp (Dec 15, 2006)

also, youll need a fair bit of magical resistance. take a runesmith or runelord almost always.


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## Asmodai (Dec 30, 2006)

I agree with the advice already given.

I like to take a pair of cannons. It's a little insurance against misfires and it gives you a way to reliably deal with Dragons, Chaos Lords, and similar monsters that you don't want to fight hand to hand.

I'm currently loving my Hammerers. Combined with a Dwarf Lord they're almost immovable.

The Dwarf Lord is great on challenges too. Typically against a Blood Dragon, Chaos Lord, Saurus Lord, or the like I'll accept/issue the challenge with my Lord. He has a 1+ armour save (Shieldbearers) and a 4+ Ward save so the enemy's uber-character will largely bounce off only causing a wound or two and avoiding a lot of combat resolution and dead Hammerers.

Miners are useful against foes like Skaven and Empire that can out shoot you. Even a small unit of Miners can clear away their war machines. Most shooty armies won't have the mobility to deal with them. If the opponent keeps a unit in reserve to deal with them, that's a win for you too since you've denied the enemy the use of that unit and you can pop your Miners up somewhere else.

I've seen mixed opinions on the value of Longbeards. Personally, I feel that they're well worth-while. The extra point of Strength is huge. It penalizes armour saves and it really helps when fighting Orcs, Dryads, Chaos Warriors and other T4+ enemies. Being immune to panic hopefully shouldn't come up that often.

Unlike with Elves, it can be worthwhile to put command groups in your missile units. It costs points, but it helps. Thunderers are still Dwarves and can still beat the pants off of humans and goblins. Likewise, any fast cavalry your opponent has will die to them in hand to hand (usually).


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## ACoz (Oct 23, 2007)

I've taken all the advice you all have offered me to heart, and made my initial purchase (its progress now being impatiently monitored via the Fed Ex website...). I hope it all gets here by Monday: I am not working that day, so I can devote the entire day to my new army.

I've added a Bolt Thrower, Gyrocopter, and a selection of character models (including a runelord and an Engineer) to the contents of the Battle For Skull Pass and Dwarf Army boxes.

I think it should be a fair place to start, maybe.

Well, a good foundation, anyway, I think.

Thanks for all the advice, my friends.


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## jigplums (Dec 15, 2006)

my bro plays dwarfs.
Advice: bolt throwers = good. games of 2000+ take the anvil, thorek ironbrow if you can afford it.


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## Frodo (Nov 13, 2007)

I have a huge army of dwarfs and beleive that you should not beef anything up. take warriors, lots of warriors, no command/sb/musician. I also take cannons, organ guns, slayers, ironbreakers and flame cannons. I dont really like longbeards or hammerers but thats just preference. for lords/heroes I take a lord, runelord w anvil of doom, runesmiths, master engineer and some description of slayer hero. the slayer I give an extra hw and then runes of fury. 8 attacks always hitting on 4+ or better, cant be bad. i put him with the slayer unit with Giant slayers @ the front and troll slayers @ the back. this can destroy almost any non shooty army. otherwise i take less slayers more warriors.


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## Words_of_Truth (Sep 20, 2007)

Personally do you want an army that just involves you rolling some dice for the whole game, or do you want to actully move and have fun making mistakes or getting one ups on the person you are playing.


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## ACoz (Oct 23, 2007)

Well, ideally, I'd like to have my Dwarfs not be a simple, static gun-line.

I've always thought Fantasy should be more about the brutal, hand-to-hand combat...

If I want to spend a game shooting at stuff, I'll play 40K.

I know dwarfs aren't going to win any foot races and all, but I'd still like something of a pro-active army.


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## osirisisdead (Oct 20, 2007)

Dwarf warriors are some of the best basic infantry in the game, cheap, T4 3+ save in hand to hand, high leadership. A few big blocks of them probably can't really go wrong...


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## Words_of_Truth (Sep 20, 2007)

Yeah dwarfs have some good hand to hand units, ironbreakers are awesome, especially when teamed up with some dwarfs that use two handed weapons.


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## Asmodai (Dec 30, 2006)

Everyone has their favorites.

I love Hammerers. Immune to Fear and Terror and Stubborn at Ld9 makes them one of the most reliable units in the game. I combine them with my Dwarf Lord's always strike first runic weapon so that they can get hit in too.


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## FrozenOrb (Dec 23, 2006)

Er guys, the plural of dwarf is _dwarves_.  That said my first ever miniature army was Dwarves and if I ever got into WHFB again I'd be tempted to go Dwarves sure. They're fun to paint and look great. Trouble is there's so many amazing races to choose from in FB.


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## Asmodai (Dec 30, 2006)

FrozenOrb said:


> Er guys, the plural of dwarf is _dwarves_.


Not with GW it isn't.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary both are acceptable, but Dwarfs is more common.

Dwarves has a certain literary appeal in modern fantasy because of its similarity to Elves (Elfs is wrong, btw), but both are acceptable.

Since Dwarfs is the term GW uses it only makes sense to use it when referring to GW Dwarfs.


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## Words_of_Truth (Sep 20, 2007)

FrozenOrb said:


> Er guys, the plural of dwarf is _dwarves_.  That said my first ever miniature army was Dwarves and if I ever got into WHFB again I'd be tempted to go Dwarves sure. They're fun to paint and look great. Trouble is there's so many amazing races to choose from in FB.


Dwarves is how to refer to them in lord of the rings, in warhammer its Dwarfs.


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## Frodo (Nov 13, 2007)

If you have enough guns (cannons, thunderers etc) on a hill you can make a wall or if you have the old army book *hammer* tactic and march your warriors slowly forwards while still protected by your shooties. slayers and gyrocopters are great in large battles but dont take the copter in small ones. also take rangers - in small games a 10-12 man unit with cbows in larger you can choose.


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## jigplums (Dec 15, 2006)

Yeah actually frozenorb the plural for warhammer is dwarfs. Freaky i know, like 40k eldars you wanna scream at people, but with this one its actually right. Apparently its because Dwarves are real life, so could offend people, so for fant its dwarfs


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## Asmodai (Dec 30, 2006)

jigplums said:


> Yeah actually frozenorb the plural for warhammer is dwarfs.


Actually the plural for Warhammer is 'warhammers'. :angel:


I'll be here all night. Don't forget to tip your waitresses.


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## Frodo (Nov 13, 2007)

ever seen an all gyrocopter and ranger army? a few cannons to back it all up and your set


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## Pandawithissues... (Dec 2, 2007)

I like to play a brutal way with my dwarves. I march them right up the table. Scares a lot of other players witless coz its so expected. Take warriors obviously, use ironbreakers to hold one flank, use slayers/ miners for the other. Try and put a cheapish points character in your main units to give them some extra kill power. I like to use defensive runes and double handed weapons/ great weapons, whatever they call em now. At one point they struck first on the charge. No missile troops at all. Just try to keep your formation intact, and pound the crap out of your opponant. Longbeards are great models, and are good at quelling panic (if it occurs )

Coupla bonus points: This style makes for a very exciting game. The look on your opponants face may make your day when he realises he's totally unprepared for you to play an active role in the game. Even dwarf crossbowmen are better h2h infantry than those in many other armies - if you take them, dont be afraid to get them stuck in. Runesmiths are harder than most wizards, they can handle themselves in chalenges etc.


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