SHARGAZ EFB - FACTION FOCUS: DWARF ARMY

 

Welcome come to the realm inside the mountain, beer lovers! Today we look on the dwarf strongholds and their stubborn warriors.

Meanwhile the green skins are plenty in number and the elves excel in every aspect in the art of war, the dwarfs are the masters in resilience. They are tough as stones and don´t reject a good fight. Specially when it is against their archenemies, the green skins. But as all elite armies, they are few in number. They are also slow, so they usually let the enemy get close to them, relying on interior lines to mitigate their numerical inferiority. To make sure the enemy doesn´t feel shy, they invite them to get closer with their powerful misile weapons, which are plenty.

The back bone of the dwarf army are the dwarf warriors and wardens. The first ones have one of the best save rolls in the game (3+) and decent combat stats. The second ones sacrifice part of their save roll (still a very decent 4+) for the capacity to shoot and move through roughed hills at full pace. Both enjoy the special rule "shield wall" that gives them defended position when receiving a succesful hold order, even in open terrain. This makes them a tough nut to crack when they decide to hold their ground, emphasizing their stoic character. 

The royal guard are the chosen, the bodyguard of the dwarf lord. With a save roll of 2+ and a roll to hit of 3+, defeating them will be a nightmare for the opponent (specially if in a shield wall formation together with other warriors). This come to a very steep prize, but they can even scare a dragon.

Meanwhile the ranks of warriors and wardens are filled with the members of the wealthiest families of a stronghold, the more humble families form units of berserkers. They might not have the most fancy wargear, but they make up for it with strong determination and aggressiveness. Commanded by a berserker lord, giving them frenzy, they are like a battering ram.

The crossbow units also provide a good defensive option with their missile attacks and the "shield wall" rule at a cheaper tag prize (for dwarf standards). They do lack a good save roll, but nevertheless they enjoy one of the highest save rolls between all missile units in the game.

Other of the strengths of the dwarfs is their war machines. They have a total of four different types: cannons, catapults, bolt throwers and a flying machine. The cannon, with its -3 penetration, is the deadliest war machine in the game. Perfect for destroying those knight units and monsters of the enemy with ease. The bolt thrower can be considered a slightly cheaper smaller version. The catapult is better for dealing with big units of standard infantry, with its higher number of attacks. 

The flying machine with its steam cannon is like a mobile catapult, much suited for dealing with the light cavalry and support units of the enemy. It can easily move into the rearguard, flying over the terrain, and getting close and personal. The steam cannon can easily decimate a support unit in one shot. And, as it is a flyer, it will only be vulnerable to other flyers and misile weapons. In many senses, it is like a sniper.

Dwarfs aren't known for their capacity to cast spells, but that doesn't mean that they are not adept in their use. They have developed the ability to cast their magic into objects, creating powerful weapons, and between them, one of the most powerful ones is the stone golem. The golem is the only unit in the dwarf army that cause terror and it is relatively fast (for dwarf standards). In many ways, it is their cavalry. It is almost impervious to normal attacks, but you must protect it from enemy warmachines.   

The dwarf players have four lists at their disposition. The Dwarf´s Hold Army represent the profesional army protecting one of the big dwarf cities under the mountains. Its is leaded by the royal guard and its ranks are filled with dwarf warriors and the most expensive weapons. It is small and compact, but difficult to break.

The Outpost Force depicts the troops protecting the borders of dwarf kingdoms, holding a motte or small castle in the base of the mountains. Although well equipped with missile weapons and a well trained garrison, it usually includes conscripted troops from the local settlements to make up for their numbers. 

The dwarf strongholds usually dispatch small forces to scout the surroundings for undesireble visitors (i.e.: orc and goblin raiders). The border patrol represents these forces, carrying lighter equipment than the main army and conscripting local dwarf settlers as needed. 

Finally, some dwarfs don´t live under the mountains, in the big cities, but in settlements above ground, in the hills. They are farmers and shepherds, living of the ground and the trade. These settlements are usually vassals to an stronghold, but they are too small to have a profesional army and, sometimes, too far from an outpost to shelter there. So, when the need arise, they have to defend their homes from hostile invasions. The hill dwarf host depict these ad hoc warriors, mostly composed by dwarf berserkers and the assistance provided by the nearest garrison.

As you can see, the dwarfs don´t have so much variety as other armies, but they make it up with a strong character. Small and stubborn, they are a nice challenge to play with and against. Hope you have enjoyed this quick overview of the dwarf kingdoms. See you in the next one.