A bit later than planned, blame Easter and my girlfriend (but don't tell her that!) if you must! The Dwarf list does not contain too many changes compared to the official book, which was mostly solid. The biggest changes consist of their army-wide rules, as well as moving gyrocopters to rare to avoid the spam that became prevalent in 8th ed. As a whole, the book might be a little bit weaker than before, but it's also a lot easier to actually get your Dwarfs into combat now. The book also include 4 new units, including some that have been highly requested for years (no, not Bear Riders, those belong to Kislev!).
Download 8th Ed
Download 9th Ed
- Ancestral Grudge no longer includes a roll - they simply hate O&G and Skaven. Army-wide Hatred against everyone was just too much.
- Resolute removed.
- Relentless now allows Dwarfs to march 3x their M value.
- Dwarf-crafted special rule removed, did not make a lot of sense to begin with since the penalty for Stand and Fire is due to the enemy barring down on you at full speed, not because your weapon is superior.
- Dwarf handgun added, ignores penalties at long range.
- Magic Item allowance nerfed to 50/100 pts like other armies.
- Anvil of Doom 120 pts.
- Dwarfs have LA by default.
- Slayer characters can now take Talismanic Runes.
- Engineer have LA.
- Runelords/Runesmith gain +4/+2 to dispel, making runelords more worth taking. Also increased by 40/20 pts.
- You may not have more units of Longbeards than Warriors.
- Hammerers 15 pts. Removed Bodyguard.
- Rangers moved to Special, can skirmish. No longer has crossbows or throwing axes by deafuault.
- Gyrocopter moved to Rare, 90 pts. Can no longer Vanguard.
- Gyrobomber is an upgrade to Gyrocopters.
- Ironbreakers nerfed to Ld9.
- Irondrakes no longer have Ward saves.
- Longbeards no longer Immune to Psychology, Immune to Panic instead.
- Flame Cannon has a range of 12" rather than an unnecessary special rule.
- New unit: Grudgebringer (steam driven Mo)
- New Unit: Deathroller (from bloodbowl)
- New unit: Thunderbarge (Zeppelin)
- New unit: Doomseeker (skirmishing Slayers from SoC)
- Cost adjustment for Runes and magic items, Sceptre of Norgrim added. More runes from previous editions are likely to be added in the full book release.
-If there are Dwarf Handguns, why not Dwarf Crossbows, Dwarf Pistols and Dwarf Crossbow Pistols? In addition, the Dwarf-Crafted rule doesn't work in 9th edition so I would suggest replacing Dwarf Handguns with regular Handguns in 9th edition and replacing Crossbows with Dwarf Crossbows in 8th edition.
ReplyDelete-Gromril Armour should count as Full Plate Armor, not Heavy Armor in your 9th edition book. There is currently no reason to take Gromril Armor over the cheaper Heavy Armor.
-Rune Lore should grant a +3 bonus to dispel attempts for Runesmiths and +4 bonus to dispel attempts for Runelords in your 8th edition army book.
-Rune of Hearth and Home grants Immune to Psychology instead of Immunity (Psychology) in your 9th edition book.
-Old Grumblers grants Immune to Panic instead of Immunity (Panic).
-The Steam Drill has Always Strikes Last.
-It should be possible to inscribe weapon runes onto ranged weapons. Just change the wording of a few runes and say that the Rune of Breaking, Flight, Swiftness, Fury, Parrying and Speed can't be put on a ranged weapon.
-The Rune of Swiftness grants Always Strikes First.
-Why didn't you bring back the ability to put runes on a Great weapon?
-It does not specify how many extra ranks a standard with three runes of battle allows to fight.
-Three runes of slowness cause enemies to Always Strike Last.
-The Rune of Courage grants Immune to Psychology instead of Immunity (Psychology).
-Engineering Runes should only make the war machines shots magical if the rune modifies the shots that the machine fires.
-The Rune of Penetrating should just grant a flat +1 bonus To Wound so that there is reason to apply it to a Cannon.
-Dragon Slayers have 3 wounds instead of 2.
-Dwarf Warriors are listed as being able to replace Light Armour with Heavy.
-Why Light Armour for Thunderers and Quarrelers? They look like they are wearing full chain mail to me which would be Medium armor.
-Why can Quarrellers take Great Weapons while Thunderers can't?
-Crossbows and Throwing Axes for Dwarf Rangers seem to be a bit under-costed.
-The Dwarf Crew of various War Machines are Toughness 3.
-The Deathroller should be takeable in a unit considering how fragile it is.
-The Ironwarden of an Irondrake unit has +1 attacks instead of +1 ballistic skill compared to its subordinates.
-The Gyrocopter should function like Monstrous Cavalry. Accordingly, it should regain its melee ability (S4) to represent the driver slamming it into opponents. Give it a special rule that says that the driver cannot make any attacks (neither melee nor shooting) but the Gyrocopter uses the WS, BS and Attacks of the driver. Then make it that Thanes, Lords and Master Engineers can be placed in one.
-The Thunderbarge should function like a Chariot. High Flyer would then also say that the Thunderbarge cannot charge. Maybe the crew could take Handguns as an upgrade. The Dwarf Crew of a Thunderbarge are also WS3 instead of 4.
Good work but I found some more bugs.
Delete-The Rune of Slowness and Battle haven't yet been fixed.
-Master Engineers can take a Handgun instead of a Dwarf Handgun. It's special rule is also misspelled "Entrechment".
-Remove the "Armour Plates" special rule from the Grudgebringer in the list of special rules.
-Perhaps the Deathroller on the Deathroller should have a special rule to represent it. Perhaps the same as the Chaos Dwarf Tendirizer except only on the charge.
-I know you moved Gyrocopters to Rare and combined them into a single unit to avoid spamming but your original rules cut the number of Gyrocopters that could be fielded in by a little more than half. Is it really necessary to cut it down farther by a factor of 6.5 for a Grand Army and 7 for a regular one?
Delete-The Duelist type units (the ones that can give themselves a certain buff each turn like Kensais, Blade Dancers, and Dragon Monks) each have a special rule that they have by default. Blade Dancers have a 5+ ward save, Dragon Monks are striders and ItP and Kensais have Killing Blow. The Diestro and War Dancers are currently missing their automatic rule. I would say give War Dancers ASF for 8th edition, Strider for 9th and the Diestro being -1 To Hit in close combat just like the Swashbucklers.
-Logically, Tuskgors attached to a chariot should be less common than a Tuskgor running free. Perhaps add a Core unit to the Beastmen army book that's basically a War Beast unit consisting of Tuskgors. In a way, they would be a different version of the Chaos Warhounds. While Chaos Warhounds would be used as chaff, flankers or War Machine/Fast Cavalry hunters, a Tuskgor unit is herded into battle and sent to break a hole in the enemy lines. I also think they should +1 strength on the turn they charge just like Razorgors.
-I know that I mentioned it back when it would only be an aesthetic change but I still think horses should be toughness four (but not Elven or Arabian steeds). The warhorse models are more heavily built than the Elven steed models and I feel that would better differentiate them. By relation, that rule that makes Arabyan horses be slowed down more than normal by barding should be removed as well as Ithilmar Barding from the Silver Helms.
-In 6th/7th ed, only Dwarf handguns had any special rule due to their superior design (more modern than normal handguns). Otherwise they would have dwarf-crafted hand weapons and throwing axes as well. Giving the boost to Dwarf handguns just keep things simple.
Delete- Added rune lore bonuses for 8th ed, great idea.
- It's not worth the cost to inscribe most runes on crossbows or handguns, so it would hardly ever be used.
- Great weapon runes will be added back in the full book, I just used the 8th ed system for this update.
- It would be too complicated to clarify what runes give magical attacks, I prefer to keep it streamlined.
- Cannons already wound on a 2+ against pretty much everything.
- Thunderers and Quarrelers have medium armour in 9th ed now. It's borderline LA compared to other armies.
- Quarrellers have always had GW options, thunderers have not.
- Sure, I can make them work like chariots instead. I'll just add a paragraph about them not being allowed to charged in the high flyer rule.
- Added Crusher Attack to Deathrollers.
- Limiting Gyrocopters so much was the plan, they were rare units in both 6th and 7th ed which was just fine. 2 Gyrocopters in 2500 pts is well enough.
- Diestros and War Dancers have their dances instead which gives them several rules to choose between, giving them the same rules as the Kensei or Blade Dancers. I don't see why they would need another rule, they don't have to be exactly the same.
- I'll look into adding tuskgors as a separate unit.
- Horses have always been S3, T3. There's no point whatsoever in changing it (likewise, a Norse is more heavily built than a Cathayan, but they are both S3).
I can understand these. I just have two more suggestions:
Delete-Doomseeker units are listed as consisting of Troll Slayers but they have different stats than the ones in a regular Troll Slayer unit. I think that regular Troll/Giant Slayers should be WS5 S4 so they can... not entirely live up to their names but narrow the gap a little. I also see no reason for a Doomseeker Troll Slayer to have two wounds. I would also change their Leadership to 9. They have unbreakable so it would barely have any effect and it maintains consistency with the army book.
-Whirlwind of Death should be removed with its rules moved to the Doomseeker Axes. This would mean that you can make Doomseekers be upgradeable to Giant Slayer and make it possible for Dragon/Daemon slayers to wield Doomseeker Axes. Change the number of attacks inflicted by Doomseeker Axes to D6+(A-1) so that Giant Slayers would inflict D6+1 hits, Dragon Slayers inflict D6+2 hits and Daemon slayer inflict D6+3 hits. The Doomseeker Axes would also turn a character that wields them into a Skirmisher and make them unable to join non-skirmisher units.
-Why does Dragon Armor from the High Elf book not grant Immunity (Flaming Attacks) instead of a Ward save like the Forge-Proven Gromril Armor worn by Irondrakes? Or the other way around, currently RAW the FPGA only helps when the Irondrakes are in a building and it won't even help against the Lore of Fire since that lore doesn't specify its spells as not having a physical component (unless I'm missing something).
-The Slayer special rule should prevent a character from benefiting from Look Out Sir! but make Slayer's automatically succeed at Look Out Sir! when taking hits intended for others. I can't imagine anything that would anger a Slayer more than having their death stolen by someone else and it would be a quite glorious death to take a hit that would've slayed the lord of the hold.
DeleteYou don't need the Gromril armour rule when you've already light/medium/heavy/full plate armours. You might have confused yourself now with the different armour types. Better double check them.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I completely forgot actually go through the special rules for the 9th ed version after finishing the 8th ed. I've uploaded new versions for both now.
DeleteAlso, forge-proven gromril needs to be updated to 3+, it's currently on 4+.
DeleteWill fix that one, thanks!
DeleteThunderers and Quarrellers lose their heavy armour? While dark elf crossbowmen get it as an option? Tempted to model a unit filler of quarrellers stood around picketing for their armour back
ReplyDeleteThing is though, that the Elven models have a lot more armour compared to the Dwarfs. Older models had only leather armour, the newer have a simple chainmail shirt covering their chest and an open helmet. Darkshards on the other hand have plate chest armour, a chainmail skirt beneath, metal vambraces and an semi-closed helmet. It would be better to compare the Quarrellers to Hammerers - are these really armoured the same?
DeleteThe 9th ed version will have both Elves and Dwarfs at medium armour though.
You did all the Elf races before the Dwarfs? The Book of Grudges will remember this...
ReplyDeleteWell, all the elven books are rather similar, so it made sense to make them all around the same time. Plus, I do happen to be a DE player :p
DeleteNot sure about the nerf to items. Runes kinda make up for the lack of magic. Extra points allowance for runes would make up for not having spells.
ReplyDeleteGreat to see the Doomseekers :D though you forgot to add Malakai Makaisson's Goblin-hewer
Not really, magic items are akin to having more special rules, which is an entirely different thing than Magic. You will notice Dwarfs have more bonuses to dispel now too.
DeleteThe Goblin-hewer is a RoR, hence it's in that book instead. You can include it in your Dwarf army using the For Hire table in the Downloads section.
To be honest I never understand that argument that 'dwarves have no magic but its ok, they have hight dispell'.
DeleteHaving dispell is not quite the same as having access to the range of options that magic lore provide though. Dwarves lose an entire phase of the game.
I think giving them something to compensate would be fair and I believe runic items is what was designed to set them apart.
I don't understand why the the iron breakers lost 1 point of Ld while they are usually outnumbered and they must usually take modified break test .In my opinion, they need to be stubborn or Ld10. Furthermore, it seems unfair to reduce the magic allowance as they do not have access to power
ReplyDeleteWith regards to Ironbreakers, keep in mind that due the loss of supporting attacks, and their increase to a 2+ armour save, they are a lot harder to kill in the current edition. This is turn means that they won't lose combat by anywhere near as much they used to, although I will concede that it is unusual for an elite tarpit unit not to have any improvement in Ld over the army's core units.
DeleteI had the same thoughts about the runic allowance, but you'll notice that the cost of most runes (esp weapon runes) as gone down, meaning that in most cases, the same combos are still possible as in the official book.
Ironbreakers had Ld9 in previous editions as well. If anything, Hammerers should be the ones with Ld10, but that removed the point of using a Lord as your general. All Dwarf units have always had Ld9 in the past.
DeleteAs for the magic item allowance, many runes are cheaper now, and I've given the Dwarfs better dispel bonuses to offset their lack of offensive magic. There's no real reason why they should have access to more magic items than other armies.
Considering that you made Horse Army Book, are you planning to make books or supplements about Kurgan and Hung?
ReplyDeleteI take it you meant "Norse"? ;)
DeleteI probably won't make any supplements for them per say, but I will add bows to the WoC Horsemen so you can field horse archers for a Hun(g) army. The Kurgan are more akin to Conan Barbarians, which you can make rather well just using the existing rules.
Fuck, made a typo. Norse indeed)
Deletethanks
No dwarven stone golem? I could swear you mentioned them somewhere!
ReplyDeleteThat would be the Grudgebringer in the rare section ;)
Delete"Golem" does not really fit since it more akin to a tank with a driver, rather than an animated being.
I could definitely see a place for a MI golem unit similar to eldar wraithguard, being possessed by the spirits of dead dwarfs. Although, to be honest, I don't know a lot about dwarven lore and their afterlife, so I'm not sure if it would fit.
Deletefantasy dwarfs are partly inspired by Jews (they lose their homeland, there are good craftsman, their thirst for gold) it has J.R.R. Tolkien himself admitted. and golrm derived from Jewish folklore.
DeleteYou can go with ram instead of bear riders! :P
ReplyDeleteAlready in the Halfling book. Why use mounts when you can use a zeppelin or a deathroller? :p
DeleteThere are mounted dwarves available from Mantic and Scibor ;) and they could do with a different Unit thats is not a block of infantry
DeleteCause its fantasy not steampunk, dwarves live in the mountains and only an elite few fly, there was only 1 zepelin done by malakai which was destroyed fighting a dragon ?
Its not a halfing book thouhgh, what prevent from having an option in both book after all I bet there are more dwarves players than halfling, then having a share unit could be a good way to start another army
DeleteWH Dwarves are notorious for preferring to have both feet planted solidly on the ground, fighting in the way of their ancestors. Going into battle mounted on some creature would be both panic-inducing and dishonourable.
DeleteAnd their flyers are not considered "elite", they are considered to be insane...
Ravendark makes a good point. Additionally, taking mounts diminishes the flavour of the dwarfs, as they, along with skaven, have always been the no-cavalry armies. Besides, the anatomy of the dwarfs is hardly conducive to mounted combat, they are simply too stunty to maintain proper balance, and their legs are too short to provide a good grip on the sides of a mount.
DeleteAre Curin's Cataphracts canon?
DeleteAnyway, I'll humor you. Why would the dwarfs make a mechanical goat to rough terrain? They already have mine carts and deathrollers for open terrain, and flying machines for any terrain that those can't handle. I won't argue that every single dwarf is opposed to mounted combat, just that any mounted units would definitely be far too rare to consider including in the main book.
Curin's Cataphracts are no canon. I could imagine that a small number of Dwarfs would be crazy enough to go to war mounted, but the majority certainly would not. Hence I'm not planning on giving them any sort of cavalry.
DeleteCav are more fluff for Norse Dwarfs.
DeleteCav are more fluff for Norse Dwarfs.
DeleteDo you think you will ever do a Southlands book , based on the African tribes and their legends? For some reason they have struck me as a great start for an army book
ReplyDeleteDoubtful, there's not really any existing background for it, only mentions of lizardmen. Besides, I am too busy as it is with the official books!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteCan't argue with that , your doing a brilliant job, i'll just have to bite the bullet and write my own
DeleteThank you for the great work. The zeppelin sounds awesome.
ReplyDeleteI am not a very experienced warhammer player so I didn't know there are zeppelins and Deathroller models in the market until research. What about the Grudgebringer, any model suggestion for it?
and do Doomseekers hit allies as well?
Deleteit doesn't sound very dwarfy to me, but i guess it's from an older version?
Hi Mathias,
ReplyDeleteThe Lord is missing stats for the Shieldbearers.
I was wondering if it would be possible to include base sizes at the end of every book, they could be included at the end of the books, in the army summary?
I was thinking whether the Deathrollers go on a normal chariot base or if it would be more fitting to put them on a Monstrous Cavalry size base?
Love the work you have been doing. 9th edition is the best version of Warhammer so far :)
Artillery Crew no longer have Gunners Pride why?
ReplyDelete