by Jay Browning
Taken with permission of Skavenblight
TAKE HEED...
Let it be known that he who leads the people to battle must be wise in ways of battle and war. To be lead by a fool on a fools errand is to come to fools end. I, Golas the Flamebeard, clan king of the Proudbeards of Karak Krut, being named both battlemaster and warmaster, victor in battles uncounted and wars forgotten, have consented to lay down for those yet to come the so called secrets of battle. Those that heed well my words may grow old and wise in the ways of battle and war. Such is my hope. Heed well, for the knowledge laid down in this Kazak Kron has been paid for with wounds, blood, and tears aplenty. Ours is not a numerous race, the price has been dear.
THE CRAFT OF GENERALSHIP...
A formidable general must be like a patient and skilled craftsman, wise in the use of the strengths of his tools and knowing also the limits and weaknesses of each. With this knowledge a craftsman can see that the proper tool is used for the job it best serves. The regiments, war machines, champions, and heros of our people are the tools of you, the would-be battlemaster. Use them properly and keep them well. Replace or mend those that are damaged. If you follow my words then your battles will be masterpieces of generalship and your people grateful to keep their blood from being drunk by the earth and their flesh food for wild beasts.
You must now know that those of our race are renowned as tough, skilled, and determined fighters. The toughness of our bodies also makes us especially resistant to the influence of baneful magic. Our runesmiths have learned well the art of trapping the potent power of magic in runes. Our engineers have labored to build the best artillery in the world, and none but ours can be enhanced by magic or fly through the air as a fish swims in clear mountain lake. These things then are our strengths.
You must also know the weaknesses of your tools so that you do not abuse them in striving for a master work. Our deficits, compared to our enemies, are several. Being short of stature our people are not as fast on the march as most other races, thus it is difficult to bring the strength of our warriors against a nimble foe. Because of our lack of speed our units must deploy close by one another to provide mutual support but closely deployed units enhance the effectiveness of certain enemy machines of war and many evil spells. As the force of magic does not flow easily through our bodies we have no wizards with which to enhance the combat effectiveness of our troops. In place of magi we must rely on magic items from our forges and those captured or received as tribute from lesser races. Though such items are many and some of great power, yet do they fall short of the versatility of a cunning wizard.
Such are the strengths and weaknesses of the tools of a would-be battlemaster. You must come to know fully and well the nature of your tools for their nature affects all that comes after.
THE TOOLS OF THE TRADE...
To better acquaint a general with the tools of his trade I have, in the following pages, detailed the strengths and weaknesses of the units that can be found in dwarf armies. I have included suggested enhancements and also suggestions on the role the unit or machine best fills on the battlefield. War Machines, Regiments, Leaders, Allies, Monsters, and Magic Items are covered in that order.
WAR MACHINES
More so for dwarf armies than any other, war machines are the arbiter of battle. When used successfully they can splatter enemy leaders and blast holes in regiments to the point that they crumble when engaged in melee. In any case you can rest assured that the enemy will spend much time and effort in attempting to minimize their effects.
Some generals like to organize their war machines into batteries. This is most often folly, as an enemy can then tie up several machines at once by attacking one . Having two organ guns put out of action because a third is under attack from a dragon seems unwise at best. It is better that those unengaged war machines are able to blast the beast into pulp after the defending crew flee or are slain defending their weapon. Adding one or more powerful leaders to a battery or even a crew is folly as well, such resources are better used elsewhere.
ORGAN GUNS
During the time of tribulations after the great quakes damaged and destroyed many clanholds and the greenskins and skaven were swarming over our lands like flies on a corpse there was held a council of kings where the clan kings spoke of their problems fighting battles in which our people were often desperately outnumbered. The Engineers Guild quickly responded to the orders of the high king to develop weapons designed for the wholesale slaughter of enemy regiments. The first of these brutally efficient weapons was the organ gun.
A newly forged general often finds the range of an organ gun to be deceptive. Although it is only practical to sight out to a range of 24 donstrol the quality of the powder, size and composition of the ball and the wear of the barrel all play havoc with the best calculations. These vagaries add another 2 to 10 donstrol to the travel of the ball through the air and once it strikes the earth a ball will skip or bounce another 2 to 10 donstrol. Thus a capable artillerist can strike a target 36 donstrol away more often than not and with the blessing of Grimnir a target up to 44 donstrol away may be hit. Although it is thrown with the same force as a cannon the balls from an organ gun are smaller and do slightly less damage. Even so, I have witnessed a mighty dragon turned into a pudding of pulped flesh and shattered bone from an organ gun volley.
Often a general must make crucial decisions as to which war machine, if any, are to receive the blessing of the runesmith. To such commanders I can offer some small advice, if it be needed. When facing the restless dead, or the cursed spawn of chaos, or the wiley forest elves it will serve you well to have the runesmith bestow the Rune of Burning on at least one of your organ guns, and even better if on two or more. If your supply of organ guns is limited, or if you have a gun set to fill aspecial role in a battle consider well the Rune of Fortune which invokes the blessing of Grimnir to protect the gun and crew when the inevitable misfire occurs. On occasion the Rune of Disguise must be used to hide the machine. Usually this is done in one of two situations. The first is when an enemy with a powerful missile capability is encountered and the enemy may be able to shoot first and render the gun or crew inoperable. The second is when a general wishes to unleash a potentially devastating psychological surprise on his opponent by opening fire at a critical time on an enemy unit, perhaps a character who has carelessly left the protection afforded by being a member of a regiment or maybe a regiment of a single rank has presented its flank, thus making it possible to kill many as if firing through the ranks of larger formation. Lastly, a desperate situation may call for the Rune of Immolation. The use of this mighty rune should only be considered as a last resort when an army facing almost certain defeat. The rune will prevent the gun from being captured and if properly times will carry many an enemy to his grave, both of which are laudable.
Because they are easily manufactured, sturdy, and easy to use organ guns are in plentiful supply so even a small army can take several if its general so wishes, and any general worthy of the name will.
CANNONS
The battle cannon has been among the arsenals of our people for millennia and its uses are well known. Though lighter than those battle cannon of the Empire of Men, a dwarf cannon can better be hauled up treacherous mountain paths and for all that still can still sight to 48 donstrol, plus the usual allowance for the vagaries of powder plus the bounce of the shot. The balls are heavier than those of the organ gun and as expected can do slightly more damage when striking a target. Sometimes there is no substitute for range and accuracy and in those times the cannon is the tool of choice. Yet even so, the single shot of a cannon does not carry the destructive power of a volley from an organ gun.
I will not dwell long on the use of runes on cannon for it is much the same as with organ guns with a single difference. A cannon may have the Rune of Forging inscribed upon it which bestows another of the blessings of Grimnir and so reduces the chances of a misfire occurring. In those situations where your artillery will be arbiter of battle a Rune of Forging and a Rune of Fortune are worthy additions, making a cannon ultra-reliable.
Cannons are not as common as organ guns and seldom appear in the order of battle except when a dwarf army is attacking an enemy stronghold. Even so it is a worthy tool in the hands of a battlemaster.
FLAME CANNONS
After their success with the organ gun the Engineers Guild experimented with many innovative weapons, most of which either proved to be unreliable, to expensive, or too difficult to use on the battlefield. Among the failures and cast offs there was a notable success which has since proven itself time and time again, the much feared flame cannon.
Although spectacularly successful when properly employed the flame cannon does suffer from unreliability. The engineers have traced this problem to the difficulty in regulating a constant pressure in the pressure chamber due to the variations in valve quality, internal temperature, and consistency of the fuel mixture. Unfortunately this problem is far from being resolved and consequently a flamecannon will occasionally discharge when brought up to pressure. For this reason it is unwise to deploy any troops in front of the flame cannon, lest they be inadvertently charred.
Although it can be sighted out to 12 donstrol the flame jet will travel another 2 to 10 donstrol due to the same variables that cause the unwanted discharges. While it may seem that the range is too short to effective on the battlefield this is not the case because the jet itself is a good 10 donstrol long and nearly 3 wide at its greatest expansion. Thus can the flame cannon reach a target 30 to 32 donstrol away under ideal conditions, although shooting at an enemy further than 22 donstrol away risks missing it entirely.
An inexperienced general who has never seen a flame cannon in action might wonder why such a cantankerous weapon should be included in the army. I would have too, had I not seen the destruction wrought by a flame cannon at the Battle of UriÕs Thumb. The cone of flame from the cannon completely destroyed a regiment of orcs with a single mighty gout of flaming death and a regiment of goblins was so fearful of the weapon that even though they suffered but a single casualty the whole regiment fled the field.
The lessons I learned from this battle and those that followed where flame cannons were used is that they are most effective against masses of troops and if those masses also have deplorable leadership they are doubly effective. The flame mixture is so potent that even the armor of chaos knights is not proof against it, though not penetrated as often as a dwarf general would like. Inscribing the Rune of Fortune on a flame cannon is a wise move since the weapon suffers severely when misfires occur. The Rune of Disguise is of limited utility due to the involuntary discharge problem, but never the less can prove to be useful if you need to hide the weapon for a short time. The Rune of Penetration can be useful when facing troops that are heavily armored, such as chaos knights. The Rune of Immolation is often inscribed on a flame cannon when facing enemies with few missile troops or war machines since they must rely closing with the cannon and crew in order to destroy it, and a flame cannon is a prime target for the enemy once they have felt or seen what it can do.
A flame cannon should be in the arsenal of all dwarf generals and included in the order of battle of all but the smallest of armies except when facing an enemy force composed almost solely of missile troops.
STONE THROWERS
Against a numerous foe, especially skaven or greenskins, it is often worth while to add a couple of stone throwers to your order of battle since your enemies troop density will offset the innate inaccuracy of this weapon which tends to scatter its ammunition wildly.
What the Engineers Guild was unable to resolve the runesmith repaired. By inscribing the Rune of Accuracy on a stone thrower accuracy improves by 100%. The cost of the materials needed for the inscription ceremony for the Rune of Accuracy is about two thirds of the cost of a small stone thrower so some generals prefer to purchase an additional stone thrower instead, making up for inaccuracy with more shots in the hope that if you throw enough stones at a target sooner or later you are going to hit it.
BOLT THROWERS
Long ago before the discovery of blasting powder, before organ guns and cannons, the boltthrower and the stone thrower were the only two war machines in a dwarf generals order of battle. With the advent of the cannon and organ gun the bolt thrower has been relegated to being a poor second choice when it comes to weapons capable of killing ranks of troops. Against an enemy renowned for their toughness the organ gun is the better choice even though it is slightly more expensive than the bolt thrower as the strength of ball shot is known to be twice that of a bolt and is not diminished by successive ranks of troops. The organ gun can fire five times over two turns where as two bolt throwers can only fire four times and are less likely to hit. Thus the organ gun is a more efficient killer than the bolt thrower even though it is more expensive.
Yet the bolt thrower is still occasionally fielded. It is cheap and extremely reliable. When enhanced by rune magic, it can target and hit high flying creatures, which no other war machine can do. This last ability is why some dwarf generals still employ this antiquated war machine. Depending on the type of flying creature an enemy fields there may be better ways to counter the threat they impose than spending resources on a rune enhanced bolt thrower. However the ability to take offensive action against a high flying hero on a relatively weak mount such as a pegasus or war eagle often proves irresistible, and the psychological effect on an enemy who has not been subjected to this tactic can prove worth the cost of the Rune of Seeking, and maybe a Rune of Penetrating as well. Just do not expect to hit too often as the bolt thrower is not know for its accuracy.
GYROCOPTERS
Of all the war machines in the dwarf arsenal, non confounds our enemies as does the most amazing creation of the Engineers Guild, the remarkable gyrocopter. Gyrocopters are often used as scouts, for which they are excellent, and to carry messages between armies and strongholds, but they have a place on the battlefield as well. They are a blessing to a dwarf general as they can provide what no other item or unit our people posses, extreme mobility. Their speed and unique armaments cannot be duplicated by any other war machine of any race.
The gyrocopter is not without weaknesses. They cannot climb to the dizzying heights where eagles and dragons soar. They are unsuited to hand to hand combat against most foes. The pilot must shun the use of armor, though some protection is afforded by the war machine itself.
A gyrocopter may move up to 24 donstrol in the same amount of time a unit of ironbreakers can double time 6. This allows a general to quickly move an offensive unit to the flank or even the rear of an enemy battle line and by doing so require the enemy to move with greater caution. Fleeing units are prime targets for the far charging gyrocopter which slay or scatter them to the four winds.
The primary attack of the gyrocopter is from the marvelous steam cannon that spews forth hot steam, similar in effect to a red dragonÕs breath and being proof against armor. The use of the steam cannon taxes the engine and cuts mobility by half, thus it cannot be used as often as the pilot would like. The Ôcopter is also equipped with bombs which do not affect the engines power and can be dropped anywhere along the bombing run. The bombs are not accurate, often bouncing 2 to 10 donstrol along the flight path before exploding. While the bomb explosion covers an area as large as that affected by a stone thrower the force of the explosion is much less, thus the steam cannon is the preferred weapon as it covers a larger area, is more accurate and reliable.
It often pays to bless a gyrocopter with one or more of the Rune of Penetration. Some commanders have Ôcopters inscribed with the Rune of Disguise, which causes a great psychological effect in the enemy as they can hear the noise of the engine, yet cannot see from which direction the expected attack will come. Some enemy generals have been known to be so distracted by the unseenÔcopter that they lose their focus on the rest of the battle, much to their detriment. As with other machines the addition of runes uses resources that might better be spent purchasing additional units or items. Do not make the mistake of a shortbeard and be overcome by marital fervor in this regard. Make sure there is a definite purpose for each machine and each rune.
REGIMENTS
The regiments of our armies are the fleshy walls that protect our lives and property even more so than walls of stone. Often they are the unbreakable rocks against which enemy armies crash again and again only to drain away defeated. Treat them well as if they were your children, with discipline and kindness, and they will repay you a hundred fold. Their blood is precious, spend it wisely, do not waste it.
CROSSBOW
It is said by The Longbeard, keeper of the Book of Remembering of Karaz A Karak, that crossbows were first used some 4000 years ago. Certainly it drastically changed the methods of warfare for our people, finally giving us superiority in ranged weapons over the lesser races of the Old World due to its 30 donstrol range and superior armor piercing ability. The crossbow has changed little in the last 2500 years, nor have the methods of employing the troops that use it.
Regiments of crossbow are of two types. The small regiment usually has from 5 to 8 troops with no standard bearer or musician. The larger units are typically of 12 to 24 troops including a standard bearer and musician and often a powerful leader as well. Sometimes both types can found in the same army. In any case they each have similar but different functions and deployments as one might imagine.
The Small Unit
This version of the crossbow armed unit is best used as a screening force. These units are deployed in the first line in front of the main line which will consist of units equipped and organized for melee. The small crossbow unit has the task of picking off the odd enemy troops to cut down on any advantage they may have from weight of numbers. When possible several of these units can concentrate their fire on the same target. If these small units flee due to casualties from enemy missile fire it is of no import as they will have fulfilled their task and would have needed to be moved out the way when the enemy approached their charge range anyway.
Small units as these are often placed on the flanks of a battle line as well and this is a position for which they are admirably suited, especially if deployed at an angle closely perpendicular to the approach path of the enemy thus giving them a wide angle of fire over the largest number of targets. When deployed thusly these units may also charge engaged enemy regiments in the flank and thereby negate any advantage the enemy may have due to weight of numbers. It may prove advantageous for units used in this manner to be armed with hand weapons and shield for additional staying power and to allow them to take advantage from the impetuous of the charge by gaining first strike. In all other cases the expense of equipping crossbow armed units with shields takes up resources better used elsewhere.
It is true that small units are fragile and should they be engaged in hand to hand combat theirdefeat is certain, but this can only happen early in the battle if they are attacked by a flying unit and should this be the case only a small portion of the armyÕs missile capability is lost and the bulk can still fire to effect.
Such is the nature of the small unit.
The Large Unit
The large unit of crossbow armed troops are designed to provide concentrated fire on a single enemy target and give the unit a fighting chance at victory in hand to hand combat against the enemy rank and file troops. To this end large units are often armed with two handed axes. Although such weapons are not easily wielded they are devastating when they hit and as the large unit must change from a line formation into a column when the enemy draws into their charge range most likely it will be receiving a charge rather than delivering.
The large unit, being less maneuverable than the smaller, should be deployed toward the center of the battle line, preferably on the slope of a hill so it can deploy in multiple ranks and still fire with full effect.
Large units may gain advantage from runic banners. A Rune of Battle or two can be a powerful aid when a large unit finds itself engaged in hand to hand combat. Another often used enhancement is the Rune of Slowness which can often give a large unit time to launch an extra volley of bolts at an enemy or even steal the initiative and gain the charge. A very large unit of crossbow can gain advantage from the Rune of Fear as well, which not only enhances its hand to hand combat ability but by sowing fear and uncertainty in enemy ranks may also provide time for an extra volley or maneuver.
If properly organized and formed for melee large units can prove the equal of the rank and file troops of any other army. This is obviously not the function they are best suited for however and any crossbow armed unit can quickly be overwhelmed by an elite enemy unit.
Such is the nature of the large unit.
THUNDERERS
The Engineers Guild constantly works to improve the quality of existing weapons and develop new ones. The hand gun and pistol are two such weapons, and being new will no doubt go through changes as the engineers perfect them. The advantages of such weapons are that they are better than crossbows at piercing armor. At this time they fire half as often as a crossbow and are only effective out to a range of 24 donstrol. These units are worse than the crossbow armed regiments in hand to hand combat as well.
If a general is faced with heavily armored opponents and the lay of land is such that they are not visible until they are 24 donstrol away then thunderers might be considered. Thunderer regiments can benefit from the same runic banners as crossbow regiments so I will not repeat that here.
Even though they may have a surprise value against a foe that does not expect them a unit of crossbow with fare better than thunderers on the battlefield until range and rate of fire problems of the hand gun can be improved by the engineers.
CLANSMEN
The mainstay of any dwarf army are the doughty clansmen. These warriors, when armed with spear and shield, have surprised many a foe with their fighting ability and will more often than not emerge victorious over the rank and file infantry of any other race.
As with any regiment meant to engage the enemy in hand to hand combat these should be large. At least 20 troops are required, up to double that if they are to carry the fight to the enemy, and organized in 4 or 5 ranks. Such units must always have the accompanying musician and standard bearer as well as one or more powerful leaders. Arming these regiments with spears allows more attacks in most situations which offsets the higher skill levels of the elite regiments and since they can be fielded in large numbers the regiments are often more survivable than the elites. Adding shields gives them the staying power they need so they can absorb an enemy charge and still fight effectively.
A runic banner is a worthy addition to any regiment of clansmen. The Rune of Fear is effective because they can fielded in large numbers. A large regiment of clansmen bearing the Rune of Courage on their banner can keep an enemy elite regiment tied up for a long time and stands a good chance of defeating it. Large regiments also attract attention from enemy spell casters so a Rune of Warding would provide additional protection in those instances where you only have a single regiment of melee troops in your army.
Clansmen regiments must be
organized to withstand casualties and still inflict damage on the
foe. The bane of clansmen are heavily armored opponents as they
do not have the strength or the heavy double handed weapons to
effectively penetrate armor . Do not make the mistake of fielding
them with too few troops as they will surely break as easily as
brittle human-forged steel.
MINERS
Dwarf miners have often found themselves in combat while delving among the roots of mountains. They are tough and hardy, wielding their two handed picks with great effect and protected with heavy armor. Miners are excellent troops when formed into a large regiment and accompanied by a standard bearer, musician, and a strong leader. These troops, though not as skilled as the elite units, can be raised in large numbers and inflict severe damage on an enemy. Their weapons, which pierce armor easily, are somewhat unwieldily compared to singlehanded weapons and as with most dwarf units miners will likely have to have the numbers to absorb a charge before mauling their enemies in hand to hand combat.
A unit of miners can benefit from a runic standard in the same ways as clansmen, so IÕll not repeat that here. Miners are a welcome addition to any generalÕs army, so long as they are plentiful.
LONGBEARDS
A dwarf general may, by gathering the older and most experienced warriors together in a single regiment, form a unit of longbeards. When so organized longbeards are a potent force able to match their skill against any enemy regiment. Although they shun all but single handed weapons they wield them with greater skill than the ordinary clansmen. They are also stronger and quicker, having reached their prime. Heavy armor and shields affords them excellent protection. In an army without ironbreakers a unit of longbeards will be found at the point of an attack. Being drawn from the ranks of clansmen they can fielded in large numbers, something often difficult to do with iron breakers, and hammerers are rarely seen on the battlefield if unaccompanied by their king.
Longbeards can be relied upon to engage any enemy unit with effect but heavily armoredtroops can be a problem even with their greater strength. Some newly forged generals may be intimidated by their grumbling yet it should not be so, for their counsel is full of wisdom and the other troops enjoy their tart jibes and half mumbled complaints.
See the description of clansmen to learn how longbeards can benefit from a runic standard.
No dwarf general can go wrong by including a unit of longbeards in his army.
HAMMERERS
Hammerers are elite warriors, strong and quick, highly skilled, and well armored. They are seldom seen on a battlefield without their king, and dwarf kings are not as numerous as they once were.
Hammerers are the best dwarf regiment to use against a heavily armored enemy unit. When bearing the great two handed hammers they are truly devastating. They literally crush their opponents with their greater strength and double handed weapons. Of course as with all double handed weapons shields may not be used in hand to hand combat so hammerers often do without them at the expense of blood and wounds. Hammerers should be formed into large units of 24 to 30 and accompanied by a musician, standard bearer, king and other great leaders.
See the section on clansmen and crossbow for my words on runic banners.
IRON BREAKERS
As you might expect iron breakers are strong, quick and wield their favored weapons with deadly skill surpassing that of ordinary clansmen. With the Rune of Stone engraved on each troopers heavy armor, and carrying shields as well, iron breakers have the best protection of any infantry regiment. Their magic armor affords additional protection against many spells and magic weapons as well, making it doubly valuable. Yet iron breakers are few and do not often shirk their dangerous work to take the field against enemies unless the stronghold is under attack or some other equally drastic circumstance prevails.
Although they are stronger than ordinary clansmen due their constant training and combat, they do not have magic weapons and very heavily armored opponents will tie them up for some time on the battlefield. Even so, if troops are needed to form the spearhead of an assault, especially against a foe with many missile weapons, none suite this task better than iron breakers.
See the section on clansmen and crossbow for my words on runic banners.
SLAYERS
The drengi, those who bear a grudge against themselves, the death seekers, slayers, by whatever name they are known these troops are the gift of Grimnir to a dwarf general. They are totally without fear and never break in hand to hand combat. There ability to pick out the vital weaknesses of tough enemies and inflict wounds where others would fail is legendary. When armed with two hand weapons, a slayer regiment in melee can be likened to a waterwheel powered saw able to cut through nearly anything. The main weakness of slayers is that they shun armor and so are extremely vulnerable to enemy missile fire. In such cases a unit of slayers either needs to be too small and out of the way for an enemy to bother with or it needs to have many ranks so that there will be slayers enough to carry out whatever mission the unit has been give regardless of casualties.
Slayers are often used in one of two roles. They are used in small units as a flank guard, as screening units, and protect war machines from attacks by roaming monsters or powerful enemy warriors. They are also occasionally fielded in large units to crush an enemy in hand to hand combat, however large units of slayers are a rare sight except near Karak A Kadrin. The sight of such a regiment marching into battle, lead by the resplendent Slayer King, is one that will stay with you for the rest of your days. It is a sight our enemies dread to see, and often their last.
Slayers scorn the use of banners, though they will allow the battle standard bearer to accompany them, so they do not often gain the benefits of runic standards as do other regiments.
CHAMPIONS, HEROS, AND LORDS
The General
The general of an army is often the best hand to hand fighter in the army. Since our people do not often need the inspiration of a leader to steady them the general should be in the forefront of the battle and should lead whatever unit is to spearhead the attack or counterattack. A powerful magic weapon exerts its effects best in the hands of the most powerful warrior so arm the general well.
Because the general is revered by his troops, who sometimes panic and flee at his demise, so he must be well and truly protected. Protection against enemy war machines is often best found by staying out of the line of fire, yet this is often at odds with the goal of leading an attack. Yet some protection from war machines can be gained by a general by staying within a unit, as the members will often sacrifice themselves to save him whom they revere. Many are the brave troops that selflessly pushed their general out of harms way only to slain in his place. In hand to hand combat a general must rely on his own skill and armor to protect him from disabling wounds and so he should have the best available, within reason.
Remember, our people are renowned for their steadiness in battle and for us the loss of a general need not be fatal to the army as it is for lesser races, especially the undead. It will avail a general not to spend too many resources on expensive armor or weapons if by doing so the numbers of troops or war machines are greatly reduced. Remember the maidens saying about putting all your eggs in one basket.
The Runesmith
Runesmiths are rare and valuable, and the more powerful of them are difficult to pry from their duties in the clan forge. Yet every dwarf army should be accompanied by a runesmith. For this reason it is most often the younger runesmiths that accompany armies to the battlefield.
The runesmith is second only to the general in his need for protection from the enemy and my words written there apply to him as well. Runesmiths often have their own favorite weapon, usually a powerful hammer inscribed with the Master Rune of Flight and several lesser runes. The Rune of Might and Rune of Smiting are often seen together as are the Rune of Smiting and Rune of Breaking. Such weapons has proven their potency repeatedly and are especially useful against a charging hero.
Nearly every runesmith can be seen
wielding their staff of spell breaking. This talismanic object
inscribed with two or three Runes of Spell breaking has the power
to negate all but the mostforcefully cast enemy spell. A
runesmith has often saved entire armies from ghastly deaths at
the hands of foul magicians by negating a deadly spell at a
critical time.
The Anvil Of Doom
An anvil of doom, great relic of our ancestors, bearer of the forgotten Rune of Sorcery, ultimate tool of runesmiths, is too valuable to risk in all but the most desperate battles where the fate of a stronghold is at stake or when a force escorting an anvil that is being relocated comes under attack. To risk the loss of an anvil in any other battle is the act of a fool.
That having been said the anvil and the runesmith riding upon it are a potent addition to a dwarf generalÕs army. The nature of the anvil is to draw in the power of the winds of magic. In times of peace this power is used to forge powerful runic items. On the battlefield this power can be unleashed by the accompanying runesmith in the form of powerful blasts of lighting which are proof against all but the most potent of magic protections. With the might of the anvil the runesmith can sometimes turn the power of enemy spells against the foe and perform other wonders only guessed at by Òthose not the craftÓ as the runesmiths call the rest of us.
Although the power of the anvil is
great and runesmiths and the anvil guards derive some protection
from missile fire due to the invulnerable bulk of the anvil
itself there are two points that need be taken into consideration
when it must used in battle. It is no small expense to have the
anvil removed from the forge and placed on its carriage. Perhaps
resources spent on preparing the anvil for battle could be spent
on troops or some other item that would more suited to a
particular battle. The other problem with the anvil is that even
with its specially prepared carriage it is slow to move, so it
must be deployed with the utmost care.
The Battle Standard and Bearer
The battle standard of the army is revered by the troops and should not be exposed to the danger of capture by an enemy without good cause. If the army is primarily composed of missile troops the battle standard may best be left secured in its vault, as the resources needed to bring it to the battlefield could best be used to purchase another organ gun or unit of crossbow. Should the army be one with the objective of closing for hand to hand combat then the battle standard should be present in the front rank of the unit leading the attack.
Battle standards are often festooned with the most powerful runes. The Master Rune of Valaya once being the most common, but less so of late since the winds of magic have become more difficult for wizards to tap. The Master Rune of Stromni Readbeard inspires the already stout rank and file to even greater determination to hold fast against the unsettling effect battle sometimes has on their hearts and minds, and is seen more often these days. The Master Rune of Groth One-Eye is not without its supporters, inspiring troops to greater efforts in hand to hand combat, and often providing the margin of victory. Yet just as often the battle standard is solely adorned with one or more runes of lesser power, yet no less useful for that.
Remember that the enemy often places a bounty on the death of the battle standard bearer, and those enemies possessing powerful heros on flying mounts or wizards capable of teleporting them should be most carefully watched. The resources needed for the Ceremony of Unveiling for the battle standard may be better used elsewhere. To often is the army made weak and brittle like bad steel because to much was spent on ceremonies and not enough on equipping and feeding the rank and file. If you chose to unveil and carry forth the battle standard make sure you have set a definite purpose for its use. To lose it is a shame to the name of the general that brought it to the battlefield as well as his clan.
Heros and Champions
Free ranging heros armed with powerful weapons are the stuff of legend and many a dwarf hall is decorated with the sagas of heros past, inspirations to brave warriors to come. Since our people are stout of heart and seldom quail at the approach of danger a hero is not often needed to steady the ranks.
The fighting ability of a hero in melee can often be the difference in winning the combat or losing it, especially when enhanced by a magic weapon. A hero bearing a weapon with the Master Rune of Snorri Spanglehelm and two of the Rune of Fury is a potent hero indeed! If a general needs to select a bearer for a potent magic item such the fabled Pipes of Doom or the Ruby Chalice, a champion may be the better choice as they are less expensive to field than a hero.
Be selective in your assignment of heros to the regiments and be certain each fills a measured purpose that will gain advantage against a foe, then be sure to pursue the advantage to its fullest.
ALLIES
Allies are like a hammer with a splintered handle, difficult to grasp and likely to cause a missed stroke, but better than no hammer at all. Allies are seldom as committed to a cause as your clansmen and it is often difficult to make proper use of their unique abilities due to lack of familiarity with them. Often allies can fill a crucial role in a battle that our people could not, and this is the reason some generals seek their employ. To such generals I would say that they are better off mastering the tools of their own forge rather than borrowing the unfamiliar tools of anothers.
MONSTERS
Occasionally a hero or lord will, for his pleasure, tame a powerful monster and seek to employ it on the field of battle. Such efforts always have a high degree of risk that the monster will flee the field when the attention of the trainer lapses and as such are not recommended. Only dragons have been used in this way with much in the way of success. Of the dragons, the white and green have proven to be the most useful, with blue the least and red and black in between.
Swarms of lesser creatures driven toward the enemy can often achieve effective results. Being nearly mindless and consisting of many small creatures they can tie down an enemy unit or hero for some time. Swarms are especially good for guarding the flanks of an army, less so for screening.
SELECTING THE TOOLS...
In the preceding pages you have read of the nature of the tools of the general and have pondered upon the strengths and weaknesses of each. From the descriptions of each you can derive that each tool serves a particular purpose, but it is up to you see that it is employed to its best advantage.
The proper tool depends on what you are trying to accomplish. Before embarking on a campaign to bring a foe to battle consider what the likely circumstances surrounding the battle will be. Will you be fighting in mountains, plains, or underground? Are you trying to capture a fortification or are you likely to be defending in an open field? Does the enemyÕs strength lie in an abundance of missile weapons or will they try to close ground quickly and engage in hand to hand combat? How does the enemyÕs mobility compare with your own? Do they have a few powerful spell casters or many lesser ones? Do they tend to field their heros mounted on powerful flying monsters? What is their primary weakness, poor leadership, lack of armor, lack of numbers? And always there is the trade off of quality and quantity to be considered. When ever possible all of these questions, and more, should be answered before you develop an order of battle. Once you have an idea of what is likely you can develop a plan to handle not only the likely situation but you can have contingency plans as well. Chose your units accordingly.
Armies can be named to be of one of three types. Each is does some things better than the others. The missile army consists primarily of crossbow and war machines. This army seeks to prevent any enemy units from crossing the battlefield and engaging in hand to hand combat. While it may be offensive strategically, tactically this army is defensive. The melee army relies instead on taking the fight to the enemy and consists of several large blocks of regiments optimized for hand to hand combat. This army is often best used to attack an enemy whoÕs mobility restricted either by choice or by circumstance. The composite army is one that is a blend of the two. This army is a difficult one to command effectively because of its shear flexibility. An inexperienced general will be overwhelmed with choices, thus such an army is best reserved for the battlemaster.
The problem of mobility haunts every decision that a dwarf general makes when selecting and deploying troops. Because your regiments will be charged more often than they will be charging every regiment of elite troops, miners, and clansmen must contain enough troops to survive a charge by an enemy and be able to subsequently grind the enemy down. Equipping clansmen with spears and shields, crossbow and hammerers with two handed weapons, a leader with the Golden Scepter of Norgrim or the Ruby Chalice or a standard bearer with the Banner of Shielding, including champions, heros, and lords in your regiments with items such as the Master Rune of Spite, Rune of Parrying, Master Rune of Gromril or Adamant, all of these things enhance the survivability of a unit. There are of course more such items than I have mentioned here, but the availability is not always constant so you must choose from those you have at hand.
There are a few items that can help in allowing dwarf regiments to be able to charge the enemy. The first is put the Rune of Slowness onto the unit banner. This is not often effective against cavalry or chariots but against infantry it works well. The other trick is to march into the enemyÕs charge range and use the Firey Ring of Thori to create a wall of flame 6 donstrol in front your unit. If the enemy is foolish enough to move up to the flame wall you can then use the power of the Golden Scepter of Norgrim to give your regiment the extra incentive they need to charge when you bring thebarrier comes down. This trick seldom works against an opponent more than once. A warhorn with the Master Rune of Dismay can be effective against an enemy with poor resolve, freezing them in place with fear and indecision, just long enough for your regiments charge them!
If army is consists of large units outfitted for hand to hand combat you should still include a few war machines to help cover the flanks and rear and keep enemy heros from ranging about to freely. However in such situations it is best not to use stone throwers as they may inadvertently lob their deadly cargo into one of your own units as the battle lines close.
When fighting against the forces of the undead or any enemy that relies heavily on the effects of fear and terror any large regiments you have should be equipped with the Rune of Courage, which renders them immune to such effects!
If you find your army pitted against the forces of chaos or other armies that often abound with flying monsters then the Orb of Thunder, Scarecrow Banner, or banner of X can be devastating, especially when combined.
The use of runes to enhance war machines really comes down to the age old problem of quality verses quantity. In favor of the quantity argument is that if you are lucky and a higher than average number of shots hit the enemy then the potential exists to inflict tremendous damage. There is also the fact that if you lose a war machine due to a misfire you still have others to pound the enemy with. The quality argument says that although you have fewer machines their accuracy or strength is increased giving them a better chance to inflict damage than the run of the mill machine and also you can reduce the chance of misfiring which increases the longevity of the machine and crew, thus giving you the same number of shots as if you had several ordinary machines, over the long run. In a protracted campaign longevity can be of overriding importance, especially if replacement costs are high. When the fate of the campaign hinges on the outcome of a single battle quantity may provide the edge needed to win. This calculating with the lives of crewmen may seem cold blooded and it is, but such calculations are the lot of the general when trying to find a way to pay the butcherÕs bill. The final decision is up to the individual general, as it should be.
HAMMER, ANVIL, AND TONGS...
Having brought the enemy to battle a general must select a plan of battle appropriate to the setting. In the following pages I will describe the plans most often used by the great dwarf generals of history and the reasoning behind them. But before we delve that shaft let me offer this. Many generals aspiring to victory fail not from inadequate resources but from their failure to stick to a plan.
No matter how carefully each unit
is equipped and selected if it cannot be successfully used in
concert with the others in an orchestrated maneuver then
eventually the army will be overcome. After a plan has been
formulated follow it through. Too many commanders have followed
the road to disaster by abandoning a working plan to pursue some
perceived opportunity that latter turned out to be nonexistent,
or even worse a ploy of the enemy. A plan should only be
reconsidered if it is found to be based on a faulty premise.
The Anvil
The Anvil is a name given to a plan most often adopted by an army that wishes to hold a defensive position. This plan will work for either of the three types of army under the proper circumstances, but it is most often used by missile armies or inexperienced generals.
This plan takes advantage of the strengths of a dwarf army, powerful war machines and abundant long range missile capability. It also minimizes the weakness of a dwarf army, low mobility. Shower the enemy with crossbow bolts, pound them with stones and shot, and burn them with steam and flame. If any enemy get through the hail of fire then crush them with a powerful unit optimized for hand to hand combat.
If you are fortunate enough to have large hills to deploy on put the large crossbow units on the slopes formed into multiple ranks and intersperse the war machines and small crossbow regiments in between or around the hills. Target enemy war machines with the crossbow units and use your war machines against any free roaming heros or powerful monsters, then regiments. Avoid wasting firepower on screening units if possible. Concentrate your fire on the most dangerous unit first and pound it until it breaks or is eliminated then switch to another. Remember, panicking a large unit is better than panicking a small unit because the larger the unit that panics the more likely you are to sew panic among the enemy, in most cases. Also, the most dangerous enemy may not be obvious at first. This is especially true among skaven. A large unit of skaven slaves looks like a tempting target, but they die in droves in melee and other skaven units are unaffected when they panic, just as orcs are not panicked by fleeing goblins.
Try to take advantage of any buildings, walls, and hedges by placing your small crossbow units in and behind them if you donÕt think you will need them for screening. Remember the more distance between your battle line and the enemyÕs gives your troops that much more time to pound the enemy with missile weapons. Try to deploy your best melee units last and opposite the enemyÕs best melee units.
The Hammer
The Hammer is the name given to a plan used to take the fight to the enemy. This plan will works best with an army optimized for hand to hand combat. A composite army can execute it also, though not as well. It is folly for a missile army to try this at all, except in the most unusual of circumstances.
The Hammer takes advantage of another strength of dwarfs, skilled and tough hand to hand troops. It is also hampered by the dwarfs weakness, a lack of mobility. Your army should consist of a wall made of blocks of hard hitting and well armored units with a few war machines and small missile units deployed on the flanks. Each block should be preceded by a screening unit of slayers to absorb enemy missile fire and reduce the casualties from your blocks. The blocks must be large to be effective once they cross the battlefield, 24 to 32 troops per unit is a good size, giving a width of 4 to 6 and a depth of 5 to 8. A unit of this size can take casualties from missile fire and magic and still gain a benefit from weight of numbers once it reaches the foe. A regiment of ironbreakers, hammerers, or longbeards, should lead the attack. Regiments of clansmen with spears and shields are good supporting units, deployed close by to cover the flanks of the unit leading the attack.
The whole battle line advances evenly across the field as a mighty blow from a hammer, thus making it difficult for the enemy to evade engagement.
A variation of the hammer can be used by a composite army. In this version of the plan all the melee regiments are deployed on one flank and slightly forward of the missile regiments and war machines. The forward units then advance as the missile units pound any enemy units that move toward them, if any, and then the enemy units opposite the melee regiments. Once the melee regiments defeat the enemy flank the enemy battle line can be rolled up much like a bearskin.
The Tongs
This place is perhaps the most difficult to execute and works best with a composite army, although a melee army can also attempt it. This plan is very effective when the enemy deploys with his melee units in the center and his lighter or missile units on the flanks or is outnumbered by your forces. Against other enemy deployments is does not fair well and can lead to disaster.
When forming your battle line missile units should be in the middle and even with or slightly further back than the flank units. The melee units should be placed on both flanks even with or slightly forward of the missile units in the center. As the battle progresses move the flanks forward so that your battle line changes from a line into an arch. As the enemy center approaches whittle them down with missile fire while slowly turning your flanks inward. Eventually the tongs close on the hapless enemies who, having been weakened by enemy missile fire are then crushed by the melee regiments.
EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE...
After choosing a plan you must then consider deployment and when deploying your units there are several things to keep in mind. Because of the dwarfs lack of mobility they must be deployed close together to provide support for one another. For this reason the wise general will shrewdly scrutinize the army of the enemy and deploy his own forces with cunning. Do not spread your regiments to widely. To do so renders each a stray goat apart from the flock and easily trapped and slain by quick footed wolves. Often the enemy will try to concentrate his striking force against one end the battle line, usually the weakest flank, so stiffen that flank with heros and cover the approach with missile weapons and war machines. Pay attention to how the enemy deploys as this will guide your own deployment.
Deploying units close together makes them more vulnerable to certain magic spells and war machines and the effects of panic. If they are outnumbered makes it easy for an enemy to flank them. This means that dwarf generals should always attempt to take advantage of natural terrain features to make it more difficult for an enemy to turn their flank. Having the flank of your battle line resting against a steep hill, wood, swamp, or river is usually a good idea. If facing an enemy capable of casting high magic spells be wary of hills lest Assault of Stone crush your flank, and if facing wood elves woods will not protect your flank at all as they move through woods as we do through grass.
When deploying units make sure each is placed to its best advantage relative to the terrain, enemy disposition, and other friendly units. Place missile units and war machines so they have as wide as possible an arc of fire and can see the unit or units they were selected to target at their maximum range. If possible make sure an area that cannot be seen by one unit can be covered by another. Deploy war machines so that they can fire on each others location and you will see fewer attacks by flyers on their crews. If the enemy often fields bows or long bows then light armor for the crews is cheap insurance, giving the crew a better chance to survive long range bow fire. If the enemy fields crossbows then light armor is a waste of resources for crews.
Try to place your battle standard and general close together in a position where they will inspire the greatest number of troops. Sticking them on opposite flanks diminishes their affect on your troops considerably.
Consider well you troops disposition before the battle, as it is difficult if not impossible to correct a flawed deployment once the battle has begun and the price for failure must be paid in blood.
THE NATURE OF THE ENEMY...
Skaven
Skaven armies rely heavily on numbers and are organized for offense. Skaven regiments will attempt to close quickly for hand to hand combat. Skaven troops are more confident in large numbers, but their resolve diminishes with casualties. When frenzied even their rank and file troops can be deadly, but watch out for their plague monks and plague censer bearers especially. Skaven often make use of assassins to murder enemy leaders and heros. Skaven magic is powerful and devastating in effect. Their Grey Seers are the deadliest of magi and strong leaders. Skaven have some missile capability from their war machines in the form of warp fire throwers and jazzails. The screaming bell and doom wheel can be devastating but are often erratic. Beware the Dwarf Gouger!
Against skaven the Anvil, executed by an army heavy with war machines and crossbow, will fare well, although a composite army executing the Hammer can also do well. The Tongs are not recommended because the skaven will probably out number you in regiments as well as troops. Try to pick off the crews of doom wheels, screaming bells, warp fire throwers, and jazzails with crossbow units as this will often make them even more erratic. The screaming bell is as deadly as a chariot when charging with a skaven regiment so either disable it with missile fire or let a screening unit absorb the enemy charge then have a melee regiment charge it. Target your war machines at their wizards and leaders, especially the grey seers. Use missile weapons to kill as many plague censer bearers and poison wind globadiers as possible before they get into charge range. Investment well in antimagic items.
Orcs and Goblins
The greenskins hordes are a versatile foe, excellent at fielding a fast hard hitting offensive army with tough troops. They are less adept at forming a defensive army with many missile troops and war machines, but have done so on occasion. The composition of units varies widely in a greenskin army and this combined with their tribal culture means that units often suffer from animosity which makes their regiments difficult for their general to coordinate. Because the difficulty in controlling their troops the greenskin battle plan is often limited to a single charge. While the overall leadership of orcs and goblins is mediocre their elite units will often have excellent leaders. Their magic and war machines are quirky and often unreliable. Black orcs are their best infantry and boar riders their best cavalry. Savage orcs are often frenzied, making them excellent fighters, although lightly armored. Orc and goblin chariots can be devastating, especially when fielded in numbers. Often a shaman or warlord has a wyvern or other terrifying monster as a mount. Their magic of their shamans is not overwhelming and often unreliable. In addition greenskin armies often have giants. These lumbering hulks can be deadly if they get in close.
As the greenskins will probably outnumber you both in regiments and troops the Tongs are not a good plan. As with the skaven a defensive army executing the Anvil or a composite or melee army executing the Hammer will work best.
If executing the Hammer make sure the wall is preceded by screening units of slayers toabsorb enemy missile fire and charges. Giants and shamans or warlords riding monsters should be given targeting priority by your war machines. Use crossbows against chariots, rock lobbers, doom divers, and bolt throwers.
Remember your troops hate all orcs and goblins! Also remember night goblins hate dwarfs. Night goblin fanatics can often be drawn out through their own troops by the crafty use of gyrocopters, then they can be shot down by crossbow bolts if they are a danger to your troops. Squigs are also best dealt with by missile fire.
The greenskins have mediocre leadership. Fleeing goblins do not panic orcs but the reverse is not true so pick a big unit of orcs and blast it until they flee. You may well see half their army run away. Exploit their animosity problems by encouraging them to deploy in depth if possible.
Chaos
Chaos fields a totally offensive army that possesses no war machines. Chaos wizards posses deadly magic spells. Their leaders are all strong hand to hand fighters and are often mounted on terrifyingly powerful monsters. Chaos regiments are tough and hard hitting and many are very fast as well and heavily armored or capable of absorbing damage that would slay lesser creatures. Chaos armies have little in the way of missile troops. They have whole units of daemons. Greater daemons also appear with great frequency. The powers of chaos often bestow chaos gifts and chaos rewards that enhance the fighting abilities of warriors and leaders. They also have the two tools that mark every truly offensive army, chariots and frenzied troops. Their leadership is very good overall.
The Anvil, executed by an army heavy with war machines and crossbow, will work best against chaos. A composite army executing the Anvil or the Tongs can do well. The Hammer is not recommended as chaos units are just too good in hand to hand combat. Target your war machines at their wizards and leaders. Invest in antimagic items. Slayer units will be needed for screening and for tying up powerful enemy units.
Chaos Dwarfs
The Tainted Ones have a versatile army capable of offense or defense with a fair selection of missile troops, war machines, cavalry, and rank and file. Massed blunderbusses can shred any charge against them. Chaos Dwarf magic is as spectacular as it is devastating. They have a limited selection of war machines, but the earthshaker cannon is awesome in its effects. Their generals and sorcerers are often astride mighty and terrifying monsters. The leadership of the chaos dwarfs is excellent but their greenskin slaves often flee with just a little incentive.
The Anvil is often successful against a chaos dwarf army provided you disable the inevitable earthshaker cannon. Dealing successfully with this devilish invention often marks the difference between winning and losing the battle no matter what plan you are using. If you want to execute the Hammer against the chaos dwarfs then the inevitable blunderbusses must be rendered ineffective first, either by maneuver or firepower so a composite army would work best in terms of keeping your own casualties down. A purely melee army will suffer horrendous casualties. The Tongs will not work well against a chaos dwarf army unless you outnumber it in regiments as well as troops. In any case make sure your war machines target their leaders first.
Undead
The legions of undeath have amazingly powerful leaders and their magic can be devastating, but most often they use it to create new troops. Their rank and file troops often cause fear and terror, as do their war machines, but for all that they are not good fighters. Undead are armies are always offensive in nature and try to close quickly. Their skeleton steeds, ghosts, and wraiths are noncoporal and can pass through buildings and other obstacles. The summoning spells of their magicians can create units in unlikely places!
The undead army is extremely dependant on magic. Invest heavily in antimagic items. Slay their general and the army will often crumble. For this reason target the enemy general with everything. Runes of Fear and Courage can be put to good use, as can the Master Rune of Stromni Redbeard on the battle standard. Several units of slayers on the flanks and as screening units are a necessity. Be especially vigilant against summoned units attacking your flanks or rear! Use crossbow units against war machines crews and chariots.
Any type of dwarf army can win against the undead if adhering to the appropriate plan.
High Elfs
The haughty pointy ears, the High Elfs, are not to be trusted either as foes or allies. They have a versatile army capable of attack or defense. Although not heavily armored overall, they are nimble and fast and count on inflicting heavy damage with their first strike. Elfs are talented archers and their offensive armies are usually based around a mix of archers and cavalry, and often include chariots as well. Their defensive armies have less cavalry and more infantry. Thanks to their speed they are often able to flank their enemies. Although they rely on a single type of war machine the repeater bolt throwers are plentiful and deadly, scything down enemy units. Elfs can be determined fighters and have good leadership. They also often mount a mighty lord on a powerful monster such as a dragon. High magic is potent, beware the Assault of Stone.
Elf rank and file warriors cannot stand up dwarfs in a prolonged fight so select your troops and magic items with this in mind. Destroy the units that support their rank and file, such as chariots, bolt throwers, and mounted heros with your missile weapons and war machines. When charging from front and flank even scrawny elfs can be formidable. Mobility is the key to their success. Deploy to deny them flank charges, negate their magic, disable their bolt throwers and you will win. The Hammer can win against elfs but you will suffer from missile fire and you must be wary of being flanked. The Anvil works well against elfs on an open battlefield where the superior range of the crossbow can be put to advantage. As elfs like to deploy their striking force on a flank rather than the center the Tongs are not often a good choice except against inexperienced elf generals. Elfs have the subtlety of serpents and their impudence knows no bounds. Beware the treachery of elfs!
Wood Elfs
Though they live in a forest realm wood elfs are still elfs and are not to be trusted. Wood elfs armies are similar to those of the high elfs in that they share similar strengths and weaknesses. Both their troops and their regiments are scrawny but nimble, if not especially hard hitting although theirchariots make up for this. As they prefer speed to toughness their armor is most often light. Their armies have no war machines, but they often are accompanied by tough and powerful forest spirits that look like trees. As with all elfs their leadership is good and their missile troops excellent shots. The wood elf bow is even superior to that of the high elfs and resembles a crossbow in its striking power. Their cavalry is lightly armored and very fast and they have units of troops mounted on great birds of prey. Wood elf magic is not as formidable overall as the High Elfs as only a few of their wizards know High Magic, the rest use Battle Magic. Overall they are difficult to bring to battle due to their extreme mobility. Their armies are often divided into battle groups that strike quickly and then retreat into the safety of their woodlands while another group strikes elsewhere. TheirÕs are the tactics of harassment and death from a thousand small cuts rather than the swift stab.
With the exception of war dancers who should be engaged with missile weapons, wood elf rank and file warriors cannot stand up dwarfs in a prolonged fight. Destroy the units that support their rank and file, such as chariots and mounted heros and invest well in anti-flyer magic items. When charging from front and flank even scrawny elfs can be formidable. Mobility is the key to their success. Deploy to deny them flank charges, foil attacks by their flyers, and negate their magic, and you will win. The Hammer and Tongs seldom win against wood elfs. The Anvil is the only plan that works with any degree of success. Wood elfs have the subtlety of serpents and spines to match.
Dark Elfs
The Children of Malekith, the Dark Elfs, have all of the virtues of their High Elf and Wood Elf cousins, only more so. In addition they also have many troops with some special ability. Of these the witch elfs are the most formidable being frenzied fighters and deadly in hand to hand combat, although lightly armored. Dark elfs prefer the use of the repeating crossbow to the bow and they are skilled in its use and they also make use of the deadly repeating bolt thrower. Their cavalry is swift, and the knights mounted on reptilian beasts are good fighters. The Dark Elfs also make use of assassins to strike down enemy leaders in the storm of combat. Their wizards are masters of potent Dark Magic. Their leadership is good. Overall they field a versatile army capable of many tricks.
The tactics used against elfs work against dark elfs as well. The Anvil plan works very well against them. As with the other elfs it is difficult to force them into a battle they do not want to fight. Mobility and stealth is their strength. As with their cousins they must win on the charge for they do not have the staying power to stand against our rank and file for any length of time. Dark Elfs are two headed vipers which must be crushed whenever they are found.
Empire
The armies of the Empire of Men are diverse and versatile. The resolve of their rank and file is mediocre and they flee as often as not unless steadied by a good leader or accompanied by the War Alter of Sigmar. The flagellants are cast of a different metal than the rank and file troops and are similar to our slayers in that they do not cower or break. The Empire has a wide variety of unique war machines. The war wagon is a chariot by another name and with a larger crew. The hellblaster volley gun is a regiment killer within 24 donstrol must be taken out by missile weapons before advancing within its range. The Steam Tank is an armored chariot with a small cannon propelled bya primitive steam engine. It is unreliable when pushed to perform but can inflict horrendous casualties when smashing through the ranks of a regiment. Empire armies can have mortars and cannons aplenty as well. An Empire army can sometimes match a dwarf army in firepower from war machines or missile weapons. The Empire has many powerful practitioners of battle magic that accompany its armies. A few of their leaders set astride powerful monsters, but most prefer to ride into battle atop horses. The Empire has long used mounted troops armed with bows and lances and the latter, when heavily armored, form the striking force of their armies.
The forces of the Empire are numerous and have good mobility, though not as good as the elves. The Anvil and the Hammer can work well against the Empire, the Tongs less so since they often outnumber their opponents. Their rank and file troops are not as tough as our own and can be ground down in hand to hand combat. Target their wizards and heavy calvary with your war machines and then grind them into dust.
Bretonnians
The armies of Bretonnia rely on heavily armored and powerful cavalry lead by strong leaders. These troops are supported by spearmen and archers but no war machines. The Bretonnians have the blessing of the Lady of the Lake which sometimes gives them some protection against enemy war engines and missile fire, often rendering such fire ineffective by half. The knights are devoted to their Lady and often receive individual blessings in the form of virtues that enhance the knightÕs abilities. As can be expected their wizards have created magic items that greatly assist the knights in combat. The leadership of the knights is varies but on average is good while that of their commoners is mediocre.
The Bretonnian knights are the strike force of their army and every war machine and missile should be targeted at them. Those units that do make it across the battle field will thus be weakened and can be engaged by melee regiments with success. Even so their armor will often prove to be too much for all but the elite regiments lead by powerful heros. Their infantry regiments are similar to those of the Empire, although their bowmen are better able to concentrate their fire than those of the Empire. In any case they cannot stand before a dwarf melee regiment for long, if you chose to engage them.
Lizardmen
Little is remembered of this forgotten race which retreated into the jungles of the southlands long ago. There are rumors that they are stiring from their old haunts once again for their own inscrutable purposes. What these are no dwarf can say for certain. Some say the Brettonians pillaged the homeland of the lizardmen, some say the Norscans did this thing. For now all is speculation and I will not write more of them here.
CONCLUSION
Having read these pages and thought deeply on the implications of my words you are now ready to put them into practice against any foe. May the blessings of Grimnir, Grungni, and Valaya follow through all you days and may they be long and prosperous. As for the enemies of your clan, slay them all, and let the gods sort them out!