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So I've revised a list after playing all of 4 games of fantasy, I would appreciate any input.

Lord - 268
Shield, +1T(Rune of Adamant), 4+ Ward(Rune of Spite), +1SV(Rune of Stone), Double Strength against T5+(Rune of Might)

Thane - 120
Standard, 5+ Ward(Rune of ??), Combat Res Additional +1(Rune of Battle)

Runesmith - 122
Shield, Steal Power Dice(Rune of Balance)

Master Engineer - 80
Brace of Pistols

19x Longbeards - 325
Shields, Great Weapons, Full Command, 5+ ward from shooting/magic missile to units within 6"(Rune of Grungini) (runesmith goes here)

19x Hammerers - 277
Shield, Full Command (lord goes here)

19x Ironbreakers - 307
Full Command, Immune to Fear & Terror(Rune of Courage) (thane goes here)

10x Thunderer - 150
Shields

10x Thunderer - 150
Shields

10x Miners - 110

1x Organ Gun - 120

1x Organ Gun - 120

1x Canon - 100
Can fire every turn (even with 1 crew, misfire)(Rune of Reloading)(master engineer and entrenchment go here)

Total 2249

I like it. A few thoughts:

Cannons come equipped with the rune of forging. (or they automatically should, anyway!)

I put my Runesmith in the warmachine park - keeps him safer, and he can help out against nasty light flyers that run into the park.

You need a dispel rune or two, at least, on the runesmith

Organ guns are fun - consider using Gyrocopters instead. They march block, move fast, can get into table quarters, etc. Much better.

Shields on Thunderers? What type of ranked up unit will they beat in HtH? Put 'em on a hill (gives +1 combat res), they will probably beat light flyers even without shields, and you save points.

As an aside, entrenchment does so little now. For example, removing the strikes first advantage of charging does nothing for dwarfs - they're slow no matter what! I guess it helps a bit against knights with lances, but that's about it.

I was under the impression that entrenchment meant the war machine counted in hard cover? Isn't that a -2 to hit? My buddy runs high elves and I will be playing him a lot, the past 2 games were so formulaic losses i added back in the engineer. He ran 2 bolt throwers and 2x12 Long bowmen that picked on the canon then flanked the organ guns with eagles. then out ranged, out shot and out maneuvered me.

I have used the rune of forging, i could drop the shields and upgrade the reloading to forging...

In regards to the gyrocopter i recently exchanged the unopened one i had for more hammerers.

I can only take 1 dispell rune on the runesmith if i keep him with the Rune of Balance.

oh and if i have the master engineer back there, do you think i need both the runesmith AND the engineer?

My suggestion would be to put the Lord on some shield bearers. It gives him extra attacks and might give him extra toughness and wounds, I don't have the book in front of me. You're running him with the hammeres which is good for the stubborn and immunity to fear and terror. I might consider a more combat effective loadout then the one you currently have. With the one you have he probably won't die but he also won't hit super hard, which you need to win combats because hammerers just don't have the oomph to win it on their own. My suggestion would be the Master Rune of Alaric the Mad (no armor saves), and a rune of +1 S, combined with a shield, the shieldbearers and the Master Rune of Spite gives him 4 (i think) attacks at S5 that ignore armor saves and a 1+ save with a 4+ ward save. Killy killy.

Also, your BSB thane cannot have a runic talisman and a runic standard. My suggestion would be to give him the Master Rune of Gromril (1+ armor save) and either two Runes of Iron (for a 5+ ward save) or a the rune of reroll failed saves to make him super tough. Runic standards are nice, but unless you're running Strollaz's Rune on your banner there isn't really a reason to take one on your BSB, keeping him alive is more important.

Actually they are 2 runes on the standard... i thought i could combine up to 3... no?
I appreciate the input on the thane...
I was thinking about dropping the Rune of Adamant to make him more killy as well.

Based on your suggestion this is the layout of my Lords& Heroes

Dwarf Lord - 283
Shieldbearers, Shield
+1S (Rune of Cleaving), +1A(Rune of Fury), S10 vs T5+(Rune of Might), 4+ Ward(Rune of Spite)

So he has 5 base attacks at S5, 1+SV, 4+ Ward, 2 S4 Attacks

Thane - 120
1+ SV (Rune of Gromril), 5+ Ward (Rune of Iron x2)

Runesmith - 122
Shield, Steal one power dice (Rune of Balance)

Master Engineer - 70

paidinfull wrote:Actually they are 2 runes on the standard... i thought i could combine up to 3... no?
I appreciate the input on the thane...
I was thinking about dropping the Rune of Adamant to make him more killy as well.

I'm sorry about that, I don't have the army book in front of me. I forgot that there's a rune you can put on the standard that gives him a 5+ ward, but I think the way you've got him now is a much more effective loadout.

I like the list, but if i were you i would swap one organ gun out for a cheaper warmachine (or two bolt throwers which would be my suggestion) and give your runesmith a dispell scroll. You have ample defence, but its always good to have a failsafe in case your opponent is trixy and tries keeping a bound spell for when you run out of dice, or when your opponent rolls 11 on 2d6 and you dont wanna throw 4-5 dice at it to try to dispell.
I agree with Antonin that the runepriest should propably be back with the big weapons, i think the engineer is a little weak to be soley responsible for keeping fast cav/ light flyers / flankers at bay. However two dwarf heros will put a stop to any shenannigans.

Having a horn(rune) of challenge is useful as well on any heros trying to defend your backfield. All he has to do is wait until the unit is in charge range and blow his horn and then they have no choice but charge your lone hero instead of your arty. What I generally do is keep him in a unit of warriors anyways and when the flyers or cavalrey or whatever try to go by I blow ther horn and they have to charge the front of this unit or flee 3D6 (assuming they are fast movers) which generally means they die or you just saved your backfield for two more turns at least from that threat.

I changed the list based on these comments and others and was very happy with it

Dwarf Lord - 288
Shieldbearers, Shield
Immune to Killing blow (US3), 2 extra S4 WS5 attacks at I3
+1S (Rune of Cleaving), +1 to Hit(Rune of Snorri), S10 vs T5+(Rune of Might), 4+ Ward(Rune of Spite)

Thane - 165
BSB, 1+ SV (Rune of Gromril), 5+ Ward (Rune of Iron x2), +1S (Rune of Cleaving)

Runesmith - 126
Shield, Great Weapon, 1x Dispell Scrolls, Rune of Challenge(taunt)

Runesmith - 122
Shield, Balance(steals a power dice)

19x Warriors - 196
Shields, Full Command (runesmith goes here)

16x Hammerers - 288
Shield, Full Command, 5+ ward from shooting/magic missile to units within 6"(Rune of Grungini) (lord goes here)

19x Ironbreakers - 307
Full Command, Immune to Fear & Terror(Rune of Courage) (thane goes here)

10x Thunderer - 150
Shields

10x Thunderer - 150
Shields

1x Organ Gun - 120

1x Organ Gun - 120

1x Canon - 95
Firey Attacks

1x Canon - 125
Reroll Misfire (Rune of Forging)

I think you will be able to avenge quite a few grudges with that list, and i just have one more quirk about it, are you over your rare allowance? i havnt looked at the dwarf list in a while but i thought that organ guns and iron breakers were both rare? im pretty sure it would have been brought up by now if they were, but just checking. Glad you enjoy the list, after all that is the most important thing about your army

Ironbreaker is a special choice.

One suggestion,

Taking two organ guns could be frowned upon, depending on your community/circle.

I suggest swapping one organ gun for a Gyrocopter. Squeezing out that extra 20 pts is a tough thing to do in your list though.