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What do Dwarf players prefer: Quarrellers or Thunderers? Or do you use them both? And why? I'm asking this to get more detailed tactical info on these units versus different armies people have plyed and the knowledge they have gained from these battles. Thanks

I don't play dwarves, but I've seen this one come up repeatedly and both have their supporters. I think Thunderers are generally a little more popular, but some folks really like the lower price and longer range of the Quarrelers.

I use thunderers. S4 armour piercing, and the +1 to hit because of the "superior design." yes, quarllerers have an extra 6" of range, but this, imo, doesn't make up for the extra negative to armour or the +1 to hit. but when points are scarse, quarrelers are a good choice.

Well, its really hard to discount the extra 6" to range, given that it lets you shoot if you get first turn. That's a pretty big deal. It also means that you are shooting at short range vs. enemies who marched 12" in the first move phast (ogres, etc.)

Until the new book it was a tough choice since thunderers could move and fire.

Now IMHO it isn't. Thunderers are now 25% more expensive, have less range, and are just as easy to kill. Especially since they are not a threat to anything unless they are in range of being shot or magicked by it...

Will the enemy come to you or will they not bother even to move (as I have started to do vs the stupid gunline castle dwarves)?

If they are advancing, thunderers, if not quarrelers.

Take one of each and see.

I bring out the quarrellers for elves to deal with their long bows. For everything else, I bring the thunder(ers).

i use a unit of both for variety but its the thunderers who tend to do better, once things get close they really rip units up, quarrellers are good for plugging long range shots at the enemy and can be deployed further back if needs be.

thunderers are more expensive but their -2 modifier means they can at a pinch put the hurt on heavily armoured stuff. they hit and hurt when it counts.

I use quarrellers and they have always delivered results for me (their finest hour by outshooting an entire wood elf army...)

Although the +1 to armour penetration is handy, its offset for me by the 30" range. That usually amounts to a whole extra turn of shooting.

There is also the psychological effect. The general assumption that thunderers are made of win whilst quarrellers are the poor relations leads to thunderers being the prime target of enemy magic/shooting. I've lost count of the number of times my quarrellers have just been ignored...

As a Wood Elf player, I’ve always hated seeing Quarrelers. They always outshoot Wood Elf Glade Guard, point for point, unless by some miracle my Glade Guard get into short range untouched.

I've rarely had any luck at all with my Quarrellers, and usually stick to Thunderers.Haven't let me down yet!

I actually use a unit of Scouting Quarrellers quite often, a touch heavy on points, but helps dictate deployment because I have the potential to put that unit in various places. I normally just end up deploying it on my line but hey....they did there job making the person change there deployment some.

Beyond that I typically use Quarrellers more than Thunderers. Why? Point cost and 6" range. Yes the +1" is nice and I try to fit in one of each...but if I can't fit one than the Thunderers go. Just the way I like to run my army

I second the unit of quarreler rangers, they can be gold and can really affect your opponents deployment and if left alone can decimate war machines. I like to use 1 of each so I get the best of both worlds!

PapaSmurf

I love my Thunderers. The -2 armor save modifier is really the winner. After you wipe out a unit of Dark Riders wholesale, I promise your opponent will be much more cautious in his movement phase and just a touch unsettled. I admit that the 6" of range of 3 pt savings are tempting, but I think the extra save modifier and the +1 to hit make up for it. Regarding the save modifier, off the top of my head, when comparing Thunderers to Crossbowmen:

Against a 5+ save, your opponent isn't saving anything as opposed to saving 1/6 of his models.

Against a 4+ save, your opponent is saving 1/6 of his models instead of 1/3 of his models.

Against a 3+ save, your opponent is saving 1/3 of his models instead of 1/2 of his models.

I admit that once we hit 2+ and lower territory, the effects are diminished. Regardless, Thunderers laugh at the armor of most infantry in the game. Reducing heavy armor and shield to a 6+, like wiping out those Dark Riders, yields benefits in the psyche warfare department.

If you're still not convinced, Colin Dixon's 6th Edition Thunderers are better models than any Dwarven Crossbowmen GW has released!

I don't play Dwarfs anymore, but the +1 to hit is what made the Thunderer's shine for me. Also the additional armor piercing was icing when facing against armored stuff.

I remember running the math and the extra turn of shooting you get with the Quarrelers doesn't make up for the extra kills you get with Thunderers against a majority of targets. In worst cases, you break even. In cases where you can stand and shoot, the Thunderer's shine a bit more brightly.

Thanks for all the info. I find I like both thnuderers and quarrellers. I lean to quarrellers now if I will be facing high elves or wood elves, but lean to thunderers when facing more armoured forces. I also find the extra 6" and lower cost of the quarrellers handy and have found that my thunderers often get targeted and damaged before they are in range to fire effectively.