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As the title suggests, can it be done? There is a local event coming up (2000 points standard, characters allowed) and I was wondering what peoples opinion of the Anvil+Strolaz rune combo was. Is it semi-competitive? Fun to use? I am not playing this to be a WAAC army but more of a fun break from my other armies. I have a vague idea what to bring but will want others input on the subject. Dakka the floor is your's...

Anvil + Strollaz’s is semi-competitive in the same sense that ogres or beasts can be.

Anvil + Strollaz’s leaves you with one fighting hero at 2000 points. Dwarf units don’t generate enough kills without characters to consistently beat other ranks units. You are using 175 points for the anvil, 55 points for Strollaz’s, a lord selection, and 2 hero selections to start grinding away sooner with units that are worse at it.

Dwarf shooting is good. Shooting is probably the best part of the dwarf army book. Dwarfs not shooting as much as they can get away with is like fielding Bretonnian knights 6 wide.

I wrote this up at 2250, but it can be trimmed down to 2k.

It's absolutely insane, but it's a nice combo of combat & shooting.


Characters
Runelord - 425
Anvil of Doom
2xScrolls
5+ Ward
1+ Save
Great Weapon

Dragon Slayer - 120
ASF
+1S
+1 Attack

Dragon Slayer - 120
Rune of Keep Great Weapon a Great Weapon
+1 Attack
+1 Attack

Core
10 Quarrelers - 120
Shields

10 Quarrelers - 120
Shields

10 Quarrelers - 120
Shields

Special
20 Slayers - 268
2 Giant Slayers
Std, Muso

20 Slayers - 268
2 Giant Slayers
Std, Muso

20 Slayers - 253
1 Giant Slayer
Std, Muso

Bolt Thrower - 85
S7, Engineer

Bolt Thrower - 90
S7, Flaming, Engineer

Rare
Organ Gun - 120

Gyro Copter - 140

2249 Points

I have been looking at a non-shooty army for Dwarfs. Total movement and combat. (ok a little shooting)

Thorek (used to move units)
Bugman (plus 19 LB Rangers)
20 Warriors
20 Long beards
20 LB Rangers
10 Miners
10 Miners

OK we have you surrounded. Now come out with your hands up. And we will waddle up and smite you.

I had the list at 2K.

Just imagine army placement
Wariors
Long Beards
Thorek
Scouts
Scouts

WaltF4 wrote:Anvil + Strollaz’s is semi-competitive in the same sense that ogres or beasts can be.

Anvil + Strollaz’s leaves you with one fighting hero at 2000 points. Dwarf units don’t generate enough kills without characters to consistently beat other ranks units. You are using 175 points for the anvil, 55 points for Strollaz’s, a lord selection, and 2 hero selections to start grinding away sooner with units that are worse at it.

Dwarf shooting is good. Shooting is probably the best part of the dwarf army book. Dwarfs not shooting as much as they can get away with is like fielding Bretonnian knights 6 wide.

How about you actually take your lack of knowledge on the subject and your childish bragging that the Dwarfs suck at combat and bugger off with those crossbowmen back over there. *Points* Seriously, from what you've said you have no idea what you are doing with Dwarfs if they aren't winning in a pure combat army. Oh Noes, they're slow, they must suck balls. Bah! Noob!

The Anvil is an option but it isn't necessary, Strollaz's rune IS necessary. I've played Pure Night Goblins across 3 editions of the game and whereas I've been undefeated in the last edition with them (talking over 3-4 dozen games, time to play is limited) the only armies that got close to getting me screwed were the pure combat armies of Dwarfs. Why? Look at their stats. When you have 2 units of Hammerers moving in in blocks of 20-25 just walking into you and taking everything and still coming in it gets nasty. Best memory of these guys was 2 hammerers breaking half my line, I couldn't beat them in combat so I arrayed ina line of 30 archers, it's awesome as you have 3 or 4 at either end out of range of the unit, 2 survived and busted the unit and broke half the line. Game was tense as and they are always full of unpredictbility as NO ONE suspects that they are good at combat.

I don't have an army book, but can say that the army is definitely viable, good solid blocks of infantry, Hammerers are a must - good stats, good weapons, good armour, stubborn with excellent leadership...Runed up standards make them nasty as. Trollslayers aren't always useful believe it or not, your enemy will see them as a weak link in an otherwise heavily armoured battle line and pepper them with fire power till they are no more. Had my mate toy with the idea of a single Hammerer unit in a single line wide enough to cover most of the field with an Oathstone for the lulz, heh. Most amusing. The thing with Combat Dwarves is they are armoured, semi-flexible and they NEVER get slowed down barring magic spells and Earthshaker Cannons, and even then they just keep coming. It is always the case that shooting you can't kill enough of them before they hit your lines...then they smack down hard.

In short, combat dwarves are viable, an anvil is useful but not essential, and a whole bunch of combat heroes are nice and runed up standards add alot of flexibility and fear to the army.

Auretious Taak.

How about you actually take your lack of knowledge on the subject and your childish bragging that the Dwarfs suck at combat and bugger off with those crossbowmen back over there. *Points* Seriously, from what you've said you have no idea what you are doing with Dwarfs if they aren't winning in a pure combat army. Oh Noes, they're slow, they must suck balls. Bah! Noob!

Totally fair comment in terms of reasoning, but there's no need to take that kind of attitude on what is normally a pretty clean and friendly forum.

Back on topic - I really think it is commendable to go against the grain with an army list. The real trouble for many tabletop players is that the commitment to all that buying, modelling and painting has to be justified long term with a list that will result in real, long term enjoyment and that usually has to involve a healthy chance for good competition - you want your army to do well.

the two hammerer units can be ironbreakers and hammerers as hammerers are only awesome with a lord in there and you want the staying power of the ironbreakers.

Would slayers be recommended in large or small blocks for this strategy, if at all?

And thanks for all the comments so far, I would like this one to work.

Auretious Taak wrote:I've played Pure Night Goblins across 3 editions of the game and whereas I've been undefeated in the last edition with them (talking over 3-4 dozen games, time to play is limited) the only armies that got close to getting me screwed were the pure combat armies of Dwarfs.

Have you have ever lost to pure combat dwarfs? Or only not lost to them with night goblins in the last edition?

Auretious Taak wrote:The thing with Combat Dwarves is they are armoured, semi-flexible...

Could you elaborate on semi-flexibility?

Da Blak Gobbo wrote:Would slayers be recommended in large or small blocks for this strategy, if at all?

I think that slayers should only be fielded in preference to other melee units if you intend to exploit their unbreakable rule. In an aggressive army list, I think slayers would be at their best as small flank units.

I'd actually leave the Ancil at home, and just go for Strollaz's rune if you want to go offensive with dwarfs.
And yeah, offensive dwarfs are possible.

If you build it smart, you should get +1 to start, and have your blocks halfway across the board before the opponen't's even taken a turn. Even hardened veteran players tend to get nervous at that.

The 400 or so points you're likely to dump in the Anvil are probably better used for an extra combat character and a warmachine or two (I would take one or two for support, to keep stuff from going 'round you, and take down annoying fast cav, some wounds off that hydra, whatever).

I'd go for a smallish unit slayers (12 is my favorite number for them - sometimes with a barebones dragonslayer for a surpirse extra punch to the unit), and put them across from an easily blocked gap in terrain to deny that flank to your opponent without investing too many points in it.

Leave the Anvil at home, eh? It's just so darned useful - especially with Thorek pounding out da fresh beats...

Being able to either zap enemy units - doing damage and messing with their movement - or allowing you to move during the shooting phase (including charging!) just seems too darned handy to leave back at the Dwarf hold!

If you're going with the Dwarf assault army, you REALLY want to have the anvil (no Thorek, though, unless you don't want to have anyone to play with afterward). Giving your units an effective 12" threat-range is crucial, and lets you actually get charges off.

Between Strollaz or Anvil, I'd say you're better off getting the extra movement per shooting phase over the initial move at the beginning of the game.

My friend runs a Runelord with a GW and a 1+ rerollable save that is a pain to take out. With some units to help against real heavy-hitters, he should be able to survive quite well.