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Alright, So I see Daemons, Dark Elves and Vampire Counts runnin' 'round the competitive scene, so I was thinking of taking my Dwarfs and rectifying that.

2250 Dwarf List (Take THAT, Magic Phase!)

Runelord-360
Anvil of Doom
Master Rune of Spite

Runesmith-147
Rune of Spellbreaking
Master Rune of Spellbinding
Sheild

Runesmith-122
Master Rune of Balance
Shield

Thane-220
BSB
Master Rune of Valaya
Rune of Guarding

Core

12 Quarellers-159
Musician
Veteran
Shields

12 Quarellers-159
Musician
Veteran
Shields

12 Quarellers-159
Musician
Veteran
Shields

12 Thunderers-240
Musician
Veteran
Shields

Special

Cannon-120
Engineer
Rune of Burning
Rune of Reloading

Bolt Thrower-105
Engineer
Flakkson's Rune of Seeking

Bolt Thrower-90
Engineer
Master Rune of Skewering

Grudge Thrower-120
Engineer
Rune of Penetrating

Rares

Organ Gun-120

Organ Gun-120

2,241

Alright, I have 10 Dispel Dice, all of which have a 4+ to Dispel. This is the key here. Kairos Fateweaver and his ilk will have a hell of time getting through, IMHO. From there, it's standard Dwarf fanfare. The Grudge Thrower will deal with armored infantry, the Bolt Throwers and the Cannon will focus on big scary monsters. Anybody who thinks of getting with 24" of the Organ Guns has a hell of a shooting phase to deal with. Quarellers have been given shields to stand up to Harpies, Gorgers, etc. Thunderers follow the same logic as the Organ Guns. Runesmiths sit around in various War Machines.

So what do you think, WHFB players of Dakka? Not enough Dispel Dice? Not enough combat units? Crappy list in general? Rip it up.

I think some of your numbers are off. (thunderers and a bolt thrower)

Other thoughts; Why the MR of Spite? Anvil already gives you a 4+ ward save, I think. Without having any major CC units all of your characters will be pretty easy pickings. I think the points you spent on musicians and veterans would be better spent on another unit. More than likely a dwarf unit will be run down if they lose combat, but if not they have a ld 9 and one extra attack from a veteran isn't that great. I would also save my points on some of those runes on your warmachines. Forging on cannon, maybe accuracy on grudge thrower, and burning on a bolt thrower. Any fast moving army will hit your gunline before you can do enough damage, I think. Once they hit your line then it is just a matter of overrunning into the next unit. Also, why units of 12? I like 10, just so if I don't have a hill, I can stretch them in one rank without getting in the way as much. Not sure if that really matters. I might put the anvil in the corner and surround it with something that won't let the enemy just fly a unit over there and occupy it for several turns. Wish I could be more help.

When you say "the competitive scene" Are you planning on taking this army to tournaments or are you just talking about the more bloodthirsty elements of your local gaming community? It, I think, will make a difference in what advice you should/need to take.

Not enough Dispel Dice? Not enough combat units?

The first question must be facetious, the second, given the answer is zero, is one you probably already know the answer to. I'm inclined to say, though that you may not even want a combat unit in this army. Your special slots are all taken, so your first unit will have to be warriors, and they're unlikely to deter much of anything.

Before I go any further, I should say I've been trying to run combat lists, so I'm not sure I can give great advice on a gunline like this.

I'd say you're far too heavily invested in anti-magic. I think you'll do well against many magic lists and ruin some VC players casting phase, but then you've invested 10% of your points in anti-magic items. And that's not even including the cost of runesmiths vs. thanes. On top of that, many of those lists are angling to pop off some IF castings, which you just have to take on the chin anyways. If this is intended as all comers, it just seems somewhat wasted when you're likely going to run into lists that aren't hinging around magic.

Also, I may not be understanding this comment:

I have 10 Dispel Dice, all of which have a 4+ to Dispel

With those runes you should only have a +3 to dispel, right? Am I missing something?

I will second Boogey's comment about your Runelord. The MR of Spite is pretty inefficient there. Now you're paying the same points just to pick up a ward save in close combat. Perhaps better to get him a Rune of Preservation to protect against Tomb scorpions and other killing blow attackers that make it into the back line?

Also, I'll second the comment about not needing the veterans. The musicians, I could take or leave. If you plan to flee charges, I actually like the Ld 10 check instead of 9, though I've failed plenty of both.

As I've mentioned, I'm not the overwhelming expert when it comes to gunlines, but it seems to me that you at least want to divert some anti-magic points over to a little more kick in the shooting phase. I think rune of accuracy is great on grudge throwers, and conventional wisdom is that cannons should not be without the rune of forging if you can help it. I think that Flakkson's is kind of inefficient for its points, but I suppose you will probably have a target against most armies these days.

If you do take it for a spin, let us know how it goes. Even a 3 line battle report for a follow up- I'm certainly interested.

Do you play Fateweaver that much that you just build a list for him?

Other than that

Hmm...

By "Not Enough Combat Units" I know I'm not taking any. I'm asking however from those who have some tournament experience whether or not I should focus on more firepower or add a unit that can actually stand a round of combat or two.

By 4+ to dispel, I have a Rune on a Runesmith that adds +1 to all dispel attempts. In addition to Banner of Valaya, I should have 4. (I don't have my book ATM)

As for lists that aren't magic heavy, I was hoping the storm of shooting could do me some good. However, Armies such as Bretonnians and Ogres will probably eat the feth out of me.

As for the specific Anti-Magic build, tournaments often see Daemon Armies. Tournaments often see Kairos Fateweaver. Tournaments also see Vampire Counts. It seems that both of these lists are magic-dependent, hence why the anti-magic build. Who knows, I could probably have more Dispel Dice than necessary and not enough shooting.

I'll certainly post up some reports.

The Rune of Valaya gives a +2.

I'd worry that you've so much invested in anti magic that you won't be able to do much to direct attacks.

A couple items

The anvil takes up a hero slot so you have 4 heroes and a lord which is to many for 2250

Cannon doesn't need reloading, it does need forging

Basically gunline armies will kill anything that is slow, youll probabally stop anything that relies heavily on magic, and lose badly to anything that has a lot of fast units as they will kill you the second they hit you.

The anvil takes up a hero slot so you have 4 heroes and a lord which is to many for 2250

Doh! How did I forget that?

What about this for you?

Runelord
anvil, GW, MR of Spellbinding, Spellbreaking, preservation, stone, furnace = 421

Runesmith
GW, MR of balance, spellbreaking = 149

Thane BSB
MR of Valaya = 190

10x thunderers w/ shields = 150

10x thunderers w/ shields = 150

10x quarrellers w/ shields = 120

10x quarrellers w/ shields = 120

cannon w/ forging = 125

bolt thrower w/ engineer and burning = 65

bolt thrower w/ engineer = 60

organ gun = 120

organ gun = 120

15x hammerers
shields, command, R of stoicism = 250

20x warriors w/ shields and command = 205

total = 2245

I still think the BSB will be an easy target. Maybe a thane with a GW, oathstone, MR gromril, and resistance for 139 (a Red Zeke build). That would free up 51 points, plus the other 5 and you can get a unit of 5 slayers to guard the anvil (not that 5 is much of a guard). Or you can drop some of the warriors too and get that grudge thrower back in or something else. Without the thane you are still getting 9 dispel dice +1 to the roll and 2x spellbreaking. With the thane you get +3 to the roll and auto dispel to spell in play that are within 12".

Anyway that is just my quick 2 cents. It depends on how you want to play and what models you have.

Try and give your BTs the +1 strength rune

And give your BSB the 5+ ward save rune. It is a rune that counts towards your banner and not other magic items.

You can take the shields off the xbows and thunders.

One point: The 4+ ward save on the anvil is only good against missiles (magic and mundane). So if you really want a 4+ ward in close combat, you need the MRo spite. However, mainly if your anvil got in close combat, you're screwed, so I think your armor buffing strategy is better.

I think 5 extra hammerers are worth more than 10 extra warriors. I would go ahead and drop them down to a minimum unit of 10 with shields and musician, and use them as a charge redirector/speed bump/something. The hammerers will give you great combat res with the BSB in there, and that actually gives you US of +10 with the rune of stoicism. Or maybe drop one unit of shooters, which should give you enough to buff both units up to 20.

Also, I prefer the fear-blocking banner (rune of courage) over the rune of stoicism for anti-vamp and anti-daemons, but that's a preference call.

Organ guns are oh so pretty, but consider a gyrocopter instead. It's very, very useful for marchblocking purposes, which gives you more turns to shoot with the units you've got. Also, you can steam things with it, and s3 hits will kill a lot of skeleton warriors (I don't know if undead can be marchblocked or not, but even if not, the steam gun makes the gyrocopter worth it, as you probably get more auto-hits than the OG anyway).

Since you don't have a grudge thrower to deal with epic beasties, I would suggest dropping the runelord for a master engineer to make your cannon do D6 wounds. You have room for the other spellbreaking rune on your runelord so you don't sacrifice it, but honestly, dispelling at +3 means counts will probably never roll so high your chances of dispelling aren't better than even.

Those are my thoughts, take 'em or leave 'em.

Thats a pretty nasty gun line you got going there. I would put at least one unit that can hold its own, either ironbreakers or hammerers. Even longbeards could be utilized. Flyers could be pretty hurtful so watch out, and if you are facing Daemons of Chaos I would beware a bloodthirster, unless you kill him in the first turn or so, he will more then likely be able to manuever well enough to get a charge to destroy your line, but with the amount of shooting you have its a decent possibility. All in all seems a pretty solid list, though with all gun lines, whoever manages to make it to your lines will beat you.

i dont think your gonna get far with a pure gunline. when i started dwarfs i did the same thing and got beat by anything that can weather the storm.

i would suggest the 1:1 ratio for warmachines and blocks. tuck the guns between the blocks and fire away, anything that weathers the storm has to face the dwarven steel in HTH. for example, my 2250 looks something liek this:

Runelord, avil
Survivable BSB

20 warriors
20 longbeards
10 thunderers

20 hammerers
25 slayers
2 bolt throwers

2 organ guns

so i tuck the OG's and BT's between my blocks, the runelord behind the line. just enough guns to make the opponent react. aim for key units/monsters, slow down others with the anvil then brace for the charge from anything thats left.