Been asked for advice on dwarfs a lot lately and these are my thoughts on the units. I am not really advising anything on characters yet, but I will get around to writing a treatise on this as well. This is more on the lines of general advice for the units and which ones are really better, in my opinion, then others. These ratings are also more on the lines of thinking and all comers type list and not something that you might take against some specific armies. The ratings are in mugs of ale. The more mugs the better the choice with 5 being the best.
CharactersLords
The Dwarf LordThe best of the best for a dwarf to take for fighting characters, the dwarf lord is a expensive little guy but can be customized to many different tasks. In standard games around the 2000 point mark I would only recommend bringing him if you are playing with hammerers. Now, if you read my notes earlier then you know by now that hammerers are great and your dwarf lord will be great with these. Because of the high points cost for a dwarf lord, honestly you are looking at 250 with magic gear usually, that you should kit the guy with decent defensive gear. The shield bearers are great if you can actually find them, otherwise armor and shield with a rune of stone or a Master rune (MR) of gromril for armor save. I would also take some kind of ward save with this guy.
My personal gear on Dougan is usually MR of swiftness, 2 runes of cleaving on his axe, gromril armor with a rune of stone, and a MR of spite for a talisman. Solid build and helps keep hammerers alive when I go with great weapons with them.
The RunelordHonestly, I have only ever used one when taking anvil lists. If you have read my other analysis on the Anvil of Doom that you know that it smells suckawith. He does add the dispel dice to your pool more then a runesmith, but his real lack in the fighting category vs. the dwarf lord makes this an easy switch out. I wouldn't take one unless including the anvil, and I wouldn't take an anvil unless the dwarf build was a gunline. That gunline build will be highly successful, but get old really fast.
Heroes
The ThaneWow, this guy is really good. There are so many places that you can use a thane. Go little points and they are good, go moderate points good, go lots of points great. High toughness makes this guy hard for a lot of things to take down and depending on how you build your thane, you can have them outlive a lot of armies lords. I incude usually as many thanes as I can get by with, and a dwarf list at the 2000 point level can forgo taking a lord because the thane is nearly as good of a general. Dwarfs are worst at killing things in close combat, so most thane builds should focus somewhat on killing things.
Couple common or favorite thane builds -
Gromril armor with rune of stone wielding a great weapon (cheap)
Gromril armor with MR of gromril and a great weapon (moderate and durable)
Gromril armor with rune of stone wielding a great weapon bearing the MR of Kragg the grim, rune of fury and rune of cleaving (killing machine)
The Battle Standard BearerWhile technically this guy is a thane, he deserves his own entry. Every dwarf army from 1000 points on up must have a BSB. The game of warhammer can come down to one failed break test far too often, so having a re-roll there is critical. Additionally, the added bonus of having that extra combat resolution is just so good. Static combat resolution makes up for where the lack of killing power in your regular dwarfs lacks.
There is a debate as to whether to go runic gear or runic banner with this guy. I tend to go the runic banner to get more effect out of his static resolution and to provide other neat effects of magic banners. If going the magic banner route, I would almost always include the 5+ ward and rune of battle and then take your other magic rune of choice. Runic gear can pretty much go the way like the thane, just no great weapons.
RunesmithsFar less costly then the runelord, these are functional anti magic kind of characters. I tend to take mine with two runes of spellbreaking and a single runesmith in games of 2000 points or so. I think a single runesmith with the advent of so many more magic heavy armies taking the stage is adequette, but also a must have investment. They lack in the close combat skills of thanes and it would be wise to equip them in a defensive nature. Just a standard hand weapon, shield and rune of stone is good here leaving points for anti magic a plenty.
Master EngineerAn interesting slot and character type. I like the idea and I wish I could take one more, but the other hero slots are so good and the character role that this guy fills just doesn't do it for me. I think the only time he is really worth it is when you are fielding a canon, and then it is to aid that canon (which the added wounds that he can make the canon do is great). Great idea, but currently only worth fielding if you are going to join him to a canon.
Core Units
The Dwarf Warrior or Clansmen4 mugs of Ale
Dwarf warriors are the backbone of any dwarf army and a must. With the options for heavy armor, shields, and great weapons you can't go wrong with them and noone should go without in thier throng. Still, thier strength three is a strong weakness and great weapons greatly hamper thier survivability. Large units of a minimum of 24 should be taken. Generally if they are equiped with hand weapon and shield a minimum frontage of 5 is good and you can get buy with smaller frontages. If they are equipped with GW, then you want to expand the frontage to a min of 6 wide.
Quarellers (aka Crossbowdwarfs for ye old beards).3 mugs of ale
Thier range is good and probably the best the missile troop in the game when equiped with shields. However, like other missile troops they are weak in combat and spread in lines for maximum shooting they will loose most any advantage they had in hth. Still a good choice and being plastic they are fairly cheap to collect. Equipping with shields goes a long way and they can be placed on a flank where they can deal easily with fast cav and the like and your opponent must dedicate something with a little oomf to deal with them.
Dwarf Thunderers2 2/4 mugs of ale
Nearly as good as their crossbowmen counterparts, they have the same drawbacks as crossbowmen plus they are limited to a 24 inch range. However, the armor piercing ability of the handgun and the bonus to shooting makes up for a bunch. The cost of thunderers to crossbowmen makes quarrelers more effective for the dwarf player both in points and dollars. However, against heavy cavalry or in a moving army, thunderers are a must.
Longbeards4 mugs of ale
Far better then clansmen of course. Still, the biggest plus for these guys is that they come with everything possible for a clansmen, but the stat line of an elite dwarf. Choose in a combat between your great weapons or the hand weapon and shield option dependant on what you face off against. When I get the models I need I will have the ability to field units of these 23-24 strong with one unit hand weapon and shield and the other unit GW.
Rangers1 1/2 mugs of ale
If taken with just the bare essentials they aren't too bad with the scout rules but they just are so expensive pointwise that they just don't earn their points. Ever. Give them throwing axes is about the best way I can think to equip them and then you are looking at 15 points each, far more then any elite you can take. Leave them at home unless you are playing a really big game. These are really complete junk right now without even the old forester rules for moving through woods freely. Don't bother cause most of the time you will be deploying them like your other units.
Special Units
Hammerers5 Mugs of ale
I love my hammerers equipped with the optional shields. Including the general makes them stubborn and nearly unbreakable in close combat. Not to mention the heavy hitting power of great weapons. Tie up a heavy unit of your opponents for a turn with your hammerers and then set up charges with your clansmen or a surprise attack from miners. Frontage wise you want to make them wide and shallow. A lot of armies will simply try to avoid this unit altogether so if they are wide they can cover a lot more ground and force your opponent to not engage a certain part of the field. Great with a rune of battle if you are including a lord to help make up for the lack of rank that often times happens with a wider, expensive unit.
Ironbreakers4.7 mugs of ale
These guys are really, really good but compared to the hammerers you should take those over these every time. The ironbreakers depend on armor to defeat things in combat, so you want to add to their banner things that help their static combat results. Things like a rune of battle or the rune that doubles unit strength are really good with them. Additionally, you want to put a can opener for a character in here for when they fight armored stuff since they are poor at doing that themselves.
Miners3 3/4 mugs of ale
When used correctly, they can be one of the best units available to you. Their limits are they are limited to special selections, unable to place characters, except with magic, with them when using the underground advancement, and the lack of the ability to take shields. Still, to be able to pop out behind the enemy lines with a unit of rock hard dwarfs in full rank and file with great weapons is just awe inspiring. Just be careful you don't get too foolhardy and get them in a spot where you can't get help to them. Their dwarfs, not mountains after all. Either go near minimum unit or go max of 20 if you are going to field them. Anything else is probably not going to cut it.
Slayers3 1/2 mugs of ale
Slayers have alot of advantages and disadvantages though I think if you ignore them then you will be out a great unit. I know with the other elite choices, you find it hard to pick these guys over them. Still, they are unbreakable and this means that you can hold a unit forever. They have an unlimited champion option which makes them harder then heck in close combat, and combined with a dragon or daemon slayer they are a offensive force. If you can manage them a charge they will eat through most other hand to hand units, even high toughness ones!
The Cannon2.5 mugs of ale
The dwarf canon is disappointing in general. While it does have its uses, it has a hard time really delivering that much needed punch to large monsters. Sure, sniper canon still work, but 1/3 of the time when rolling the multiple wounds you are going to fail to kill that lone, hero level wizard and that isn't good when you get those opportunities. With a Master engineer they get significantly better, but you lose a character slot. Use with care because generally a bolt thrower is better.
The Bolt Thrower3 1/2 mugs of ale
On its own, the bolt thrower is very poor with a BS 3 making it more like a 2 star machine. Now stop, and consider the fact that you can take two for one special choice and the fact that one is only 45 points. Bolt throwers lend themselves well to some minor runes which up thier cost some, but I think equally advances thier points. They are great for shooting at large targets and they cannot blow up. You cannot count on them to hit though, and wounding can be an issue on those larger targets. With upgradable engineers for better BS these things are point for point better then canons really now.
The Stone Thrower3 mugs of ale
I don't really care for this machine at all, though I know a lot of dwarf players swear by it. Personally, without runes, I don't think its worth the points and it is why I haven't bought one thus far. The template can kill alot of models when it is accurate, but it is a gamble. I think these should be saved for the experienced dwarf player.
Rare Units
The Organ Gun5 mugs of ale
This thing is amazing in the new book and is as close to a must include as you can get. There is nothing like pointing that warmachine at a unit of light to moderately armored troops and getting that 10 on the artillery dice. I have wiped units of 6 chosen chaos knights with it as well as evaporating whole units around a character so that I could use the rest of my shooting phase to wipe out the character for big points.
The Flame Cannon3 1/4 mugs of ale
Better then the organ gun because you can score more hits against alot of units, but they are not as good as I would like for its high points cost. If the organ gun wasn't so good currently, I would field one of these instead. I have seen them panic units of infantry right off the board on turn one before my opponent has had a turn. That can be a game winner right there.
The Gyrocopter4 mugs of ale
Tactically speaking, the gyrocopter is the good rare choice. I wish you could put some runes on it, but oh well. It is vulnerable to high strength attacks and weapons like Skaven Jezzails, but it's ability to halt march moves and it's ability to flee charges like fast cavalry give it an edge. As well, its ability to move gives you something to do, but sit and wait for your opponents plan to unfold and hope you guessed right. I have used it to run down units I have broken and to help give myself something in a combat where the dwarfs managed to charge to help ensure the opponent was run down.
