KAZAK KRON

Written by Jay Browning

TAKE HEED...

Let it be known that he who leads the people to battle must be wise in ways of battle and war. To be lead by a fool on a fools errand is to come to fools end. I, Golas the Flamebeard, clan king of the Proudbeards of Karak Krut, being named both battlemaster and warmaster, victor in battles uncounted and wars forgotten, have consented to lay down for those yet to come the so called secrets of battle. Those that heed well my words may grow old and wise in the ways of battle and war. Such is my hope. Heed well, for the knowledge laid down in this Kazak Kron has been paid for with wounds, blood, and tears aplenty. Ours is not a numerous race, the price has been dear.

THE CRAFT OF GENERALSHIP...

A formidable general must be like a patient and skilled craftsman, wise in the use of the strengths of his tools and knowing also the limits and weaknesses of each. With this knowledge a craftsman can see that the proper tool is used for the job it best serves. The regiments, war machines, champions, and heros of our people are the tools of you, the would-be battlemaster. Use them properly and keep them well. Replace or mend those that are damaged. If you follow my words then your battles will be masterpieces of generalship and your people grateful to keep their blood from being drunk by the earth and their flesh food for wild beasts.

You must now know that those of our race are renowned as tough, skilled, and determined fighters. The toughness of our bodies also makes us especially resistant to the influence of baneful magic. Our runesmiths have learned well the art of trapping the potent power of magic in runes. Our engineers have labored to build the best artillery in the world, and none but ours can be enhanced by magic or fly through the air as a fish swims in clear mountain lake. These things then are our strengths.

You must also know the weaknesses of your tools so that you do not abuse them in striving for a master work. Our deficits, compared to our enemies, are several. Being short of stature our people are not as fast on the march as most other races, thus it is difficult to bring the strength of our warriors against a nimble foe. Because of our lack of speed our units must deploy close by one another to provide mutual support but closely deployed units enhance the effectiveness of certain enemy machines of war and many evil spells. As the force of magic does not flow easily through our bodies we have no wizards with which to enhance the combat effectiveness of our troops. In place of magi we must rely on magic items from our forges and those captured or received as tribute from lesser races. Though such items are many and some of great power, yet do they fall short of the versatility of a cunning wizard.

Such are the strengths and weaknesses of the tools of a would-be battlemaster. You must come to know fully and well the nature of your tools for their nature affects all that comes after.

THE TOOLS OF THE TRADE...

To better acquaint a general with the tools of his trade I have, in the following pages, detailed the strengths and weaknesses of the units that can be found in dwarf armies. I have included suggested enhancements and also suggestions on the role the unit or machine best fills on the battlefield. War Machines, Regiments, Leaders, Allies, Monsters, and Magic Items are covered in that order.

WAR MACHINES

More so for dwarf armies than any other, war machines are the arbiter of battle. When used successfully they can splatter enemy leaders and blast holes in regiments to the point that they crumble when engaged in melee. In any case you can rest assured that the enemy will spend much time and effort in attempting to minimize their effects.

Some generals like to organize their war machines into batteries. This is most often folly, as an enemy can then tie up several machines at once by attacking one . Having two organ guns put out of action because a third is under attack from a dragon seems unwise at best. It is better that those unengaged war machines are able to blast the beast into pulp after the defending crew flee or are slain defending their weapon. Adding one or more powerful leaders to a battery or even a crew is folly as well, such resources are better used elsewhere.

ORGAN GUNS

During the time of tribulations after the great quakes damaged and destroyed many clanholds and the greenskins and skaven were swarming over our lands like flies on a corpse there was held a council of kings where the clan kings spoke of their problems fighting battles in which our people were often desperately outnumbered. The Engineers Guild quickly responded to the orders of the high king to develop weapons designed for the wholesale slaughter of enemy regiments. The first of these brutally efficient weapons was the organ gun.

A newly forged general often finds the range of an organ gun to be deceptive. Although it is only practical to sight out to a range of 24 donstrol the quality of the powder, size and composition of the ball and the wear of the barrel all play havoc with the best calculations. These vagaries add another 2 to 10 donstrol to the travel of the ball through the air and once it strikes the earth a ball will skip or bounce another 2 to 10 donstrol. Thus a capable artillerist can strike a target 36 donstrol away more often than not and with the blessing of Grimnir a target up to 44 donstrol away may be hit. Although it is thrown with the same force as a cannon the balls from an organ gun are smaller and do slightly less damage. Even so, I have witnessed a mighty dragon turned into a pudding of pulped flesh and shattered bone from an organ gun volley.

Often a general must make crucial decisions as to which war machine, if any, are to receive the blessing of the runesmith. To such commanders I can offer some small advice, if it be needed. When facing the restless dead, or the cursed spawn of chaos, or the wiley forest elves it will serve you well to have the runesmith bestow the Rune of Burning on at least one of your organ guns, and even better if on two or more. If your supply of organ guns is limited, or if you have a gun set to fill aspecial role in a battle consider well the Rune of Fortune which invokes the blessing of Grimnir to protect the gun and crew when the inevitable misfire occurs. On occasion the Rune of Disguise must be used to hide the machine. Usually this is done in one of two situations. The first is when an enemy with a powerful missile capability is encountered and the enemy may be able to shoot first and render the gun or crew inoperable. The second is when a general wishes to unleash a potentially devastating psychological surprise on his opponent by opening fire at a critical time on an enemy unit, perhaps a character who has carelessly left the protection afforded by being a member of a regiment or maybe a regiment of a single rank has presented its flank, thus making it possible to kill many as if firing through the ranks of larger formation. Lastly, a desperate situation may call for the Rune of Immolation. The use of this mighty rune should only be considered as a last resort when an army facing almost certain defeat. The rune will prevent the gun from being captured and if properly times will carry many an enemy to his grave, both of which are laudable.

Because they are easily manufactured, sturdy, and easy to use organ guns are in plentiful supply so even a small army can take several if its general so wishes, and any general worthy of the name will.

CANNONS

The battle cannon has been among the arsenals of our people for millennia and its uses are well known. Though lighter than those battle cannon of the Empire of Men, a dwarf cannon can better be hauled up treacherous mountain paths and for all that still can still sight to 48 donstrol, plus the usual allowance for the vagaries of powder plus the bounce of the shot. The balls are heavier than those of the organ gun and as expected can do slightly more damage when striking a target. Sometimes there is no substitute for range and accuracy and in those times the cannon is the tool of choice. Yet even so, the single shot of a cannon does not carry the destructive power of a volley from an organ gun.

I will not dwell long on the use of runes on cannon for it is much the same as with organ guns with a single difference. A cannon may have the Rune of Forging inscribed upon it which bestows another of the blessings of Grimnir and so reduces the chances of a misfire occurring. In those situations where your artillery will be arbiter of battle a Rune of Forging and a Rune of Fortune are worthy additions, making a cannon ultra-reliable.

Cannons are not as common as organ guns and seldom appear in the order of battle except when a dwarf army is attacking an enemy stronghold. Even so it is a worthy tool in the hands of a battlemaster.

FLAME CANNONS

After their success with the organ gun the Engineers Guild experimented with many innovative weapons, most of which either proved to be unreliable, to expensive, or too difficult to use on the battlefield. Among the failures and cast offs there was a notable success which has since proven itself time and time again, the much feared flame cannon.

Although spectacularly successful when properly employed the flame cannon does suffer from unreliability. The engineers have traced this problem to the difficulty in regulating a constant pressure in the pressure chamber due to the variations in valve quality, internal temperature, and consistency of the fuel mixture. Unfortunately this problem is far from being resolved and consequently a flamecannon will occasionally discharge when brought up to pressure. For this reason it is unwise to deploy any troops in front of the flame cannon, lest they be inadvertently charred.

Although it can be sighted out to 12 donstrol the flame jet will travel another 2 to 10 donstrol due to the same variables that cause the unwanted discharges. While it may seem that the range is too short to effective on the battlefield this is not the case because the jet itself is a good 10 donstrol long and nearly 3 wide at its greatest expansion. Thus can the flame cannon reach a target 30 to 32 donstrol away under ideal conditions, although shooting at an enemy further than 22 donstrol away risks missing it entirely.

An inexperienced general who has never seen a flame cannon in action might wonder why such a cantankerous weapon should be included in the army. I would have too, had I not seen the destruction wrought by a flame cannon at the Battle of Uri’s Thumb. The cone of flame from the cannon completely destroyed a regiment of orcs with a single mighty gout of flaming death and a regiment of goblins was so fearful of the weapon that even though they suffered but a single casualty the whole regiment fled the field.

The lessons I learned from this battle and those that followed where flame cannons were used is that they are most effective against masses of troops and if those masses also have deplorable leadership they are doubly effective. The flame mixture is so potent that even the armor of chaos knights is not proof against it, though not penetrated as often as a dwarf general would like. Inscribing the Rune of Fortune on a flame cannon is a wise move since the weapon suffers severely when misfires occur. The Rune of Disguise is of limited utility due to the involuntary discharge problem, but never the less can prove to be useful if you need to hide the weapon for a short time. The Rune of Penetration can be useful when facing troops that are heavily armored, such as chaos knights. The Rune of Immolation is often inscribed on a flame cannon when facing enemies with few missile troops or war machines since they must rely closing with the cannon and crew in order to destroy it, and a flame cannon is a prime target for the enemy once they have felt or seen what it can do.

A flame cannon should be in the arsenal of all dwarf generals and included in the order of battle of all but the smallest of armies except when facing an enemy force composed almost solely of missile troops.

STONE THROWERS

Against a numerous foe, especially skaven or greenskins, it is often worth while to add a couple of stone throwers to your order of battle since your enemies troop density will offset the innate inaccuracy of this weapon which tends to scatter its ammunition wildly.

What the Engineers Guild was unable to resolve the runesmith repaired. By inscribing the Rune of Accuracy on a stone thrower accuracy improves by 100%. The cost of the materials needed for the inscription ceremony for the Rune of Accuracy is about two thirds of the cost of a small stone thrower so some generals prefer to purchase an additional stone thrower instead, making up for inaccuracy with more shots in the hope that if you throw enough stones at a target sooner or later you are going to hit it.

BOLT THROWERS

Long ago before the discovery of blasting powder, before organ guns and cannons, the boltthrower and the stone thrower were the only two war machines in a dwarf generals order of battle. With the advent of the cannon and organ gun the bolt thrower has been relegated to being a poor second choice when it comes to weapons capable of killing ranks of troops. Against an enemy renowned for their toughness the organ gun is the better choice even though it is slightly more expensive than the bolt thrower as the strength of ball shot is known to be twice that of a bolt and is not diminished by successive ranks of troops. The organ gun can fire five times over two turns where as two bolt throwers can only fire four times and are less likely to hit. Thus the organ gun is a more efficient killer than the bolt thrower even though it is more expensive.

Yet the bolt thrower is still occasionally fielded. It is cheap and extremely reliable. When enhanced by rune magic, it can target and hit high flying creatures, which no other war machine can do. This last ability is why some dwarf generals still employ this antiquated war machine. Depending on the type of flying creature an enemy fields there may be better ways to counter the threat they impose than spending resources on a rune enhanced bolt thrower. However the ability to take offensive action against a high flying hero on a relatively weak mount such as a pegasus or war eagle often proves irresistible, and the psychological effect on an enemy who has not been subjected to this tactic can prove worth the cost of the Rune of Seeking, and maybe a Rune of Penetrating as well. Just do not expect to hit too often as the bolt thrower is not know for its accuracy.

GYROCOPTERS

Of all the war machines in the dwarf arsenal, non confounds our enemies as does the most amazing creation of the Engineers Guild, the remarkable gyrocopter. Gyrocopters are often used as scouts, for which they are excellent, and to carry messages between armies and strongholds, but they have a place on the battlefield as well. They are a blessing to a dwarf general as they can provide what no other item or unit our people posses, extreme mobility. Their speed and unique armaments cannot be duplicated by any other war machine of any race.

The gyrocopter is not without weaknesses. They cannot climb to the dizzying heights where eagles and dragons soar. They are unsuited to hand to hand combat against most foes. The pilot must shun the use of armor, though some protection is afforded by the war machine itself.

A gyrocopter may move up to 24 donstrol in the same amount of time a unit of ironbreakers can double time 6. This allows a general to quickly move an offensive unit to the flank or even the rear of an enemy battle line and by doing so require the enemy to move with greater caution. Fleeing units are prime targets for the far charging gyrocopter which slay or scatter them to the four winds.

The primary attack of the gyrocopter is from the marvelous steam cannon that spews forth hot steam, similar in effect to a red dragon’s breath and being proof against armor. The use of the steam cannon taxes the engine and cuts mobility by half, thus it cannot be used as often as the pilot would like. The ‘copter is also equipped with bombs which do not affect the engines power and can be dropped anywhere along the bombing run. The bombs are not accurate, often bouncing 2 to 10 donstrol along the flight path before exploding. While the bomb explosion covers an area as large as that affected by a stone thrower the force of the explosion is much less, thus the steam cannon is the preferred weapon as it covers a larger area, is more accurate and reliable.

It often pays to bless a gyrocopter with one or more of the Rune of Penetration. Some commanders have ‘copters inscribed with the Rune of Disguise, which causes a great psychological effect in the enemy as they can hear the noise of the engine, yet cannot see from which direction the expected attack will come. Some enemy generals have been known to be so distracted by the unseen‘copter that they lose their focus on the rest of the battle, much to their detriment. As with other machines the addition of runes uses resources that might better be spent purchasing additional units or items. Do not make the mistake of a shortbeard and be overcome by marital fervor in this regard. Make sure there is a definite purpose for each machine and each rune.

REGIMENTS

The regiments of our armies are the fleshy walls that protect our lives and property even more so than walls of stone. Often they are the unbreakable rocks against which enemy armies crash again and again only to drain away defeated. Treat them well as if they were your children, with discipline and kindness, and they will repay you a hundred fold. Their blood is precious, spend it wisely, do not waste it.

CROSSBOW

It is said by The Longbeard, keeper of the Book of Remembering of Karaz A Karak, that crossbows were first used some 4000 years ago. Certainly it drastically changed the methods of warfare for our people, finally giving us superiority in ranged weapons over the lesser races of the Old World due to its 30 donstrol range and superior armor piercing ability. The crossbow has changed little in the last 2500 years, nor have the methods of employing the troops that use it.

Regiments of crossbow are of two types. The small regiment usually has from 5 to 8 troops with no standard bearer or musician. The larger units are typically of 12 to 24 troops including a standard bearer and musician and often a powerful leader as well. Sometimes both types can found in the same army. In any case they each have similar but different functions and deployments as one might imagine.

The Small Unit

This version of the crossbow armed unit is best used as a screening force. These units are deployed in the first line in front of the main line which will consist of units equipped and organized for melee. The small crossbow unit has the task of picking off the odd enemy troops to cut down on any advantage they may have from weight of numbers. When possible several of these units can concentrate their fire on the same target. If these small units flee due to casualties from enemy missile fire it is of no import as they will have fulfilled their task and would have needed to be moved out the way when the enemy approached their charge range anyway.

Small units as these are often placed on the flanks of a battle line as well and this is a position for which they are admirably suited, especially if deployed at an angle closely perpendicular to the approach path of the enemy thus giving them a wide angle of fire over the largest number of targets. When deployed thusly these units may also charge engaged enemy regiments in the flank and thereby negate any advantage the enemy may have due to weight of numbers. It may prove advantageous for units used in this manner to be armed with hand weapons and shield for additional staying power and to allow them to take advantage from the impetuous of the charge by gaining first strike. In all other cases the expense of equipping crossbow armed units with shields takes up resources better used elsewhere.

It is true that small units are fragile and should they be engaged in hand to hand combat theirdefeat is certain, but this can only happen early in the battle if they are attacked by a flying unit and should this be the case only a small portion of the army’s missile capability is lost and the bulk can still fire to effect.

Such is the nature of the small unit.

The Large Unit

The large unit of crossbow armed troops are designed to provide concentrated fire on a single enemy target and give the unit a fighting chance at victory in hand to hand combat against the enemy rank and file troops. To this end large units are often armed with two handed axes. Although such weapons are not easily wielded they are devastating when they hit and as the large unit must change from a line formation into a column when the enemy draws into their charge range most likely it will be receiving a charge rather than delivering.

The large unit, being less maneuverable than the smaller, should be deployed toward the center of the battle line, preferably on the slope of a hill so it can deploy in multiple ranks and still fire with full effect.

Large units may gain advantage from runic banners. A Rune of Battle or two can be a powerful aid when a large unit finds itself engaged in hand to hand combat. Another often used enhancement is the Rune of Slowness which can often give a large unit time to launch an extra volley of bolts at an enemy or even steal the initiative and gain the charge. A very large unit of crossbow can gain advantage from the Rune of Fear as well, which not only enhances its hand to hand combat ability but by sowing fear and uncertainty in enemy ranks may also provide time for an extra volley or maneuver.

If properly organized and formed for melee large units can prove the equal of the rank and file troops of any other army. This is obviously not the function they are best suited for however and any crossbow armed unit can quickly be overwhelmed by an elite enemy unit.

Such is the nature of the large unit.

THUNDERERS

The Engineers Guild constantly works to improve the quality of existing weapons and develop new ones. The hand gun and pistol are two such weapons, and being new will no doubt go through changes as the engineers perfect them. The advantages of such weapons are that they are better than crossbows at piercing armor. At this time they fire half as often as a crossbow and are only effective out to a range of 24 donstrol. These units are worse than the crossbow armed regiments in hand to hand combat as well.

If a general is faced with heavily armored opponents and the lay of land is such that they are not visible until they are 24 donstrol away then thunderers might be considered. Thunderer regiments can benefit from the same runic banners as crossbow regiments so I will not repeat that here.

Even though they may have a surprise value against a foe that does not expect them a unit of crossbow with fare better than thunderers on the battlefield until range and rate of fire problems of the hand gun can be improved by the engineers.

CLANSMEN

The mainstay of any dwarf army are the doughty clansmen. These warriors, when armed with spear and shield, have surprised many a foe with their fighting ability and will more often than not emerge victorious over the rank and file infantry of any other race.

As with any regiment meant to engage the enemy in hand to hand combat these should be large. At least 20 troops are required, up to double that if they are to carry the fight to the enemy, and organized in 4 or 5 ranks. Such units must always have the accompanying musician and standard bearer as well as one or more powerful leaders. Arming these regiments with spears allows more attacks in most situations which offsets the higher skill levels of the elite regiments and since they can be fielded in large numbers the regiments are often more survivable than the elites. Adding shields gives them the staying power they need so they can absorb an enemy charge and still fight effectively.

A runic banner is a worthy addition to any regiment of clansmen. The Rune of Fear is effective because they can fielded in large numbers. A large regiment of clansmen bearing the Rune of Courage on their banner can keep an enemy elite regiment tied up for a long time and stands a good chance of defeating it. Large regiments also attract attention from enemy spell casters so a Rune of Warding would provide additional protection in those instances where you only have a single regiment of melee troops in your army.

Clansmen regiments must be organized to withstand casualties and still inflict damage on the foe. The bane of clansmen are heavily armored opponents as they do not have the strength or the heavy double handed weapons to effectively penetrate armor . Do not make the mistake of fielding them with too few troops as they will surely break as easily as brittle human-forged steel.

MINERS

Dwarf miners have often found themselves in combat while delving among the roots of mountains. They are tough and hardy, wielding their two handed picks with great effect and protected with heavy armor. Miners are excellent troops when formed into a large regiment and accompanied by a standard bearer, musician, and a strong leader. These troops, though not as skilled as the elite units, can be raised in large numbers and inflict severe damage on an enemy. Their weapons, which pierce armor easily, are somewhat unwieldily compared to singlehanded weapons and as with most dwarf units miners will likely have to have the numbers to absorb a charge before mauling their enemies in hand to hand combat.

A unit of miners can benefit from a runic standard in the same ways as clansmen, so I’ll not repeat that here. Miners are a welcome addition to any general’s army, so long as they are plentiful.

LONGBEARDS

A dwarf general may, by gathering the older and most experienced warriors together in a single regiment, form a unit of longbeards. When so organized longbeards are a potent force able to match their skill against any enemy regiment. Although they shun all but single handed weapons they wield them with greater skill than the ordinary clansmen. They are also stronger and quicker, having reached their prime. Heavy armor and shields affords them excellent protection. In an army without ironbreakers a unit of longbeards will be found at the point of an attack. Being drawn from the ranks of clansmen they can fielded in large numbers, something often difficult to do with iron breakers, and hammerers are rarely seen on the battlefield if unaccompanied by their king.

Longbeards can be relied upon to engage any enemy unit with effect but heavily armoredtroops can be a problem even with their greater strength. Some newly forged generals may be intimidated by their grumbling yet it should not be so, for their counsel is full of wisdom and the other troops enjoy their tart jibes and half mumbled complaints.

See the description of clansmen to learn how longbeards can benefit from a runic standard.

No dwarf general can go wrong by including a unit of longbeards in his army.

HAMMERERS

Hammerers are elite warriors, strong and quick, highly skilled, and well armored. They are seldom seen on a battlefield without their king, and dwarf kings are not as numerous as they once were.

Hammerers are the best dwarf regiment to use against a heavily armored enemy unit. When bearing the great two handed hammers they are truly devastating. They literally crush their opponents with their greater strength and double handed weapons. Of course as with all double handed weapons shields may not be used in hand to hand combat so hammerers often do without them at the expense of blood and wounds. Hammerers should be formed into large units of 24 to 30 and accompanied by a musician, standard bearer, king and other great leaders.

See the section on clansmen and crossbow for my words on runic banners.

IRON BREAKERS

As you might expect iron breakers are strong, quick and wield their favored weapons with deadly skill surpassing that of ordinary clansmen. With the Rune of Stone engraved on each troopers heavy armor, and carrying shields as well, iron breakers have the best protection of any infantry regiment. Their magic armor affords additional protection against many spells and magic weapons as well, making it doubly valuable. Yet iron breakers are few and do not often shirk their dangerous work to take the field against enemies unless the stronghold is under attack or some other equally drastic circumstance prevails.

Although they are stronger than ordinary clansmen due their constant training and combat, they do not have magic weapons and very heavily armored opponents will tie them up for some time on the battlefield. Even so, if troops are needed to form the spearhead of an assault, especially against a foe with many missile weapons, none suite this task better than iron breakers.

See the section on clansmen and crossbow for my words on runic banners.

SLAYERS

The drengi, those who bear a grudge against themselves, the death seekers, slayers, by whatever name they are known these troops are the gift of Grimnir to a dwarf general. They are totally without fear and never break in hand to hand combat. There ability to pick out the vital weaknesses of tough enemies and inflict wounds where others would fail is legendary. When armed with two hand weapons, a slayer regiment in melee can be likened to a waterwheel powered saw able to cut through nearly anything. The main weakness of slayers is that they shun armor and so are extremely vulnerable to enemy missile fire. In such cases a unit of slayers either needs to be too small and out of the way for an enemy to bother with or it needs to have many ranks so that there will be slayers enough to carry out whatever mission the unit has been give regardless of casualties.

Slayers are often used in one of two roles. They are used in small units as a flank guard, as screening units, and protect war machines from attacks by roaming monsters or powerful enemy warriors. They are also occasionally fielded in large units to crush an enemy in hand to hand combat, however large units of slayers are a rare sight except near Karak A Kadrin. The sight of such a regiment marching into battle, lead by the resplendent Slayer King, is one that will stay with you for the rest of your days. It is a sight our enemies dread to see, and often their last.

Slayers scorn the use of banners, though they will allow the battle standard bearer to accompany them, so they do not often gain the benefits of runic standards as do other regiments.

CHAMPIONS, HEROS, AND LORDS

The General

The general of an army is often the best hand to hand fighter in the army. Since our people do not often need the inspiration of a leader to steady them the general should be in the forefront of the battle and should lead whatever unit is to spearhead the attack or counterattack. A powerful magic weapon exerts its effects best in the hands of the most powerful warrior so arm the general well.

Because the general is revered by his troops, who sometimes panic and flee at his demise, so he must be well and truly protected. Protection against enemy war machines is often best found by staying out of the line of fire, yet this is often at odds with the goal of leading an attack. Yet some protection from war machines can be gained by a general by staying within a unit, as the members will often sacrifice themselves to save him whom they revere. Many are the brave troops that selflessly pushed their general out of harms way only to slain in his place. In hand to hand combat a general must rely on his own skill and armor to protect him from disabling wounds and so he should have the best available, within reason.

Remember, our people are renowned for their steadiness in battle and for us the loss of a general need not be fatal to the army as it is for lesser races, especially the undead. It will avail a general not to spend too many resources on expensive armor or weapons if by doing so the numbers of troops or war machines are greatly reduced. Remember the maidens saying about putting all your eggs in one basket.

The Runesmith

Runesmiths are rare and valuable, and the more powerful of them are difficult to pry from their duties in the clan forge. Yet every dwarf army should be accompanied by a runesmith. For this reason it is most often the younger runesmiths that accompany armies to the battlefield.

The runesmith is second only to the general in his need for protection from the enemy and my words written there apply to him as well. Runesmiths often have their own favorite weapon, usually a powerful hammer inscribed with the Master Rune of Flight and several lesser runes. The Rune of Might and Rune of Smiting are often seen together as are the Rune of Smiting and Rune of Breaking. Such weapons has proven their potency repeatedly and are especially useful against a charging hero.

Nearly every runesmith can be seen wielding their staff of spell breaking. This talismanic object inscribed with two or three Runes of Spell breaking has the power to negate all but the mostforcefully cast enemy spell. A runesmith has often saved entire armies from ghastly deaths at the hands of foul magicians by negating a deadly spell at a critical time.

The Anvil Of Doom

An anvil of doom, great relic of our ancestors, bearer of the forgotten Rune of Sorcery, ultimate tool of runesmiths, is too valuable to risk in all but the most desperate battles where the fate of a stronghold is at stake or when a force escorting an anvil that is being relocated comes under attack. To risk the loss of an anvil in any other battle is the act of a fool.

That having been said the anvil and the runesmith riding upon it are a potent addition to a dwarf general’s army. The nature of the anvil is to draw in the power of the winds of magic. In times of peace this power is used to forge powerful runic items. On the battlefield this power can be unleashed by the accompanying runesmith in the form of powerful blasts of lighting which are proof against all but the most potent of magic protections. With the might of the anvil the runesmith can sometimes turn the power of enemy spells against the foe and perform other wonders only guessed at by “those not the craft” as the runesmiths call the rest of us.

Although the power of the anvil is great and runesmiths and the anvil guards derive some protection from missile fire due to the invulnerable bulk of the anvil itself there are two points that need be taken into consideration when it must used in battle. It is no small expense to have the anvil removed from the forge and placed on its carriage. Perhaps resources spent on preparing the anvil for battle could be spent on troops or some other item that would more suited to a particular battle. The other problem with the anvil is that even with its specially prepared carriage it is slow to move, so it must be deployed with the utmost care.

The Battle Standard and Bearer

The battle standard of the army is revered by the troops and should not be exposed to the danger of capture by an enemy without good cause. If the army is primarily composed of missile troops the battle standard may best be left secured in its vault, as the resources needed to bring it to the battlefield could best be used to purchase another organ gun or unit of crossbow. Should the army be one with the objective of closing for hand to hand combat then the battle standard should be present in the front rank of the unit leading the attack.

Battle standards are often festooned with the most powerful runes. The Master Rune of Valaya once being the most common, but less so of late since the winds of magic have become more difficult for wizards to tap. The Master Rune of Stromni Readbeard inspires the already stout rank and file to even greater determination to hold fast against the unsettling effect battle sometimes has on their hearts and minds, and is seen more often these days. The Master Rune of Groth One-Eye is not without its supporters, inspiring troops to greater efforts in hand to hand combat, and often providing the margin of victory. Yet just as often the battle standard is solely adorned with one or more runes of lesser power, yet no less useful for that.

Remember that the enemy often places a bounty on the death of the battle standard bearer, and those enemies possessing powerful heros on flying mounts or wizards capable of teleporting them should be most carefully watched. The resources needed for the Ceremony of Unveiling for the battle standard may be better used elsewhere. To often is the army made weak and brittle like bad steel because to much was spent on ceremonies and not enough on equipping and feeding the rank and file. If you chose to unveil and carry forth the battle standard make sure you have set a definite purpose for its use. To lose it is a shame to the name of the general that brought it to the battlefield as well as his clan.

Heros and Champions

Free ranging heros armed with powerful weapons are the stuff of legend and many a dwarf hall is decorated with the sagas of heros past, inspirations to brave warriors to come. Since our people are stout of heart and seldom quail at the approach of danger a hero is not often needed to steady the ranks.

The fighting ability of a hero in melee can often be the difference in winning the combat or losing it, especially when enhanced by a magic weapon. A hero bearing a weapon with the Master Rune of Snorri Spanglehelm and two of the Rune of Fury is a potent hero indeed! If a general needs to select a bearer for a potent magic item such the fabled Pipes of Doom or the Ruby Chalice, a champion may be the better choice as they are less expensive to field than a hero.

Be selective in your assignment of heros to the regiments and be certain each fills a measured purpose that will gain advantage against a foe, then be sure to pursue the advantage to its fullest.

ALLIES

Allies are like a hammer with a splintered handle, difficult to grasp and likely to cause a missed stroke, but better than no hammer at all. Allies are seldom as committed to a cause as your clansmen and it is often difficult to make proper use of their unique abilities due to lack of familiarity with them. Often allies can fill a crucial role in a battle that our people could not, and this is the reason some generals seek their employ. To such generals I would say that they are better off mastering the tools of their own forge rather than borrowing the unfamiliar tools of anothers.

MONSTERS

Occasionally a hero or lord will, for his pleasure, tame a powerful monster and seek to employ it on the field of battle. Such efforts always have a high degree of risk that the monster will flee the field when the attention of the trainer lapses and as such are not recommended. Only dragons have been used in this way with much in the way of success. Of the dragons, the white and green have proven to be the most useful, with blue the least and red and black in between.

Swarms of lesser creatures driven toward the enemy can often achieve effective results. Being nearly mindless and consisting of many small creatures they can tie down an enemy unit or hero for some time. Swarms are especially good for guarding the flanks of an army, less so for screening.

SELECTING THE TOOLS...

In the preceding pages you have read of the nature of the tools of the general and have pondered upon the strengths and weaknesses of each. From the descriptions of each you can derive that each tool serves a particular purpose, but it is up to you see that it is employed to its best advantage.

The proper tool depends on what you are trying to accomplish. Before embarking on a campaign to bring a foe to battle consider what the likely circumstances surrounding the battle will be. Will you be fighting in mountains, plains, or underground? Are you trying to capture a fortification or are you likely to be defending in an open field? Does the enemy’s strength lie in an abundance of missile weapons or will they try to close ground quickly and engage in hand to hand combat? How does the enemy’s mobility compare with your own? Do they have a few powerful spell casters or many lesser ones? Do they tend to field their heros mounted on powerful flying monsters? What is their primary weakness, poor leadership, lack of armor, lack of numbers? And always there is the trade off of quality and quantity to be considered. When ever possible all of these questions, and more, should be answered before you develop an order of battle. Once you have an idea of what is likely you can develop a plan to handle not only the likely situation but you can have contingency plans as well. Chose your units accordingly.

Armies can be named to be of one of three types. Each is does some things better than the others. The missile army consists primarily of crossbow and war machines. This army seeks to prevent any enemy units from crossing the battlefield and engaging in hand to hand combat. While it may be offensive strategically, tactically this army is defensive. The melee army relies instead on taking the fight to the enemy and consists of several large blocks of regiments optimized for hand to hand combat. This army is often best used to attack an enemy who’s mobility restricted either by choice or by circumstance. The composite army is one that is a blend of the two. This army is a difficult one to command effectively because of its shear flexibility. An inexperienced general will be overwhelmed with choices, thus such an army is best reserved for the battlemaster.

The problem of mobility haunts every decision that a dwarf general makes when selecting and deploying troops. Because your regiments will be charged more often than they will be charging every regiment of elite troops, miners, and clansmen must contain enough troops to survive a charge by an enemy and be able to subsequently grind the enemy down. Equipping clansmen with spears and shields, crossbow and hammerers with two handed weapons, a leader with the Golden Scepter of Norgrim or the Ruby Chalice or a standard bearer with the Banner of Shielding, including champions, heros, and lords in your regiments with items such as the Master Rune of Spite, Rune of Parrying, Master Rune of Gromril or Adamant, all of these things enhance the survivability of a unit. There are of course more such items than I have mentioned here, but the availability is not always constant so you must choose from those you have at hand.

There are a few items that can help in allowing dwarf regiments to be able to charge the enemy. The first is put the Rune of Slowness onto the unit banner. This is not often effective against cavalry or chariots but against infantry it works well. The other trick is to march into the enemy’s charge range and use the Firey Ring of Thori to create a wall of flame 6 donstrol in front your unit. If the enemy is foolish enough to move up to the flame wall you can then use the power of the Golden Scepter of Norgrim to give your regiment the extra incentive they need to charge when you bring thebarrier comes down. This trick seldom works against an opponent more than once. A warhorn with the Master Rune of Dismay can be effective against an enemy with poor resolve, freezing them in place with fear and indecision, just long enough for your regiments charge them!

If army is consists of large units outfitted for hand to hand combat you should still include a few war machines to help cover the flanks and rear and keep enemy heros from ranging about to freely. However in such situations it is best not to use stone throwers as they may inadvertently lob their deadly cargo into one of your own units as the battle lines close.

When fighting against the forces of the undead or any enemy that relies heavily on the effects of fear and terror any large regiments you have should be equipped with the Rune of Courage, which renders them immune to such effects!

If you find your army pitted against the forces of chaos or other armies that often abound with flying monsters then the Orb of Thunder, Scarecrow Banner, or banner of X can be devastating, especially when combined.

The use of runes to enhance war machines really comes down to the age old problem of quality verses quantity. In favor of the quantity argument is that if you are lucky and a higher than average number of shots hit the enemy then the potential exists to inflict tremendous damage. There is also the fact that if you lose a war machine due to a misfire you still have others to pound the enemy with. The quality argument says that although you have fewer machines their accuracy or strength is increased giving them a better chance to inflict damage than the run of the mill machine and also you can reduce the chance of misfiring which increases the longevity of the machine and crew, thus giving you the same number of shots as if you had several ordinary machines, over the long run. In a protracted campaign longevity can be of overriding importance, especially if replacement costs are high. When the fate of the campaign hinges on the outcome of a single battle quantity may provide the edge needed to win. This calculating with the lives of crewmen may seem cold blooded and it is, but such calculations are the lot of the general when trying to find a way to pay the butcher’s bill. The final decision is up to the individual general, as it should be.

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