THE BEST DWARF INFANTRY IN WARHAMMER: THE OLD WORLD
(Part 1/2)
Dwarf close combat infantries. Which ones are good? Which ones are bad?
Dwarfs have a solid selection of close combat infantry, and people often ask which unit hits harder and which one holds the line better. Well, in this post, we go through all of them and give a proper answer.
Here we’ll talk about the Dwarf Warriors, Longbeards, and Hammerers. In part 2, weâll cover the rest.
Dwarf Warriors: the basic (and somewhat cheap) option
Letâs start with the most accessible unit: Clan Warriors, at 11 points per model with the setup I recommend.
On the one hand, they help you meet the minimum Core requirement (it may seem obvious, but it’s a crucial factor when picking infantry in this army). On the other hand, I donât think they should be your first pick when building a list.
Theyâre not what you want to include right away, but if at some point youâre going over your points limit and struggling to balance your list, one viable option is to downgrade one of your infantry units to Dwarf Warriors without having to cut Irondrakes, Gyrocopters, or war machines.
As for gear, I think it’s key to equip them with both great weapons and shields, because 90% of the time, dwarf infantry wonât get to choose which combat they engage inâyour opponent will.
So improving your unit versatility and movement are your best tools to force or avoid certain combats. (Since they come with the âShieldwallâ rule by default, you should always plan around what will happen after the first combat round to reposition your enemy.)
Depending on the opposing unit, they may or may not engage yours based on your equipment. If you have both weapon options⊠your opponentâs decision becomes much tougher.
Paying for the Drilled rule is almost mandatory, because dwarfs have very limited mobility. Being able to reform ranks before moving can be the difference between positioning correctly or not, or between pulling off a charge or failing it (especially avoiding difficult terrain or impassable terrain messing with your corner).
However, I wouldnât pay for the Veterans upgrade. Why? Because dwarfs already have very high Leadership, and this doesnât really add much.
Also, the unit champion can only carry weapon runes (which arenât very interesting), unlike other units like the…
Longbeards in The Old World: reliable veterans with synergy
If youâre looking for a reliable and versatile unit, Longbeards offer more than meets the eye.
Theyâre the upgraded version of Dwarf Warriors, costing 4 more points (15 points per model). Is the upgrade worth it?
They share several traits with Dwarf Warriors:
- They’re a Core unit in most army compositions.
- They have Drilled.
- They also have Shieldwall.
- Any friendly unit within 6″ may re-roll panic tests.
- They count as Veterans already.
- +1 Weapon Skill (they have 5).
- +1 Strength (Strength 4, and 6 with great weapons).
- Armor Piercing if using hand weapon and shield.
- Extra benefits from the unit championâs runes.
The unit champion can pick runes from different types, not just weapon runes (unlike Dwarf Warriors). For example, one I find mandatoryâat just 5 pointsâis the one that allows the unit to move through terrain without penalties. This means difficult terrain doesnât reduce your movement, whether youâre charging or just moving normally.
Bear in mind, for units that already move slowly, losing even 1 inch due to terrainâwhich might be nothing for cavalryâmeans a 33% movement loss for you, which is huge.
Additionally, thanks to that rune, you still get to use the highest dice for charge distance, and you get to re-roll failed dangerous terrain tests. You canât ask for more for 5 points.
Some people consider this unit to be the best fit for lists built around the âmove-a-lotâ combo using the Runic Anvil, which I covered in a dedicated post (linked below). Basically, the combo involves putting this unit right in the enemyâs face on turn one.
However, others argue that the most appropriate unit for the Anvil combo is the…
Hammerers: hitting hard at initiative
Bear in mind theyâre even more expensive than Longbeards: 18 points per model with shield and Drilled. Thatâs no joke for a unit that still moves 3. Letâs look at what they offer compared to previous units, without repeating information.
Theyâre Stubborn, which gives you extra security if something goes wrong and you lose a combat.
Their great weapons strike at initiative.
When charged, they gain +1 Initiative and get 2 attacks per model.
If you place your Hammerers just an inch away from the enemy and they charge you, youâre likely to strike simultaneouslyâor even before themâbecause the enemy hasnât moved far enough to gain a solid Initiative bonus, and youâll be sitting at Initiative 4, which is solid for a dwarf.
All of them can issue and accept challenges like characters. (If you tie up a dragon with them, you could be locked in all game and severely limit the dragonâs damage potential.)
And now comes the eternal question: is the point increase worth it?
Thatâs where things get murkier compared to the upgrade from Dwarf Warriors to Longbeards. Let me explain:
Hammerers are not Core units, so youâll need to include other Core units that might serve a very similar role to Hammerers. Depending on your playstyle, this alone might be enough to leave them out of your list.
Also, even though they hit hard in combat, keep in mind itâs usually the enemy who chooses which combats to take. If they charge your Hammerers, theyâll try to do it with something powerful enough to wipe out your front rank and stop you from hitting backâso whether youâve got 1 attack, 2, or 5 per model might not even matter.
Thereâs a lot to unpack when it comes to dwarf infantry. In part 2 of this post, weâll compare these three units with Ironbreakers and the glorious Miners.
As for Slayers, nope, not hereâI already analyzed them in a dedicated Slayer post. Havenât read it? Iâll drop it below đ
If you think thereâs an error in the post, feel free to reach out at theoldwarrior@theoldwarrior.com, and Iâll review it. Hope you enjoy ToW!