🍺 The best Dwarf Infantry in Warhammer The Old World (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, we’ll cover the rest.

Dwarf Warriors: the basic (and somewhat cheap) option

Let’s 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 don’t think they should be your first pick when building a list.

They’re not what you want to include right away, but if at some point you’re 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.

There’s another reason added in version 1.5 to include Warriors: since they’re the cheapest core unit, you can field them in small units to sit behind your power units and handle scoring (since in many cases, the power units don’t score because they’re special choices).

When it comes to equipment, before the infantry buff it was really important to give them both great weapons and shields, because (90% of the time) Dwarf infantry won’t be the ones deciding which fights they get into—the enemy will make that call.

See the deal on Amazon.com

That’s why increasing the versatility of your troops and maneuvering well are your main tools for forcing or avoiding certain combats. Since they’ve got the Shieldwall rule by default, you should always factor that in when planning what will happen after a combat round and how to misposition the enemy.

Now, infantries that get charged can strike back in two ranks, and they also get a +1 save if they fight with hand weapon and shield, which leaves your Dwarf Warriors with a 3+ save. That means they still pack a punch with hand weapon and shield while also saving better than before.

I think not paying for great weapons is a very viable option now—you should definitely try it out.

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).

I’d only leave them without drilled if it’s a small unit that’s going to sit behind a main one, purely for scoring purposes.

However, I wouldn’t pay for the Veterans upgrade. Why? Because dwarfs already have very high Leadership, and this doesn’t really add much.

Also, the unit champion can only carry weapon runes (which aren’t very interesting), unlike other units like the…

Longbeards in The Old World: reliable veterans with synergy

If you’re looking for a reliable and versatile unit, Longbeards offer more than meets the eye.

They’re 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 champion’s runes.

The unit champion can pick runes from different types, not just weapon runes (unlike Dwarf Warriors). For example, one I find mandatory—at just 5 points—is the one that allows the unit to move through terrain without penalties. This means difficult terrain doesn’t reduce your movement, whether you’re charging or just moving normally.

Bear in mind, for units that already move slowly, losing even 1 inch due to terrain—which might be nothing for cavalry—means 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 can’t ask for more for 5 points.

Update 1.5: These guys I would definitely leave with just hand weapon and shield if we need to save points, since they’ve got armor piercing with the hand weapon

Some people consider this unit to be the best fit for lists built around the “move-a-lot” combo using the Runic Anvil, which I covered in a dedicated post (linked below). Basically, the combo involves putting this unit right in the enemy’s face on turn one.

However, others argue that the most appropriate unit for the Anvil combo are…

See the deal on Wayland

Hammerers: hitting hard at initiative

Bear in mind they’re even more expensive than Longbeards: 18 points per model with shield and Drilled. That’s no joke for a unit that still moves 3. Let’s look at what they offer compared to previous units, without repeating information.

They’re 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, you’re likely to strike simultaneously—or even before them—because the enemy hasn’t moved far enough to gain a solid Initiative bonus, and you’ll be sitting at Initiative 4, which is solid for a dwarf.

What I mean is that instead of charging with them, I’d often leave them one inch away, so they can hit in two ranks with the hammer.

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 dragon’s damage potential.)

And now comes the eternal question: is the point increase worth it?

That’s where things get murkier compared to the upgrade from Dwarf Warriors to Longbeards. Let me explain:

Hammerers are not Core units, so you’ll 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 it’s usually the enemy who chooses which combats to take. If they charge your Hammerers, they’ll try to do it with something powerful enough to wipe out your front rank and stop you from hitting back.

This is trickier now, since you strike with two ranks.

There’s a lot to unpack when it comes to dwarf infantry. In part 2 of this post, we’ll compare these three units with Ironbreakers and the glorious Miners.

As for Slayers, nope, not here—I already analyzed them in a dedicated Slayer post. Haven’t read it? I’ll drop it below and, if you want to check every post about Old World Dwarfs, just click here.

Related Posts:

🍺 The best Dwarf Infantry in Warhammer The Old World (2/2)

🍺Dwarf Slayers in The Old World Breakdown

🍺 Anvil of Doom breakdown | The Old World

Warhammer The Old World Battle March: The New Skirmish Mode

Slayer Hosts in The Old World | War of Settra’s Fury

Renegade Crowns in The Old World | War of Settra’s Fury

If you think there’s an error in the post, feel free to reach out at theoldwarrior@theoldwarrior.com, and I’ll review it. Hope you enjoy ToW!

privacy policy            cookies policy            contact