Dwarf combat tricks

[The bearded one]

We all know tactica's that tell you what units do and wether they are worth their money etc. These are very usefull but I think it's handy to get a big topic ( sticky? ) with cool tricks dwarfs can use on the table. Great you know what your units do, but deployment combo's, movement traps and tricks and such can be of real use in a battle. Therefore I pronounce this topic..opened!

If this topic gets a good response I can put all the tricks in the first post.

Tricks with the Master Rune of Challenge

Strollaz' charge

need:
- strong block ( depends on enemy ) ,
- strollaz' rune and masterrune of challenge

a funny trick to draw the enemy's battleline out of formation, when using a marching dwarf army. Use Strollaz' rune to march forward, then march another 6" and use the masterrune of challenge. Use this on cavalry units, because most infantry units can't get the 12" to your block to charge. The cavalry unit can either rush forward, away from its mates and be crushed inderneath the dwarfblock or flee, and possibly run off the table. It would be really funny if they do and there's quite a good chance they actually do. Their bases are 2" so its 10" to the table edge. rolling 10+ with 3 dice only requires 2 3's and a 4.



Slayers' rune of challenge
need:
- slayer unit
- thane with Master Rune of challenge

WARNING: This tactic is sometimes looked upon as unsporting, it should only be used in extreme tournaments, or against people who REALLY annoy you.

Slayers are really good at killing big nasty things (Steam Tanks, Dragons, Tyrants), but they are only M3, making them difficult to get into such an enemy. Wouldn't it be great if we could put a Master Rune of Challenge in there to force an enemy to charge. OH NO, We cant put Master Rune of Challenge on Slayer Characters, and we cant put non-Slayer characters in a unit of Slayers, looks like that plan is over.

Or...

Cheap Thane (consider JUST MRoC on him and a great weapon or shield) = T
Big unit of Slayers (15-20 = S )

SSSSST

You set up your Thane right next to your Slayers, in such a way that the enemy is only just in charge range (20" for most big nasties). In his turn you crack out the master rune of challenge. When your opponent charges, he hits both your slayers and thane. Then you say "My Thane will choose to flee" - as long as the back of your Slayer unit is no more than 20" from where the enemy started, he will still be charging into the Slayers. Either he sticks there for ages or you slowly grind him down. Thane Rallies, and runs off to do something more exciting.

Deployment tricks

Warmachines last
need:
- warmachines ( so basically always )

When deploying, try to put down your warmachines as late as possible. That way you can put your warmachines in the appropriate place to deal with the appropriate enemy. Put boltthrowers on a spot where they will most certainly have line of sight to enemy monsters, large targets or other units with multiple wounds. Put the organgun in places wher you are sure enemy units will have to get into it's limited range and where knights or skirmishers are, etc.
A good spot to place an organgun is in the middle of your combatline, between your blocks while maximizing the area it can target ( so an inch ahead of the blocks to give it 360 degrees ). That way it will be able to shoot at least a turn earlier than when it is deployed 6" back on a hill, and it also cannot be targeted by all the enemy shooting, due to their own units being in the line of fire, which isn't the case when deployed on a hill.

Warmachines in forests
need:
- warmachines ( so basically always )
- a forest in your deployment zone

It's fine to deploy your warmachines on a hill, good for the line of sight. But if you put all your artillery on the same hill, they will get rolled up once anything gets there. Spread the warmachines around!

So what I like to do when I find I have a good forest in my deployment zone, is to deploy a warmachine inside it, just under 2" from the edge.
- This will make it harder for enemies to shoot at it, with the additional -1 modifier
- It also harder for warmachine hunters to get to it. They won't be able to see it if they come from behind or the sides because it's more than 2" from those edges, and flyers can't fly into a forest either ( skink terradons excluded ) so they will have to walk, which usually gives you an extra turn to shoot them.

It's a great deployment tactic and at the sign of trouble, your crew can push the warmachine an inch back into the forest, so the enemy can't see it. They might chase into the forest and be stuck there for a few turns or move away, and then you just push the thing back into position.

Panic-proof

need:
- 'bait' unit, like missiletroops or warriors, or maybe 5 miners, even cheaper.
- longbeard unit
- optional 'rune of slowness ( I'm not sure if it works though in this case )

Longbeards are immune to panic and you can use that to your advantage when your own units have to flee through them. Put a unit in front of the longbeards, maybe some cheap warriors as missile screen, or a unit of missile troops. Those can shoot at the enemy all battle untill the enemy reaches your battleline. Keep at least some distance between both of your units, 4" or 5" maybe. When the enemy charges them, choose flee as a chargereaction and flee through the longbeards, who won't even notice it. With your excellent leadership you should rally the turn after. If you kept your distance between both units and/or have the rune of slowness, the enemy will stop in front of you, so that you get the charge next turn.

[stratovarion]

When using Strollaz rune I really like the idea of bringing 15(ish) miners on from the back in one big wide line.

This means that if the opponent breaks or flees for any reason they will go straight through the unit and be destroyed. If need be you can always rank them back up again for a charge.


(this kind of thing?)

[Arklite]

seems like a good idea i reckon, pinned it is.

i'll add some tricks tommorow once i'm a fair bit more awake

[The bearded one]

I've got some fun tricks with the Masterrune of challenge, it's such a great rune, great to divert the enemy entirely. I'll post some of them tomorrow.

[The bearded one]

I've posted a new one, in the first post. 'panic proof'

[The bearded one]

Where are your tricks arky?

[Hex]

Obviously the gyrocopter trap ... drive a gyrocopter into the back of an enemy block of infantry before hitting them with all of your shooting then your toughest combat unit. They will be slaughtered and cannot flee anywhere.

[deeyo]

Obviously the gyrocopter trap ... drive a gyrocopter into the back of an enemy block of infantry before hitting them with all of your shooting then your toughest combat unit. They will be slaughtered and cannot flee anywhere.

Gyro is US 3 so the fleeing enemy will not be destroyed.

[p0lak]

Unti strengh dont matter for fleeing me dont think. I think it only stasts that if you run into an enemy unit you are dead.MAybe im wrong but if you could post a page number ill be thank full

[Brogan Ironbrow]

Well this is a trick that a Longbeard at my store tried to explain to me, forgive me if it doesn't come across quite right:

The Swinging Gate

What you do is set your cannons between your blocks with your gun lines ahead of the blocks a few inches. this gives the illusion that you do not have a lot of line of sight, due to the presence of the gun lines. make sure to set the cannon itself slightly ahead of the blocks so that it has a true 180 degrees that is not blocked by infantry blocks.

________ _________
..............I
@@@@@ @@@@@

(forgive the crappy diagram.)

The whole point of this is to fool your opponent to running around the flanks. If he swings wide to do this (for this example, imagine he swung around the right side of that diagram), then on your turn, you pivit the right gun line on its left point (the swinging gate) and swivel the cannon at the now revealed flank of your opponents unit. Next, swing the infantry block back and to the right so that it faces the unit that tried to come around the flank. If done correctly, you should now have pummled him with your cannon and swung the block to take any charges that the reduced unit might try in the front. the gun line wont be able to shoot this turn, but they will be posititioned in a way that gives them a shot the other direction next turn, or sets up a flee/panic that will take the opponent away from your lines.

Now, if he doesnt take the bait, and he charges the gun line instead, Flee. Hopefully he will come up short on his charge, or worse case senerio, he charges the INF. block, wich ties him up and frees the cannon to shoot in that direction at will.

This is really hard to explain with out visual aids, but on the board, it looks pretty beardly. it doesn't work all the time, but when it does, it works very well.

Brogan