[FONT=verdana]Rojo's MSU Dwarfs in Battle[/FONT]

[FONT=verdana]I see this thread being a bit of a blog or progress area for my current Dwarf games and the MSU style of play that I am attempting. I hope that some of you on the forum can gain some enjoyment from it. It will include both photo battle reports and reports done on games played on Universal Battle (an electronic, online, way of playing WHFB).[/FONT]

[FONT=verdana]Background[/FONT]

[FONT=verdana]Late last year as our old army book was drawing towards its last hurrah, I began playing with an unorthodox army list that was easily describable as MSU, or Multiple Small Units, for the uninitiated. (One unit of 30 Shieldbeards as an anvil, but then multiple units of 10 - 15 Hammerers, 2 x 9 Slayers, 2 x 10 Quarrellers with GWs, a couple of Dragon Slayers and double Gyrocopter).[/FONT]

[FONT=verdana]There was a couple of reasons for this. 1) I'd tried many different versions of lists in the previous four years of using the army exclusively in WHFB, 2) There was a lot of whinging about the Dwarf Army and its' play style on our Australian Wargaming Forum (some just light-hearted, and some reserved for extreme gunlines, but then others complaining that taking Dwarfs to a tournament was simply ruining a game for 5 or 6 people), and 3) because I imagine that a lot of people wouldn't think it possible.[/FONT]

[FONT=verdana]It was fun in a way, probably mostly because you got to take lots of different units and had lots to do during your turns, but also frustrating, in that victories were few and many things just ran rampant over you and got into combat too quickly (i.e. Ogres, who were at a peak in their popularity at the time). It was an exercise in showing that you could try something other than large blocks supported by war machines - and proving it nigh impossible to win without doing so. 🙂[/FONT]

[FONT=verdana]Designing A List[/FONT]
[FONT=verdana]Fast forward to now, and the new book, and the concept is something I've decided to go back to (hopefully with more success) due to a couple of new options/stats in the Dwarf 8th Ed book. Also, the exploits of a bloke going by the name of Swordmaster, and his battle reports with MSU High Elves, has been pretty inspiring and put the MSU concept on the radar of a lot of people. [/FONT]

[FONT=verdana]Personally, I've only just, in the last three weeks, had the opportunity to play some Warhammer with our new book. The last games I played were back in January with High Elves at Cancon, one of the biggest tournaments we have over here. However, I have spent a long time mucking around with Dwarf lists on the Quartermaster armybuilder application on my phone and of the 20 to 30 there, the one that stuck out at me as fun and potentially competitive in the right hands (i.e. probably someone better at this than me) was an MSU one.[/FONT]

[FONT=verdana]The Criteria[/FONT]
[FONT=verdana]After much thinking and meddling with lists, these thoughts emerged:[/FONT]

[FONT=verdana]- The first, and most important, aspect of the book that allows this form of play is the Master Rune of Groth One Eye. This runic banner has opened up a whole new opportunity to have units other than Hammerers that can stick around even when copping a beating. Combined with the new Shieldwall rule that many of our units now have, and we find ourselves in a situation where it is possible to have small units hold up the enemy and then have more powerful hitting units like Hammerers with their two attacks, or Slayers or even Tunesmith inspired charges to do enough damage to hopefully break small or medium enemy units.[/FONT]

[FONT=verdana]- At least one "Anvil" unit. I feel that at least one unit of about 30 Longbeards with Shields or Ironbreakers is needed to have something that can really take a beating and perhaps also break Steadfast in the enemy on occasion. I don't think having one large throng breaks the theme too much.[/FONT] The Longbeards won out here for me as I couldn't see myself taking 600 points of Core units at 10 models in size, and the Special allowance was needed for Hammerers, Gyrocopters and War Machines.

[FONT=verdana]- The M Ro Grungni banner will be rather useful, especially if taking units of Slayers and a couple of units of Hammerers. When the new Wood Elf book came out, that was the clincher. At the Face Off Tournament held in Oz a few weeks ago there were 30 + Elf (WE, DE and HE) lists at a tournament of about 70 players - so nearly half. Ballistic Skill shooting is back in a big way, and could really hurt my small units - potentially just having avoidance DE or WE take off a unit per turn with BS shooting alone.[/FONT]

[FONT=verdana]- At least 2, if not 3, Gyrocopters are invaluable.[/FONT]

[FONT=verdana]- Rangers useful for taking out war machines and keeping vanguarding units away from my own valuable machines (needed to take ranks off big enemy units if I am any chance to break them/remove Steadfast.[/FONT]

[FONT=verdana]- I personally find the need for Ld 10 very important, so a Thane, kitted out to live, is necessary.[/FONT]

[FONT=verdana]So, this is the original list I came up with, and used for my first game. (I originally had the M Ro Groth One Eye on my BSB and was going to shelter him in a small unit behind the others, but having him go for Grungni was a no-brainer once that idea was looked at).[/FONT]

[FONT=verdana][SIZE=12pt]Thane General: Rune Of Fortitude 2; Rune Of Stone; Rune Of Luck; Great Weapon 141[/FONT]
[FONT=verdana][SIZE=12pt]Thane BSB[/FONT]: Master Rune Of Grungi; Shield; 153
Runesmith: Rune Of Stone; Rune Of Spellbreaking 1; Shield 93
Dragon Slayer 70

30 Longbeards: Shields; Old Guard; Musician; Standard Bearer 420
10 Thunderers: Shields; Musician 120
10 Dwarf Warriors: Shields; Musician 100
10 Dwarf Warriors: Great Weapons; Musician 110

10 Hammerers: Keeper Of The Gate; Musician; Standard Bearer (Master Rune Of Groth One-Eye) 245
15 Hammerers: Musician; Standard Bearer 230
Gyrocopter 80
Gyrocopter 80
Grudge Thrower: Rune Of Accuracy; Master Rune Of Penetrating 1 145
9 Slayers: Musician 118

10 Rangers: Musician 150
Organ Gun: Rune Of Forging 145

2,400 points

[FONT=verdana][SIZE=12pt]The General is pretty tough at Toughness 6, 3 + AS, 5+ Ward, with a Rune of Luck. The Runesmith is a scroll caddy and will usually go in the Longbeards for survival and to give them AP. The 10 Hammerers with the Groth Banner have to be a bit careful and stay back behind the other units, but could provide a good late game punch that helps break a combat or two. The Slayers are really just a delivery system for the Dragon Slayer to try and protect him from Shooting and Missiles until they can launch themselves at a monster. Rest pretty self explanatory.[/FONT]