I've started this to keep track of battles (and grudges) and record little notes about the units so I can build up a good standard all comers list. I've reset my win/loss counter in the sig now that I'm playing table top games and not internet game trials. There is a big difference between tabletop and 2d on a screen when it comes to true line of sight and other stuff.

Lord, shields, great weapon, master rune of steel, 1+ rerollable, rune of challenge
bsb, 1+ rerollable
runesmith, spelleater, 2+ save, great weapon
master engineer, 3+ save, great weapon
25 warriors, great weapons, FC
25 warriors, great weapons, FC
23 Longbeard Rangers, great weapons, shields, grungni, FC
18 Slayers, FC, 1 champ
GT, st5, acc
GT, st4, acc, bur
cannon, forging, bur
cannon, forging
organ
2500

Game 1: Dwarf Massacre Win
Empire (relatively uncompetitive in my opinion)

Archlector, tank setup (1+ rerollable 4+ ward?)
bsb, 2+ rerollable
lvl4, fire
lvl2, shadow, rod of power
peg captain, charmed shield, aldred's casket
master engineer
30 Swordsmen, FC

20 halberd detachment
12 archer detachment
30 Flagellents, FC,(10x3)
10 handgunners, hochland rifle
2x5 xbow detachments
10 handgunners, hochland rifle
2x5 xbow detachments
5 Pistoliers
Cannon
Mortar
Rocket Launcher

Scenario Dawn Attack.

Terrain was tournament simulation, we had a mate place it for us rather then roll on the silly charts. One magical piece, which turned out to be a regeneration 6+ swamp right in the middle.

Synopsis:

I think the empire list was a bit weak, not even using up the 5 warmachine cap.

We ended up having our main stuff in opposite corners due to dawn attack. I had both grudges, engineer, 1 cannon, lord, bsb, 1x warriors together, while the organ, other cannon, 1x warriors and slayers were in the middle. Opposite my weak middle he had his machines, flags, big swords with general and bsb. Opposite my strong bunker he had his gunners and xbows, mages, peg, fast cav. I scouted longbeards facing backwards just in range to give all my bunker side 5+ ward.

In brief: I went first and my cannons took out his cannon, and rocket launcher later, and mortar a few turns later. Peg captain failed his first charmed shield and died to a cannon, but I did have a second cannon and organ in range that turn as well. stone throwers did miss a few times but with the organ did whittle down the flags to 10 by the time they arrived. They charged my solo lord who killed them off in a few rounds. Spelleater ate pit of shades first turn.
I did lose my big GT to long range fireballs and lone cannon to his 20 strong detachment, but that was it in terms of VP losses. Slayers were pinned by flame cage nearly the whole game. The end game move was declaring midway distance charges on his big swords with warriors in front and lord+longbeards in flank, where he fled and my lord ran boxcars to run them down. But game was already won by then.

Unit Review:
Warriors are horrible in I think any number. They either fight a horde and can't break through steadfast long enough, or they fight elites that kill them off fast. Increasing them to 30 or 40 or whatever only increases the point sink when they break/die and damage from certain spells. What exactly is their purpose in a dwarf army? We have access to considerably better single attack great weapon troops for just 2 points more (hammerers). They can't tank with great weapons, nor are they really great for pinning a unit in place via steadfast/stubborn due to their point cost. 9 point warriors with shields are good for pinning a unit but lets face it, when I played high elves I never ever took 9 point spears to pin a unit via steadfast. Anything above 6 points isnt there for steadfast in my books. What they might be good at is holding master engineer/runesmith in little units of 10-12 with GW or shields and charging little skirmisher units that come to threaten machines. I also see no reason to go over minimum core points. After the longbeard block I will likely fill those points up with warriors as missile troops are even worse.

I'm aware of the conventional wisdom with them being good in large numbers and so on and I can't say I agree. I might make them a unit of 30 with shields.

Scouts are ace in negating the deployment scenarios. I couldve had them roll up a flank on their own as there was nothing to stop them on one side. I feel grungni wastes their scout ability and should be put on a more central unit.
Grungni is also ace. Saved a bunch of dwarfs and the lone ME a few times.
Machines need extra crew even if its just for the wound.
Slayers weren't allowed to move, but at this stage they're in there because they are painted. An equal size hammerer unit is better in every respect I think, except stubborn vs unbreakable, which is a small thing.

I need more magic defense, even against little empire I would have struggled a bit more if spell eater failed and he couldve thrown 5 dice at pit of shades every turn.

Cannons did their job, even after they got rid of all targets they can nail 4-5 infantry in a block a turn. Stone throwers did miss more then I liked even with rerolls they're not as reliable as a cannon. Organ only shot twice due to range and line of sight issues, rolled 8 and 10. I'm limited to 5 machines by comp rules and I'd like to get a 3rd stone thrower but both the cannons and organ have their duties.

I've thought about the anvil but I don't like exploding and losing my magic defense and giving a 300+ pt swing. Its also vulernable to magic. I've used it before and it can be brilliant but I'm not sure I wan't to go down that path. Upgrading the runesmith to a runelord on foot with spelleater and balance might be my best bet. I can cut out useless warriors to find the points. I still might go down the anvil path.

The army also needs some speed to catch stuff. I would like a gyro but I am limited by machine cap. Miners?

Lots to think about, I should have another game on saturday.