Dwarf Rangers
Grade: 1b
Source: Nemesis Crown Supplement (PDF)
Setting: Nemesis Crown
Author: Mordheim Nemesis Crown Development Team
There is a traditional school of thought amongst many Dwarfs that ‘the old ways are best’, that new-fangled contraptions dreamt up by younger dwarves, especially those in the Engineering Guild, are weakening them by straying from time-honoured tactics and the ways of the Ancestors.
These Dwarfs tend to be older and as such travel together to prove this simple fact, appeasing the Ancestors by only using traditional weapons and tactics, retrieving lost treasures and artefacts and making every effort to cleanse fallen and lost Holds of the scum that have ‘temporarily’ taken them.
The newest Runesmiths, seen as the keepers of tradition, tend to be the leaders of these groups, gathering together a large number of like-minded members to undertake these expeditions. Their remit is simple – show the young whippersnappers that the Old Ways are the best way forward for the survival of the Dwarf race.
Special Rules
A Dwarf Rangers Warband is subject to the following special rules in addition to the ones for Dwarf Warbands.
Don’t Trust ‘Em: While Ranger Warbands are free to ally with other Dwarf warbands in multi-player games, their point of view is so different that they do not trust them fully. Members of a Dwarf Rangers warband are never considered ‘friendly models’ to other dwarfs and vice versa.
This means that members of one warband WILL stop members of the other from Marching, they won’t keep each other from taking all alone tests, etc. They don’t count as enemy models and may split any treasure found at the end of the game as normal, but the two bands are not friends, make no mistake!
All Dwarfs are subject to the following special rules:
Hard to Kill. Dwarfs are tough, resilient individuals who can only be taken out of action on a roll of 6 instead of 5-6 when rolling on the Injury chart. Treat a roll of 1-2 as knocked down, 3-5 as stunned, and 6 as out of action.
Hard Head. Dwarfs ignore the special rules for maces, clubs, etc. They are not easy to knock out!
Armour. Dwarfs never suffer movement penalties for wearing armour.
Hate Orcs and Goblins. All Dwarfs hate Orcs and Goblins. See the psychology section of the Mordheim rules for details on the effects of hatred.
Grudgebearers. Dwarfs hold an ancient grudge against Elves from the days when the two races fought for supremacy in the Old World. A Dwarf warband may never include any kind of Elven Hired Sword or Dramatis Personae.
Incomparable Miners. Dwarfs spend much of their lives underground searching for precious minerals, and they are the best in the world at this kind of work. In the city of Mordheim they apply similar skills to the search for wyrdstone. When checking for wyrdstone at the end of a game, add +1 to the number of pieces found for a Dwarf warband.
Choice of warriors
A Dwarf Rangers warband must include a minimum of 3 models. You have 500 Gold Crowns with which you can use to recruit and equip your warband. The maximum number of warriors in the warband is 12.
Runesmith: Each Dwarf Rangers warband must have one Runesmith: no more, no less!
Apprentice Runesmith: Your warband may include up to 1 Apprentice Runesmith.
Troll Slayers: Your warband may include up to 2 Troll Slayers.
Dwarf Longbeards: Your warband may include up to 5 Dwarf Longbeards.
Dwarf Clansmen: Your warband may include any number of Dwarf Warriors.
Dwarf Crossbowmen: Your warband may include up to 5 Dwarf Crossbowmen.
Beardlings: Your warband may include any number of Beardlings.
Starting Experience
Runesmith starts with 20 experience.
Apprentice Runesmith starts with 0 experience.
Troll Slayers start with 8 experience.
All Henchmen start with 0 experience.
Dwarf Skill Table
Combat | Shooting | Academic* | Strength | Speed | Special | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Runesmith | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Apprentice | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
Troll Slayer | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
*Note that Dwarfs may never take the Arcane Lore skill. It is not possible for a dwarf to learn to cast spells.
Dwarf Special Skills
Dwarf Heroes may use the following Skill table instead of any of the standard Skill tables available to them.
Combat Master
This Dwarf’s martial skills surpass those of a normal warrior; he is used to fighting by himself against hordes of opponents and coming through unscathed. When using a weapon that has a Parry special rule, this hero parries successfully if he beats OR MATCHES his opponent’s highest ‘to hit’ roll, not just if he beats the roll. In addition, if this warrior is using two weapons that have the Parry special rule, he is allowed to parry two attacks (if his two dice match or beat the highest two attack dice against him) instead of the normal maximum of one.
Extra Tough
This Dwarf is notorious for walking away from wounds that would kill a lesser being. When rolling on the Heroes Serious Injury chart for this Hero after a game in which he has been taken out of action, the dice may be re-rolled once. The result of this second dice roll must be accepted, even if it is a worse result.
Resource Hunter
This Dwarf is especially good at locating valuable resources. When rolling on the Exploration chart at the end of a game, the Hero may modify one dice roll by +1/-1.
True Grit
Dwarfs are hardy individuals and this Hero is hardy even for a Dwarf! When rolling on the Injury table for this Hero, a roll of 1-3 is treated as knocked down, 4-5 as stunned, and 6 as out of action.
Thick Skull
The Hero has a thick skull, even for a Dwarf. He has a 3+ save on a D6 to avoid being stunned. If the save is made, treat a stunned result as knocked down instead. If the Dwarf also wears a helmet, this save is 2+ instead of 3+ (this takes the place of the normal Helmet special rule).
Ferocious Charge
The Slayer may double his attacks on the turn in which he charges. He will suffer a –1 to hit penalty on that turn. Slayers only.
Monster Slayer
The Slayer always wounds any opponent on a roll of 4+, regardless of Toughness, unless his own strength (with weapon modifiers) would mean that a lower roll than this is needed. Slayers only.
Berserker
The Slayer may add +1 to his to hit rolls during the turn in which he charges. Slayers only.
Dwarf equipment lists
The following lists are used by Dwarf warbands to pick their equipment.
Dwarf Warrior Equipment List
Hand-to-hand Combat Weapons
Item | Cost |
---|---|
Dagger | 1st free/2 gc |
Mace | 3 gc |
Hammer | 3 gc |
Axe | 5 gc |
Sword | 10 gc |
Dwarf axe | 15 gc |
Double-handed weapon | 15 gc |
Spear | 10 gc |
Halberd | 10 gc |
Gromril weapon* | 3 times the cost |
Missile Weapons
Item | Cost |
---|---|
Pistol | 15 gc |
Armour
Item | Cost |
---|---|
Light armour | 20 gc |
Heavy armour | 50 gc |
Gromril armour** | 75 gc |
Shield | 5 gc |
Helmet | 10 gc |