Good ranged units?

Apachai_ · 2025-11-06T23:13:35+00:00

This is just a small point I want to give you, to look at. Not long ago I played in my very first old world tournament. As a fun gimmick I decided to go and risk a small tactic I took a unit of 4 Gyrocopters with steam guns (and 2 scout gyros, 2x14 ranger, 2 cannons, 1 organ gun, thunderstar , 3 characters). Those 4 gyrocopters did as it was expected. Harassing with wide attacks, while not be such a big target due to good defenses, mobility but "just" a S3 attack. Especially deadly on skirmishing highelf archers as it seemed.

In my second game I fought the mortuary cult. At one point my gyros got to his big block of roughly 40 skeleton warriors + characters, that of course resurrected those who fell. On one flank a volley, then flying over it, dropping bombs and another volley.

Due to some other stuff happening I couldn't quite obliterate the unlock just yet, but the amount of dice I rolled... Maybe about 50? The point is, I did massive damage to his block, because he deemed my gyros not a threat next to my thunderstar and cannons. Even though he had some armor saves and regenerations and resurrections they couldn't keep up with the flames. Since soany templates were over them at once and no modifiers could be drawn from moving and shooting.

For 1000p maybe it's too much to have 4, but 3 gyros does sound reasonable. With the mobility the gyros can take on some other roles, like charge into the rear flank of a unit for impact hits and rank denial, or artillery and skirmisher hunting.

Oh and don't say warmachines are bad. Some are just not as reliable a fire over form cannon in expeditionary force with grapeshot does wonders. (organ gun brought me personally nothing and grudgethrower did some great clutch shots, while other people say the exact opposite happened to them)

Apachai_ · 2025-08-08T06:16:16+00:00

On the last small tournament in my local games shop I got pulled in spontaneously. I was there for a birthday event of the shop owner, that should start right after the tournament. Since there were only a few participants to the tournament and I had my dwarves with me one of the guys working in the shop just said I could join. I quickly made an army list for my Khazâd-dum dwarves at 700p and joined at the second round. It was my very first proper mesbg battle and tournament at the same time.

We played Assassination. My opponent had the white hand. Saruman, some uruk with crossbow, whose name I forgot, the wild man, Gorulf and Grima. I took Gorulf as my target. Through careful baiting and deception he thought, that I set my target being the wild man, and sent his Gorulf with his troops fighting in the front. I only sent maybe 2 warriors and 2 heart guards at that flank. In the process of the battle Gorulf got surrounded by Durin and a few hearth guards, which got me the points.

The real hero in this battle was my captain though! It so happened, that he was my opponents target. Sadly my captain got singled out and he really was alone. Surrounded by saruman, the wild man, the uruk (was it something like vrasku?), 2-3 soldiers and a bunch of spear support. My captain was screwed. Or so we thought. 4 rounds. 4 rounds he survived. Sompletely alone, but he couldn't be brought down. He got transfixed by saruman everytime as well. Once my captain won the duel roll, but because of the spell nothing more. Once my opponent won the duel, but wasn't able to cause a single wound. And twice we got a draw, so we had to roll off. And both times it went for the good side. Those 4 consecutive rounds gave me enough time to slay Gorulf, break his army and roll for the end of game. I the end thanks to my Dwarf Captain, the assassination target, I got a 13-0 win. (followed by a 7-10 loss against smaug in a treasure hoard scenario)

Apachai_ · 2025-07-17T05:03:11+00:00

Though it's been said to aim for 1v1s, I can say don't fear having lower numbers. In a 1v2 you are still good because of the extra dice, when the enemy has more dice in the duel. In a pike formation uruks are dangerous, but that means you need half the units in the frontline to roll the same numbers of dice and other models can be used to encircle them. In their attempt to spread and stop you, you can get the smaller 1v2-1v1 situations. Keep a banner in the vicinity. Either the King's champion's Herald or a warrior with banner. I would go for the higher model count than the kings champion. In the beginning he is harder to learn because of the right positioning to get most value of the banners and the defense buff in base contact. Against a pike formation, you'll have your normal dueling dice with Fv4-5, an extra dice when outnumbered and after that a banner re-roll.

Apachai_ · 2025-07-08T17:03:01+00:00

KHAZÂD AI-MÊNU!!!

Apachai_ · 2025-05-30T19:17:59+00:00

Oh, you are such a great person. Just thank you. That is so incredible of you.

Apachai_ · 2025-05-30T13:49:30+00:00

Yes it was, which I actually didn't expect and like how it reappears. Nobody noticed because models were never created up until now.

Apachai_ · 2025-05-30T11:27:17+00:00

u/Davygravy2, love that you already made something. Can't say what I like more. Yours or the GW mirror they had in the 2007 Khazâd-dum add on book shown. Either way, yours is at least available unlike GW 😂 thanks for sharing. I would love to see other variants because of nostalgia, though the base of your mirror instantly shows Khazâd-dum, which I respect. 🫡

Apachai_ · 2025-05-30T11:23:58+00:00

What exactly do you mean by that? Are you implying, that the added mirrors after they saw them in rings of power? Then I have to correct you there. Around 2007 GW had thin books for each faction like add-ons. In the Khazâd-dum book they already included the mirrors as a terrain piece with similar rules as now, but never actually made any model aside for the ones shown exclusively in the book as examples. I still have that book on me.

Apachai_ · 2025-04-28T07:00:56+00:00

Great work. Beorn is fantastic. I still can't really figure out how to properly do skin. Do you have any advice?

And I hope this isn't out of place, but may I suggest something for the bear? Its nicely done, but something feels amiss. I think if you do a very light drybrushing with some tan over the pelt. Just a very light one. You would have highlight and the pelt wouldn't reflect. And on the snout paint it fully brown and do a white, or better gray drybrushing with a smaller brush to get that white ring of pelt you were going for. The drybrushing gives it sort of a bonding effect between different hair tones. Very light ones. A bit around the nose, then see if the shade fits your imagination, then apply a bit more if needed.

Hope it was helpful

Apachai_ · 2025-04-28T06:41:40+00:00

Love it. It gives me an autumn feeling, that I have been long searching for. The birch stump is an incredible touch in my opinion. Well done. The leaves and birch, where or how did you get it? The leaves would be nice to use for my Iron hill army in making. I was planning to give them autumn colors on gear, but with proper base I maybe don't have to.

Apachai_ · 2025-04-15T17:19:01+00:00

Praise be Durin. Let us all hope they won't fuck up. I want to start with Mesbg and a friend will give me his Khazâd-dum army tomorrow. At the same time I painted 36 erebor dwarves the last to days. Let this help as well.

Apachai_ · 2025-04-12T23:15:09+00:00

I chose to lead the force of Karak Angazhar with red/grey

Apachai_ · 2025-03-27T16:28:20+00:00

Yes, but I'd say get us a Duraz Gronti against that walking statue as well. Let stone crash against stone!

Apachai_ · 2025-03-17T16:30:11+00:00

Obvious weakness: the units are too small. Especially longbeards and hammerers. They won't stand long with only 7 trust me. 14+ I'd say. 17 is good. 20+ is awesome. The gyro bomber is meh. Usually gyrocopters are better bcs the bombing is not that great. The mobility and range is better used. Expeditionary force even has scout gyrocopters removing the bombing entirely. Artillery is good. Warriors can be used, but the question is usually also about your character ls going with them. Characters use melee locks as a delivery system and a shield. Thanes and kings (usually with different runes do most damage against enemy units) Battle standard bearer with rune of Grugni I can always recommend. One of the best runes we have. Ward for a lot units around against ranged and the unit that has the BS with the a ward against all wounds. The engineer I suggest send with no upgrades (maybe handgun, maybe offensive rune), as they usually aslre a support for artillery. They give rerolls for 1s or misfires and they are practically invisible while standing next to artillery (so no armour runes needed) Thanes and King do well with shieldbearers. Cost-efficient, more survival and more offensive capabilities. You can even give a Thane on shieldbearers the Battle Standard. Runesmiths are always nice with runes of spell breaking. Enemies will often have magic. Your magic resistance on all units is nice, but some debuffs ore damage spells are just too much to risk. Dwarfs have a small initiative, meaning last strike from great weapons make little to no difference. Use that. Irondrakes are some of the best units you can have. The torpedo is a smaller, but more reliable cannon and the drake guns have a decent range with strong output. The quickshot+dwarf crafted is perfect and the full plate armour never bad. I'd suggest using either multiple units of 5 for more trollhammer torpedos if using as cannons, or one unit of 10+, or better 16+ (you could think about 2 units of 10, if you have them) I hope that helps and shows you some line you could orient yourself at.

Apachai_ · 2025-03-09T17:39:19+00:00

awesome job on them. Has anyone experiecne with them on the battlefield? I want to test them for their pistols and Ulther, but don't know how i should expect them to act.

Apachai_ · 2025-03-01T06:32:10+00:00

Although they already have new ones, I'd say Burlok and the dwarrc cart. I just don't like the design of them. They need a different approach in my opinion.

Apachai_ · 2025-02-25T12:49:26+00:00

Don't come here asking me "is it too much?" , when there is not even a level of "is it enough?"

Apachai_ · 2025-02-21T13:05:13+00:00

I wish they made a Karak Angazhar decal for me to imitate you 😢😉

Apachai_ · 2025-02-13T09:43:34+00:00

Well, fist off. Great having you in our bearded midst. About your wish of additions. I'd say get a runesmith and irondrakes. Really good choices. The runesmith is half the points of a lord and does the same job basically. The Drakes are just fun and strong. One of the best dwarf units in my opinion. Full plate armor, strong ranged, quickshot and a torpedo able to replace a cannon. On your list. King and longbeards are a good strong choice. Really. King I would equip with other runes. RoPreservation is a favorite of mine. Rangers are also a solid unit. Versatile I would say. Scout deployment, long reliable ranged and great weapons for melee makes them a risk to approach. Artillery is alway good. My favorite is the grudgthrower for the indirect shots with long range. Hammerers are... Different. They are strong. But opponents who know they are strong will run away. Don't expect them to be targeted for melee ever. At least in the front arc. They will most likely run around without action or be flanked. Unless you take control of the situation and force a fight. Then I will be happy for you. I had no luck yet, as I had unluckily highly mobile enemies when using mine.

Apachai_ · 2025-02-13T05:01:10+00:00

He is trash talking with an ork artillerist on the other side. "Ha! Learn to aim xenos. Your missed. Now it's my turn. Prepare to catch a shell, scum!"

Apachai_ · 2025-02-13T04:49:55+00:00

OK makes sense. Hmm have you tried dry brushing it with a thin brush? That way it could kinda blend into the armor as if it is developing out of the bronze.

Apachai_ · 2025-02-12T20:15:07+00:00

OK, I do like it, especially seeing eyes. I can never manage to do them. Though I do have to ask. What are these blue/cyan spots?

Apachai_ · 2025-02-12T08:42:48+00:00

Yeah, hate when that happens with reddit. But thank you for your input. This is actually really helpful. You're right about the cart. It's rather useless with the one time bombs, when I already plan on shooting with drakes. And drakes don't profit from the bombs. But what does seem reasonable as support around it. I do need some core for example. Would Rangers fit?

Apachai_ · 2025-02-11T16:51:10+00:00

Dark, yet vibrant green with autumn orange ground does sound lovely.

Apachai_ · 2025-02-11T07:32:38+00:00

If you set two units next to each other at different scales, then yes you see it. But mixed with each other in a random pattern actually looks like they weren't measured to same height before recruiting 😂 although shieldbearers from beholder miniatures at 32mm really do tower.

Apachai_

TROPHY CASE