Army overview:
Though they are now a much-splintered people, with warring clans refusing to reconcile their differences and unite against the common enemies that surround their lands, a Dwarfs army can still be a formidable force.
Due to the relatively high Victory Points value of their units (a unit of 5 Dwarf Warriors is 15 VP, for example), an army of Dwarfs will usually be outnumbered by the enemy. In addition to their low model count, another potentially difficult point to consider when fielding an army of Dwarfs is their lack of pace; their units are some of the slowest of all forces. Meanwhile, when it comes to Magic, Dwarf wizards lack the dramatic potency of many of the Orb’s other spellcasters.
It’s not all bad news for Dwarfs players, though. There are a number of positive aspects to consider within a Dwarfs army. Such is their stoical and robust nature, an army of Dwarfs is a very difficult force to break down, a point made even stronger due to the nature of spells a Dwarf wizard can cast. With these things in mind, Magic Spells of note which are available to the Dwarfs include Stronger than Steel (further improves comrades’ D10 Durability Test rolls), Run, Run, Run (grants comrades the Fast special rule) and Armour of Mirrors (grants comrades the Beguiling special rule).
Armed with a pistol and a choice of hand weapons, on foot or mounted upon a pony or markhor, a Dwarf chieftain (General unit) has the Inspiring and Dutch Courage special rules. Meanwhile, with a choice of champion on foot or mounted on a pony, or a musician, Dwarfs can take field two Champions units.
Wielding an axe, hammer, or sword, and with a Hand-to-Hand (H-t-H) value of 6+ and Durability (D) value of 6+, Dwarf Warriors are solid Foot Troops. While Dwarf Line Breakers provide shock and awe capabilities, missile units come in the form of Dwarf Archers, Dwarf Gunners, and Dwarf Crossbowmen.
Within their Mounted Troops options, a Dwarfs player has access to Dwarf Pony Riders, Dwarf Pistoleers and Dwarf Yak Riders. Compensating for their ponies’ slower pace, Dwarf Pony Riders, complete with their lances and enviable Durability (D) value (4+), are both line-breaking in Hand-to-Hand and highly durable. Mounted missile users, Dwarf Pistoleers often work well when tasked with taking down the crew of an enemy war machine or finishing off weakened units. With a Movement (M) value of 10, Dwarf Yak Riders are the quickest of the Dwarfs’ Mounted Troops and, much like Dwarf Pony Riders, benefit from a Durability (D) value of 4+.
Though limited to just one Monsters unit, the unit available, the Dwarf War Elephant, packs a hefty punch. In addition to each member of crew carrying a lance and blunderbuss, when this units Charges it automatically inflicts 4 Hits of the Charged unit.
Able to field up to four Machines of War units, Dwarfs can devastate an enemy with a range of weapons. Dwarf Ornithopter units offer highly mobile troops armed with mounted flamethrowers. The Dwarf Pony Chariot is a reliable unit breaker, while the Dwarf Cannon and Dwarf Ballista provide long-range missile fire (both with a 3” template).
Example Army List:
Dwarfs Magic Cards:
Below are Shadows of Centralis Dwarfs Magic Cards (Magic Spells originally printed in the Shadows of Centralis book) which can be printed out, fixed to card, and used in games.
Models…
Shadows of Centralis can be played with models from any manufacturer, here are a few ideas for armies of Dwarfs. Gripping Beast manufacture many different elephant models, with a change of crew, these models are ideal for using as Dwarf War Elephants. The company also produces some wonderful ponies, ideal for Dwarf Pony Riders and (pony-mounted) Dwarf Pistoleers units, as well as mounted General, Champions and Magic Users units. Offering many different models, including a plethora of dwarfs, another manufacturer worth considering is RPE Miniatures & Games.
Further information on the Ystrad-worshipping Dwarfs, as well as the complete Damned Army List can be found in the Shadows of Centralis book.
Shadows of Centralis 