Editing The 9th Age/Tactics/Dwarven Holds (section)

==Unit Analysis==
===Characters===
Any character that can be general has the option to take Ancestral Memory (if it is the general), you should shell out for it to give all your units hatred against at least one enemy unit.

'''King''' Great offensive stats, high resilience, and good agility (for a dwarf).  He doesn't have a huge amount of options for mundane equipment, but he makes up for that with a huge allowance for runic items.  Always give him a shield, even if you are running a great weapon.  If you can, shell out for at least the shieldbearers, having a 1+ character with an absurd number of attacks that can hide in huge infantry blocks is worth it.

'''Thane''' Your baby king that can be BSB.  As above, give him shieldbearers for the extra armor, health, and attacks.

'''Dragon Seeker''' Your seeker character, not allowed to be general.  His only options are for Monster Seeker: gains multiple wounds vs large and gigantic models, or Grims Resolve: +1 attack for each model in base contact.  Don't expect him to live to the end of the game.  Kit him to fight something scary on the other side of the table and have him run right for it and kill it before he goes down.

'''Runic Smith''' Not as melee-competent as the above options and lacks the options for ranged weapons, but runes are great.  He gives the unit he's in +1 AP on their melee attacks and can buy up to 3 runes for an absurdly cheap points cost.  

'''Engineer''' Counts towards Engines of War. Not only buffs your war machines to-hit on 3+, but entrenches them, giving them hard cover as long as they don't move. Engineer does not prevent him from using his own shooting weapon. Give him a hand gun or wyrm-slayer rocket (a unique gun they grab to take down big enemies) so he can hang in the back and take potshots.

'''Anvil of Power''' It's your magic war machine.  It won't be moving much, but with it's huge range, good defenses, and selection of free runes, your opponent will have trouble dealing with it.

====Character Mounts====
'''Shield Bearers''' Thane or King only.  +1 health and +2 armor is amazing on its own, now add in 2 additional attacks and you can still hide it in your infantry.  Always take it whenever you can.

'''War Throne''' King only.  +3 health and +2 armor, tank up your king for cheap. It additionally provides an extra 4 attacks, an increased Inspiring Presence range, hatred, and the bonus grudges.  The downside is it costs about as much as a second king, but it is worth the cost.

===Core===
'''Clan Warriors''' Your beard and ale.  They are surprisingly cheap for what they bring to the table, but you will be spending more on them depending on what you want to do.  Depending on what you're fighting, they can take great weapons to take on elite infantry or heavy cavalry.  Spears and Shields is the best all around choice.  Hand Weapons and Shields are useful if your fighting extremely high offensive skill enemies where parry would actually help.  Throwing weapons are generally a pass, but every so often they can chip on something.   One unit of up to 30 can take vanguard, again, your opponent will think your dwarfs are slow, and then you will be in close combat on turn 2.

'''Greybeards''' Veteran warriors with +1 offensive/defensive skill, AP, Fearless and a mini BSB effect. However, their weapon selection is limited to only great weapons.  Generally a pass, but they could make for a slightly tankier rally point for your blocks of warriors.
*One of unit of warriors or greybeards can also be given Vanguard. While the warriors give you that cheaper unit to fight immediately, the vanguard could be just as handy with their improved combat prowess.

===Core + Clans' Thunder===
'''Clan Marksmen''' Tanky ranged guys, but are pretty expensive.  Always give them shields, will help them soak return fire and beat down on any flankers.  In the same vein, they can also take great weapons to surprise people.  Crossbows have longer range but worse to-hit at longer ranges, handguns have better AP and to hit but shorter range.  If you're fighting elves (of any variety) take the crossbows so you can out trade them at their long ranges, anyone else you can dump on them with the handguns.

===Special===
'''King's Guard''' 2 attack great weapon infantry with plate armour + shields and gain stubborn if a king or general is rolling with them.  Will murder anything you throw them at.  The way a war throne ranks up with them will hurt their number of attacks to the front but not enough to really hurt their total damage output.

'''Deep Watch''' The brick to out-brick all bricks.  A 3+/5++ in close combat is all they are, your opponent will have trouble burning through them. In any case where you need a retinue for another hero, these guys are your ideal choice.

'''Miners''' Essentially Clan Warriors that can pop in anywhere.  If you give them ranged weapons they additionally count towards clans' thunder, which depending on who you're fighting can help out.  Shields are never a bad option, but be careful to spend a lot of points on what is essentially a suicide wizard hunter.

'''Rangers''' Scouting warriors stats wise.  Give them shooting weapons and Crag Wardens to out fire other ranged units, otherwise, use them as +3Arm roadblock if a vanguarding warriors and Seekers are not enough. Just be wary that these ranged weapons count towards Clans' Thunder. 

'''Seekers''' Defenseless besides Aegis (6+), but at least they're unbreakable.  Run them into enemy lines and hope they make it before they get shot off the table.  Always take vanguard on them to get them into combat faster. If you're looking to be more annoying, you can also make one unit into Brothers of Vengeances, making them Skirmishers.

'''Vengeance Seeker''' A solo seeker with slightly better defenses (has distracting and hard target).  If you get him into CC he'll do work. He hits first always (same step as impact hits).  Better value than regular seekers but he'll be floored against a good unit of infantry.

'''Hold Guardians''' Automatons attack!  Dwarfs have monstrous infantry damn straight.  Faster than all of your other infantry, only held down by their small unit size.  A unit or two of these are great flankers. You can even put them in different roles thanks to Runic Engravings giving you the option of either +1 Str/AP, Vanguard or +2 Agi when you set them up.

'''Grudge Buster''' A pretty quick flying Chariot unit.  Has mediocre shooting but amazing defenses, 1d6+1 impact hits, and 3d3 grind attacks. Will Mulch through most infantry with its propeller blades.

===Clans' Thunder===
'''Forge Wardens''' Short ranged (only 18") with relatively weak attacks that are flaming but always hit on 2+.  If your enemy is trying to run some hard target or cover shenanigans these guys will burn them anyways, but you might be better off with more marksmen for anything harder than light infantry.

'''Steam Copters''' Always equipped with the forge repeater and is by far your fastest unit, helped by being un-stompable.  While they aren't too shabby in combat, you're want to look at providing them either shrapnel grenades or shrapnel bombs. The grenades are your free, if less-than-effective, set of single-use sweeping attacks. The bombs are considerably stronger and deal more sweeping attacks, but if you ever roll a 6 on one of the die for the number of hits they deal you lose them.

===Engines of War===

'''Field Artillery''' All of your siege engines lumped into one entry.  Each one has 3 things in common.  1: add +4 to any misfire rolls, keeps your artillery up and running. 2: maybe upgraded with magical flaming attacks, be sure to mock your Undying Dynasties opponent. 3: they each have a upgraded form.
*''Dwarf Ballista'': Your cheapest option and is still nutty good.  Has decent strength, insane AP, and can be upgraded to be accurate all the way out to 48" and scout.  Use it to snipe monsters, lone characters, and small elite units.
*''Flame Cannon'': It's a flamethrower and can be used to troll the proper opponents.  Don't bother upgrading it, it may let you shot standard size enemies behind the front line but it also makes it easier to be shot at.
*''Catapult'': Tied for your longest ranged weapon, is consistent against large units, but suffers from mediocre str/AP.  This can be remedied by upgrading it, giving it consistent str 4 AP 2.
*''Dwarf Cannon'': The other long-ranged weapon.  The classic fuck you to monsters.  Being able to pound a monster with Str 10 AP 10 is quite the shutdown.  Can also be fired as a volley gun at close range, probably won't use it much but can discourage flankers from getting too close. If you really need it's bounces to hurt something, you can upgrade it.
*''Organ Gun'': Same range as your crossbows and 2d6x2 shots.  Anything that gets too close can just get deleted by the number of shots you can throw down at any moment. upgraded adds +1 to wound rolls.

*'''Dwarf Giant:''' A rather big dwarf who hates other giants from the Giants Supplement. His melee output is pretty scary between the aforementioned Hatred, Sturdy, and Rage giving them more attacks the more he gets damaged. Alongside the typical Big Brother and Giant Clubs, you can also either make them tanky with armor and Shield Wall or make them killier by turning them into a giant seeker.