Thunderbarge
The Thunderbarge is a Warhammer Fantasy option for the Dwarfs army...which only exists in the 8th Edition Big Red Book as an example for scenario games. Despite this, the idea was popular, earning quite a few fan creations and two spiritual successors post-Warhammer Fantasy with the Age of Sigmar Kharadron Overlords who take the idea of steam powered airships and run with it as fast as their short legs can carry them and a regular option in The 9th Age Dwarf army.
The Lore[edit]
Dwarfs are resistant to new ideas generally. This was part of their gift from the Old Ones, which was designed to prevent them from falling to Chaos or being manipulated by it. Sadly, although Dwarfs have pioneered basically all technology in the setting (what, you thought the Germans invented anything? That shit was welfare because they owed Sigmar a favor) they require centuries of something sitting in the prototype stage before they put it into field tests, and even then the gray-bearded Engineers are pissed off about it.
Thanks to Thorgrim Grudgebearer and his realistic approach to attempting to bring back the golden age of the Dwarfs quite a few experimental things that haven't even gathered dust have been pressed into use, before the technology has been perfected. Among this new tech is flying machines, and among the many designs of flying machines is the zeppelin. What's the zeppelin good for exactly? The crazy fucking Engineer that designed it took everyone else's designs (360 degree swivel guns, cannons, bombs) and said "Why can't it also ram things?" then sent out the blueprints. Only the craziest of Engineers have it in them to build one, let alone actually take it into battle.
Zhufbar has launched three so far. The first was shot down in the Black Vale, the second was sent on a diplomatic mission to Nuln and disappeared, and the third has so far managed to survive three battles including one where it obliterated the Knuckle Scrapers tribe of greenskins with bombs. Its called the "Wrath Of Thunder", built and piloted by Sven Hasselfrapp.
Oh, thought the above was a bit crazy? Those insane motherfuckers in Barak Varr also managed to build a gigantic submarine aircraft carrier that launches them in Dreadfleet.
The Crunch[edit]
This thing has no points cost since it wasn’t intended as an actual competitive option. Even if it was, it’d be broken as fuck and would almost require giving an opponent not only enough time to tailor their list to fight it, but to buy and paint the models to counter it. Some armies simply cannot do anything against it, and other have to bend the rules on what counts as “flying” like magic or the Doom Diver Catapult.
| Model Part | Mv | WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | LD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderbarge | - | - | - | - | 6 | 10 | - | - | - |
| Crew | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 10 |
War Machine, 10 Crew, Unbreakable, Large Target, Magic Resistance (3), Ward Save (6+), Hover
Uses a Chariot base.
- High Flyer: Can only be targeted by other Flyers.
- Gun Platform: May fire its Organ Gun and drop bombs even if it moves.
- Bedecked With Cannons: Has five Organ Guns, one may fire per two crew rounded up. Line Of Sight and Range are factored from the gun barrel.
- Bombs Away: Every turn it can fire a bomb like a Stone Thrower with 3-12 inch range, Strength 3(6), Multiple Wounds (D3) measured from any point on the base.
- Misfires: If the Organ Gun or Bombs suffer a Misfire, the weapon stops working and its takes D3 Crew of damage.
- Disaster!: When destroyed the Thunderbarge Scatters 3D6 in a random direction causing a Strength 8 Hit to any model under its landing place.
Gallery[edit]
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Art of the Thunderbarge.
