Dwarfs Still on Sprue, Lists Already in Our Heads
Army-building starts before the box is even open
Sometimes the most dangerous phase of a Warhammer project is not assembly, not painting, and definitely not the first game.
It is that exact moment when the models are still on sprue, but we are already deep into list ideas, weapon options, and overthinking runes.
That was pretty much the mood here at the start of January. End3r hadn’t even unpacked the dwarfs yet, and we were already talking through what looked strong, what sounded fun, and what would probably only make sense after a few games.
First impressions: handguns look spicy
The first thing that immediately caught our attention was the humble handgun.
A 24” range and no penalty for move & shoot? In practice that starts sounding like a very comfortable threat range, and the more we talked about it, the more it felt like one of those profiles that quietly does a lot of work. Add in Armour Bane, and suddenly even if it is not something to rely on every turn, it still gives the unit that extra bit of bite.
We’re not pretending this means every problem gets solved by thunderers, of course. You still need those key rolls, and dwarfs are never exactly a cheap army to build in a list. But on paper? Very nice.
Runes: amazing, expensive, and very easy to misuse
Then we got to the really dwarf bit: runes.
Our immediate reaction was simple: they are awesome.
Our second reaction was also simple: they are expensive.
And then came the most important conclusion of all — you really need to understand what you are buying. End3r mentioned taking a rune in a previous game that protected against terror or fear, only to discover that the opponent’s army list didn’t really bring the threat he expected. A very dwarf lesson: paying for the right tool is great, paying for the wrong tool is still paying.
That said, we could instantly think of matchups where that kind of protection would matter a lot more. Against something like a K’daai Destroyer or a Cathayan Sentinel, suddenly those defensive choices stop looking cute and start looking very sensible.
That is part of what makes this stage of army-building fun. We are not just choosing units — we are learning what the army is actually trying to do, and what kind of threats we want to prepare for.
Build plan: basics first, shooters next
For now, the hobby plan is refreshingly practical.
End3r wants to sort out the weapon options for the warriors first, along with parts for the champion/veteran and musician. After that, the plan is to push on with thunderers/quarrellers.
Honestly, that feels like a very solid way to approach dwarf army-building in Warhammer: The Old World. Get the core infantry sorted, make sure the command options are there, and then move into the ranged support that gives the army so much of its character.
It is also one of those stages where the army starts becoming real. Before that, it is boxes, bits, and ideas. Once the command models and weapon choices are decided, you can already see the shape of the force on the table.
The best part: testing it soon
The most encouraging bit in all of this is that we should be able to test some of these ideas soon.
And really, that is the whole point. We can theorycraft all we want about ranges, runes, and niche anti-terror tech, but dwarfs only truly become dwarfs once they are on the table, stubbornly refusing to move faster than necessary and shooting at anything that looks expensive.
So right now we are somewhere between unopened box and future battle line — which, if we are honest, is a very familiar and very enjoyable place to be.
We’ll see soon enough whether the runes are genius, whether the shooters overperform, and whether those warriors survive long enough for any of it to matter.