The Middle-earth team are big fans of top 10 lists. They also love those stoic and stubborn mountain folk, the Dwarves. It seemed only sensible to combine the two, so Middle-earth lorekeeper Dan Entwisle has done exactly that, and put together a list of the best Dwarven Heroes in the Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game.
Dan: Middle-earth’s Dwarven armies have always been led by powerful warriors and brilliant tactical thinkers. This wealth of mighty champions can make deciding who to use in your army no easy task, as each candidate brings their own strengths to the table. In this article, we present our top 10 Dwarven Heroes, and tell you why each should make the cut.
10. Balin the Dwarf, King of Moria
Kicking off our top ten is Balin, King of Moria. Armed with Durin’s master-forged, two-handed axe, which allows him to re-roll a dice in a Duel roll, Balin is capable of cutting his way through swathes of foes. His Longbeard special rule means he can re-roll Priority. Balin also has two key Heroic Actions, Heroic Strike and Heroic Defence, allowing him to go toe-to-toe with the likes of Cave Trolls, Cave Drakes, or even the dreaded Watcher in the Water
9. King’s Champion
King's Champions have an impressive Fight Value 6, with Strength 5 and 3 Attacks. These stoic warriors are accompanied by two Heralds, who each carry a banner – and while all three are in base contact, the Heralds can boost each other to an eye-watering Defence 9. Heralds may also spend their Fate points to prevent Wounds that would be dealt to the King’s Champion, making him an extremely tough nut to crack.
8. Thorin III ‘Stonehelm’
One of the newest additions to the Middle-earth range, the son of King Dáin strides in at number eight. A mighty warrior like his father, Thorin III sports a Fight value of 6 and 3 Attacks – as well as the Cool-headed special rule, making any of his Heroic Actions free on a 5+. This rule also lets him change his Heroic Action should an opposing Hero choose to declare one, so Thorin III is an excellent choice if you need a Hero to adapt to a changing battlefield.
7. Gimli, Son of Glóin
Sitting pretty in seventh place is the brash and stubborn Gimli, who has an axe for every occasion – be that clearing a path with his throwing axe, brandishing one in each hand to benefit from 3 Attacks, or cleaving through foes with his master-forged two-hander. Gimli becomes even more deadly when competing for kills with Legolas, receiving a bonus +1 To Wound should the pointy-eared Elvish princeling be out-scoring him on the number of enemies slain.
6. Glóin the Dwarf, Champion of Erebor
Embedding his axe at number six is Gimli’s father Glóin. This ferocious fighter re-rolls failed To Wound rolls of 1, thanks to his A Warrior Born special rule. Combined with his two-handed axe and Weapon Master special rule, he’s incredibly effective at slicing through Gundabad Orcs, Fell Wargs, and Goblin Mercenaries. Glóin also has the Sworn Protector (Thorin Oakenshield, King Under the Mountain) special rule – while Thorin is alive and on the battlefield, Glóin will fearlessly fight by his side to the bitter end.
5. Thorin Oakenshield, King Under the Mountain
No list of the top Dwarven Heroes would be complete without Thorin Oakenshield, in this case his King Under the Mountain profile. Thorin’s Ancestral Fury special rule allows him to declare a Heroic Combat for free every turn, to swiftly cut his way through enemy lines. He can also be equipped with Orcrist, which has Orcbane, Goblinbane, and Uruk-haibane special rules to further enhance his prowess. Armed with this ancient blade, Thorin is an imposing figure for any of Sauron’s minions.
4. Dwalin the Dwarf, Champion of Erebor
Just missing out on the podium spots is Dwalin, one of Thorin’s most loyal bodyguards. The king’s axeman can get the most out of his Burly special rule by fighting with his two-handed axe and ignoring the -1 penalty to his Duel roll, or with one in each hand to benefit from a whopping 4 Attacks! He’s ideal both for slicing through hordes of low Defence enemies, or for bringing down high Defence targets – whatever is required!
3. Thrór
In the bronze position is the legendary King under the Mountain – Thorin’s grandfather, Thrór. This steadfast leader is a capable warrior in his own right, but he may also upgrade any Grim Hammers to Guardians of the King, giving them Strength 4. If boosting the killing power of his army's most elite warriors weren’t enough reason to include him, his obdurate Defence of 9, combined with the Arkenstone (passing his Fate rolls on a 3+) makes him extraordinarily difficult to kill.*
2. Dáin Ironfoot, Lord of the Iron Hills
Taking silver is the fearless – if cantankerous – Dáin Ironfoot. The Lord of the Iron Hills boasts the powerful combination of a two-handed weapon, the Burly special rule and Strength 5, allowing him to wound exceptionally tough foes such as Mordor Trolls, Bolg, or even a heavily armoured Azog, on a 4+. Dáin also enables all nearby Iron Hills Dwarf models to pass any Courage tests they need to take automatically.
1. Durin, King of Khazad-dûm
Securing the top spot is Durin, the King of Khazad-dȗm himself. This Dwarf Lord is armed to the teeth. The Ring of Durin allows him to re-roll Priority once per game, the Crown of Kings lets him ignore any Wound on the roll of a 6, and the Horn of Zirakzigil is a war horn that gives him the Terror special rule. Then there’s his master-forged two-handed axe, of course. If that weren’t enough to earn him the top spot, Durin may also be accompanied into battle by Hearthguard – elite Khazâd Guard upgraded to have the Burly special rule.
Thanks for that, Dan! What do you think of these choices? Are there any other fearsome Dwarf fighters who deserved a mention? Let us know over at the Warhammer Official Facebook page.
* Unless your name is Azog…