Quarrellers

"Now, don't get me wrong, I'd rather be on the right end of a handgun than the wrong end, but what's wrong with proper, old-fashioned crossbows?..."

- Durgrim Redmane, Longbeard

Dwarf Quarrelers are one of the two most basic support units within any Dwarf army, serving as dedicated regiments of skirmishers and missile troops in most battle situations. Since the Dwarfs first settled upon the treacherous slopes of the World's Edge Mountain, the Dwarfs required a means to kill the many ferocious beast that occupy its peaks at a very long and safe distance. This dilemma has resulted in the creation of the first crossbow, as the traditional bows used by the High Elves were far to large to properly use and lack greatly in hitting power. These first variants of the crossbow were made of stout Ironoak wood and reinforced with metal bands. As the centuries pass on, the versatility of the crossbow had little need for improvements, for even the most common of crossbow used by the Dwarfs is enough to drop a heavily-armored Black Orc in its tracks, and with enough Dwarfs firing in concert, take down a rampaging Giant in a single and concentrated volley.

When the Clans are called for war, most Dwarfs would take up arms as simple Warriors equipped with the traditional axe and shield. Other Dwarfs however, would arm themselves with a crossbow handed down the generations and join the battle alongside a regiment of like-minded Quarrelers. Disciplined in the traditional Dwarf sense, these regiments are renowned for their ability to continue their deadly barrage at a steady and disciplined pace, even when the enemy is literally a few feet in front of them. Once the enemy gets too close, these Dwarfs would instantly drop their crossbows and fight in the same formation as a regiment of determined Dwarf Warriors.

While the devotees to the handgun have grown considerably over the last century, they have not been able to expunge the crossbow entirely. Due to its cheapness and versatility, many of the more traditionalist Dwarfs still hold on to their trusted crossbows, finding that the cost of maintaining a firearm are far to high for its worth, when all you need to maintain a crossbow is a little bit of elbow grease and a keen eye.

Source

 * Warhammer Armies: Dwarf (8th Edition) -- pg. 39