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Dwarf Navy

A Dwarf Dreadnought, flagship of the Dwarf navy

The Dwarfs are masters of metal and technology, with steam engines installed on ships that make them independent of the wind for propulsion the dwarfs believe that they have conquered the ocean.

Most dwarfholds do not have any ships, for obvious reasons. The exception is Barak Varr. Barak Varr maintains a fleet of 3 dreadnoughts, 6 ironclads, and 18 monitors, plus 6 submersibles and 25 gunboats.[1]

History[]

Dwarfs are not generally fond of the sea; it is, after all, a very different environment to their mountain holds. Many regard it as being the domain of the Elves and as such no place for proper, right-thinking Dwarfs. There is certainly no record of Dwarfs taking to sea in vessels powered by oar and sail as they have no natural talent as mariners.[2a]

The creation of steam engines large enough to power iron vessels changed all that however. By making iron float and by directing their vessels without dependence on tide or wind the Dwarfs feel they have conquered the sea and proven the dominance of earth over water. Moreover they have, to their own satisfaction, proven that anything the Elves can do, they can do better.[2a]

There are relatively few Ironclad vessels in existence and those that there are can be divided into broad categories. The typical Ironclad is the equivalent of other races’ galleys and ships of the line in size. It is a broad category, however, and every ship is a unique creation that is testament to the skill of the engineer that built it. Monitors are smaller than Ironclads and are well-suited to patrolling rivers and inland lakes as well as oceans. They carry less fuel than Ironclads so cannot steam so far without refuelling. Monitors are rarely seen outside the Black Gulf and the Tilean Sea, whereas Ironclads can reach Lustria when fully provisioned. Dreadnoughts are even larger than Ironclads and each is a veritable floating fortress, complete with massive turreted cannon, far larger than anything seen on land.[2a]

There have been very few engineers skilled enough to build a Dreadnought and the sheer cost precludes them being built in numbers. The greatest Kings of Barak Varr have marked their reigns by commissioning a Dreadnought and each one is a mechanical marvel unparalleled in the world. The credit for designing the first Dreadnought belongs to the legendary Engineer Hengist Cragbrow and every one built since has owed something to his vision. Equally rare is the Nautilus. This is a ship actually capable of travelling beneath the waves. The first Nautilus was built by Cragbrow’s one-time apprentice, Mungrun Steelhammer. Steelhammer was determined to make a name for himself and, unable to match the scale of his Master’s creations, built something completely different instead. Other Nautiluses have since been built but in many ways it was an invention that was ahead of its time then and is still ahead of its time now.[2a]

Steam-powered vessels opened the world’s oceans to Dwarf trade and ensured that wherever you go in the Old World and beyond there is a good chance you will find Dwarfs, curious to hear news from the Worlds Edge Mountains and eager to taste thick, Dwarfish ale again.[2a]

Ironically the Dwarfs’ ability to traverse the world’s oceans owes much to the Elves. No Dwarf would admit this, but without accurate charts it does not matter how powerful one’s ship is. Within Barak Varr the Dwarfs maintain their Book of Charts. Whilst it might originally have been a single tome it is now more of a library. Many of the charts therein have been bought from Tilean merchants quite properly but the earliest maps, the ones that made seafaring possible, are believed to have been looted from the Elves during the War of Vengeance. These charts have spared Dwarfs the irksome task of exploring; instead they have always known where they are going.[2a]

An example of this is the aforementioned Mungrun Steelhammer. His last ill-fated voyage was made in concert with Estalian privateers. Mungrun accompanied one of their expeditions to Lustria in his Nautilus. Together they hoped to explore and loot the fabled sunken city of Chupayotl. The Estalians had searched for the city for generations without success, but found it with Mungrun’s help. Clearly Mungrun had access to charts that showed the course to the city. The tragedy of Steelhammer’s last voyage is that only one of his crew ever returned to Barak Varr.[2a]

30 years after the expedition departed a Dwarf was freed from the oars of an Arabyan galley, his mind long gone. He was recognised by a kinsman as being one of Mungrun’s mariners. All he would talk about was great, black eyes and webbed claws. Dwarfs will dare much for gold however, and despite this salutary tale it is only a matter of time before another great Dwarf mariner follows in Steelhammer’s wake.[2a]

Characteristics[]

Dwarfs and Magic[]

As a race Dwarfs are almost completely unmagical and cannot cast spells. This means that a Dwarf fleet never acquires magicians, and therefore has no facility to cast any spells when in battle.[1b]

Dwarfs are also amazingly resistant to magic.[1b]

Steamships[]

Dwarf ships are steam powered, and use great wave-churning paddlewheels to drive them through the sea. Since it relies exclusively on its paddlewheels for propulsion a Dwarf which has its paddles or boiler destroyed cannot move.[1b]

All Dwarf steamships are heavily armoured. This means they cannot be boarded unless they have taken damage since the enemy must knock a hole in them somewhere in order to board. Dwarf crews are capable of boarding Dwarfs ships even if they have taken no damage because all Dwarf captains know the secret combinations for opening the hatches.[1c]

Engineers[]

Dwarf Engineers are masters of their art, and are particularly adept at repairing engines and paddles. These surly, dour, pessimistic but extremely skilled and competent individuals can do wonders with engines or paddlewheels given half an opportunity, some tools, a bit of oil and three pieces of string.[1c]

Engineers can be found on the most unlikely places in ships constantly tapping things with their hammers, making checks and last second adjustments. In battle they perform heroic feats, often crawling out over the surface of the ship in the teeth of enemy fire to repair the ships they love.[1c]

Obviously Engineers cannot repair areas that are on fire although they can repair such areas after the fire has gone out. Engineers cannot repair below the waterline damage in battle.[1c]

Turrets[]

Some Dwarf ships have turrets: great hydraulic weapon mounts filled with batteries of cannons that can be rotated to fire in almost any direction.[1c]

Vessels[]

Dreadnaught[]

Dreadnoughts are even larger than Ironclads, and each is a floating fortress, complete with massive cannon turrets, far larger than anything seen on land. Very few engineers are capable of creating a Dreadnought and the enormous cost prevents them from being built in large numbers. The greatest Kings of Barak Varr have marked their reigns by commissioning a Dreadnought and each is a mechanical marvel. The first Dreadnought was created by the legendary engineer Hengist Cragbrow and every one since has owed something to his vision.

Ironclad[]

There are relatively few Ironclad vessels in existence, and most can grouped into broad categories. Ironclad is sometimes used as a 'catch-all' phrase to describe all iron ships. The typical Ironclad is the equivalent of other race's galleys and ships of the line in size, although the category is a broad one. Each ship is a testament to the skill of the engineer who built it. Ironclads are able reach Lustria when fully provisioned.

Monitor[]

Monitors are smaller than Ironclads, and are capable of patrolling rivers and inland lakes. They are rarely seen outside of the Black Gulf and the Tilean Sea.

Nautilus[]

Nautiluses are capable of travelling beneath the waves. The first Nautilus was created by Hengist Cragbrow's one-time apprentice, Mungrun Steelhammer. Steelhammer wanted to make a name for himself, but knew that he couldn't match the scale of a Dreadnought, so built something completely different instead. Other Nautiluses have been built since, but it was and still is, an invention way ahead of its time.

Sources[]

  • 1: Man O' War Rulebook
    • 1a: pg. 43
    • 1b: pg. 44
    • 1c: pg. 45
  • 2: White Dwarf #307 (UK edition)
    • 2a: pg. 47
  • Dwarfs: Stone and Steel

Gallery[]

  1. Dwarfs: Stone and Steel, p. 52.
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