"I mean, it makes an awful stink, for Grungni's sake, and smoke everywhere, stings your eyes something rotten it does. Still, they're better than those contraptions the Manlings cart about these days..."
- —Durgrim Redmane, Hammerer[2a]
A battleline of Dwarf Thunderers taking aim.
Thunderers are those Dwarfs that have been trained in the use and maintenance of a customised Dwarf Handgun or other Dwarf firearms, forming into their own regiments of armour-piercing, ranged light infantry.
Role
It took many, many years after the Dwarfs had discovered the revolutionary use of blackpowder before the handgun became widely used as a weapon. Indeed, in these earlier times, these handguns were held with great suspicion by the highly conservative Dwarfs, with the earlier prototypes usually being only given to Dwarf Engineers. Now, however, nearly all the Dwarf holds within Karaz Ankor can field whole regiments of Thunderers -- the name given to Dwsrf handgun-equipped light infantry units.[1a]
Dwarf Thunderers unleash the power of their Dwarf Handguns.
Standing in closely packed ranks, Thunderers take aim and then discharge their handguns -- unleashing a thunderous fury and a cloud of gun smoke. Although not quite as long-ranged as a crossbow, the sturdy Dwarf Handgun packs an even deadlier shot, its bullet fired with such velocity it can tear through even plate armour and better take down more heavily protected foes, such as Chaos Warriors.[1a]
Due to the cost in both creation and maintenance, handguns are usually only afforded by Dwarfs of fairly high status or wealth, and as is common with their race, these Dwarfs often exhibit a great degree of affection and pride in their handguns. This affection usually results in further customisation to the owner's preference, so that Dwarf handguns are far superior in both stopping power, range and accuracy than any other firearms in the Known World.[1a]
A Dwarf Thunder at rest between combats.
Although Dwarfs show great solidarity in the face of outsiders, it is commonly known that there has been a certain degree of rivalry between regiments of Thunderers and Quarrellers on many separate occasions. Given the Dwarfs' bitter nature and their overzealous pride in their preferred weapon, these arguments are usually not "good-natured." Although not prone to acts of murder or betrayal, many a good drinking session has often erupted into a bloody brawl when the millennia-old question gets raised -- which is better: the crossbow or the handgun?[1a]
However, these rivalries are often expunged when a greater enemy threatens to destroy the kingdoms of the Dwarfs. When called into battle, these Dwarfs will marshall around their own clan's regiments and fight in a tight-formation on the battlefield. When the enemy is within sight, these Dwarfs form up into ranks where each row of Thunderers will take aim and unleash a murderous barrage of armour-piercing bullets with deadly precision. Being methodical, the Dwarfs continue to load and fire in a disciplined manner, so long as their foes are within range. Even when the enemy advance close, almost right up on top of them, Thunderers will seek to get off one last shot.[1a]
While the onrush of bloodthirsty foes might cause lesser races to rush their aim, the steady coolness of the Dwarfs, not to mention the precision of their weaponry, ensures that every volley is fired with the same lethal accuracy as the last, until the moment the Thunderers take up their axes and meet the foe's charge in the bloody press of close combat. In short time, these Dwarfs transform into a shield-wall of axe-bearers who are just as durable as a regiment of Dwarf Warriors.[1a]
Miniatures
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.png "Dwarf Thunderers Classic (3).png (493 KB)")
Sources
- 1: Warhammer Armies: Dwarfs (8th Edition)
- 1a: pg. 39
- 2: Warhammer Armies: Dwarfs (6th Edition)
- 2a: pg. 10
Gallery
