ISSUE 3 - 15th FEB 2014

Editor: Jes Bickham
jes@whitedwarf.co.uk

Assistant Editor: Matt Keefe

mattk@whitedwarf.co.uk

Senior Staff Writer: Adam Troke

adam@whitedwarf.co.uk

Staff Writer: Daniel Harden
dan@whitedwarf.co.uk

Production Lead:
Rebecca Ferguson
rebecca@whitedwarf.co.uk

Digital Editor: Melissa Roberts
melissa@whitedwarf.co.uk

Lead Designer: Matthew Hutson

matt@whitedwarf.co.uk

Designer: Kristian Shield
kris@whitedwarf.co.uk

Designer: Ben Humber
ben@whitedwarf.co.uk

Photo Editor: Glenn More
glenn@whitedwarf.co.uk

Photographer: Erik Niemz
erik@whitedwarf.co.uk

Photographer: Martyn Lyon
martyn@whitedwarf.co.uk

Publisher: Paul Lyons
paul@whitedwarf.co.uk

If you’ve ever faced a Dwarf gunline on the battlefield before, you’ll know just how deadly it can be. This week you’d best redouble your efforts to counter such a force, as the new Irondrakes – Dwarf warriors armed with mighty drakeguns – have arrived to blast even the most heavily-armoured foe to smithereens. To round off our February Dwarf coverage, Adam and Dan convened for an epic battle that you can read all about later in the issue. It’s a bitter grudge match between two lifelong enemies (Skaven and Dwarfs, that is, not Adam and Dan).

By now you’ll have seen – and hopefully enjoyed – our ‘The Week in White Dwarf’ section. Well, we want your questions for Ask Grombrindal; it’s your chance to ask the White Dwarf himself anything you want. Send him your questions at team@whitedwarf.co.uk, with ‘Ask Grombrindal’ in the subject line. See you next issue – you’re not going to want to miss next week’s New Releases…

Ironbreakers are stalwart guardians of the Dwarfen underways, the first line of defence in the endless battles that rage beneath their holds. Clad in thick plates of gromril armour, Ironbreakers are an unbending bulwark against their most savage foes.

The Ironbreakers kit contains 10 plastic Dwarfs, each of which can be equipped with a hand weapon and shield, as well as options to assemble three of the models as a command group consisting of a musician, a standard bearer and a champion, known as an Ironbeard. The Ironbeard comes with several options of his own, including a bare head, drakefire pistols and a cinderblast bomb – weapons ideally suited to fighting in the tightly packed confines of the tunnels that lead into the heart of the Dwarf holds, the primary duty of an Ironbreaker. For this purpose each Ironbreaker wears the finest and strongest armour available to the Dwarfs, fashioned from gromril. This is represented by the impressive rune-wrought armour that each of the Ironbreakers wears.

All this armour, combined with the thick, knotwork-encrusted shields of the Ironbreakers, points towards the bloody task of tunnel fighting, and makes for some very resilient, tough looking models. AT

Armed with fearsome drakeguns, the Irondrakes defend the tunnels and caverns beneath a Dwarf hold. They advance relentlessly, firing blasts of alchemical fury into the enemy ranks, reducing their foes to charred husks.

Irondrakes are the most heavily-armoured of all Dwarf warriors, their forge-proven gromril armour inlaid with runes and precious metals, their faces hidden behind impassive masks. Such protection is necessary, for the Irondrakes carry volatile drakeguns, new weapons in the Dwarf arsenal that give off such intense heat it would sear the beard from a Dwarf’s face in a heartbeat. It’s with these powerful guns that the Irondrakes scour the underground vaults of their realm clear of lurking terrors and unwanted intruders.

The 10 Irondrakes in this multi-part plastic kit are led into battle by an Ironwarden, who has three weapon options in the box: a brace of drakefire pistols, cinderblast bombs and the formidable trollhammer torpedo. There are also options to build a unit musician and a standard bearer. The musician carries a rune-bedecked horn covered in pipes and valves, while the standard bearer wears the regimental banner on his back: a shield marked with the Rune of the Furnace and flanked by gilded dragons. DH

Dwarfs are exceptional warriors and dependable fighters, their weapons and wargear constructed to the highest standards, from the finest materials. Made up of elite infantry and batteries of powerful guns, a Dwarf army is a fearsome sight on the battlefield.

Most Dwarf armies come from a particular hold or clan, all of which have a preferred method of waging war. Common to all Dwarfs, however, is a love of hammers, axes and guns, which the Dwarf Battleline has in abundance. Included in the box are 20 Dwarf Warriors, which can be built with hand weapons and shields or double-handed axes, a regiment of 20 handgun-armed Thunderers, which can also be built as Quarrellers, and 10 Longbeards, which can alternatively be constructed as Hammerers. All three units come with the option to make a command group, each with their own distinctive champion, musician and standard bearer.

Also included in the box are two Dwarf Cannons, which can be built as the fearsome Organ Gun, and a Runesmith to lead them into battle. The Runesmith comes with several options, including two heads and a variety of weapons and wargear ranging from a leather-bound tome and a great hammer to a pair of tongs clutching a burning rune. DH

Hive Fleet Leviathan’s vanguard has struck the world of Satys. Now the true invasion begins.

Dataslate: Tyranid Invasion continues the story of the Imperial World of Satys, a precious planet on the southern plane of the Imperium. In the first instalment, the Catachan Jungle Fighters and Aurora Chapter Space Marines found themselves attacked by the advance elements of the Hive Fleet. Now, the invasion proper begins, and the defenders face unending waves of Tyranid broods in a battle to the death. Things look grim for the Imperium’s defenders, but help could be at hand…

As well as a riveting story, Dataslate: Tyranid Invasion also contains new rules for using a Tyranid Invasion army in your games, as well as special scenarios enabling you to recreate the key events in the invasion phase of this bloody tale. AT

Our friends at Nomad Games continue to provide great content for their digital edition of Talisman. Things have come a long way from their first release, Talisman Prologue, where you could explore the world of Talisman in solo games and complete a series of quests. Since then, Nomad have also released a full version of the Talisman game through Steam, which you enjoy as a multiplayer game, competing with up to three other players in a race to win the Crown of Command.

One of the great features of Talisman Digital Edition’s multiplayer game is that you can also play locally. This creates the enjoyable old school feeling of crowding round a computer with your mates, a great addition to your gaming night. Nomad aren’t done yet either – they have more expansions in the pipeline. AT

The mysterious Alpha Legion come under scrutiny in a new edition of this classic novel.

Legion is the ﬁrst book in the Horus Heresy series to feature the secretive and inscrutable Alpha Legion.

This novel, which is now reprinted as a large-format trade paperback, introduces the Alpha Legion in a beautifully understated way, which is perfectly in keeping with their modus operandi. The Alpha Legion’s methods and motives are explored throughout this novel, with their battleﬁeld actions revolving around covert operations – an unusual approach among the Space Marines. Dan Abnett portrays the Legion excellently, telling much of the story from the perspective of the Geno Five-Two Chiliad who fight alongside them. There’s a story here too, but I won’t give away the secrets here… DH

Mortarion, Daemon Primarch of the Deathguard, stalks the world of Kornovin. Against such a foe, victory is impossible. Even so, Kaldor Draigo and the Grey Knights must try to banish him.

I had the pleasure of listening to Mortarion’s Heart as I walked to work one morning, and it turned a bleak winter trek into a gripping encounter with the Grey Knights and Deathguard. I have to say that it is possibly the most exciting and, dare I say, moving audio drama I’ve ever heard.

Fans of Kaldor Draigo will know his history well enough to predict the events of this epic audio drama, but for the uninitiated, the Battle of Kornovin is where Draigo cements his legend. It’s a bloody and costly fight, and the fantastic voice acting and sound effects serve only to make the whole encounter more atmospheric. I was spellbound by the ghostly conclave, with its powerful dialogue, and the clanking walk of the Inquisitor’s vox-servitor. The moment that cements this audio drama as a favourite in my mind, however, is when Draigo lets out a scream of pure anguish; I was left breathless. Amazing stuff. AT

Talisman Firelands

It’s all a bit Talisman crazy at the moment. Those enterprising folks at Fantasy Flight Games have created another expansion; in the Firelands, you must take on the powerful Ifrit, as they seek to reduce the world to ash. With four new characters and a host of new cards to fuel your adventures, it promises a perilous twist on the classic board game.

Further Reading

Mortarion’s Heart is part of the Space Marine Battles series, each of which tells the tale of a pivotal conflict in the history of the Space Marines. There are a number of cracking novels in the series as well as several audio dramas. Adam hasn’t stopped raving about Armageddon since he reviewed it for White Dwarf several months ago, so if you fancy a great page turner it’s worth a look. Likewise, he hails Andy Smillie’s Deathwolf as an exceptionally fine audio drama.

Whether in victory or defeat, a good sportsman makes the best opponent in any game. But, during the heat of battle, congratulating the foe who just beat you can come out strangely. This month, Jeremy Vetock explores what can happen when good-humoured players are pushed to their limits.

Many say ‘it’s only a game’, but I don’t believe them. When sure victory is suddenly snatched out of your hands, or fumbled away by the capricious will of the cruel dice gods, then even the best sportsmen amongst us will be tested. Over many battles, both my own and those I have observed while running events or tournaments, I have witnessed the full spectrum of emotion. I have seen shameful behaviour from plasma reactor meltdowns and utter despondency to titanic efforts of honest buoyancy and good will.

Of course, some games put more pressure on their contestants than others. Tensions can arise between players in knockout tournaments, grudge matches, or campaign battles more quickly than they might in your average club pick-up scrum. The ramifications of victory or defeat might mean going home with a trophy, owning bragging rights over your best friend or greatest rival, or the culmination of a long-fought series of ongoing battles. In the heat of the moment it can feel like more than a game to even some of the most good-natured and enjoyable-to-play opponents in the world.

You may think you know your gaming buddies, but until you see them on the wrong end of do-or-die dice roll in a high pressure game you can never be quite sure who will break and who will not. Ah, the stories I can tell – although few are actually printable. Why, in a particularly closely fought playtest I heard Jervis Johnson – that dignified statesman of games development and all-round gentleman – utter a few choice phrases at his uncooperative dice that would have melted the ears off any innocent bystander. (Of course, there weren’t any around – that man is a professional!) But my all-time favourite tale happened a little something like this:

Many years ago I was involved in a long-standing Warhammer campaign. It was a map-based slugfest and many games had been played leading to what was the final, climactic multi-player battle. Entire realms and bragging rights were at stake here, and both sides had fixed their tactical reputations upon winning. Only fellow gamers who have invested long hours into an ongoing campaign will understand what was on the line.

In the centre of the battlefield, where the dastardly villains had placed all their hopes, it came down to a single roll of the dice. The odds were stacked in our foes’ favour; they should make the roll and win the game and, ultimately, the campaign…

But the dice gods are fickle.

Perhaps it did not really happen in slow motion – the way I remember it – but I swear I could see the different faces of the dice in agonising detail as they tumbled their way across the terrain. In my mind, there was a dramatic swelling of thematic music as the dice finally rolled to a halt. Many times the wayward forces of probability have let me down, but on this occasion it was not I the dice betrayed, but my enemy.

For a brief instance, incredulity ruled – but this was ended as our side erupted in cheers of joy. To a man, the opposing side remained motionless. Only their eyes moved – darting back again and again to the dice, futilely willing them to change. Never, to my own dying day, will I forget what the ringleader of our foes then said.

We knew him well, and although ruthless on the tabletop, he was a mild-mannered gentleman. Now, with his eyes still blazing intensely from the horrible and unexpected turn of events, he seemed to struggle with his emotions before regaining his composure. Then, clearly putting on his best brave face, he took a deep breath, in turn looking each one of us straight in the eyes. Then calmly, as one Warhammer aficionado to another, he said a foul word. Then another. And another still, until expletives rolled off his tongue in strings, flowing like water gushing from a sluice. He cursed that dice roll, damning the untrustworthy cubes and heaping on his own troops the kind of abuse any drill sergeant would have been proud of. His loyal teammates joined in, adding their own oaths to the rising chorus of curses. To this day, I’m sure that any psychics who ever enter that room will still be able to pick up residual traces of foul language.

Let me add that they were soon laughing as they cursed. None of their jibes were directed at us, or our ancestors, but were instead the unleashed frustrations of men caught up on the wrong side of a glorious war of wits fought out upon the tabletop battlefield. The battle was amidst friends only, so no one else was struck by the oathstorm. In its own profane way, the cursing was a salute to the action-packed campaign that we had enjoyed for so long – we were all really into the battles. At last, the curses ended in uproarious laughter. It is, still to this day, the standard ending I hope for whenever I start any new campaign or gaming endeavour. I hope that every last battle will command that kind of passion and enthusiasm!

Please note, I’m not saying that next time dice don’t go your way you should rant about them. But I am saying that the best, most honest and most heartfelt congratulations I ever received from an opponent cannot actually be printed – the language would surely scorch any carbon-based material. Sure, handshakes and polite words followed – but after such a long campaign it was the string of curses that will forever crown that epic victory.

Having learned from this experience – I now give this advice to all tabletop commanders. The next time things don’t go your way and your tabletop dreams of victory are mercilessly crushed, don’t bottle up your emotions – don’t complain or sap away the joy of the game and the camaraderie of the moment, nor should you risk any awkward moments of actual profanity, but instead unleash the best in-character oath you can muster. Between army books and codexes and a slew of Black Library novels you will find a wealth of appropriate curses. For example: “By the Emperor’s Golden Throne!” or “By Sigmar’s Hammer!” are two excellent choices, but I favour the slightly more questionable “By Gork’s (or possibly Mork’s) Great Green Buttocks!”

After good-naturedly yelling such a proclamation to the skies, you can then shake hands and offer more standard congratulations. It clearly is more than a game, but there is still no reason you can’t be a good sport about it.

With the Dwarf army book now out, Adam and Dan decided to give the Dwarfs their first test run on the battlefield. While Adam tooled up the Studio’s Zhufbar army, Dan amassed a horde of Skaven lead by the infamous Grey Seer Thanquol.

Dan: When it came to fighting a Battle Report with the new Dwarfs, Adam and I both agreed they should fight one of their most hated foes. Having suffered a comprehensive defeat with greenskins the last time I fought Adam, I changed tack and opted for a Skaven force this time.

Excited to be fielding the Studio’s Zhufbar collection, Adam’s army list rapidly hit the 4000-point mark, while my Skaven barely reached 3500. Keen to field all the new Dwarf units, we created a scenario that enabled the Skaven to even the score by fulfilling an objective. Three Arcane Fulcrums were placed along the centre-line of the battlefield. Should a Skaven Wizard reach the top, a Vermin Lord would materialise to aid them. The potential to summon three of these monsters more than made up for my 500-point shortfall. Scenario set, we were ready for battle.

Thanquol’s Horde

Grey Seer Thanquol

Grey Seer Squeeltooth on

Screaming Bell

Two Warlock Engineers

Assassin

20 Stormvermin with Doom-flayer

20 Stormvermin with Ratling Gun

30 Clanrats with

Warpfire Thrower

30 Clanrats

30 Clanrats

20 Night Runners with Warp Grinder

9 Gutter Runners

Three Rat Swarms

Five Rat Ogres

Five Jezzails

Five Poisoned Wind Globadiers

Two Hell Pit Abominations

Warp Lightning Cannon

Doomwheel

Zhufbar’s Throng

Belegar Ironhammer

Grimm Burloksson

Runelord

Dragon Slayer

Runesmith

40 Dwarf Warriors

20 Thunderers

40 Longbeards

30 Ironbreakers

30 Hammerers

20 Irondrakes

Two Gyrocopters

Two Gyrobombers

Two Cannons

The sons of Grungni took the first turn, the armoured wall of Dwarfs hefting their axes and marching inexorably forward. From high above, a squadron of Gyrocopters and Gyrobombers descended through the clouds and sped towards the Skaven, eager to unleash havoc on the furry fiends. A resounding boom followed by a sonorous clang announced that battle had been joined as the first cannonball ricocheted off the Screaming Bell, followed swiftly by a long-range volley from Grimm Burloksson and his Thunderers.

On the left flank of the Skaven army, the Clanrats and Rat Ogres piled into the Longbeards, closely followed by a rampaging Hell Pit Abomination. Despite the protection offered by their shieldwall, the Longbeards suffered horrendous casualties and fled the fight only to be run down by the chittering hordes. Nearby, the Doom-flayer suffered an unfortunate mishap involving a tail and a series of cogs, resulting in its destruction at the hands (and axes) of the Dragon Slayer. The Stormvermin pushing the Screaming Bell advanced cautiously, Grey Seer Squeeltooth determined to hit the Dwarfs with warp-fuelled magic before mopping up the survivors. Despite a succession of devastating spells, the Dwarfs shrugged off their effects with impunity.

Swooping low, the Gyrobombers unleashed their payload over the dithering Stormvermin, chunks of fur-covered meat blasted high into the air by their impact. Eager not to be outdone, the Gyrocopters unleashed their bombs on the nearby Clanrats to similar effect, causing both them and a gaggle of Poisoned Wind Globadiers to flee. The surviving Stormvermin remained unfazed by the destruction, not even squirting the musk of fear when the Screaming Bell was blasted apart by massed Dwarfen artillery.

With the Dwarfs in full retreat on the left flank, Thanquol ordered his units forward before sneaking out the back of his regiment with Boneripper in tow. As the Doomwheel thundered into Belegar’s Hammerers, Squeeltooth turned his attention on the nearby Gyrobombers, bringing them crashing to the ground with a Howling Warpgale. The Dwarf Runesmith distracted, Thanquol concluded his master plan, casting Skitterleap on himself to appear triumphantly at the top of the central Arcane Fulcrum.

Smashing the Doomwheel to splinters, Belegar and his retinue turned their attention on Squeeltooth while the Ironbreakers advanced to fill the gap left by the Longbeards. Before combat could be joined, the Irondrakes let loose a torrent of alchemical blasts, igniting the Grey Seer and his much-diminished retinue. This proved too much for the Skaven, who scurried quickly from the battlefield. Turning to a nearby cannon crew, Grimm Burloksson found them lying dead around their war machine, a gaggle of Gutter Runners picking over their bodies. Under his supervision the other cannon crew hastily loaded grapeshot and blasted the skulking ratmen apart in a shower of gore.

With his right flank crumbling, Thanquol could only watch as the Ironbreakers hit the Rat Ogres like a well-armoured avalanche and caused a rout that panicked Clanrats, weapon teams and Stormvermin alike. In response, the Hell Pit Abomination in the centre of the battlefield lurched to starboard and headed in the opposite direction, crashing into Belegar’s Hammerers with equal fury, burying eight of them beneath a mountain of flesh and very nearly killing Belegar himself. With his army engaged, Thanquol summoned a Vermin Lord into existence at the top of the Arcane Fulcrum. The resulting plague and ruin emanating from it saw several ranks of Ironbreakers keel over dead, but not enough to stop the Dwarfs’ advance.

The arrival of the Vermin Lord prompted the Dwarfs to re-prioritise their shooting. At the direction of Grimm, the Thunderers, Irondrakes, Organ Gun and cannon all opened fire on the Vermin Lord, backed up by the now re-elevated Gyrocopters. The Vermin Lord was subsequently blasted into daemonic ichor. But the distraction was enough. Their attention diverted, a unit of Night Runners drilled up through the ground next to the remaining Dwarf Cannon, causing the crew to leave their precious war machine. The Warp Grinder arriving with them ran at Grimm Burloksson, dodging a barrage from Grudge-raker and slamming the warpstone drill bit into his chest. Ignoring the dent in his armour, Grimm returned the favour and pulverised the snivelling creatures before marching stoically into the Night Runners, blissfully unaware that an Assassin lurked in their ranks.

The Vermin Lord reduced to steaming mulch next to him, Thanquol attempted to Skitterleap to another Arcane Fulcrum, but the Dwarf Runesmith hastily dispelled it.

Showing his true cunning, Grey Seer Thanquol crammed his remaining Warpstone Tokens into his mouth and cast the Dreaded Thirteenth Spell on the Irondrakes, turning 16 of them into mewling rat-spawn. To make matters worse, the Hell Pit Abomination on the left flank slammed into the Organ Gun, ate the crew, and steamed into the flank of the same unit. The second Hell Pit Abomination finally succumbed to its wounds and keeled over, leaving Belegar’s Hammerers triumphant, but a shadow of their former glory. Grimm Burloksson was stabbed in the neck by the skulking Assassin and subsequently disappeared beneath a tide of furry bodies.

Though both armies were in tatters, it would require a supreme effort from Thanquol to secure victory. With one Arcane Fulcrum guarded by the infernal Gyrocopters and the other by Belegar Ironhammer, Thanquol took his chances with the Dwarf king, reasoning that he could kill him with spells far easier than a fleet of airborne war machines. One Skitterleap, one miscast and one pounding headache later, Thanquol found himself face-to-face with the Hammer of Angrund. The Dwarfs had carried the day, but at what cost?

Aerial Assault

Adam: My squadron of Gyrocopters and Gyrobombers was arguably the most effective element of my army. They were surprisingly fast, zipping through the Skaven before any of my regiments got a look in. The grudgebuster bombs left ragged holes in the Skaven, causing Dan no end of grief.

Now I’ve seen them in action, I’ll be sure to include them in any Dwarf army I use in future. Not only do they look amazing, swooping in as a squadron, but when they get there they make a real impact.

The Winds Of Magic

Dan: With four Wizards in my army, I planned to overwhelm the Dwarfs’ legendary magical resilience. Annoyingly, my feeble rolls for the Winds of Magic and the Skaven’s natural desire to run away left me with Thanquol in sole control of the Magic Phase. Fortunately, I know the Skaven spells (slightly) better than Adam and was able to pull off a few that he wasn’t expecting.

The Skaven’s magical dominance really showed when Thanquol unleashed the Dreaded Thirteenth Spell; there was nothing the Dwarfs could do. If you’re going to fight a magic-reliant army, make sure you tool up your Runelords and Runesmiths to deal with the barrage of spells you’ll have to face.

Quick-Quick, Flee-Scarper!

Dan: I honestly couldn’t have asked for a more hilarious and tail-biting battle. The Skaven always provide a lot of entertainment and it was great fun watching Adam’s Dwarfs react to their randomness. The Skaven have a lot of weapons, creatures and magic that ignore armour saves and that really taxed Adam’s units to the max. Without them, the Skaven would have been woefully unequipped to deal with the gromril-armoured nightmare before them. My real failing came in dealing with (or, rather, failing to deal with) Adam’s flying circus of Dwarf aeronauts. The devastation wrought by the Gyrobombers’ grudgebuster bombs was almost beyond belief and the steam gun on the Gyrocopter proved fatal for a great number of Skaven. If you find yourself fighting these aerial menaces, deal with them fast, because they will cause you no end of trouble otherwise.

By Grungni’s Beard

Adam: What a fight – with the narrative of Grey Seer Thanquol attempting to raise a Vermin Lord through the Arcane Fulcrums, and Belegar leading the army of Zhufbar to halt him, a really exciting battle unfolded. The Dwarfs were as steady and durable as you imagine them to be, with stalwart shield walls battered by hordes of ratmen and foul monsters. The Dwarfs’ Ancestral Grudge rule makes them a horror for the Skaven to face, and Dan soon found that every Dwarf is a true threat in combat against the Skaven. Even so, my casualties mounted up, and as a Dwarf player you feel the losses keenly. Kudos must go to the Gyrocopters and Gyrobombers, who caused such carnage during the early phase of the battle, and to Grimm Burloksson, who led my ranged contingent, gunned down several Skaven with Grudge-raker and even held his ground against a Skaven Assassin. What a hero!

Monster Slayer

Adam: When Belegar and his regiment of Hammerers found themselves battling the Hell Pit Abomination, Dan and I realised neither of us had considered what would happen when the king of the Eight Peaks fought such a monster. The Hell Pit Abomination is rightly feared for the amazing amount of damage it can wreak, and also its resilience. Worried about Belegar’s survival, I unleashed the wrath of his ancestors (doubling his Attacks from four to eight) while he was still alive. Even with this extra power, he only managed to inflict a single wound on the beast in the first round. Thankfully, under Dan’s advice, I had chosen his bodyguard well, and the Hammerers helped the king carry the day, even if it cost them more than 20 of their number.

Trimming Some Beards

Dan: The 40-strong unit of Longbeards was a terrifying prospect, especially with the Runelord in the front rank. In the end I swarmed them with Clanrats, Rat Ogres and a Hell Pit Abomination. Sadly for Adam, the Hell Pit Abomination proved unstoppable, its combination of Impact Hits, Thunderstomp and insatiable hunger accounting for a whole rank of bearded warriors.

It’s worth noting that despite the heavy casualties, Adam still saved 10 warriors with the Shieldwall rule. Had his regiment been Stubborn, I’d have had to deal with both the Longbeards and the Ironbreakers in the next turn, which is not a situation that bears thinking about.

In our battle report, we unleashed the beautiful throng of Zhufbar, painted by Studio army painters Chris Peach and Chad Mierzwa. Such a glorious collection of miniatures doesn’t happen by accident; Adam Troke chats to Chris Peach about theming just such an army.

“There’s something very exciting about embarking on a new army project,” says Chris, on the subject of the mighty host of Zhufbar. “With the Dwarf project in full swing, we wanted to create a new force for the Studio collection. To do that, I went straight to the source, and pored over the history section of Warhammer: Dwarfs and the ’Eavy Metal miniatures, seeking inspiration. There were already some Dwarf holds that we know quite a lot about, especially Karaz-a-Karak, home of Thorgrim Grudgebearer and Karak Kadrin, the slayer keep. Conversely we knew relatively little about the hold of Zhufbar.

“Located near the centre of the Worlds Edge Mountains, Zhufbar is a powerful Dwarf hold, famed for being impregnable from external assault,” says Chris. “It has thick walls, iron-clad defence turrets and batteries of cannons to keep it safe from attack. It is also considered a stronghold of the Engineers Guild, with the engines of their industry powered by waterwheels, fed by a waterfall that cascades down from the mouth of the valley in which it is set.

“These clues were enough for us to start working on the army,” Chris adds. “Supplemented by a quick talk with Jeremy Vetock, who was writing the background for Warhammer: Dwarfs at the time, we realised we could push the connection of Zhufbar and the ancient and honourable Engineers Guild even further. First, we ensured the Engineers Guild had a strong presence within the army, by building plenty of mechanical devices. We made several cannons, and an Organ Gun, which felt right considering a story in the history of the Dwarfs where the army of Zhufbar deploy hundreds of cannons against a massive Ogre invasion. We then supplemented them with a squadron of Gyrocopters and Gyrobombers – there’s a small piece of text written by Jeremy in the Dwarf book about the Aircorps of Zhufbar, which sounded really cool, so we needed to accommodate that. We also added some Master Engineers, and Grimm Burloksson for some engineering clout.

“Sometimes, when you are working on the theme of your amy, it’s the things you leave out that are as important as the ones you include,” Chris says. “We went for cannons instead of Grudge Throwers, and we haven’t included any Quarrellers (not that there aren’t any in Zhufbar, there could be thousands for all we know). The image of ranks of Thunderers, supported by the bellowing crash of black powder artillery just feels more like we imagined the technologically inclined Dwarfs of the Torrent Gate to be. The same was true with the absence of Slayers in the army. The Slayers are one of my favourite Dwarf units, but we felt that they would be a distraction from the theme we wanted to present and, since we wanted to keep the emphasis of the Zhufbar army on the engineering side of things, we left them out. As we were painting, however, we got to chatting about the things a Dwarf might do to bring such shame upon himself that he would have to take the Slayer oath. It was a funny conversation, and by the end of it we realised we had to include at least a single Slayer. Our Dragon Slayer clearly did something very embarrassing, that not only got him thrown out of the Engineers Guild (Trouser Legs Ritual and all), but also forced him to take the oath!

“When it came to painting the models, the army’s colour scheme was informed by the Studio’s existing collection,” adds Chris, referencing the blue-grey and white prevalent throughout the throng. “We stuck to the colours we are accustomed to seeing, which are traditionally blue and gold, and we added lots of white for contrast. I was mindful that they should look distinctly Dwarfen, so I chose cold tones to reflect the bleak stone of the mountains around them.” AT

The Goldshield Brothers

“As well as theming your army based on the hold they call home, there is a potential to bring the background concerning the Dwarf clans into your army too,” says Chris. “In the Dwarf book there is a small passage of text about Clan Barruk, the Goldshields. The story says they were forced to abandon their hold, and they now try to find a home wherever they may.

“We decided to include a regiment of Longbeards with shields painted in a bright colour as a homage to that,” Chris says. “Their background explains that the Goldshields have been seen fighting alongside many other holds, eager to establish their clan’s good name. A little nugget of historical context such as this gives the whole regiment a really strong identity. When you play with the Goldshield Brothers, you know they are wealthy, bold and have something to prove to their peers on the battlefield.”

The Torrent Gate

“Banners really help to unify a Warhammer army on the tabletop,” says Chris. “I wanted a runic device that I could repeat on the banners across the whole army, and took my quandary to Neil Hodgson, the Studio’s graphic illustrator.”

“Each hold has a sigil which tells you a little about their history,” says Neil. “Zhufbar, the Torrent Gate, is famous for its waterfall, and the power of its industry. So the runes that depict the hold have a bold cog motif, and the flowing waterfall that has made their home famous, all set against the peak of a mountain. Feasibly, a hold could have several runic symbols, carried into war by the armies that protect it.”

The Citadel Hall of Fame is a collection of the finest miniatures in the world, nominated by the people who know best: the artists, figure painters and designers themselves. This month, sculptor and elite painter Darren Latham nominates a classic Space Wolf hero.

Ragnar Blackmane

Sculpted by Jes Goodwin

Nominated by Darren Latham

Darren: A few years back, I nominated Deathmaster Snikch by Seb Perbet to the Hall of Fame. At the time, I was a painter in the ’Eavy Metal team, and that nomination was inspired by my reaction to the model as a painter. This time, I nominate Ragnar Blackmane, based on my personal reaction to the model when I first saw it, tempered by my appreciation of the model as a miniatures designer.

Ragnar Blackmane is a miniature that embodies everything a Space Wolf is. From his shoulder pad, sculpted to look like a snarling wolf, to the pelt thrown across his shoulder, he conveys the feral nature of the Space Wolves. Looking at Ragnar now, I am inspired in the same way as when I was a teenager and saw him for the first time – but with a new appreciation for the skill that went into the model’s creation. Jes has paced the figure so that it transitions effortlessly from these iconic details to plain areas that allow painters to express themselves more freely. Ragnar Blackmane remains one of my favourite Citadel miniatures, still standing strong after all these years.

Jes: I made Ragnar Blackmane at a time where we were first fleshing out the design and ideas for those Space Marine Chapters that we know so well now: Dark Angels, Blood Angels and obviously the Space Wolves. In many ways Ragnar and his contemporaries helped create the image of a Space Wolf. Most of the key elements that you see on newer Space Wolves miniatures are visible on his armour – the wolf tail hanging from the grip of his bolt pistol, the wide belt buckle, the diamond shaped gems and rune-carved stones on his armour. With Ragnar, and the other heroes such as Njal Stormcaller and Ulrik the Slayer, we solidified the visuals behind the Space Wolves, as well as the stories of their greatest heroes.

Ragnar was actually made at a very exciting time in the Design Studio. I was working alongside background writers such as Bill King on the formation of the first ever Space Wolves Codex, and it was very gratifying to see the miniatures that I made were helping to inform the stories behind Warhammer 40,000. I’m grateful to Darren for the nomination, and very pleased to see that two decades later Ragnar is still viewed with such affection.

Paint Splatter provides handy tips and stage-by-stage painting guides for the week’s key releases. This week, we look at the Dwarf Ironbreakers and Irondrakes.

Ironbreakers and Irondrakes are the most heavily-armoured Dwarf warriors, clad head to toe in plates of gromril armour. Dimitrios Tampakoudis, who painted these models for the Studio’s Zhufbar collection, had a few useful tips to share:

“If you build your Ironbreakers with shields, my advice is to leave the shields off and paint them separately,” says Dimitrios. “It makes painting the model’s arms, chest and beard easier. With the undercoat dry, I used a Large Drybrush to basecoat the whole miniature with Leadbelcher, seeing as it’s the predominant colour. It also provides a basecoat for the other metallic colours you’ll be applying to the model.” With the gromril armour complete, Dimitrios painted the lacquer (white, then blue), gold armour, beards and beard guards.

Dimitrios painted the uppermost armour plates in the clan colours of Zhufbar – blue and white. “Dwarfs often lacquer their armour,” explains Dimitrios. “It’s the perfect way to add colour to the unit and break up the wall of silver and gold. I painted the panels different colours on each unit to help differentiate between them on the battlefield. The Ironbreakers have blue shoulder guards and white helmets, while the Irondrakes wear all blue. I also used different washes to help pick out focal areas – the beard guards on the Irondrakes, for example.” DH

Give No Quarter

”I painted a quartered design on the shields of the Ironbreakers to add more colour to the unit,” says Dimitrios. “After painting the gold, I carefully drew on thin lines with a pencil to mark out the four quarters, using the points in the knotwork as guides.”

This month, the Dwarf Battleline is released, and it contains a mighty throng of plastic miniatures. We talk to hobby gurus Chris Peach and Steve Bowerman about the art of ranking up your models, and building movement trays for your regiments.

“When building regiments, you often find the models don’t rank up easily,” says Chris Peach. “But with careful posing, you can get your regiments looking fantastic.

“The first thing to do is prepare your regiment ready for assembly,” Chris advises. “Cut all the parts off the frame and arrange them into little piles, one for each model.

Next decide what size and shape you want your regiment to be and then place all the bases for the regiment into the correct formation.

Starting with the command group, build your models. I recommend building each model completely before you attach them to the base, so that you can position them exactly how you want them in relation to each other. With all three members of the command group assembled, place them on their bases to make sure they can stand together without crashing into each other (this can create ugly gaps between bases). When you are happy with their placement, glue them to their bases, starting with the regiment’s centre model. Typically, this will be either the unit’s champion or banner bearer.

“The real trick to building the unit is what comes next,” says Chris. “Build the rest of the models in the unit one at a time and glue them into place around the command group.

Doing this, the unit will gradually take shape, and you can ensure each model fits around his comrades. As you are building them you can identify whether there is a particular pose or position on a base that the next model should stand in. Doing this lets you see how the different models interact with each other, so you can accommodate the next miniature straight away.”

Movement Trays

“Most hobbyists like to build movement trays for their regiments,” says Steve, “The Warhammer Modular Movement Tray can be cut to fit your unit.

“Within the Modular Movement Tray kit there’s a sheet of plastic, with pre-marked 20mm and 25mm squares. Use these as your guide to work out how big the base of your movement tray is and then, with a steel ruler to keep your cut straight, use a Hobby Knife to score along the sheet in the correct place.

Don’t press too hard when scoring – that can cause you to be inaccurate. With your sheet scored, snap the piece off by levering it against the straight edge of your work table. It should fold and snap quite easily – if you find it’s bending instead of snapping, stop and score the line a few more times.”

“Glue the corner pieces that come in the Modular Movement Tray kit to the front of your tray,” Steve says. “Then line up the straight sections snugly against them. You may need to trim them a little to get the right length, depending on the size of your regiment. To do this, mark how much you need to remove with a pencil, then slice through with your Hobby Knife.” AT

Using Too Much

“Don’t worry if there are small gaps between the plastic pieces in your modular movement tray,” says Chris. “These are easily filled with a bit of Liquid Greenstuff. Of course, if you plan to texture the edge of your base, there’s no need to do that. Both Texture paints and modelling sand will easily cover over these gaps.”

The Irondrakes are expert tunnel fighters armed with guns that unleash searing bolts of blazing energy. Clad in rune-encrusted gromril, and bound by unshakeable oaths of brotherhood, the Irondrakes stand firm in their defence of the Dwarfen underway.

Rare Unit, 15 points per model

TROOP TYPE: Infantry

SPECIAL RULES: Ancestral Grudge, Relentless, Resolute

EQUIPMENT:

Drakegun: The drakegun is a missile weapon with the following profile and special rules:

- Range - 18”

- Strength - 5

- Special Rules - Armour Piercing, Dwarf-crafted, Flaming Attacks, Quick to Fire

Forge-proven Gromril Armour: A model with forge-proven gromril armour has a 4+ armour save and a 6+ ward save. They also have a 2+ ward save against all hits with the Flaming Attacks special rule.

Brace of Drakefire pistols: Drakefire pistols are deadly weapons, ideal for close-ranged tunnel fighting. A brace of drakefire pistols is used simultaneously, both in combat and when shooting, with the following profile and special rules:

- Range - Combat

- Strength - As User

- Special Rules - Extra Attack, Requires Two Hands

- Range - 12”

- Strength - 5

- Special Rules - Armour Piercing, Dwarf-crafted, Flaming Attacks, Multiple Shots (2), Quick to Fire

Trollhammer Torpedo: This is a missile weapon with the following profile:

- Range - 24”

- Strength - 8

- Special Rules - Flaming Attacks, Multiple Wounds (D3), Slow to Fire

UNIT SIZE: 10+

EQUIPMENT: Hand weapon, Drakegun, Forge-proven gromril armour

Options:

May upgrade one Irondrake to an Ironwarden - 10 points

- Ironwarden may take cinderblast bombs - 15 points

Ironwarden may replace drakegun with one of the following:

- Brace of drakefire pistols - free

- Trollhammer torpedo - 20 points

May upgrade one Irondrake to a musician - 10 points

May upgrade one Irondrake to a standard bearer - 10 points

May take a runic standard worth up to - 50 points

Fiery Death

Adam: Well, having given the Irondrakes a run on the battlefield in this issue’s battle report, I am impressed. Strength 5 guns that are Quick to Fire enable you to advance your Irondrakes into battle alongside the rest of your Dwarf battle line, marching only until you are in range. As soon as your Irondrakes are within 18” of the enemy, commence firing (but don’t stop advancing, instead go at a steady, Dwarfish 3”). Because you can move and fire without penalty, you can get right up close to the enemy, where you’ll be shooting without the -1 penalty for long range. Once you’re at point blank range, you can kill the enemy with blasts of superheated death, or join the melee.

Irondrakes are excellent in close combat; they have Weapon Skill 5, which means they hit most enemies on a 3+ (and with the Ancestral Grudge, there’s a strong chance they will hate the foe, getting re-rolls to hit in the first round). Furthermore, the Resolute rule gives them +1 Strength when they charge. Against most enemies, I think that’s more effective than standing back and firing – but only charge if you are sure you’ll make it. If you are more than 7” away, it’s safer to shoot than gamble on failing the charge.

It’s also worth mentioning target priority for the Irondrakes: the drakeguns give them a few special advantages that you can exploit if you’re looking for the opportunity. Firstly, they chew through armour with incredible ease. Even heavily protected models, such as Chaos Knights, are in trouble from a sustained volley, since they’ll be facing a whopping -3 to their armour saves. Something I realised right at the end of the battle report is that their first target should always be enemy models with the Regenerate rule since Flaming Attacks nullify Regenerate saves completely. I wish I‘d remembered that against Dan’s Hell Pit Abomination. AT

Dwarfen Pragmatism

Dan: Adam’s assessment of the Irondrakes is spot on – they are a fearsome unit and one to watch out for on the battlefield.

Continuing Adam’s thoughts on prioritising targets, you really need to make the most of your Irondrakes from turn one. During deployment, watch where your opponent places their most heavily-armoured units (such as Skullcrushers and Demigryph Knights) and ensure that your Irondrakes are opposite them. It’s worth noting that while the drakeguns may not be in range on the first turn, a trollhammer torpedo might well be. This hand-held rocket launcher adds some serious punch to the unit and is perfect for taking out Monstrous Infantry, Monstrous Cavalry and War Machines before they hit your battle line.

Unlike Adam, I’m loathe to send my guns into combat. However, I’m used to fielding Empire Handgunners and Skaven Jezzails, both of which have longer-ranged guns than the Irondrakes, allowing them to stay well out of harm’s way. The Irondrakes, however, are likely to end up in a scrap sooner or later, so it’s best to prepare for that eventuality.

This led me to consider how many of them should be fielded in a unit to make them most effective. In the battle report, Adam fielded a unit of 20 in two ranks of 10. A large regiment like this has survivability and can churn out a ferocious amount of firepower, but you’d have to sacrifice a turn of shooting to reform into deeper ranks ready for combat, which is far from ideal. Smaller units of 10 (in two ranks of five) would bring the same weight of fire to bear, but allow you to split it more effectively. They could then charge into combat when required, supporting fellow Dwarf units by making flank charges your opponent won’t expect. It’s definitely how I imagine them fighting in the cramped tunnels of their mountain holds, advancing next to the Ironbreakers as small, elite teams rather than an unwieldy horde. DH

Deep within the forges of Zhufbar, master-artisan Colin Grayson has been hard at work designing the Ironbreakers and the Irondrakes – a new unit for the Dwarfs. A Rune of the Furnace clutched tightly before him, Dan went to find Colin to discuss their creation.

Ironbreakers And Irondrakes

While the Ironbreakers have been a popular unit among Dwarf armies for many years, the Irondrakes are a new development, a technological advancement made by the Dwarfs in an effort to clear their underground strongholds of greenskins and Skaven. “The Irondrakes were a natural progression of the Ironbreakers, both in background and miniatures,” explains Colin. “The Dwarfs are a pragmatic race, always looking to better themselves and eradicate their hated foes more efficiently. As a result, the creation of new weapons is at the forefront of their minds.”

Getting into the mindset of a Dwarf Engineer didn’t take Colin long. “I had a chat with Jeremy Vetock and we came up with a list of weapons the Dwarfs might develop. The ones that stuck were the trollhammer torpedo and the drakegun.” Fuelled by volatile chemicals, it belches a fiery blast of energy at the foe, immolating them instantly. “It’s a horrific weapon,” adds Colin, “something akin to napalm. But the benefits outweigh the risks.”

Thinking like a true Dwarf, Colin turned his attention to the practicality of wielding such a dangerous weapon in battle.

“Irondrakes are recruited from the ranks of Ironbreakers, so originally they wore the same gromril armour. Sadly, even the thick armoured plates could not protect them from the backwash generated by their guns. Many handsome beards were lost.” Much like the Hammerers and Longbeards that came out a couple of weeks ago, Colin used the shoulder guards on the models to help differentiate the Irondrakes from their fellow Dwarfs. “Where the Ironbreakers have wreathed hammers and axes on their shoulders, the Irondrakes have the Rune of the Furnace embossed on their forward-facing shoulder guard,” says Colin, pointing at the rune. “It’s there to protect them from the heat generated by their guns.”

“The Irondrakes also wear fully-enclosed helmets,” continues Colin, “the beard protectors being the most important part. I imagine that their beards are wrapped up inside it, kept safe from the flames and the chemicals. The Irondrakes also carry their guns well away from their bodies, due to the intense heat generated by them. This has the added side-effect of making the drakegun look heavy and unwieldy – this is no rifle, but rather a very powerful hand-held cannon.”

Colin, who is also a keen painter and gamer, was determined to build the command group of the Irondrakes with the weapons described in their unit description. “The musician still has a drakegun in his unit entry,” points out Colin, “so I wanted the model to be armed with one as well as his musical instrument.” The result was a horn covered in pipes, gauges and levers with a bell that looks suspiciously like a drakegun’s barrel. “There’s a fuel canister at the bottom of the horn,” says Colin, “which can be engaged should the musician feel the need to shoot.” About the stick carried in the musician’s other hand, Colin elaborated further: “It’s part adjustment tool, part extra fuel, part club. It’s definitely some form of Dwarf multi-tool.”

In a similar vein, the unit’s standard bearer wears the regiment’s banner on his back, keeping his hands free to hold his Drakegun. “The banner is more like a coat of arms than a traditional banner,” says Colin. “It features two golden dragons (or, more accurately, drakes) rampant, holding aloft a shield marked with the Rune of the Furnace. It represents the strength and skill of the Irondrakes and their role as defenders of the Dwarf cities. DH

Join us for a round-up of the week as we share comment, opinion and trivia on the all latest releases, plus other fun tidbits that have cropped up in the White Dwarf bunker this week. This week, the team has developed a keen interest in grudges.

TALES FROM THE DAMMAZ KRON

THE WHITE DWARF TEAM LOOK AT THERE FAMOUS GRUDGES

FOREK’S BEARD

Following a string of diplomatic incidents, High King Gotrek Starbreaker sends an envoy to Ulthuan to demand explanation. The Phoenix King, Caledor II, reacts by shaving off the beards of the Ambassador and his retinue. This terrible humiliation triggers the War of Vengeance (or The War of the Beard, as the Elves know it). The Dwarfs accept peace only after Caledor is slain by Gotrek’s own axe and the Phoenix Crown is claimed as weregild.

BARAGOR’S LAMENT

King Baragor of Karak Kadrin’s daughter is slain by the Dragon Skaladrak (on the way to her wedding, no less). Grief-stricken, Baragor takes up the slayer oath shortly afterwards. The burden of this vow has been passed from father to son for generations, and now rests upon his five times great grandson, Ungrim Ironfist.

THE EVIL OF ORCS

Orc Warboss Gorfang Rotgut invades the Dwarf hold of Karak Azul and plunders its wealth. Worse still, he abducts and enslaves King Kazador’s family, leaving only his son, shaved and nailed to Kazador’s own throne. All Dwarf kings feel the sting of this insult, which can only be avenged with Gorfang’s death.

COUNTING GRUDGES

Once a grudge is avenged, it is struck out of the Dammaz Kron. Dwarfs fondly look upon avenged grudges.

BAD BEER

The Yinlinsson Clan take stock of a thousand barrels of ale from the Thogri Brewery. The quality is so bad that much of the clan suffers from the rutz for a week afterwards. Thogri is sealed into one of his own barrels and rolled around Karaz-a-Karak for a day and a night.

THE RAZED FORTRESS

For the fair price of 12 wagons of gold, Dwarf artisans erect a mighty fortress for the Elector Count of Ostermark. Upon completion, they count their payment and, realising the amount due is short by (exactly) two and a half pennies, return with an army and raze the castle to the ground.

MISTAKEN IDENTITY

Gorri Dulleyes mistakes queen Kemma for a beardling. He changes his name to Kruti Skruffbeard (a truly dire personal insult) for a year as a sign of his deep sorrow.

THE SAGA OF JOSEF BUGMAN

In addition to creating many of the wonderful new illustrations and graphics in Warhammer: Dwarfs, Kevin also lent his talents to Warhammer World and Bugman’s Bar, creating artwork for the labels on their beer bottles, menus, windows and more.

“I wanted to tell the story of Bugman, and show the change that befell him,” says Kevin. “When the Goblins came and razed his tavern and kidnapped his family, Bugman swore vengeance. He went from being the finest brewer of Dwarfkind to a figure of vengeance and retribution. I think this makes for a very interesting character, so I illustrated these pictures, which now adorn the glass doors of Bugman’s balcony area.”

THE CHAIN OF BROTHERHOOD

“Of all the stories and tales told of the Dwarfs,” says Warhammer: Dwarfs author Jeremy Vetock, “there is one that resonates most strongly with me. Written by William King for the first Dwarf army book back in 1996, it’s about Thorgrim preparing his warriors for battle, and it gives a stirring insight into the bonds of family and brotherhood that exist between the Dwarfs. There is a small excerpt I used as my lodestone when I was writing the latest army book; it expresses the idea of clan and family, hearth and hold, and it never fails to move me.” And here it is, dear readers…

“Form the chain of Brotherhood!” he commanded.

He turned to survey his bold warriors. Each individual looked to left and right, memorising the faces of the warrior on either side. A low murmuring filled the chamber as each Dwarf told his neighbours his name. In this way the fallen would be remembered by his comrades and the names of the dead would be preserved for the Book of Grudges. It was simply ritual. Every Dwarf in each regiment knew the names of all his fellows. Only if an entire regiment were slain to the last Dwarf would all the names be lost.

FUN WITH TROLLHAMMERS

In the interest of research, we fired the Trollhammer torpedo at various targets:

Against Goblins, the torpedo scored a kill every time. River Trolls were a much better target, the torpedo able to kill (or seriously maim) with every shot. Against a Hell Pit Abomination, its Flaming Attacks denied the beast its Regeneration Save, though it still took three turns to slay it. Then it turned into Rat Swarms, but that’s another story…

WEAPON OF THE WEEK: BALL AND CHAINS

Arguably the craziest weapon in the history of Warhammer, the ball and chain wielded by Night Goblin Fantatics is nothing short of insane. Just discussing how the poor little Goblin gets the thing spinning, or how the regiment conceal him so effectively, caused us no end of hilarity. The best bit, of course, is the mental image of that massive iron ball smashing into things: Dwarfs, trees, other Goblins. Nothing would stand a chance.

READER’S MODEL OF THE WEEK

Our Reader’s Model of the Week is this Forge World Empire Warrior Priest painted by Graham Shirley, who netted himself a finalist badge at UK Golden Demon with it last year.

Graham spent a great deal of time painting the skin of his Warrior Priest, applying dark circles around the model’s eyes and patchy stubble to his chin to further accent his dour appearance. The exceptional blending and weathering on the robes are complemented by the oily steel of the Priest’s armour, which has been painted to look as though it’s reflecting the light.

If you’ve painted a miniature that you think is worthy of a place in White Dwarf then why not send a picture to:

team@whitedwarf.co.uk

If it’s something we can use, we’ll be sure to get in touch.

ASK GROMBRINDAL

The White Dwarf team is a font of hobby knowledge, a metaphorical repository of useful facts. If you have a question about Warhammer 40,000 or Warhammer, need a bit of painting advice or you’re after a few tactical tips, drop us a line: team@whitedwarf.co.uk

DWARF FLESH

I’d really like my Dwarfs to have the same skin tone as the ’Eavy Metal team’s Dwarfs. Do you have any tips?
- Mark

GROMBRINDAL SAYS

Nothing brings colour to the cheeks like hewing down Goblins in a mountain pass, or fighting in a shieldwall in the underway. When the blood is up, any Dwarf will find his cheeks ruddy and his nose glowing with pride… No? Fine, can someone from ’Eavy Metal help?

Simon Adams: Our goal when painting Dwarf faces is to give the nose and cheeks a rosy glow. Work through layers of Bugman’s Glow, Reikland Fleshshade and Cadian Flesh Tone, but before you add the final highlight of Kislev Flesh, mix a little Khorne Red into it and paint that over the nose (and cheeks if you want). Then, highlight the skin with Kislev Flesh. This unifies the colours nicely, and leaves a nice healthy pallor on the face. - Grombrindal

BATTLE IN THE HOBBY ROOM

As you’ve probably seen earlier in the magazine, this week Adam and Dan clashed in a titanic battle between Dwarfs and Skaven. Having sealed themselves (and a brave photographer) in the hobby room, they commenced war.

“Playing a game of Warhammer is always fun, but the scenario Dan and I cooked up make the game an absolute blast,” says Adam. “The game became more than just killing each others’ models. I was fighting to control the Arcane Fulcrums, and thus deny Grey Seer Thanquol the chance to raise the Vermin Lord.”

“Agreed,” adds Dan. “We both found ourselves playing to the character of the armies. The Dwarves were steadfastly advancing on every front, behind a wall of guns, while the Skaven claimed their victories with cunning, guile and a whole lot of magic.”

CODEX: APOCRYPHA

Notes from the worlds of Warhammer. This week: the Dwarfen tongue.

CHUF - A block of old cheese that a Dwarf Miner keeps under his helmet in case of an emergency.

DAMMAZ - A grudge, grievance or insult to be avenged.

DAWI - Dwarfs. Every effort should be made to speak this word in a gruff, deep voice.

ELGI - Elves. This word sounds best if uttered with complete contempt.

ELGRAM - Week, enfeebled, thin. Also sounds best if growled in a dissaproving tone.

GNOLLENGROM - The respect that is due to a Dwarf who has a longer and more impressive beard. Failing to observe proper ettiquette on matters of gnollengrom will leave a Dwarf open to mockery and derision.

KRUK - A seemingly promising vein of ore, which gives out suddenly; an unexpected dissapointment; a venture which comes to nothing.

RORKAZ - An informal shouting contest. The loser buys the next round of ale.

UFDI - A Dwarf who is overly fond of preening his beard; a vain Dwarf; a Dwarf who cannot be trusted in a fight.

UMGI - Men. Usually pronounced with an air of exasperation.

UMGAK - Shoddy or poorly made, typically by Men.

BIT OF THE WEEK: Vox Skull

A skull with a bionic eye and a vox-projector atop it makes the perfect detail for a scenery conversion or even an ideal objective marker. You get loads of these spare in Imperial Bastions and Aegis Defence Lines.

As ever the White Dwarf bunker has been a hive of industry, with each member of the team beavering away on their projects. This week, Jes has painted a tree of woe to add to his growing horde of Plaguebearers of Nurgle, while Mel has just finished work on a beautifully painted unit of Screamers of Tzeentch. To round out the hobby triumvirate, Rebecca has finally completed the last of her regiment of Empire Archers.

“I’ve been really enjoying painting my Daemons,” says Mel. “They give me the chance to explore so many different colours and painting techniques.”

“I made this tree of woe after reading the stories in Warhammer: Daemons of Chaos,” says Jes. “I want it to look like the Garden of Nurgle has followed my regiment of Plaguebearers into the material world.”

“I managed to get my Empire army completed just in time for a Battle Brothers event,” says Rebecca. “Out of the models in my force, the archers are definitely my favourite.”

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