Dwarven unit idea.

[Po0Och]

I know it's been said that dwarves shouldn't get a mounted unit, but at this rate we're going to wind up with an army made up completely of ground pounding dwarves (dwarven brawler, dwarven miner, dwarven runecaster, dwarven figher, dwarven thunderer, etc…). Assuming you ever want to make the dwarves their own faction without the thieves and bandits a little variety might be good. So, here's my idea for a dwarven mounted unit. Cut and paste concept art follows.

Dwarven Rocksteady
55 hitpoints
5 movement

Lance or Throwing Axe

The mount is supposed to be a slow mountain dwelling creature, after all five speed is pretty fast for a dwarf, right? The idea behind this unit is that it would arrive just before the slower dwarven fighters and thunderers (due to its one extra unit of movement) and absorb the first round of damage, leaving the fighters and thunderers free to pick their targets the next turn. I think that a lance or a thrown weapon would make the most sense, since the dwarf doesn’t have the arm length to reach over his mount with a short weapon like an axe.

The concept of a dwarf riding an animal that’s camouflaged as a rock appeals to me.

[Insinuator]

Pretty cool.

However, a dwarf with a lance does not seem very physically probable. Dwarves are short range pipsqueaks. Perhaps throwing axes...?

[turin]

First of all, i'm quite sure dwarven brawler has been rejected.

Second, would throwing axe be a ranged weapon? because lances wouldn't, and there is a big diff. btw. ranged and melee.

5 is too slow, 6 is good. it is similar to a slightly fast foot unit.

and i dislike the idea of it riding soem creature from another game. i like it riding a cave bear (yes, its been suggested) or some other furry monster.

[Po0Och]

Yeah, I didn't mean that we'd actually use the critter graphics in game (besides legality issues). It was just the best example of what the mount might be like that came to mind. Weapons and stats are up for discussion, and the lance would be a melee weapon while throwing axes would be ranged. He could have one or both of these weapons, but either way this shouldnt' be a highly damaging unit.

I don't think that a dwarf would ride something furry, though.

[Darth Fool]

I've always been in favor of a dwarven Ram-rider. no lance, but one h**l of a headbutt(charge/impact) Probably would be good in mountains, hills and tundra, moderate in forest, caves and grass, bad in water. Movement of 6 seems reasonable which would make him the fastest dwarf, but still slower then some foot units and all other mounted units. I wouldn't give him a range attack but maybe something like resistance to cold and impact?

Of course, it would have to get past the wesnothian chapter of the No-Mounted-Dwarves!-Society(NMD!S)

[Boucman]

With the way the dwarves play right now,, I can't really imagine a dwarvish side... I mean, all their troops are way too slow to make a side... they would need a good scout to have a chance at the early land grabbing game, and they couldn't do much more than wait for their adverssary in their keep, since anybody can outflank them in a blink.

don't get me wrong, I like the dwarvish units a lot, I just don't think they are a good basis for a mp side as they are...

[Neoriceisgood]

I like the idea of dwarves riding rams or goats, perhaps the only thing would be to stick the gryphon to the dwarves if we want to make it a single army, as those are the best scouts inthe game and would completely compensate with all the slow dwarves.

[Boucman]

yes, dwarves mounting rams would be cool, it's an agile mountain animal and it doesn't have the "overpowerfull" feel the bear has... it could even be made fast enough to be used as a scout.

but it would make dwarves even more mountain specialised...

actually the problem with dwarves is not so much that they are too good in mountain, eles are pretty good in forest and it's not a problem... the prolem is that allother units are actually way too bad in mountain. when the dwarves start running in the mountain, nobody would ever go after them. whereas elves are much better in forest than anybody, but not to the point where nobody would follow them there...

[cobretti]

I like the way Dwarves play right now, but what I miss is some kind of healer / magic user. They require slow advancements, that is true, but also they are resilient enough to withstand with little help, unless they are faced with assassins or heavy infantry: In both cases, they get slaughtered pretty fast, in the first case beacuse of the poison, and in the second because they can't face their heavy blows, and have no other way to attack.

Also, one thing we must remember is that they are the only really fast units in mountain, that is true, but most enemy units have nearly as good defense as them, while elves in forest only have real rivals with elusivefoot units, and those are mostly weak.

[Elvish_Pillager]

Instead of riding all kinds of crazy creatures, couldn't there be some sort of 'Dwarven War Wagon Driver'? Just an idea.

[turin]

Instead of riding all kinds of crazy creatures, couldn't there be some sort of 'Dwarven War Wagon Driver'? Just an idea.

heh...

um, no.

i personally support the ram idea. i might even make a 1st level image.

[Shundread]

actually the problem with dwarves is not so much that they are too good in mountain, eles are pretty good in forest and it's not a problem... the prolem is that allother units are actually way too bad in mountain. when the dwarves start running in the mountain, nobody would ever go after them. whereas elves are much better in forest than anybody, but not to the point where nobody would follow them there...

Well... they are at 40% at hills and 30% in the mountains. Elves are at 30% in the forests and have much greater movement (also, forests tend to cover big areas in the map)

You really shouldn't be shoving your units into the mountains to fight dwarves, as you shouldn't be shoving your units into the forests to fight elves. Unless you clearly outnumber them.

Units like thief/poacher/assassin/skirmisher are at 30% at any of those terrains and could be used as a good counter or at least a good ground holder for those forests/hills/mountains.

I like the idea of having a dwarven scout.

-Shundread

[AT]

I like it; But I do like the idea of NOT having mounted dwarves.

[turin]

I like it; But I do like the idea of NOT having mounted dwarves.

why not? i mean, they're not riding anything as big as a horse. i can see a problem with horseriding, but not with riding a goat, for example.

[AT]

I'm not sure... If they get a mounted unit, it should be a scout-type, not a fighting type; its cool that dwarves fight on foot.