Well, Philly. I know you use infantry, as meatshields your characters can inside.
Not the way I want to use them, tough. I want characters to add the little extra, to support the troops. Not the other way around. But I want to fight with armies and units so I guess I would like infantry that was useful as the bulk of the force. But I know we are pretty much in agreement, we just differ on points, and when points become exaggerated, yeah, Mathi catches fire... Hey, I am part of the inquisition, even the Vigilante inquisition, sort of!
As for dwarves, well, it is just that many, many finds the dwarfs boring or tiresome to play against, and I find the pretty boring even if I get my ideas of wanting to pick them up because they are so grim and stubborn.
I would NOT want to see a dwarf army with cavalry as an integrated part. If they managed to hire some horse archers, well fine, I would not mind. They got gold. But would dwarfs really hire someone to do their job? I think they would be more reluctant than even brets to hire aid. Alliance is one thing, hire mercs, at least non-dwarf mercs, is quite another.
The warhammer dwarfs are based around gunline or gun heavy list, sitting and waiting. There should be better ways than some magic gizmo to give them an ability to be more aggressive, but then you might end up on detachment stuff, and that is Empires thing.
However, I would like a battleline of dwarfs, marching to engage the enemy like a roman legion, not a static line awaiting attack. I want to have to option to attack and sieze the initiative, even with dwarfs. However, due to the specialisation that is the current warhammer trend, it is not viable. Dwarfs are meant to be small tincans that spits lead, and that will chop you down then you beaten yourself tired on their superior armour. Now, it sounds pretty boring really.
I do like the dwarfs of Lord of the Ring better in that respect.
Warhammer dwarfs are not just tough. They are indestructible to the point of uberness. Bar slayers, that is. And yet, they are VERY dependent on their technology, so much they seems to have lost the ability to adapt and survive and be REALLY tough.
Hence, I cannot get myself to play dwarves, since they have become too much of some traits to such and extent they stoped being interesting.
I love the rangers and would applaud more of them, and the idea of skirmishing dwarves are perfect. If they are mean, they should be able to do that aswell, not just hide behind their comrades shields, trusting in their superior armour to save them.
So when push comes to shove, dwarves are really mostly whimps. They live by their superior technology, and not by their skill with the axe, no matter how the longbeards grumble.
I want to see a tactically able dwarf infantry that just donīt stand and wait, but march their battleline steadily and aggressively toward the enemy, rellying on their superior discipline, co-operation and general dwarfen badassness to bring down any foe.
Not on their newfangled gadgentry.
I guess that is why I love the Wood elves and the Empire. They are badass that marches out to meet their foes with sometimes nothing but a shirt upon them, cause there is no other way. But heck, they plan to get home victorious anyway.
That is true toughness and true badassness. Everyone can be badass encased in heavy plate and mithril, or hiding behind such a phalanx while aiming your organ gun. But it takes some true guts to do the same with nothing but (at best) a breastplate on your chest and some steel in your hand. Now, who is REALLY be tough badasses of Warhammer?
