Hello!

I just got started with SBG and would like some advice on an army build for Durins Folk (so no hobbit products). Any tips or builds are welcome!!

Hello,
Nearly all named heroes are really good in the Durin's Folk army :
- Durin : a beast, but expensive in points
- Balin : great hero and quite cheap
- Dain : more expensive than Balin but less than Durin, he's quite useful too, but at some conditions (F5, for instance)
- Gimli : like Balin, he's not so expensive and he's a true killer
- Floi : not a warrior, but some fun rules to use
- Murin and Drar : 2 heroes in one (like Elladan and Elrohir). Not the best warriors, but they unlock regular dwarf warriors with strength 4
- King's Champion : hero + 2 banners, great stats, a must have

About the warriors :
- dwarf warriors : solid stats, with shield they make a good front rank. They have access to dwarf bows, too
- dwarf rangers : a more versatile warrior, they have access to regular bow and throwing weapons (quite expensive, however) but they lack of armor
- iron guards : elite warriors. They kill stuff really well
- vault warden team : they can hold strategic positions like no-one, but they are difficult to use efficiently
- Khazad guards : good elite killers (2 handed-weapons with bodyguard!) and good armor (same as dwarf warrior with shield )


The main advantage of dwarves is their high defense, but they don't have access to cavalry or magic.
One big disadvantage is the lack of spears (Hobbit's dwarves can), and a reduced speed (5").

Their heroes are good killers, so you need to hold the lines with regular troops (shiiiiiiield) while they kill the enemies. Don't rely too much on bows, but they still can help (regular dwarf warrior with bow have D6, and S3 bow but reduced range).
Dwarves are quite expensive so you'll be regularly outnumbered (and, with no spear, it can be hard to manage). But with a front rank of D7, you won't die easily
You can include a banner too, allowing you to reroll (good alternative to spears), but you'll have to keep it safe (and, BTW, you can add a shield to your regular dwarf warrior with banner :p)


Hope it helps, and sorry for my poor English

Thanks for the anwser!

Can you make a list that is worth 500 points?

Warband 1 12/12
Múrin and Drár
6 Dwarf Warrior Iron Hills Veteran with Shield;
2 Dwarf Ranger Iron Hills Veteran with Dwarf longbow;
3 Dwarf Ranger Iron Hills Veteran with Dwarf longbow; Two-handed weapon;
----
Warband 2 10/12
King's Champion & Heralds
2 Iron Guard
6 Khazâd Guard
----
500pts 24 models 6 bows 8might

Something quick, warband 1 is a pretty good all rounder. Warband 2 is a real tough nut to crack, with a potential defence 9 leader to bodyguard your Khazâd Guard to. Not great on numbers but high defence and all higher strength should be able to cut through some of the other armies that rely on their defence.

Thanks! So what packs do I need to buy for that too build?

Something like this?

- 1 set King’s Champion
- 1 set Dwarf Iron Guard
- 2 sets Khazâd Guard
- 1 set Murin and Drar
- 1 set Dwarf Warriors
- 1 set Dwarf Rangers

Thats quite expensive.. is there something cost wise less expensive since I am just starting ?

Why not go with Murin and Drar, a command box, and two boxes of warriors. That gives you three heroes to play around with as well as basic but upgrade-able troops, a banner and a hornblower too. It comes out to something like $110 American so it would be cheaper then buying into all those elites right away. Alternatively you could do one box of rangers and one box of warriors since they are both the same prince to get a little more troop variety.

With a purchases like that you'd have the models you need to get familiar with the dwarves as an army and a core of basic units to build out from later on. Then if you like the feel of the them you can go and buy Floi and some Khazad Guard for a support hero and some elite combat troops. Before building up to the Kings Champion, or some named heroes, and the Iron guard. Hows that?

_________________
"Draw your sword with a heavy heart, but swing it with a heavy hand"

That would cost me a total of 90 EU. Should I go for Murin and Drar or Durin and Mardin?

Warband 1 12/12
Durin, King of Khazad-dûm
1 Dwarf Warrior with Banner;
1 Dwarf Warrior with War horn;
4 Dwarf Warrior with Shield;
4 Dwarf Warrior with Two-handed weapon;
2 Khazâd Guard
----
Warband 2 12/12
Mardin
4 Dwarf Warrior with Shield;
4 Dwarf Warrior with Two-handed weapon;
4 Dwarf Warrior with Dwarf bow;
----
498pts

Durin and mardin, command box, 2 boxes of warriors and a blister of khazad for this one.

Warband 1 11/12
Múrin and Drár
1 Dwarf Warrior with Banner;
1 Dwarf Warrior with War horn;
2 Dwarf Warrior Iron Hills Veteran with Shield;
2 Dwarf Warrior Iron Hills Veteran with Two-handed weapon;
2 Dwarf Ranger Iron Hills Veteran with Dwarf longbow;
2 Dwarf Ranger Iron Hills Veteran with Throwing axes;
----
Warband 2 12/12
Shieldbearer
2 Dwarf Warrior Iron Hills Veteran with Shield;
2 Dwarf Warrior Iron Hills Veteran with Two-handed weapon;
4 Dwarf Warrior Iron Hills Veteran with Dwarf bow;
2 Dwarf Ranger Iron Hills Veteran with Dwarf longbow;
2 Dwarf Ranger Iron Hills Veteran with Throwing axes;
----
499pts

or Múrin and Drár, one box of warriors, 1 box of rangers and a command box.

Thanks for the input! Where can I read the rules about upgrading to Iron Hills Veteran?

You can find the Iron Hills Veteran upgrade info under the profile for Murin and Drar in the Durin's Folk section of the Free peoples source book.

_________________
"Draw your sword with a heavy heart, but swing it with a heavy hand"

Thanks mate!

Don't listen to people when they say that you will always be outnumbered. Dwarf Warriors are the same cost as Warriors of Minas Tirith and Khazad Guards are insanely good for 11 points. While it is true that you won't have spears, you do have a D7 shield wall, which is usually good enough, especially when you have a King's Champion providing you with two banners for a bargain price.

_________________
"Leave Sauron to me."
If you're in the Raleigh, NC area, let me know.