Dwarves

Dwarven Kingdoms

Second Age 1 through Fourth Age

Western tribes reside in the Misty Mountains (Moria), Blue Mountains, Erebor, and the Iron Hills.  Eastern tribes reside in the Mountains of the East (Orocani Mountains), a north-south range running to the east of most maps of Middle Earth.

Mount Gundabad, at the northern end of the Misty Mountains, was a sacred place to all Dwarves.  It was there that Durin, oldest of the seven Fathers of the Dwarves and founder of the Longbeards, awakened.  Two others of the Fathers awakened in the far West (Broadbeams and Firebeards); their people mixed with the Longbeards after the end of the First Age, when their homes (and much of the West) was destroyed.  Four more awakened in the East, in the Orocarni mountains, founding the Ironfists, Stiffbeards, Blacklocks, and Stonefoots.  Mount Gundabad was not an underground city like Khazad-Dum, but a place of assembly for delegations of Dwarves, and a holy meeting place.  It was sacked by Orcs from the Misty Mountains around SA 1697, and became an Orc stronghold thereafter.  The Dwarves broke the stronghold and slew the Orcs there in the War of the Dwarves and Orcs (TA 2793-2799) but did not keep it.

Orcs could sometimes form alliances with Dwarves, but not Durin’s folk (the Longbeards), who were the tribe of Dwarves most widely known in the Third Age, and not after TA 2790, when forces of all tribes of Dwarves were involved in the War of the Dwarves and Orcs.  Similarly, Dwarves appeared on both sides of the battles of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men, some fighting for Sauron; these were also not the Longbeards (Durin’s folk).  Sauron hated the Longbeards since a force from Moria intervened during his destruction of Eregion in SA 1697, allowing Elrond and refugees from Eregion to escape to Imladris.

The War of the Dwarves and Orcs raged from TA 2793 to 2799, ending in the Battle of Azanulzibar.  Nearly half of all Dwarven warriors were slain; the Wilderland Goblins were nearly eradicated, with every one of their strongholds in the Misty Mountains destroyed, removing their threat to Eriador and Rhovanion for a long time.  By TA 2941 they had recovered significant numbers but were again devastated when most of their recovered forces were mustered at Mount Gundabad and marched to defeat at the Battle of the Five Armies.

Appropriate Miniatures:

Vendel Miniatures have the best Tolkein-style Dwarves in 28mm, sculpted by Colin Patten.  The same sculptor has done other work (other Dwarves) for Conqueror Models; they mix smoothly with the Vendel Miniatures.  Games Workshop LOTR skirmish game and similar Dwarves are also nice, but don’t mix well (style-wise) with Vendel; I recommend using them for other Dwarven tribes, for example tribes living in the Mountains of the East.  I do not recommend GW Warhammer Fantasy dwarves -- too florid, too fantastic, wrong style and wrong aesthetic.

Invasion Rating: 1

Maneuver Rating: 2

Home Topography: Hilly

General's Troop Type: Elite Foot.  General should have the battle cards Deadly and Armored.

Army Battle Cards

Fortified Camp

Hold the Line (on Elite Foot)

Troop Options

Required Troops

Troop Types Min Max Battle Line Restrictions Battle Cards

Elite Foot 6 12 all 0-1 Mobile Infantry mounted on ponies

Dwarves with mail, helmet, shield, and axe or mattock.  Swords and spears were also used, but less common.

Raider 0 4

Dwarven infantry fighting in open order, often with two-handed axes or mattocks

Archer 0 1

Dwarven bow

Spear 0 2

Dwarves with mail, helmet, and spear

Light Foot 0 1 Slow (-1/2)

Emergency levies; hunters, herders, and the like

Artillery 0 1 all

Dwarven ballista or engines for killing trolls and dragons