Middle-earth SBG: Dáin Ironfoot & Thorin III Stonehelm

Auf Warhammer Community werden zwei Zwerge für Erebor gezeigt.

Defy the Dark Lord™ With the Kings Under the Mountain

In this instalment of the Middle-earth team’s The Road Goes Ever On and On series, we’re joined by rules writer Jay Clare. He’s here to talk about another upcoming release for the Strategy Battle Game – the last Kings Under the Mountain in the Third Age of Middle-earth, no less…

Jay: When the hordes of Orcs marched upon Erebor under Azog’s command during the Battle of the Five Armies, they likely would’ve been victorious had Dáin Ironfoot not answered his cousin’s call to arms and led the Dwarves of the Iron Hills to war. Fast forward 60 years and Dáin and his kin are once more embroiled in conflict – this time against the forces of the Easterlings during the War of the Ring.

These brand new models depict Dáin Ironfoot and his son, Thorin III Stonehelm, during the aforementioned war, and we thought you’d like to know a bit more about them.

At the time of the War of the Ring, Dáin was well into his twilight years – a whopping 252 years old and certainly no longer in his prime! Even at his advanced age, Dáin was an exceptional warrior and what he lacked in youthful exuberance, he more than made up for in experience. Dáin led his kin against the huge Easterling armies in defiance of the Dark Lord, though the battle ultimately claimed his life as he fell defending the body of the King of Dale.

In-game, Dáin uses a new profile to represent him, rather than using the Lord of the Iron Hills. This profile makes Dáin an excellent leader for an Erebor Reclaimed force, being a Hero of Legend as well as possessing the Fearless special rule. Dáin also gains a rule allowing all friendly Erebor Dwarf models (even Heroes) to benefit from his Stand Fast! regardless of range – perfect for keeping your Dwarves fighting even when the chips are down.

With a Fight value of 6, Strength of 4, and 3 Attacks, Dáin is more than capable of carving through ranks of Orcs, Easterlings, or other minions of the Dark Lord. Dáin has also traded his hammer for his great red axe, Barazantathûl. This Master Forged weapon essentially gives the King Under the Mountain a bonus of +1 To Wound – not that he needs it.

Of course, the passing of time has affected Dáin in the form of his Venerable special rule, which makes it harder for him to jump, climb, or leap obstacles during a game. Dáin also no longer headbutts his enemies, which is probably sensible – he is 252, so we can forgive him for that one.

However, ageing isn’t all bad as it also gives Dáin the benefit of experience, meaning he’s no longer forced to charge into combat.

Fighting at his father’s side is Thorin III Stonehelm, the heir to the kingdom of Erebor. When Dáin is tragically slain in battle, leadership of the army of Erebor fell to Thorin, who led the final push from the confines of the Lonely Mountain that eventually secured victory.

Thorin Stonehelm inherited much from his father, including his exceptional martial prowess and, of course, his glorious mane of red hair. In battle, Thorin wields a shield and a hand-and-a-half pick which, when coupled with his Fight value of 6 and 3 Attacks, allows the Prince of Erebor to pack a serious punch.

Though he may have the same Defence and slightly fewer Wounds than his father, Thorin actually has a better chance of surviving due to having 3 Fate points – it will take some serious effort to take him down.

One thing Thorin hasn’t inherited from Dáin is his father’s temperament. In fact, Thorin possesses a much calmer mindset. This is represented by his Cool-headed special rule, which allows him to change the Heroic Action he declared after finding out what Heroic Actions any enemy Heroes are using. Declared Heroic Combat only for your opponent to counter with a Heroic Strike? No problem for Thorin – he can change his Heroic Combat to a Heroic Strike of his own. This rule also gives Thorin a chance to regain Might spent on Heroic Actions, essentially making them free.

Both Dáin and Thorin Stonehelm are Heroes for Erebor Reclaimed armies, though as the timeline has moved on somewhat, the models they can lead into battle are slightly restricted. After all, many of Thorin’s Company had perished by this time – none more famously so than Balin during his ill-fated quest to reclaim Moria.

If you ever wanted to build a Dwarven army focused around Erebor at the time of the War of the Ring, there’s no better place to start than with Dáin Ironfoot and Thorin III Stonehelm.

Thanks, Jay! We can’t wait to see these guys hit the tabletop to fight the armies of the Dark Lord. Dáin and Thorin will be available to pre-order soon, so keep an eye on Warhammer Community to find out when you can add these mighty Kings Under the Mountain to your collection. And if you’re planning your own Erebor Reclaimed army, grab an Iron Hills Warband now to follow their king into battle.

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Quelle: Warhammer Community