Racial Focus - Weapons & Tactics of the Dwarves

[MRPolo13]

Racial Focus will be a series of threads which have the aim to look at different races of Altera and their use of weapons and overall tactics. I feel that separating the weapons, and means in which these weapons are used, is a great opportunity to enhance the Role Play. Aside from fantasy, I will give my reasoning for the use of different weapons and tactics, because it's obvious that one needs to support his or her ideas with predictions. You may disagree, and that's perfectly fine. This thread is simply my thoughts on the equipment that should in my opinion be used by different races.

@Naelwyn @Lannis

Also, excuse the drawings. They're drawn on paper...

Materials available
The Dwarves have metals, that's for certain. It's common knowledge that the Dwarven kind has the finest steel, and large quantities of it. However, the northern snows take their toll on Dwarven wood supplies. And the Dwarves need wood. After all, shafts for tools and weapons are made out of wood, and wood is still the best material to use for them. It's also a very universal material. Therefore, Dwarves try not to waste too much wood if they don't have to. It's important to point out that the most important type of wood for Dwarves is oak, since it's a tough wood which is perfect for shafts and for construction. You'll see wood taking its toll on Dwarven weapon designs.

Swords

It is interesting to point out that swords would probably be the most important weapon of the Dwarven kind, in spite of what one might initially assume. That is because swords don't require that much wood, and can be universal enough as weapons, since one can use them for both thrusting and slashing. Swords would very rarely be two handed, and one handed swords would be preferred, since the Dwarven tactics largely rely on shields.

1. Midsword
This Dwarven sword would be considered a universal weapon, combining both the cutting abilities of item 3 and stabbing abilities of item 2. However, it would not be as good at either of them as the specialist weapons. This form of an arming sword would be pretty popular, as a weapon that can thrust in small spaces of tunnels as well as slash and cut in open spaces of outside or in Dwarven halls. This sword would be good in the hands of a Dwarf, but would probably feel pretty heavy and unbalanced in someone else's hand. The spine running through the centre all the way up to the start of the foible would stiffen the blade, which would increase its thrusting capabilities, although the rather fat point would in turn decrease them.

2. Thrusting sword
In a way, this sword is like a rapier. It's an almost purely thrusting weapon which is intended to go through the armour of an opponent and to be used in the tight spaces of mine shafts. The plate riveted (rivets are decorative only) to the forte of the sword ensures the point of balance stays low (at around the first rivet), making the sword pretty manoeuvrable. The blade has a cutting edge which can be used in certain circumstances, and is thick enough to deflect a blow if truly needed.
2b: This is a top-down view of the thrusting sword, showing the protective ring - something close to a basket. As a thrusting weapon, the hand needs further protection, and the ring allows thicker blades to be blocked easier.

3. Shordsword
This sword is a slashing weapon, that would rarely see actual use in a combat environment of the Dwarves. This is because of the slashing nature of this sword - top-heavy sword which takes some space to use - something that Dwarves wouldn't actually be that much into.

4. Dagger
Daggers would rarely find their use as anything other than the weapon of last resort on the battlefield. This is because of the focus on shields that the Dwarves would apply. Thanks to large shields, Dwarves would be able to block off tunnels with less troops and compensate for their lack of mobility.

 

[MRPolo13]

Polearms and heavy weapons


Dwarves in the past would not have relied on heavy weapons too greatly because of the fact that they simply were not needed. As the swords bit suggested, Dwarves would have relied on accuracy, without too great need of weight, since they have enough strength to compensate for lighter weapons' force. However, at a point, Dwarves had to develop weapons which could counter armour, especially as Humans came into conflict, wearing full plate armour even on legs, and Dwarves alone started using heavier and heavier armour. On a closed battlefield such as mineshafts, heavy "tin openers" would be a rare sight. However, in larger conflicts on the outside or generally in greater spaces, one could expect the use of heavy weapons such as hammers, axes, maces or mauls.
1. Mace
The Dwarven flanged mace is an almost direct development from human maces which is an important, though cumbersome, weapon. The mace provides great crushing power which allows t to go through the thickest of armours. However, the weapon isn't exactly the most versatile, which is a disadvantage, since Dwarves like universal approaches. The example is probably the largest that would be found, with a large, heavy head capable of crushing through shields.

2. Spear
The spear, alongside the shield, would be one of a normal Dwarf's most prized tools of war. Certainly, aside from civilian use and making of shields, the spear would have an awful lot of wood devoted to it. The somewhat large shaft allows a great thrusting motion, as well as a relatively decent slash, and the bars sticking out of the sides of the spearhead protect the hand. A Dwarven spear is shorter than that of human's, not only because of Dwarves' average height, but also to make it more mobile with a single hand, since the other hand is devoted wholly to the large shield, often shaped to accommodate for a spear anyway. Spears aren't highly decorative, nor do they need to be, but the leather grip shows just how prized this example would be.
After the spear shaft would break, it can be assumed that shorter heavy weapons would be made from the remains.

3. One-handed axe
A simple axe with a small beard that would be used by a Dwarf of a relatively low income or social class. Although very basic, this axe could still bring an awful lot to the battlefield when in the right hands. This is also an example of previously mentioned use of broken shafts - we can assume that this axe is so simple because it was made out of a spear shaft that snapped during a fight.

4. Maul
This horrible maul is the perfect weapon for Dwarves who choose not to have a shield, and instead bear a large pole weapon. Not only decorative and bloody effective, this thing is also a psychological weapon. Going back to previous universality, the maul could also be used simply as a blacksmith's tool if need be, or on a construction site. One can imagine the shield - and the arm below it - shattering as the huge hammerhead reaches its target, and the large spike at the back serves a similar purpose as ones on normal war hammers.

5. Hammeraxe
This rather strange contraption combines the ability to cut through flesh of an axe with armour denting abilities of the hammer. Although it might not at a first glance seem not as useful as a normal war hammer with a spike, what has to be taken into consideration is the fact that this weapon would probably face lightly armoured opponents, such as Greylings or Elves. Therefore, the decision to have an axe instead of a spike would be a good idea.

6. Greataxe
Quite a stereotypical Dwarven greataxe, with a beard to it and a curved cutting edge. The axe would not actually find as much use as people might assume, since Dwarves don't actually need axes that much as tools, and if you already take up the precious space to swing a large polearm, swing about something more useful, like a maul. Axes would, however, find use as ceremonial weapons. They're really a symbol of the ability to get resources, and altogether show Dwarven richness. That, at least, is my take on the thing.

7. Two-sided axe
Two-sided axe which uses a well-decorative shaft and is generally more of an officer's sidearm than a weapon used in combat. However, this does not mean that this axe can't be used in combat. Aditional weight of the second blade means that the axe can be at least a little heavier which increases its potential as a slashing weapon.

8. Warhammer
Dwarves would not necessarily rely on war hammers in combat situations. However, this does not mean that war hammers would not exist in that culture of martial arts. This is an example of a war hammer which has been made by the Dwarves, as can be seen by the decorative nature of it. The shaft shown is made out of oak, but Dwarves can make these weapons also purely out of steel.

 

[MRPolo13]

Ranged Weapons


While it is obvious that Dwarves do not rely on ranged tactics, they still use ranged weapons in combat to bring mobility and to defend their great halls. As such, ranged weapons are rare, but respected enough, usually as a sign of final stand, since they can only be used en masse in halls I mentioned before.

1. Shortbow
The shortbow rarely sees use amongst Dwarves. Dwarven shortbows often lack the poundage required to bring down even lightly armoured enemies, since Dwarven low height means that a longbow would be almost unwieldy to a Dwarf. The tallest examples of Dwarven bows could be compared to an average hunting bow, also yielding similar strength of around 50-60 pounds of draw weight. Another factor that influences their rarity on the field is the fact that the bow is a stereotypically Elven weapon. Dwarven bows can sometimes be seen in use for lighting tunnels from afar without the danger of killing anyone if there are any gases, and are often used for hunting.

2. Crossbow
While bows are not popular with the Dwarven kind, crossbows are often some of the most popular weapons in use. That's because a crossbow as tall as a Dwarf can yield enough power to go through pretty much any armour. This example has a reloading mechanism that consists of a winch, meaning it's probably one of the stronger types. The crossbow would either be carried dismantled or slung over the back, if its size allows. As can be imagined, crossbows are expensive to produce, and so only the most trusted Dwarven sharpshooters would be seen owning one.

3. Throwing axe
The throwing axe is a shorter version of a standard axe that a Dwarf could use. This means that a Dwarf could carry multiple pieces, as may as three. This example has a wooden shaft, but many others might be shorter and be built with a steel shaft, to keep more precious resources and to improve the sturdiness of the weapon.

4. Sling
Sling is simple and cheap to produce, and ammo can be found virtually anywhere, since all it needs is stones, so it's no surprise that almost any Dwarf could carry one. At ranges in which Dwarves would fight, stones lobbed from a sling could do a lot of damage to anyone who isn't sufficiently armoured, and Dwarves certainly know how to make the most of it.

5. Stones
Not included in the picture are stones and rocks. Since we are talking about Dwarven mines and halls, it's obvious to assume there'd be many stones that could be used both in defense and attack. From boulders and rocks down to small pebbles used as ammo or simply tossed with strong Dwarven hands.

 

[MRPolo13]

The backbone of Dwarven tactics are shields, from large to small, to be used by any soldier. From steel shields, to wooden ones, Dwarves rely on shields. Shields allow this race to block off any tunnels with just a handful of soldiers, and since Dwarves are stronger than they are tall, they can easily use shields that cover their entire bodies.

1. Shield of the Royal Guard
This large shield is taller than the Dwarf using it, and is used by the King's guard themselves. The shield is often used ceremonially, even if the Royal Guard prefers other shield types during the battle. It is highly decorative, often with precious stones and metals used extensively throughout. The wooden frame of the shield is usually covered with a thin sheet of steel, which simply ensures that the wood doesn't get too damaged or splintered. The whole thing is not only held together by the many decorations, but also the steel frame that surrounds the shield. Material is then applied to the face of the shield for purely decorative reasons.

2. Shield of the Minesguard
The most common shield to be used by the defenders of mines are these. Similarly to their larger counterparts, they are made of wood and then reinforced with thin steel. The hooks on the sides of the shield allow its user to rest his spear on it, meaning that he can be fully protected while leading attacks. They also allow the formation of shield walls that provide enough gaps for everyone in the front two rows to have their spears in use.

3. Smallshield
Small shield that is commonly used by younger Dwarves with not as much battle experience, and so usually a standard issue for all inexperienced recruits. The shield is wholly steel, saving wood and lowering production costs. It's common for these shields to be used by ranged warriors, and those who use their sidearm as their main weapon (Dwarven Swordsmen and Axemen).

4. Steelshield
The steelshield is a round steel shield which is used, alongside Smallshields, by ranged warriors. It is maneuverable, sturdy and comfortable, and slingers and axe throwers gladly use it over larger shields. Aside from that, the Steelshield sees little use, since it's neither protective nor decorative enough for most front line troops.


A Minesguard standing at attention. Things that are visible are his spear, which is made heavier in this case with a large steel club-like head just beneath the main spearhead, his shield, which is another pattern of item 2 shown above, and his shortsword, with its heavy blade. The decorations on shields can vary greatly, and as one can see, Dwarves love decorations.

 

[MRPolo13]

Tactics of the Dwarves

Dwarven tactics focus on defense. This is heavily emphasized by the fact that they live inside mountains or in huge, impenetrable fortresses. Aside from the fact that Dwarves love to show the beauty of their architecture through their great halls, they are certainly not stupid. Getting to those halls can often involve going through thin, bottleneck-like tunnels, with traps and thick gates covering entrances. If the use of traps (which can vary from spikes to natural gases of underground being released on enemy) fails, Dwarven troops gather at the end of those tunnels and block them off with shields, letting their spears through the 'hooks' of those shields to attack at the enemy. If, by any chance, the enemy gets through into the halls, Dwarves can easily rain death upon them with ranged weapons and rocks, and form shield walls to push the enemy back.
Tactics that are applied in halls are also applied outside, if Dwarves ever need to attack and not defend. Shield walls are applied extensively. Dwarves also sometimes apply the walking fortress formation, where shields surround the whole army and are raised against projectiles. Dwarves then use heavy artillery such as cannons and catapults alongside crossbowmen to fight the enemy. Thanks to their heavy equipment, Dwarves can withstand most units, although heavy projectiles (such as cannonfire) can be destructive to Dwarven ranks.

 

[MRPolo13]

Quietly finished this focus. Any comments?

 

[JustTooRadical]

Wow.