The Dwarf Holds Unit Cost Analysis

The final good army to be analyzed is The Dwarf Holds. It wasn't intentional to save them for last - and I am fairly sure that a lot of people are probably interested in how we are going to handle the Epic Rampage rule for Gimli. In fact, I still remember my formation of Minas Tirith Warriors with Aragorn and Gimli running head first into the rear end of a formation of Urukhai Pikemen - calling the Epic Rampage for the first time - with +2 to hit from Aragorn's Sword - just wiping out company after company of Uruks … It felt good … It felt like cheating … It kind of was for only expending a single Might Point.

Well - let's get right to it, no sense in waiting.

DWARVEN WARRIORS

• (R) [A] Dwarf Ballista - Underpriced by 25%
• (L) [I] Drar's Hunters - Underpriced by 13%
• (C) [I] Dwarf Archer Kinband - Accurately Priced (0% deviation)
• (C) [I] Dwarf Ranger Kinband - Accurately Priced (0% deviation)
• (R) [I] Moria Expeditionaries - Accurately Priced (0% deviation)
• (L) [I] Murin's Guard - Accurately Priced (0% deviation)
• (L) [I] Durin's Guard - Accurately Priced (0% deviation)
• (R) [I] Iron Guard Kinband - Overpriced by 11%
• (R) [I] Vault Warden Kinband - Overpriced by 17%
• (C) [I] Iron Guard Ancients - Overpriced by 20%
• (R) [I] Khazad Guard Kinband - Overpriced by 25%
• (C) [I] Dwarf Warrior Kinband - Overpriced by 33%
• (R) [MH] King's Champion - Overpriced by 35%
• (R) [I] Ered Luin Rangers - Overpriced by 50%

Sorting the Dwarf Warriors under the template from cheapest (weakest stat-wise) to most expensive (most powerful) gives:

• 30 Points per Company:
• (C) [I] Dwarf Warrior Kinband
• 35 Points per Company:
• (C) [I] Dwarf Archer Kinband
• (C) [I] Dwarf Ranger Kinband
• 40 Points per Company:
• (R) [I] Khazad Guard Kinband
• (R) [I] Ered Luin Rangers
• (L) [I] Murin's Guard
• (L) [I] Drar's Hunters
• 45 Points per Company:
• (R) [I] Iron Guard Kinband
• (R) [I] Moria Expeditionaries 
• 50 Points per Company:
• (C) [I] Iron Guard Ancients
• (L) [I] Durin's Guard
• 60 Points per Company:
• (R) [I] Vault Warden Kinband
• 80 Points per Company:
• (R) [A] Dwarf Ballista
• 130 Points per Company:
• (R) [MH] King's Champion

DWARVEN HEROES

• (C) Shieldbearer IGA - Underpriced by 67%
• (C) Shieldbearer ME - Underpriced by 58%
• (C) Ironhelm Ancient IGA - Underpriced by 52%
• (L) Mardin - Underpriced by 45%
• (C) Shieldbearer IGK - Underpriced by 44%
• (C) Shieldbearer DAK - Underpriced by 38%
• (C) Shieldbearer KGK - Underpriced by 38%
• (C) Expedition Master ME - Underpriced by 38%
• (C) Ered Luin Captain - Underpriced by 41%
• (E) Balin, Lord of Moria - Underpriced by 35%
• (C) Ironhelm IGK - Underpriced by 33%
• (L) Durin - Underpriced by 30%
• (C) Shieldbearer DWK - Underpriced by 29%
• (C) Dwarf Ranger Captain DRK - Underpriced by 29%
• (C) Captain of the Guard KGK - Underpriced by 23%
• (C) Dwarf Captain DAK - Underpriced by 17%
• (L) Murin - Underpriced by 17%
• (C) Dwarf Captain DWK - Underpriced by 9%
• (L) Drar - Underpriced by 5%
• (E) Floi Stonehand - Accurately Priced (0% deviation)
• (E) Dain Ironfoot, King Under the Mountain - Overpriced by 5%
• (E) Gimli, Son of Gloin - Overpriced by 6%

It is interesting how many underpriced Heroes are in the Dwarf list ... and even those that are technically "overpriced" are only off by a 5-10 Points. It seems like this list is probably one of the more bargain Hero lists (at least with respect to the command heroes in the formations). Sorting by the cost calculated by the template from cheapest (weakest stat-wise) to most expensive (most powerful):

• Heroes that should cost 35 Points:
• (C) Shieldbearer DWK
• Heroes that should cost 40 Points:
• (C) Shieldbearer DAK
• (C) Shieldbearer KGK
• Heroes that should cost 45 Points:
• (C) Shieldbearer IGK
• Heroes that should cost 55 Points:
• (C) Dwarf Captain DWK
• Heroes that should cost 60 Points:
• (C) Dwarf Captain DAK
• (C) Shieldbearer ME
• Heroes that should cost 65 Points:
• (C) Captain of the Guard KGK
• Heroes that should cost 70 Points:
• (C) Dwarf Ranger Captain DRK
• Heroes that should cost 75 Points:
• (C) Ironhelm IGK
• (C) Shieldbearer IGA
• Heroes that should cost 80 Points:
• (C) Expedition Master ME
• (C) Ered Luin Captain
• Heroes that should cost 90 Points:
• (L) Murin
• (E) Floi Stonehand
• Heroes that should cost 100 Points:
• (L) Drar
• (L) Mardin
• Heroes that should cost 105 Points:
• (C) Ironhelm Ancient IGA
• Heroes that should cost 135 Points:
• (L) Durin
• Heroes that should cost 155 Points:
• (E) Balin, Lord of Moria
• Heroes that should cost 165 Points:
• (E) Gimli, Son of Gloin
• Heroes that should cost 190 Points:
• (E) Dain Ironfoot, King Under the Mountain

Similar to what we did the Elven Heroes, the Dwarf Heroes have some special rules that should have the "Bestow" pre-appended to them to explicitly indicate that the special rule is applied to the Epic Hero's company or formation.

EPIC RAMPAGE

Notice that the rule has been pretty substantially made "less effective"; yet I think that this does the job of brining it in line with other Epic special rules. In fact, this almost has the same effect of Crippling Strike on Monsters (which reduces Resilience by 1) - so it's not completely out of the realm of what this now accomplishes. Hopefully this will bring the rule more in line - and not provide such a game breaking mechanic as it used to.

LINKS TO OTHER UNIT COST ANALYSIS POSTS

1. Gondor & Arnor Warriors
2. Gondor & Arnor Heroes
3. The Kingdom of Rohan Unit Cost Analysis
4. The Elven Kingdoms Unit Cost Analysis
5. The Dwarf Holds Unit Cost Analysis
6. The Forgotten Kingdoms Unit Cost Analysis
7. Mordor Unit Cost Analysis
8. The Fortress of Isengard Unit Cost Analysis
9. The Misty Mountains (Moria) Unit Cost Analysis
10. The Fallen Realms Unit Cost Analysis
11. Angmar Unit Cost Analysis