 |
|
If effectively used, Dwarves are your most powerful units. These surly and diminutive bombers can wipe out two score Thrall all by themselves. Use your Dwarves whenever possible, and you will dominate not only the undead but also your human counterparts. Dwarves do their damage by hurling potent Molotov Cocktails at anyone who crosses their path. These grenades pack a massive explosive punch and can shred a Ghôl in one blow. They don't, however, always detonate, especially in wet or snowy weather where the precipitation extinguishes the fuses. Remember, though, that unexploded grenades will still go off if detonated by another grenade, spreading fire, or even a Fetch lightning attack. Veteran dwarves, who've killed at least five enemy units, can throw their Cocktails farther and are less likely to throw a dud. 
As their special attack, Dwarves carry four (or up to eight) Satchel Charges, sacks of explosive material that can be dropped on the ground and detonated. Place these in narrow passageways or somewhere you know an enemy will be passing. Station your Dwarf a throw's distance away from the Satchel Charges, target the ground near the Charges and they will go up in a thunderous roar. If you have enough Satchel Charges available, you can actually create a fuse leading to a large deposit of Charges. Run a string of Charges a few feet apart and drop a charge on the closest one. Boom, boom, boom … BOOM! No unit could be as powerful as these Dwarves without some serious detriments to keep them humble. They are painfully slow (a determined Wight could catch them!) and can take only a couple of hits before expiring. Dwarves are practically more dangerous in death than in life: When they die, they leave their Satchel Charges behind. Another explosion nearby will set the whole pile sky high. For this reason, try not to keep your Dwarves in a bunch or they may go off like popcorn, killing both your entire Dwarf population and anyone unlucky enough to be standing nearby. Unfortunately, Dwarves are not real discriminating about when to throw their bombs; if an enemy happens to be near your troops, a Dwarf will hurl away. You must keep a very tight leash on your Dwarves, or they will do more damage to your own troops than those of the Dark. The basic technique in managing your Dwarves is identical to the Bowman fire and retreat. Launch an attack and immediately click on a spot behind the Dwarf's current position. This effectively reduces the distance the Dwarf needs to fire and makes them much harder to hit. Since a Dwarf's greatest commodity is the distance between him and his targets, this technique should be combined with one other that will prove profoundly effective. Never target the first enemy in a group, instead target the one right behind him; this damages the largest numbers of enemies and reduces firing distance. Dwarves are your best attack against Thrall, Ghasts, Stygian Knights (who are particularly vulnerable to explosives), and Myrkridia. Dwarves must avoid units with superior range, including Dark Archers, Soulless, and Fetches. You can use Dwarves against all other units, but it takes considerable skill to do so effectively. |
