Megagame Makers

Dwarves are a strong and vigorous race of generally short, stocky and strong beings. They are about four to five feet tall and have sturdy, thick arms and legs. They are vulnerable to greed, yet rock-hard, stubborn but also practical, slow to love and yet fast in friendship. Their specialties lie in the manipulation of materials and related things such as smithying and mining. They are relatively long lived: 400 years is considered a reasonable old age. Dwarves have a remarkable resistance to hunger, pain and disease and can endure long journeys without words and withstand fire and cold without flinching. Dwarves form close-knit clan-based working communities and value especially those of their own family. Since Dwarves are a bit stronger than humans, a Dwarf infantery unit consists of 70 Dwarf Warriors.

Relation with other species

Humans: These creatures are regarded as mostly harmless. It is true they are too tall and look as though they are going to topple over at any minute - but they are generally straightforward. They don’t live very long and breed like rabbits. This is probably why they seem to be so very numerous these days.

Elves: Elves are another of these too-tall species. These creatures are two-faced schemers who no dwarf would trust further than he could comfortably spit out a rat. Elves always have their own plans and it is a bad idea to take any notice of what they say. Old dwarfish joke: “Q: How can you tell when an elf is lying? A: When his lips move.”

Orcs: Another short-lived brutal human-like species. These creatures are highly disorganised and constantly interfere with legitimate dwarfish mining interests in or near their lands. They are not regarded as all that friendly.

Near Ur(r) three races of the Dwarves have settled:

• The Longbeards
• The Redbeards
• The Gnomes

The Longbeards are a noble branch of the Dwarves, characterized by their somewhat longer length (for a Dwarf) and usually long beards. They are governed by a The High King. At this moment this is King Durin XIII. His council is known as The High Council and currently consists of the following members:

• Chief Smithain (a wizard)
• Chief Warrior
• Chief Mining Engineer (the other wizard)

The Longbeards can practice powerful magic, particularly for weapons and armour, but culturally this is downplayed.

The Longbeards and the invasion
We are not afraid of anybody and even if we were and we are not, it is not a factor in our decisions. Furthermore, what we mine and create is so valuable and rare, that we will always be rewarded well for our efforts. So economics is not a factor. If you think you saw evidence to the contrary, you saw wrong! The doctrine of just war must be all deciding. We will stay out of the siege of Urr, until one of the sides convinces us that they are the ones with the valid casus belli. Attacking/harassing/robbing/insulting us is also an excellent way to get us to join the other side. While we are at it. The gnomes which are the race of jesters may have the right to annoy the race of kings, but nobody else!!!

The player team of the Longbeards consisting of the High King and his council (4 players)
The player team, gets to decide if the Longbeards are a truly noble (if a bit stuck up) breed of dwarves, or a bunch of massive hypocrites that pretend to be noble. They have full freedom when it comes to picking a side, or not picking a side at all and how long they wait before making a decision.

Forces

• 7 Heavy Infantery units (Combat 3 (2 steps), Combat 2 (1 step), Retreat 2).
  
• Optionally, 4 statues can be animated as Heavy Infantery units with the Eternal Warriors spell.
  
• 2 Siege units (Demolition 4, Combat 0, Move 3, Retreat none).

This race of Dwarves is characterized by a normal length and usually red beards. They are governed by a Committee of Elders that is presided by the Prince of the Redbeards. After hearing the Elders, the Prince passes new edits and laws (known as Moshuns in Dwarvish). The rules concerning the wording and structure of these moshuns are immensely complicated and unintelligible to non Dwarves. The Redbeards are the largest Dwarven people in Urr: about 6000 Redbeards live in the Green hills. The Committee of Elders consists of the following members:

• The Prince of Redbeards (presiding over the Committee)
• Chief Warrior
• Chief Smith
• Chief Merchant

The Redbeards and the invasion
Urr has gotten rich by the taxes levied on our backs! The other dwarven kingdoms receive preferential treatment and so do the elves. We take the brunt of the raiding by Orcs. That is not fair! If you want our help, we want a better deal in life. The coming of the Prince of Darkness creates a golden (GOLD, GOLD, GOLD!) opportunity to rise in the world.

The player team of the Redbeards consists of the Prince and his comittee (4 players)
The player team, gets to decide which side (if any) to join. Attacking another Dwarven kingdom, trying something genocidal towards the Free Folk, auctioning of the services of your armies to the highest bidder: it is all on the table for them.

Forces

• 4 Heavy Infantery units (Combat 3 (2 steps), Combat 2 (1 step), Retreat 2)
  
• 4 Light Infantery units (Combat 2 (2 steps), Combat 1 (1 step), Retreat 2)
  
• 4 Crossbow units (Hit: 4-6, Retreat 2)
  
• 1 Siege unit (Demolition 4, Combat 0, Move 3, Retreat none)
  
• 1 Trebuchet unit (Demolition 4, Combat 0, Move 4, Retreat none)

The gnomes are a particular subspecies of Dwarves, characterized by their short length, big noses and inquisitive nature. Many gnomes wear glasses. The other Dwarf races usually frown at the Gnomes. The Gnomes perceive the other Dwarves, especially the Longbeards, as stuck up types that need to be taken down a peg. This explains a lot about the names of Gnomish governmental institutions. About 2000 Gnomes live in the Gnomish Confederacy in and under Mount Central Heating, a not quite dormant stratovolcano. The Confederacy maintains very friendly ties with the city of Urr, another reason why the other dwarf races consider them nuts. The head of state is called the God Emperor. He actually is the Gnome that has the strongest magic. His council (named the The Extremely High Council) consists of the following members:

• Chief Scientist (the master of magic such as steam)
• Chief Engineer (the principal master of steam)
• Chief Brewmaster (The chief diplomat)
• Master of Hamsters (Gnomish military command)

The gnomes and the invasion
We have a longstanding alliance with both the Temple Hermits of Ur(r) and the city itself. We are friends. The Prince of Darkness and his minions will regret trying to harm our friends.

The player team of the Gnomes consists of the God Empress and her council (5 players)
The Gnomes are the sort of wise, nice and sentimental fools that will never join the side of the dark prince. He will not take them seriously anyway, at least not until the first time they kick his behind.

Forces

• 1 Heavy Infantery unit (Combat 3 (2 steps), Combat 2 (1 step), Retreat 2)
  
• x Mattress Jäger units (Special forces, see below)
  
• x Gnomish Space Marine units (Also special forces, TBD)
  
• 1 Archer unit (Hit: 4-6, Retreat 2)
  
• 1 Siege unit (Demolition 4, Combat 0, Move 3, Retreat none)
  
• 3 Steam Artillery units (Demolition 4 (upon a 1, artillery explodes), Range 9, Combat 0, Move 2, Retreat none)
  
• 4 Giant Hamster cavalry units

Special Forces
The Gnomes have Mattress Jaeger units. These are 1 step elite Light Infantery units (Combat 4 , Retreat 0 (voluntarily)), deployed from mattresses. Both are launched using giant ballistae. First the mattresses are fired and the next turn the Jaeger are launched to the same location. Deploying the Jaeger is a magic spell. Gnomish Space Marines are found on board of the Gnomish sidewheeler flying ships. Launching a sidewheeler is also a magic spell.

The last kind of special Gnomish units are the Giant Hamster cavalry units. Each cavalry unit consists of 15 Giant Hamsters (mounted by one gnome and two (armed) gnomes using a special Giant Hamster Harness). These do not use the normal combat rules but a die is rolled on the Giant Hamster table for each attacking unit in the appropriate combat phase. This resolved after missiling, but before normal combat. It is impossible for more than one Giant Hamster unit to attack a single square. Hamster cavalry will retreat instead of defending itself. If cornered roll on the Hamster attack table with a +3 bonus and assume a breakthrough by the cavalry. Use the following table to resolve the attack. Roll seperately for each unit.

• 1 - The Hamsters grab their riders and stuff them into their cheek pouches. Unit immobilized this round.
• 2- Hamsters distracted by something edible. The Hamster unit wanders 1 square away from the battle to have a snack. Unit does nothing else this round.
• 3- Hamsters collectively decide that now is the ideal moment to lick their own junk. The unit is immobilized for this round, while riders look away embarrased.
• 4- Charge!! The topmost unit in the enemy stack loses 1 step.
• 5- Double Charge!! The topmost 2 units in enemy stack lose 1 step.
• 6- Woolly Rupert the Giant Hamster of ill omen lives! Remove the bottom counter of the enemy stack.