mattbird:
Hi all, we are working on a new Dwarfs of Chaos army book that will be tournament legal in some Indy GTs in North America, including the Colonial, Conflict, and Crossroads. The first draft is now available for download, and we would like as many people as are interested to playtest it and provide feedback.
The book is being written by Kevin Coleman, who has written several rule sets for Games Workshop previously, including the Gnoblar army list, Dark Elf City Guard, and the Goblinoid variant units.
What we are planning is several months of open play testing, during which we will post regular revisions incorporating feedback. Once completed, it will be available as a free download. We aim to have it finished by the end of the summer.
What we would like is help in a few areas:
�?� General feedback. What is balanced, what costs too many points, etc. What parts of the background fluff were missed?
�?� Playtesting. Testing will be open to anybody, anywhere. CDO members have Chaos Dwarf armies- we need battle reports!
�?� Artwork. We’ll need a group of illustrations for unit types, layout ornaments, and a color cover. (Many of the illustrations in the Word of Hashut mag would be perfect, if those illustrators would like to contribute)
�?� Photography of models, conversion guides, etc.
We are particularly interested in your feedback, for reasons that would be obvious. 
Follow the link below to the forums, where you can download the Version 1 playtest list! Note that I will not be regularly checking any other forum other than the below link for comments, so the best way to reach me is through there. Also, I do not know of every forum this should be posted on, so if you regularly visit another forum, where this info is NOT posted, it would be great if you could post the entirety of this message there.
Thanks!- Mattbird
Click here for the forums!
http://warmongers.ziggyqubert.com/wmbb/viewforum.php?f=19
dedwrekka:
I just got all tingly.
Edit:
My likes:
Generic Slave unit with explosive tendencies
Updated Whirlwind
Deathrocket went from interesting to huge (I’m assuming it’s a 5" diameter and not radius template)
Swivel Cannons!
Method:
couple of things, i’d like to see the ES with a 5 inch template, for it’s ability, and i am a bit un-impressed with the arcane appartus, +1 wound would have been nice and a point bum to 40pts…
and i guess the unit description text is not done yet? otherwise, playtesting away!!!
mattbird:
I agree that the Earthshaker is currently a bit underwhelming, and I think the 5" thing is a good idea. Post it in the forum!
The apparatus increases Initiative, which, if you read the miscast effect on the Priests, you’ll see is better than 1 extra wound. 
fluff that is not yet written is filled with placeholder text, in some places.
Method:
no worries… will do.
btw, i like the intricate play between the daemon weapons, the hashut lore and the init stat, i was just wondering why the arcane appartus cost so much, then i realized how important the init stat was… very subtle, nice design…
Method:
no worries... will do.
btw, i like the intricate play between the daemon weapons, the hashut lore and the init stat, i was just wondering why the arcane appartus cost so much, then i realized how important the init stat was.... very subtle, nice design...
Method
yea, i JUST noticed that after you replied....i epic fail
Alric:
couple of things, i'd like to see the ES with a 5 inch template, for it's ability, and i am a bit un-impressed with the arcane appartus, +1 wound would have been nice and a point bum to 40pts..
and i guess the unit description text is not done yet? otherwise, playtesting away!!!
Method
I'm waiting for my forums comfirmation so I cant post yet on Warmongers.
Anyways why not use the ES rules from Ravening Horde , also I suggest specifying a minimum range of 12" so the range would be 12"- 48" , include the 2D6 shaken rule in RH.
Nice work Matt, also if you are looking for any additional ideas, fluff etc. I suggest checking out Grim's pdf (http://www.freewebs.com/chaosdwarfsourcebook/-%20Sourcebook%20Version%201/Final%20Guide%20Plain.pdf) could save you a lot work and time(copy and paste) :hat
Grims website > http://www.freewebs.com/chaosdwarfsourcebook/armylist.htm
I noticed the omission of the orc units , which I kinda agree with as long as they are being replaced with chaos dwarf units. I have a 4th edition chaos dwarf army and always felt that it needed more chaos dwarf special units like an immortals , obsidian guard , or berzerkers . the hobgobs are plenty of slaves if you include all the units (bolt thrower crew, sneaky gits, wolf riders, archers and warriors). I like the idea of a "Rabble" it gives the hobgob's someone to push around.
Merchant:
It seems like a good first-cast for an CD army-book
But I miss, the slaves - like Greenskins Goblins and Orcs, but most of all the Black Orcs.
On the other hand, I’m pleased to see an Hobgoblin Lord Choice
Cheers
Thommy H:
Nice work Matt, also if you are looking for any additional ideas, fluff etc. I suggest checking out Grim's pdf (http://www.freewebs.com/chaosdwarfsource...0Plain.pdf) could save you a lot work and time(copy and paste)
I don't think Grim would appreciate anyone just copying and pasting his work...
Anyway, I can't download this at work, but I'll get it tonight and see what I think. From the sounds of things, it's mostly an update of the Ravening Hordes list with some new units put in and some old ones taken out rather than a total revamp.
Ancre:
It is not totally re-made but there are quite a few changes. I don’t really think it’s like a maxibestof menu of the ravening hordes, as there isn’t only more, but there is also different.
I quite like it. There is no orcs units anymore but you can still put greenskins as slaves units (although black orcs wouldn’t fit in, true). You can also field a hobgob army, which is fun. No 2 points-man units though, but that’s ok.
But I can’t find rules clarifications on the bullcentaurs 
mattbird:
Hi, yeah, there is a page missing. Bull Centaurs are the same as now; infantry rules, cav bases.
re: Grim’s work, that’s on Kevin, but certainly we’d have to ask for permission first.
cornixt:
It;s funny how the same unit and rule names come up again and again in the fans lists.
Grimstonefire:
I’ve only had a quick look so far, but one thing strikes me as odd… Why include a siege tower in a regular list? I know the old fans will like it, but you would be better off reworking that one to be a general chariot/ monster style warmachine like the old empire war wagon.
Do the indy GT have fortresses?
mattbird:
we wanted to write rules for the existing Juggernaut model. The siege tower ability wouldn’t be useful in tourney games
Slacker:
I’ll get at least one, possibly two games in tonight, I’ll try and mix up the lists to get a bunch of stuff a workout.
Thommy H:
List seems…okay…nothing in it blows me away, to be honest. Actually, it reads like what I suspect it actually is: a first attempt at a Chaos Dwarf fan list. And that’s fine. There’s a bit of everything, it pleases everyone with every possible combination of models (got a Juggernaut? You can use it! Got an old swivel gun? You can use it!) but I don’t think it adds much.
I would actually prefer to see something more controversial. Something that we can get our teeth into, you know? Instead, my army would probably be largely unchanged using this list, and I would have the option to add new stuff I guess (which I wouldn’t…because the new stuff isn’t really that amazing).
I do like some of the thinking outside the box. Like the way Chaos Dwarf Sorcerers cast spells, for example.
It’s good. I mean, it’s fine. If this was what I had to use, I’d be okay with it. But if I still have Ravening Hordes, I see no particular reason to change, if only because it’s just not close enough to my vision of Chaos Dwarfs. I prefer a more generic list I can do what I want with, rather than conforming to this particular version of the Dawi’Zharr.
BOGGO:
I’m down with this. I think this captures the army quite well, and brings the CD up to speed with 7th. I need to make some army lists before I make a full judgment, but I think its my favorite list outside of Ravening Hordes I’ve seen. I like obsidian guard with BSB as an anvil unit so far. Hopefully a final version will take off and Colorado tournaments will adopt it. Cool…
cornixt:
I like the fact that Hobgoblins are a possible full army. The magic looks a bit too good for a 200pt model, especially since he only has to fear a miscast after he’s already done it once. I suppose it makes up for the almost complete lack of anything else in magical defense. 4 dispel dice if you don’t have him, and no way of getting more? It could be hard to balance. It is nice that he can turn into a combat monster though, I miss the days of the combined magic user and general in one model. Should probably note that the Hail Hashut spell can be cast in combat too. I think another name is needed for the Juggernaut. Every time I saw it I thought of the Khorne daemon. I know it’s the original name, but it is too confusing. Maybe “Dreadnaut”?
One thing I’d like to see is something that tells me how big the Juggernaut is. You couldn’t fit 10 models on the 3rd edition one, and the GW siege tower can fit far more than that. Same for the other non-RH units. And for goodness sake, explain the whole Bull Centaur infantry/cavalry thing.
I’m not sure what to make of it so far. Everything from the RH list can be used in some way (although using my Black Orcs with Goblin stats will seem odd), every war machine from 3rd ed, plus a few other bits and pieces, so I kinda like it. Somehow it seems unsatisfying, even though I knew to expect this and it isn’t an awful load of crap. Not very whelmed.
Baggronor:
Seems like a bit of a hodge-podge to me. Just feels like it lacks a certain extra character or direction…
List seems…okay…nothing in it blows me away, to be honest.
I reckon you should just use Thommy’s list
Method:
well, keep in mind guys, that it is FAR easier to miscast with these chaos dwarf rules, 1-6 vs 1-36, and right now the ONLY viable high priest build is one where he would have 3 daemon smiths behind him,
2 bound 7’s isnt gonna cut it with a 1 in 6 of losing an INIT, especially since you only have to roll a 1 twice, and your expensive priest is dead. meaning, players wont cast twice in a magic phase unless there is a good need, THUS 3 daemonsmiths for a viable magic phase. even so their magic phase could be an uphill struggle…
