Iron in your hand, Iron on your chest, Iron beneath your feet. Iron in your mind. Dwarven proverb.

Their aged obsession with metalwork has earned them scorn and mockery by other races over the centuries. However, any who have faced their Ironclad ships across an open sea swiftly learn to respect their science.

INTRODUCTION

The dwarves were masters of the Old World once, and at that time ruled over the western and central continents with a mass of small kingdoms that were collectively known as the Shandelfan. They rose to prominence not only because of their military prowess, but because of the swift advances that their people made in the development of mining, metalwork and masonry. From the earliest centuries to the present day the dwarves have had the advantage of superior weaponry, armour and fortification, and used it to great effect against their enemies, and even themselves during times of civil war. Decades of warfare eventually led to the fall of the Shandelfan dwarves and something the dwarves call The Great Divide. At this time three dwarven kingdoms were created: Delfdran, Venvalder and Kullorian.

guild, often including an insult or two. Dwarves are also referred to as cogs, wrenches and rivets because of their skill in engineering, or with more derogatory nicknames like oil snots or little screws. The problem is that there are hundreds of Guilds within the core dwarven kingdoms. The fortunes of these guilds are constantly shifting due to the rise or fall in their income or, more importantly, the individual prestige of their best craftsmen. The most prestigious guild varies between each of the three kingdoms. For example, the Delfdran have great confidence in the Guild of Smiths, which makes weaponry and armour with which to fight their enemies, while the Venvalder celebrate the construction of palaces and bridges, and have raised the leaders of the Guild of Masons to the ranks of nobility. It is the Kullorians who have made the designers of the iron ships prominent among all other Guilders, and made development of these ships the pride of their people, giving the Ironship Guild free reign in its many enterprises. The Guild of Guns and the Steam Guild are also powerful, though their prestige is connected directly to the military success of their armies. Many guilds however have influence in peacetime rather than war, and are more pervasive within dwarf society. The various Guilds of Tailors, Carpenters, Apothecaries, Couriers, Miners and Physicians command a great deal of respect and loyalty. The Timber Guild, Stone Guild and Metals Guild meanwhile are the true powerhouses of dwarf society, because they are the wealthiest guilds and the most involved in trade and politics. The guilds have many different names for their leaders and members, most of which are idiosyncratic and specific to their particular craft. Just a few of these names include Fathers, Elders or Stewards, while ordinary guild members are known variously as apprentices, mules, mallets, dusters, smelters and boilers. The guilds usually select their leaders on a basis of organisational skill or excellence in their craft, though promotion can also come about purely because of popular consent.

The dwarves are a strange race, dour and taciturn as you might expect, they are especially grumpy if their elders or kings are disrespected. Dwarves have great respect for both, but although it is said that they accept the rightful rule of their kings without question or argument, they are not particularly strict in the observance of that fealty. They swear many oaths of loyalty, and certainly back each other up when it comes to the affairs of war, but they are also fond of grumbling about their kings bad governance and have even gone against their edicts at one time or another. The government of the dwarf kingdoms is the most complex of those in the Old World, as the offices of the three dwarf kings are divided into many separate departments known as Armouries. Not only that, but the whole of dwarf society is organised into Guilds that organise and supervise the economic and military structures of the land, and then there are Leagues that will encompass several large Guilds.

DwarVEN Society

The Guilds are a separate power within the dwarf kingdoms, and have their own rules and political structure. Among their members they boast some of the best artisans of the Old World, and include most of the greatest technical minds within its kingdoms. The Guilds operate separately from the Armouries, but inevitably they influence and advise each other, and are mutually dependent. Outsiders even refer to dwarves as Guilders simply because almost every one of them is in at least one if not several guilds. Their conversation is usually dotted with references to this guild or that

The Guilds

The guilds are not the half of it though. Dwarves have three layers of governance, the king is at the top and decides the rules, while guilds are at the bottom and spend their time working out how to bend the rules. In between these two layers are the leagues. Dwarves form leagues for many reasons that are mostly military, and usually do so as an extension of the power of both the kings and guilds.

The Leagues

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The Kullorians are ruled by King Ringvald the Stout, who leads the Kullorian League which represents most of the Kullorian dwarves in the Uncharted Seas, and by extension commands the Vyrdam, Denonian and Geflar Leagues. Ringvald, whose New World capital is Aron-Delf on the landmass called Karneia, decided to capture glory and fame here, leaving his cousin Sturla the Steward in charge of the affairs of Kulloria in the Old World. Ringvald saw many opportunities for advancement at the expense of his peers, namely King Bold Bruin of Venvalder and King Ingvar Wyrmson of Delfdran. The city of Aron-Delf is the stronghold of the independent Shipping League, which sells charters for all dwarven vessels in the Uncharted Seas, and also home to the Bilge League, which supplies crew and supplies for any vessel that pays their fees. It is only the Kullorian engineers who truly understand the technology of steam power, so they have a clear head start over Venvalder and Delfdran. Bruin and Ingvar initially chartered Imperial merchant ships to send troops to settle Bolg and Illonia on Karneia respectively, but they have since swallowed their pride and bought several iron ships from Ringvald. The Kullorians can enjoy some measure of satisfaction from their superiority on Karneia, as they have suffered centuries of disrespect and insult from other dwarves. They are called dirt crows and mud lizards among other things, because they are agriculturalists and river dwellers, and are essentially lowland dwarves rather than mountain dwarves. These mountain dwarves overlook the fact that they get their foodstuffs by herding sheep and goats in the high meadows, supplemented by fishing in the streams and pools of rocky valleys. The Kullorians meanwhile refer to Ingvar the Wyrmson as Ingvar the Wormspawn, and call the Venvalders sons of donkeys, usually to their face.

Delfdran includes several cities and ports, most notably the original capital of Shandelfan, the ancient port of Delfenberg. Its territories used to include the islands in the Gulf of Souls, which have since been conquered by the goblins of the Morcas tribe. The towns of the closest island can be seen from the Delfdran coast, giving the Delfdran dwarves a shameful reminder of their defeats. Ships from Delfdran are normally brown, beige or sand coloured, reflecting the deserts bordering the Hanidor Mountains and the Great Kasmyrian River. What few ships that have been built in Delfdran itself are constructed from the limited woodland to the south of the Delf Estuary, by Kullorian ironship guilders supervising Delfdran craftsmen.

Delfdran, the Old Kingdom

The capital of Venvalder is Glaumvor, an ancient city built within and atop Mount Gormguddure, nestled high enough to overlook the entire Shanhaar Basin and the western forests of Thaniras. The Venvalder have not concerned themselves much with the affairs of other kingdoms in recent centuries, but have realised with the discovery of the Uncharted Seas that they can only suffer with continued isolation. Ships from Venvalder tend to have a blue or grey colour and are often simply bare metal, because the Venvalder often look to the sky for spiritual calm. The timber native to the region is ironically sold to the Kullorians for more mundane uses, though the Venvalder do have their own fleet of wooden vessels, a collection of converted merchant ships.

Venvalder, the High Kingdom

Dwarves are suspicious of magic, and generally have low regard for the few magical guilds within their kingdoms. This is largely because they consider magic to be fundamentally uncontrollable, and that users of magic have the capacity to become incredibly powerful and upset the status quo of dwarf society. It is also because of events in the past that changed the face of the dwarf kingdoms. At that time there were also some sorcerers and wizards among the dwarves, who sat at the head of a council of artisans. These magus as they were called encouraged the best dwarf artisans of the period to leave the dwarf empire of Shandelfan and travel the seas in search of new lands to settle. The dwarves of Shandelfan fell into further disarray and persecuted any wizards and sorcerers that stayed, establishing the races long held distrust of magic. Any powerful magic users that remain are rumoured to operate in the cities of Delfdran in secret, and are known as Shroud Mages. As they fought amongst themselves, the humans and elves attacked the borders of Shandelfan and captured much of its territory. The magus disappeared, taking the knowledge of steam power with them, setting back the development of dwarf sea power by many decades and denying their brethren access to the most useful of their discoveries.

Dwarves and Magic

Kulloria is a land of green hills, well ordered forests and lush plains, a beautiful kingdom marked out by its bordered farmlands and many small townships. Its capital is Bulvine, a port on the Malf River which along with the port of Narven form the industrial centre of Kulloria. The skylines of both cities are a mixture of temple towers and the smoke stacks of the ironship smithies. Ships from Kulloria are normally painted in shades of green or sometimes white, and are constructed from their own native timber. They boast a wide range of ironship designs fulfilling roles that are not just military, but encompass transport vessels, fishing vessels and even floating towns.

Kulloria, the Low Kingdom

Dwarf ships are often distinguished from each other by means of angular markings on the prow or just behind the bridge. Every dwarf fleet has its own system of symbols, but generally they take the form of whole painted hull plates, sometimes painted as scars across the prow of the ship. They are used solely for identification, so white is usually used for the angular markings. Meaningful symbols often include iron plates that are stamped with the symbols of the guild, league and kingdom to which the iron ship belongs. So cogs, rimmed shields, anvils, parchment and so on, upon which are set symbols like the hammer and lightning, cannons, wood, axes, picks, shovels and buckets are most common. Squadrons of iron ships will often feature similar markings to each other, often with small variations between individual ships, allowing the squadron to be distinguished, and allowing each ship within a squadron to identify their comrades.

Ironship Markings

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THE MODELS
Power Of The Ironclad
MORTIS CLASS FRIGATE
The steam engine is, without question, the achievement of which the Iron Dwarves remain most proud. Amongst the many advances it has allowed the Dwarven race, the Mortis perhaps best characterises this pinnacle. Without the reliance on erratic winds, or fragile sails, it is tough, dependable and versatile, possibly the three most valued traits in Dwarven society. MARs: None

PISTON CLASS RAM CRUISER

Another unique display of Dwarven ingenuity, the Piston supplements its gunnery with a steam driven prow which it can use to shunt even the largest of ships. Particularly canny commanders have learned to time these attacks to best hamper the foes manoeuvres and plough valuable targets into the paths of their most powerful weapons. MARs: Bulldoze, Iron Ram

BELCHER CLASS SUBMARINE

ARMOURY CLASS TROOP CARRIER

In contrast, the Belcher displays the Dwarves love of experimental engineering. Able to safely sink beneath the waves, they carry their small crew undetected into the midst of the enemy, before surfacing to spew molten metal over vulnerable targets from their infamous Magma Guns. Magma Guns (Fore): The Magma Guns CANNOT target Flying or Submerged models. You DO NOT roll on the Critical Hit Table for an Attack by this model, instead it cause 2 points of HULL damage if the Attack matches/exceeds the targets CR. MARs: Flame Weapon (Fore), Panic Dive

Dwarves from the Guild of Warriors are a particularly tenacious breed, and their marine companies boast that their shield walls can never be broken. Originally used to land troops to assault onshore positions, the Armoury quickly found use in naval engagements, the Dwarven marines excelling in the tight packed conditions of ship-toship combat. MARs: Tough Crew

ANVIL CLASS HEAVY CRUISER

CHISEL CLASS DESTROYER

First designed by the great Jannes Fridtmund, former master of the Guild of Guns, the rocket batteries mounted on the Chisel Destroyers pepper the decks of distant vessels with shrapnel and phosphor, debilitating crew and crippling systems. MARs: Lethal Strike (Fore Rockets)

After the versatility offered by the turret mounted cannon fitted to the Mortis proved so useful, the Ironship guilds elected to fit another to the heavily reinforced cruiser hull, the Anvil. Although not as fast or flexible as its precursor, its remarkable durability and phenomenal damage output found favour with many Iron Dwarf commanders whose preferred tactic was to wear down their opponent in a battle of stamina and attrition. Fore Turret: the Turret has a 180 degree Arc of Fire to the fore of the model, measured from the centre of the Turret. MARs: None

KRAKEN CLASS SUBMARINE

In recent years, the last sight witnessed by many an unfortunate sailor has been an iron Kraken rising from beneath the waves, its chimneys gushing smoke as the furnaces are stoked to capacity. Larger and hardier than the Belcher, the Kraken foregoes ranged armament in favour of an out sized steam engine and a vicious ram, designed specifically to puncture hulls and flood enemy vessels. When making a Surface move, this model may increase its movement by D3 inches. MARs: Hull Breaker, Iron Ram, Panic Dive

BELLOWS CLASS AIRSHIP

Developed initially to allow troops to efficiently explore the landmasses scattered throughout the Uncharted Seas, the Bellows Airship is now proving itself as an airborne danger to any enemy vessel. Although fragile by Dwarven standards, the devastation caused by hurling explosives onto unprotected decks has been voted a worthy trade. This model CANNOT Ram non-Flying models. This model CANNOT board other models - but it CAN be boarded by other Flying models if they are capable of boarding.

HAMMER CLASS CRUISER

Plates of hardened iron layer the Hammers hull, placed at angles calculated to reduce the impact of incoming fire. Their Captains know they can rely on their thick armour to withstand all but the most determined fusillade, allowing them to close on the foe, before swinging round to unleash volley after volley of thunderous broadsides. MARs: None

Bomb Attack: ONCE per game this model can make a Bomb Attack. ALL non-Flying models within a 4 radius of the airships Flight peg receive a 10AD Attack when this bomb is dropped. MARs: Armoured Belly, Cumbersome Flier, Flammable Gases, Free Floating

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FORGE CLASS BATTLESHIP

Each Dwarf recognizes that their society is an amalgam of many different parts which, when combined together, form a whole much greater than their sum. The Forge Battleships are often held as an exemplar of this. Every vessel is the profit of labour by the Ironship, Gun, Steam, Smith, Timber and Metal Guilds, crewed by the Sailors Guild and defended by the Warriors Guild. Without any one of these, or a dozen others, the Forge would not be possible, and the Dwarves say that it is this forging of their guilds that makes their kingdom great. MARs: None

GUARDIAN CLASS FLOATING CITADEL

To cement their growing holdings in the Uncharted Seas, the High King ordered that several of these waterborne castles be shipped, piecemeal, from the workshops of Narven in the old world. Impregnable fortresses of iron, the Guardians watch over the most vital ports, bristling gun batteries warning away any foolhardy raiders. This model DOES NOT use a Turning Template and has 360 degree movement. You measure from the centre of the model for movement, and can freely rotate the model around the centre point at the end of the movement. MARs: Murder Holes (4+), Radial Fire (Bulwark Guns, Small), Sharpshooters (5+) A Bulwark Guns B Fortress Guns

CHAINMAIL CLASS FLAGSHIP

After encountering firsthand the uncountable dangers present in the Uncharted Seas, High King Ringvald himself requested that a vessel be designed to answer them. His chief engineers, the Artisans of War, saw it as a point of honour that their King not be disappointed. Taking the hull of the Forge, they added a top mounted, fore firing, battery of rockets and a rear mounted turret. In addition they reinforced the framework, overhauled the engine design and fitted the cruelly bladed prow that had seen great success on the Anvil Cruisers. To their enduring pride, upon the completion of his first tour, King Ringvald is reputed to have remarked: Aye, thatll do. Fore Rockets: the Fore Rockets have a Fore Arc of Fire. Aft Turret: the Turret has a 180 degree Arc of Fire to the aft of the model. MARs: Lethal Strike (Rockets)

Fortress Guns Fore Firing Channel

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Mortis Class Frigate

DR 3 2 CR 6 2 MOVE
RANGE BAND

Points: 35

Belcher Class Submarine

DR 3 CR 5 1 MOVE RAM 1
RANGE BAND

Points: 35

8 RAM 2

6/8

HULL CREW

HULL CREW
TURRET

Small Class Standard model Template: SMALL This model IGNORES the wind direction Squadron Size: 2 to 4 Models MARs: None

Small Class Diving Special 3 model Template: MEDIUM This model IGNORES the wind direction Squadron Size: 1 to 2 Models MARs: Flame Weapon (Fore), Panic Dive

FORE

2
-

1 2 3 4

5 3 -

1 2 3 4

5 3 -

Chisel Class Destroyer

DR 3 3 CR 6 3 MOVE 7 RAM 3

Points: 45
FORE ROCKETS

Kraken Class Submarine

DR CR 5 2 MOVE RAM 4
RANGE BAND

Points: 35

RANGE BAND

4 3
-

6/8

HULL CREW

STARBOARD

HULL CREW

PORT

Small Class Standard model Template: SMALL This model IGNORES the wind direction Squadron Size: 2 to 3 Models MARs: Lethal Strike (Fore Rockets)

FORE

Small Class Diving Special 3 model Template: MEDIUM This model IGNORES the wind direction Squadron Size: 1 to 2 Models MARs: Iron Ram, Hull Breaker, Panic Dive

1 2 3 4

3 2 -

3 2 -

6 3 -

3 2 1

1 2 3 4

Hammer Class Cruiser

DR 4 4 CR 7 5 MOVE
RANGE BAND

Points: 50

Piston Class Ram Cruiser

DR 4 CR 7 5 MOVE
RANGE BAND

Points: 55

6 RAM 5

7 RAM RED 5

STARBOARD

HULL CREW

HULL CREW
PORT

PORT

Medium Capital Class Standard model Template: MEDIUM This model IGNORES the wind direction Squadron Size: 2 to 3 Models MARs: None

Medium Capital Class Variant model Template: MEDIUM This model IGNORES the wind direction Squadron Size: 2 to 3 Models MARs: Bulldoze, Iron Ram

FORE

4
-

STARBOARD

1 2 3 4

7 6 3 -

7 6 3 -

1 2 3 4

6 4 2 -

6 4 2 -

5 3 -

Uncharted Seas Fantasy Naval Combat Rules

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Armoury Class Troop Carrier

DR 4 4 CR 7 6 MOVE
RANGE BAND

Points: 45

Anvil Class Heavy Cruiser

DR 5 CR 8 6 MOVE
RANGE BAND

Points: 85

6 RAM 3

5 RAM RED 5

STARBOARD

HULL CREW

HULL CREW
PORT

STARBOARD

Medium Class Special 3 model Template: MEDIUM This model IGNORES the wind direction Squadron Size: 2 Models MARs: Tough Crew

Medium Capital Class Variant model Template: MEDIUM This model IGNORES the wind direction Squadron Size: 2 to 3 Models MARs: None

PORT

5
-

TURRET

1 2 3 4

4 2 -

4 2 -

1 2 3 4

8 6 4 -

8 6 4 -

5 3 -

Bellows Class Airship

DR 4 4 CR 6 4 MOVE 7 RAM 4

Points: 85
BOMB ATTACK

Forge Class Battleship

DR CR 12 7 MOVE
RANGE BAND

Points: 120

RANGE BAND

6 8
-

4 RAM 9

STARBOARD

HULL CREW

HULL CREW

STARBOARD

PORT

PORT

FORE

Large Capital Class Flying Special 2 model Template: LARGE This model IGNORES the wind direction Squadron Size: 1 to 2 Models

Large Capital Class Standard model Template: LARGE This model IGNORES the wind direction Squadron Size: 1 Model MARs: None

AFT

1 2 3 4

8 6 4 -

8 6 4 10

1 2 3 4

16 13 9 5

16 13 9 5

7 6 5 -

4 3 1 -

MARs: Armoured Belly, Free Floating, Cumbersome Flier, Flammable Gases

Chainmail Class Flagship

STARBOARD/PORT

Points: 160
FORE ROCKETS

Guardian Class Floating Citadel

DR 6 CR 12 9 MOVE RAM 10
RANGE BAND

Points: 120
FORTRESS GUNS

DR 6 9

CR 12 9

MOVE RAM RED 10

RANGE BAND

HULL CREW

HULL CREW
TURRET

FORE

10

Large Capital Class Special 1 model Template: LARGE This model IGNORES the wind direction Squadron Size: 1 Model MARs: Lethal Strike (Rockets)

Large Capital Class Special 1 model Template: NONE This model IGNORES the wind direction Squadron Size: 1 Model

BULWARK GUNS

AFT

1 2 3 4

16 13 9 5

7 6 5 4

4 3 1 -

5 4 3

5 3 -

1 2 3 4

16 13 9 5

7 6 5 -

MARs: Murder Holes (4), Radial Fire (Bulwark Guns, Small), Sharpshooters (5+)

Uncharted Seas Fantasy Naval Combat Rules

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