Rangers (Great Weapons)

Rangers (Great Weapons) is a Dwarfs missile infantry unit. Stealthy and steadfast, these redoubtable Rangers carry both throwing and great axes – the latter for dealing with the more ‘imposing’ opponents.

Description
Rangers are the long-ranged eyes and ears of most Dwarf settlements. They patrol far from the safety of the Hold, often spending long periods out in the wilderness, keeping watch on the Dwarfs' many enemies and tracking dangerous beasts. It is they who explore hidden valleys, push through collapsed sections of the Underway and scale the cliffsides in search of new pathways. Rangers will hunt down and dispose of lone monsters or ambush small mobs of Goblins, but when they confront larger creatures or enemy armies on the march, signals are sent to the nearest outposts to alert them of the encroaching danger. When dealing with large enemy forces, Rangers will first attempt to forewarn all Dwarfs in the invaders' path before trailing the foe, picking off stragglers and waiting for an opportunity to wreak havoc. In this way, when the foe finally confronts a Dwarf force, the Rangers will often be in position to outflank it, arriving behind enemy battle lines to destroy war machines, pincushion lone Wizards, or launch an attack to otherwise help the Dwarfs gain an advantage.

Strategy
The benefit of these rangers is their great weapons in melee giving them better armor piercing should they get caught. However, they also throw axes rather than use crossbows, making them an all around better armor piercing unit. Their range is reduced, so they are best placed directly behind the front lines or along the flank. They have far less ammunition than normal ranged units, so they can become a pure melee unit faster, where their great weapons will come more in handy.