Dwarf war machines can be inscribed with engineering runes. Note that a shot from a war machine with an engineering rune is a magical attack.
This rune is inscribed onto the war machine's ammunition, making it more hard-hitting with extra piercing ability.
A war machine engraved with a Rune of Penetration increases the Strength of its shots by 1, to a maximum of 10.
A war machine engraved with two Runes of Penetration increases the Strength of its shots by 1, to a maximum of 10, and allows the user to re-roll a single failed To Wound roll during the course of the battle. A third Rune of Penetration has no further effect. Note that in the case of a Grudge Thrower, this bonus increases the Strength of both Strength values in its profile.
When making a cannon, with each hammer blow an Engineer strikes, a Runesmith must recite a special litany. This can take weeks to complete.
Cannon only. A war machine engraved with a Rune of Forging can re-roll the artillery dice whenever a misfire result is rolled; however, you must accept the result of the second roll. Multiples of this rune have no further effect.
Developed as a defensive measure during the War of Vengeance against the firepower of the High Elves, this rune has saved the lives of many crew.
The war machine gains a Ward save (3+) against all missile attacks.
Devised to keep their prized war machines from falling into enemy hands, it is only invoked in desperate circumstances.
One use only. A Dwarf player can cause a war machine engraved with the Master Rune of Immolation to explode at the end of any round of combat before determining the combat results. Both the war machine and all its remaining crew are instantly removed from play, and each enemy unit in combat with the war machine suffers 2D6 magical Strength 4 hits with the Flaming Attacks special rule, allocated as for shooting. Any surviving enemy units who charged that turn may make an overrun move as normal. This rune will also be triggered automatically when the war machine loses its last Wound in close combat.
Elf mages helped create this before the War of the Vengeance. There's no mention of this in Dwarf records.
Bolt Throwers only. The Bolt Thrower always hits on a 3+ with no modifiers.
Once a missile inscribed with this rune is launched, the rune glows, invoking the winds of magic to blow it in the right direction.
A war machine with engraved with a Rune of Accuracy has a +1 bonus To Hit. If it does not use Ballistic Skill To Hit, it can instead re-roll the scatter dice. Multiples of this rune have no further effect. May not be taken by an Organ Gun.
This rune was first invented to shoot down Dragon riders during the War of Vengeance. This makes bolt throwers deadly against flyers by magically directing the bolts to their target.
Bolt Throwers only. A war machine engraved with Flakkson's Rune of Seeking gains +1 To Hit against any units with the Fly special rule. Multiples of this rune have no further effect.
This rune magically distorts the immediate area around the war machine, rendering it almost invisible from any distance.
A war machine engraved with the Master Rune of Disguise always counts as being in hard cover.
Discovered by Magnus Hammerson, who broke Runesmith tradition by selling it to the Engineers Guild, this rune seems to be derived from that for bond or promise and may indicate that a bond or promise to an ancestor or deity is necessary for the ritual of inscribing. This rune ensures the war machine is free from imperfections and therefore deadly accurate.
If a machine has the Rune of Fortune the player may re-roll the result on the machine's Misfire chart. Multiples of this rune have no further effect.
Any ammunition fired by a war machine with this rune will burst into flames when it strikes its target.
All shooting attacks from a war machine engraved with a Rune of Burning have the Flaming Attacks special rule. Multiples of this rune have no further effect.
A war machine with this rune makes its crew unbearably proud – they will fight with great boldness to defend their beloved engine of war. Many Dwarfs believe that a machine with this rune on it will last forever.
A war machine engraved with a Stalwart Rune confers a +1 bonus to its crew's combat result score.
A war machine engraved with two Stalwart Runes confers a +1 bonus to its crew's combat result score, and its crew also gain the Stubborn special rule. A third Stalwart Rune has no further effect.
Dwarf crews are famed for always defending their machines to the bitter end when attacked.
The war machine crew gains the Stubborn special rule. Multiples of this rune have no further effect.