Who are the Kharadron Overlords?
Sky-faring, gun-toting and ferociously business-minded, the Kharadron Overlords are duardin who took to the skies in armoured airships, powered by precious aether-gold and driven by profit. They float above the battlefield raining down firepower, deploying troops exactly where they're needed, and totting up the cost of every shot. In Warhammer Age of Sigmar they're the premier gunline-on-airships army — steampunk dwarves with attitude and altitude.
The Core Fantasy
Kharadron Overlords are the shooting-and-mobility army of the Mortal Realms: disciplined gunners delivered around the board in flying ironclads. This is the fantasy of the sky-navy — a mercantile fleet that controls the air, dictates the range, and charges the enemy a heavy toll in lead.
Expect:
- Some of the best shooting in the game
- Flying skyvessels that double as transports and gun platforms
- Brilliant mobility — redeploy your whole force in a turn
- A characterful mercantile theme, complete with profit-driven rules flavour
Start your army: the Kharadron Overlords shortlist
Picked your side? Here's what we'd put in the basket first.
- Starter box: Spearhead: Kharadron Overlords Grundstok Trailblazers
- Rules: Battletome: Kharadron Overlords
- Core troops: Kharadron Overlords: Arkanaut Company
- Shooting: Kharadron Overlords: Grundstok Thunderers
Browse the full Kharadron Overlords range, or compare every Age of Sigmar starter set.
How They Play on the Tabletop
The Kharadron plan is control through firepower and movement: load your gunners into skyvessels, float to the perfect position, and shoot the enemy off the board before they can lay a hand on you. You dictate the range and the tempo — but you must keep your distance, because dwarves caught in melee without support can come unstuck quickly.
What you'll love:
- Firepower: few armies shoot as hard or as reliably
- Mobility: airships let you reposition your whole army at will
- Control: you choose the range and dictate the flow of the game
What can bite you:
- Melee weakness: get pinned in combat and you're in trouble
- Cost: it's an elite-priced army, so your model count is modest
- Skill curve: positioning your ships well takes practice
Profit, Gunpowder, and Altitude
The Kharadron signature is the skyvessel: armoured airships that carry your gunners into position, add their own broadsides, and let you play a game of mobile firepower no other army can match. Master your ships — when to advance, when to disembark, when to retreat and shoot again — and you'll run rings around slower, ground-bound foes.
They're one of the realms' two great duardin armies, and the opposite number to their stubborn cousins. Where the Kharadron shoot and manoeuvre, the Fyreslayers grind it out in melee — see our analysis for the contrast — and they fight alongside the gun lines of the Cities of Sigmar beautifully.
Key Unit Roles (What You'll Commonly Need)
Forget memorising every warscroll. Think in jobs:
1) The Gunners (Arkanaut Company)
Your core shooting infantry — affordable, numerous by your standards, and the boots that hold objectives.
2) The Specialists (Grundstok Thunderers)
Elite gunners with heavier, specialised weapons to crack tough targets at range.
3) The Skyvessels (frigates and ironclads)
Flying transports-cum-gunboats that move your force and add devastating broadsides. The heart of the army.
4) The Officers (heroes and buffs)
Admirals, Navigators and Aether-Khemists who buff your shooting and keep the fleet running at a profit.
Getting Started the Smart Way
Building Kharadron Overlords from scratch? Your airships are the centrepiece, so build around them. Aim for:
Step 1: A unit of Arkanaut Company
- Your core gunners and objective-holders. Reliable shooting and the boots on the ground.
Step 2: A skyvessel
- A frigate or ironclad to carry your troops and add firepower — the engine of your whole game plan.
Step 3: A unit of Grundstok Thunderers
- Elite gunners to crack tough targets — deadly when delivered by ship to the perfect spot.
Step 4: An officer or two
- Heroes to buff your shooting and squeeze maximum value from every volley.
Cover those four jobs and you've got a mobile, hard-shooting fleet that plays to its strengths. New to the brushes? Our beginner painting guide will get those brass-and-rivets airships started.
Common Beginner Mistakes (Avoid These)
- Getting caught in melee. Keep your distance and shoot — combat is where you lose.
- Parking your ships. Their value is movement — reposition every turn to find the best shots.
- Forgetting your buffs. Officer abilities turn good shooting into devastating shooting.
- Ignoring objectives. Out-shooting the enemy still loses if you don't hold the points.
Who the Kharadron Overlords are For
"Choose the Kharadron Overlords if you love shooting, mobility and a characterful sky-navy that controls the battlefield from above — gunners, airships and a healthy obsession with profit. Give them a miss if you want a melee bruiser or a big horde; this is finesse, firepower and altitude. Kharadron reward clever positioning and disciplined range control. Take the high ground — and charge them for it."
Further reading: meet their stubborn melee cousins in our Fyreslayers army analysis, or explore the full range over in Warhammer Age of Sigmar.
Start your Kharadron Overlords collection
Ready to bring Kharadron Overlords to your tabletop? Shop the Kharadron Overlords range at Loaded Dice for miniatures, box sets and everything you need to build your army.
