Dwarfish Soviet Socialist Republic - DSSR

The DSSR was established after the last king of the Dwarves was lost in a mining “accident” 800 years ago. After a long and extensive examination of political science and organisations across time, space and parallel universes the Dwarves settled on Socialism as Karl Marx had a great beard and was pretty short as well.

So now, instead of the King sitting on a great pile of gold in the Great Hall and telling everyone how wealthy he was, the Politburo sits on the gold and tells everyone how wealthy the DSSR is. The Great Hall used to be known as the Great Hall of Kings but was renamed after the last king died and none of his relatives came forward to take the throne (probably because they were unavoidably detained chained upside down in deep dungeons).

The Dwarves elect the Politburo every six years by a show of acclamation in the Great Hall of the Dwarves. The army has always been on hand to lead the acclamation in each of the elections in the 800 years since the establishment of the rule of the Soviet. And in all of that period no Politburo has ever been voted off. In fact the same families have been leading since then. It must be a great system with that sort of record.

The Politburo organises the dwarves into work teams who manage the different industries, mining, industrial research, manufacturing and a bit of agriculture. Unlike the rule of the Kings, the Dwarves now own everything together and live happily in their grottos underground. The flag of their freedom is blood red with the crossed wrench and hammer symbolising mining and manufacturing.

The size of the grottos depend on the responsibility of the Dwarf and naturally the Politburo and army have the largest and most elaborate. Many a humble dwarf spends what little free time he has working on making improvements to the leadership team’s grottos. The leadership team’s grottos now exceed the old Kings’ in their size and the artwork that adorns them.

Of course not every dwarf agrees with this state of affairs and the Politburo gives them the opportunity to come to their senses and feed their families by fighting in the penal battalion of the army.

The Army

The Glorious DSSR Army

The rock core of the dwarf army is its hammer and axe men who form its spine along with the General’s Command.

The General's element, first amongst equals with the banner of the DSSR a crossed Hammer and Wrench

The heroes of the revolutions fight to preserve it from the evil capitalist imperialists running dogs

The Hammer Men

Next are the shooters - organised into crossbows and guns.

The Gun line

Cross bow men

Then are the flyers of the Army.

The Airboat contains a rough and tumble crew ready for any eventuality. The Airboat is kept aloft by a supply of anti-gravitarium which the dwarves mine from deep underground.

The Airboat Karl Marx and its crew 

Then there are the balloon Dwarves who float around the battlefield and descend on their victims.

A balloon Dwarf - a viscous and unexpected attacking force,

Finally are the fast attack of the Army. Two great behemoths that are forged in the dark industrial wasteland factories of the dwarves by their largest company Mordor Mining and Manufacturing. The great vehicles march across the battlefield and crush all before them. 

Two of the 3M vehicles

The Penal Battalion Force (hordes there are plenty more where they come from) - a steady Commissar is in the back to report on any failures.