https://www.warhammer-community.com/201 ... al-realms/

Some nice models there. I can see them blend in nicely with the latest Dwarf releases. I really like these models... Granted, they do break away even more from the traditional fantasy.

Some models could probably be adapted for T9A. But for many, it's just too close to 40k.
Squat, the return? https://sho3box.files.wordpress.com/201 ... dmech1.jpg

They certainly pushed the boundaries. Traditional fantasy Dwarfs would struggle within the AoS setting. That said, a few of those ships wouldn't be bad in a traditional setting army. Overall I still think they look terrific.

All that metal just does not look that much fun to paint. Granted I am an inexperienced painter, but every time I look at 40K figures they seem so dull and washed out compared to the bright colors possible in most WFB armies.

GW have gone to far with this - this is not fantasy as I like it, they look way to much like 40k models to me. Next release Elves with machine guns!

I like them. I have actually been expecting something like this, because in the fluff sigmars engineers and mages do a lot of their work together. Interesting that they actually made them into a new faction that just appears out of the blue instead of being the fruits of long labors between collegia arcana and the engineering schools.
In a setting with huge trees, floating rocks and a sleeping dragon that appears to be the local sun, I think there is room for these as well.

I like them. I mean, they're dwarfs, so I'm never going to actually buy any of them. But I think they look cool for dwarf models.

My only problem is that there are a lot of guns there. And with how powerful shooting is in AoS already, I suspect lightly armoured/unarmoured melee-based armies (i.e. the sort of army I personally prefer) are going to become even more difficult to make viable. I already have nearly 50 witch elves that never see the battlefield any more because I cannot get them to live long enough to earn their points back.

Of course, we haven't seen the rules for these new models and their guns. Maybe they're no more powerful than the existing dwarf gunline army. I mean, it's not like GW are known for power-creep, right?

Yeah, that's my thought on it exactly. These are the kind of Duardin I'd dare put side by side with the latest AoS releases. The 6th ed ones would feel a tad out of place. Although it does break away from traditional fantasy, now that we're 2 years in (almost) I must say the new style is growing on me. At least, enough to keep the two styles separate. And then it's quite fun to see AoS develop its own style this way.

As for balance and shooting, well... They are reviewing the balance of some armies in the new General's Handbook that's announced. I wouldn't get my hopes up too much, but if they were to come to a yearly update that would be a significant improvement over the past WFB iterations.
I've never fielded Witch Elves lately, but I have faced Stormcast shooting quite a few times. I often felt outmatched, until the points were brought in (which kind of points out the community didn't balance it properly either ). Most shooters are more vulnerable to combat and I've seen a fair few ways to get into combat by turn 1, turn 2 at the latest. With the changing initiative, there's still a 50% chance you'll get the top of turn 2 even when the gunners got the top of turn 1.
Also terrain! loads of it! AoS is built for very dynamic boards.

I haven't faced the notorious Orc gunline yet. I've heard GW probably forgot to make a few buffs exclusive to combat, and by applying it to all attacks, it made the Orc shooting too powerful