Could a Dwarf melee with a Balrog?

[skytree]

Great Captains such as Glorfindel or Echtellion could melee with a Balrog how about Naugladur or Azaghal? The Dwarves of Nogrod sacked Menegroth and slew Thingol. Naugladur who slew Thingol would have slain Beren, one of the mightiest Edain but for the chance stumbling on a rock.

The mighty among the Dwarves probably surpass even Elven Captains and Edain Lords in physical strength and their endurance is legendary. While their agility lacks, their strength and endurance and ability to carry heavy armor gives them great protection. Remember the Helm of Hador? It was made for Dwarves and was heavy and massive and when given to Fingon, no elf was strong enough to wear it and it was gifted to Hador and only a mighty Edain like Hador or Turin could bear it. Beren's arms tired after hours in combat with Naugladur but Naugladur fought as if fresh. It seems that Dwarves got the short end of the stick in Tolkien lore(no pun intended) but it seems that in the few brief stories heralding their fighting prowess, Naugladur or Azaghal, they appear at least as mighty as the great among the Eldar or Edain.

[Pitchwife]

I guess range would be the crucial issue.
The Balrog of Moria is described as being "of man-shape maybe, yet greater". So the Balrog would have all the time in the world to hit the Dwarf with its whip or sword before the Dwarf could get close enough to make a dent.
Now, when you're facing an enemy much taller than yourself, I'd say the only viable tactic is trying to dodge their blows and closing in, aiming for the knees (like Merry did against the Witch-King) in order to cripple them and bring them down so you can chop them up at leisure. If the Dwarf was agile enough, he might stand a chance. Durin VI, however, obviously wasn't.
Which makes me wonder... When the Dwarves of Moria first stirred up Durin's Bane, it probably didn't have a host of Orcs and Trolls at its disposal as in the Moria chapters of LotR. How come the entire Dwarven host of Moria couldn't deal with a single Balrog in an organized attack? After all, the Dwarves of Belegost managed to drive Glaurung himself from the field in the Nirnaeth Arnoediad; and a fire-breathing dragon seems to me a much more formidable enemy than a Balrog. Looks like Dwarvish fighting prowess had deteriorated somewhat since the First Age...

[Tuor in Gondolin]

A redoubtable dwarf with a First Age mask and a
Third Age mithril coat would prove a stout foe.

[BGreg]

I don't think any dwarf was really a match for the Balrog. I mean, Balrog single-handedly killed two of the dwarven kings and banished the Longbeards out of their ancestral home. The dwarves fought Balrog but they couldn't beat him in any way.
I would expect the dwarves to throw everything they have at the greatest menace that appeared in Khazad-dum since the beginning of the world. So if they weren't able to defeat the Balrog... Maybe Durin's Bane was lurking behind the corners and killing single dwarves, so no fair battle occured. But even if it did, Balrog's horrid appearance combined with unthinkable anger for being woken up plus the fact that he is a Maiar spirit would certainly prove overwhelming for them dwarves. Even more so than the dragon, a lower being so to say. And we can say the dwarves had some experience fighting the dragons, but definitely none fighting balrogs.

This discussion had some interesting posts:
http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showthread.php?t=1689

[The Might]

It sure can in LotR: Conquest, fighting Gimli costed me almost half of my hitpoints as a balrog in Moria.

No, but seriously now, I guess that if Elves could find them then well armoured Dwarves could too. Of course probably not with the same efficiency, but still it would be possible.

[Hookbill the Goomba]

Alone? Probably not. Most of those who fought Balrogs died. Even the ones who won.

I guess range would be the crucial issue.
The Balrog of Moria is described as being "of man-shape maybe, yet greater". So the Balrog would have all the time in the world to hit the Dwarf with its whip or sword before the Dwarf could get close enough to make a dent.

Not sure about this. As you said above, in The Battle Of Unnumbered Tears, the Dwarves managed to fend off Glaurung. Granted, he was not yet at his full stature, but that's still an achievement. If in a big enough group, I'd say the Dwarves could give a Balrog a run for its money. But then, Balrogs are probably mightier than Dragons. I present you with the coolest thing in all of Tolkien;

Originally Posted by Book of Lost Tales II, Chapter III, The Fall of Gondolin

Now then the plan that they made was to hold what they had won, while those serpants of bronze and with great feet for trampling climbed slowly over those of iron, and reaching the walls there opened a breach where-through the Balrogs might ride upon the dragons of flame;[...]

Although, if we're talking a steed-rider battle, I wouldn't fancy myself beating a horse in a fight to the death.

[Pitchwife]

Originally Posted by BGreg

Maybe Durin's Bane was lurking behind the corners and killing single dwarves, so no fair battle occured.

That and some of the posts on the 'Durin, Nain and the Balrog' thread (thanks for the link!) made me visualize the whole affair as a sort of 'Alien in Khazad-dûm': long scenes of single dwarves, brave but doomed, stalking through badly-lit corridors, nervously clutching their axes, waiting to be attacked by the Monster lurking in the dark in the moment they least expect it... and no Dwarven Ripley to save the day. Having too few women does have its drawbacks...

As for Balrogs or dragons being the more formidable enemy, I'm not sure. True, the Balrog probably was more powerful on the purely spiritual plane, with its aura of terror and all that; on the other hand, it was at least vaguely humanoid in its physical appearance.
When I hear 'dragon', however, the picture popping up before my mental eye is something like an armoured tank some 20 meters long with a flame-thrower at the front - certainly a creature no sane being would ever contemplate engaging in single combat. With a Balrog, the same idea doesn't appear as quite as absurd on first sight.

[The Mouth of Sauron]

If Sir Ian McKellen managed it I'm sure a heavily armed dwarf could too.

[Eönwë]

Though I think that it might be possible that if an elf lord could kill a balrog, then so could, a dwarf, I think the legendarium changed so that balrogs were more powerful later. If they still ahd been consistent, it would make Ecthelion more powerful than Gandalf (but maybe he is as Gandalf is clocked as a human), but that's another topic. So it's possible.

Originally Posted by Pitchwife

After all, the Dwarves of Belegost managed to drive Glaurung himself from the field in the Nirnaeth Arnoediad; and a fire-breathing dragon seems to me a much more formidable enemy than a Balrog.

I don't really agree with this point as I think that Balrogs would probably be far more powerful than dragons. They are Maiar, and they are also in a powerful form, unlike the Istari who have their power limited. Think about it- Bard killed a dragon. I don't think he would have been able to do so with a balrog. Turin also killed a dragon. Come to think of it, most dragons were killed by men, also think Scatha and Ancalagon (but he was half elf too). So, we must ask ourselves if dwarves were better fighters than men. I would say that generally they are, but not in the case of dragons (probably due to their size). But there are dragons we're talking about, which doesn't really further the discussion.

Are there any cases where Tolkien specifically talks about an Elf vs. Dwarf battle, because I think when they were attacking Thingol, and all of Menegroth (I think, my Silm knowledge is rusty, I should read it again) they had the element of surprise.

edit: x-posted with Hookbill. What a quote! WW habits die hard...