Space Wolves 13th Company

[LoneSniperSG]

Yesterday I managed to dig up the rules for 13th co. I'm thinking about making a few runs with the list using my normal space wolves as stand-ins. I'd like to hear from some 13th co players on their experiences with the list.

 

(I've tried searching for play experience on the 13th, but there isn't much in the way of that here, it seems.)

 

First off, did I figure correctly that if a pack of 10 Grey Slayers get into CC, they have a potential of 30 some attacks in one turn of combat? This is of course without tacking in any special weapons or Wolf Guard leader. I figure this as the basic stats are 2 attack per model, then if you use True Grit and give each a CCW/Bolter combo which earns them two more attacks, right?

 

As far as HQ, do they work with the same rules as regular Space Wolves HQ's, in that you need one HQ for every 750 pts?

 

Now, with the Wulfen. Are ten Wulfen an cost effective number to take, or do they perform good for their points at 15 to a squad?

[Long Fang]

Yup 750 point rule applies, so 13th max out at 2250 points as i recall (RAW)

 

Long Fang

[Bran Scalphunter]

1. Grey Slayers have 2A base, +1 for True Grit, as they have bolter and ccw stock, for a total of 3A. They have this when charged and when charging. Any model armed with a power fist will instead have 2A (no +1A for True thanks to power fist). Any Wulf Guard Pack Leaders will have 3A base, +d3 for MotW, +1 for 2ccw ( LC on Wulf Guard = :) ), +1 for charging, for a possible total of 8A on the charge. If charged instead, a Wulf Guard can have up to 9A. Heh, now I want to start up my old Warband.... :)

 

2. Yep, just remember you need to take a Wolf Lord no matter what. As I read it, it's up to a max of 2250pts (2250/750=3) that can be run in a single 13th Company Warband detachment.

 

3. Depends. Do you want your Wulfen to be a massive fire target for the enemy or do you want them to be a stealthy predator, ready to pounce on weakened prey? Personally, I go with the second, so I run it 5 Wulfen to a pack with a Wolf Priest. I scout with them or Outflank as the situation decides. Once the Slayers have mauled a target, I send in the Wulfen to finish the job. With whatsit, 4A on the charge at Ws5, S5, I5 each, that's pretty nasty.

[LoneSniperSG]

3. Depends. Do you want your Wulfen to be a massive fire target for the enemy or do you want them to be a stealthy predator, ready to pounce on weakened prey? Personally, I go with the second, so I run it 5 Wulfen to a pack with a Wolf Priest. I scout with them or Outflank as the situation decides. Once the Slayers have mauled a target, I send in the Wulfen to finish the job. With whatsit, 4A on the charge at Ws5, S5, I5 each, that's pretty nasty.

 

Stealth sounds like a better use for the Wulfen to me.

 

How do bikes fare? I noticed they're 6 points more apiece than regular SW bikes.

[Long Fang]

Bikes don't get the scout move most other things get for 13th company, but they have worked well for me in the past, mind you I rarely play 13th company.

[Grey Mage]

Remember that a WGPL with mark of the wulfen gives the unit he is with all the benefits of being fearless and none of the drawbacks....

 

EDIT: Good catch bran, you can always take a second detachment. Its 750 per HQ will be figured seperately of course but if you really have that many 13nth co models you can run a couple of warbands.

[LoneSniperSG]

and Long Fangs, are they actually reliable in 13th co? Since everyone seems to cry about normal SW Long Fangs..

[Bran Scalphunter]

Quite deadly in the 13th Company actually. With the option of carrying assault weapons instead of heavy weapons, a pack of Long Fangs coupled with a Rune Priest is one of the 13th Company's deadliest tricks. You can easily start off in your deployment zone 1st turn, then Gate across the battlefield during your Shooting(?) phase. Then when you land up nice and close to a juicy target, you unload on them with the Long Fangs (who can still Split Fire as well). This has spelled the doom of quite a few IG gunlines in my Warband days.

 

*reminisces over a massive stein of ale, remembering the carnage wrought by 4 flamers opening up on Infantry platoons*

 

:whistling:

[LoneSniperSG]

Quite deadly in the 13th Company actually. With the option of carrying assault weapons instead of heavy weapons, a pack of Long Fangs coupled with a Rune Priest is one of the 13th Company's deadliest tricks. You can easily start off in your deployment zone 1st turn, then Gate across the battlefield during your Shooting(?) phase. Then when you land up nice and close to a juicy target, you unload on them with the Long Fangs (who can still Split Fire as well). This has spelled the doom of quite a few IG gunlines in my Warband days.

 

*reminisces over a massive stein of ale, remembering the carnage wrought by 4 flamers opening up on Infantry platoons*

 

:whistling:

 

Okay, so Long Fangs can pop up somwhere via gate and still shoot?

[Grey Mage]

They count as moving... but when youve got normal meltaguns instead of lascannons who cares? And if you like since theres no competition for your other HS slots you can always take a ranged squad to reach out and touch someone after youve taken one to run with the rune priest.

[LoneSniperSG]

Sounds mighty fun. I think it's definitely worth trying. A couple guys in my gaming group have been asking me about the 13th co, but they are completely unawares of the sheer leetness of the 13th Co.

 

If playing the lists goes well with stand-ins, I might just build myself a 13th co warband. Nothing big, though.

[Madsakre]

1. Grey Slayers have 2A base, +1 for True Grit, as they have bolter and ccw stock, for a total of 3A. They have this when charged and when charging. Any model armed with a power fist will instead have 2A (no +1A for True thanks to power fist). Any Wulf Guard Pack Leaders will have 3A base, +d3 for MotW, +1 for 2ccw ( LC on Wulf Guard = :drool: ), +1 for charging, for a possible total of 8A on the charge. If charged instead, a Wulf Guard can have up to 9A. Heh, now I want to start up my old Warband.... :devil:

 

Wouldnt they have 3 attacks on the base, and then 4 attacks on the charge/counter charge?

and 2 attacks with the fist on the base, and 3 on the charge/CC?

[Bran Scalphunter]

Nope, since models with True Grit never get to gain the +1A for charging when using a bolter.

[LoneSniperSG]

But they would get one with bolt pistols, right?

[Bran Scalphunter]

But they don't have bolt pistols. According to my printout (copied directly from C:EoT), Grey Slayers have bolters, close combat weapons, frags, and krak grenades. No bolt pistols for them, nor is there an option for them to have them.

[LoneSniperSG]

But they don't have bolt pistols. According to my printout (copied directly from C:EoT), Grey Slayers have bolters, close combat weapons, frags, and krak grenades. No bolt pistols for them, nor is there an option for them to have them.

 

No, I know that. It's a theory question.

[Bran Scalphunter]

No, I know that. It's a theory question.

 

Ah, didn't realize that. So, in theory, if they did have a bolt pistol in addition to their normal loadout of bolter and ccw, they could have 4A: 2 base, +1 for two ccw, and +1 for Charge/Counter-Attack.

[LoneSniperSG]

No, I know that. It's a theory question.

 

Ah, didn't realize that. So, in theory, if they did have a bolt pistol in addition to their normal loadout of bolter and ccw, they could have 4A: 2 base, +1 for two ccw, and +1 for Charge/Counter-Attack.

 

Haha. There's a word for that. beat.

 

So then would this affect Storm Claws and normal Blood Claws, or is it already included in their profile?

[Grey Mage]

Normal Bloodclaws dont exist in 13nth co, as for normal SW yes you get 1 base, 2 for 2 CCW and +2 for charging. Storm claws will get 2 base, +1 for paired weapons, unless they have a powerfist of course, +1 for charging as they never get bolters... just plasma pistols.

 

The 13nth company are very very good at what they do- get in close, and kill quickly. They have to be. Theres nothing in the entire army with an armor value and no transports of any kind to help speed up the process. To help balance this out a bit wulfen had the animal rage rule to help and the gate power was thrown in, and gate. I love gate.

 

If GW would ever FAQ our Normal Rune priests to use gate Id start taking them again.

 

From what Wolf89 tells me one of the best things in the entire army list is 45 fenrisian wolves though. Almost impossible to stop that from hitting your lines, get a free scout move, assault 12"... its good stuff.

[LoneSniperSG]

Normal Bloodclaws dont exist in 13nth co, as for normal SW yes you get 1 base, 2 for 2 CCW and +2 for charging. Storm claws will get 2 base, +1 for paired weapons, unless they have a powerfist of course, +1 for charging as they never get bolters... just plasma pistols.

 

The 13nth company are very very good at what they do- get in close, and kill quickly. They have to be. Theres nothing in the entire army with an armor value and no transports of any kind to help speed up the process. To help balance this out a bit wulfen had the animal rage rule to help and the gate power was thrown in, and gate. I love gate.

 

Based on the Storm Claws stats you gave, it would appear they're actually worse charging into CC than normal SW Blood Claws are.

 

What's a points effective minimum of Bikes to take? Can three bikes do their job or do you need a full five bike squad to make a mark on the field with them? How about Fenrisian Wolves?

[Grey Mage]

No no no.... its just they only get the +1 for charging. The total is still 4 attacks, they just have three attacks base with their pistol and sword.

 

And I guess it depends on the size of the fight, but if your playing 1500 or more Id say take five bikes or no bikes. Of course one of those can be your wolf lord :devil:.

[Decoy]

I've never run more than three bikes, though I likely should. I find that three work well, generally, if you use cover and Turboboost appropriately, resulting in a high-priority firemagnet. If your Lord on a Bike is separate, then that's another threat to worry about. Long Fangs (I use Missile Launchers) as a long-range priority, and a Gating squad of 4 Long Fangs+Sarge with Meltas, resulting in two dead tanks, in addition to an uber-killy Rune Priest amidst them all. Sure, let the enemy charge you.

 

First turn is make or break for the 13th Company. I've found that the key to playing them successfully (with currently a... 25:1, roughly, W/L ratio) is to offer your opponent SO MANY targets that he has no choice but to pick one and whittle it, or do next to nothing with individualized, unfocused fire.

 

And that's without even bringing the Storm Claws, the key element to my force, into the equation.

[Grimtooth]

Remember that a WGPL with mark of the wulfen gives the unit he is with all the benefits of being fearless and none of the drawbacks....

 

EDIT: Good catch bran, you can always take a second detachment. Its 750 per HQ will be figured seperately of course but if you really have that many 13nth co models you can run a couple of warbands.

 

The unit the WGPL is with will always be hit and be hit on a roll of 3+ in close combat. I kinda think of that as a drawback unless there is some math can prove me wrong.

[Grey Mage]

Thats not a drawback of being fearless though. And Hitting on 3+ isnt the benefit. Never being pinned and always making morale and leadership tests is the perk... not suffering the costs of being overrun is not having the drawback.

[Spacefrisian]

Although the bikes can't make the Scout move 1st turn they can make use of the scout move in the form of Outflank. Has anyone considered doing that with them.