Space Wolf Tactica guide

[SledgePainter]

Long time watcher, first time poster here at the B&C. Your tactics topic finally got me to register (I'm a lazy git). I'm normally a Nids player but I got into GW first and foremost through the Space Wolves-love their fluff and play style as regular old marines were always too dogmatic and stuffy for me; and the Beowulf FOR HONOR AND GLORY, ALL OR NOTHING is the way I prefer to play. I had bought a Battleforce and Bjorn model from loooong ago, waiting on the news of a new codex before assembly.......and it took 2 years! In the interim I picked up Nids, Tau, and Orks, and thought I wouldn't see the day come when the wolves got their due again and almost SOLD my stuff off on Ebay before finally the news was released that the wolftime is back! Now that we finally have it, I've been building my forces and am glad to see your tactica pages and can not wait for the rest.

[Toasterfree]

there is a lot to say when you can tell your opponent, hey 3 guys are DEAD! D-E-D dead! (endless ale for someone who can tell me the movie reference)

 

spawn: I love the smell of burning asphalt in the morning....

you just earned massive points! that is my favorite obscure movie quote.

 

@Sledge

 

GREAT! Im glad to see that my work is paying off

[Toasterfree]

Thank you readers for tuning into the final installment of the elites section of my Space Wolves tactica. This time we will cover Iron Priests (IP), Wolf Scouts and Lone Wolves (LW). Each of these units have a purpose, and as promised when I started this you can make these out of items off of the shelf at your local GW store, and in the case of the IP if the old one is still able to be purchased from GW you can get a true Space Wolf IP model. Which I might add is a very good looking piece.

 

This last section we see a divergence from units being able to do a wide number of things, and down to specific roles, which is why I chose to do them last. And with out further delay, here they come.

 

Iron Priest-

I decided to start with the IP as he fills a very specific role, but can fill another one if supported well enough. His main role in an army is to provide support and repair for armored vehicles. Much like his Techmarine cousin, he comes with a servo-arm that allows him to repair limited effects to vehicles, and being able to tack servitors allows him to repair with higher success. The IP is a good unit to leave near your heavy vehicles and repair immobilization and weapon destroyed results allowing them to survive longer in combat. The other role that he can fill is close combat support. Coming standard with a Thunderhammer, and runic-armor the IP is a great unit to throw into combats that are lasting longer then one turn. When assisted by both servitors and cyber-wolves the IP actually becomes a very good combat unit! An IP can also take the Saga of the Iron Wolf to allow any transports that he and his unit (cyberwolves and servitors) are in to get them to the front faster. Servitors can also be armed with a variety of weapons to fill a variety of roles of shooting. This gives the IP some flexibility.

 

Lone Wolf-

I move to this unit, as it really fills only one role, which is shock assault. With Eternal Warrior, as well as Feel No Pain, a LW is an ideal unit to throw into a MC as well as a unit much larger then its self. Being able to also survive against weapons that would cause instant death give him great survivability. The best idea that I have had with a LW is to place him in TDA with a Frost Blade and a Storm Shield to give him an invulnerable save, as well as a good strength at initiative to take maximum effect of him. You can arm him with any close combat weapon that may suit your needs, as well as leave him in regular power armor and load him out with a pistol to give him an extra attack. Giving him Fenrisian Wolves gives him some ablative wounds to keep him alive a bit longer, and provide some close combat support. A LW can also be armed in such a way to take out vehicles if necessary. I have found a LW to be best used in an objective based missions, or to be tossed into a combat that he cant win, but survive for a while in a kill points game to tie up a unit. I would suggest use of a LW for more advanced players, but can be used by beginners as well to fill in points if needed.

 

Wolf Scouts-

Wolf Scouts in this new edition, on my own opinion, got a large boost in the flexibility of the unit. But I maintain that scouts with their weak armor are not an assault unit. But their flexibility comes in shooting. However their best role still maintains, and is agreed by many veteran Wolf players, to be tank hunting. You see common load outs for this unit ranging from 5~10, most common the 5, armed with a Meltagun, meltabombs, and maybe some Plasma Pistols. This keeps the unit relatively cheap, and will always ear its worth back from killing tanks. I personally use mine just at the 5, with as much melta weapons that I can give them. For shooting support at long range, sniper rifles, missiles and heavy bolters may be taken. This gives you a choice on how to kit them out. For close in support you can also give a flamer. To provide close combat ability a power weapon, as well as mark of the wolfen may be taken. But I would suggest at keeping your scouts out of close combat as much as possible. If you are going for long range fire support, your best shots will always be at the weakest armored of their forces, or with snipers you can shoot at the MCs of opponents, or after heavy weapons wear away a squad supporting a character, you can take him out.

 

So in summary, these are the roles that I see this section filling out:

Iron Priest

• Tank Support
  
• Limited Shock Assault
  

Lone Wolf

• Shock Assault
  
• Limited Close Anti-armor/MC
  

Wolf Scouts

• Close range/behind Anti-tank
  
• Long Range fire support/AP mostly
  

 

Mind you that these again are not hard and fast roles, but the best application of force of each unit.

[HERO]

The preferred config for Lone Wolves is TDA, Chain Fist and Storm Shield.

85 points.

Good vs. MCs and good vs. Vehicles. You can also opt for the Thunderhammer.. but that depends on your metagame.

[Toasterfree]

The preferred config for Lone Wolves is TDA, Chain Fist and Storm Shield.

85 points.

Good vs. MCs and good vs. Vehicles. You can also opt for the Thunderhammer.. but that depends on your metagame.

that is YOUR preferred load out, mine is the FW with SS in TDA as I hunt units more then I do vehicles. I let my heavy weapons do their job and either tie up a walker/MC/Unit with him to free up shots against something else. It is ultimately up to the individual to decide what his load out is.

[Evilmerlin]

Why not just get TDA, Thunderhammer, Stormshield and Meltabombs? That way, you can go after EVERYTHING.

[Toasterfree]

Why not just get TDA, Thunderhammer, Stormshield and Meltabombs? That way, you can go after EVERYTHING.

if that is what a payer chooses to do so. but you wont need the melta. but a frost blade and melta is awesome.

[Evilmerlin]

I was actually thinking that if the Thunderhammer doesn't knock the tank out, it'll stunned for the auto-hitting Meltabomb next.

[Toasterfree]

a stunned tank, is just as good as a dead tank.

[hilander]

How about giving Lone Wolf TDA, SS and Wolf Claw instead of Frost Blade, you don't get additionial attack from FB anyway, and WC gives you more flexibility when you choose to fight WS5+ with to hit re-rolls, finally to wound re-roll is still better then +1 to S against infantry with T3 and T4 isn't it? As a bonus it saves you points for meltabomb;-)

[Toasterfree]

How about giving Lone Wolf TDA, SS and Wolf Claw instead of Frost Blade, you don't get additionial attack from FB anyway, and WC gives you more flexibility when you choose to fight WS5+ with to hit re-rolls, finally to wound re-roll is still better then +1 to S against infantry with T3 and T4 isn't it? As a bonus it saves you points for meltabomb;-)

how is re-rolling wounds better then wounding t3 on 2+, or t4 on 3+? i see the biggest benefit there on re-rolling to hits, but i fell that wolf claws are better teamed when you can benefit from using BOTH abilities, which I will cover when I get to the HQ section.

 

but as i said, I am not telling people what to take on their units, only what I have used with success. Or what I feel is a good option. If someone wants to use WC+SS then have at! that is your choice, in fact makes me kinda happy that people would want to go out and do their own thing and not clone every one elses list. its part of the reason that i dont play MTG anymore, i dont want to play the exact same list as a dude three tables over.

[hilander]

How about giving Lone Wolf TDA, SS and Wolf Claw instead of Frost Blade, you don't get additionial attack from FB anyway, and WC gives you more flexibility when you choose to fight WS5+ with to hit re-rolls, finally to wound re-roll is still better then +1 to S against infantry with T3 and T4 isn't it? As a bonus it saves you points for meltabomb;-)

how is re-rolling wounds better then wounding t3 on 2+, or t4 on 3+? i see the biggest benefit there on re-rolling to hits, but i fell that wolf claws are better teamed when you can benefit from using BOTH abilities, which I will cover when I get to the HQ section.

 

but as i said, I am not telling people what to take on their units, only what I have used with success. Or what I feel is a good option. If someone wants to use WC+SS then have at! that is your choice, in fact makes me kinda happy that people would want to go out and do their own thing and not clone every one elses list. its part of the reason that i dont play MTG anymore, i dont want to play the exact same list as a dude three tables over.

 

S4 re-rolling against T3 gives you around 89%, where 2+ is around 83%, S4 re-rolling against T4 gives you 75%, where 3+ is around 67%...so it looks a bit better for me, and it is cheaper just enough to squeeze a meltabomb(it is not only that but for people cursed with rolling too many ones WC are even more better).

 

But yes I agree that people should go with whatever they fill they like, that is what makes you a Space Wolves player :)

 

Sorry didn't mean to hijack the thread.

[Toasterfree]

How about giving Lone Wolf TDA, SS and Wolf Claw instead of Frost Blade, you don't get additionial attack from FB anyway, and WC gives you more flexibility when you choose to fight WS5+ with to hit re-rolls, finally to wound re-roll is still better then +1 to S against infantry with T3 and T4 isn't it? As a bonus it saves you points for meltabomb;-)

how is re-rolling wounds better then wounding t3 on 2+, or t4 on 3+? i see the biggest benefit there on re-rolling to hits, but i fell that wolf claws are better teamed when you can benefit from using BOTH abilities, which I will cover when I get to the HQ section.

 

but as i said, I am not telling people what to take on their units, only what I have used with success. Or what I feel is a good option. If someone wants to use WC+SS then have at! that is your choice, in fact makes me kinda happy that people would want to go out and do their own thing and not clone every one elses list. its part of the reason that i dont play MTG anymore, i dont want to play the exact same list as a dude three tables over.

 

S4 re-rolling against T3 gives you around 89%, where 2+ is around 83%, S4 re-rolling against T4 gives you 75%, where 3+ is around 67%...so it looks a bit better for me, and it is cheaper just enough to squeeze a meltabomb(it is not only that but for people cursed with rolling too many ones WC are even more better).

 

But yes I agree that people should go with whatever they fill they like, that is what makes you a Space Wolves player :)

 

Sorry didn't mean to hijack the thread.

anyway, simple mathhammer method this is the one i used and i plugged in both WC and FB to it and this is what I got.

WC hws/216=%chance*number of attacks. h=number of sides that you will hit on w=number of sides you will wound on s=sides that model will fail saves (this case 6 because they dont get one)/216*3

H-w-s-%

4-3-6-100

FB

H-W-s-%

4-4-6-133.33

 

the WC require you to chose before you start rolling on what you are going to re-roll. and while mathhammer shows POSSIBLE statistical results on hte average on ONE hit from WC you will kill hlf the time, where with a FB you are going to kill a lot more then that. 33.3% compared to 44.4%.

[hilander]

anyway, simple mathhammer method this is the one i used and i plugged in both WC and FB to it and this is what I got.

WC hws/216=%chance*number of attacks. h=number of sides that you will hit on w=number of sides you will wound on s=sides that model will fail saves (this case 6 because they dont get one)/216*3

H-w-s-%

4-3-6-100

FB

H-W-s-%

4-4-6-133.33

 

the WC require you to chose before you start rolling on what you are going to re-roll. and while mathhammer shows POSSIBLE statistical results on hte average on ONE hit from WC you will kill hlf the time, where with a FB you are going to kill a lot more then that. 33.3% compared to 44.4%.

 

Using this simple mathammer with re-rolling would look like this:

H-w-s-%

5.33-3-6-133 (to hit re-roll) four sides to hit plus 2/3 of remaining two sides gives 5.33 total successful sides

4-4.5-6-150 (to wound re-roll) three sides to wound plus half of the remaining half gives 4.5 total successful sides

 

So I would still take WC no matter which re-roll you chose, with to wound being preferred in this case.

[Toasterfree]

calculating in your misses is something that you cannot do. since you have to chose before you roll. if you choose re-rolls and hit with everything, on t4 you cannot re-roll. if you chose to re-roll wounds, only hit once, you still have a 50% on t4 to wound, even with the re-roll. your odds on the re-roll do not change.

[hilander]

But that is what I did...first line scenario assumes that you choose only to hit re-rolls the second line assumes only to wound re-rolls...with clearly to wound re-rolls being better choice in this case(3+ to hit, and only 4+ to wound).

[HERO]

The preferred config for Lone Wolves is TDA, Chain Fist and Storm Shield.

85 points.

Good vs. MCs and good vs. Vehicles. You can also opt for the Thunderhammer.. but that depends on your metagame.

that is YOUR preferred load out, mine is the FW with SS in TDA as I hunt units more then I do vehicles. I let my heavy weapons do their job and either tie up a walker/MC/Unit with him to free up shots against something else. It is ultimately up to the individual to decide what his load out is.

 

Because wasting his re-rolls vs. walkers, MCs and T5+ creatures is better.

A Frost Blade has no chance to killing any walkers or MCs like Wraithlords.. only a CF or TH will do that. Plus they kill regular MEQ easy.

[SledgePainter]

In your opinion, is it better to make 10-man squads of Grey Hunters for the extra melta or 9 GH with a Wolf Guard leader? I know it depends what I want to do with them, but generally speaking, which is the best use of the squad (10-man VS 9 and WG) as a whole no matter the job I intend for them?

 

Looking forward to your Fast Attack section and your take on Thunderwolf Cavalry using Storm Shields.

[Toasterfree]

In your opinion, is it better to make 10-man squads of Grey Hunters for the extra melta or 9 GH with a Wolf Guard leader? I know it depends what I want to do with them, but generally speaking, which is the best use of the squad (10-man VS 9 and WG) as a whole no matter the job I intend for them?

 

Looking forward to your Fast Attack section and your take on Thunderwolf Cavalry using Storm Shields.

Sledge, as I stated when I started this project, i am only going to cover units that you can get by going to your local store. If/when TWC comes out then I will b a write up about them.

 

As far as the grey hunter go this is how I run mine:

GH 1:

9 MArines

1 Melta

Power Fist

MOTW

 

GH 2:

9 Marines

Melta

Power Weapon

MOTW

 

GH 3:

10 Marines

2 Plasma

Fist

 

the reason why I have them at 9 is because I stick an IC with them. I dont run WG and if i did i would run a whole unit of them and only at about 2500~3000 points so I could run them as a shock assault unit

[Toasterfree]

Fast Attack, part 1:

Skyclaws and Swiftclaws

 

For those that have been faithful to the idea of this tactica, I thank you. Input is nice from the people that follow, and I do appreciate the fans for coming back to read more. As I have said in several replies to comments, this is NOT an attempt to tell people what to take, or how to arm your units, but a GUIDE as to how to make more effective units to fit into a specific role into your army, so that units may be selected to do certain things, and specialize in them, or to have the flexibility to perform multiple roles.

 

For this installment we look at the Swiftclaws and Skyclaws unit choices. Both of these units can fit into the previously described Shock Assault roles, as well as the Anti-tank role. Since they are not a troops choice, or even in the case of Wolf Guard, able to take multiple special shooting weapons to be fully effective defensive units. They both specialize in moving around flanks, hitting the weak side of the enemy and exploiting that advantage. When used with supporting fire they can provide a very effective harassing force, or even a way to take out units that ARE guarding objectives.

 

With out further delay:

 

Swiftclaw Biker Pack-

 

The Swiftclaws in my opinion are the premier fast attack unit for Space Wolves. I have used these in the past with great effect. The bikes provide them with protection which in hand to hand combat comes out to be a big factor, even from shooting from small arms fire this can provide a great advantage.

 

Anti-tank-

Swiftclaws excel at the anti-tank role being able to take a mobile firing multi-melta on an attack bike, as well as a Claw using a melta gun. Giving the pack meltabombs also gives them the ability to take out walkers if they cannot drop it by shooting, or it they were to get charged by one. To give a bit of extra ani-armor in hand to hand combat a power fist may be taken as well.

 

Shock Assault-

Swiftclaws having an improved toughness have an advantage against standard troops. Being harder to wound gives them a great advantage there. To arm them for the Shock Assault role, here a plasma gun works nicely as it can rapid fire and then assault due to the relentless rule. If you wanted to, you could also add a heavy bolter attack biker here, to go along with all of your biker bolt gun shots. A power fist or weapon would be the choice of the player. If you usually face a lot of MCs and armor, I would take a fist, as well as multi-melta on the attack bike.

 

Multipurpose-

Again, much like other units you can go multipurpose with Swiftclaws. For that load out you can reference the Shock Assault role.

 

Skyclaws-

Skyclaws being our version of assault marines fill much of the same role as they do in the other Codex chapters, how ever with the berserk charge rule, they shock assault better then any other. This units movement needs to be thought about if you are looking to shoot before a charge. Or you can always avoid this by placing a Wolf Priest in the unit. As well as have them benefit from the preferred enemy rule.

 

Anti-tank-

For Anti-tank role your only option here is a melta gun. So they are not the best unit for this role in a fast attack function. With out the ability to even arm them with melta bombs I would steer away from these as your tank hunter unit and either leave that to scouts, or to Swiftclaws. For a special close combat your anti-tank choice is a power fist.

 

Shock Assault-

Here you have many options! I would stay away from the plasma gun, and go with a pistol so that you can still charge. If you play mostly horde armies then select a flamer, and you can still even take the Melta gun. Mark of the Wolfen is an ideal upgrade for the unit, and again its up to player to select the power fist or weapon. Having 4 attacks on the charge from most of the unit, gives them great power against even horde armies but their lower weapon skill makes them a bit easier to hit.

 

Thank you again for tuning into my tactica series. The next installment is the Land Speeders and their variants.

[Hear da Lamentation]

Great posts Toaster.

 

Thanks a bunch. Very helpful.

 

You haven't mentioned the Thunder Cavalry in the Fast Attack section?

[Toasterfree]

This next guide will run down unit choices for the beginning general. Some of the options that are in the new codex will not be discussed, as I would like to keep this somewhat basic to where a new player can see what is being discussed, and if they like that option to be able to walk into their local game store and buy said unit

 

Due to popular demand I will cover TWC in my next FA post

[traitor_dice]

Great advice so far, especially as its nice and simple. I'm not a new player (been playing for about 3-4 years i think) but i still find this helpful.

[Toasterfree]

Great advice so far, especially as its nice and simple. I'm not a new player (been playing for about 3-4 years i think) but i still find this helpful.

im glad to hear that veterans are also getting a benefit from this also

[SledgePainter]

Eagerly anticipating it! It's giving me a lot of ideas for strategy in taking out certain adversaries of mine.