fenresian wolves

[lothbrok]

obviously the title is pretty selfexplanetory. but i have a very small point campaign this weekend and was thinking of useing them for the first time.so has anyone used them effectively or are they just a waste of points.

 

thanks in advance

[Spazmonkey]

I for one am very keen to try them, though I think to make them work you will need a model with Saga fo the Wolfkin.

And I reckon some kind of distractuion to get them into CC.

I ould be keen to hear some battle reports to see how they go.

[Loyalist Wolf]

They are worth it, but under specific circumstances - that you take Canis leading Thunderwolves and keep the fenwolves nearby. That way you have Iniative 5 fenwolves who reroll leadership 8. This makes them very valuable as a screening unit for cover and as a supplement to a hard hitting unit (the aforementioned Canis with Thunderwolves). Drawbacks include an orkish armour save (6+) and a completely understandable lack of frag grenades, however for 8 points a model, they're very cost effective for what they do.

[Joasht]

I think if you plan on using them as actual combat units I guess (i.e. this is theoretical) you might need to field a considerable number of them (maybe like two full squads) and give them cover while advancing, e.g. behind your rhino's. Its quite alot of work, but then again they hit virtually as hard as a squad of marines in close combat, at I5 if you use the saga.

[lothbrok]

the battles i intend on useing them in are low point value only about 750 to 1000 and i really intended using them as cannon fodder or cover for my thunderwolves.

[Gentlemanloser]

Brilliant as Wargear for an IC.

 

Rubbish as a FA/Troop Unit.

[Wispy]

If you want to use them, you should invest the points in everything that improves their leadership.

 

This includes Canis.

[jestination]

I'd think they'd be pretty advantageous to use. 12 in. movement, fleet, and 12 in. assault. If I'm remembering my beast rules correctly, don't have a rule book handy at work. You could be assaulting on the very first turn

[breng77]

No 12 in movement on beasts, just fleet and 12 in charge

[nurglespuss]

I would say for the very cheap points, they are an effective gap filler, and a good accompanyment to sky claws, run them together, and your opponent won't know what to shoot first.

[Rathstar]

Hi,

 

If I remember correctly, Canis's Wolfkin ability only allows them to use his leadership, it doesn't give them I5, which would require another character with the wolfkin saga. I find Canis too expensice for what he does, and I'd rather use a wolf lord on a thunderwolf if I wanted a character on a thunderwolf, so I could have different weapons and have the option of a inv. save.

 

For my first few games with my space wolves I have used a cheap wolf priest or wolf guard battle leader with wolfkin, 4 thunderwolf cav (1 powerfist) and two units (10 and 15) of fenrisian wolves. While near the cavalry the wolves still have ld7 with a reroll (which is a good as ld9 for marole checks), and I think that's good enough and so not worth using canis to get ld8.

 

The wolves give cheap coversaves to the thunderwolves, and the I5 and marines stats (apart from armour save) is very good for 8 pts each. One unit of wolves is smaller, and is used more as a sacrifical unit and anti-lash tool* for the units behind. They can dash out and charge something to distract the opponent, if something charges them they will probably be wiped out leaving the enemy out in the open for the rest of my force to kill.

 

* My putting them in front of key units, and using rhinos I can stop lash from moving my important foot troops (the larger wolf unit and the thunderwolves) too far forwards too far into assault range (as I can't be lashed through another unit).

 

I use the wolves as a counter attack unit as they have greater speed, and that speed is very useful in creating a threat zone the enemy doesn't want to go in. Marines in transports can only charge 14" from a vehicle access port, but the wolves/cav behind can charge 19-24" from where they are.

 

One weakness I've found with wolves and cav is that they can't go up levels in ruins, so my opponents sometimes put objectives up in ruins and put a troop squad off the floor so the wolves and cav can't charge them. This is not a biggie, as in my last game my wolves were my counter-attack against the opponent's units coming towards my objective instead of an assault element against their's.

 

Also I've found them seem to work best of the big unit of wolves and cav are kept back a bit. If the dash off to start with they tend to be targeted by anti-infantry firepower (that doesn't really have anything else to shoot at in the early turns) and they die quickly.

 

Overall I like the wolves, but I will be try out swapping the cheap character with wolfkin for a 2nd rune priest, and changing the wolves and cavalry for skyclaws and swiftclaws to see how they do.

 

Rathstar

[Thalur]

Hi,

 

If I remember correctly, Canis's Wolfkin ability only allows them to use his leadership, it doesn't give them I5, which would require another character with the wolfkin saga. I find Canis too expensice for what he does, and I'd rather use a wolf lord on a thunderwolf if I wanted a character on a thunderwolf, so I could have different weapons and have the option of a inv. save.

 

Canis also has saga of the wolfkin (see p83). I don't know if that makes enough of a difference though - he's rather expensive.

[Godhead]

I personally prefer Canis over a WGBL. I find that I end up kitting up my WGBL on TWM similar to canis anyway and he actually ends up cheaper for me.

[Rathstar]

Yep, your right he does have the saga aswell (it wasn't in his full description page, but is in the army list entry), however I agree with you that he's still not worth it.

 

Rathstar

[Brother Crassus]

The Wolves are very worth it. Here are a few points to keep in mind:

 

At 120pts for 15 of them its a steal.

 

Compare them to bloodclaws:

 

15 fenwolves is 45 attacks at ws4, init 5 (you should have wolfkin)

10 bloodclaws is 40 attacks at ws3, init 4.

 

Fenwolves don't require a transport to deliver them into assaults making them even cheaper.

Fenwolves will have more attacks in ongoing combats than bc's.

They have a huge threat range of 19" to 24".

 

Downsides: no power weapon and crappy armor save. An attached character on thunderwolf can help with the first.

 

They're a cheap enough unit that when spammed, get real ugly real fast. taking 30-45 won't set you back in points (30 is roughly the same as a 10man unit plus transport). The key is taking enough that they do get into combat. They're cheap enough that you can easily get that many.

 

And failing assaults, they can give cover saves to units behind them.

[Rathstar]

I completely agree, the best way to field them is to go large and take their ld buffs. 2 large (if not the full 15) squads, a unit of thunderwolves (I would suggest 4, at least, with a powerfist, so they dish out a fair number of attacks and can't be taken out quickly by long range firepower), then a character with wolfkin.

 

The only disadvantage is that you can't use swiftclaws, skyclaws, or landspeeders.

 

Rathstar

[Loyalist Wolf]

if you take Canis it frees up FA slots for other things

[Wildfire]

The fact that Canis doesn't have an inv is mitigated by the fact that S10 is needed to instakill him. I don't feel he's too bad of a character, for what he does. If I was gonna take a Lord on a TWM, he'd cost 235 (Lord, mount, frost weapon, belt, meltabombs, saga of the bear), so canis would save about 50 points, at the cost of an invulnerable save and meltabombs (but gaining his special abilities).

[Wolf Guard Dan]

Keep them in cover if you can. If you use them, use Canis too. Heck. Back them up with a squad of Iron Priest on a TWM and Cyber Wolves. That should be fun! Nothing is a waste in this codex. Just don't be too reduntant. If you use them, make sure you use the amount that fits your playstyle.

[Grey Mage]

obviously the title is pretty selfexplanetory. but i have a very small point campaign this weekend and was thinking of useing them for the first time.so has anyone used them effectively or are they just a waste of points.

 

thanks in advance

I would never, ever, use them in a campaign that included casualties as a permanent part of your list, needing to be bought back in.

 

They are very effective as a screening unit, and rather effective as an assault unit when they get there... but I wouldnt want to have to take the chance of losing a 150pts a game.