Thunderwolf cavalry - How are yours going?

[ashen]

I've noticed over the last couple of months people posting up threads about whether thunderwolf cav were effective or not, so I thought I would give my in game experiences of them.

I ran four, one with a thunderhammer, the rest just BP and CCW, so I did not gear them towards any funky wound allocation.

I quickly realised that I had most of my success with them as a flanking force, I usually ran my grey hunters and wolf guard termi's straight towards the enemy. I then used the thunderwolf to flank from the left/right, usually away from the big guns. Even though it took them an extra turn to get stuck in, the wait was worth it as they then hammered whatever they went at.

Try and multi-charge infantry and tanks, this worked when I played against guard as most guard keep their tanks and infantry together, strength 5 with rending rocks against rear armour.

They had an incredible "shock" value. Even though most of my opponents knew what they did, most 40k players still find the whole charge 12" thing hard to grasp.

Target selection is very important. The game I sent them at a transport was a complete waste, they busted the chimera and then got wailed upon by everything else in his army.

It's obvious, but worth reiterating, avoid str 10 like the plague (that includs ork warbosses with klaws!)

Overall, they are definately a fantastic unit, and give us wolves a high level of mobility and punching power.

So, what are other peoples experiences with them? Similar/different?

[BrotherRanik]

I myself run 3 thunderwolf calvery, 1 with thunderhammer and stormshield, another with just a stormshield, and the last as is. I still have the wound allocation which helps me keep them alive in key infantry combats and the thunderhammer is amazing for taking down monstrous creatures, HQ's, and tanks. As for how I use them I agree with you 100%. I run my as a flanking force on the left or right depending on my opponents deployment. It does normally cost me an extra turn to get them set up but once they hit my opponents flank it hurts. They normally focus on my grey hunter rhinos or rune priests to care about the thunderwolves. But once my thunderwolves have gotten there they normally multi assault some of the more important units my opponents bring. Taking down leman russ's and medusas or taking out two squads of pathfinder rangers holding my opponents 1 objective. Then normally after my first assault my thunderwolves will lose a wolf and a few wounds and go on to take down even more. Most of my current victories are all because my thunderwolves devestated my opponent in his back field. I have had bad times with them too though, especially against guardsmen in chimeras where I can only mutli assault two chimeras and then I get melta and plasma shot to death by what's inside. Over all though, I'm very happy with my thunderwolves and count them as my key assault aspect of my army.

[Clone]

I am considering using 3 TWC but was going to arm them with FA's and a PF. Would anyone testify to using special close combat weapons or just keep them with rending, S5, BP and CCW?

[Stormbrow II]

Would anyone testify to using special close combat weapons or just keep them with rending, S5, BP and CCW?

Give one of them S10 and treat the unit as being a single model with 5 S10 attacks on the charge i.e. allocate wounds onto everybody but the fist/hammer. The extra punch (sorry) it gives you makes the unit something to be reckoned with as it means that you can reliably smash your way through vehicles, walkers and other tough things rather then relying on luck to do it.

 

Another thing I've found out is that taking more than 1 unit of them is a good thing as it forces the enemy to split their fire allowing one squad to get into combat on a regular basis. 2 squads of 3 with a single fist each makes them 350 points and people crap themselves when confronted with it. This of course varies depending upon what else you have in your army though.

 

I'm against giving them shiny toys so that I can get my hands on more of them. They're harder to kill and I don't really miss the SS because I use cover on my way from shooting and wound allocation to keep the fist alive so he can fight. That, and they almost never assault a target on their own - there is always Grey Hunter support (with a Wolf Standard) to soak up some of enemy's blows.

[Gentlemanloser]

Beautifully. :D

 

Play our usual (slightly Delayed!) post Xmas Apoc at the weekend. 5K from me and 5K of Eldar versus 10K of 'nilla Marines.

 

Great tactics from the Marine Player (and bad deployment caused by low bidding time from us!) stopped my two LRR (with Logan and 5 WGT and a WP and 5 WGT respectively) from doing anything (boxed in by terrain and a mass of Dreadies!).

 

But, my ultra tricked out WL and his 5 TWC were worth special Merit (alongside Arjac, who IDed a Chapter Relic totting Sicarus! BooM!).

 

Rolling up the Centre of the Board (the Marine Player took the bait, and Banebladed my Canis and 45 Wolves instead of the 6 TWC!) I had;

 

WL: TWM, SS, AA, FB, WTN, Saga of the Bear.

TWC x 5, SS x 5, TH.

 

They took a lot of fire, then were charged by Marneus Calgar and an attached Honour Guard squad. Killed them.

 

Rolled right through a 10 Man Tac Squad.

 

Then proceeded to take 2 Structure Points off the Baneblade(And other incedental damage to it. I think they managed to destory the Primary gun as well). The WL Lost two wounds, and in total I lost 1 TWC and another dropped to 1 wound.

 

I'm sure they killed something else as well.

 

The Marine player wasn't impressed. ;)

 

I also have to mention my tricked out squad of WGBL and 10 PAWG with Power Weapons and Combi Plasma's. I delivered these guys by Valkyrie (Well Vendetta! ;)) and they Rapid Fireds a Squad of Sternguard to death on the first turn, then survived retaliation, and wiped another whole squad out on the countercharge with thier Power Weapons.

 

Pure Joy!

[Chodjinn]

Sick results there Gentlemanloser! Makes me want to get mine done asap and get playing!

[Howling]

Well I usually field 4 Thunderwolves with a thunderhammer+ shield, a shield, and sometimes a meltabomb...

 

Normally they go with my Lord on Thunderwolf and all I can say is.....slaughtertastic! Until now they have slaughtered through basically everything in their way, be it terminators, great demons, demon princes, thousand sons, marines...imperials....just everything.... and until now they have only completely died once...which was in an apocalypse battle...after taking the complete shooting phase of an entire table half and afterwards getting attacked by two squads of gene stealers O.o

 

They have NEVER failed to get their points back (and including the wolflord that's quite alot...) and most of the time they just slaughter through my enemies without stopping.....or cause so much fear that most of my other troops reach the enemy unharmed...

 

Of course it's not wise to field them on thier own, they usually get support from a unit of fenrisian wolves (to catch the unwanted bumpstones on the way..) and a rhino with greyhunters on their side...or something like that...

 

Anyways....from my point of view they are the best new wolf unit and a given in all my armies above 1500 points..... if GW ever manages to sell them I'll consider using two full squads...or even 3 full squads? just to see the faces of my enemies as they :) their pants? Ah just so tempting....