The 'Special Sauce' of the codex

[Levitas]

With all the nonsense of land raiders dropping from the sky I chose to instead focus on what a great dex we have. Plus list tweaking, convert, play testing as I went.

 

I still dont think I have hit the sweet spot, despite loosing only once in the last 9 games. I am still trying too figure out what the twinkle in Logans eye is. What is the great wolf hiding...for I may need it now as the red dawn approaches.

 

• Grey hunters are truly great, are they the heart? lots of them.

• Long fangs I have greatly grown to love, split fire is immensely useful and they are so cheap. Plus they can whack a lictor in combat (true story). So is maxing these a way to go?

• Blood claws I have not gelled well with, even sky claws whose WS3 seems to hurt them despite buckets of attacks and speed.

• Is it Thunder Wolves? The tempting model-less crazy unit. I am building some but fear they may be not what I expect.

• The point heavy special characters seem to add a dash of flair, but at a hefty cost. But are they the heart? Ragnars furious charge or Njals weather channel specials. Maybe its Arjacs hammer time or the old wolfs bag of unit buffs?

• The oh so versatile wolf guard, but have really only used them as squad leaders. In a termie squad pod drop i found them expensive and lacking. But the sheer amount of options there outshines every other marine dex veterans.

• 4 HQ slots. Is that bait or a gift?

• Lukas... More like a bad aftertaste.

 

So what is it? granted we all have many different styles as varied as those of the wolf lords themselves. I suspect it is grey hunters, as they add so much for so little.

 

Any thoughts?

[Beef]

This codex for me has everything I wanted, Sw riding giant wolves was something i wanted since 2nd edition when i read they could get as big as Rhinos. I thought well if they are that big why cant we ride them.

 

Special characters are a must for me and one thing I love is HQs. The 4th edition codex made the standard captain entry so bland it made me sick. I love the fact that even a genereic SW Lord can be a CC monster unlike their SM counterpart. The only thing that upsets me aprt from losing our Leman Russ Exterminators is the fat that our rune and wolf priests are I5 and not that good in CC any more. Many were my 3rd and 4th edition games where my wolf priest would kick butt in games with his frost axe. They were easily on par with SM captains and better than their Chaplains.

 

I like the 4hqs as I love hero hammer. I like big tough charcters that rep death in CC. So what If its not game winning atleast they die with honour.

 

I love the new special characters like Arjack and lucas (not used them but atleast we get some new ones) What I dont like is some of the plastic heads as I have said this one to many times they dont look SW enough, where are the fangs, these heads look more like fantasy mordenihiem scum than SW.

 

I also dont like the fact we have no ew sculpts for Grimnar,

 

Ragnar and ulric though some feel are dated I lpersonnally love as they were soe of my first mini and I love the sculpts. But Grimnar is just way to small.

 

But in fairness its not like the BA got new sculpts of Mephi or dante etc.

[Michaelus]

With all the nonsense of land raiders dropping from the sky I chose to instead focus on what a great dex we have. Plus list tweaking, convert, play testing as I went.

 

I still dont think I have hit the sweet spot, despite loosing only once in the last 9 games. I am still trying too figure out what the twinkle in Logans eye is. What is the great wolf hiding...for I may need it now as the red dawn approaches.

 

• Grey hunters are truly great, are they the heart? lots of them.

Grey Hunters? Definitely. Never leave the Fang without one!

• Long fangs I have greatly grown to love, split fire is immensely useful and they are so cheap. Plus they can whack a lictor in combat (true story). So is maxing these a way to go?

Maxing them sounds tempting, but I rather have some Predators and Long Fangs in the mix. Long Fangs are sometimes a must..

• Blood claws I have not gelled well with, even sky claws whose WS3 seems to hurt them despite buckets of attacks and speed.

I myself like those Blood Claws. They fill the role I wanted. Close Combat, tons of attack, and meat shield. Sky Claws are a bit meh, but i might try them sometimes.

• Is it Thunder Wolves? The tempting model-less crazy unit. I am building some but fear they may be not what I expect.

Thunder Wolves? Space Wolves with no wolf is strange for me. They are expensive, but I let them roll anyway. They are our unique unit, and the unit that makes us "wolfy".

• The point heavy special characters seem to add a dash of flair, but at a hefty cost. But are they the heart? Ragnars furious charge or Njals weather channel specials. Maybe its Arjacs hammer time or the old wolfs bag of unit buffs?

Ragnar with Blood Claws is a must try. They are fun, they're insane, and they get the job done. Njal sounds quite fun to add in the mix. Arjac is our downgraded Lysander, with the ability to destroy a Land Raider at range. (Str 10 AP 1 anyone?)

• The oh so versatile wolf guard, but have really only used them as squad leaders. In a termie squad pod drop i found them expensive and lacking. But the sheer amount of options there outshines every other marine dex veterans.

Ever tried a Termicide? Let them roll cheap, deep strike em, smoke the bad guys, and let them die. They are so versatile that you can virtually fill any role with them. Snipers, close combat, support, leaders, bodyguards..

• 4 HQ slots. Is that bait or a gift?

A gift from a writer named Phil Kelly I'd say. Imagine Logan, Ragnar, Bjorn, and Njal in one Army. Expensive, but fun and devastating!

• Lukas... More like a bad aftertaste.

Fluff-wise, he's a great guy. Tactic-wise, meh. Unless you want to try felling a Titan with it, I'd rather buy another squad, or beef up existing ones.

 

So what is it? granted we all have many different styles as varied as those of the wolf lords themselves. I suspect it is grey hunters, as they add so much for so little.

 

Any thoughts?

 

What makes us different than the others is our appreciation in a fine brawl, some nice Ale, and a great Saga to tell. Nothing can beat a Space Wolf in eating and drinking competition! Not even the Emperor himself! :lol:

[Antagonis]

I think the strength of the codex is awesome-tacular models. They are a lot of fun.

 

I feel they are best used as the marine horde army. The Bloodclaws are silly fun to use (and paint) and Grey hunters are something that should be feared, as counter charge makes them less than inviting for assault and shooting is their game.

 

They even hero hammer a bit. You get 4 HQs and all of them are potent. REALLY potent. The only departures I would make from the footslogging puppy pile would be cavalry. Wolves and Thunderwolves. 12 in move, 12 inch charge? Yes please!

 

And MAYBE a rune priest on a bike for the purposes of sharing some murderous hurricane love. What a FANTASTIC psychic power that is!

[Valerian]

Grey Hunters:

 

Ultra-Grit (Bolter, Bolt Pistol, and Close Combat Weapon) - Standard

Counterattack - Standard

2x Special Weapons - Option

1x Special Close Combat Weapon - Option

1x Mark of the Wulfen - Option

Wolf Standard - Option

 

Grey Hunters are the best standard Troop type in the game, and they are a bargain at only 15 points per model.

 

Valerian

[Athalus]

Grey Hunters:

 

Ultra-Grit (Bolter, Bolt Pistol, and Close Combat Weapon) - Standard

Counterattack - Standard

2x Special Weapons - Option

1x Special Close Combat Weapon - Option

1x Mark of the Wulfen - Option

Wolf Standard - Option

 

Grey Hunters are the best standard Troop type in the game, and they are a bargain at only 15 points per model.

 

Valerian

 

I hope this is still the case after the BA codex is released. Haven't seen it at all, so can't say.

 

I really like our flavour, its why I played it in the first place. I really wish they had brought back wulven though, I have like 20 of them doing nothing right now =P. Well, they will soon be converted into TWC place holders, until that unit comes out (whenever that is... when hell freezes over?).

 

Anyways, grey hunters are pretty groovy, and so are our scouts (they really are quite cool). Our rune priests are a riot, and our other HQ's are not to be underestimated. I really enjoy bikers, though, and our TWC and F-wolves (i love me some fast attack and lots of drop pods!).

[earthen]

load up the thunderwolves with a couple SS and a PF - make sure that all your models are unique for wound allocation - the free bolter / 5pt melta bombs are big here if you want to run a 5 man squad.

 

a 280 point squad will eat your opponents entire flank if they let it. It takes much more than 280 points worth of shooting attention to take the unit down, if you use your wound allocation well enough.

[JamesI]

Grey Hunters:

 

Ultra-Grit (Bolter, Bolt Pistol, and Close Combat Weapon) - Standard

Counterattack - Standard

2x Special Weapons - Option

1x Special Close Combat Weapon - Option

1x Mark of the Wulfen - Option

Wolf Standard - Option

 

Grey Hunters are the best standard Troop type in the game, and they are a bargain at only 15 points per model.

 

Valerian

 

I hope this is still the case after the BA codex is released. Haven't seen it at all, so can't say.

 

While I like Assault Squads as troops for us BA, Grey Hunters are the best Troops choice in my opinion.

[Race Bannon]

Agreed with JamesI, hands down.

 

I'm looking at the SW Codex with a different appreciation. Although I prefer the variety of the SM Codex, I'm looking at how to make my DIY interchange between both Codecies. Maybe even with the BA and BT. But SW have been my favorite ever since Rogue Trader, I just committed to the idea of my own creation.

[GeoWolf]

Levitas, as far as I've seen, our "special sauce" doesn't come from just one unit. I believe we have better synergy than any other army out there.

 

Grey Hunters are the best troop in the game, able to dish it out at range as well as take the fight to the foe in CC. With all of the options available, a unit can easily handle itself against just about any situation.

 

Blood Claws are just superb. Yes, WS4 would be great, but for what they do it isn't needed. A large unit that can throw a bucket full of attacks, as well as clogging fire lanes if need be and making a nuisance of themselves.

 

Long Fangs easily handle anything at range. From weapon loadouts to the Split Fire ability, whats not to love? Oh and don't forget that they are SW, and can still do some CC. ;)

 

Wolf Gaurd, oh me oh my. The Uber specialist. You can kit these guys to literally do anything. MC hunting? Check. IC hunting? Check. Horde smashing? Check. But most wonderful of all is they can lead other packs! GH are mean, but how about with and older meaner wolf at the helm?

 

Ferensian Wolves are the best at distracting the enemy. Fast and decently hard hitting, the question is: Do they get shot at and save your other units or do they tie up more expensive units and let your other units get closer?

 

Thunder Wolf Calvary is one of the more terrifying units in the game. They just ooze destruction. You want to make something regret setting foot on the field? Send TWC after them. I mean come on, S10 PF and TH?

 

Our HQs are dangerous in and of themselves, but when you start using them with other units, ouch. Rune Priests- Living Lightning can pop light transports and even make the biggest MC stop laughing. Facing deep strikers? Nothing deflates them quite as well as Tempests Wrath. Wolf Priests- Attach him to some Blood Claws, give them preferred enemy, make them fearless and another PW in the unit! Wolf Lords or Wolf Gaurd Battle Leaders are the Alpha Wolves of combat.

 

But what about our SC? Full of Ale an' Ire, just as they should be.

 

Wolf Scouts and Lone Wolves can, if used properly, not only distract the enemy, but can tear bloody chunks from them before going down.

 

Want a hard hitting unassuming unit? Mount an Iron Priest on a bike and give him some Cyber wolves. See what happens.

 

I find new things everyday with the SW to make my opponents army sorry for coming. Our strength lies in how our units help one another, how they each make the whole stronger. Think of an actual wolf pack. They hunt as a pack, each helping the others, herding and corraling. One wolf is dangerous. 15 are deadly. :tu:

[Schertenleib]

So to answer the question....

 

It's all good ;)