Blood Claws or Sky Claws?

[Avarris]

I have an interesting problem at the moment with my SW army at the moment.

 

I have been aiming to go with a fully deep strike army, as in the 2 units of Grey Hunters and Wolf Guard have Drop Pods, nothing is foot slogging or turning up on a tank. My problem is that at the moment I have 10 assault marines and enough parts to make them Space Wolfy, only I dont know which to go for, take them as Blood Claws and just shove them into a 4th Drop Pod or take them as Sky Claws and deep strike them in and run the risk of them impaling themselves on a building or hurtling into the floor at 100 mph.

 

Which would you prefer to do, drop them in safely with the Pod or Deep strike with the Jump Packs?

 

Thanks in advance

[Branek Icefang]

Personally I would go for the Skyclaws, an all drop pod army will have very limited mobility after the initial strike. Having Jump Pack units will help with positioning and skyclaws can really pull off some "death or glory" type moves if you give them the opportunity.

[Grey Mage]

Jump Packs, Bloodclaws have always been worthless in DPs.

 

Atleast you save some points by giving them JPs and can freely attach an IC.

[Rhellion]

10 Sky Claws with a Wolf Priest. Don't take them without a Wolf Priest accompanying them.

[Mammon]

Our wolf-brothers are correct. Drop Pod Blood Claws just don't work very well. A drop pod can hold 10 marines and if the squad is only going to be 10 models its better to take Grey Hunters instead. Take the SkyClaws, while they are only 10 marines with the attached priest (give him meltabombs and some extras) can do something that Grey Hunters can't: move 12 inches and assault 6 inches while getting the awesome 4 attacks on a charge with rerolls. They are worth the extra few points.

[Schertenleib]

I would take the Skyclaws. Either way you need to leash them. So 10 Skyclaws with Wolf Priest sounds better than 9 Bloodclaws and a Wolf Priest. Bloodclaws would have to just stand there after drop podding where Skyclaws (even if you are DS behind some cover for protection) can make up some of the ground with the higher speed. The only advantage IMHO for the BC is that they are a Troop choice and can then take an objective.

[Adarul Greystalker]

If you need another drop pod for some reason or another scoring unit, then the blood claws make sense. Otherwise, the sky claws are better. I personally think that they can be used without a character to decent effect, but giving them a wolf priest will increase their capabilities dramatically.

[Avarris]

The Drop podded Blood Claws was more to follow with the idea that all my units are deep striking but as Sky Claws can do that as well there isnt much point. Plus it would mean I have 2 units come in on 1st turn and hopefully 2 units on 2nd. Just got to decided on if I drop my wolf lord and wolf guard (TDA) and a unit of Grey Hunters or just the 2 Grey Hunters to form a firebase

[Stormbrow II]

Both are poor choices but I'd take Blood Claws over Skyclaws every single time. They're scoring. That pretty much sums it up. Use the points to buy a Wolf Guard for the Blood Claws and you're set.

[Simo429]

Both are poor choices but I'd take Blood Claws over Skyclaws every single time. They're scoring. That pretty much sums it up. Use the points to buy a Wolf Guard for the Blood Claws and you're set.

i dont agree

 

even if they are scoring you are probably going to take a lot of fire before you get into CC and in the phase you can fire BS 3 makes it difficult to do a hell of a lot of damage

 

id personally go for neither

 

id go extra grey hunters

[Freman Bloodglaive]

For three points (and loss of scoring) your Blood Claws can suddenly leap gracefully across the table creating an 18 inch threat radius.

 

That said they do need a leash, and the Wolf Priest's oath of war allows them to maximise the damage they do in the only place their abilities matter, on the charge.

[Marek Grimfang]

Either with or without Jump Packs, Blood Claws are good as clearing units. Let them loose to clear out positions or objectives.

 

Sky Claws just get their faster to do it.

[Requiem of the Wolf]

Either with or without Jump Packs, Blood Claws are good as clearing units. Let them loose to clear out positions or objectives.

 

Sky Claws just get their faster to do it.

Can Sky Claws do Deepstrike though?

[Aeddon]

Either with or without Jump Packs, Blood Claws are good as clearing units. Let them loose to clear out positions or objectives.

 

Sky Claws just get their faster to do it.

Can Sky Claws do Deepstrike though?

Yup, says they can deepstrike in the wargear section under the Jump Pack entry.

 

Go for ten Skyclaws, add a Wolf Priest, give 'em a PF, Flamer and MotW. Pricey unit but it's sure to scare the pants off most anyone.

[Requiem of the Wolf]

Either with or without Jump Packs, Blood Claws are good as clearing units. Let them loose to clear out positions or objectives.

 

Sky Claws just get their faster to do it.

Can Sky Claws do Deepstrike though?

Yup, says they can deepstrike in the wargear section under the Jump Pack entry.

 

Go for ten Skyclaws, add a Wolf Priest, give 'em a PF, Flamer and MotW. Pricey unit but it's sure to scare the pants off most anyone.

Hmmm...That might very well be something to consider for the future.

[Hfran Morkai]

Both Blood Claws and Skyclaws have their place in a Space Wolf army, provided they are utilized right.

 

Skyclaws are the quick unit and pretty much the only "toy" I take in 1500+ games. (Scouts excluded) I use them to engage the foe on my terms, taking one of their units out of the fight as soon as possible.

 

Blood Claws are the heavy hitters, capable of throwing down an extra twenty attacks on the charge and additional weapons. I don't take them in smaller games but I like the idea of them in a slogging force making use of running.

 

A common misconception is that they should be capable of fighting with as much skill as the Hunters, yet if you look they are all about the offense, unless playing WS7 or more they will do fine, sure they get hit easier by everything equivalent to a Tactical Marine and above but the sheer amount of attacks will cause problems.

 

Each unit will have a Wolf Priest in order to increase offensive potential, the preferred enemy is too good to pass up, as is fearless whilst moving forward.

 

I equip Claws with Power Weapons to make use of the additional attacks, a single attack with the fist if counter attack fails or the combat lasts multiple rounds isn't worth it IMHO, I would give it to a Wolf Guard in the case of Blood Claws (potentially forgoing a full pack in Land Raider Crusader, though I footslog). I also have a Wolf Lord armed with Frost Blade and Power Fist for my Skyclaws in huge games. For special weapons I like Meltaguns for the capability to pop a transport and assault the contents, flamers risk killing too many enemies before closing for the combat.

 

In short, both are great units with a specialty instead of general uses like Grey Hunters. If used right they are great units, a load of fun (who doesn't like lots of dice to roll?)

[Marek Grimfang]

Im also a pro-ponent of Melta Guns in Blood Claw or Sky Claw packs.

 

It's cheaper than a PF and is multi-purpose. Despite lower BS/WS, it is still better than the Flamer by far.

[Grey Mage]

14 Bloodclaws, powerfist, Flamer, and a Wolf Lord with TH+SS, SotWB in a crusader... my opponent- deathwing.

 

He comes forward, as do I, he comes forward again... not in melta range, gets a 13 on his penetration roll. I move up, disembark, and respond wrecking his crusader. Bloodclaws assault in, targetting the squad, HQs go for each other. 52 attacks later 4 Termies are dead, as are 10 bloodclaws- powerfist finishes off the last one with two wounds. Belial and my wolf lord insta-kill each other sadly.

 

Last tournament? Wolf Priest and 15 bloodclaws wipe Marneus Calgar and 5 termies in a single round of CC on the charge. They go on to take 5 out of six wounds of a tervigon the next game on turn 5... not quite enough to give me the KP I needed to win.

 

I love Bloodclaws- in a crusader, with as many members of the squad as I can. If its only going to be 10, I rather prefer to have the flexability of GHs.