Thunderlords: First impression

[Grimtooth]

I've ran a WGBL with an IP on a TWM. I like it decently enough, but if someone pumps attacks into the unit and not your IC, as soon as the IP has to take a save and either can't or manages to fail, then the cyberwolves go away.

 

Also when it comes to pumping warrior born onto a model I prefer it to be a WGBL. He's 30 points less than a WL so the saga ends up being only 5 points, and if you're running warrior born then you don't miss the extra attack the lord has and the extra wound is debateable at best.

 

This is something that I have had plans to check out. The WGBL on a TWM is quite capable for MEQ destruction even if he doesn't have the stat line of a WL.

[MagneticFreak]

I have a mixed opinion on Thunderlords.

 

They are absolutely dangerous and devastating on the tabletop. Fast, and deadly.

 

On the other hand, they need a squad, or retinue, to work efficiently. A single lord on his own should not, on average, be such a treat, compared to a full GH squad in a rhino, for an equivalent point cost. All this means that the investment required to make those guys usefull, namely a 3+ TWC squad, ends up eating a obsene 500 points, for something that only works in melee. I thus think that a Thunderlord prevents me from using stuff that just works better i.e. Rune Priests and TDA wolfguards.

 

I just cant see right now what whould I sacrifice in my army to field this guy.

[daemonwolf]

I've ran a WGBL with an IP on a TWM. I like it decently enough, but if someone pumps attacks into the unit and not your IC, as soon as the IP has to take a save and either can't or manages to fail, then the cyberwolves go away.

 

Is this true?

Because the Iron Priest isn't an independent charackter. So did you buy them as a wargear option for a charackter?

[Grimtooth]

I have a mixed opinion on Thunderlords.

 

They are absolutely dangerous and devastating on the tabletop. Fast, and deadly.

 

On the other hand, they need a squad, or retinue, to work efficiently. A single lord on his own should not, on average, be such a treat, compared to a full GH squad in a rhino, for an equivalent point cost. All this means that the investment required to make those guys usefull, namely a 3+ TWC squad, ends up eating a obsene 500 points, for something that only works in melee. I thus think that a Thunderlord prevents me from using stuff that just works better i.e. Rune Priests and TDA wolfguards.

 

I just cant see right now what whould I sacrifice in my army to field this guy.

 

A 3 TWC with Lord is a freaking over the top death star unit. I have done boatloads of damage with just attaching my thunderlord to a 10 strong Fenrisian wolf pack.

 

I think this is where some people diverge on separate paths. I am not talking about creating a thunderlord list where everything hinges on your deathstar unit of doooooooooom. My army list still contains 30 GH in rhinos, a full LF pack with razorback, and a rune priest on which I rely much more then my thunderlord(s).

[Requiem of the Wolf]

A thunderlord is hard as nails...and more importantly...It is a unit that HAS to be dealt with quickly. With a 19-24" threat range...chances are good with 2/3 of the deployment's it can get into hand to hand the first turn,and definitely by the second turn. So your opponent has one turn usually to kill it before it is in hand to hand and thus able to annihilate a unit.

 

So pretty much no matter the size of the army...if he wants to keep from losing a unit,he will have to send all his shooting at it. Which is a full turn of the rest of your army shooting and moving pretty much unmolested.

[Spazmonkey]

I've ran a WGBL with an IP on a TWM. I like it decently enough, but if someone pumps attacks into the unit and not your IC, as soon as the IP has to take a save and either can't or manages to fail, then the cyberwolves go away.

 

Is this true?

Because the Iron Priest isn't an independent charackter. So did you buy them as a wargear option for a charackter?

 

 

The Cyber wolves? they are Wargear for the IP.

[The_Betrayed_Spacewolf]

but requiem what happens when your opponent just feeds you a buffer squad and leaves you open to his entire army next phase?

 

i know the thunderlord is strong and a beast in combat no doubt about it. however lets say you do get that charge however the only available charge option is a kroot squad (because the tau player knows how to bubblewrap) now your open to his entire army. i dont know just food for thought

[Requiem of the Wolf]

but requiem what happens when your opponent just feeds you a buffer squad and leaves you open to his entire army next phase?

 

i know the thunderlord is strong and a beast in combat no doubt about it. however lets say you do get that charge however the only available charge option is a kroot squad (because the tau player knows how to bubblewrap) now your open to his entire army. i dont know just food for thought

Then for one or two full rounds,he is concentrating his entire army on taking down one unit...

 

Thus letting my long fangs rip his vehicles,my grey hunters to get close enough to his troops to cause problems there.

 

It is a unit that can't be discounted,and can't be killed easily. Essentially what it does is for a round or two,give every unit in your army a 2+/3++ save because the shots that would be going for them,are instead going for the wolf lord.

 

Show me a Wolf that can't go for the throat of an opponent in almost any situation with two full rounds of not being attacked,and I will show you a Ultramarine in Wolf's clothing.

[The_Betrayed_Spacewolf]

here you go

[Requiem of the Wolf]

here you go

Hence why I said 2/3'rds of the deployment...Dawn of war,which this was,will cause the Wolf lord to not be as effective as it will take longer. Now...on top of that the wolf lords rolled very poorly for their fleet. The fact he kept them together as a unit was also foolish.

 

Especially against Tau and the fact that he was going to line up at the very edge and do damage with his longer range.

 

This as well is not counting the fact that the 2k list was...Well...not very well put together imo.

 

No Reliable anti-tank. Too many Wolf lords for the point cost. This set up wasn't a good all comers,and was a horrible Anti-Tau.

[Grimtooth]

here you go

Hence why I said 2/3'rds of the deployment...Dawn of war,which this was,will cause the Wolf lord to not be as effective as it will take longer. Now...on top of that the wolf lords rolled very poorly for their fleet. The fact he kept them together as a unit was also foolish.

 

Especially against Tau and the fact that he was going to line up at the very edge and do damage with his longer range.

 

This as well is not counting the fact that the 2k list was...Well...not very well put together imo.

 

No Reliable anti-tank. Too many Wolf lords for the point cost. This set up wasn't a good all comers,and was a horrible Anti-Tau.

 

That DA/SW player, deployed, played, and wrote his list pretty badly. Why did he bring them in from the table edge? Just that many more rounds of shooting at them. And no Chooser? Would have stopped the infiltrating Kroot bubble wrap. I agree, too many thunderlords.

[ChainsawDR]

ok sorry to keep bringing this thread back to life, a thunderlord just sounds so very tempting...

 

When attached to 10 FW's - does it not hurt the lord that the FW's bring his toughness down to 4? or do people usually detach the lord from the FW's when going into combat?

 

Cheers

 

ChainsawDR

[Requiem of the Wolf]

ok sorry to keep bringing this thread back to life, a thunderlord just sounds so very tempting...

 

When attached to 10 FW's - does it not hurt the lord that the FW's bring his toughness down to 4? or do people usually detach the lord from the FW's when going into combat?

 

Cheers

 

ChainsawDR

With the 10 wolves you have the option to send the first 10 wounds at the wolves. When you are running the Thunderlord solo then just spend 10 points on one wolf as wargear,so he keeps the toughness 5. And when in combat,they are treated as seperate for purposes of targeting anyways since he is a IC.