Alternative?

[LoneSniperSG]

I like the idea of bikes, despite how brittle they may be, the fact that they can turbo-boost to stay alive until you're ready to have them strike seems like a heck of a boon.

 

However, at BS3/WS3 while being T5, I'm a little miffed there.

 

Thunderwolf Cavalry, at 50pts a piece and boasting rather awesome stats and options are a favorable alternative, yes..

 

How about a biker squad of Wolf Guard? WS4/BS4 at T5 and their gear options seems to make them almost as nasty as TWC, but at 53 points each.

 

All these currently unused biker models in my collection and no Thunderwolves.. should I run the bikers as Wolf Guard Bikers?

[Requiem of the Wolf]

Thunderwolf cav are incredibly nasty...and if your opponent and LGS allow it I would run them as TWC if you want...I do hate the fact that we don't have a decent bike unit so I can do all the amazingly cool conversions I have been thinking of.

[Thunderhawk3015]

Try Loganwing with Wolf Guard on bikes and Swiftclaws+Wolf Priests as support.

[WG Vrox]

When I ran bikes I found if I wasn't running a WG and HQ with the Swiftclaws they where hot or cold and in general did not perform, however when you add those two components it becomes a force to be reckoned with.

[Grey Mage]

Givem an IC- I prefer a Rune Priest for the mobile psychic defense, but a Wolf Priest or WGBL can be good too.

[WG Vrox]

For me I won't ride without my Wolf Lord - Runic Armor, Wolf Tooth Talisman, armed with Thunder Hammer and Storm Shied and of course the good old Saga of the Bear.

 

Crunch! :D

[LoneSniperSG]

Wow.. I used to only have one RP, now since I started playing and re-working my Space Wolves machine, I can't seem to build enough Rune Priests. Two on foot, one with a jump pack and one in TDA.

 

I have a WGBL and Wolf Priest on bikes for the purpose of leading the Swiftclaws, but typically their points and slots are spent on leaders for the Grey Hunters.

 

Any input on the WG bike pack?

[WG Vrox]

Any input on the WG bike pack?

 

I can see it working if you go with mostly basic options keep them as a skirmish unit, I would also run Logan in the list to make them scoring as Thunderhawk suggested

 

4xWG 4X Combi-Meltas 1x Thunder Hammer and SS

Rune Priest WTT Storm Caller and Murderous Hurricane -130

[Wysten]

I would not bother using Wolf Guard for a biker unit, the unit without upgrades costs 53, thats more then two swiftclaws. Not worth the increase in BS and WS, may as well either go full out and upgrade to a Thunder Wolf and get more attacks/wounds, use swift claws and just endure it (they hit most things easily anyways, just stuff can hit them easier back. Normally if you enter CC with quickclaws, it's normally going to be breif either way anyways). Plus with rerolls, that BS 3 is not that bad, they stlll hit fairly consistantly with their bolters, and you can just put a wolf guard in to carry a melta, or HQ if you need them to be hitting accurately with melta.

 

Just as said, 53 points per guy just seems a waste of points.

[hendrik]

i actually use them as a thougher shooting unit(they've got their T5 then most of the times, due to the twin linked bolters they hit quite a lot and they are really manouverable), they actually outpreform my grey hunters there.

[Valerian]

I have a WGBL and Wolf Priest on bikes for the purpose of leading the Swiftclaws, but typically their points and slots are spent on leaders for the Grey Hunters.

 

You probably don't really need to spend slots/points on leaders for Grey Hunters. Based on the role that Grey Hunters play, they don't need anything more than a WGPL in most cases. Use a HQ slot in a place where you do need it, such as riding with your SwiftClaws. You will get much more bang for your buck.

 

Any input on the WG bike pack?

 

No way. Without a doubt they will be too expensive to be viable. You can justify the points to include a single WGPL to lead the SwiftClaws, but a whole unit of those goes to diminishing returns rapidly.

 

Consider this:

 

1) A Wolf Guard on a Bike and a SwiftClaw on a bike have the same amount of attacks on the charge (4 each for both with CCW, 3 each for both with Power Fist).

2) Even with a lower Weapon Skill of 3, a Swift Claw and a Wolf Guard still hit other MEQs the exact same (on a 4+)

3) The Twin-linked Bolters on the Bikes will easily overcome the Swift Claws lower Ballistic Skill of 3.

 

In most cases the offensive results from similarly equiped Wolf Guard and Swift Claws is almost exactly the same. Disadvantages of the Swift Claws is that they'll have less attacks in later Assault Phases if they stay locked in combat (since they won't get Berserk Charge in a continued combat). Additionally, they get hit back more easily from enemy MEQs (3+ to hit Swift Claws compared to 4+ to hit Wolf Guard). The final disadvantage is they have nowhere near the number of upgrade options as Wolf Guard, that are fully customizable. These are not significant disadvantages, considering they cost roughly half of what a non-upgraded Wolf Guard on a Bike will cost you.

 

I recommend that you do a search for littlebitz' recent Swift Claws tactica thread and look through that for his (and others') excellent advice.

 

Valerian

[Quillen]

I have a list based around a Wolf Lord on a bike with a pack of Screaming Blood Claws, and this list has lost 2 games, and won me a tournament in BC Canada.

 

BS 3 means nothing. And weapon Skill 3 means they will get hit harder but hit the same. With Twin Linked bolters the BS 3 means very little maybe 2 more misses. That's it. Add in they can Shoot and charge and you will roll most things.

 

One game I had this unit kill 2 Chappa boys mob, 1 storm boys mob, and the Boss' nob squad. They all died. But only the Orc War boss was left and he had 1 wound. And I got a solid win that game. As he threw that much at the Wolf Lord and Bike squad.

 

I had a blast with this list. Going to make 2 more packs for a biker list I am playing with.

[Wolf Lord Hallbjorn]

I certainly agree that Swiftclaws shouldn't be dismissed as useless, but at the same time I also feel that just like anything else in a codex, there's a use for it if you just find it. The idea of Wolf Guard bikers would indeed be a huge points sink and in many cases you may just want to go with thunderwolves. There is one point to consider in favor of the bikes, although it IS much more expensive. That entire pack of Wolf Guard on bikes can each have a special close combat weapon, such as a thunder hammer. Thunderwolf cavalry can only have 1 special close combat weapon in each squad.

 

Imagine fighting a mechanized IG army and your opponent expects you to rely on long fangs and razorbacks for your ranged anti-vehicle punch. So he decides to take valkyries and possibly even give a tank squadron the scout rule if he throws Creed in there to come in from the back and deal with the support gun-line he expects you to set up at the back of your deployment zone. Turn 1 hits and you run across the field screaming and using every millimeter of distance you can put between those bikes to keep coherency and at the same time tie up as much junk on his own gun-line. Now you're smacking every vehicle you can touch on that soft rear armor with thunder hammers. BOOM!.....Again, I understand it's a gamble and it's a really expensive way to go. All i'm trying to point out is that there IS a use for it.

 

Just because there's a cheaper way to do something doesn't make it as fun. And that's what the game is about...having fun!

[WG Vrox]

WG with Storm Shield / Thunder Hammer riding a Space Marine Bike comes in at a whooping 103 points :P For 775 points you can have a Wolf Lord and pack of 5 WG on bikes geared up like little tanks. Worth it, I don't think so.

[Wolf Lord Hallbjorn]

WG with Storm Shield / Thunder Hammer riding a Space Marine Bike comes in at a whooping 103 points :P For 775 points you can have a Wolf Lord and pack of 5 WG on bikes geared up like little tanks. Worth it, I don't think so.

 

 

Like I said, most people will probably think it's crazy. That doesn't mean you should never do it because sometimes doing the crazy thing is exactly what makes the difference between your opponent guessing exactly what your plan is and him/her scratching their head trying to figure out why half their army just got smashed by a bunch of wolf guard on bikes because nobody in their right mind would do that.

 

Even if I won every game I ever had and ever will have by sticking to the same army list that just makes sense, I wouldn't have any fun. I've been given these options in my codex and sooner or later, i'm going to use them.