Starting A Space Wolf Army

[Brother Tholath]

Hello Fellow Wolf Brothers!!

 

Recently I have just bought a Devastator Squad and a Space Wolf Battleforce, to add to my 10 Grey Hunters, 5 Terminators and a Rune Priest I have somewhere.... :/

 

I was wondering if those longer in the tooth and beard could give me any ideas on how to make up the new models. I do have a theme in mind, which is a Lost Company/13th Company. I know it's maybe not the best, but I like the idea more than having one of the current names companies.

 

My current thoughts were:

 

20 more Grey Hunters,

Long Fangs with Bolter, Missile Launcher, Plasma Cannon, 2 Lascannons

5 Wolf Scouts with Meltagun

 

Is this a good idea or should I consider other options?

 

My thanks to all who give there advice, all is wanted, whether positive or negative, because it's the only way us Pups learn!!

 

Regards,

 

Tholath

[Zynk Kaladin]

Now I'm no long fang. I don't even bear Russ's gene seed. However, my chapter and I have brawled, in good spirits, with the Wolves many many times and can offer you some basic advise that I found... troublesome... when smacking around my brother-wolves.

 

1) You're going to need some transports for those Grey Hunters. They need to be able to get from point A to point B quickly so they can react to the changing battle. I recommend getting the razorback sets and refraining from gluing the top hatch so you can convert it to a rhino or razorback depending on your needs.

 

2) I agree on getting more Grey Hunters. From what I've seen and from multiple grey beards on this forum, 1 Grey Hunter squad for every 500 points is a very good idea. How do you plan to equip them?

 

3) Ugh, Long Fangs. I hate fighting these guys. Personally, the most painful long fang squad for their price is a full squad with missile launchers. You can split fire with them to knock out two transports in one turn. If you want variety, however, I recommend half of the heavy weapons you get are missile launchers and the other half are plasma cannons. Split fire helps because you can use the missiles to target a vehicle and the plasma cannons to target infantry.

 

4) I'm not sure about the wolf scouts with just 1 meltagun. Unfortunately, I don't have my wolf codex with me, but I seem to recall they can get a combi-melta as well. I haven't had these guys used against me in a long time so I can't really say how well they would perform. I seem to recall them maybe popping a tank then dying the next turn.

 

Hope this helps. *passes ale* Now snatch some glory for Russ and the All Father before I beat you to it!

[Theis]

You've got 20 grey hunters, 5 terminators, 5 wolf scouts, 5 long fangs, a Rune Priest, and a drop pod.

 

The first question I've got is what are you aiming for, good generic / all purpose war gear load outs for the squads that can be made of these? The second is, are you adverse to picking up a few bits to supplement what comes in the boxes?

 

5 wolf scouts and a melta is solid. It's hard to go wrong with that. Most of their other options can be modeled without being specific. By that, I mean, you can model one to look slightly more wild than the others, and should you want to give one them mark of the wulfen, there's your fig, otherwise, he's a generic wolf scout. The power weapons two of them can have can be two long or more ornate knives, or even a sword. Normally they're just close combat weapons, occasionally they're power weapons. So, that's an easy squad to achieve some variation with, without going to a lot of trouble. You might consider adding a wolf guard with a combi melta and / or power fist to the squad.

 

For the rest of the squads though, there, I think, you have to determine what function you want them to fulfill. Personally, I aim for some duality. That is, they can provide anti-armor, or anti-infantry, at need. So, my grey hunters usually run with meltas. That way they have two anti-tank shots, and their anti-infantry comes from the bolter, at range, and the number of marine stat line attacks they get with bolt pistol and close combat weapon. Give them a rhino to ride around in, and you're pretty much set.

 

You have to decide if you want to model a couple of guys with power weapons, wolf standards, etc. if you're interested in those war gear options. You could pick up the five space marine box and round out those guys with some extra wolf bits as a cheapish way to keep the core 20 grey hunters and have some figs you can swap out at need.

 

Some very common grey hunter load outs are;

10 grey hunters w/ two special weapons (melta most often), and depending on left over points available, a mark of the wulfen grey hunter and / or a power weapon grey hunter.

9 grey hunters w/ 1 special weapon and an attached wolf guard with power fist and a combi weapon that duplicates the special weapon the grey hunter has

 

I avoid power fists on grey hunters, because after the charge (or counter charge) grey hunters only get 1 power fist attack, where the wolf guard will get 2.

 

Another question that needs to be answered is, what is your means of delivery?

 

Are you going to buy some rhinos? Will your army be working its way across the field on foot? Did you want to drop pod them all in?

 

The answers there will affect your choice of load out. Melta is pretty short ranged. If you've got a rhino to ride around in, or a drop pod to put you in close to the enemy, melta's range won't be as much of an issue. If you're footslogging, you might want to think about changing that out for plasma. Plasma has it's drawbacks, gets hot, not as good at penetrating high armor values, but its got the same range as your bolters.

 

These answers will also affect the load out on your termies and your long fangs.

 

First, long fangs, unless you're taking a heavy bolter as an ablative wound (it's the cheapest), I find it's best to limit your squad to one or two weapon types. You can split fire, so two different weapon types makes sense. Complementary ranges makes sense too. With your proposed load out you've got 4 different weapons and three different ranges.

 

So, a little analysis on options for them; missile launchers are very popular for a reason. 48" range, can do decent anti tank with krak rounds, can do decent anti-infantry with frag, or krak if you're fighting marines. Biggest problem, they don't put enough in the box. So, that's where ordering some bits could potentially come in. Personally, when I first started my wolves I ran my long fangs with 2 las cannons (the number that is conveniently provided) and 3 missile launchers. I got some duality, and didn't have to order many bits.

 

Which brings me to terminators. This is all about what you want to do with your army. Wolf guard terminators can get very expensive, very quickly. The basic terminator is alright, storm bolter and power weapon. It's a chaos terminator for a few more points, but there's a reason chaos players don't like their terminators much. In a nutshell, they're not really all that survivable, nor are they all that killy. 2+/5+ fails to weight of fire. So, again, we're right back to means of delivery and role we want them to fill.

 

Are you putting five in a drop pod? Then you're going to want them able to shoot, as they can't assault the turn they arrive. Footslogging? Then they're going to be shooty as it's going to be a while before they can assault. Landraider? Then assault oriented is okay, but wow that's expensive. Common loadouts... I don't know of any. I would think combi-meltas on three terminators with a special weapon on a fourth and make the fifth more assault oriented if they're going to be drop podded in. The expense of space wolf terminators once you start loading them out has a real impact. Our thunder hammer storm shield terminators go about 30 points per terminator more expensive than those of codex marines.

 

Something you might want to consider is that wolf guard can intermix terminator armor and power armor in a single squad. So, you can, should you want to spend a bit more money on bits, and pick up a model of Logan, make yourself a wolf guard army. A very common squad for one of those is, 4 power armored wolf guard, and one terminator with a cyclone missile launcher, and an upgrade or two. With your 20 power armored guys, and 5 terminators, you could have 5 squads like that.

 

If you combine that with some long fangs and let Logan hang out with the long fangs so he can provide them with relentless, you have the core of a very shooty army that can foot slog around the field, and hit nearly every where on it. The wolf scouts become the element that can appear anywhere and be disruptive. You could even make the long fangs an all multi melta, or multi melta and heavy bolter squad and deliver them via drop pod with logan and someone killy attached. Rune priests in this sort of list should have living lightning for unlimited range goodness.

 

So, really you've got a solid core. It's just a question of what your vision for the army is. Then, the war gear load outs almost allocate themselves, as does your next model purchase decision.

 

That's just my take on your questions though. I'm sure others will have more interesting things to say.

[Frontline989]

I would suggest however you assemble your new models to set aside three of them to make some wolf guard in power armor. I'd say one with power weapon, one with power fist, and a thuder hammer and storm shield. This'll give you some variety for different situations and for different point lists. Another benefit is if you so choose you can make them Battle Leaders as well.

[Brother Tholath]

Thank you all for the replies!!

 

In regards to the Long Fangs, I should have put that I have only made the Pack Leader with a Bolter and a Long Fang with a Missile Launcher. I haven't made the others because I haven't decided what to have them as yet! I'm considering 2 Lascannons and 2 Plasma Cannons to finish it off.

 

With transport, I was thinking about Drop Podding the Terminators in, so giving them an Assault Cannon, one with Twin Wolf Claws and the final 2 Storm Bolters and Power Weapons? I was planning to use the 5th as a Wolf Guard Battle Leader? To give them some extra.

 

Grey Hunters, I was thinking about Foot slogging them, so plasma would be a better idea. Would It be better then to have them with a Wolf Guard then? One Pack will be running with the Rune Priest, I was thinking. I do plan to add to it after Christmas, with another set of Long Fangs and then maybe a fourth pack of Hunters in a Razorback? Which would allow me spare models for other things then.

[Phodos]

It looks like you're off to a good start :lol:

 

For the Long Fangs I think your decisions on what to make in the box are good. The lascannons for sure. I normally run two units of 2xLascannon 3xMissile Launcher.

 

The Terminator Loadouts also look pretty good to me. I might try to squeeze in a Storm Shield/Storm Bolter guy to take on some AP 1 and 2 shots and power weapon hits without losing too much when he finally bites the dust. Storm Shield/Power Weapon is good too if you think you can keep them in combat most of the time, i like the bolter better personally on that guy.

 

I havnt ever foot slogged Grey Hunters so i cant give a whole lot of advise there :lol: If that is what you are going for though i would suggest a wolf guard added in definately. the more bodys the better, because you are going to lose guys on the way across the board. plus the extra leadership is nice.

[Theis]

I think Phodos nailed the analysis there. My only addition would be with regard to footslogging your grey hunters. Be prepared for the casualties. They're going to spend a turn or two walking and then running during their shooting phase to get within range of anything. 24" is only half the table width after all. Moving them will affect the weight of fire they're able to provide also. They're going to have to be mobile to contest objectives, respond to threats, etc. Deploy them as far forward and in as much cover as is possible.

 

Good hunting.

[Frontline989]

A Wolf Priest to make your footsloggers fearless wouldn't hurt either.