Wolf Guard Battle Leaders

[Archon of Skulls]

Hi all,

Long time stalker, first time poster. I'm just now getting into Space Wolves after a long break from the game. Originally, I played Dark Eldar and the new codex has not impressed me. I digress. In our codex, we are allowed to take Wolf Guard as Battle Leaders of other squads. RAD! Here's my bone of contention with that. Grey Hunters are some of the absolute best equipped troops in the game, plus with Counter Attack!! WOOT! Why not take the full complement of 10, take both special weapons? I mean, we get one FOR FREE!! No one else has that!! The main point I'm trying to make here is that, while Wolf Guard do have a point of LD over Grey Hunters, they don't have the special weapon option save for combi-bolters. If I'm missing something, please, educate me!

[Sarapham]

+1 Leadership as you said, but most often the important thing is the extra power fist attack you get from a PL, 3/2 instead of 2/1 (Higher on the charge). That makes the Fist a much more reliable weapon and the combi-melta can still make up a bit for the loss of the second special weapon, since they would not probably fire every turn anyway.

[Decoy]

You can throw a .... Ugh. I'm so, so drunk. The missile launcher. Cyclone. You can put one of those in a GH squad with Termie armor, and fire on the move. Moreover, it allows you a Wolf Tail Talisman, or if you're feeling spunky, a SS and Thunderhammer in the squad. While a Mark of the Wulfen can theoretically take out an entire Marine Equivalent squad out, the Thunderhammer adds much-needed Antitank and the SS allows an Invulnerable save on a squad that otherwise wouldn't be able to take one.

[Archon of Skulls]

Okay, I failed to figure in the extra powerfist. Good call, Sarapham.

 

@Decoy: Do you have any to share?

 

Also, one more little bit; with Counter Attack, SW don't need to charge to get the +1 for cc. Do they, or should they be a primary assault team, or would they be better suited to hold objectives?

[Decoy]

@Archon: I always have spare. But it's all for me.

 

 

Space Wolves are best suited for holding objectives, as a general rule, because they can take as good as they can dish. However, Grey Hunters have the unique advantage of being able to throw down an assload's worth of firepower in the 12"/24" range, allowing them to severely weaken what is coming their way without ever losing combat effectivity. The only time they should charge, really, is when they know they'll hands-down slaughter the enemy, or when taking a charge is to their benefit (in cover, for instance.)

[Sarapham]

The beauty with Space wolves is that is that you can play them pretty much anyway you wish since more or less every unit is viable, if not optimal. Grey hunters at the core are both able to be great offensive and/or defensive, and then you just fill out with more niche units. Thunder Wolves,Sky/Swiftclaws, Wolf Guard/Blood Claws in LRC, Assault kitted termies and pods for Assaulty warfare. Speeders, Long Fangs, Dreads, Shooty Termies, Razorbacks for more defensive/counter-assault lists.

[Archon of Skulls]

Wow! Thanks guys! You've been really super helpful!

[Night Runner]

Just remember that they can be as viable as they can be expensive. If you try to use them like the elites of other Space Marine armies you will find that you will have to pay higher amounts of points for the same unit function.

[dragon950]

You can still field 10 grey hunters and a wolf guard, but just not in a rhino. I usually have one full grey hunter squad at my deployment zone staying there to provide fire support no matter what.

[Sven Dragonfire]

And dont forget, "counter charge" as awesome as it is still needs a leadership test to use it, and the slightly better leadership of the Wolf Guard certainly helps. The crux of my battle line is a ten man grey hunter squad with two plasma guns,a plasma pistol and power fist led by a wolf guard with combi melta, good shooty unit that can deliver a punch when charged. Cant be transported in a Rhino, obviously, but the way I use them they tend to be fairly static anyway.

Good hunting Archon of skulls.

[Sigmund Hammerhand]

Thing is, you really need that rhino. Once your GH are on foot, they're vulnerable to small arms fire, and so much slower than before that they'll have a tough time getting hold of anything.

 

You can only really play grey hunters on foot if you have a list that has certain mobile elements (land speeders, bikes, TWC) in it to get a hold of basilisks hiding from you and pounding the hell out of your troops, to contest objectives and so forth. Annihilation games will also be exceedingly difficult because GH on foot like short-ranged firefights. Guard will be your nemesis because they prefer you to stay far far away from you (preferably in another galaxy...).

 

WGPL are perfect additions to your units, because of the points mentioned before, and also because their higher LD means that you're more likely to get that counter charge in. Never dismiss that extra LD - it's saved my behind many a time. Failing LDs with marines, then generously saying "oh, nevermind they'll auto-rally next turn", only to see them escorted off the board (all 3 packs of them) by a looted tank that in two turns of shooting I could only immobilize twice (and it fixed itself - both times) is somewhat frustrating. Especially because you've just rolled a 9. For all of them.

 

On top of that, if you do get a rhino, it is very likely to get blown up right in front of your opponent's line (thanks to a melta, most of the time) which coincidentally is also the worst time to be pinned. And higher LD mitigates this risk considerably.

 

Needless to say - I never leave without those wolf guard pack leaders nowadays.

[Sven Dragonfire]

Thing is, you really need that rhino. Once your GH are on foot, they're vulnerable to small arms fire, and so much slower than before that they'll have a tough time getting hold of anything.

 

That is true, but as noted, depends on what other supporting units you are using and what opponent you are up against. You will need troops to hold objectives in or close to your deployment zone, and you can still move them forward if you use the terrain for protection and run, which can be as fast as a Rhino if your lucky!. I would always ensure I have at least one other troops choice in a Rhino or pod for seizing objectives. My usual opponents , blood angels or Chaos usually bring the fight to me, so an 11 man unit with leaderdship 9 with counter charge and tooled up is a great welcoming commitee. Oh and if I face Guard I use my scouts with meltabombs led by a WG with powerfist, they love sneaking up on static artillery. The second troops unit in the Rhino will always be led by a Wolfguard!