Frontline989 Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 In the new edition of 40k I want to add a new unit to my Space Wolf army and Im thinking about adding a Swiftclaw unit to my Great Company but id like to advice on tactics and loadout. How you you use yours effectively and what are some of the preferred weapon options? Normally id go with a meltagun and power fist but its hard to tell with the new metagame. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/266414-swiftclaws-roll-out/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
d@n Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 about 7swift claws with a couple of flamers led my a wolf priest is a pretty good unit. more then 7 and they become hard to maneuver and less then 7 and they dont thave the number to have much survivable. the flamers because there balistic skill is rubbish and they auto hit. tactically there good in assault and quick so i turbo boost them turn 1 and then charge something turn 2. there in your face and tough enough to be a bullet catcher and with the jink save and t5 your opponant has to put alot of shooting to do any damage, allow the rest of your army to get into position. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/266414-swiftclaws-roll-out/#findComment-3245116 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wulfebane Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 the flamers because there balistic skill is rubbish and they auto hit. Exactly. Keep in mind they're still Blood Claws, so they'll need a leader to stay effective, and like d@n said, they're newbies, so give them weapons they can actually hit with and don't waste points on them. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/266414-swiftclaws-roll-out/#findComment-3245191 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostwolfalpha Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 I don't like to give Blood Claw equivalents special weapons unless I think they really need the extra killing power. I usually use the power weapon to get the extra attacks in as quick as possible. Put a Wolf Guard with a special weapon in there or the almost required Wolf Priest or Rune Priest with Divination. I agree that to many Swiftclaws almost makes them a liability, but flamers are amazing now that many armies focus more on infantry, and with their fast movement, they can almost always get in range. Depending on the points, I like 5-7 bikes including leaders, or two packs of 4-5. I like using them with something else that moves fast so they don't get stuck on their own and so my opponent has to choose which is more important to shoot at. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/266414-swiftclaws-roll-out/#findComment-3245482 Share on other sites More sharing options...
the jeske Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 If your runing an HQ with them . you may as well take an sm cpt on a bike and take sm bikers . higher ws/bs the bikes will be troops and the higher bs helps , if you plan to take an attack bike. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/266414-swiftclaws-roll-out/#findComment-3245848 Share on other sites More sharing options...
d@n Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 If your runing an HQ with them . you may as well take an sm cpt on a bike and take sm bikers . higher ws/bs the bikes will be troops and the higher bs helps , if you plan to take an attack bike. swift claws have a different roll to codex bikers. swift claws are betting in assault and are much cheaper so it all sort of depend on how you want to use bikes in your army. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/266414-swiftclaws-roll-out/#findComment-3245888 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaggy12009 Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 I'm really torn on these guys. While on the one hand, they're tough, fast, have plenty of attacks, and now get HoW. On the other, I'd like to give them guns, but they can't use meltas or flamers without a leader, which can get expensive fast. With so many great options in the codex, I must admit that I haven't given them a thorough play testing. I just can't bring myself to justify the points for the wolf guard, or the squad without the wolf guard. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/266414-swiftclaws-roll-out/#findComment-3245895 Share on other sites More sharing options...
RADU LYKAN Posted November 24, 2012 Share Posted November 24, 2012 i use a squad of 5 with a flamer and powerfist led by a wgbl. they are mobile, hard hitting and hard to kill. when i list what i want from an assault unit those are the most important 3 characteristics to me Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/266414-swiftclaws-roll-out/#findComment-3245985 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khine Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 I think that a Rune priest on a bike with Prescience will actually work better with a Swift claw pack now than a Wolf priest. Reason being is that the Wolf priest only gives them preferred enemy against one unit type while the Rune priest gives re-rolls against all failed hits no matter what unit type you are facing. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/266414-swiftclaws-roll-out/#findComment-3246634 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baluc Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 I think that a Rune priest on a bike with Prescience will actually work better with a Swift claw pack now than a Wolf priest. Reason being is that the Wolf priest only gives them preferred enemy against one unit type while the Rune priest gives re-rolls against all failed hits no matter what unit type you are facing. Preferred enemy is to hit and wound, and doesn't require a test. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/266414-swiftclaws-roll-out/#findComment-3247164 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilytank Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 Question about adding the attack bike: when the codex says "add a swiftclaw attack bike" does that mean that it doesn't go toward the 10 man limit of the pack? In other words, before any Wolf Guard or ICs are thrown in to the squad, can one technically have ten regular bikers and one attack bike? Not that I'd run a ten man squad any time soon (I don't even have any bikers) because they'd be a bit of a points sink, though I'm sure they'd be scary to run into, especially if they get the charge. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/266414-swiftclaws-roll-out/#findComment-3247299 Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlbitz Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 I've always played it as just that. It states "add", so you add. In effect giving you 11 bikes if you max it out before WGPL and ICs. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/266414-swiftclaws-roll-out/#findComment-3247350 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostwolfalpha Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 You can have 11 bikes plus WG/IC. The attack bike isn't worth it in my opinion. I would just deck out the WG instead. I would take two smaller packs instead of one large one. About 4 bikes per unit plus a RP or WP leading one and a WG leading the other. Flamers all the way. If you use a RP with presence, then shooting may be worth it for one unit. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/266414-swiftclaws-roll-out/#findComment-3248391 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilytank Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Well, I put four Marine Bikes (three for the squad and one for a Wolf Guard) on my Christmas list (local shop doing a 10% discount gift list deal thing). I probably won't buy any before that. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/266414-swiftclaws-roll-out/#findComment-3248901 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilytank Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 I think that a Rune priest on a bike with Prescience will actually work better with a Swift claw pack now than a Wolf priest. Reason being is that the Wolf priest only gives them preferred enemy against one unit type while the Rune priest gives re-rolls against all failed hits no matter what unit type you are facing. Don't Switftclaws get to re-roll anyway thanks to twin-linked bolters? Do re-rolls stack? Edit: no they do not. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/266414-swiftclaws-roll-out/#findComment-3249904 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khine Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 I think that a Rune priest on a bike with Prescience will actually work better with a Swift claw pack now than a Wolf priest. Reason being is that the Wolf priest only gives them preferred enemy against one unit type while the Rune priest gives re-rolls against all failed hits no matter what unit type you are facing. Don't Switftclaws get to re-roll anyway thanks to twin-linked bolters? Do re-rolls stack? They do but i was talking things like special weapons and combat. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/266414-swiftclaws-roll-out/#findComment-3249926 Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmyGuyy Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Pre-Science is nice and all, but Preferred Enemy also lets you reroll 1s to wound as well, great for the melta and plasma wounds if you take these weapons. Not to neglect that Wolf Priests give fearless and can take Saga of the Hunter for improved Turbo-Boost saves. Claws take Wolfpriests, Hunters take Runepriests, this is all. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/266414-swiftclaws-roll-out/#findComment-3249973 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khine Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Pre-Science is nice and all, but Preferred Enemy also lets you reroll 1s to wound as well, great for the melta and plasma wounds if you take these weapons. Not to neglect that Wolf Priests give fearless and can take Saga of the Hunter for improved Turbo-Boost saves. Claws take Wolfpriests, Hunters take Runepriests, this is all. Saga of the hunter is Infantry only, so no a wolf priest on bike can't have that. the rerolls to wound against one unit type is good but the Prescience rerolls to hit makes it a more versatile and reliable unit. True they get fearless with the wolf priest but half the time they wouldn't need it. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/266414-swiftclaws-roll-out/#findComment-3249991 Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlbitz Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 I've been using Blood Claw Bikers for years, through several editions of this game, and I think they have seen some improvement over last edition this time round. First, I don't agree with Jeske, and usually I take his advice as very sound. But the Swift Claws of our codex play a different role than that of a Standard Vanilla Captain on a bike. Sure you can attempt to do the same thing, but I feel that the Space Wolves will do it better. The exception of course is that the bikers are not scoring. In 2000 point games, I have been running the following with great success: Wolf Lord on a bike with Thunder Hammer and Storm Shield, Runic Armor, and Saga of the Warrior Born. (He used to have Saga of the Bear, but with a true 5 I am just careful of target selection when assaulting ) Wolf Priest 4 Bikers, one with a Power Fist, yes I go with the fist over the power weapon. 3 hidden fist attacks with a priest on the charge does not suck. I don't bother with special weapons on these guys. I don't find it worth it with their lower bs, and the twin-linked bolter help mitigate their inability to shoot somewhat. I always add an attackbike, but I go with the Heavy Bolter, that is the no brainer choice to me. I know someone mentioned its a waste of points, but I cannot disagree more. For a mere 5 points more than a biker you get a bonus attack, a bonus wound and a heavy weapon! not to mention the ability to use his extra wound in some allocation shenanigans if needed. Wolf Guard pack leader also with a Power fist and a combi-melta on a bike, is also with the pack. So the pack stands at 7 bikers, with the characters included. I should note that this is my main body of bikers, and when fielding them at 2k (which seems to be the new standard around here, sadly) I also run either a 2nd biker pack or a unit of TWC as one fast just doesn't suit my style. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/266414-swiftclaws-roll-out/#findComment-3250922 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roma Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 MM on the attack bike is a must. Period. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/266414-swiftclaws-roll-out/#findComment-3250938 Share on other sites More sharing options...
chezzie Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 MM on the attack bike is a must. Period. I'm currently weighing up the HB vs the MM. Why do you say the MM is a must? Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/266414-swiftclaws-roll-out/#findComment-3250969 Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlbitz Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 I don't agree with the MM on the attack bike being a must. We are talking about Blood Claws here, and they are not very reliable shots. You are spending those points for a 50-50 chance to hit. For an Anti-tank role on the Swift Claws I recommend Melta-bombs for the entire pack. A little more pricey, but much more reliable. Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/266414-swiftclaws-roll-out/#findComment-3251544 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Wilhelm Posted December 3, 2012 Share Posted December 3, 2012 SM and SW are BFFs right? So that means that Khan can join a SW unit and give them hit & run.... ;) That means the unit can really fly around the table, slingshotting off enemy units. Those enemy units are used for cover in the opponent's turn and additional movement at the end of the assault phase [hopefully] Has anyone tried that yet? Link to comment https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/266414-swiftclaws-roll-out/#findComment-3252146 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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