Updating WOLF SCOUTS

[maverik_girl]

Gone are the days of old, when a majority of people such as myself, never left home without a pack of Wolf Scouts. Just like in my previous thread about Blood Claws; What do you think needs to be tweaked or changed to make it more appealing to field Wolf Scouts in a future SW codex.

 

I think what hurt us is the fact that they are unable to assault as soon as they enter the enemy table edge. Which made allot
of people re-think how to use Wolf Scouts. Before Wolf Scouts were used as suicide pack(s) which was fine because they paid back their points with their objective. Oh how our opponents feared them in their day! but I do I think it's cool how most people have adapted their play style/strategy and went the sniper wolf wat, but for me it hasn't been the same since. Now I'm sure there are people out there, like myself who feel the same way. Keep in mind I'm still new to the hobby, with a few games in this edition under my belt so I'm still learning. But after reading through the Heresy Book on legion reconnaissance squad. It made me think... wow these are what SW scouts should be!

 

My take on an update should be: Bring back their pack size to 5 instead of 10. Smaller pack size gives makes them harder to spot, while giving these guys power armour. Now I know most of the older wolves would object with power armour... but to be quite honest, if reconnaissance squads back in the HH were able to do so wearing power armour, why not now with our Wolf Scouts? Even before the book came out with the reconnaissance squad rules, we were shown artwork of SW recon pack wearing power armour (pg 69 Horus Heresy: Collected Visions). I say power armour only because since they can't be the suicide packs they were back then, they might as well try to hold their own on the table top making them more survivable.

 

Those touched by Lokyar are hardened veterans, experienced warriors who know the art of death and mayhem. So maybe having one access to a heavy weapon like lascannon or plasma cannon would be logical?! I mean sure we already have access to a missile laucher, and a heavy bolter.. but why stop there when you're already behind enemy lines? Anyway that's my take.. what are some of yours?

[Grimtooth]

I absolutely NEVER agreed that Wolf Scouts should be used as suicide squads.  I felt that it did a disservice to the unit and the fluff surrounding the unit.  With what I bought in the rebuild of my Wolves army, it included a pack of Wolf Scouts.  I am not sure how I will use them now with the inability to assault upon the turn arriving, but whatever I do, it will not involve them being a throwaway pack.

 

I am not so sure as changing them back to being able to assault the turn they arrive.  That encouraged the throwaway mentality.  However, they do need something like camo cloaks to improve their survival rate when they arrive from a board edge into cover for example. 

[Valerian]

What's the USR that gives a unit +2 to Cover Saves? Stealth? Just give them that; it's really the only thing they need to be useful again. Their only real shortcoming they have in 6e is their vulnerability to shooting when they walk on the board, so address that vulnerability (with a rule that fits the fluff anyway), and jobs a good 'un.

 

They walk on, spend a turn shooting from some cover, and assault the following turn.

 

Valerian

[eyeslikethunder]

Shrouded is the 2+ to cover save USR

[Valerian]

That's the one; thanks ELT.

 

V

[dswanick]

What's the USR that gives a unit +2 to Cover Saves? Stealth? Just give them that; it's really the only thing they need to be useful again. Their only real shortcoming they have in 6e is their vulnerability to shooting when they walk on the board, so address that vulnerability (with a rule that fits the fluff anyway), and jobs a good 'un.

They walk on, spend a turn shooting from some cover, and assault the following turn.

Valerian

Agreed.

[Rift Blade]

Or amend BEL so it lets one pack of Wolf Scouts assault & stops players using 2 or 3 packs(I've seen this) to throw the enemy into a tizzy. Camo cloaks &/or shrouded would be a good fix. What about the turn they come on, allow them to set up anywhere within 6" of the board edge they come on(IE-they don't move on, they were there all along waiting for that precise moment) to spring an ambush & be able to fire as if standing still. IE--firing a heavy weapon without snap firing?

[Wulfebane]

Improved save via cloaks/shroud. Wouldn't mind seeing some sort of laser painting a key unit once per game, like on a defiler that always gets put out of los from my LFs and barrages.

 

Most of all, and I'll QQ every day til I die, I miss my blind grenades from 2E. I'd kill to have those back. Along with this notion, I'd be willing to restrict it to a single grenade launcher rather than pack-wide and additionally give us some of those GK psyk-o grenades.

[Castellan Michael]

I agree with your assessment of Wolf Scouts Maverick_girl. I love the HH Wolves, the Wolf Recon Packs make more sense than the currant Scouts. But as a old guard player I know there would be a lot of groaning over such a big change in 40k from 30k. Those FW models do look great.

[Jarl Deathwolf]

I'd like to see the Wolf Scouts getting Precise Shots as if they were all characters, improved stealth and maybe a 5+ on Precise Shot instead of the usual 6+. In this case, maybe up their price, and limit the pack to 5. They are loners; they don't want to be with more people than necessary. Camo cloaks would be nice. Moving in the assault phase could represent how they are never quite where the enemy would expect them to be. 

 

Perhaps make a single vehicle (chosen after deployment, before the first movement phase of the enemy) automatically take a penetrating hit turn 1 if there is at least 1 wolf scout in your army list. Why? They sabotaged it earlier. Maybe a rule could be put into place to represent the Scouts cutting the enemy supply lines; in return, the Wolf Scouts take a penalty for reserves to represent them working behind the scenes to mess with enemy forces.

 

Just a few thoughts.

[dswanick]

I'd like to see the Wolf Scouts getting Precise Shots as if they were all characters,

Give them Sniper Rifles...

[Jarl Deathwolf]

 

I'd like to see the Wolf Scouts getting Precise Shots as if they were all characters,

Give them Sniper Rifles...

With all their weapons. Not just Sniper Rifles. Though that may be a bit much, I'd certainly like having their sniper shots be precise on a 5+. Then I'd have incentive to field my Sniper Scouts more often, as they can neutralize a unit without killing it entirely, leaving my Long Fangs free to kill the really important stuff. 

[Greylocke]

I'd like to see the rules changed to make them more like the traditional scout role. Limit pack numbers to 1-3 models. Then give them stealth and infiltration skills for the purpose of sabotage and assassination. Give them some unique sniper and demolition skills. Maybe add a bonus for targeting as they call in and direct fire for LF units (or air units when/if we get them). Scouts are supposed to run amuck behind the lines causing annoyance and havoc. Leave the heavy hitting to the GH and LF. Last, since scouts are supposed to get in, do their mission and get out with out being seen there should be some kind of penalty if they take fire and if they don't get back off the table by the final turn of the game. 

[maverik_girl]

I'd like to see the rules changed to make them more like the traditional scout role. Limit pack numbers to 1-3 models. Then give them stealth and infiltration skills for the purpose of sabotage and assassination. Give them some unique sniper and demolition skills. Maybe add a bonus for targeting as they call in and direct fire for LF units (or air units when/if we get them). Scouts are supposed to run amuck behind the lines causing annoyance and havoc. Leave the heavy hitting to the GH and LF. Last, since scouts are supposed to get in, do their mission and get out with out being seen there should be some kind of penalty if they take fire and if they don't get back off the table by the final turn of the game.

Mmm I like that idea! maybe something similar to a chooser of the slain boost. Granting Long Fangs a re-roll to hit? or granting higher BS until said pack of 3 or 5 Wolf Scout are killed off. Kinda rely how Scouts help coordinate enemy targets.

[Durfast Spiritwolf]

It would be shame if we were limited to five WS, six being traditional and all :)

[Greylocke]

Never let tradition get in the way of tactical advantage! Keeping the pack small means less point cost. A two or three person team can cause a lot of chaos and slip away for a few points.

[eyeslikethunder]

Like the penetrating hit. And laser pointer /shooting bonus ideas

 

How about reposition one /d3 enemy units at deployment to represent the disruption sown.

[Greylocke]

I was thinking about getting to mess around with teleport homers and other units arriving from reserve to represent communications disruption.

[Jarl Deathwolf]

I was thinking about getting to mess around with teleport homers and other units arriving from reserve to represent communications disruption.

Maybe as long as the Wolf Scouts are in reserves you can force the enemy to re-roll one reserve roll (per Wolf Scout pack) each turn? 

[Reichfaust]

I have always loved the idea of power-armoured snipers or scouts, and really loved seeing the recent Legion squads from FW. I like the idea of them taking a single heavy weapon of any type. And while spotting targets is awesome, I think we're heading into Markerlight territory.

 

Personally I'd like to see them  at their current 5E statline but with Power Armour and Camo Cloaks by default. They'd have Bolt Pistol and CCW standard, plus a choice of either Sniper Rifles or Marine Shotguns (because seriously why don't we have Shotguns?), and one heavy weapon per squad, while retaining their current upgrade options as well (Mark of the Wulfen, power weapons etc).

 

...And if we're wishlisting, some way to allow them to charge from OBEL. Maybe an expensive upgrade character or something? I miss it.

[DanPesci]

Im quite happy with them in current form (i currently run 5xSniper, 1xH,Bolter - usually with 2 packs of these if i take them), however id really like to see camo cloaks/stealth as an option at least, and i love the idea of 5+ precision shots with snipers ;)

Maybe some 'specialist' options upgrades you could choose but have to take on the whole squad - so one to make them better precision shot, one to make them better during OBEL, one to make them better sabateurs.

I think that would fit in with the fluff of them being some of our most veteren brothers (rather than trainees).

I dont think it will happen though - i know for a fact that my housemate would complain about something like this, as he already fears my BS4 snipers (never mind that his scouts get 2+ cover saves!)

[Grey Mage]

I think shrouded would be a marvelous fix, and probably worth a points increase to 16 per model.

 

I dont think theres any need to give them more advanced heavy weapons though. Missile launchers are simple, easy to carry, etc- a man portable lascannon much less so.

 

Id also like to see them have the option to take beacons- that would give infiltrating them a whole new strategic angle.

[Wulfebane]

Just had a thought. Being that our scouts are veterans, maybe take a page from the only veteran scout character, Telion.

 

Now we don't need his stats, or special rules, but something I'd be keen to acquire for my scouts to differentiate them further from SM scouts...

 

Stalker-pattern boltguns.

[WG Vrox]

Not that it would make much of a difference in 6th, but as long as we are wishing, give us back our shotguns. I just like the option for modeling/fluff purposes. 

 

Any changes should focus on their role as OBEL saboteurs. It's obvious to their decline in being  used that the OBEL special rule and their limited weapons/wargear loadouts no longer give the scouts enough of an edge to account for their point cost.

 

Just to sum up some of the things suggested, what if scouts could have loadout options like our HQ can take Sagas, such as:

 

Disrupter:  Unit gains the Tank Hunting special rule as well as the rule that one vehicle deployed within 12 inches of the scouts final deployment after infiltration and scout moves can be moved up to 6 inches before the beginning of turn 1.

 

Sabator: Unit gains the Armorbane special rule on all their weapons and must exchange their heavy weapon options for an additional special weapon. 

 

Strike Support: Unit gains the shrouded special rule and must exchange their heavy weapon option for either a marker light or one model may carry a beacon

[Karack Blackstone]

Space Wolves Wolf Scouts:

 

Add the option for a 5 to 6 man pack to take a Land Speeder Storm for xx points, and keep all their normal rules otherwise. 

 

Sure, we'll pay through the nose for that, but I'd sure love to see what Wolf Scouty havoc arises from this lovely option.