Xenos Bane --- The return of the Thunderwolf ?!

[L30n1d4s]

I remember a time when Thunderwolf Lords and their brethren dominated the tournament circuit and were the cheesiest units of the day. Several years later, the meta has changed, with 6th edition, flyers, footslogging lists, and the release of numerous codexes within the last year (CSM, DA, Chaos Daemons, Tau, Eldar, and SM coming soon).

 

With all these changes, particularly how 6th edition is begininng to trend, I am predicting a return of the Thunderwolf as a dominant feature in SW competitive lists. Not necessarily the all-powerful, uber-beardy deathstar that we have seen in the past, but a powerful, lynchpin unit for many SW armies... at least until a new SW codex comes out and the whole Fenris balance changes again ;)

 

So, why do I say this? Well, let's look at the basic Thunderwolf stats:

-Basic MEQ stats across the board (WS, BS, I, etc.) except for S5, T5, 2W per model, and 5 attacks base

-Rending on all models and S5 Hammer of Wrath hits on the charge

-Cavalry unit type, so much increased mobility in addition to improved durability/hitting power

 

So, let's take a look at how Thunderwolves fare against each of the new codexes that have been released in 6th edition:

 

1 - CSM --- The standout "power " units of this codex appear to be Plague Marines, Cultists, CSM Bikers, Havocs, Juggerlords, Winged DPs, Obliterators, and of course the infamous Helldrakes. Thunderwolves, backed by a decent SW army, provide the antidote to many of these units. Take for example a "cultist/plague zombie blob" camped on a objective that is difficult to displace... Thunderwolves with their superior mobility can rapidly reach them and, with their high number of attacks, dispatch them in a single turn, thereby not wasting valuable games turns tarpitted by these cheap, expendable CMS troops. Against fast units like Juggerlords, CSM Bikers, and winged DPs, Thunderwolves have the speed to actually catch them and the hitting power (especially with a Thunderlord attached) to break them in close combat. Speed also comes in handy against long-range fire support like Oblts/Havocs, since Thunderwolves can shrug off the heavy firepower (none of them can ID a T5 thunderwolf), and quickly tie these units up in CC, taking them out of the shooting game quickly. Finally, against the Heldrake, because of their large model size, the Baleflamer will only hit 2-3 models at a time, the template will only wound Thunderwolves on a 3+ (due to T5), and they won't kill Thunderwolves on a single go due to having 2W.... in other words, Thunderwolves are one of the best units to "absorb" the Baleflamer hits away from other more vulnerable units and still be able to hit the enemy line and wreak havoc on it in close combat.

 

2 - Dark Angels --- Overall a very solid codex, with some stand-out features from a competitive perspective (Banner of Devestation + Ravenwing, Black Knights with Rad Grenades/Plasma Talons, DW Terminators with Inner Circle DS options, Land Raider + Power Field Generator shenanigans, etc.). While DAs should definitely give Space Wolves a run for their money in this edition, again I think Thunderwolves and Thunderlords provide a very healthy "antidote" against a lot of DA armies/units. Given then speed, Thunderwolves can catch command squads with Banner of Devestation and take them out, thereby unhinging a whole army synergy. Similarly, they can catch fast Ravenwing units and bring them down with sheer weight of attacks... 5 Thunderwolves with no special gear have 30 attacks + 5 Hammer of Wrath on the charge... catching a full 6-bike Ravenwing squad, they cause 20 hits, 10 wounds, and 3-4 (with Rending) dead Bikers.... Ravenwing hit back simultaenously with 13 attacks, 6-7 hits, 2-3 wounds, and 0-1 unsaved wounds, not even killing a single Thunderwolf on average. Against Deathwing, Thunderwolves with an attached Thunderlord can munch through entire expensive DW squads in 1-2 rounds of close combat, then quickly move on to another squad due to their high mobility. Obviously want to avoud DW Knights, as their Smite ability with S10 AP2 will kill an entire Thunderwolf squad in a single turn, but pretty much every other DA unit is quite vulnerable to being ripped to pieces by the Thunderlord+Thunderwolf escort combo.

 

3 - Chaos Daemons --- One of the only true "assault oriented" codexes since 6th edition came out, Daemons can be quite a threat to wolves, especially with a lot of flying MCs and fast moving CC unit, like Hounds and Seekers. In a SW army that is generally focused on shooting (as most SW armies are, even with Counter-attack and Grey Hunter CCW+BP), Thunderwolves provide that critical close-combat counter-punch and/or pre-emptive strike to keep your Grey Hunters, Long Fangs, Rifle Dreads, and CML Wolf Guards shooting turn after turn. In particular, I would say that a tricked out Wolf Lord with TH/SS, Runic Armor, and Saga of the Bear is critical here, since going up against some powerful Daemonic MCs means that you need a beatstick character to break them... i.e. Bloodthirsters and Great Unclean ones are very dangerous, but an uber-Thunderwolf Lord should be able to walk through them with little trouble, especially with 6 S10 Thunderhammer attacks on the charge and a 2+/3++ save backed by 3 T5 wounds and EW. Against camping units like Plageu bearers or Nurgle Soul Grinders that like to sit in cover and hold objectives with Shrouded USR, the Thunderlord/Thunderwolf squad can quickly close the distance and either clear the objective (i.e. nurglings/plague bearers) or removes the long-range aritllery (i.e. Soulgrinder). Finally, against the fast Daemon cavalry, you can fight fire with fire using the great speed, damage output, and durability of Thunderwolves to get the charge and overwhelm their 5++ saves with a a torrent of S5 attacks.

 

4 - Tau Empire --- Ah, they toughest kid on the block right now... an army that shoots like no other in and edition where shooting seems to have the edge (at least for the moment). Well, given that Tau advantages often come from denying cover, improving their BS, etc. etc. via Markerlights, removing Pathfinders and/or Tau Commander + Marker Drone squads is critical to successfully undermining the Tau army. I feel like a broken record, but one of the few SW units with the speed and durability to cross the board and take these markerlights out of the fight is Thunderwolves. Given that S10 is less common in the new Tau codex, Thunderwolves are arguably more durable than before and can be especially useful at catching elite Tau battlesuits in CC, eliminating them from contributing their firepower for several turns.... this is particularly true of Broadsides and Crises Suits, who can put out game changing firepower if not dealth with correctly. Even the new Tau MC, the mighty Riptide, which threatens almost all SW units with its long-range Ion Accelerator, can be neutralized rapidly and efficiently by a fast-moving Thunderwolf squad, especially if led by that kiited out Thunderlord (Riptide T6 and 2+/5++ doesn't look so good when ripped down by 6 S10 AP2 attacks on the charge). Arguably the most dangerous units to Thunderwolves reside in the Tau HS slots.... Hammerheads with Railguns (S10 ID threat), Sniper Drones with an Ethereal (27 BS5 Sniper/Rending shots at 24"), or Sky Rays (potentially volley-firing all 6 Seeker Missiles at BS5 against a Thunderwolf squad in a single round... 5-6 hits, 4-6 wounds, 2-3 dead Thunderwolves in a single volley). This is wear units like Drop-podding Grey Hunters, Outflanking Wolf Priest/Saga of the Hunter + Wolf Guard, and "Behind Enemy Lines" Wolf Scouts prove their worth, getting in the enemy DZ early and tying up their attention for a round or two so that they Thunderwolves can cross the board and get stuck in successfully.

 

5 - Eldar --- Last, but definitely not least, the new Eldar. I would argue that this codex, of all the five new ones in 6th edition, poses the greatest danger to Space Wolf armies as a whole, given the tremendous mobility, flexibility, and firepower it provides savvy Eldar generals. From massed Shurikan bladestorms to ID Wraithcannon weapons to the ability to mass AP3/AP2 shooting in the form of starcannons, massed Starswarm missiles, and highly dangerous short-ranged Aspect Warriors like Fire Dragons and Shiny Spears, the Eldar can bring the heat against MEQ based armies like SWs. Thunderwolves are among the SW units threatened by these Eldar capabilties, but again I would argue that, with proper application and coordination with the rest of the SW army, thunderwolves can actually be the critical element for disrupting Eldar synergy and bringing their army down to size. Take for example the newly improved Guardian Jetbikes (or Windriders, as I believe they are now called): arguably the most capable, cost-effective unit in the Eldar codex, and one of the most point-for-point capable units in the game, these Jetbikes are cheap, durable (at least by Eldar standards), possess good damage capacity, and most of all are FAST.... most SW units would have a hard time bringing them down with shootting (especially with an attached Warlock giving them a 3++ cover save just for moving) and an even harder time catching them in close combat. Enter the Thunderwolves.... with 12" move and up to a 12" charge, due to their cavalry status, they can actually catch Windriders in assault, ignoring all their fancy cover saves, and easily bring them down lots of S5 attacks. In the SW codex, only Swiftclaws, Skyclaws, and Land Raider mounted units have a similar degree of assault mobility and Thunderwolves are far and away the most durable (at least for their cost.... Land Raiders excluded) and potent offensively of these options. In a similar vein, Thunderwolves can intercept and neutralize other highly mobile Eldar units, such as fast Skimmer tanks, Warp Spiders with teleportation packs, and almost all Eldar infantry with Battle Focus/Fleet special rules. About the only Eldar units that can offer Thunderwolves a challenge in close combat are the MCs (Wraithlords, Wraithknight, Avatar of Khaine) and the Wraithblades, with their high Strength AP2/3 attacks. Avoiding these, the Thunderwolves can use their speed to pick engagements with an entire variety of other Eldar units and win these engagements with ease, especially when supported by an attached Thunderlord. As always, supporting the Thunderwolves with a well-balanced SW force is important, as they can't simply go it alone effectively, but in coordination with other SW shooting and melee units, the Thunderwolf Cavalry can truly be game changers and deny the Eldar their critical mobility advantage in 6th edition.

[Wolf Guard Dan]

Good tactical analysis.  I dont run Thunderwolves and I am having a heck of a time dealing with fast armies in this edition with my space wolves.  And the next best unit that shortens the battlefield (Long fangs) get targeted very quickly. I am lucky if I have any left at the end of turn 2.  But I don't want to buy anything new. I have plenty of projects to work on. When I start buying models again, TWs will jump to the top of the list.

[Rift Blade]

Really good break down. I think you analyzed most everything for the codexs mentioned. AS a player who loves his ThunderWolves(I've had to make myself play games without them so I don't get to attached to them. LOL!!!) I agree but your most important point in any the ones discussed has to be the PROPER application. It's not always about charging straight up the board to get to CC as fast as you can though generally it's the best plan. Sometimes you have to skirt things a little to avoid those ID thingies in the other person's army while still posing a POTENTIAL threat to some of his army. Sometimes the mere threat of these guys will make your opponent move a unit somewhere less desirable for them & better for you. I think out of the armies mentioned I think Tau, Eldar & Dark Angels in that order will be the ones that give SW a real challenge. The problem for SW players against these 3 IMO will be that they need different play styles to deal with so in a tournament setting, it will take a really well balanced list to be able to handle these 3.

 

For Tau, the tendency seems to be for them to castle up so template weapons, Jaws & THunder Wolves seem to be the answer. Played against them twice with a draw & a win but I watched them being played a couple times before I played them. With only 2 games in against them, I think maybe I was lucky but believe Wolves will be able to handle them, especially if running a decent pack of Thunder Wolves.

 

Eldar--New kids on the block. Have not played them but both of the guys here that play them say they want to try them out against my Wolves but they're afraid of my TWC. Reading through the codex here & there(waiting for payday to get my own copy) the things that stand out are how agile & quick the army can potentially be & the amount of firepower they can bring to bear. I feel these guys are going to try and dance around their opponent & kill you by death by thousand cuts type deal. Getting these guys into CC combat &/or boxing them in I think will be key. So in come TWC. Our other fast units just won't have the toughness to survive getting close & shutting them down but hopefully I'm wrong. The one thing that is going to cause EVERYONE trouble is Dark Reapers. With these guys going up to squads of 10, they are going to become more threatening then ever before IMO. Looking forward to playing these guys & probably getting my head handed to me for the first several games.

 

Dark Angels--these guys are becoming a known quantity I think. Played against them 6 or 7 times now & have only lost twice. That being said, do not take these guys for granted. The Black Knights are a serious threat to be be focussed fired asap or if you have a Contemptor, charge him in to these guys. Raven Wing can be real pain due to their mobility & the amount of plasma Dark Angels in general bring to the table. They have access to  flyer which has its own issues for SW's as well as their 1st turn teleporting Deathwing squads. Unless bringing multiple TWC units, soften these guys up lots of fire from the rest of your army before charging in with TWC. I've had to sacrifice other packs to slow the rest of his army down while I deal with these squads one at a time with my TWC. A SW player should win but it will be messy & I've never won by any great margin. Seperate  your opponents  squads when ever possible & take them down fast as you can. These dress wearers are a challenge.

 

Thanks for your insights overall. I agree with you that TWC will probably become a popular build, they still are IMO. But I think SW will surprise a few people by coming up with Drop podding & outflanking lists that will give most people run for their money. Hope others read what has been said & give their input as well.

[L30n1d4s]

I agree... Synergy and coherency with the rest of your army is key, as well as having the tactical acumen to not just blindly charge the Thunderwolves accross the board every time.

 

Arguably, Thunderwolves work best when backed up by good long range firepower (i.e. Rifle Dreads, Rune Priests with LL, LongmFangs, Preds, etc.) and other mid-close range threats, like drop-podding Wolf Guard or Outflanking Grey Hunters (using an attached Saga of the Hunter character), as these put the enemy on the horns of a dilemma.... Focus on the Thunderwolves and let the rest of the SW force carve you up, or deal with the support elements and be threatened by the Thunderwolves.

[Grimtooth]

When Thunderwolves came out, they were a a huge double-handed battle axe that would stride into battle bisected everything they hit.  With time, people began to learn how to deal with them with weight of fire and tar-pitting units to delay them or effectively take them out of a battle.  However, I shifted from battle axe mode long before it was needed and changed them to more of a scalpel, surgically taking out parts of my opponents army.

 

Now as has been mentioned, support is always nice, but not so much in terms of, "hey we need help over here" and more like, "holy crap I am dealing with thunderwolves AND drop podding Grey Hunters AND outflanking Grey Hunters.".

[Rift Blade]

Yes, in general that is way I like to run my TWC. LF giving cover fire usually backed up by a RP w LL while the TWC move forward followed closely by a pack or 2 of GH in rhinos. I have toyed with the outflanking WG w/LRC & WP w/SOH but it's a lot of points. Withthe new Tau I've been going back to Drop Pods more as well.

[Grimtooth]

In my last game my WP + GH outflanking took out more then my TWC unit. But the TWC unit did serve its purpose by delaying forward movement by my opponent so that when my GH came in they were able to eliminate a full size Devastator squad, a Tactical squad, and the remains of a Scout squad.

 

One thing that has changed significantly is loadout. Gone are the days of equipment loads to maximize wound allotment; powerfist/bp, ss/ccw, and ss/ccw. Works out amazingly well and the ss/ccw guys have enough attacks and high enough strength to get a good amount of to wound rolls to get sixes for Rending.

[Ghostwolfalpha]

I agree with the scalpel approach. I also like to use them for intimidation and to draw fire. TWC have a reputation and I like to talk it up on the table. Provoke cc based squads into coming after my TWC instead of moving to contest an objective my GH are taking. Get a FMC to make a bold move to head them off only to fall prey to lack of grenades. Put a TWL with them and they will draw more fire then Horus himself, and for good reason. Anything they make contact with aside from the most hardy cc units will fall in droves. I don't send them at elite cc units, I leave that to the big guns.

 

With the current footslogging heavy meta, they are both fun and effective. I cant recommend them enough. Even bare bones they do well.

[pedrogzc]

I arm mine as bro Ramses, but the fist guy with ss; have to try his configuration.

[Vor]

Thunderwolves have never left my list.

 

My standard 2.5k list is 60 Grey Hunters in Drop Pods, along with 10 TWC and two TWC Lords. Devastating, and unbeaten in 6th.

 

Sure, it probably wouldn't win a tournament... but my interest in tournaments is non existent.

 

One of my regular opponents actually wants to play my 3k SW list, under his command, against my 3k Tau list, under my command, this week. Should be interesting to be sure. I've never played against Wolves before.