Space Wolves vs. New Codices

[Dahli Llama]

How are the Wolves faring against the updated power codices like Eldar and Tau?

 

I haven't played in over two years, but my local shop has started hosting tournaments again and I'm interested in participating.  I had been running a Logan-wing style list with lots of missile launchers before my break, and I had picked up some IG to use as allies, but that was before the new IG codex dropped.

 

Is there anything specific to consider when facing Eldar and Tau?  Looking at pictures from the last tournament held, there were quite a few Wraith Knights and Tau mechs in the armies.

[Squark]

Tau, Eldar, and a specific build of Chaos Demons are the current boogie-men in the metagame. There are a couple of things to be aware of;

 

1) More is More: 6th edition is about quantity. More units are better than one unit with upgrades. Now, space wolves are better off than most due to wargear discounts left over from 5th edition, but in general, when upgradeing a unit, think about if you could get two units that do roughly the same thing for near the same price.

 

2)Assault requires dedication: With random charge distances and overwatch, charging requires careful consideration. Thunderwolves, bare bones termies (Combi-weapons are fine, but these guys RAPIDLY get too expensive), and Lone Wolves are our main assault units, which is more than a lot of codexes have. I'd honestly reccomend cutting Mark of the Wulfen/Power weapons from your Grey Hunter packs, simply because you will seldom want to charge with them.

 

3)Blessings are bonkers: Quite simply, nerfing psychic defense was one of the stupidest things GW did in 6th edition. Throwing out 3 diviniation buffs is one of the most powerful things you can do in the game. Now, you can't do that with a Rune Priest. So, why do I mention it? Because you, as a space wolf, are one of the only armies that can stop the stupidity (the other being Nids). Get a rune priest into the thick of things, be he in a fast moving pack, or in a drop pod, so you can stop critical blessings from going off.

 

Logan-wing, or at least, a specific flavor of Logan wing, does rather well. Most of the packs look like this

 

7 Wolf guard -231+ points

-4 combi-weapons+bolt pistol

-2 Terminators with storm bolter and power weapon

-Special weapons terminator: heavy flamer is good all around, but if you have the points, CMLs and AssCans don't hurt

-Drop Pod

 

Season with a Logan Bomb and a couple of rune priests.

[Dahli Llama]

Thanks.

 

My typical list has been:

 

Logan

3-4 squads of 5 Wolf Guard with 1 Terminator with CML in each

Sometimes 1 squad of 10 Wold Guard with 2 CML Terminators

2 Lone Wolves in Terminator armor with Chainfist and Shield

2 squads of 5 Long Fangs with Missile Launchers

Occasionally Thunderwolves of varying loadouts

 

For 6th, I was thinking of more Grey Hunter packs in Rhinos for quantity of fire.

The Drop Pod idea sounds interesting, and I've always wanted to try something like that.  I may have to give it a whirl.

[Nrthstar]

I HIGHLY recommend Bran Redmaw, and drop pods, outflank and OBEL.  Our strength, at least for me, has been to keep the opponent guessing.  Footing/Riding across the board gets me nowhere, especially with super fast eldar, and Tau that can jump back and forth.  

 

My next sentence is going to be heretical, but.... My second army are my Necrons.  I started them after I built 4500 points of our Wolves, and I wanted a "bad guy" army.  My Necrons have tabled my local space wolf opponent every time.  Why?  Because he's riding in rhinos or footslogging termies.  I've felt disheartened beating him, but it's just because the old standard doesn't hold up too well.

[Dahli Llama]

How are missile launchers?

 

Against Necrons, they were less than effective, but are Tau and Eldar mostly Armor 12?  Seems like they would be pretty effective against the T4 Tau mechs.

 

Also, what are you using on Rune Priests? 

 

Is it worth taking the Codex powers like Jaws to deal with Riptides and Wraith Knights?  Or is rolling out of the rulebook better?

[Nrthstar]

Rune Priests - If you have long fangs, divination is where it's at.  Giving your MLs re rollables is crucial.  I do like using one in a drop pod to mess up my opponents powers too.  My drop pod priest I take our codex powers, it just feels right.  Maybe it's not the best choice, but I love causing true wolfy mahem.

 

Missile Launchers are the stand by, although I like mixing lascannons in with my MLs, and I run a squad of HBs and PCs also for those pesky spread out horde armies.  Against Tau they work fine.  My experience so far with Eldar have been rough.  That's thanks to my opponent.  His list is near perfection, and he has insane jink saves on everything, so 5-10 strength shots result in a lot of misses.  Eldar are just annoying.

[Dahli Llama]

 Eldar are just annoying.

 

I know.  They were my very first army.  I've been tempted to pull them out again, but I don't really want to buy the new codex and Space Wolves really have become my preferred army.

[Squark]

How are missile launchers?

 

Against Necrons, they were less than effective, but are Tau and Eldar mostly Armor 12?  Seems like they would be pretty effective against the T4 Tau mechs.

 

Also, what are you using on Rune Priests? 

 

Is it worth taking the Codex powers like Jaws to deal with Riptides and Wraith Knights?  Or is rolling out of the rulebook better?

I'd reccomend the codex powers.There are a lot of things that just NEED to die on the first turn, and jaws does that very well. There are cheaper, more efficient sources of divination (Coteaz out of Codex: Inquisition, Tigrius, and Primaris Psykers).

[Nrthstar]

Jaws can do great against the likes of Tau, except monstrous creatures do get a fighting chance, but against Eldar Jaws is only a 1 in 6 chance.

[Rift Blade]

Yeah but hit one those pointy earred units that need to move a lot with MH & watch them drop. And watch your opponents face drop as well. I find we  are still fairly competitive with a couple of different builds.

[Nrthstar]

MH is helpful, but a 1 in 6 chance of them dying isn't really that much of a boone.  You still have to play very smart.

[Nrthstar]

If the rumors are true, we may have a whole new set of options this summer.

[Valerian]

If the rumors are true, we may have a whole new set of options this summer.

 

What rumors, Nrthstar?  A new rulebook isn't really that likely to bring a whole new set of options for us (but it might provide some benefit through other changes to mechanics).  Our codex isn't rumored to drop until next year, unless there is something new on the street from the last day or two.

 

V

[Wolf Guard Dan]

There's something new on the street Valerian.  On Faeit 212 the source  this week that gave the timeline said SW, not BA, will be after the orks codex (which is the next release).  Of course I am skeptical until some photos leak.  The source said that SW and BA were interchangeable, so there is always a chance that they can switch it back.  Always a chance that none of it was true.

 

I am excited to hear this rumor as I will have a lot of free time this summer.  And my main opponent plays orks.  Should be some fun battles ahead with updated codexes for each of us.

[Valerian]

Thanks Dan, hadn't spotted that yet.  As I have Orks in addition to my Wolves (and Grey Knights), this could prove to be an exciting year for me; especially considering the rumored 6.5 drop, too.

 

V

[Rift Blade]

Yeah. I did manage to have time to see that rumour over on BOL but until a little more info, I won't hold my breath. But seeing as spring summer fall is my busy time at work, maybe it's true. Means I'll probably have to buy the new stuff & leave it till late fall before I can really sit down with it.

[Dahli Llama]

Interesting.  I hadn't heard of any Ork or Wolves rumors, but I figured they had to be soonish, because they are getting pretty old.

[Fytharin]

A SW & Ork set??? I'd probably wet myself to be honest...that would be amazing if it really happened.