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CoF tax: servitors vs lone wolves


SonOfThunder

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Hi all, I've recently been taking a look at the fabled Company of the Great Wolf detachment, and the flexibility it brings. As so many others before me, I'm trying to pack as many TWC in as few points as I can. That part is easy enough and there's already plenty of samples. I'm also trying a combined TWC + jump list, but in that case the elite tax goes to WG+JP so there's no issues.

 

My doubt is in the 2 elite tax. Servitors are the cheapest option, but they will do nothing at all during the whole game. Naked lone wolves are almost as cheap but the stat line and rules are vastly superior, so even for camping an objective out of LoS, they are still better at holding it if the opponent decides to take it over. In KP missions they don't give points away, and they are also more able to contribute to killing something with a bit of luck.

 

I usually play against nids, and they tend to close the gap themselves, footslogging is not an issue. Also, the krakenbone sword is not better than a wolf claw on the wolf lord against them, so that's some more saved points that can be used to upgrade the servitors.

 

Part of me tells me I could give my TWC an extra shield instead, but at the same time I compare servitors and lone wolves in the dex and can't really make up my mind.

 

Opinions/advice?

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Hi all, I've recently been taking a look at the fabled Company of the Great Wolf detachment, and the flexibility it brings. As so many others before me, I'm trying to pack as many TWC in as few points as I can. That part is easy enough and there's already plenty of samples. I'm also trying a combined TWC + jump list, but in that case the elite tax goes to WG+JP so there's no issues.

 

My doubt is in the 2 elite tax. Servitors are the cheapest option, but they will do nothing at all during the whole game. Naked lone wolves are almost as cheap but the stat line and rules are vastly superior, so even for camping an objective out of LoS, they are still better at holding it if the opponent decides to take it over. In KP missions they don't give points away, and they are also more able to contribute to killing something with a bit of luck.

 

I usually play against nids, and they tend to close the gap themselves, footslogging is not an issue. Also, the krakenbone sword is not better than a wolf claw on the wolf lord against them, so that's some more saved points that can be used to upgrade the servitors.

 

Part of me tells me I could give my TWC an extra shield instead, but at the same time I compare servitors and lone wolves in the dex and can't really make up my mind.

 

Opinions/advice?

 

Both work just fine. Servitors can sit on an objective and score it. LW are only useful against aggressive and less mobile armies. LW also can not score.

Depends on your preferences really, which seem to tend towards the LW.

A word of warning, however. One LW does not take a slot for each GH or WG unit in your army. If they do not take a slot, they can not be your mandatory selections.

Ups, have to properly read the LW entry, I think I stopped at the stat line and specialrules :)

 

In general I like to worry more about killing and less about objectives, but a footslogger cc single guy won't see too much cc at all!

 

I think what I like less is the idea itself of servitors being brought along your army of tough guys and just leaving them drooling on an objective. It makes so little sense it hurts almost as much as an empty drop pod used to round up your 1st turn wave, and then proceed to score objectives with it. However I've done the drop pod thing, so I can totally do the servitor one and not feel dirtier for it :)

Ups, have to properly read the LW entry, I think I stopped at the stat line and specialrules smile.png

In general I like to worry more about killing and less about objectives, but a footslogger cc single guy won't see too much cc at all!

I think what I like less is the idea itself of servitors being brought along your army of tough guys and just leaving them drooling on an objective. It makes so little sense it hurts almost as much as an empty drop pod used to round up your 1st turn wave, and then proceed to score objectives with it. However I've done the drop pod thing, so I can totally do the servitor one and not feel dirtier for it smile.png

See it the other way around, maybe the Servitor is no Servitor at all, but a Skjald taking cover and taking the account of the battle, or maybe it is an analytical servitor checking stuff out, maybe it is a civilian taking cover, or a gagged opponent sent forward to terrify the opposition.

The empty may be just a distraction. Imagine, a pod drops down and the enemies swarm around it, ready to pounce on the people inside. But then, the door do not open, they blow open to reveal a Deathwind Missile system that hails death on the surrounding enemies.

I like to imagine my Servitors being just a little on the "special" side of intelligent. They don't have much to say and they can usually do what they're told as long as somebody reminds them every now and then. So when the fighting starts and the Iron Priests turn their eyes towards the battle, the occasional Servitor will absentmindedly wander forward into the thick of battle completely oblivious to the fighting, looking for an interface terminal to plug into. Often times, as the Thunderwolf Cavalry is riding back to the extraction point they will stumble across a lost Servitor still trying unsuccessfully to plug into a tree stump or pile of ruble.

I like to imagine my Servitors being just a little on the "special" side of intelligent. They don't have much to say and they can usually do what they're told as long as somebody reminds them every now and then. So when the fighting starts and the Iron Priests turn their eyes towards the battle, the occasional Servitor will absentmindedly wander forward into the thick of battle completely oblivious to the fighting, looking for an interface terminal to plug into. Often times, as the Thunderwolf Cavalry is riding back to the extraction point they will stumble across a lost Servitor still trying unsuccessfully to plug into a tree stump or pile of ruble.

 

Thank you for this very engaging story. I can not get that image out of my skull now :D

Don't have my dex in front, I need to double check several things...like this.

 

Immersturm mentioned earlier that each WG or GH squad gives you a free slot for a LW. Is that the only way to get them?...the implication was that if I have no GHs or WGs I can still take LWs, but then they will occupy an elite slot as usual, and as such I can use them to pay taxes.

 

If this is not the case, then this whole thread is pointless :)

Don't have my dex in front, I need to double check several things...like this.

Immersturm mentioned earlier that each WG or GH squad gives you a free slot for a LW. Is that the only way to get them?...the implication was that if I have no GHs or WGs I can still take LWs, but then they will occupy an elite slot as usual, and as such I can use them to pay taxes.

If this is not the case, then this whole thread is pointless smile.png

I read it the same as you.

Don't have my dex in front, I need to double check several things...like this.

 

Immersturm mentioned earlier that each WG or GH squad gives you a free slot for a LW. Is that the only way to get them?...the implication was that if I have no GHs or WGs I can still take LWs, but then they will occupy an elite slot as usual, and as such I can use them to pay taxes.

 

If this is not the case, then this whole thread is pointless :)

No, its a good to to see other peoples thoughts. It could be my understanding of the rules are incorrect. I've been wrong before- there was that one time I thought I was mistaken.

The IP is 30 pts more expensive than a TWC with hammer, and he can be singled out, which is bad news for anyone with a hammer. IPs pay a big tax for their other advantages, vehicle related, but I wouldn't be using those. Don't know if they can bolster defenses as well, but since I won't have a static gunline component, that's no use either. I'd rather just have a regular TWC with hammer hidden in the unit and a lonely servitor, even if it's a bit out of character. The IP is out of character as well, imho.

 

The advantage of the IP is thematic, in that it allows you to have a 100% cavalry army, but that isn't my goal, I just want something cheap to pay the elite tax for low point armies. For higher points I don't want a list that only has one type of unit, I like to have some variety, so the elites can be WG, dreads, or similar. At some point I'd like to try an army with Murderfang and a shield dread podded, see how that goes. At the very least hopefully they'll take some pressure off the TWC.

 

Thanks for the suggestion though!

I meant in cc, through challenges, which must be issued and accepted with this detachment. I know there's the sergeant, and if he runs with the wolf lord then he's already the 3rd character in the squad, but still. Regular TWC + hammer and servitor is 20 pts cheaper than IP. The IP can leave the unit and assault something else or do some objective grabbing, but that's the only advantage I can see, and the servitor is supposed to be on an objective himself (itself?). Working on a budget here :)

As you say, he's the second or third character in the squad. Being forced into a challenge is possible but not likely. On the other hand, he has a 2+ Lo,S! so is much less likely to take a hit due to positioning/random allocation etc.

 

Regarding other advantages, his servo arm attacks are AP1, and he has a 2+/6++ save. That said, he only has WS4.

 

Not saying the servitor is a bad idea or anything. Just that i'd always take the iron priest myself.

I meant in cc, through challenges, which must be issued and accepted with this detachment. I know there's the sergeant, and if he runs with the wolf lord then he's already the 3rd character in the squad, but still. Regular TWC + hammer and servitor is 20 pts cheaper than IP. The IP can leave the unit and assault something else or do some objective grabbing, but that's the only advantage I can see, and the servitor is supposed to be on an objective himself (itself?). Working on a budget here smile.png

Worth noting that the 20 pts also covers the iron priest having a 2+ save, whereas the standard TWC with hammer only has a 3+

So even though he can be singled out, there are very few weapons that will get through his armour unless hitting at the same initiative as him.

Also he then gets you free slot servitors - which is pointless if you are looking to use servitors to ill out those elite slots i guess.

Question - if you take an iron priest...can you choose to not use the 'free servitor slot' rule and instead choose to take a servitor as an elite choice?

SInce Cyberwolves are all Characters the IP cant be technically be singled out through Challenges.

haha id forgot about that, really expected that to get FAQd out of existence at somepoint!

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