Thunderwolf Cavalry Tactica Thread

[Gherrick]

 

Ok, i Can see using them in a cavalry focused army to avoid shelling out tons of pointa for termies. But do you need to run the CoF detacent to gain access to the relics in that codex?

 

As far as i know yes.

 

P.s. you could also just take servitors as a dirt cheap elite slot filler. But if you are running a cavalry force anyway IP mesh nicely.

 

Sadly, it was pointed out that if you have an IP in a detachment, servitors will not take up an elite slot, period. If you put the IP in a different detachment, however, you could use servitors in the TWC detachment. Perhaps use two detachments, the first has 2 IP w/ CW, the second one has only servitors to fill the elite slots.

[Valerian]

Ok, i Can see using them in a cavalry focused army to avoid shelling out tons of pointa for termies. But do you need to run the CoF detacent to gain access to the relics in that codex?

Yes, you have to run a CoF Detachment and/or Formation to gain access to the CoF Relics and Warlord Traits.

 

V

[Bonesaw69]

A friend of mine is saying that climbing vertically up a buildig should be difficult terrain for cavalry.

 

Im taking the position that is an unfair penalization for cavalry, you guys have any input on thay?

[BlodVargarna]

Difficult? I'd say impassable but hey Forge the Narrative!

[wulfgar hammerfist]

Ask him to show you in the rule book where it states that. Now, if it is a multi-level ruin, it is difficult terrain for everyone not just cavalry. Even then you simply take your dangerous terrain tests and then take your full movement. Now if it is an actual building like a bunker or a bastion, then its a little different as the rules say to treat it like a vehicle. Those buildings have an armor value ripe foe reaping with S10 fists and hammers. When my opponent castles up in a fortification I just attack the building and roll on the building damage table.

 

Refer to the BRB page 21 (Moving through terrain), page 67 (cavalry), and page 110 (buildings).

 

Clarify with your opponent what each terrain type counts as prior to any dice being rolled. That way you both know how terrain impacts your army and can plan from there.

[Valerian]

Wulfgar has the right of it.

[Ragnars Claw]

I currently run:

 

Wolf Lord (runic armour, storm shield, fist, thunder wolf)

2 x Iron Priests on Thunderwolves

5 Thunderwolves (2 x fist & shield, 1 fist, 1 shield, 1 naked)

 

Allied with white scars chapter master on bike

 

But with the new eldar I'm thinking of switching to multiple characters instead of the unit and then joining a thunder fire cannon in the middle of the board for T7 board control.

[gmaleron]

So I was able to play test a small 1250pts. game tonight and needless to say I got my ass completely kicked! was my first time ever playing against the new Space Marine codex and I have to say grav cannons combined with the Ultramarines tactical doctrine is insanely dirty. However it was a good learning experience and for my local meta it's taught me a few things:

 

-Storm Shields on everyone is totally worth it, especially when helping you survive getting across the table.

 

-Packs of Fenrisian Wolves are also very important, they give you the bodies you need and are great screeners for your Thunderwolf Calvary. On top of that they can assist you with a sold by charging first to soak up overwatch.

 

-Bodies are needed, therefore if pressed for points outside of Stormshield be very careful what you give your units of Thunder wolf cavalry. I probably will be running the mall with storm shield in a single power fist in the squad with melta bombs potentially if there are points available.

[Ragnars Claw]

One thing you can to negate grav weapons a little, assuming you are taking characters, is load up on fenrisian wolves so the majority save of the unit becomes 6+. 

 

Make sure you keep them behind your characters though or they will just get boltered to death first. 

[gmaleron]

In a Squad of x6 Thunderwolves how am I supposed to load up on Fenrisian Wolves outside of the Wolf Lord and Wolf Guard battle leader?

[Ragnars Claw]

You can't unfortunately, which is why it doesn't work as well with the TWC unit. Short of taking a smaller unit of TWC and a bunch of WGBL with wolves. 

 

So if you take 4 TWC, 2 IP, 2 WGBL then you have 4 models with 3+ save, 4 with a 2+ save and 4 with a 6+ save so, assuming you play it the same way in your area, the majority worst case is 6+ save and hence what the grav would be rolling to wound against. 

 

Like I say, not ideal which is one reason I lean slightly towards the unit of characters approach. 

[Bonesaw69]

You can throw an iron priest in there

[TopToffee]

Some guys at the local.shop here said IPs were amazing, i dont see what is so great about them aside from the cyber wolves.

 

Why would i take an IP over another kitted out wolf or a wolf lord even

S10 AP1 attacks.

So I was able to play test a small 1250pts. game tonight and needless to say I got my ass completely kicked! was my first time ever playing against the new Space Marine codex and I have to say grav cannons combined with the Ultramarines tactical doctrine is insanely dirty. However it was a good learning experience and for my local meta it's taught me a few things:

 

-Storm Shields on everyone is totally worth it, especially when helping you survive getting across the table.

 

-Packs of Fenrisian Wolves are also very important, they give you the bodies you need and are great screeners for your Thunderwolf Calvary. On top of that they can assist you with a sold by charging first to soak up overwatch.

 

-Bodies are needed, therefore if pressed for points outside of Stormshield be very careful what you give your units of Thunder wolf cavalry. I probably will be running the mall with storm shield in a single power fist in the squad with melta bombs potentially if there are points available.

Out of interest, what was the 1250 list that you ran?

[gmaleron]

I ran this list:

 

FOC:

 

Champions of Fenris

 

HQ:

 

-Wolf Guard Battle Leader

*w/ Thunderwolf Mount, Runic Armor, Krakenbone Sword, Storm Shield, Bolt Pistol

 

-Wolf Guard Battle Leader

*w/ Thunderwolf Mount, Runic Armor, Wolf Claw, Storm Shield

 

ELITES:

 

-Iron Priest

*w/ Thunderwolf Mount, x4 Cyber Wolves

 

-Iron Priest

*w/ Thunderwolf Mount, x4 Cyber Wolves

 

FAST ATTACK:

 

-x3 Thunderwolf Cavalry

*w/ Frost Sword + Storm Shield, x2 Chainswords, Bolt Pistols + Melta Bombs

 

-x3 Thunderwolf Cavalry

*w/ Frost Sword + Storm Shield, x2 Chainswords, Bolt Pistols + Melta Bombs

 

HEAVY SUPPORT:

 

-Stormfang Gunship

*w/ TL-Lascannon, x2 TL-Multi-Meltas

 

A pretty scary force on paper but I did make some mistakes and had some bad luck:

 

-He had a Demi Company and had a squad of Grav Centurion Devastators protected by a Shield Eternal Captain that basically obliterated my one Wolfstar in a single turn of shooting as he popped the Devastator Chapter Tactic shenanigan. Made the mistake of going first so he counter deployed me pretty well.

 

-My flyer failed to come in which really hurt, I just kept rolling 2's.

 

-When my 2nd Wolfstar got into combat it obliterated an Assault Squad with ease but then was shot to pieces by the Grav Cannons after they won combat, basically those Grav Centurions by themselves nuked my army.

[Ragnars Claw]

Looks like a solid list.

 

Have you thought about splitting everything out into their own units during the game and then pressuring the devastators with as many of them as possible?

 

That way if he shoots a unit then he will kill 1 iron priest or 3 TWC or 1 WGBL (or 2 if he charges out the chapter master).

 

Just figured it may be a better option than keeping stuff grouped into 1 unit to take the full brunt of the devastators shooting.

[Bonesaw69]

If you replaced a WGBL with Harald for outflank, you potentially could have deployed a squad of cavalry close enough to his heavy support that they could have engaged them the turn they came onto the board.

[Valerian]

If you replaced a WGBL with Harald for outflank, you potentially could have deployed a squad of cavalry close enough to his heavy support that they could have engaged them the turn they came onto the board.

 

They could only engage with their Bolt Pistols, since you're not allowed to charge/assault when you arrive from Reserves (with a handful of exceptions).

 

V

[Bonesaw69]

I didnt know that nvm.

 

But is anyone utilizing thunderwolf mounted wolf priests in place of wolf lords?

 

You get FnP on 6+ and preferred enemy for a base of 160

[Bonesaw69]

Just reading through the rules, i am kind of confused. I see things like healing balms, the thunderwolf mount and the battle stanard in special issue wargear, so are all those things available to anyone able to use special issue wargear?

[Vykryl]

Healing balms are part of a Wolf Priest's standard wargear. They are not standard issue or an option for any other unit.

 

Battle standard is an option for Grey Hunters, 1 Pack only I believe. No other unit can take this piece of wargear.

 

Thunderwolf Mount is optional wargear for Wolf Lord, Wolf Guard Battle Leader, Iron Priest. They are part of standard gear for Thunderwolf Cavalry. No other unit can take thus piece of wargear.

[Valerian]

I didnt know that nvm.

 

But is anyone utilizing thunderwolf mounted wolf priests in place of wolf lords?

 

You get FnP on 6+ and preferred enemy for a base of 160

Look at the entry for Wolf Priests; they don't have the option to take Thunderwolf Mounts.

[gmaleron]

One of the biggest issues I feel that should be addressed is the fact that Grav weapon Spam from potentially every Space Marine and Imperial army we face (thanks to Mechanicum as well) is going to be a thing that we are going to see very often. Now after playing a game where a single Grav Centurion Squad wiped out both of my Thunderwolf Deathstars thanks to the Ultramarine Tactic, what are some good ways of dealing with Grav Spam? I don't think we will be able to counter it completely (if someone knows how id love to be proven wrong) but if we can mitigate its damage output before we get into combat I would love some feedback.

[Spazmonkey]

More bodies on the table and MSU.

dosnt matter how many shots you have, if your unit is 5 men you can only kill five men.

Keep units cheap and field more of them.

 

I think alpha strike is now so much more important as well

Turn one is a big deal. removing as many of you opponents models to reduce the overall fire power they can bring to bear on you in subsequent turns.

 

This was always the case, but now that units have become so strong and it is easier to erase units from the board in one turn.

So if you can get an advantage early on in terms of % of firepower you hold on the board before losing any models then you have a big advantage.

 

Also getting into CQC faster with formations like the Annihilation force.

[Gherrick]

I've recently been using a fully armed GH drop pod assault unit to pretty devastating effect. Basically, give everyone a CCW, swap one BP for a PP, take 2 meltaguns, and upgrade one GH to a WGPL, giving him a frost sword and a PP (and possibly meltabombs). Total cost is 273-278pts, but this gives you 4 shots of AP2+, capable of reducing that grav weapon count considerably. Use the 6 remaining bolters either before or after, depending on how many non-grav models are in the way. Use 2-3 of these units, and they won't have much grav left to bother your TWC.

 

If they are drop pod assaulting you, then you have to hold the TWC in reserve, and expect them to make a difference on turn three when they can assault. I just don't see a better tactic to keep your TWC alive. Having Harold around to give his unit outflank will help as well.

[gmaleron]

I kind of like that idea of the single drop pod with Grey Hunters kitted out with melta and plasma, only problem with it that I could even think of is that my opponents would probably adapt to it pretty quickly. I am also planning on taking Bran Redmaw and in his special rules a squad of Grey Hunters can outflanked on the first turn so that is also an option, could stick Bran in the squad as well.