The Jarls of Russ - Crazy idea for an army?

[Devloveslasguns]

Hi everybody, 

 

Long time reader, first-time poster here. So, I've recently got to the capacity of my Guard army (i don't know if that's possible but 6k pts feels enough for now) and I have been mulling over what to do next. Space wolves remain to date my only SM army and I last played them about 25 years ago in early 2nd edition!

 

I also like to build my armies thematically, the rule of cool first and then likelihood to actually win next. However, I think my idea might be a little bonkers but also possibly lethal as well so I would love some feedback from all you current wolves.

 

The idea;

 

An army (2000pts) built from nothing but characters, and that's all ten of them, with some Fenrisian wolf filler. I reckon it will cost me about £400 new. It's got a screen, it pretty quick, it maneuverable with quite a few high-speed units and some deepstriking, it's durable with almost everything having a 4++ or better, it's a bit limited on heavy firepower but it is BRUTAL in hand to hand and it buffs the living hell out of itself!

 

But mainly, I think it would just look awesome on the table and while any list that is typically built on the supreme command detachment is cheesy I feel this list is fluffy as hell.

 

 

Or am I just crazy and wasting my time and money....?

 

 

List is 6cp with one outrider and two supreme command

 

Ulrik the Slayer

Ragnar Blackmane

Harald Deathwolf

Krom DragonGaze

Logan Grimnar on Stormrider

Njal Storm caller in Terminator armour

Lukas the Trickster

Arjac Rockfist

Bjorn the Fell-handed with Twin Las

Canis wolf-born

Murderfang

 

5xFenrisian wolves

5xFenrisian wolves

5xFenrisian wolves

 

This is 1998 points. I may have to drop a character  to take more Fenrisian wolves which bugs me because it undermines the fluff of the list but 15 wolves isn't going to slow the pain down much. Maybe the stormrider and twin Las would be more sensible but again I lovethe idea of Logan in the middle of it all like Odin on his Chariot.

Edited December 14, 2017 by Devloveslasguns

[N1SB]

I love this idea.  I don't know about the effectiveness, but I love the theme.

 

Battles against this army is like an enemy force somehow found these characters having a leadership meeting in the middle of a campaign, and are trying to ambush them.  Being hardy Space Wolves, these characters don't care where or when they fight.  It's like a bunch of robbers bursting into a pub to rob it, only to find it's where policemen go after their shifts, who all calmly look up from their drinks, and one of them very quietly just walks up to the door and locks it behind them.

 

(With that personal interpretation in mind, the only thing I'd humbly suggest is, if you have to drop characters, it'd be Lukas the Trickster first, then others who aren't really involved in the meeting.  But even with that, it's kind of hard to think who goes next, because people like Arjac Rockfist would STAY as the personal bodyguard of the Great Wolf, whereas Bjorn Fell-Handed, despite being a great leader in his own right, might be removed from the list as not to disturb his rest.)

 

I remember when Space Wolves came out in what would turn out to be the end of 1st ed as being the first to have playable characters, like Ragnar Blackmane, Ulrick the Slayer, Njall Stormcaller, etc.  So this Company of Heroes approach makes SO much sense to them in particular.

 

Also, this was an excellent 1st post.  I really, really dig the idea.

[Devloveslasguns]

Thanks for the reply and nice comments. I'm glad it's captured your imagination too. I see them as banded together, full on saga mode, almost mystically appearing where the fighting is most desperate. Charging out of the smoke and fire surrounded by ravens and a great pack of wolves. Like Odin and his favoured Thanes riding forward from Heimdall at the time of Ragnarok.

 

And opening a great big Wolftime flavoured can of wup'ass.

 

Not exactly cannon I know but we write our own stories in 40k (especially with the dross coming out of the Black library these days!)

 

I was playing Chaos warbands on the original rogue trader rules when the first 'hero' space wolves appeared. I remember hating how it destroyed the individuality of the game.

 

Ooh, the Irony!

Edited December 14, 2017 by Devloveslasguns

[PeteySödes]

I may be crazy but they definitely did this on Warhammer TV vs. Tyranids a few months back. I'll keep digging and try to find it.

[Devloveslasguns]

If that is true I have GOT to see that.

[PeteySödes]

Yea its on the Warhammer TV twitch page, the Space Wolves vs. Tyranids battle.

 

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/164358321

[Kasper_Hawser]

My two cents -Drop the damn sleigh from Grimnar. that thing is insulting and humiliating enough as it is for us Wolves for the past 4 years since it came out. As it is, the only character whose fluff and crunch with a Thunderwolf is awesome without making him look like a furry is Harald Deathwolf. Sadly Canis Dogborn still looks and plays sad with his giant squirrel.

 

If you drop the sleigh, then you might have some points left for Wolf Guards instead of Fen wolves.

 

Hope this helps.

[Devloveslasguns]

My two cents -Drop the damn sleigh from Grimnar. that thing is insulting and humiliating enough as it is for us Wolves for the past 4 years since it came out. As it is, the only character whose fluff and crunch with a Thunderwolf is awesome without making him look like a furry is Harald Deathwolf. Sadly Canis Dogborn still looks and plays sad with his giant squirrel.

 

If you drop the sleigh, then you might have some points left for Wolf Guards instead of Fen wolves.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Hi Kasper

 

I think you're right on Grimnar. Being over 10 wounds he's a massive target in it. Plus he can deep strike without it so can come down with Njal and Arjac to bring the pain. The idea of the fen wolves rather than anything else is they have the least individual presence of any other SW model and therefore the least distraction from the visual thematic of the 'Heroes'. JUst a hoard of wolves swarming around them. They are the best way to give a comprehensive screen to the characters and would look cool  Plus they are the cheapest filler in pts and £££'s!

 

Ans yes, Canis does look like he's riding a giant rodent. It is one of the more crappy sculpts out of GW. I'm not sure what bothers me more sometimes, the thought that they have no quality control or the that they do and models like that get through. I think it's the latter.

 

Considering this list is unlikely to go a tournament I may proxy a couple of models with some 3rd party stuff

[Kasper_Hawser]

 

My two cents -Drop the damn sleigh from Grimnar. that thing is insulting and humiliating enough as it is for us Wolves for the past 4 years since it came out. As it is, the only character whose fluff and crunch with a Thunderwolf is awesome without making him look like a furry is Harald Deathwolf. Sadly Canis Dogborn still looks and plays sad with his giant squirrel.

 

If you drop the sleigh, then you might have some points left for Wolf Guards instead of Fen wolves.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Hi Kasper

 

I think you're right on Grimnar. Being over 10 wounds he's a massive target in it. Plus he can deep strike without it so can come down with Njal and Arjac to bring the pain. The idea of the fen wolves rather than anything else is they have the least individual presence of any other SW model and therefore the least distraction from the visual thematic of the 'Heroes'. JUst a hoard of wolves swarming around them. They are the best way to give a comprehensive screen to the characters and would look cool  Plus they are the cheapest filler in pts and £££'s!

 

Ans yes, Canis does look like he's riding a giant rodent. It is one of the more crappy sculpts out of GW. I'm not sure what bothers me more sometimes, the thought that they have no quality control or the that they do and models like that get through. I think it's the latter.

 

Considering this list is unlikely to go a tournament I may proxy a couple of models with some 3rd party stuff

 

 

In the end, it's your idea, I'm not going to put you down for using either the sleigh or the giant squirrel. I just so happen to prefer my Wolves to be viking/nordic/scandinavian/danish/saxon/ rather than Team Jacob from Twilight, therefore disdain most of the ACTUAL wolf animals use in the army. Although Ragnar having a couple of wolves hanging around him as his battle brothers is somewhat palateable, as is Harald Deathwolf whose cunning and prowess goes beyond just riding a giant cannine.

 

As for your "army of heroes", bear in mind that all Wolf Guard are effectively honor guards to their Wolf Lords, so they too are "heroes" more than the standard Grey Hunter/Blood Claw. So I think its good and fitting if you can fit WG of any variety in your list, maybe for Krom who uses the power armoured variety a lot, and can Drop Pod with him.

[jpwyrm]

I love this idea! And it works so well with Space Wolves sagas of Heroes!

 

Maybe you could take Lone Wolves instead of Wolfguards/Fenrisian wolves. They are the last heroes of their pack, looking for a glorious end - sounds about right for your concept!

[Nharvey89]

With the new change to the ways charectors interact with eacj other this hasn't all of a sudden become less impactfull. Now you ignored charectors for the purpose of targeting other characters. Means you can't say hide behind Arjac or move hurt charectors away safely towards Ulric for healing.

[Devloveslasguns]

I know, i like the beta faq. It fixes a lot of if the bs regards to targetting. This list wasnt created to do any of that anyay to be honest. I just like the band of heroes idea and how it would look on the table and coming from guard i could build a new 2kpts in a very different way. I do like the idea of the lone wolf though. It fits the thematic and means i dont have to paint 30 wolves! Edited December 17, 2017 by Devloveslasguns

[Nharvey89]

Ow I completely agree it is fun and it feels epic on the table. But there was something quite cool in that we could have tanks, healers and damage dealers working in a really fun way. I have been doing it though not with all the hq choices and it has been great fun. We don't have the same level as commander spam bs which is largely why the new rule was brought in I feel.

[Sigvard]

I just imagine the enemy (whoever they may be) getting all giddy and bombing a command bunker because they have accurate intel to suggest the entire Space Wolf Chapter command is there, then through vid feeds these figures just stride from the rubble weapons in hand...I totally agree with the others that Wolf Guard would be far more fitting that Fenrisian Wolves.