Choice Bits from the Wolves new Index Astartes article

[Wispy]

Got my copy and the whole thing is great. 

I threw out a choice bit earlier, but here are some things i found intriguing, that shed some light on Primaris integration into the Wolves

 

1. This really incredible Logan Grimnar quote

"‘I have witnessed these warriors fight tooth and nail. No, they have not yet torn the throat from a cave bear or fought through Asaheim’s storms. But in their hearts is the ice-fire blood of the Wolf King! We will show these brothers what it means to fight and die for Fenris. Or would you rather turn our kin away – OUR KIN – and have them taught to march and parade with polished arms for Macragge’s honour?’ – Logan Grimnar, the Great Wolf"

 

 

2. Primaris Pack Progression 

"All of a Great Company’s fiery-tempered and often reckless warriors fight in claw packs marked with jagged sigils in yellow and red. These commonly fight as Blood Claws or Incursors, Swiftclaws or Inceptors, or in similarly aggressive roles. Once their Wolf Lord is satisfied that they have been sufficiently blooded, that their choler has been tempered by maturity, they become a hunter pack and re-dedicate their pack markings in red and black..."

 

Goes on to describe Grey Hunters, Suppressors, and Intercessors as using Red and Black markings. The whole bit has me making plans for some Incursors with a heavy Blood Claw feel, with side-knives and side-axes in both hands.

 

3. A new, Cult of Morkai is burgeoning amongst the Reiver packs across the Great Companies

"So embedded is this way of war in the Sons of Morkai Great Company that some packs have fought as Reivers for decades. They darken their armour to the hue of a midwinter hurricane and embrace the grim nature of Morkai – the Fenrisian mythic being who guards the underworld – even more closely. This growing sect’s renown has spread through the Chapter, and the practice is now found in every Great Company."

 

 

There's also a bit about how there was some missing components to the Primaris making tech provided - they had no idea how Cawl got the Canis Helix into the Wolf Primaris he made and he didn't provide the Wolves with his method, so new Primaris Initiates made on Fenris have to drink from the Cup of the Wulfen like all Space Wolves before them.

 

 

Really great issue of White Dwarf. If you're trapped at home and social distancing like I am, I encourage you to grab the issue off Warhammer Digital for $10 and give it a read.

https://www.warhammerdigital.com/White_Dwarf/white-dwarf-march-epub-2020.html?basket_add=1&basket_item=12474

Edited March 22, 2020 by Wispy

[PeteySödes]

Thanks for sharing that! Mine is always a week+ late. Now the question is do I add some to my CotGW or start something entirely new... I'd be lying if I said I hadnt painted and intercessor or two in some interesting new company markings.... 

[Wispy]

i would love to see you model some crazy dual-wielding-blood-claw-incursors, petey. everyone's guns slung away, all hands on the knives.

[VIth]

Nice. I’m glad they’re rethinking the battlefield roles: the most irksome for me is making Aggressors black and white for long range support like Long Fangs. Even if Aggressors weren’t armed with two powerfists for close combat (and they are), their guns are 24” bolters and 9” flamers. What about that screams “Long Fang” to GW? I’m hoping they make them Wolf Guard equivalents if not Grey Hunter equivalents.

[Wispy]

Nice. I’m glad they’re rethinking the battlefield roles: the most irksome for me is making Aggressors black and white for long range support like Long Fangs. Even if Aggressors weren’t armed with two powerfists for close combat (and they are), their guns are 24” bolters and 9” flamers. What about that screams “Long Fang” to GW? I’m hoping they make them Wolf Guard equivalents if not Grey Hunter equivalents.

 

heheh, you might find this one intriguing "Gunnar Red Moon’s Great Company, the roaring, laughing bear of a Wolf Lord favours his experienced fang packs and the destruction they unleash. Many of his hunter packs defy convention and also fight as Aggressors, eager to secure his notice." 

[Wolf Guard Dan]

Got my copy and the whole thing is great. 

 

I

 

There's also a bit about how there was some missing components to the Primaris making tech provided - they had no idea how Cawl got the Canis Helix into the Wolf Primaris he made and he didn't provide the Wolves with his method, so new Primaris Initiates made on Fenris have to drink from the Cup of the Wulfen like all Space Wolves before them.

 

 

 

Cawl is culturally woke to Fenrisian norms.

[Guest Triszin]

im still trying to figure out what color is   " MIDWINTER HURRICANE " is

[PeteySödes]

im still trying to figure out what color is " MIDWINTER HURRICANE " is

I actually kind of like how it’s a weird ambiguous color people could interpret differently.

[Guest Triszin]

I imagine its a dark grey, with tints of blue and green.

[HvitrValdyr]

I was writing my own Primaris fluff where Aggressors, Incursors and others were Grey Hunter equivalents because I also was not a fan of the battlefield roles schtik. Gonna have to wait and see what changes this article brings.

[Dark Shepherd]

Elites is definitely a better home for Aggressors

 

They seemed to go out of their way to mention ye olde vehicles being involved in battle alongside Primaris

[NightHowler]

Wispy, thank you for that. It warms my heart a little that GW has made it clear that new Primaris are made on Fenris from Fenrisians who drink from the cup of Morkai, and progress through the ranks the way non-Primaris Vlka Fenryka do. I needed that.

[VIth]

Bought the magazine. It reconfirmed that Aggressors are Primaris Long Fang equivalent, which, again, is just... ugh. Why? Does *Aggressor* sound like the level-headed support personality, let along long range support role? Should just make Aggressors and Veteran Intercessors Wolf Guard. Ideally there will eventually be an upgrade sprue(s) that will allow for additional weapon options, however, I’m not one who expects that while GW is still fleshing out there vanilla Primaris line. Anyway, that’s how I’m marking my pure Primaris Space Wolf army (Aggressors and Veteran Intercessors as Wolf Guard). Edited March 22, 2020 by VIth

[Wispy]

Bought the magazine. It reconfirmed that Aggressors are Primaris Long Fang equivalent, which, again, is just... ugh. Why? Does *Aggressor* sound like the level-headed support personality, let along long range support role? Should just make Aggressors and Veteran Intercessors Wolf Guard. Ideally there will eventually be an upgrade sprue(s) that will allow for additional weapon options, however, I’m not one who expects that while GW is still fleshing out there vanilla Primaris line. Anyway, that’s how I’m marking my pure Primaris Space Wolf army (Aggressors and Veteran Intercessors as Wolf Guard).

i don't really get your griping in this regard. long fangs have big guns, aggressors have big guns.

 

they aren't called long fangs because of the length of their teeth, not the distance they shoot at.

[Wispy]

Wispy, thank you for that. It warms my heart a little that GW has made it clear that new Primaris are made on Fenris from Fenrisians who drink from the cup of Morkai, and progress through the ranks the way non-Primaris Vlka Fenryka do. I needed that.

the only actual thing i need from GW next is to give those units wolfy names.

[Dark Shepherd]

. Edited March 22, 2020 by Dark Shepherd

[PeteySödes]

That’s why you just name the packs and everyone you play will side eye you like the wolf nerd I....ahem...you are...

[Wispy]

That’s why you just name the packs and everyone you play will side eye you like the wolf nerd I....ahem...you are...

"And so I place down the Longslayers, the Saga-Enders of Kortoll..."

 

"Wait, wait? Those are Eliminators."

 

"No. They are Harald's Longslayers. Keep Up."

[PeteySödes]

 

 

That’s why you just name the packs and everyone you play will side eye you like the wolf nerd I....ahem...you are...

"And so I place down the Longslayers, the Saga-Enders of Kortoll..."

 

"Wait, wait? Those are Eliminators."

 

"No. They are Harald's Longslayers. Keep Up."

See? And that’s only a quarter as obnoxious as the entire death guard naming scheme so we’re golden!

[Closet Skeleton]

Aggressors are short ranged fire support in codex armies, they do stand still and shoot more than they get to punch. Longfang aggressors seem unlikely but not unworkable.

[The Saint Ragnar]

I like to thing Aggressors make sense as Long Fangs as only the tempered and longest in teeth would have the control to be that close to the enemy and not go charging into them instead of firing disciplined shots into their key targets. I would imagine they are the more recently promoted Long Fangs, still fresh from their Grey Hunter packs. As they age and grow in tooth, they switch out to Suppressor or Hellblasters packs.

[Leif Bearclaw]

Kinda surprised this is going down so well tbh. The entire Primaris system doesn't really gel with the SW system, and this reeks of a clumsy stapling job to patch a hole, rather than a week thought out progression for the Chapter. This seems far more 'Codex-ifying' for the Wolves than getting Doctrines did, yet the reactions have been pretty much opposite.

 

Still no mention of Primaris WG? (No, Veteran Intercessors are not a valid WG replacement).

 

Also, why in Inceptor (a heavily armoured guy with short range heavy firepower) a suitable BC analogue, but Aggressor (another heavily armoured guy with short range heavy firepower, but also the practical option to melee) a Long Fang analogue? It just doesn't add up.

 

There's also even less justification for BCs to be BS4+ now, as similarly 'green' Primaris units have proper Marine BS.

[PeteySödes]

I can only speak for myself but in the end, I want it all to make sense and succeed. I still am burned a bit by how it all went down but at least with this they are trying to fit it together.

 

You’re right though, it seems to be received pretty well for something so small(ish). Imagine had that been the treatment at the outset and this not left to fester for so long. That said, I’m glad it is, this stuff doesn’t have to be binary with primaris and firstborn. We seem like one of the chapters best served to represent that and I think that’s a step in the right direction.

[Oshikai]

I would hardly compare an Inceptor being shot down into the Atmosphere like a living Virus Bomb to an Aggressor in his Battlefield Role and Temperament...or length of Fang. 

 

Edit: I`ll be honest, in my eyes they are doing better than I would have feared with the Fluff, will be interesting to see how the Codex turns out down the Line and how they adress Things further.

Edited March 23, 2020 by Oshikai

[DanPesci]

Kinda surprised this is going down so well tbh. The entire Primaris system doesn't really gel with the SW system, and this reeks of a clumsy stapling job to patch a hole, rather than a week thought out progression for the Chapter. This seems far more 'Codex-ifying' for the Wolves than getting Doctrines did, yet the reactions have been pretty much opposite.

 

 

 

100% agree here. Honestly quite shocked that so many people seem pleased with this fluff when it seems so last minute bolted together and really doesn't mesh well with old SW lore or new primaris lore ...or actual tabletop rules.

 

This for example:

 

"These commonly fight as Blood Claws or Incursors, Swiftclaws or Inceptors, or in similarly aggressive roles. Once their Wolf Lord is satisfied that they have been sufficiently blooded, that their choler has been tempered by maturity, they become a hunter pack and re-dedicate their pack markings in red and black.."

 

 

Has their ever been mention of Incursors and Inceptors being strong headed/aggressive in nature in other chapters?? Or them being somehow 'unblooded' compared to intercessors???

 

If not, why would space wolves ones suddenly be? And if they are, then GIVE us a reason (other than...err canix helix....which we have no idea how cawl got/used and arent going to bother writing one). And then give us some actual rules to represent this if thats what your going to do.

 

As far as I'm aware primaris are depicted as MORE stoic/reserved/less emotion than regular marines.

 

Also the whole 'progress to a hunter pack' again seems stupid.....so our 3-MAN inceptor squads progress to a 10-Man intercessor 'hunter' squad once they've been bloodied??? From a math's point of view this doesn't even work (Ie and is why BC packs are traditionally LARGER than GH packs).

 

Similarly there being seemingly no mention of how Wolf Guard now work....as with great companies now having apparently both primaris and regular marines, you'd think you'd end up with wolf guard of both flavours.

 

Similarty the whole 'reivers across all great companies are copying the morkai ones' is daft. Great companies have always been portrayed as following their wolf lords way of combat, being insular, and often spending decades apart/off fighting their own campaigns. The reivers SHOULD be looking to their own company for inspiration, not the reviers in other companies who they'd probably have little to no contact with.

 

 

Honestly the whole thing feels like its been put together by someone given a 200 word synopsis of Space Wolf lore and not much else.

 

 

EDIT - 

Sorry for the downer post, maybe its just monday/quarantine but this release has been more and more dissapointing for me as its gone on.

 

Id taken a year or so away from my Sons of Fenris to work on my admech, and was really hoping after seeing things like the sisters and grey knights releases that we'd get something cool, fluffy (no pun intended), and slightly unique as SW have ALWAYS been.

 

None of those things seem to have happened except for us getting a model that was 15 years overdue for a rehaul anyway (and some awful fluff writing to justify his wolves not being remodelled)

 

A lot of it actually seems to be the opposite and just turning SW into another codex chapter that just happens to have wulfen and thunderwolves running about.

Edited March 23, 2020 by DanPesci