Running Fenrisian Wolves for Screening

[Madian]

Hello Space Wolves,

 

Been looking at the datasheets for fenrisians wolves wolves and cyberwolves and they seem like a fairly impressive screening unit. Now we all know how good cyberwolves are for deep strike screening but with the glass cannon factions getting their codexes it might be time to start running more chaff in our lists. Fenrisian wolves are effectively as tough as Orcs at 7pts, they can move fairly quickly and can potentially force your opponent to waste a charge having to charge into them instead of what they really want to get at. They have a reputation for being bad but only in the context of being used as an offensive unit which is not really what they are good at.

 

What do you guys think? Also should we keep them at MSU or run them in blobs to protect our more valuable units.

[CrystalSeer]

I've tried it a few times; they don't have enough durability to screen and they're hard to hide.

 

The cyber wolf gives you armor, but more importantly it's much easier to hide a single model.

[Harald Fairmane]

Would love for a beast heavy wolf list to work! But they die fast and were nerfed when they didn't get the core keyword in 9th. Running them now would require Harald and canis. Too bad. Marines fighting alongside beasts is just an amazing concept!

[Karhedron]

A few Cyberwolves deployed out of LOS can help block Reserves and maybe snag the odd Object of Secondary. They are small enough to hide quite easily and cheap enough not to be a major loss if they die.

[Karhedron]

But units of Fenwolves as screens seem problematic to me. They need to be closer to the enemy that your other units. That risks simply providing your enemy with a springboard unit to launch their assaults.

 

My advice is that a good aggressive offense is usually the best defense for Space Wolves. Keep a few hitty characters just behind your front lines and HI them into combat. With the Armour of Russ and/or a Judiciar, your Wolves will be striking first. The enemy can't hurt you if they are dead.

[Jorin Helm-splitter]

I haven't had a lot of success with fenrisian wolves. They have worked better in this edition because first blood isn't a factor. The best use of them seems to be a small squad to make deep strikes in your DZ harder, and possibly depending on the mission hold an objective. Which isn't bad but given the choice between five wolves and one bladeguard vet... I'm taking the vet. If I ran firstborn I'd choose the company vets over wolves (well honestly it'd be a big list jump pack wolf guard, attack bikes, termies, dreads, contemptors, etc.). Regardless I think you can get value out of them and if you like them by all means run some a 35 point unit isn't going to break your list.

 

As far as the next MSU vs. Blob debate. I've tried to make a unit of 20 work, and ran small units of five. The blob couldn't handle any marine lists shooting long enough to actually screen something important. It also didn't hit hard enough to take an objective when they were ignored.

 

For what its worth, I think if we could place objectives they would become better. They'd have a good foot print for denying deep strike, plus be cheap enough that you wouldn't feel like you were making much of sacrifice.

[Madian]

But units of Fenwolves as screens seem problematic to me. They need to be closer to the enemy that your other units. That risks simply providing your enemy with a springboard unit to launch their assaults.

 

My advice is that a good aggressive offense is usually the best defense for Space Wolves. Keep a few hitty characters just behind your front lines and HI them into combat. With the Armour of Russ and/or a Judiciar, your Wolves will be striking first. The enemy can't hurt you if they are dead.

 

Good point and I feel like SW are now the best faction to run a Judiciar in since we can expand his debuff aura with a 6" heroic intervention. Theoretically, it doesn't have to be what you HI'd so you could hit something 9" away with a fight last debuff.

[Torin]

Good Day Brother,

 

But pairing them with TWC should still be good correct. I got 45 of them... can be an intimidating sight. But bolter fire will kill them fast. But when i play TWC are in front to take the shots letting the FW get into CC. But fighting veteran player they would normally know who to take out first. cheer.

[Madian]

Good Day Brother,

 

But pairing them with TWC should still be good correct. I got 45 of them... can be an intimidating sight. But bolter fire will kill them fast. But when i play TWC are in front to take the shots letting the FW get into CC. But fighting veteran player they would normally know who to take out first. cheer.

 

If you desire to put 45 wolves on the table brother Torin I suggest the assistance of a rune priest with storm caller. The -1 to hit and +1 to save is keyworded to space wolves units (not core or astartes) so it applies to your wolves

[yan]

I would love the sight of 45 wolves on the table. I've played with the thought many time's, but never managed to get my hands on this many wolves.

I think you should bring canis & harald, and probably a priest indeed to give you cover. And as manny twc an cyber wolves aswell.

 

Fur sure you will suprise your ennemy with a hord type of army for a spacewolve player!

But in this edition I find it hard to put this all into detachments.

Edited May 9, 2021 by yan