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I am getting two boxes of the new Thunderwolf Calvary. So When I put these guys together, What do you guys think the best set up for them would be to make them as powerful and really tough as possible?

I know they gotta all have different equipment but how and what do I put onto them to make them the best they can be?

1 Thunderhammer
1 Storm Shield
1 Meltabomb
1 Normal

Attach a Wolf Lord.

I see, Thanks!

If I have a fifth one would that one get the bolter or no on bolter?

frost axe ... FTW.

And who says that they need to be different? If you find a combo that works well for the way you're using them ... just stick with that.

Unless, of course, you are going for diversity.

I run:
1 PF/SS
1 Storm Shield
1 Normal
Attach Wolf Lord
edit: Oh and I would recommend 2 squads of 3 or 5 and a Wolf Lord for your 6 guys.

If I were to go 5, I would do:
1 PF/SS
Storm Shield
Normal
Bolter
Meltabomb
Attach Wolf Lord

Bear LaMorte wrote:frost axe ... FTW.

And who says that they need to be different? If you find a combo that works well for the way you're using them ... just stick with that.

Unless, of course, you are going for diversity.

The point of diversity is that you can use wound allocation shenanigans to make them even harder to kill than normal. If anything, take the extra 2 as Wolf Lords, run them naked, or take 2 squads of 3 with different wargear.

PF
SS
normal

And a wolf lord.

So since I am getting two boxes of them. Would you guys think this is ok than?


Bigger Squads
One Squad

1 PF/SS
1 SS
1 Bolter
1 Melta
1 Normal
1 Wolf lord - A play on my Wolf Lord I used I call Voluund Gunnar!

He has following War Gear
TH/SS
Runic Armor
Wolf tooth necklace, Wolf tail talismen
Melta Bombs
Saga Of Bear and of course the wolf mount.

I seen this guy with three wolf guard have his wolf guard die, Take out a squad of TEN khorn berserks and a Demon lord attached to them all by himself and keep on going towards the enemy. I say he could get upgraded to a wolf mount from that battle.

Why would you take Melta Bombs on a model with a TH/SS? You're already S10 + D6. Why add a S8+2d6?

I dont really like the TH/PF on a Lord, especially not when there already is a str 10 PF/TH in the unit. It wastes his I get an axe instead.

Vasarto wrote:So since I am getting two boxes of them. Would you guys think this is ok than?


Bigger Squads
One Squad

1 PF/SS
1 SS
1 Bolter
1 Melta
1 Normal
1 Wolf lord - A play on my Wolf Lord I used I call Voluund Gunnar!

He has following War Gear
TH/SS
Runic Armor
Wolf tooth necklace, Wolf tail talismen
Melta Bombs
Saga Of Bear and of course the wolf mount.

I seen this guy with three wolf guard have his wolf guard die, Take out a squad of TEN khorn berserks and a Demon lord attached to them all by himself and keep on going towards the enemy. I say he could get upgraded to a wolf mount from that battle.

Looks like a pretty good set-up to me.
I'd ditch the Talisman, Bombs and even Necklace though, whilst a Frostblade isn't a bad idea for Thunderwolf Lord either.

If I were getting 2 boxes of the normal guys, I would probably make them 2 squads of 3:

Squad 1:

Th/SS, SS, Naked

Squad 2:

WC/SS, SS, Naked

Two hearty units and depending on how you model the guys who have normal Storm Shields you can play them as just about anything from Wolf Lords to whatever, just my thoughts...then again, magnets never hurt

And of course, save all your bits so that you can change the models as soon as sixth edition drops.

Wolf Claw / SS / runic armor is the best wargear combo for a Wolf Lord.

If you want to maximize points efficiency in a non-huge calvary squad DO NOT give any of them a SS. They are freakin expensive!

Heh, Joe, ever see 300 points of Thunderwolves without a Storm Shield assault a Dreadnought?

It's cute really, the dogs scratch the paint, and then he instagibs two of the Wolves...then you think to yourself...were those 30 points really expensive?

I was talking about small squads dude, try paying more attention next time.

3 Thunderwolves, with no SS and a PF or hammer and something else silly for wound allocation is what, 180 points? Why would you bump that up to 210 for one Storm shield? That's more than 60% of the way to another calavry dude.

Also, your example is dumb. Because you picked a tactically poor move (assaulting a dreadnaught), that rarely occurs, and more important rarely should occur with the unit in question as it is better served attacking other things.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
This:

Unholy_Martyr wrote:
Th/SS, SS, Naked

In way too many cases is going to be too expensive for what it does.

I disagree. I think the three man unit is pretty good for the cost. You can take on almost anything, especially with a WL.

It's actually pretty simple Joe.

There are far too many things that can either ID Thunderwolves or ignore their armor saves that gambling on not having a Storm Shield pays off. 30 Points to prevent a 50+ point model from being gimped before it has a say so is worth investigating.

As for your thought on my layout for the Thunderwolf squad, you seemed to have missed the point on that post. That modeling scheme gives him the ability to do 3 things:

1) Play a unit such as the one provided
2) Maximize the models he's getting in the box
3) Give him options for Wolf Lords later on down the road.

Each to their own at the end of the day; however, just flatly saying that something is too expensive serves to exemplify lack of experience over anything else.

Unholy_Martyr wrote:It's actually pretty simple Joe.

Yes, it is. Your opinion is worse than mine.

You'd rather have each Thunderwolf cost an average of 85 points. I'd rather not.

I don't care about reusing models for something else like Wolf Lords, I was talking only about one thing and one thing only. Points efficiency. If the OP plans on assaulting dreadnaughts everygame they heck, give every calvary guy a storm shield! But in the normal, regular world, more often than not slapping SS willy nilly is a bad idea. In my humble, but more correct than your, opinion.

Joe Mama wrote:Yes, it is. Your opinion is worse than mine.

Slow down there, killer. You misspelled different.

pretre wrote:

Joe Mama wrote:Yes, it is. Your opinion is worse than mine.

Slow down there, killer. You misspelled different.

Nope. Obviously my opinion of his opinion can be that mine is better and his is worse.

pretre wrote:

Joe Mama wrote:Yes, it is. Your opinion is worse than mine.

Slow down there, killer. You misspelled different.

Oh snap!

To be fair, I equip all my Thunderwolves with SS, but I also only run small squads. However, they tear through anything and very rarely suffer any casualties (aside from Fenrisian Wolves attached to the squad as ablative wounds).

BIG MEGA THUMBS UP for using Oh Snap, which has sadly mostly fallen out of use.

I'd rather have a unit that could survive a round of assault against an equally threatening unit.

I never mentioned that the OP; or anyone for that matter, take a Storm Shield on every Thunderwolf unit, just those that would maximize wound allocation and survivability.

Oh, and enjoy your more correct opinion when you pick up your 3 man units of failure, I'll be here when you're ready to complain

Andilus Greatsword wrote:

pretre wrote:

Joe Mama wrote:Yes, it is. Your opinion is worse than mine.

Slow down there, killer. You misspelled different.

Oh snap!

To be fair, I equip all my Thunderwolves with SS, but I also only run small squads. However, they tear through anything and very rarely suffer any casualties (aside from Fenrisian Wolves attached to the squad as ablative wounds).

The SW players around here almost always equip their wolves with SS's. Maybe 1 in a squad doesn't have them. They all do really well with them like that. Against my Kan Wall, the SS is he deciding factor.

I'm sorry Joe. I have to agree with everyone else. The conversation seemed neutral and then you seemed to have a angry bias suddenly.

I understand "point efficiency" is your argument, but as many have said, it's more difficult to take cover saves with Calvary, and ap3+ weapons are everywhere. The SS saves wounds/models in the end.

Unless your goal is "suicide squads" investing that many points into Calvary almost always warrants just a little more for the invulnerable save that they so desperately need.

Anyways it's a great freeken model across the stat line. and my personal favorite loadout for a sqaud of three is as follows
TH
SS+meltabombs
FrostWeapon

I don't have my codex:space wolves in front of me, but I'm fairly sure that's 200 points. Expensive for only 6 wounds, but the SS should save you from meltaguns/plasma/lascannons

I don't know what goober talked about assaulting Dreadnoughts....But if your running Thunderwolf Calvary....AVOID everything str10 (yes that means DCCW).

The only reason I like Thunderwolf Calvary is
wolf guard+TH
wolf guard+SS/meltabomb
Wolf guard+Frost weapon = 134

Thunderwolf Calvary of x3 = 200

for 66 more points you get extra attacks, extra toughness, extra wounds, and more mobility. I just think it's the most efficient way to field "leader-geared models" (meaning models with gear typically reserved for group leaders.

Joe Mama clearly doesn't play Space Wolves. One SS is vital in any unit, even if it is minimum-sized.

Koski wrote:I'm sorry Joe. I have to agree with everyone else. The conversation seemed neutral and then you seemed to have a angry bias suddenly.

Not sure why you are trying to make this personal. That doesn't help your argument, and it never helps any discussion, anywhere at anytime. I disagree with your opinion, that is all.

I understand "point efficiency" is your argument, but as many have said, it's more difficult to take cover saves with Calvary, and ap3+ weapons are everywhere. The SS saves wounds/models in the end.

OF COURSE it saves models. But it does this at a greatly increased cost. It is not a little more, it is almost a 55% increase from the base cost of the model. Two Storm Shields is more expensive than a whole other TWC guy. You are starting with less wounds (and less offensive power). That's your trade off for more durability. Sorry more durability versus certain things. SS TWCs are no more durable to torrents of bolters or stormbolters than the regular TWCs are. So it is less wounds, less offemsive power, for more durability versus Ap1-3. That's the honest presentation. Saying X "saves models in the end" without backing it up, and without getting into cost benefit, is foolish at best and misleading at worst.

Here's one example to drive the point home. You could have two three man squads of TWC, costing 180 each, or you could have one three man squad with all SS costing 270. 6 TWC guys in this case would be only 90 points more than 3 super defensively buffed ones. Two squads, two hammers, twice the potential attacks including twice the S10 hammers. See how that works?




Automatically Appended Next Post:

Oaka wrote:Joe Mama clearly doesn't play Space Wolves.

*facepalm*

I hope you are a child, because comments like that are completely uncalled for, as any adult would know. If you are an adult, I realize everyone acts childish from time to time, but you need to think about what you are saying and what purpose it serves. Your comment is as useful as me saying that you smell funny, and just as relevant to the discussion.

You young sir, are acting like a child. No one is trying to "argue" with you. I'm sorry to have offended you as it was never my intention. Obviously your a little "defensive" about your warhammer 40k strategy.

As it has been said before "To each his own". I am sorry civilized conversation seems beyond your comprehension. Lash out at conventional tactics, not the tacticians.

I myself only hope that the original poster has received the input and wisdom of other players to his satisfaction.


Ohh, and if you makes you feel any better "Joe Mama"
You're right, your entirely correct and nothing these idiots can say will ever dispute the fact that your an intelligent, level-headed human being. You are certainly correct, taking an extra TWC model is always preferable to taking a SS. You win, feel any better?

Joe Mama wrote:Here's one example to drive the point home. You could have two three man squads of TWC, costing 180 each, or you could have one three man squad with all SS costing 270. 6 TWC guys in this case would be only 90 points more than 3 super defensively buffed ones. Two squads, two hammers, twice the potential attacks including twice the S10 hammers. See how that works?

Unequal comparison.
I can take:
3 TWC: SS/PF, SS, Normal (the one we were recommending) for 230
2 TWC: PF, Normal for 125
355

You can take:
3 TWC: PF, Normal, Normal, 180
3 TWC: PF, Normal, Normal, 180
360

So you get 1 more body and I get a lot more survivability. Heck, swap out a model from the first squad for SS on the two in second squad.
2x 2 TWC: SS/PF, SS - 370
vs
2x 3 TWC: PF, Normal x2 - 360


Both of my versions have the same number of S10 fists but are more survivable both off of wound allocation and invulnerable saves.