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Back in good old third edition I was an avid Space Wolves player. I have always liked their look and the way they played. Here is the question, what is the best Space Wolf list? How do you play them in 4th Edition?

Mahu;

I am in the process of building a Space Wolf army.  I am thinking of going the route of using several Blood Claw packs along with a Rune Priest.

Still need to build several things including an exterminator.  But it is comming along.   Hope to try them out soon in a small game.

Warrior 50

In the 4th edition of the rules, Space Wolves have it rough.

They can't out-shoot a shooty army, and with the death of the rhino rush, they have trouble getting into assault.

But one place they excel is as a drop pod army. They can take a lot of plasma and with counter attack and true grit they seem like they are made for it.

Well, for starters, with the 4th edition out, my Space Wolves got a new coat of paint and were renamed Desert Wolves...

But I see two ways of playing Space Wolves effectively or Semi-Effectively...

A) Drop pods

B) Pseudo Rhino Rush.

Take your Blood Claws and deploy them behind your Rhinos...Put the Rhinos Sideways on the line. Turn 1-Board the Rhinos and move Rhinos 12". Pop Smoke. Turn 2-Disembark 2", move, assault. Total distance covered :~26.9"

The problem being that you can't assault after moving in a close top vehicle.
Which is what killed the Rhino Rush, not the survivabilty (or lack thereof)

The Rhino is Stationary turn 2. Thus the move and assault.

That shouldn´t be effective against a semi-competent opponent...

Competitive Space Wolves use Drop Pods in 4th Ed. or don´t both showing up for the battle...  It´s the only way to make the Space Wolves competitive in my humble opinion.

And I wouldn´t bother with too many Blood Claws, atleast not in a Drop Pod force, they´re just too fragile with their WS of 3.

 

I think space wolves could still do a mean rhino rush.  The object of the rhino rush would change.  Instead of getting into close combat, the object would be getting into plasma range. 

With two plasma pistols and one plasma gun in a grey hunter squad, you have an effective 26 inch range (12 in move, 2 in disembark, 12 in range) with 4 str 7 ap 2 shots.   You also get a few bolter shots in addition to that.   Since the squad will have 2 powerfists, countercharge, and true grit, you're  opponent  will feel some pain if they assault them.  If your opponent  decides not to assault them, you can shoot or charge next turn.  With ATSKNF, even a failed moral check on your part will let you get more plasma goodness next turn.

You also have the option of running drive by's, with the top hatch open.   While this tactic could leave a squad pinned in wreckage, it allows a squad to chase down high priority targets for a plasma based makover (can we say landspeeders and deep striking termies?).

Another advantage of this tactic is that you can have your independant characters ride along in your transports, I would take 3 units of 9 to give any footslogging IC's some options.

The major drawback to this tactic is going second.  If an opponents min/maxed las/plas squads get to open up on your rhinos without smoke you could be in trouble.  Escallation could be rough too. 

 

I don´t think that´s something Vanillias can´t do better, for cheaper though. And Escalations will screw it up big time..!

I think the space wolves are a little tougher in close combat than vanillas. Also, having two powerfists is an advantage over having one on a sarge. It is harder for the enemy to remove casualties from the p fists kill zone.

Escalation will hurt a lot. Rhino's don't have the 24 inch move and near indestructability of eldar skimmers.

As an avid eldar player I find their transports to be pathetically fragile and die on turn two almost every game. [Maybe I'm just unlucky, probably that.] My friend plays SW and he's been having good luck with a 13 man Blood claws squad with 3-4 powerfists in a Landraider along with many Rhinos with an exterminator [Favorate Imperial tank BTW] But I do agree that drop podding them would be the best bet. [I personally don't think SW should take speeders even if they are allowed, it's really unfluffy. As I believe the codex says 'If Russ wanted us to fly then he would have given us wings]

That 'fluff' is a bunch of bunk...They retroactively changed Wolves from second edition where you could easily have the entire army on jump packs because it was a common thing and they wanted to force people to buy all new armies to use in 3rd edition...

That´s not even what it says... About Blood Claws with Jump Packs it says like this:

The Space Wolves have a perverse disdain for jump packs, preferring to fight with both feet firmly planted on the ground "as Russ intended".

Has nothing to do with Land Speeders at all. Why should we restrict our choices based on one small sentence. Then we should restrict the number of Space Marine players compared to Guards players as well... *sigh*

Played against an all Drop Pod Space Wolf army yesterday. It does seem the Wolves were built for Pods. Counter attack, never outnumbered and True Grit makes for some mean skills. Add to the fact the multiple Powerfists and Plasma Weapons available, it makes for a very mean army.

Pods all the way.

well this is how i run mine but i dont go by the theory that you need the rhinos or drop pods even

a well placed rune priest with storm call can cover the movement for the grey hunters i never use bloodclaws

makes no damn sense for a chapter that prides itself on its combat prowess to have its close combat army with a ws of 3 lame lame lame

a venerable dreadnaught is a must
rune priest is a must.. you do not even get homa ashooting weapon he never ever shoots he does his storm call thats it you get him his bonus attacks by the keeper of the dead or whatever its called his bird scout
and a wolf lord or whatever as the 3rd hq in big games over 1500

scouts ... yes buddy.. behind enemy lines.. i have never not recieved their points back 2 plasma pistols a melta gun and a melta bomb works everytime

a second scout squad with 4 sniper rifles and a rocket you can have 1 scout squad with these

leman russ exterminator... i made my own no big deal

grey hunters at least 7 man strong

thats just some of my configurations

With Space Wolves the magic number is 12. At that range your plasma is rapid firing, and only huge squads or dedicated close combat units will be able to take a standard grey hunter squad. So drop pods, rhinos and razorbacks are common ways to get your units into the kill zone.

I use the blood claw bike pack. They can have power fists, a wolf guard pack leader, and a IC on a bike. This is a mean unit that can turbo boost and dice and slice nearly anything. Wolf priests with healing balms and the narthicum can take advantage of the difference between the SM codex and SW codex to ignore the first two wounds on the unit too.

Another option is the SW dread heavy force. You can cram four dreads into your army, with one as a HQ. Combine this with some Vindicators and an Exterminator, and some speeders, and you can walk across the board. It is a bit risky to do, but it makes for a great suprise, especially in city fight with the wrecker or siege shell upgrades.