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Space Wolf Synergy/Tactics: Grey Hunters [Redux]
After the most recent FAQ and using them, I have decided to revisit my Space Wolf Synergy Tread. As I finish them, I will start work on my official article. If you want to add anything go ahead. I am hoping to have a good discussion on this. I will post the next unit on a different thread.

Troop Choice: Grey Hunters
Positive Qualities: These should be the core of most Space Wolf Armies. They hare some of the most flexible and mobile Troop choices you can take. With a each having Bolt Guns and Bolt Pistols ability and the ability to take template weapons [Flamers], hard hitting medium range weapons [Plasma Guns] and short range anti armor weaponry [Melta-Guns, Plasma Pistols] they can make a good gun line. With the ability to take Power Weapons, Power Fist and Mark of the Wulfen, they can brawl with the best of them. Toss in a Wolf Standard and you wont miss a lot that 1st turn.
Negative Qualities: Leadership 8 [that’s bad?] the inability to put 10 of them in a Drop Pod or Rhino and take a Squad Leader. Once you start to put together some Grey Hunter Packs you start to spam [this is also bad?]

What you get with the Grey Hunter
-5-10 Grey Hunters

War Gear
-Standard Issue: Bolt Gun, Bolt Pistol, Close Combat Weapon, Frag and Krak Grenades and Power Armor.
-One Grey Hunter may replace his Bolt Gun with 1 of the following: Flamer, Melta-Gun, Plasma-Gun, If the Pack is 10 Grey Hunters strong add a second for FREE! {You’re Killing Larry!!!!!}
-One Grey Hunter can replace his Bolt Pistol for a Plasma Pistol.
-One Grey Hunter may replace his Close Combat Weapon with a Power Weapon or Power Fist.
-One Grey Hunter may be given a Wolf Standard. This is one those Must Have Items even if you are planning on running a Gun Line.
-One Grey Hunter may be given Mark of the Wulfen. There is no justification in my mind for not taking this one. If its points loose a man, he will make up for it.
Transports: Rhino, Razorback, or Drop Pod.

Notes of Special Weapons
-Take the same one for both choices. When you build your Pack you have a concept for what its job is most of the time. Taking the Flamer to get the free Melta-Gun mathematical makes since, but what is the Packs job now.
-Twin Flamers: this is a good combo for most opponents, it hit lots of numbers, there is no to hit roll and then you can assault.
Twin Melta Guns: You now have a Armor/MC hunter. You can take down just about everything and still Assault.
Twin Plasma-Guns: This is probably your best utility weapon, it is the same range as your Bolt Guns, but with many times the killing power.

Notes on the Power Weapon/Power Fist debate an there use with Grey Hunters. The use of these weapons should depend on your opponent.
-If you are fighting GEQ’s it might not be worth spending the points on a Power Weapon. The Power Fist is worth it for anti-armor work.
-If you are fighting MEQ’s one Power Weapon is worth it. However the Power Fist will give you both Anti-Armor and Instant Death capability.
-If you are fighting Mechanized or high Toughness go for the Power Fist.
-True you will only get 1 Attack with the Power Fist instead of 3 with the Power Weapon. You will get 2 on the first turn with the fist and Wounding on a 2+ is better than a 4+. When you find yourself in Close Combat with something with a Toughness of 7+ you will wish you had at least one Weapon that could hurt it. Remember you don’t have “Combat Tactics” so you can’t choose to disengage at will.
-With the Wolf Standard and all of the re-rolls any hits with the Power Fist are going to wound 5 out of 6 times.
-Mix a PW/PF/MotW and the Wolf standard makes for a vicious combination. The 1st time you get 4 Power Weapons hits and 3 MotW rends in the same Assault you’ll wonder why you never took them before.


Special Rules
-And They Shall Know No Fear: Auto Regroup.
-Acute Senses: Bring on the Night
-Counter-Attack: Bring it ON!

What you can do with them. They have many different ways of using them.

The 10 Man Pack Options
-Quick and Dirty and cheep: 10 Grey Hunters, MotW, 2 Flamers and a Wolf Standard.
-Quick and Dirty not so cheep: 10 Grey Hunters, Power Weapon/Power Fist, Plasma Pistol, MotW, 2 Flamers, Wolf Standard and a Rhino/Drop Pod
-You want Anti-Tank; take a Pair of Melta-Guns.
-You wand Anti-MEQ; take a Pair of Plasma-Guns

The 8-9 Man + Wolf Guard Pack Leader so I can fit in a Rhino/Drop Pod Option [The same as the 10 man, but you loose one of the Special Weapons].
-Wolf Guard Pack Leader: I would suggest arming him however you want, but make sure he has Anti-Armor, Melta-Bombs at the least.
-Wolf Guard Pack Leader in Terminator Armor is a bad choice most of the time. Sure that Terminator with Thunder Hammer and Storm Shield looks cool and is hard to kill, but when you manage to break the Ork mob in Close Combat you will just stand there and watch them run away.

The 5 Man + Wolf Guard Pack Leader so I can fit in a Razorback Option [The same as the 10 man, but you loose one of the Special Weapons].
-Wolf Guard Pack Leader: I would suggest arming him however you want, but make sure he has Anti-Armor, Melta-Bombs at the least.

How do you use [abuse] them?
-Give as many of your Grey Hunter Packs HQ’s or WGPLs as possible.
-Logan: Good with any unit, if you want to put him together with a Powered Armored Squad, just make it a Wolf Guard Pack. 10 of them with no upgrades is less than 200 points.
-Njal: His Saga of Majesty he will keep them in the fight, if you want to put him together with a Powered Armored Squad, just make it a Wolf Guard Pack. 10 of them with no upgrades is less than 200 points.
-The best Character is Ragnar: Put him in a LRC with his two Wolves and a full outfitted Grey Hunter is killer.




Ragnar
WGPL with MotW
Grey Hunter with MotW
Mark of the Wolfen mixed with the Wolf Standard has the right Synergy
Pop the Wolf Standard
-Ragnar can Re-Roll his 1d3
-Both the MotW can Re-Roll their 1d6+1
-Everyone can Re-Roll any ones on to hits
-Everyone can Re-Roll any ones to Wound
-Everyone can Re-Roll any ones on Armor Saves
-You can Re-Roll your Sweeping Advance Die
But only during that Assault Phase


-Ulric: Another waste, yes you make them fearless and a great Monster Hunters, but this will just get your Grey Hunters Killed and there are better things to this than them.
-Björn: while he can’t actually join the unit he is a great distraction for your opponents and with his Saga of Majesty he will keep them in the fight.
-Wolf Lord: Can get great use out of the Wolf Standard, if you set him up with Paired Wolf Claws just make the Re-Rolls for Damage, because he is going to hit 5 out of 6 times with the Wolf Standard.
-Rune Priest: This makes a great simple Body Guard and with Saga of Majesty the practically become fearless without the bad side effects.
-Wolf Priest: This is the other Great Character to put with them. Oath of War makes them unparalleled in Close combat for MEQs vs. there chosen foe. This does make them Fearless, but you should win most engagements when you have the MotW with you.
-Wolf Guard Battle Leader: Almost as good as a Wolf Lord, but without the bad feeling of “Why is my Best guy with my normal guys?”
-Wolf Guard Pack Leaders: These make the best leaders for them. You can give them Combi-Weapon and Power Weapon or MotW is relatively cheep.
-Venerable Dreadnaughts: This may seem like an odd unit, but one with Saga of Majesty and Extra Armor is less than 200 points. The Saga of Majesty can cover 2 Packs easy and when put in the middle of a Rhino Rush a Leader is not required as much.
-Fenrisian Wolf Pack: Another seemingly odd choice for here, but they can make a good portable cover for your Rhino Rush. Also they can tie up one unit while you take out a second.
-The Land Raiders: This may seem like an odd choice for a Troop Choice, but you can fit a full 10 man Grey Hunter Pack, One Wolf Guard Pack Leader and a Wolf Priest in a Redeemer. Just replace Ragnar for the Wolf Priest and the Crusader is a great option. This might seem a lot of points, but your LRR and LRC will most likely end up in the center of a Target Friendly Environment and be able to split your fire. Rush forward directly at your target. Unload and fire the Hurricane Bolters, Storm Bolter and the Twin Linked Assault Cannons at the primary Target, and the Multi-Melta at the closest vehicle. Don’t forget about the Wolf Shields.

Some Tactical Notes on Rhinos
-First you must ask yourself: Is that Rhino a Battle Taxi or an AIFV Armored Infantry Fighting Vehicle?
-If you are using it as a battle Taxi you can probably get away with not taking any extras. Run them in groups leap forging them and taking turns popping smoke to get and give cover saves. The other way to use them is to charge forward 12” and unload on turn one or two.
-If you are going to go with the AIFV option, take everything. Just stay onboard and put you special weapons out the hatch. Running around the battlefield letting loose with 2 Storm bolters and 2 Plasma Guns will put a hurt on somebody.
-If you are running 3-4 Rhinos go ahead and mix the 2 concepts.

Some Tactical Notes on Drop Pods
-First you must ask yourself: Do I use a few or a bunch?
-If you are going to use a few take a minimum of 3, this give you both tactical flexibility and makes sure 2 show up together on turn 1 and not get isolated.
-If you are going to take a bunch go for broke.
-Don’t just put them down during the initial drop, place each one, one at a time. This will give you a chance to see how your landing is going and adjust.
-No-Man’s-Land Drop: Drop everything in the center of the board. This will let you take center of the board and put everything close to your lines and put the pacing of the game in your favor

Is these called a "tactics"?

More close to a description.

The real beauty of Grey Hunters is that they're an assault unit that doesn't have to assault.

You can quite viably sit at 12" and pound your opponent with bolter and special weapon fire, knowing that in the event you do get assaulted, counter attack will serve you in good stead.

That's what I like about Space Wolves; they're a super shooty army that doesn't fear the assault phase like most super shooty armies.

I agree, the level of fire power in the "assault" army is really quite amazing. Its interesting to see armies like tau take fire that first turn, when they're so sure that they'll have an easy game. . .