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Starting up Space Wolves and want to know what the must have units are. I tend to build enough for multiple styles i.e. drop pod, rhino/razorback, shooty, etcetera, so what's good?

Pretty much everything is good. Really.

But i'll point out a few.

Long Fang's -Havocs on steroids.

I take rhinos since they can can fit 10 guys. But Razorbacks are viable.

I recommend the Rune Priest for a HQ.

That's all I can think I'm kind of hammered...

I think a good Rune Priest is very much needed.

Thanks guys, but I was looking for something a little more comprehensive. Are there any threads out there that discuss the relative strengths of the Space Wolf units?

Disclaimer: These may be the ramblings of a madman who has no idea what he is talking about. Take with grain of salt.


HQ:

Rune Priest: This is a must-have. It's always my first HQ choice, and when it comes to second it's a serious consideration to just take another one of these guys. They have a variety of awesome powers, Living Lighting is like two autcannons stuck together with no range limit. Murderous Hurricane can seriously ruin the day of enemy assault units, especially the ones that rely on numbers. Jaws of the World of has a limited range of viable targets, but those it hits it hits hard especially neat for it's ability to snipe out hidden models. Storm Caller and Tempests Wrath both have their applications.

Runic Weapons are wonderful defensive measures. Rune Priests can also hold their own in combat.

This a cheap choice, with a lot of flexibility. It can hang back with the support units, or play at disruption up front. No matter what you do or what you play against this will a Rune Priest will earn it's keep.

Troops:

Grey Hunters: These are almost always a superior choice to blood claws. Cheaper than tactical marines, gear loadout that makes the more flexible. The only weakness here is the inability to combat squad, leaving you with a limited number of scoring units. However, it's not like blood claws can do that either.

A Razorback with a Las/Plas turret arguably buys you more firepower than same points would get you for 5 more marines with another specials. They also fit nicely with a pack leader, who can bring in a combi-weapon. However you'll be four short on bodies per unit and 3 bodies behind in terms of overall value.

A Rhino nets you bigger squads, which means more resilent scoring units. Both approaches work, I like Razorbacks just because I like the extra heavy/special guns.

Heavy Support:

Long Fangs: These guys are just awesome. Great Value per heavy weapon, and Missile Launchers especially net you a lot of flexible fire power per point.

Elites:

God, there is so much good in this slot. The only choice I really don't like is the Venerable Dreadnought. Personally, it drives me crazy how crowded this slot is.

Wolf Guard can be pack leaders or do a very respectable job of dumping a ton of combi-weapons in one spot strenguard style.

Wolf Scouts are awesome for their accurate outflanking, they can almost always get at a support elemnt your enemy doesn't want you to get at.

Lone Wolves are resilient if slow. You get a lot of stopping power for the points you pay.

Dreadnoughts, are what they are for the most part. You can long range support with auto cannons, suicide multi-melta, whatever. They're nice, even if they aren't SW exclusive.

Fast Attack:

Land Speeders work well for mobile firepower, same as anywhere else. Nothing new, but useful all the same.

Thunderwolf Cavalry: Fairly resilient and hit like freight trains. They require a points investment, but can earn it back. Lack of models makes them a pain though.

Anything I haven't mentioned, I'm either not a fan or I think needs a more specialized approach to take full advantage of. That doesn't mean they're bad, it just means they're not my favorites.

Search for Space Wolf Synergy. There's a very long but very comprehensive and in depth thread on this topic.

Thank you Chongara and Endova...

Yeah, i'm not so much a fan of lone wolves, since lone units almost always get shot to pieces in the FIRST TURN.

Here's my 500 pt. army list:

HQ: Wolf Lord - 100 pts
Upgrades:
-Terminator Armour with SB and PW - 40 pts
-Saga of the Warrior Born - 35 pts

Elites: Wolf GuardX5 - 90 pts.
Upgrades:
-Terminator Armour with SB and PW X5 - 75 pts
-Frost SwordX2 - 20 pts

Troop: Grey HunterX8 - 120 pts
Upgrades:
-Wolf Standard - 10 Pts
-Plasma gun - 10 pts

TOTAL - 500 pts

A unit for everything?
Long Fangs are a must have or at least a very good idea to have unit.
Good for shooting(just shoot stuff missile launchers good for this)
Good for drop pod assault(multi-meltas)
good for mechanised(get out and stay at the back and shoot stuff lazorback with missile launchers)
Also with Mr. Logan Grimnar they became pretty badass as he can give them Relentless which lets them move and shoot so they become even better.

If you're looking for an army list Stelek has made a real nice one at his list site - yesthetruthhurts.com

Grey Hunters are some of the absolute best units in the game. They're cheaper than tactical marines and are better equipped for taking and making charges. Squads of them with a power fist and two melta guns in a rhino can really ruin someone's day. Alternately, you could drop pod them in.

Long Fangs are the heavy support unit du jour, since they can take really heavy weapons for relatively cheap. Four rocket launcher Long Fangs is affordable and deadly.

Wolf Guard Terminators are a lot of fun, and you can do all kinds of stuff with them. Each can have their own equipment, so you can get some really diverse and powerful units from them.

I haven't played my Wolves since Christmas or so, so I'm a little rusty.

Ahshran wrote:Yeah, i'm not so much a fan of lone wolves, since lone units almost always get shot to pieces in the FIRST TURN.

Which means the rest of your army isn't.

Reecius, Hulksmash and... Undead_Servent[?] all seem to be experienced with space wolves, I would send them a PM, or at least wait until they find this thread by chance.

Chongara is pretty much spot on.

I am currently in the process of doing a Space Wolves tactica in the articles section, which, in all honesty, I'd advise taking a look at (http://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/Space_Wolves_Tactica%2C_5th_Ed/09_Codex) and have pretty much finished HQ at the time of writing/typing, but it's taking a while... However, in general regards to the units:

- Wolf Lord - Good to average - Very Expensive but very tough. Only really for 2000pts+. (Thunderwolf Lords are nasty)
- Wolf Priest - Good - Really helps Wolf Guard and Blood Claw units. Blood Claws are rubbish without a Wolf Priest.
- Rune Priest - Very Good - Best HQ bar none. Not very fluffy but incredibly powerful offensively and defensively. Living Lightning is you friend. Covered in more depth in tactica.
- Wolf Guard Battle Leader - Average - Decent assault character and well-equipped, but outclassed by most HQ's, Space Wolf and otherwise.

- Dreadnought - Good - Flexible, fairly tough and great support unit. MM/Drop pod is very good. 2xTwin-Linked Auto-Cannon or plasma cannons are also recommended.
- Ven. Dread - Average to Good - As above but much tougher and more expensive. Very much a YMMV unit.
- Wolf Guard - Good - Very Powerful but can get very expensive very quickly. Great way of adding some extra punch to a unit (eg. Blood Claws) or as a unit on their own. A VERY GOOD retinue for characters also.
- Wolf Scouts - Good - Dangerous unit, not the most reliable or tough, but great for intimidation and trapping the enemy. Basilisks/Medusa's a problem? Not with these guys.
- Lone Wolves - Good - Powerful but slow. MotW and Wolves or Storm Shield(SS) is good. SS/CF/TDA is also good. Cheap but cheerful. Their effectiveness can be significantly improved if using an unused transport. For example, buy a rhino for Long Fangs but put the Lone Wolf in it.
- Iron Priests - Good - Work well with supporting armour/vehicles such as dreadnoughts/tanks and deadly and cheap.

- Grey Hunters - Very Good - The best troop choice throughout the entire game in many peoples opinion. Cheap, deadly firepower and close combat ability. Always use the same 2 special weapons in one squad (eg. 2x Plasma, not 1xmelta 1x flamer) and can provide some great additional firepower through razorbacks. A MUST TAKE for Space Wolves. 2 standard builds I'd recommend are: 10x Grey Hunter - Rhino/Pod - 2x Melta, MotW. OR 5x Grey Hunter - Laserback (or assault cannon), standard and flamer.
- Blood Claws - Poor, but Good with a Wolf Priest - Outclassed by Grey Hunters due to same cost but worse ability. However, a Wolf Priest makes them 'good' as he compensates for their low WS. Lots of Blood Claws with a powerfist and Wolf Priest (maybe with a Wolf Guard too) in a Land Raider is very nasty.

- Thunderwolf Cavalry - Very Good - Incredibly powerful/deadly (strength ten powerfists/thunderhammers!) and durable also, a Fenrisian Wolf 'screen' provides some useful cover. I'd recommend 4x TWC, SS, TH and 1 meltabomb (265pts) as the standard load-out.
- Swiftclaws - Poor - Expensive and not very good. Can make a nice harassing/niche unit, but otherwise are outclassed in most cases. if used, be sure to take the 5pts attack bike option.
- Sky Claws - Average - Cheap and Cheerful. Fairly deadly and the fastest assault unit Space Wolves can get. I'd recommend 10x Skyclaw, Powerfist and MotW (220pts) as your standard load-out. Only problems are WS, vulnerability and headstrong rule - but this is compensated to an extent by their speed and cost.
- Land Speeders - Good - A great unit for Space Wolves, providing some fast firepower at low cost. If you have 2 or 3 of these on your flanks then it's a great, cheap threat that then enemy must deal with. Typhoon Missiles, MM/HF and single MM are all good choices IMHO.
- Fenrisian Wolves - Average - Cheap, good anti-infantry but very weak. Best used for screens or distractions. If you attach a Thunderwolf Lord to them then they're great body-bags/wounds.

- Long Fangs - Very Good - As you can guess by other peoples comments, these are one of the best units in the codex. Packing firepower that Space Wolves can otherwise lack and can engage multiple targets. And Cheap! I'd recommend 6 Long Fangs with either 5x ML __ 3x ML + 2x PC or LC or HB __ 2x HB/2x LC/1x ML
- Predators - Good - Cheap and powerful way of providing extra firepower and armour saturation. AC turrent and LC sponsons is the best IMHO.
- Vindicators - Good - Very powerful and flexible but only have 1 gun and are short-ranged. Good armour though and go well with the Space Wolf play style (24" combat - see bottom)
- Whirlwind - Average - Good and Cheap anti-infantry. But fragile and vulnerable and only have one use which others can do just as well or better. Not worth it unless you know you're against horde armies.
- Land Raider - Good - extra ranged firepower, good armour and assault ramp. Poor synergy between assault ramp and firepower however. Will depend on your play style. Goes well with Laserbacks.
- Land Raider Redeemer - Good - Flexible, great transport and armour. Can take out infantry or armour (MM/AC) and deliver units. A personal favourite.
- Land Raider Crusader - Good - Does exactly what it says on the tin - Delivers a whole load of Close Combat Marines into the face of the enemy. Very expensive but deadly. Commonly used alongside 15 Blood Claws and a Wolf Priest.
- as a side note - ALWAYS give your Land Raiders extra armour. I recommend MM's on the LRR and LRC also.

- Rhino - Very good and very cheap.
- Drop Pod - Same, but less reliable and can really put your own units in the thick of it, although that's a good thing in a way. Great for MM dreads.
- Razorback. Great for providing transport and firepower. Avoid the heavy flamer option however.

That's pretty much everything except:
Space Wolves ARE NOT A CLOSE COMBAT ARMY! Which is a common misconception, close combat is a role occupied by the Blood Angels. The Space Wolves are suited for fighting in Close Quarters, this generally means closing in to close range, unleashing with a mass of 24" weapons and then mopping up the rest. Space Wolves are capable in assault, make no mistake, however it is not their expertise (IMHO), they are best for blasting away at the enemy and then finishing off the rest, quite possibly in assault. This can be shown by the Space Wolves lack of jump infantry, close combat orientated special rules and deep-strikes.

Hope that helps and by all means PM me or 'Unholy_martyr' if any more advice is needed.
Regards, Dave.