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What's the general consensus on Thunderwolf Cavalry and Thunderwolf-mounted Wolf Lords?

They are Ork Nobs on steroids.

They can be very efective as a Striker Unit.
They are a One Trick Pony[ ], but they do it very well.
Find Somthing to Squish and Hit it Hard, it you get the chance, repeate.

They make a great deathstar unit. If your opponent does not have the tools to beat it you will roflstomp him hard.
If he does you can lose a huge investment of points quickly

labmouse42 wrote:They make a great deathstar unit. If your opponent does not have the tools to beat it you will roflstomp him hard.
If he does you can lose a huge investment of points quickly

Aren't the tools to beat it basically the same tools used to beat any other MEQ? They have an extra wound per model and T5, sure, but they'll still die to weight of fire.

Plus, they're Space Marines riding wolves. :(

Seaward wrote:Aren't the tools to beat it basically the same tools used to beat any other MEQ? They have an extra wound per model and T5, sure, but they'll still die to weight of fire.

Plus, they're Space Marines riding wolves. :(

Not necessarly. Many lists rely heavily on MG or MM to take down tanks, and thats their solution for all big threats.
That is NOT the best solution to take down Twolves with storm shields. There are not just enough shots to start downing the Twolves, and the 12" range on the MG means that your close enough to the Twolves to make it very feel very uncomfortable very quickly. (like in the back of a Volkswagen)

Good tools to deal with the Twolves would be a TL/AC dread. The 2 LC, AC pread. A LC Crusader filled to the bring with TH/SS termies, typhoons, etc..
If your going to use bolters to down the Twolves, you had better bring enough to make sure the job is done. I did some mathhammering the other day, to have enough bolters to do the job, you will need to borrow another diceblock to roll them all. Given the short range of double tap, its going to be hard, and those long range weapons will help a lot.

I once just took out a Iron Priest with 4 Cyberwolves and it chewed through 3 Combat Squads in three turns.
I have yet to take out my Canis/TWC Deathstar [Th x1/SS x5], but it scares peaple just by being painted.

They are so nails it's not even funny. Yes.

Yes. They're Money, as the kiddies say.

I only play against them.

Yes, they are worth it.

I knew someone who wanted to proxy a chaos/khorne army using thunderwolves and wolf beasts. give him a use of his flesh hounds and juggers! (he doesnt really like the daemon codex)

anyways they can be either a top cut unit or a neutered dog depending how you arm them and what they go against

kenshin620 wrote:
anyways they can be either a top cut unit or a neutered dog depending how you arm them and what they go against

I'd like to hear some expansion on that, if I could.

A unit of 5 with a Thunder Hammer and 5x Storm Shields clocks in at an impressive 430 points. For comparison's sake, 5 Assault Terminators in a Land Raider with Extra Armor runs, what, 475? Throw in a Wolf Lord with Frost Blade, Storm Shield, Runic Armor, Thunderwolf Mount, and Saga of the Bear, and you're looking at 685.

Is that the way to do it? If not, what is? What do you throw them at? What do you keep them away from?

you dont buy them all thunder hammers and storm shields. one storm shield + a storm shield on your lord is plenty. after that wound allocation will keep you safe. You dont need or want the thunderhammers either. Again 1 will do ya. They're awesome bc there isn't much that they fear. Basically only things that inflict instant death ie dreadnoughts.

For some peaple the points cost is worth it, for others not.
Some do well with just one Storm Shield.
I run a 1,500 point 13 model Logan Wing that includes, Nijal, Bjorn and Arjac that I win with.
I am planing on using the TH x1/SS x5 TWC and when I find out I will let you know if it works for me.

Anpu42 wrote:For some peaple the points cost is worth it, for others not.
Some do well with just one Storm Shield.
I run a 1,500 point 13 model Logan Wing that includes, Nijal, Bjorn and Arjac that I win with.
I am planing on using the TH x1/SS x5 TWC and when I find out I will let you know if it works for me.

Wait, you run Logan, Njal, Bjorn, and a 430 point TWC cavalry unit at 1500?

Sorry, that list does not include TWC.
Actualy to pull that off.

This is what I could do for 2k

Logan TWC Wing

Bjorn the Fell-Handed @ 270 pts (Assault Cannon)

Logan Grimnar, The Great Wolf @ 275 pts
Wolf Guard Pack @ 440 pts
-1x Arjac Rockfist, The Anvil of Fenris
-3x Wolf Guard in Terminator Armor (Storm Shield x3; Frost Weapon x3)
-1x Wolf Guard in Terminator Armor (Chain Fist x1; Assault Cannon x1)

Njal Stormcaller, Lord of Tempests @ 270 pts (Runic Terminator Armor)
Wolf Guard Pack @ 290 pts
-1x Wolf Guard in Terminator Armor (Melta Bombs; Storm Shield x1; Thunder Hammer x1)
-3x Wolf Guard in Terminator Armor (Power Weapon x3; Storm Shield x3)
-1x Wolf Guard in Terminator Armor (Chain Fist x1; Assault Cannon x1)

Thunderwolf Cavalry @ 455 pts
-1x Thunderwolf Cavalry (Melta Bombs; Storm Shield x1; Thunder Hammer x1)
-4x Thunderwolf Cavalry (Melta Bombs; Close Combat Weapon x4; Storm Shield x4)

Total Roster Cost: 2000
Number of Models: 18

On the first WG pack, wouldn't wolf claws be better? Assuming MEQ is the target, wounding on a 4+ with rerolls is better then 3+. And you're not getting the extra attack anyway because of the SS. And it will save you 15pts total if iirc.

Just my 2 cents. And I would be scared as hell against that.

Thr Frost Blades give me Beter Penatration on Transports and some MCs, beside they look cooler to me and isn't that what is more importants with a list like this?

TWC are silly strong but I wouldn't take a big deathstar unit. Take multiple Lords on Mounts w/ 2x small units of TWC...does just fine.....

I have had verly litlle or no luck with MSU Tactics other than Combat Squading with my marines and then with only my Tacical Squads,

Anpu42 wrote:Thr Frost Blades give me Beter Penatration on Transports and some MCs, beside they look cooler to me and isn't that what is more importants with a list like this?

Fair enough!

Okay so TWC is worth it.

Is there anything else in the SW codex that can even come close to filling the same role for around the same point value? I really don't want to shell out $80+ just to pick up five wolves.

Maybe Wolf Guard on Bikes or with Jump Packs, but If you look around you can find thing like D&D Dire Wolves.
o
Heroscape "Cyberwolves" [Series 10]. You can three for about $10-$15.

Anpu42 wrote:Maybe Wolf Guard on Bikes or with Jump Packs, but If you look around you can find thing like D&D Dire Wolves.
o
Heroscape "Cyberwolves" [Series 10]. You can three for about $10-$15.

I hate bike units for some reason. Skyclaws don't come anywhere close, I don't think, though I could be wrong. I'd have to Mathhammer it, and I suck at that.

As far as the actual models go, Space Marines riding wolves into battle is an inherently stupid idea for me. In order to make it work on a visual level, they'd have to be damn big, and so far only the Mr. Dandy models and that Filipino guy's do the trick, and they're damn expensive.

Not Skyclaw, Wolf Guard with Jump Packs.

And

as long as you're playing a game over 50pts total per side, you should ALWAYS take thunderwolves.

warboss wrote:as long as you're playing a game over 50pts total per side, you should ALWAYS take thunderwolves.

Damnit. :(

Anpu42 wrote:Not Skyclaw, Wolf Guard with Jump Packs.

Only seven points cheaper than the TWC, lack the rending, lack the extra wound, lack the toughness, lack the strength, and have less mobility.

On the plus side, you can kit them out with wargear to the nines, and make them quite killy, but I dunno if it'd be worth it.

Personally, they are worth it. I run a 4 man unit (3x TWC, 1 WL on TWM) and they are a ferocious unit. Move them through cover or behind transports and they are in combat turn 2 or 3 easy.

If you really don't want TWC, then I suggest skyclaws w/ PF. Attach a Wolf Priest w/ jet pack for rerolls. Now you have a unit that can start on the board and move very far, very fast. Or, if that looks dangerous, you can try to Deep Strike them. I have had tremendous luck w/ this squad.

But TWC are still better, far and away.

Thunderwolves are absolutely a worthwhile buy for SW armies. It really depends on your list though for how many (if at all)/ how to equip them. I personally find this to be a rather well rounded unit:

5x Thunderwolves:
1x Bolter
1x BP/CCW
1x Storm Shield
1x Storm Shield, Melta Bomb
1x Thunderhammer

Fully diversified for wound allocation nonsense, 2 Stormshields for absorbing the big hits, and still a bit cheap (no reason to give them all Storm Shields at all, they become far too expensive) at only 345 points.