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So up until yesterday i was fairly sure what 2 HQs I would be running in my Space Wolves. Then GW decided to release the new miniatures and now im all torn.

I was going to go with Ragnar Blackmane (Custom Built) and a Wolf Priest. But now I have seen Arjac Rockfist, and the thunderwolves I dont know what to do.

The following combinations i need help deciding on, and yes I only want to run 2 HQs because I frequent low point cost game (1500-2000), and bear in mind that I want to keep my list as fluffy as possible, so im trying to avoid running 2 named heros in one list e.g. Canis and Ragnar.

1) Ragnar Blackmane and Wolf Priest
2) Ragnar Blackmane and thunderwolf lord
2) Logan Grimnar (so i can run Arjac and have it be fluffy) and thunderwolf lord
3) Canis Wolfborn and Wolf Priest

What does your list look like? Without that it's impossible to say what HQs would be best.

However I will say have another look at a rune priest, they are great units, with a selection of superb powers, and cheap too.

At 1500pts I would be wary of running 2 HQs, especially the ones that you are thinking of, as some of them are quite expensive. It can be managed okay at 200pts points, but not really at 15oo without unbalancing your army somewhat.

I'll cast a vote for Rune Priest, they have a lot of flexibility imo

Or failing that a thunderwolf lord, very tough and killy

The list that I was thinking of taking was:

9x Blood claws
10x Grey Hunters
10x Grey Hunters
6x Wolf Guard
5x Wolf Guard in terminator amour
5x Long Fangs

I would definitely include a rune priest. Fantastic psychic defense as well as great psychic powers all for the low cost of 100 points. Add a chooser of the slain for 10 points more and you're BS5.

If you want a beatstick, Wolf Lords give a ton of options for how you want to build them.

Another cool option is to take a Battle Leader with saga of the hunter, attach him to a unit of wolf guard, and you can create a unit that is just plain nasty running around an opponent's backfield.

I would also say rune priest, as much as i hate the idea of units you have to take but they are very useful. Him combined with any combat lord would be good. But i have always had a soft sport for ragnar blackmane.
Are you using rhinos for your troops or just running up the board?

If you want a melee HQ id go for a wolf lord on a thunderwolf, with saga of the bear and a thunderhamner he can solo dreadnoughts and insta kill anyone thats not got eternal warrior. With a frost axe he can kill half a squad of marines before they swing.
Your second HQ shoud always be a rune priest to be honest, stopping enemy powers on a 4+ along with Jaws and living lightning is pretty hard to turn down.

FistoftheImperium wrote:The list that I was thinking of taking was:

9x Blood claws
10x Grey Hunters
10x Grey Hunters
6x Wolf Guard
5x Wolf Guard in terminator amour
5x Long Fangs

With this list you can take Logan, Arjac and a cheap Rune Priest. I personally haven't played Logan many times but when I do I always take Arjac, and that squad usually wrecks face. It would help if this unit had mobility such as a Land Raider or at least a Drop Pod. Both Logan and Arjac take up a lot of points, which is why your second HQ should be cheap such as a Rune Priest or even a wolf Priest to lead your Bloodclaws.

I have to say the best named character I've ever run in my 2+ years of running the new sw book is hands down Njal.

If you don't want to run him, not sure why you wouldn't, I would run a thunder lord with ss and wc or fb, runic armor, 2 fenrisian wolves and saga of the bear. Pair him up with 3 TWC: ss/pf, ss/mb, ss. Great unit.

Utility/budget HQ = Rune Priest. Jaws, Hurricane and lightning are all great powers, and nullifying enemy powers on a 4+ is huge.
Hammer unit = Lord on thunder wolf. Storm shield and either a thunder hammer or wolf claw. Runic armor, saga of the bear and wolf tooth necklace are all optional depending on who he runs with and how many points you want to spend.

Logan is needed for a Logan-wing list and isn't too bad himself.
Njal is a rune priest on crack, and is a solid choice in many lists.

Pretty much everything else is junk.

FistoftheImperium wrote:So up until yesterday

Nothing changed yesterday. The best single HQ you can take is a Rune Priest. 100-110 points gives you an incredible amount of utility and takes care of your mandatory selection. It leaves you points for other good things.

Everything taken after it is gravy for the most part. Carnage43 is pretty on with what he was saying. I would add to that, a Wolf Priest with Saga of the Hunter. It is cheap and very useful. Stealth and Fearless can make a screening unit hard to take down, especially coupled with Storm Caller. Even better, you can tack him on to the Wolf Scouts you have Outflanking on the missions you want extra Power Weapons hitting the enemy back side.

Ragnar is also a great choice. Furious Charge is incredible, and Warhowl affecting all units... Well ThunderCav + Furious Charge is just fun, okay?

Also, don't underestimate the amount of damage 3 models on Thunderwolves can do. I personally am a cheapskate so I take a WGBL with Frost Weapon, Storm Shield, Wolf Tooth Necklace, Wolf Tail talisman, Thunderwolf Mount, and typically Saga of the Warrior (thinking of dropping it since there are so many SM variant players and not enough horde at the FLGS). I pair him with a Thunderwolf Cavalry pack of two: 1 with a Wolf Claw, the other naked. 340 points and it demolishes whatever it hits, so long as I stay away from high initiative things.

I may decide to start spending more points on them to take Storm Shields all over. Grey Knights upset me with the amount of Power Weapons they bring.

azala wrote:If you want a melee HQ id go for a wolf lord on a thunderwolf, with saga of the bear and a thunderhamner

This is wrong. Even though everyone is entitled to their opinions, yours in this case is wrong.

Hammer on a Lord is a silly waste. He's initiative 5, throw a lightning claw on the guy - he'll rip apart units before many even swing at him.

Taking a hammer to go last is a silly silly move. One iof the thunderwolf calvary guys can take a hammer, but not the lord.

Hammer on a Lord isn't a complete waste. It depends on a few things. I will agree though that it shouldn't be the first thing you leap to. That Init 5 is of exceptional value to Space Wolves.

So long as he has Saga of the Bear however, a Thunder Hammer can be useful to a Wolf Lord. He can take on pretty much anything since he'd have a 3++, T5, and Eternal Warrior.

Mind you, I don't take even a Thunder Hammer on my TWC. I usually am only taking the 2 plus WGBL so throwing away even Init 4 doesn't work out too hot. For a larger unit of TW I'd consider the Hammer.

If you are planning on going with thunderwolf calvery and fenrisians than a wolf lord on wolf mount and canis is a good idea.

Vasarto wrote:If you are planning on going with thunderwolf calvery and fenrisians than a wolf lord on wolf mount and canis is a good idea.

Canis is never a good idea.

FistoftheImperium wrote:The list that I was thinking of taking was:

9x Blood claws
10x Grey Hunters
10x Grey Hunters
6x Wolf Guard
5x Wolf Guard in terminator amour
5x Long Fangs

Ragnar and the WP would be the fluffy answer. In the books Ragnar always ran with the blood claws.

Take the rune priest. Save the other points for firepower. For the cost of a tooled out HQ, you can put a lot of fire downrange, which helps you make sure your Grey Hunters can get where you want them to go.

If you're fixated on having a beatstick HQ, it's the Bearlord with the thunder hammer, storm shield on a Thunderwolf with a pair of Fenrisian Wolves. If he's supported right, he'll murder like it's cool. The I5 is cute, but he's tough enough that he'll get to swing his S10 thunder hammer and when he does, bodies will stack.

I run two Rune Priests in my 1850 army. Both have Lightning, one has Jaws, the other Hurricane. Space Wolves have enough beatsticks so you don't need more at HQ. Rune Priest provides great ranged support, high leadership, power weapon in CC, and nulls enemy psychic powers on a 4+ if the caster is within 24".