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I have been puzzled these past few days as I keep seeing people who are taking Wolf Guard and equipping them identically. It says in C:SW that all characters have to have different wargear and such. So are Wolf Guard not characters now? Or only when split off? If I split them off do they have to have different wargear then?

Good question. I'll have to give this a gander.


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SW codex, page 81 says it very clearly, no wargear duplicates for characters.

Even though I don't think all WG are characters, I've been shouted down by everyone, and I yeild. Guess there's a bt if a down side those WG being characters too

Wolf guard are characters only when split off.
Does seem like the "Leaders of the Pack" rule would now apply to them, although the rule could be taken in the context of HQ characters.

most people who reject the theory cite the fact that an asterix only appears next to the HQ selections on the FOC.

I'm not convinced that is adequate evidence that it applies to only characters taken as a HQ selection, but that's the argument at least.

Drunkspleen wrote:most people who reject the theory cite the fact that an asterix only appears next to the HQ selections on the FOC.

I'm not convinced that is adequate evidence that it applies to only characters taken as a HQ selection, but that's the argument at least.

Not noticed that before, it's a good point. It does seem to indicate the rule only applies to HQ choices.
Not the most solid of cases, but pretty good.

The FAQ also makes it explicit that it is only HQ characters

ALL WG are characters, ALL The time. The BRB is very clear on this. WG /= WG PL, hence the FAQ covering WGPL.

is the "Wolf Guard Pack Leader" phrase used anywhere outside of the FAQ? Because I'm not seeing any instances of it in the Space Wolves Codex.

The codex makes reference to a split off wolf guard as a leader of that pack, so while "WGPL" as a composite doesnt exist, the components are definitely there to know what they mean

On the 6th page of the Space Wolves FAQ there is a clarification of the Leaders of the Pack rule. It says

Q: Can you clarify how The Leaders of the Pack works exactly? (p.81)

A: The rules for selecting Sagas are detailed on page 64. As for wargear, no two HQ characters, including Special Characters, may have the exact same wargear and Weapons, even if they are different HQ units. Note that Fenrisian Wolves bought as wargear are included in this check, so if you had two otherwise identical Wolf Guard Battle Leaders, save that one has one Fenrisian Wolf and the other has two, then you are technically obeying this rule just fine. For the record, the intent of the rule is that you should field characterful and diverse heroes in your army, not identical clones with but an extra melta bomb to set them apart. Though we cannot really enforce players to embrace this attitude, the Codex does try to encourage it whenever possible.

(the underline emphasis is mine)

http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/article.jsp?categoryId=1000018&pIndex=1&aId=3400019&start=2

EDIT : So Wolf Guard characters from the elites choice are exempt from this because they are not HQ characters, they are elites characters.


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And FYI, the pack leader rule is on p. 86 of the Codex.

I'm falling on the side of this not applying to Wolf Guard. RAW-wise, I'll refer and agree to Grugknuckle's post.
However, I'm chiming in as it's very rare to get an official statement of intent in a rules source - as such it would be remiss to overlook it as an RAI argument.

"For the record, the intent of the rule is that you should field characterful and diverse heroes in your army"

...this, in my eyes, doesn't apply to the Wolf Guard chosen as a unit - especially given that Battle Leaders are chosen as exceptional examples of them.
For what it's worth - my Wolf Guard Termies and pack leaders DO all have completely separate wargear loadouts, but that's just because I consider it fluffy anyway.

Wolf Guard come in three tasty flavors;

1. Wolf Guard Battle Leader: HQ choice and bound by Leaders of the Pack and the SW FAQ regarding sagas and wargear.

2. Wolf Guard: Elites choice and not bound by Leaders of the pack and SW FAQ.

3. Wolf Guard Pack Leader: Elites choice that further becomes part of whatever pack they join and not bound by Leaders of the Pack and SW FAQ.

The codex entry gives leads you down the path with the asterisks only applied to the HQ FOC slots. However when clarified by the FAQ, it then becomes crystal clear as to who and what Leaders of the Pack specifically applies.

This is a fun one as there seems to be conflicting information. Things would have been a lot easier if they had just used the Errata/FAQ update to list unit type changes.

I realize that this pretty much doesn't count for a YMDC ruling, but someone talked to the actual rule developers themselves about it. According to the developers, only the model "leading" the squad is a Character.

Unfortunately for YMDC and RAW, this source of information doesn't really count. Its got to be published in a FAQ or rule update to count. Which is a shame. It wouldn't be the first time a reference in the back of the BRB was wrong or even missing information. I'll have to double check what the BRB says regarding Codexes overriding the BRB, but with a new version generally there are exceptions.

What is interesting is the the Space Wolves FAQ includes an update regarding Pack Leaders:

Page 86 - Wolf Guard, Pack Leaders
Add the following sentence to the end of the paragraph: "Furthermore, a Wolf Guard Pack Leader's Unit Type becomes 'Character' in addition to its normal type."

This implies heavily to me that any Codex that does not have an FAQ updating a unit type does not get added Characters. I believe even Codex: Orks lists the Nob upgrade for a Boyz Mob as a "Character".

As a Space Wolves player, I'm not terribly opposed to the idea that only the more charismatic Wolf Guard are the ones that count as Characters. And the only thing arguing otherwise is that blasted reference in the back of the BRB. All the evidence that only "leaders" are Characters is circumstantial though.

So do wolf guard "units" get a Look Out Sir save at 4+? or only WGPL?

cowmonaut wrote:This is a fun one as there seems to be conflicting information. Things would have been a lot easier if they had just used the Errata/FAQ update to list unit type changes.

I realize that this pretty much doesn't count for a YMDC ruling, but someone talked to the actual rule developers themselves about it. According to the developers, only the model "leading" the squad is a Character.

Unfortunately for YMDC and RAW, this source of information doesn't really count. Its got to be published in a FAQ or rule update to count. Which is a shame. It wouldn't be the first time a reference in the back of the BRB was wrong or even missing information. I'll have to double check what the BRB says regarding Codexes overriding the BRB, but with a new version generally there are exceptions.

What is interesting is the the Space Wolves FAQ includes an update regarding Pack Leaders:

Page 86 - Wolf Guard, Pack Leaders
Add the following sentence to the end of the paragraph: "Furthermore, a Wolf Guard Pack Leader's Unit Type becomes 'Character' in addition to its normal type."

This implies heavily to me that any Codex that does not have an FAQ updating a unit type does not get added Characters. I believe even Codex: Orks lists the Nob upgrade for a Boyz Mob as a "Character".

As a Space Wolves player, I'm not terribly opposed to the idea that only the more charismatic Wolf Guard are the ones that count as Characters. And the only thing arguing otherwise is that blasted reference in the back of the BRB. All the evidence that only "leaders" are Characters is circumstantial though.

This was discussed on the other board I frequent and when I posted the following, it seemed to satisfy most poster.

Wolf Guard Battle Leader: The entry states that he is an Independent Character. No question here.

Wolf Guard: The updated core rulebook lists them as Infantry (Character).

Wolf Guard Pack Leader: At this point things become a little messy due to the FAQ stating that WGPL become characters when they join a unit. What people fail to realize is that,

Wolf Guard =/= Wolf Guard Pack Leader

So the sequence of events goes,

Wolf Guard (per BRB, Inf(char)----->Wolf Guard Pack Leader(per SW codex, Inf)---->Wolf Guard Pack Leader(per FAQ, Inf, char).

This is my opinion and interpretation of the Wolf Guard Character Dispute.

All Wolf Guard are characters because on page 411 of the 6th edition rule book under Space Wolves reference chart it lists Wolf Guard (Ch), yet there is nothing listing PACK LEADER in that model list. Therefore, WOLF GUARD does NOT need to be PACK LEADERS to be considered characters. On the same page in the rule book under the Space Wolves reference chart, there is a SQUAD LEADER (Ch). That SQUAD LEADER is meant for the LONG FANGS squad as a built-in leader, just like the Space Marines have a SPACE MARINES SERGEANT In(Ch) built into the squad. Other Space Wolf squads do not come with a sergeant in the “troop” option in the codex. This is where the amendment comes in: The only way to get a sergeant is for a WOLF GUARD to break away from the GROUP and use the PACK LEADER “OPTION” to be placed into either Blood Claws, Swift Claws Bike Packs, Grey Hunters, Wolf Scouts, or Long Fangs. It says in the official update for the 6th edition version 1.0 under AMENDMENTS “Wolf guard , Pack Leaders Add the following sentence to the end of the paragraph: Furthermore, a Wolf Guard Pack Leader’s Unit Type becomes ‘Character’ in addition to its normal type.” This is talking about PACK LEADERS not just WOLF GUARD because it’s an option, not a must. That’s why it’s not in the rule book like sergeants and squad leaders. Its normal type is an infantry / character. Gamer’s Workshop must have added this for the people who say it’s an independent character because they can break off and join a group.