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Brothers!

New Space Wolves player here, looking for my entry level 500 pt list. Kinda designed as an "All Comers" but I'll mostly be playing against Orks and Tau(hence why I have some firepower with Terminators!)

HQ - 145 pts
Rune Priest
---Rune Armor
---Jump Pack
---Wolf Tooth Necklace

Elites - 195 pts
5x Wolf Guard Pack
---5x Terminator Armor
---1x Cyclone Missile Launcher

Troops - 150 pts
5x Grey Hunters
5x Grey Hunters

Thoughts? This is a small army, mostly for small bashes and Kill Team scenarios, so no vehicles or anything yet. In fact, I plan to make a mostly foot slogging army!

My questions:
-Is a Rune Priest or Wolf Lord better? It seemed to me that for a smaller investment with the Rune Priest I got a more versatile HQ
-Blood Claws or Grey Hunters? I know it depends on mission, but I like the stat lineup on Grey Hunters, as well as having Bolters. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Re-read forum posting rules. You gotta pinch out the individual points values. Violates GW's IP rights.

ZakFaire wrote:
Rune Priest - 100 pts
---Rune Armor: 20 pts
---Jump Pack: 25 pts
---Wolf Tooth Necklace: 10 pts

Elites - 195 pts
5x Wolf Guard Pack - 90 pts
---5x Terminator Armor: 75 pts
---1x Cyclone Missile Launcher: 30 pts

Troops
5x Grey Hunters - 75 pts
5x Grey Hunters - 75 pts

Thoughts? This is a small army, mostly for small bashes and Kill Team scenarios, so no vehicles or anything yet. In fact, I plan to make a mostly foot slogging army!

Tau hate power toys, so I'd up those. A single RP with jumper pack ain't gonna make it.

Do you play on a 6x4 table or 4x4?

Thanks, didn't see that...left it for categories, not actual choices!

Would you recommend going for Lord instead of priest? Or just forgo the Rune and get Terminator?

Jump Pack & Wolf Tooth Necklace on your Runepriest are wasted points.
Get rid of those and give each grey hunter squad a special weapon to shoot with
Grey Hunters are *WAY* better than Blood Claws in almost every situation

Since you're not riding in vehicles, the only real downside to Terminator armour is that your Rune Priest would lose the +1 attack in melee for using a pistol. You would, however, gain a 5+ inv save and a stormbolter

In larger battles I personally think it's wrong to not have a Wolf Lord. At 500 pts however, I think a Rune Priest is clearly the better choice.... although I think there's a huge case to be made for a Wolf Priest instead.
Prefered Enemy: Infantry would be pretty powerful at this points level (and any other level for that matter)

karlosovic wrote:Jump Pack & Wolf Tooth Necklace on your Runepriest are wasted points.
Get rid of those and give each grey hunter squad a special weapon to shoot with
Grey Hunters are *WAY* better than Blood Claws in almost every situation

Since you're not riding in vehicles, the only real downside to Terminator armour is that your Rune Priest would lose the +1 attack in melee for using a pistol. You would, however, gain a 5+ inv save and a stormbolter

In larger battles I personally think it's wrong to not have a Wolf Lord. At 500 pts however, I think a Rune Priest is clearly the better choice.... although I think there's a huge case to be made for a Wolf Priest instead.
Prefered Enemy: Infantry would be pretty powerful at this points level (and any other level for that matter)

Thanks for the advice! I took it and got myself Terminator Armor for the Priest and a Plasma Pistol for a little punch. Combined with the Cyclone, I think I can deal with any armor at the 500 pt level match. Here's my adjusted List;

HQ - 155
Rune Priest
---Terminator
---Plasma Pistol
---Living Lightning
---Jaws of the World Wolf

Elites - 195
5x Wolf Guard
---Terminators
---Cyclone Missile Launcher

Troops - 150
5x Grey Wolves
5x Grey Wolves

I could drop the Cyclone to give each of the Grey Hunters a Plasma Gun. Do you think that would be better spent?

Thanks!

I would not swap the CML for the plasmaguns
Not sure I'd give your terminator Rune Priest a plasma pistol either - in fact, technically you can't. It's only listed as an upgrade for power armoured models... once you go terminator you get a Stormbolter included and can swap it for a combiweapon

Actually your points totals are wrong.. are you paying for "Master of Runes"? You haven't written it. I certainly wouldn't pay for master of runes AND an upgraded gun (your pyshic powers both count as a shooting attack already)

How about:

HQ - 120
Rune Priest
---Terminator (inc Stormbolter and Runic Staff)
---Living Lightning
---Jaws of the World Wolf

Elites - 210
5x Wolf Guard
---Terminators (inc Stormbolter and Power Weapons)
---1 with Cyclone Missile Launcher
---1 replace Power Weapon with Powerfist
---1 replace Stormbolter with Combi-melta

Troops - 85
5xGrey Hunters
---Plasmagun

Troops - 85
5xGrey Hunters
---Plasmagun
----------------------------------
Total = 500pts

In a 500 point game, you really want to keep your choices cheap. I think that the Wolf Guard are awesome, but still too expensive at 500 points. You'll get more bang for your points with long fangs. For example.



The missile launchers can shoot Krak missiles if your sneaky Tau opponent brings a hammerhead, or when you shoot at mobs of Ork Boys, you can switch to frag missiles. Note that Frag Missiles are AP5, and so the Orks' 6+ tee-shirt save won't help them. For variety and equal or better effectiveness, you could switch out for this unit



The Heavy Bolters are AP4 (which gimps fire warriors and most orks), They are heavy 3, so they can move 6" and fire 15 snap shots and they can fire overwatch if you get charged by a mob of Ork Boyz.

Of course taking 2 squads of Long Fangs and a Rune Priest is likely going to make your opponents feel very bitter after the game. Rune Priests especially bother Orks, who can do very little to protect thier ICs and Nobs from Jaws of the World Wolf- which has the effect of gutting their cool models and making them frustrated by how little they can do about it (read not having fun, or wanting to play you in the foreseeable future)

Unless your friends also play hyper competitively, and you are staring down the barrel of lists like Loota Spam, you won't have friends for much longer after playing Grugnuckles list

akaean wrote:Of course taking 2 squads of Long Fangs and a Rune Priest is likely going to make your opponents feel very bitter after the game. Rune Priests especially bother Orks, who can do very little to protect thier ICs and Nobs from Jaws of the World Wolf- which has the effect of gutting their cool models and making them frustrated by how little they can do about it (read not having fun, or wanting to play you in the foreseeable future)

Unless your friends also play hyper competitively, and you are staring down the barrel of lists like Loota Spam, you won't have friends for much longer after playing Grugnuckles list

I guess. But I could say the same about the terminators.

Just FYI - I happen to be in an escalation league right now and my 500 point list is this.



And I have tell you, that my opponents brought a Necron Monolith and an Ork Battlewagon, and a Tau Hammerhead. In two of those games, my meltaguns failed to destroy their vehicles on the turn they dropped and were subsequently cut to pieces and after those games, I was wishing that I had put the long fangs in there.

Of all of the other lists posted here, there really isn't much that can take out vehicles. I'm just saying.

Grugknuckle wrote:
I guess. But I could say the same about the terminators.


And I have tell you, that my opponents brought a Necron Monolith and an Ork Battlewagon, and a Tau Hammerhead. In two of those games, my meltaguns failed to destroy their vehicles on the turn they dropped and were subsequently cut to pieces and after those games, I was wishing that I had put the long fangs in there.

Of all of the other lists posted here, there really isn't much that can take out vehicles. I'm just saying.

I think we can all agree that 500 points is a bit wonky, and the example lists that you mention prove my point. Those are not examples of armies that new players have just purchased and are trying to have fun with . Those are armies of somebody who is trying to abuse the limitations of a 500 point game, to further their position in the league. But there is a different level of play from competitive leagues, and causal games, especially when many of the players are starting out.

But put that same list with a bunch of new players you are going to have some frustrated opponents who feel like there was nothing they could do. I'm not saying that the list is bad, far from it, its an awesomely powerful space wolf list. Just that if the OP plans on using it he better make sure that his opponents' lists are also top notch- or it really won't be much of a game...

Well I was mainly trying to tweak his list using the options he seemed to want to go for (as opposed to what most forum junkies seem to want to do - which is tell people to throw away everything they own and repurchase the standard cookie-cutter tournament list - but I digress)

Having said that.... I looked back at his OP and a few things struct me:
1) He said no vehicles (so anti-tank weapons not so necessary yet)
2) He doesn't appear to have locked anything in yet (hinted at by his 'grey hunters or blood claws" question)

So.... advice for a new player?
Get at least one box of grey hunters and a rune priest
Then try to score some missile launchers off ebay or any of the many "Bits" websites.
If you manage to scrounge a full squad worth of Missile Launchers - just buy another box of grey hunters (the generic 'Space Wolves' in power armour box)
Otherwise you could try to model Long Fangs from a box of regular Space Marine Devestators... but this is the unfavourable option because:
1) They don't look like Space Wolves (although you can mix in spare parts from your grey hunters)
2) The heavy weapon options in that box aren't very good

You probably want at least 2-3 boxes of the grey hunters to start though... the box includes HEAPS of conversion bits and options to mix with other kits to "Wolfify" all your army, as well as giving you 10 full guys per box


Automatically Appended Next Post:
You're going to *require* at least 2 squads of Grey Hunters for *every* Space Wolves army, and you'll pretty much always *want* at least one squad of Long Fangs and one Runepriest.

But put that same list with a bunch of new players you are going to have some frustrated opponents who feel like there was nothing they could do.

The OP said that he was new. He didn't say his opponents were. If he doesn't at least attempt to make a competitive list, it's going to be him who is frustrated.

My opinion - buy the mini's you need to make a serious list first. Then add fun units later. This way you can have a chance at winning from the get go even though you probably won't just because the rules are new. Going your way, you're going to be losing a lot (ie...getting frustrated) and wondering why you have to spend MORE money to make your list competitive.

You probably want at least 2-3 boxes of the grey hunters to start though... the box includes HEAPS of conversion bits and options to mix with other kits to "Wolfify" all your army, as well as giving you 10 full guys per box

You're going to *require* at least 2 squads of Grey Hunters for *every* Space Wolves army, and you'll pretty much always *want* at least one squad of Long Fangs and one Runepriest.

Exactly what I'm saying. And for the OP - if you know you're eventually going to have 30 or so Space Wolves (Grey hunters, HQ models, Long Fangs or whatever), then you should consider buying two boxes of tactical space marines AND two boxes of Space Wolves at the same time. The box of tactical marines has options in it that you'll really want - like a meltagun and a missile launcher - but those options are NOT in the Space Wolves box. Look on ebay, and you can find great bulk deals.

Also, you can save money by converting your character models from the bits in the Space Wolves box. It's not necessary to pay an extra $20 for a finecast rune-priest.

Rune Priest
-minimal goodies
(attach 2 PA WG and 1 WGT)

5x Wolf Guard ("WG")
-3 Terminator ("WGT")
--1 CML
-2 Power Armor ("PA WG")
--some goodies

5x Grey Hunters
-special weapon
(Attach WGT)

5x Grey Hunters
-special weapon
(Attach WGT)

By shaving some suits of TDA frees up necessary points with little detriment so long as you are mindful of "Look Out Sir!"

Some goodies to consider for your rune priest that are cost effective would be a chooser of the slain so you hit more often with your psychic powers and possibly a wolf tooth necklace so that your force weapon can be more reliable. Other than that, at 500 points I would follow the mantra "boys over toys."


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Try to get some combi weapons on those WG.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Oh and that special weapon on the GH squads should probably be a melta. More reliable than plasma and will obviously take care of any AV you will see.

Playing wolves at 500...

for an all comers list I would do..

1 Rune Priest - 100 (Living Lightning, Jaws or Hurricane)

8 Grey Hunters - (mark,standard, melta) - 145

8 Grey Hunters - (mark, standard, melta) - 145

This leaves you with 110 to spend. You could go with a 2 Options:

1 Dread with a Twin Linked Heavy Bolter at 110

or

3 Wolf Guard Terms at 99 ... leaving you 10 points to add either 2 Combi-weapons.

I would say you want the 2 Combis in there.

or

even do a Lone Thunderwolf Rider with Stormshield and some kind of powerful CC weapon, with a Thunderhammer and Shield he would come in at 110.







Grey Hunters are NASTY and I have seen small squads of them destroy terminator units in Kill Team games.

I think the Mark of the Wolfen is really over rated.

I used to use it in every squad. Rends are not worth relying on and the number of attacks that you might get still don't make them a proper CC unit.

Deuce11 wrote:I think the Mark of the Wolfen is really over rated.

I used to use it in every squad. Rends are not worth relying on and the number of attacks that you might get still don't make them a proper CC unit.

But for 15 points, would you take MotW or a power weapon? There's a poll out there in general discussion. It's pretty clear that most people would rather have the MotW.

Its not the Rending as much as it is the Boost to Attacks...

8 Grey Hunters on the Charge are getting...24 attacks, throw in Counter/Attack as well.

Add Mark of the Wulfen and you have 21 Attacks plus the additional D6 + 1 attacks ...so the potential increases to a highest 28 Attacks on the Charge, then throw in Rending after that.

Couple that with a Wolf Standard and you are now rerolling all 1s.....

for 25 points...I would take the D6+1 Attacks w/ Rending and the Standard to reroll 1s...

One of the best combos in the game for Troop units.

Thulsa Doom wrote:Its not the Rending as much as it is the Boost to Attacks...

8 Grey Hunters on the Charge are getting...24 attacks, throw in Counter/Attack as well.

Add Mark of the Wulfen and you have 21 Attacks plus the additional D6 + 1 attacks ...so the potential increases to a highest 28 Attacks on the Charge, then throw in Rending after that.

Couple that with a Wolf Standard and you are now rerolling all 1s.....

for 25 points...I would take the D6+1 Attacks w/ Rending and the Standard to reroll 1s...

One of the best combos in the game for Troop units.

^ Exactly.

Hey guys! I intended to post my own thread but that seemed like it would be redundant 2 lines above this one so im posting it here first.

I have been kicking around a 500 point all comers list for a 500 point escalation league and im at a cross roads on what would be the best all around army. The thing that is really posing the biggest issue is that one or maybe more of my opponents plan on including a Leman russ in their lists. However i will also be facing orks with large amounts of infantry units that may overwhelm standard heavy weapons team. 14 armor is rough at this point value but here is what i came up with.

Rune Priest......100
Terminator Armor....20
Living lightening

Land Speeder.....50
Multi-melta........10

Land Speeder.....50
Multi-melta........10

Grey Hunters x5 ...... 75
Flamer

Grey Hunters x5 ...... 75
Flamer

Drop pod...........35

Long Fangs x3 ....54
2x Missile Launcher ....20

Plan is to Deep strike the Rune priest with a 5 man GH squad and Deep strike the 2 speeders to drop behind vehicles or heavily armored enemies and quickly destroy them. The Rune Priest squad, i figured, could either lay waste to lightly armored infantry with Living Lightning and bolter fire, or charge smaller squads of other marines and the like to get my rune priest in. The long fangs can provide both anti armor or frag support fire to wherever is lacking and the other unit can move to objectives while laying down bolter cover fire. Thoughts?

Deuce11 wrote:Some goodies to consider for your rune priest that are cost effective would be a chooser of the slain so you hit more often with your psychic powers and possibly a wolf tooth necklace so that your force weapon can be more reliable. Other than that, at 500 points I would follow the mantra "boys over toys."

Chooser, yes, WTN, No. I dont think the wolf tooth necklace is ever really worth bothering with - maybe if it also reduced the oponents chance to hit like actually having higher WS would do - but as is? No.
"Boys over toys" sounds pretty funny somehow ... but seriously it's a good recommendation

Deuce11 wrote:Oh and that special weapon on the GH squads should probably be a melta. More reliable than plasma and will obviously take care of any AV you will see.

This is changing in 6th. I'd probably stick with the plasma on your grey hunter squads - but you *do* still want to have *some* way of dealing with the odd AV14 someone will sneak in. Melta bombs are one option.... or

Deuce11 wrote:Try to get some combi weapons on those WG.

This is where I'd stick a 1-shot melta

If someone fields a Leman Russ at 500... Geez ok try this:

Runepriest 100

Take Hurricane and Jaws.

Speeder w multi melta 60

5 Grey Hunters w/ Mark, melta, standard 105

5 Grey Hunters w/ mark, std, melta 105

Your Long Fang unit at 55 points 2 missiles

Put them in a Lazorback at 75 keep you priest here for protection.

This gives you 4 major anti tank weapons: the lascannon, 2 melta guns, and the multi melta...

The Russ can only shoot at one....