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So as the title says, I'm trying to figure out where to start when building lists for Space wolves. Although I used to play 40k many years ago, I've recently picked it back up again and have been focusing all my efforts into building a decent SW army for casual/friendly gaming down at the local GW store and wargaming club.

I've been doing my best to get as many games under my belt as possible to learn the basic game rules but am still struggling with some general list building with what I've got available. More often that not I've gone for this setup; a cheaper HQ choice (RP/WP) or two, at least 3 squads of GH with Rhinos or holding the line backed up by LF (2 squads) and if the points allow a gun toting dread and/or quad gun for anti-air.

Thought I'd throw this out on the forums and ask if anyone has got any tips about where to start when building lists. Or, to ask if anyone has got comments about what works for them as maybe and 'all-rounder' setup.

Additionally, I've listed the models currently at my disposal. I was hoping you folks would be able to add suggestions as to where my future investments would best be placed to make sure I can achieve a decent balance. My initial thoughts were to get some more TWC and convert one to a wolflord, there seem to be posts everywhere about how awesome they can be. However, looking at my available stuff I seem to also be lacking a bit of ranged firepower. With so many posts ranging back the last couple of years it can be hard to figure out what kind of units perform well in this day and age.



HQ:
RP - Term/axe
RP - Power/sword
WP - Power/bolt pistol
Njal - Power
Logan
Ulrik
Ragnar

Elites:
1 Dread - CC/Multi melta/ML/TLL
Iron Priest (on foot)
Lone wolf (original Russ model, 2 wolves)
Guard - Power/6*combi plasma/CC (power axes/swords possible)
Guard - Power 5 (combi melta/LC, fist/bolt pistol, fist/storm bolt, thunder/storm bolt, SS/LC)
Guard - Term 6 (2* storm bolt/fist, 2* storm bolt/chain, H flame/fist, Assault/fist)

Troops:
2* 10 GH - 2 flamers
10 GH - 2 plasma
10 GH - 2 melta

Fast Attack:
Speeder - melta
3 TWC - (1 with SS/TH)

Heavy Support:
LF - 4*ML
LF - 2*HB, 2*LC, 1*ML
1 Landraider crusader/redeemer as needed

Transports:
2 Rhinos
1 Razor (HB/TWL as needed)

Fort:
Aegis (w Quad gun)

Any help/thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

It looks like you need Drop Pods my friend. Grey Hunters in drop pods with two special weapons are fantastic. They're like assault marines but better since they get they're charge bonus from counter attacking and gain the additional attack for ccw/pistol while still holding that special weapon.

Flamers in pods are money against hordes
Meltas in pods are money against tanks
Rune Priest with JotWW in a pod (with 9 grey hunters with one plasma gun) are money against MCs
Dual Plasma... Well that can go in a Rhino if you want.

Dreads (MM/CC) do well in pods too and can come in first to soak up firepower and save your scoring units for a later drop or they can come in later when your opponent has less to shoot at them to ensure maximum carnage.

Long Fang squads do great with a variety of set ups and you seem to have that figured out, all I can recommend is to take one of your stock terminator wolf guard and give him a Cyclone Missile Launcher. Once the wolf guard squad is 5 men strong (term armored or not) you can upgrade him with that special weapon and then second him to hang out with your long fangs, boosting their LD and tanking AP3 wounds aimed at them (looking at you Helldrake)

Lone Wolves with no upgrades are actually pretty sweet on the quad gun with all their special rules and statline but give up that extra point in most games since he'll still be alive and shooting when it ends.

A well equipped (all the fixins, 2+/3++ EW, TH, wolf talisman) Thunderwolf Lord and his retinue of TWC are friggin awesome, they look amazing on the tabletop and have the ability to wreck deathstars, but they are kind of a deathstar themselves. You have to remember that if you're going to invest the points in a unit like this (close to 600+ pts on 4 multi wound models) you're not going to have as much space for everything else that an army needs to function like scoring units and distractions and hammer/anvil units.

Another "deathstar" to consider is that Land Raider Crusader packed with 15 regular SW troops (Blood Claws in this case, wait what? We're using blood claws? Yes young one, blood claws) and Ulrik who I think has the Chaplain (wolf priest) special rules correct? Yeah. So in the same vein as a crusader packed full of Death Company with a Reclusiarch, the idea is that everyone will want to stay away from this Land Yacht of death so you can use it to push people around and into making bad mistakes and positioning things incorrectly and eventually getting a good charge in which you'll wipe out whatever you charge in one round of assault.

Just remember, whatever you're going to do, make sure you have plenty of it. If you want your grey hunters in rhinos instead of pods, just make sure you have enough rhinos to get them there, spam them if you have to. Having a wall of 6 AV11 vehicles all packing angry Nordic berserkers is a lot scarier than two paper mache party buses with slightly irked wolf loving furries in them. target saturation is key as they say.

What Bocatt said, for he is a gentleman and a scholar.
My 2k lists usually contain 5 Drop Pods. 1 Flamer, 2 Melta, and 2 Plasma. (Though 1 Plasma can be swapped for a Flamer.) They all have decent anti-horde, though the flamers are best at that, Meltas are best at Anti-Tank (Though against rear armor, Plasma Guns are nothing to scoff at,) and Plasmas are best at anti-tank, though they can hurt just about anything on the board. And, in a Drop Pod, it's nearly impossible to avoid them or keep them from hurting you.
We've also got cheaper Missile Launchers and Plasma Cannons on our heavy weapon squads. Take them. Lots of them.

Our Rune Priests cost a premium over SM psykers, but we get Divination and the best Psychic defense in the game in exchange. Use them.

Many thanks for the reply. One common theme I think that I picked up is definitely drop pod, drop pod, DROP POD! So I think that is def going to be my next area of investment.

Moving on from that I'd never thought to put the lone wolf on the quad gun, that seems that it could be great if I've got the points. Quite often I just give him MotW and two wolves and throw him at the enemy infantry to hold them up a bit. Or, as a fist charge to soak up overwatch that could potentially hurt my hunters. Similarly, I'd never thought to go with blood claws. A wolf priest does make them more useful but I always figured for the +1ws and +1bs increase I'd be better taking hunters. So I think I'll get myself some more troops to give me this option as well. Those are definitely areas that I think that I can quickly expand on without hitting the bank too hard.

In the mean time I'm setting up for a friendly game tonight against a mate wanting to test the new Tyranids codex. Pref not to proxy anything so for the time being I've build the following list out of what I've got. I've tried to take on the suggestion "Just remember, whatever you're going to do, make sure you have plenty of it. " with this list.

Total: 2000

HQ: 325pts
RP - Term (div*2)
WL - Runic, SS/LC, Bear

Elites: 226pts
7*WG - 6 power (Combi plasma/CC), 1 term (Heavy flame/fist) + Razor (heavy bolts)

Troops: 710pts
10 GH - 2*Flamer + Rhino
10 GH - 2*Melta + Rhino
10 GH - 2* flame, MotW, Standard
10 GH - 2*Plasma

Fast Attack: 150pts
3*TWC - no upgrades

Heavy Support: 485pts
LR Crusader
LF - 4*ML, 1*LC
LF - 2*HB, 1*ML

Fortification: 100pts
Aegis - Quad gun

Planned on putting the wolf lord, 1 flamer GH pack and then the guard term (H flame) in the LR and sending them forward to slow the force down. Sending the combi bomb/razor up to help and soften the spear tip and possibly as another unit to take the overwatch if necessary. Then to send the two Rhino GH squads to take/hold objectives, with the final GH squad (plasma), RP and two LF squads to hold the defence line/quad. The TWC would really be used for mopping up where needed.

Any thoughts?

I would say always go for the thunder hammer storm shield on the wolf lord, a 10 with 5 attacks is awesome.

Not got the model, but since it is a friendly I could prob get away with it..

Also, wondering what people's thoughts are with tyranids and instant-death. Do I really need to go for saga of the bear for the wolf lord? Or could I get away with the warrior born? It would be awesome to be stacking those extra S10 attacks each assault phase. Lets face it there shouldn't be a shortage of bugs to squash.