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Hello,
I am a new W40k player and I have decided to play a Space Wolves army. I have bought the Get Started box set and I am currently assembling my minis.
Here is my first W40k army list. It's a 600pts army list that I plan to expend to 1000, 1500 and 1850 pts.
I am not really sure about my equipement choice. Also, my list is made with the minis that I already have.

SW 600 pts

HQ:

Wolf lord with power armor and pair of Wolf claws: 135pts

Troops:

Grey hunters (5) with 1 melta gun and Wolf guard war leader: 104pts
Grey hunters (5) with 1 plasma gun and Wolf guard war leader: 108pts

Fast attack:

Thunderwolf cavalry (3), 1 with Storm shield and thunder hammer, 1 with Storm shield and Wolf claw, leader with Storm shield and power fist: 240pts


I plan to expend my list to 1000 by adding a Venerable dread, upgrade my squads of grey hunter to two full squads and upgrading my Wolf lord to have a Thunderwolf.


Do you have any comments with my list for a new player ?

Thank you,
Sam

Get a Drop Pod and another Thunderwolf. Then do your first games using the Deathpack. The Grey Hunters want to be within 12" of the Wolf Lord and the Thunderwolves within 12" of the banner bearer. So drop the Grey Hunters where the Thunderwolves will attack in turn one or two at the latest.

Wolf Lord /Thunderwolf, Runic Armour, Storm Shield, Black Death

10 Grey Hunters /2 Plasma Guns, Plasma Pistol, Power Axe, Wolf Banner
+Pack Leader /Combi Plasma, Power Axe
+Drop Pod

Thunderwolf Cavalry /3 Storm Shields, Wolf Claw, Power Fist, Thunderhammer

750

Hmmm... I like.
Definitely.

In more extremely tight lists, the plasma pistol is a cost... I like you relic axe, and also the twc having the wolf claw.

Plasma is great with death pack grey hunters, and yes they do wonderfully in a pod.

Have fun!

Which option is the most viable for my grey hunters ? The plasma guns or the melta guns ?

Thank you,
Sam

Hmm... depends on who you speak with.

Melta is s8, which when you're clever you can line up your shots to clear away models shielding characters/weapon-wielders, and if they fail LoS bam instant death rule for the win!

Able to deal with things like wraith kniggits and vehicles.

The range is TERRIBLE if you ask me, cannot count on it getting melta range when podding in, but all the same...

Plasma is my personal favorite, four shots out of two men, s7 ap2, I like a lot.

If you're building a tournament all comers list, probably safer with melta.

However, I always -enjoy- plasma more

Is it a good idea to buy aditionnal close combat weapons for my grey hunters ? I am still assembling my minis and it's an important point for me between assembling my grey hunters with CC weapon and bolt pistols or only bolters.

Thank you,
Sam

Grey Hunters are arguably the best standard troops choice marines have.

The CC weapons for just 2 a pop adds definite CC potential, as they'll be also taking advantage of Counter-Attack.

If you think they'll be close enough to get assaulted, and the things assaulting them won't be super-cc squads (having a plan on how to approach/engage/deal with those units the opponent brings - and we definitely have the speed to meet this demand) then for sure they are worth it.

I'd say, field them.
Then, if you find consistently that your list and playstyle find them not meeting cc, then free up the points. =)

Thank you for this precision. It helps me making some links with all the stats and the tactic I will have to use on the battlefield.
Do you have any advice to extend my army too 1000pts ? I have talked about adding a venerable dread and taking full squads of grey hunters but I am not sure about this.

Hmmm
Providing the GH's a means of transport.

Dreads are way fun!
A delicate as foil, and deadly as a meteor.

Definitely mount the Lord.

Wulfen are mean...
TWC are wonderful...



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dedicated vehicles gain ObSec, so you could have wheels that go different places securing double the objectives... or have pods that land where ya want them (my favorite) and move the squads elsewhere for more.

In 1k, the options aren't many...

TWC make at least a 5th of the lists points.
The dread, an 8th.
That's a third already.

Then add the wolf lord, another 8th, and the troops + transportz, now we're down to a third left to spend.

At that point, do you have sufficient board presence?

can you deal with high AV like land raiders?

Can you deal with a potential flyer(at 1k maybe 1, if at least able to Jink it turn by turn negating it's effect)?

Are your squads effectively supporting each other, or are they freelance solos all by themselves (can they handle that?)

Are you spreading yourself out too thinly, to be handled a bite at a time, or do you smash into their lines and snap their tactical spines?

Do your units have a hard time reaching their purposes or locations/goals without dying first? Is there someone there to pick up the task they dropped?

Are you able to "feed" the opponents super-unit/weapon that every list seems to have, with a unit(s) that is fully expendable and worthwhile for this purpose to you - one that is worthwhile enough (or threatening enough) to force them to do it YOUR way?

Are you able to deny them the board, pressing into their deployment or are you cat and mouse, biting off bits all guerilla style?


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For some of these, I'd say some living lightning off a lvl2 rune priest, with the helm of durfast seems a nice way to go. If you put a rune priest in each troops unit, it'd add much strength! Go axes if ya do, IMO. Just the two spit out 9d6 shots which on average land over 30 hits at S7. Ouch. Flyers will Jink, if you even let them cuz of ignore cover and reroll hits (so that manymore chances of rolling 6's - which tho snapshotting so can't do the cool add two hits thing from living lightning, it'll still be a solution where there wasn't for flyers, that'll be useful everywhere else too).

Arguably the best standard marine troops choice.
That's actually pretty funny when you think about it.

I'd actually be looking at two more drop pods, one for the dreadnought cutting the dread back to standard and giving it a power fist with heavy flamer . Space Wolves are among the best close combat armies in the game bu they're also carrying a lot of attacks o a small number of wounds, every killed wolf hurts like crazy, and most shootie armies can lay down enough fire to pepper shot your boys to death so by the time you get to the wolves favorite zones you're missing large numbers of valuable points in models and war gear. My favorite tactic is to drop a pair of drop pods right on their front lines bearing a dreadnought and a squad of blood-claws with a flamer - if you can spare the points add a death wind to each of the drop pods. Blast and burn as much of the enemy infantry as possible so that when the heavy hitters arrive there will be less to pepper them or in a best case scenario reduced to overwatch because they've had to throw everything at the dreadnought, blood-claws and drop pods to stop them blowing their stuff apart. Yeah, it's sacrificing about 300 points but it's three hundred points you probably would have lost from your hard hitting stuff before they even saw close combat.
There are things to remember though - tau have the potential for interceptor and necrons might have deathmarks, these horrid things shoot at your deep-striking units as soon as they land, meaning before your shooting phase even if you have first turn.

Hello !
Here is my try for the 1000pts list... I have tried to respect nearly every advice you gave me but it was a little hard to fit in 1000pts.

+++ SW 1000pts (995pts) +++

++ Space Wolves: Codex (2014) (SW Space Wolves Detachment) (995pts) ++

+ HQ (185pts) +

Wolf Lord (185pts) [Thunderwolf (50pts)]
····Power Armour (30pts) [Pair of Wolf Claws (30pts)]

+ Elites (180pts) +

Dreadnought (180pts) [Blizzard Shield, Fenrisian Great Axe (25pts), Venerable Dreadnought (25pts)]
····Drop Pod (35pts) [Storm Bolter]

+ Troops (390pts) +

Grey Hunters (220pts) [Rhino (35pts), Wolf Standard (25pts)]
····10x Grey Hunter (160pts) [10x Bolt Pistol, 8x Bolter, 2x Meltagun (20pts)]

Grey Hunters (170pts)
····10x Grey Hunter (170pts) [10x Bolt Pistol, 8x Bolter, 2x Plasma Gun (30pts)]

+ Fast Attack (240pts) +

Thunderwolf Cavalry (240pts)
····Thunderwolf Cavalry (85pts) [Storm Shield (15pts), Thunder Hammer (30pts)]
····Thunderwolf Cavalry (80pts) [Power Fist (25pts), Storm Shield (15pts)]
····Thunderwolf Cavalry Pack Leader (75pts) [Storm Shield (15pts), Wolf Claw (20pts)]


Created with BattleScribe

Do you have any advice for this list ?
Thank you,
Sam

Hmmm I like the list.
I'd storm shield your Lord, instead of dual claw, but I guess it depends on how you play him.

I like the troops each going either plasma or melta.

TWC are almost an auto include. That you fit them inti 1000 w/ the lord too - definitely shows you've got your priorities straight.

Blizzard Dreads are way fun! Put him near ruins or something that'll deny LoS, or at the least corner'ish so you'll have front AV facing their army, and in move+charge distance.

Lol, I agree with Dakka Wolf, feed the opponent with alternatives to your prized units. Nothing sucks as bad as failing an Ld check with your 300+ pts unit, adding turns before they reach CC.
And you - must reach CC to do really anything with this list.

Mission #1.


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Looks super fun!

Thank you for your answer.
About the dread, do you think it would be a better choice to have it with a helfrost canon and a great wolf claw w/heavy flamer ?

Hmmm... I am not fond of considering SW's as a massed shooting army; they apply amazing weapons carefully.

If you are into placing carefully which shots go where, and have the means to do so, sure helfrost is definitely effective.
I've podded in Bjorn for firstblood + warlord off a bloodthirster turn 1; eliminated a hive tyrant; those being my most notable successes with it. There's a list hehe

However, going without a CCW on a dread, for me personally, seems a mistake. If you can do both, I think ya should

With regards to the TWC, maybe drop the hammer down to a power fist as you're going at S10 Ap2 with what, 4 attacks on the charge? 5? Don't remember of the top of my head. There is very little that will survive long enough for concussive to be worth it. Personally I'd prefer to run them all with WC & SS but thats just me. If you do that you may have enough points left over to give your lord runic armour for a 2+.

Thank you for your advice.
Do you think I should take a rhino for my second Grey hunter squad and remove the drop pod for the dread ? Or it's a must have for a dread to be in a drop pod ?

Thank you,
Sam

I like to run as many pods as possible but it's not necessarily the best tactic, nor the worst.

Is there a 'best' tactic for the Wolves at the moment? They seem to be gnawing at the bottom of the top tier but nobody can quite push them onto the podium.

I'd take away the wolf standard and replace the power fist with a power axe/power weapon because then you'll have 35 points for a rhino or pod for the 2nd GH squad. Mobility for that one squad is very important, because without it they may be walking for a couple of turns before seeing action.

Perhaps even go as far as to take away a couple melee weapons from the TWC to give your GH CCWs, and in turn, some bite in CCW. A good tactic is jump out of your rhino, rapid fire, eat the charge with counter attack and double ccw's.

Even with normal ccw's, TWC can destroy most stuff in combat. Leave one on the sergeant or go with cheaper weapon options. Keep SS though.