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Hello, I'm wondering if Storm Shields on T-Wolf Cav are worth the cost. I don't want to tailor my force to a specific opponent, I may theoretically use my army to battle several different factions in one day. They seem appealing in that their toughness bonus is useless against grav-weapons, but is it ultimately wiser to just add more units? What about a mixed unit of like 3 with shields and 3 without? Any thoughts or suggestions are much appreciated.

Storm Shields on Thunderwolves are fantastically useful; you're dramatically increasing the toughness of the unit against the sort of weapons that are likely to have the Strength to be a threat to them in the first place. They're useful against grav, yes, but also plasma, starcannons, rending attacks, distortion weapons, artillery, power weapons, power fists, Monstrous Creatures, or, in short, basically every tool every Codex would use to kill a Thunderwolf.

The cost may be high, but personally I think tripling your durability against things you'll be seeking melee with anyway and things that will kill you without effort at range without it is worth it.

Awesome! I was hoping to hear that. I've always liked Storm Shields and I was leaning that way. Thanks!

You don't need to spam them. One in every three should be okay.

Don't spam them because it costs too many points, or don't spam because it cheesy/OP?

 Rakar wrote:
Don't spam them because it costs too many points, or don't spam because it cheesy/OP?

Too many points in the same way as equipping Vanguard. Know the limits of what will be necessary.

Cool, thanks.

I like to take two shields, one shield/hammer,and two Power Mauls in my five-man squads.

The mauls cost the same as swords/axes right? Is 1+ in strength (vs the axe) worth the loss in AP? I guess the axe costs you initiative too. At S5, the sword look pretty mean too. Is concussive very helpful? I'm sure how this will all work on the field so I'm genuinely curious.

Depends on what is shooting at them.
If you're being shot at by a a high power ap2 or ap3 weapon with a low ROF TWC with storm shields have an uncanny ability to roll high, shrug it off and make your opponent whine about cheese.
If you're being shot at by a large squad of pea shooters like bolters or regular las pistols storm shields are irrelevant.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Rakar wrote:
The mauls cost the same as swords/axes right? Is 1+ in strength (vs the axe) worth the loss in AP? I guess the axe costs you initiative too. At S5, the sword look pretty mean too. Is concussive very helpful? I'm sure how this will all work on the field so I'm genuinely curious.

The maul is worth every point - if you have furious charge.
On the charge you're packing S8, AP4 at initiative.
Uncontested insta death to anything that can't present 3+ or T5, fair chance of insta death to SM in power armour. Smashes any vehicle with an AV less than 13, can glance av14 on a 6.
Necrons, Characters and non Tyranid Monstrous Creatures will laugh at the Mauls.

Furious charge, that's what I was forgetting. I was looking for that magic s8 & now it all makes sense! I don't see much advantage to the 1 ap point at 7st with the axe, and unweildly is a fair detriment. Furious charge ties everything together! Thanks.

Mauls are great vs Invuln saves and a fair amount of xenos. They are also decent vs vehicles due to raw higher base strength.
Axes are for AP2 and decent at wounding most things at the cost of swinging at I1
Swords are not my preferred weapon on Space Wolves when you have Wolf Claws for 5 extra points to get +1 strength and shred (at the cost of an extra attack but shred is generally worth it)
Lances are for the truly insane and turn you into a space marine killing god on the charge.

If your taking a Stormshield and want a power weapon then most the negatives of a Power Fist or a Wolf Claw are gone because you never get the extra melee attack due to the shield.

Also for my Thunderwolves I prefer having a mix of Shields and better melee weapons mixed in. My LoS fodder model for my Thunder Wolf HQ is a Stormshield + Chainsword guy to soak AP2/3 wounds. The rest are generally some mix of shields, Claws, Fists, and more Chainswords for larger TWC squads. Usually its 3/4 have a power weapon of sorts while 3/4 have Storm Shields.

I like that mix, it makes a lot of sense. You guys are giving me quite the education and I really appreciate it....I never even thought about lances.

Never been a fan of the Power Lance - I wish I was because TWC looks amazing with Shields and Lances - but I've always found the Lance to be kind of like a poor man's Wolf Claw. You could argue that a Power Maul is a poor man's Thunder Hammer but there are a few situations where the Maul is arguably better than the Hammer. Especially when it comes to transport smashing.
My personal favorite TWC Loadout

Wolf Lord+Armour of Russ+Power Maul+Power Sword
TWC Pack Leader+Storm Shield+Bolt Pistol
TWC+Storm Shield+Thunder Hammer
TWC+Pair of Wolf Claws
Wolf Priest+Runic Armour+Jump Pack

 Dakka Wolf wrote:
Never been a fan of the Power Lance - I wish I was because TWC looks amazing with Shields and Lances - but I've always found the Lance to be kind of like a poor man's Wolf Claw. You could argue that a Power Maul is a poor man's Thunder Hammer but there are a few situations where the Maul is arguably better than the Hammer. Especially when it comes to transport smashing.

Despite the fairly iconic medieval knight imagery, Lance + Storm Shield is a terrible combination for the wolves because the shield negates a major benefit the lance has which is the +1 attack when combined with a CCW or pistol. If your springing for a shield and power weapon then might as well throw an extra 5 points at it for the claw to gain shred and have better locked in combat killing power. Not like the specialist weapon rule is going to matter considering the SS rule.

15 points to keep your expensive cavalry safe long enough to get into combat is well worth it, as others said don't spam them but one in a small squad is worth it.

Power lances are sort of the red-headed stepchild of the power-weapon family more generally; they've never had models and nobody uses them for anything because very little you'd throw power-weapon models at is going to reliably die in the first round of combat. I've been making some out of GK parts to put on Deathwatch Bikers because they're all of 5pts there and bikes get to pick their fights quite effectively, but they're unhelpful pretty much everywhere else.

I've had good success so far with my power lances with my Skyhammer Assault Marines. Look cool (GK halberds) and nasty on the charge. The weapon I personally don't ever use (outside of GKs) is power swords but unfortunately GW includes tons of them on every kit and HQ they produce.