Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Okay here is my first go. Appreciate any advice to clean this up as I think I am all over the place on it. Casual play, learning.

Blackmane formation.

Ragnar Blackmane 195

1 Unit of Wolf Guard 90
5x combi melta 50
1x storm Shield 15
Total 155

3x Units of Blood Claws at 5 per unit 60 each
1x Flamer 5
65 per unit
Total 195

4x Units of Grey Hunters at 5 per unit 70 each
1x Plasma Pistol 15
1x Meltagun 10 (1x Plasmagun 15)
1x Frost axe 20
115 per unit x2 (and 120 per unit x2)
Total 470

1x Unit of Long Fang at 5 per unit 30 +15 pts/model 75
x5 Missle Launcher 75
Total 150

1x Unit of Wolf Scouts 70
Not even sure what to do with these guys.
Total 70

1x Wyrdstorm Brotherhood 180 (3x Rune Priests)
x1 Psyker 25
Total 205

Overall Total 1440

I think I came up with a total use thus far of 9 Drop Pods, at no cost in points of course. Blackmane and the Wolf Scouts on foot.

So at this point I have 600 points available unless I screwed up the builds as far as rules go? It leaves a lot of room to move around in. So any help in changing the build of the squads for weapons, adding guys to the squads (I have read that Blood Claws are much better at 10 per squad?), or adding more squads as I have only added the bare min as according to the Blackmane formation are all available options.

At any rate, I could really use the help from the vast knowledge out there.

Thanks much gang.

I'd suggest to upgrade your 5 man blood claws squads with just a flamer, nothing else, and ragnar blackmane can't go on foot, make him join one the grey hunters squad.

About grey hunters you made some mistakes, they're not wolf guards, so you've taken too many upgrades. 5 man squads with a melta/plasma and a combi melta/plasma.

I'd go with max combi meltas in the wolf guard unit, maybe a single shield.

To complete the list you have many options, an autoinclude should be the wyrdstorm brotherhood IMHO, stick at least 3 rune priests in your grey hunters units, one of them upgraded to lv2 with the relic helm of durfast.

Yes blood claws are better in larger units but the blackmane formation really works with a lot of multiple small units, so take only units of five. You can increase the number of grey hunters instead, if you stick the wyrdstorm brotherhood with them.

You can also add murdefang in a drop pod.

Scouts are only there to make the list legal, keep them cheap.

Blackie: First, thank you SO much for replying. I edited my original post and I think I followed what you were describing to me. 40k lingo is still a learning curve for me. I corrected a mistake to the GH as you pointed out, but I think they are on spot now? If not think you could point out what your build would be and how to get there from the codex page?

I was a little unclear about the Wyrdstorm formation. I added it, no specials other than the lvl2 for 25 and then the relic is free? What I was unclear about is did you mean 1 formation of them with EACH GH formation?

When you say for Ragnar to "join" a GH squad I figure you mean to just put him in a Pod at the start of the game to get him on the board?

Totally appreciate your time!

Thanks.

 Blackie wrote:
I'd suggest to upgrade your 5 man blood claws squads with just a flamer, nothing else, and ragnar blackmane can't go on foot, make him join one the grey hunters squad.

About grey hunters you made some mistakes, they're not wolf guards, so you've taken too many upgrades. 5 man squads with a melta/plasma and a combi melta/plasma.

I'd go with max combi meltas in the wolf guard unit, maybe a single shield.

To complete the list you have many options, an autoinclude should be the wyrdstorm brotherhood IMHO, stick at least 3 rune priests in your grey hunters units, one of them upgraded to lv2 with the relic helm of durfast.

Yes blood claws are better in larger units but the blackmane formation really works with a lot of multiple small units, so take only units of five. You can increase the number of grey hunters instead, if you stick the wyrdstorm brotherhood with them.

You can also add murdefang in a drop pod.

Scouts are only there to make the list legal, keep them cheap.

glendel wrote:
Blackie: First, thank you SO much for replying. I edited my original post and I think I followed what you were describing to me. 40k lingo is still a learning curve for me. I corrected a mistake to the GH as you pointed out, but I think they are on spot now? If not think you could point out what your build would be and how to get there from the codex page?

I was a little unclear about the Wyrdstorm formation. I added it, no specials other than the lvl2 for 25 and then the relic is free? What I was unclear about is did you mean 1 formation of them with EACH GH formation?

When you say for Ragnar to "join" a GH squad I figure you mean to just put him in a Pod at the start of the game to get him on the board?

Totally appreciate your time!

Thanks.

About ragnar yes I though you were going to take him on foot, but as an indipendent character he can join infantry units so you can stick him with grey hunters or blood claws.

The relic for the rune priests costs 20 points but allows to reroll failed to hit, which means that you can reroll failed to hit when casting The Living Storm, I think it's an autoinclude for only 20 points.

About GH, in a unit of 5-9 (if they're joined by rune priests you cannot take more than 9 in a drop pod) they can only have a special weapon and a pack leader with a combi weapon, I think you can increase their number, maybe units of 7-8 all joined by a rune priest. You can stick a rune priest with the wolf guard unit too.

Their formation is not a single unit, the wyrdstorm brotherood consists in 2-5 rune priests, but all of them are indipendent characters that can be placed wherever you want. That's why I suggested to include one of them in each grey hunter squad. The more priests you get in the more powerful they are, that's why spamming stock rune priests is better than paying a lot of points for some upgrades, I'd only go with the relic and 1-2 lv2. In a list like yours they have a good synergy with the rest of the army.

I don't play this kind of list because I don't have that many drop pods, I usually field a lot of wulfen and thunderwolves, but the blackmane formation is quite effective, so if you like that style it definitely worths a try.

So for Ragnar I understand he is an independent and when you say 'join' you mean for the purpose of getting him in a drop pod for infil right?

I must have glazed past it, you happen to know where the rules for the relic is? Particularly the cost.

Priest: That totally clears that up in my brain group now. Which is great because I can add a couple more priests so that all my formations have one with them.

I think this gets me in the right direction of the right units and being built legally. I will do some more twisting and turning today and see if I can finalize it so to speak. I'll post it back up via an edit and maybe you can glance at it again.

Thanks Blackie.

You're welcome, you can find the relics's cost in the SW codex just before the HQs section. Yes, Ragnar in a drop pod with a GH/Blood claws unit.

Then in the wargear section (last pages) there are the full descriptions of all items, including the relics.

Not particularly fond of Blackmane formation but your picks have my interest piqued. =)

Imo missiles are kk but plasma cannon for same cost, better. 1 less S, but so much damage (consider squadrons).

Wolf Scouts: go sniper. We've options for interesting stuff, but really it's camo and camping that makes scouts sing in my games - for some odd reason people just love to shoot these guys up haha i say let'm infiltrate and annoy.

BC w/ flamer, tasteful.

Melta WG w/ SS, tasteful as well. Once spent, a magnet of retribution, drawing fire from where it really matters.

My two cents on the remaining 400pts, TWC or its IC equivalent (Iron Priests, WGBL, etc). Champs of Fenris formation, could even cheapo two servitors and kit out an HQ squad with a jump pack Rune Priest in it. Essentially tho, Cavalry that's tough pushing forwards wrecking if ignored.

Too many targets to fire at, not enough time