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A friend of mine is looking into starting up a 40k army, specifically Space Wolves.
He has never dived into 40k and wouldn't know where to start.
Obviously I pointed out the battleforce to him, with the drop pod etc..

I've been out of touch with 40k since space wolves got their own codex etc, He asked me if there were restrictions in what regular space marine units and vehicles he could field within his space wolf army.

Etc Librarians, Tanks, Other things.

I couldn't answer, and obviously you guys were my first 'go to'.

Also how are space wolves to play? He wants to join in the waaagh. He's very interesting in painting them too.
what exactly comes in the battleforce.
What do you recommend for a HQ choice?

No idea why he'd pick Space Wolves.. Loyalist scum.

The battleforce is a great option and I wish I'd started with it. The scouts are kind of lame IMO, without sniper rifles. Don't buy it from GW, get it off of Ebay cheaper.

Space Wolves are quite a bit different from vanilla Marines. They have much different tactics much of the time. They are very aggressive, and hit hard especially in CC. I wouldn't worry much about the SM codex at first, just have him get the SW Codex and BRB.

For the most part they have the same types of vehicles, with the exception of flyers. SW don't use them, so they're only available through an Ally.

Personally, for an HQ, Rune Priest is really hard to beat. Great Psyker powers, great anti-Psyker abilities.

Beyond the codex, I recommend space-wolves-grey.blogspot.com

Some of the info is a bit outdated as it was written for 5th, but most of the tactics for various units are very valid. It's a good place to see how the different units can be used by actual players, which for me starting out was/is very helpful.

The SW battleforce is generally considered one of the best, as it doesn't have any junk units (considering you can make the Blood Claws as Grey Hunters instead), linky to it here: http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?catId=cat440278a&prodId=prod300001a.

Things that SW don't get compared to standard marines:
Thunderfire Cannons, Storm Talons, Storm Ravens, Landspeeder Storms, Sternguard, Scout Bikers (I think that's most of them, point out if I've missed anything folks).

Things that SW do differently:
Librarians are called Rune Priests, and are one of the best anti-psyker units available atm.
Apothecaries and Chaplains get combined into Wolf Priests, although they don't get the Apothecary bonuses as far as I can see.
Techmarines become Iron Priests (sensing a pattern here, eh?), with most of the options available to a Techie.
Other units from the standard Marine codex are available to SW players, with different names and sometimes different stats.

For tactics and stuff, you'll have to wait for an actual SW player to chime in (don't take advice from me...).

Thanks for the replies, I've actually linked him to this thread so he'll be reading your responses guys.

Question: Is there a specific Rune Priest model? Or would he just buy a librarian and wolf him up?

Edit: Quick google search answered that question. I'm at work and can't get on GW website.. *sigh*

The only specific model portraying a RP is for the character Njal Stormcaller. It's an ok model, but I think he in particular isn't quite worth the points.

I converted a Scibor Celtic Warrior 3 mini. Here's an older pic. He now has a Stormbolter but looks the same.



Converting a librarian wouldn't be bad either. I think DA minis would work too with the robes. I've always thought of them as stoic shamans.

 Badger_Bhoy wrote:

Converting a librarian wouldn't be bad either. I think DA minis would work too with the robes. I've always thought of them as stoic shamans.

Interesting, I'll be sure to relay that information. I'll probably be teaching him how to play etc so I better get brushed up on space wolves.

Thanks folks.

The more advice you can offer to a newbie collecting space wolves, the better.

The only other advice I'd have starting out, beyond reading the codex and maybe some fluff on the various pedias, would be when he actually starts collecting, focus on Grey Hunters and HQ. With the Battleforce, if he does that as two squads of GH, and adds his HQ he's ready to go.

Pretty common sense thing, but it's something I failed to do. Thankfully, I realized it in time to just repaint some pauldrons!

 Badger_Bhoy wrote:
The only specific model portraying a RP is for the character Njal Stormcaller. It's an ok model, but I think he in particular isn't quite worth the points.

What about this guy?

http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?prodId=prod1460199a

Good call. I had forgotten all about that guy! He'd be another good way to go, especially if an all GW army was desired.

You could also convert a Grey hunter into a rune priest in just power armor.

I'm starting with SW too, I'm a Necon Veteran, but I want a SM army, but not bland = SW. I'm just thinking, could you make scouts with meltas, infiltrate, move 6" towards a vehicle, blow it up? (i've seen them kill a land raider) First Blood! Then drop pod plasma toting Grey Hunters, attack a squad, while the other Blood Claws/Grey Hunters scream up. I've seen someone just convert from the Battleforce Wolf Priest. Btw, is there a Wolf priest Model?

I don't believe there is a wolf priest model. I am back to the idea of making an all around marines army though. Paint them an unknown chapter and then just say they are SM, or SW, or DA w/e you want. But I am thinking this way because I have a tac squad, two rhinos, and two devastator squads now. So it may be the best bet for me to just play regular SM because SW have a different load out.

I've never seen a Wolf Priest model. LF are basically a devastator squad, GH are Tac squads that get ccw, bp, AND bolters. Rhinos are just rhinos. So you can still use the same models, paint them grey and maybe wolf them up if you want, and get far more powerful options by using the SW codex.

SW are a close quarters army, and our basic troops are very good. SW battle force and some extra bits can make you all you need for a small army. One of the bits are a Rune sword, I use that and some of the more special bits to show him as the rune priest. I've also had some use with little bit of round sprue, or the handle of a TH and then one of the wolf heads or standard tops as the crozium. So using just the bits from the battle force you can actually get a HQ and your 2 troop choices.
If he's looking to expand I'd suggest land speeders, thunderwolves and long fangs. That's just me though. If you decide to trade/sell the drop pod for other forms of transport get a razorback instead of a rhino. It's slightly more expensive but you can use it as either.
If you decide to go blood claws instead of GH I've only had success by going full squad of 15 with a wolf priest.

I DEFINITELY recommend some form of transport for his infantry. I don't yet have all the Rhinos for my GH and had to use the one I have as a RB for long range support. They got shot to bits. I agree, magnetizing the RB is the way to go. Or even get a predator kit and do the same thing, then you've got three different vehicles with all variants.

As well, if he's getting long fangs I usually buy a las/plas RB even if I don't plan on driving them anywhere. Mobile heavy support is always useful. Just cause you bought it for them doesn't mean they have to start in it.

I agree as well, my las/plas RB recently did fairly well vs some Eldar and provides the long range support we need.

You'll hear people sing praises for packs of LF with ML, and it is well deserved. You'll see them in almost every SW list.

Which is why I also like to take Predators and maybe a Vindicator instead of LF if I'm wanting more of a Mechanized list.

For the record, definitely not trying to start up a LF vs Pred debate, or a call to arms in defense of LF. Just providing an alternative to the usual SW list.

Thanks for all your input. Greatly appreciated.
Just to confirm, he ordered a SW Battleforce this morning.

Now I have more loyalists to kill.