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So I got back onto the scene recently after a bit of a hiatus, and have been trying to get acclimated to the changes in 6th. After spending some quality time on and off the tabletop going over things, I've put together some lists and was hoping for critiques.

I actually have 6 different lists between 1500 and 2K (1500, 1750A, 1750B, 1850, 2000A, and 2000B), but the list concepts for 1750A and B, and 2000A and B diverge in similar ways so I figure I could get solid feedback for all 6 lists just by posting lists for 1500, 2000A and 2000B.

Thanks in advance!

1500:
- Rune Priest - Living Lightning, JotWW, Chooser of the Slain - 110 pts
- Grey Hunters (GH1) - 10x GH, Mark of the Wulfen, Flamer, Plasmagun - 165 pts
- Drop Pod (attached to GH1) - 35 pts
- Grey Hunters (GH2) - 10x GH, Mark of the Wulfen, Flamer, Plasmagun - 165 pts
- Rhino (attached to GH2) - 35 pts
- Grey Hunters (GH3) - 7x GH, Powerfist, Flamer - 130 pts
- Long Fangs (LF1) - 6x, 5x Missile Launchers - 140 pts
- Long Fangs (LF2) - 4x, 3x Heavy Bolters - 75 pts
- Aegis Defense Line - Quad Gun - 100 pts
- Dreadnought (D1) - Assault Cannon, Heavy Flamer, Wolftooth Necklace - 125 pts
- Drop Pod (attached to D1) - Deathwind Launcher - 55 pts
- Dreadnought (D2) - Assault Cannon, Heavy Flamer, Wolftooth Necklace - 125 pts
- Drop Pod (attached to D2) - 35 pts
- Lone Wolf - Terminator Armor, Chainfist, Stormshield - 85 pts
- Vindicator - 115 pts
TOTAL - 1495

Strategy is to have the dreadnoughts come down turn one in the middle of the enemy and act as a big distraction, while Long Fangs, Rune Priest, ADL, and Vindicator open fire from range. GH1 (in reserve pod), GH2, and GH3 go to wherever the fighting moves to. Lone wolf will be running behind GH2 in their rhino, or take the rhino for himself. Fire support is LF1 with Rune Priest, and LF2 with Squad leader on Quad gun.


2000 VERSION 1:
- Wolf Lord - Thunderwolf Mount, Storm Shield, Thunder Hammer, Saga of the Bear, Runic Armor - 260 pts
- Thunderwolf Cavalry - 3x, 2x Storm Shield, 1x Frost Blade - 235 pts
- Grey Hunters (GH1) - 10x GH, Powerfist, Flamer, Plasmagun - 175 pts
- Rhino - 35 pts
- Grey Hunters (GH2) - 10x GH, Powerfist, Flamer, Plasmagun - 175 pts
- Rhino - 35 pts
- Grey Hunters (GH3) - 10x GH, Mark of the Wulfen, Flamer, Plasmagun - 165 pts
- Drop Pod - 35 pts
- Long Fangs (LF1) - 6x, 5x Missile Launchers - 140 pts
- Long Fangs (LF2) - 4x, 3x Heavy Bolters - 75 pts
- Aegis Defense Line - Quad Gun - 100 pts
- Dreadnought (D1) - Assault Cannon, Heavy Flamer, Wolftooth Necklace - 125 pts
- Drop Pod (attached to D1) - Deathwind Launcher - 55 pts
- Dreadnought (D2) - Assault Cannon, Heavy Flamer, Wolftooth Necklace - 125 pts
- Drop Pod (attached to D2) - Deathwind Launcher - 55 pts
- Lone Wolf - Terminator Armor, Chainfist, Stormshield - 85 pts
- Vindicator - 115 pts
TOTAL - 1990

Strategy is similar to 1500 in that both Dreads come down first, while GH1, GH2, GH3, Lone Wolf, and Thunderwolves + HQ go wherever fighting is thickest. Same fire support set up, minus Rune Priest. Big addition is obviously thunderwolves and switching out rune priest for WL on thunderwolf.


VERSION 2: Keeping it short and sweet, I drop the 2nd Dreadnought and a rhino, and in place add 2 more thunderwolves, moving one from the 4 TWC squad in Version 1 over to make two squads of three thunderwolves. In that list, GH1 would be in the 2nd drop pod coming down turn 1 with the Dreadnought.

It's sort of a question of what's better, another unit of TWC, or a dreadnought and a rhino. I'm leaning towards version 1, but I'm not sure.

Also, if it made tactical sense I would keep the pods empty (or if they had lots of outflanking I could drop them near my own lines), but mainly I'm assuming the enemy has a fair amount of guys on the table turn 1 on their side.

Again, thanks.

Been thinking these lists over, and there's a lot of random thoughts I'm having, some good, some bad. I'm not sure if the silence in terms of critiques is something I should take positively, negatively, or neutrally.

As a long time Space Wolves player who has recently abandoned them in competitive play, I'm going to give you some general feedback (because I know how frustrating it is to post a list and get no replies). I promise I'm not trying to be mean. Keep in mind these are mostly comments geared towards competitive play, YMMV in casual play.

I think the only Wolves builds that work are extreme builds and allied builds (primarily with Guard)

For example, Loganwing Combi bomb. Logan. 2 Rune Priests. 40-50 Power Armored Wolf Guard in drop pods with combi weapons (maybe one TDA per squad). Overwhelm and kill.

4 Rune Priests, 4 Land Raiders (ideally FW Raiders), other stuff

Guard with Rune Priest support and Grey Hunter counter assault (maybe a Wolf Guard suicide melta squad). Rune Priest plus Thud Guns/Earthshaker Carriages are MEAN.

The reason for this is that power armor is generally overcosted and the Space Wolf codex is old. There are only a few units that are truly "good" in the current meta. Rune Priests, Wolf Guard (for cheap combi spam) and Grey Hunters (still the best TAC Marines) and MAYBE Lone Wolves

Long Fangs are dead in the water, the Heldrake made them obsolete overnight (and Eldar and Tau are just fuel in the Bale Fire). Space Wolf Preds cost too much. Terminators packing more than a combi and a free Power Weapon cost too much. TWC are Wraiths at twice the cost. Wolf Lords are killing machines, but still eclipsed at that roll by cheaper options in other codexes.

Don't ever put the Deathwind Launcher on a drop pod, it's broken (in a bad way) because it can't fire the turn it comes in (Drop Pods just moved 12 inches, can only snap fire, can't snap fire a blast. It's stupid). Don't mix weapons on GH hunters, go plas/plas, melta/melta, or flamer/flamer. Gives that squad a job. Wolf Tooth necklace is probably wasted on the Dread. It either fights things it always wins against or fights things that kill it no matter what upgrades it has. Your Vindicator is the only AV13 in your list, run no AV13 or lots of AV13, otherwise your opponent knows exactly where to put his anti armor resources.

All lists should have a Rune Priest. He's the best unit in the codex (and one of the best in the entire game)

Thanks for the reply. A lot of good information in there on the current meta scene. I knew that SW have taken some hits over the past few releases.

I'll have to take your points into account, I definitely want to specialize the GH units, but I liked the free weapons so much I wanted to try and shave points. Maybe that wasn't the best plan.

This would definitely be for casual play though, not tournament play, but I'd like it to do well on any given day.

Wolves are still more than good enough for casual play. You'll struggle against some builds, but Grey Hunters carry their weight much better than other Tactical Marines (aside from DA Tacs with the Dakka Banner and some of the Chaos God Marines, but they pay a tax to use those as Troops).

I generally suggest going all Drop Pods or all Rhinos if it's feasible, but a mix CAN work. I really like a suicide melta Wolf Guard pod (five Wolf Guard with combi meltas), it's fun, powerful and dictates your opponent's deployment.

Some of the SW units that aren't quite competitive are still very usable, just more limited by match up. TWC for example, while completely eclipsed by Wraiths, are still very capable when used correctly.

If you're going to run a Thunderlord, I suggest running him with Fenrisian Wolves. He doesn't need help killing most things, so the TWC are wasted points as an escort. He just needs extra wounds to get him where he's going. Put the TWC in their own squad. Instant MTO (multiple threat overload)

anonymou5 wrote:

If you're going to run a Thunderlord, I suggest running him with Fenrisian Wolves. He doesn't need help killing most things, so the TWC are wasted points as an escort. He just needs extra wounds to get him where he's going. Put the TWC in their own squad. Instant MTO (multiple threat overload)

That's actually a very good idea I didn't consider for some reason. I'll definitely do that, thanks.

I agree with what the other posters say.

Just a note that you mentioned in your tactics that the lone wolf could take the rhino, but he cant. Terminator armour cannot embark into a rhino.

The wolf lord is nice, but doesnt usually make his points back, but is very hard to kill, so good for the warlord victory point denial.

Deathwinds are not usually worth the points as they cant shoot the turn they land. They can be a nice surprise for people who ignore them though, but I think you need to be lucky for them to be worth it. if they could shoot the turn they landed and have an 18" range they would be worth taking, not so much as they are.

Finally, consider taking land raiders, I've been having a lot of success with them recently. They are still hard to take down and being assault vehicles makes them amazing.

 Digriz wrote:
I agree with what the other posters say.

Just a note that you mentioned in your tactics that the lone wolf could take the rhino, but he cant. Terminator armour cannot embark into a rhino.

The wolf lord is nice, but doesnt usually make his points back, but is very hard to kill, so good for the warlord victory point denial.

Deathwinds are not usually worth the points as they cant shoot the turn they land. They can be a nice surprise for people who ignore them though, but I think you need to be lucky for them to be worth it. if they could shoot the turn they landed and have an 18" range they would be worth taking, not so much as they are.

Finally, consider taking land raiders, I've been having a lot of success with them recently. They are still hard to take down and being assault vehicles makes them amazing.

Good catch on the lone wolf thing, got a couple wires crossed upstairs and missed that. He'd be running behind the rhino then.

What I might do is drop one of the Deathwind launchers at 2K (I'll keep one in case I run across someone with a juicy blob) and use those points to give the lone wolf 2 fenrisian wolves. The rhino might outpace him and stop giving him cover at one point (moving 12" plus maybe flat out, while LW moves 6"+d6"), so having wolves to soak up a couple wounds might help him get into CC safely.

while long fangs are a bit of i liablity atm if you still need to use them while you get new models ect like i have to you might find swaping out the missile launchers as i have found them poor all round at both anti armour or hord i have stared takeing a unit of 2 las cannons and 3 missile lauchers and then 2 plasma cannons and 3 heavy bolters.