Space Wolf Tactica 5th Ed/09 Codex: Part 2. Kind of...

I don't have the time (and maybe never will) to finish my Space Wolf Tactica, in which I only got round to going over in detail, the potential HQ choices available. What I now intend to do is to gather some of the Space Wolf advice I have given out and merge it into one article, whereby the advice will be almost 'immortalized' and there for all to see and - hopefully - benefit from.

Hopefully this will therefore create an easy way to access some general Space Wolf Advice, particularly in regards to some of the more commonly asked questions.

So without further ado or typing, here is the my Space Wolf Tactica, Part 2.

Hope It Helps!

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The Cheap and Cheerful.

Land Speeders

Question: "Are Land Speeders worth using within a 'normal' Space Wolf Army?"

Answer: Yes, very much so.

Land Speeders have a variety of uses, set-ups and abilities. They are an incredibly effective way of adding heavy weapons (particularly anti-tank) and speed to a Space Wolf army, something which could otherwise be lacking. The speed of Land Speeders can compensate for their fragility and allows them to be able to quickly engage the enemy, alongside other rapidly moving elements of a Space Wolf force (such as rhinos). Also, due to their typically low points cost, they can be 'expended' with little remorse. I find Land Speeders to be one of the best choices in the Space Wolf Fast-Attack and for a whole lot cheaper than the likes of Thunder wolf Cavalry.

One of the best things about Land Speeders is their capability as a distraction, general nuisance and method of area denial. Capable of fielding heavy weapons at low points, your opponent will feel the need to destroy them, but at only 60pts or so each, he will simultaneously feel it isn't worth it. They are low in points, fast and deadly, they can make a great distraction, much like Wolf Scouts. Furthermore, with their speed and strength, your opponent will be averse to going anywhere near them. For example, a Land Speeder with Mulitmelta has a considerable 36" anti-tank range. Its things like this that can really make the Land Speeder worthwhile.

These are my recommended builds for Land Speeders:

- Multi Melta: This is a simple and common way of configuring your Land Speeders, it makes them cheap and very fast moving threats to any tanks. The only drawback is their fragility, but their speed and Multi-Melta makes them a high-priority threat to your enemy and any tanks or monstrous creatures. A snip at 60pts, you get a fast-moving, deadly, intimidating and cheap way of destroying the enemy armour.

- Multi Melta, Heavy Flamer: My personal favorite way of configuring a Land Speeder, this has all the advantages of the above set-up, but is also a threat to enemy infantry. The addition of a heavy flamer effectively doubles its deadliness and adds a lot of versatility to the Land Speeder. Although more expensive at 70pts, it's not going to break the bank and the versatility is worth it IMHO. I recommend running these as 3 units of 1 at 210pts, giving your opponent a lot to worry about and giving you a lot of options.

- Typhoon Missile Launcher: A costly set-up but still effective. Typhoon-Speeders are often underestimated, being of low armour value, but comparatively high cost; however, these units can really pack a punch, particularly against the all-too-common transports within 5th edition. This is really worth using in firepower-based Space Wolf armies, such as those that revolve around Long Fangs and Razorbacks. The 48" range helps compensate for its points cost/fragility and can provide some further firepower to your army. 2 Missile shots each is a significant threat and these bad boys can hopefully stay far enough away from the enemy to plink away with their missile launchers for little returning fire. Combine 2 of these with 2 Long Fang Missile Launcher squads and you could be dishing out 14 missiles a turn, on top of any other units and heavy weapons (such as Lascannon Razorbacks). It's not cheap but it's not to be sniffed at either.

- 2x Heavy Bolter: A niche and uncommon set-up, this makes the Land Speeder cheap and cheerful as well as doubling its standard firepower for a 5th of the points. Although this doesn't make the unit particularly deadly, you could field six of these for 360pts, making them a serious thorn in your opponents side; a unit he needs to target but he can't really afford to. Although only effective against infantry (and anti-infantry isn't typically lacking in a Space Wolf army), it's a nice, simple and cheap build that can really pose a major threat to any enemy infantry.

Wolf Scouts

Question: I rarely see wolf scouts used anymore, but they seem great. They can come in from anywhere with their special ability 2/3 times. They seem like a great way to deal with your opponent's heavy support slots that are usually hiding in their back field. Is there any particular reason why they don't seem to see as much use as they could?

Another Question: Would it be better to take Wolf scouts in a big squad of 10 or 2 small squads of 5?

Answer:

Thanks for the questions. Scouts are still good, but these days they are less unique and suffer from a more competitive FOC. They are still a good unit however and definitely still have their uses. Whilst not as durable, powerful or unsubtle as some other units, Wolf Scouts are still better than their Codex-Scout cousins and are a great unit to intimidate and distract. They're unlikely to win the game for you, but when used correctly they can really put your opponent on the back foot and attack those troublesome units who remain just out of reach of your main force.

Wolf Scouts have always been a great unit for hunting enemy tanks, particularly those who like to sit back and shoot from afar (Manticores, Predators etc.). With the more heavily mechanized environment of 5th edition, they have even more targets to choose from, making for some happy scouts. As-well as hunting these sorts of tanks, Wolf Scouts should also be used to target the likes of Lootas and Pathfinders, who'll likely stay just out of reach of your army but still cause you lots of problems. The likes of lootas and manticores can often be left isolated as the rest of the enemy advances, as such they can be perfect targets. Similarly, Scouts also benefit from the focus on objectives within 5th Edition. Although unable to claim an objective, Wolf Scouts are very effective for contesting them last-minute or shifting any small enemy squads (I'm looking at you Jet-bikes) off an objective.

Whilst having the strengths and intended use described above, Wolf Scouts are - above all - a great distraction. Keep them relatively cheap but still deadly and your opponent will have to make the tricky decision on whether to destroy this small, seemingly insignificant unit or to leave them to wreak havoc amongst his lines. As such I'd advise using small 5-6 man squads of scouts, rather than the full-sized 10-man squad. This maximizes them as a neglected distraction, still cheap but also very capable of causing havoc. If you have 2 squads of scouts appear behind the enemy then he has to face the difficult decision on whether to ignore or target them. If you have a large, more expensive, squad appear behind the enemy then this decision is already made for him.

Combine cheap but none-the-less deadly units such as Scouts and Landspeeders with more valuable units such as Rhinos, Vindicators and HQ's and your opponent is faced with a lot of targets, a lot of threats and a lot of thinking to make. If you can make your opponent panic then you have the upper-hand and then some. As such, the way you use Wolf Scouts is very important. If coordinated to threaten the enemy just as your main force draws into optimum range, then your opponent is facing even more threats at even closer range. Similarly, Wolf Scouts are best used to threaten and force the enemy into traps and pincer movements, placing your scouts behind the enemy and your more intimidating units in front. Also, whereas a small unit of Grey Hunters may struggle to remove an enemy of an objective, your small unit of scouts appearing behind them can really change the situation to your advantage. Scouts can also be used to help threatened Long-Fangs, Drop-Pod Dreadnoughts who may find themselves a bit isolated and many other circumstances more than those which I have described.

Other than their use (see above), one of the more important things about Wolf Scouts is too keep them cheap. As I have mentioned above, Wolf Scouts are a great cheap but threatening distraction. As a distraction you need your opponent to think twice about needing to target them and if he does then it's not a significant loss to yourself. This means that small squads of 5-6 scouts is usually best, keeping you free of responsibility and your opponent full of questions.

However, Wolf Scouts are still relatively weak, both in strength and toughness. They are by no means a poor unit that can't harm the enemy, they just aren't as good as a normal Space Marine. They are however better than a normal (Codex) scout and many other enemies.

Wolf Scouts do however have relatively few viable builds, being focused on hunting enemy tanks and staying cheap, choices such as Power Weapons and Sniper Rifles are less powerful (snipers also contradict the Outflank rule). With Wolf Scouts you should almost always have a meltagun: a deadly, but still cheap weapon that can really make your opponent sweat. On top of the meltagun you'll likely want some kind of back-up should it miss or fail, further increasing the threat the Wolf Scouts pose. For example a Plasma Pistol can really do some damage against both rear-armour and MC's and Meltabombs are tasty too.

You MAY want to also give your scouts some extra close-combat or anti-infantry punch such as a Heavy Bolter or MotW. Wolf Guard may also be added to scouts to provide some relatively cheap but extra-punch such as another Plasma Pistol or Combi Weapon as well as close-combat defense. However, this does increase the cost of the scouts and make them more note-worthy for your opponents guns.

Note: Try to equip your scouts with a Bolt Pistol/CCW rather than a Bolter as they may be unable to defeat the enemy at range or close combat but they can at the very least tie them up. Also, generally the kind of units open to being attacked by scouts (such as Path-finders, Snipers and Devastators) are often weaker in Close Combat anyway.

My preferred build for Wolf Scouts is: 5x Wolf Scout - Meltagun, Plasma Pistol - 100pts

1. This is a small, very cheap unit that can work wonders, forcing your opponent into difficult decisions and threaten enemy vehicles and support squads alike. At 100pts it doesn't matter if they're destroyed or late but they are a tasty addition and threatening little blighters.
2. Add a Wolf Guard with Combi-melta and power-weapon for extra good-times at only 133pts.

So yes, Wolf Scouts are good if still fragile. Their ability is less amazing with the amount of out-flanking in 5th Edition, but in small, cheap but still threatening squads they are a great addition when used properly and are a great 'noose' unit for trapping the enemy and his armoured support.

Lone Wolves

Question: I'm wondering, though, there's not been any talk of lone wolves? I'm not running any in my list right now, but I've always thought they could be viable...

I guess my question would be, what's some of the pros & cons of lone wolves [I see a 20-point model with feel no pain and eternal warrior, so what am i missing]?

Answer:

Lone Wolves are much better on paper than they are in-game, doesn't mean to say they are a bad unit, they're just not a particularly good one. They're very much a niche unit; it can be worth experimenting with them and trying them out in your list, but their use fairly limited IMHO.

What they effectively are are cheaper Wolf Guard Battle Leaders, but that can't join units or have access to as much weaponry and frankly Battle Leaders aren't that good anyway.

The biggest flaw with Lone Wolves is a lack of maneuverability, they either steal a transport of have to foot-slog it about. Similarly, as a one-man unit they're not actually that good. FNP and Eternal Warrior is good, but when facing a mob of boys it's not going to make too much difference. Their final flaw worth mentioning is that they are located in a pretty competitive elites slot. I admit, Elites is where they belong, but Wolf Guard, Dreadnoughts and Scouts are often a preferred choice and rightly so.

Lone Wolves are however still good in assault and are great for hunting characters, as in very good for hunting characters. Similarly they are cheap and great little nuisances, forcing your opponent to decide whether it's worth directing his fire at him or to focus on bigger, more expensive units. Alongside Scouts and Land-speeders, Lone Wolves can make a great distraction and at the very least a good speed-bump/obstacle. However, I believe Scouts and Land-speeders to be better...

Anyway, I'll go over the pro's and cons and a couple of advised builds:

Pros

1. - Cheap
2. - Great Special Rules
3. - V. Annoying in Kill Point games.
4. - Deadly in assault, particularly against Characters and creatures.
5. - Great distractions and not easy to kill.
6. - Wide range of wargear.

Cons

1. - Almost always foot-slogging = very slow and easy to avoid.
2. - Easily out-numbered and/or overwhelmed by some enemy squads
3. - In a competitive elites slot. Wolf Guard, Scouts, Dreadnoughts = better choice?
4. - Can have a minor effect on the game.

Some Recommended Builds:

The Tank Trap: Terminator Armour, Chain Fist, Storm Shield - 85pts Great for messing with the enemy armour. He's very tough, still cheap and can make a real mess of a tank. They are forced to avoid or destroy him. You won't see Land Raiders coming anywhere near this guy. The only real problem is that he can't actually catch up with the tanks themselves. Hence he's more of a tank trap (obstacle) than a tank-hunter.

Wolfy McInfantry Burger: MotW, 2x Fenrisian Wolves - 55pts Very cheap and very good for ripping apart enemy infantry. At 55pts this guy will likely be ignored but if he gets into combat with any run of the mill infantry from any army, then they have a problem. Whilst being a good choice against units (unlike your average Lone Wolf) he can still give characters and elite units a headache. However, he can't really stand up to armour or Monstrous Creatures.

Mini-Arjac: TDA, Thunder Hammer, Storm Shield - 85pts Much like Arjac, this set-up excels against enemy characters and creatures. With a Thunder Hammer he has the strength to Instant Death many characters and the Storm Shield, Eternal Warrior and FNP should ensure he gets to strike, against whom he may be re-rolling hits and wounds. Although he can also threaten tanks, he is still fairly expensive and struggles against infantry.

The all-rounder: Plasma Pistol, Power Weapon - 50pts Exactly as it says on the tin, this guy is good is good against pretty much everything. Thanks to beast-slayer he shouldn't suffer from gets-hot and the power-weapon can cause problems for most targets. He is also VERY cheap. However, he isn't particularly good at anything in particular.

As I said, Lone Wolves are quite good, but they are flawed and out-classed by other Elites choices. By all means use one, just don't expect the world or for him to do better than his counter-parts...

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Stop. Look. And Listen.

Dedicated Transports

Question: "The big question is, do I need to get mobile for objectives?"

Answer:

Vehicles are almost mandatory in 5th edition: the reasons for this is simple. 5th edition is all about your troops capturing objectives and with some armoured protection (dedicated transport), your units can move quicker and safer. Vehicles work to provide units with much needed maneuverability and protection, which helps them stay alive, work better and nab objectives. Before they were a luxury, now they're expected. They provide extra protection and extra speed. They are however expensive in quantity, and to make the most of their armour (saturation), they're needed in quantity. I shall try to explain this in regards to the Space Wolves.

Generally, the units that should have vehicles are:

1. - Troop Choices: Helps keep them alive and helps them capture objectives. They can also bring them closer to the enemy. For example, a Grey Hunter squad is more likely to get into rapid fire range if they have better movement.
2. - Close Combat Units: Helps them reach the enemy and quicker. They need to be in Close Combat to work, so if a vehicle helps them reach close combat then all the better for it. However, Land Raiders are generally best for this (assault ramp) but are a considerable investment.
3. - Expensive Units: Helps keep them alive and transport them to where they're most needed. Similarly, they're usually a CC unit.
4. - Grey Hunters, Blood Claws, Wolf Guard.

The units that don't need vehicles are:

1. - Heavy Weapon/Ranged units: A squad of Long Fangs need to stay still to fire so they don't benefit from the maneuverability. The don't need the extra protection as they are supposed to keep the enemy at arms length. Long Fangs keep the enemy at arms length through shooting them. Lots. They don't want to close with the enemy and if the enemy reaches them then something has likely gone wrong.
2. - Fast or all-ready maneuverable units: Units such as Wolf Scouts, Sky Claws and Thunderwolves are all-ready fast moving and therefore don't gain from the maneuverability of a vehicle. By all means put a vehicle in front of them as they move forwards however, for extra protection/LoF blocking.
3. - Wolf Scouts, Long Fangs.

The only exception is Razorbacks which are a gun-platform first and a transport second. Hence you may see a Razorback with a Squad of Long Fangs or Grey Hunters, just to provide some extra firepower. The transport capacity is just an added bonus (for Grey Hunters). For what they bring to the table, Razorbacks are a very good deal and you'll often see armies based around them.

Note: this isn't to say vehicles are the only way; foot-slog lists can 'break' the meta very well, however mechanized is typically a safer option.

Hunters of Grey. Or a darker shade of white... And some Guardians of Wolves. Or protectors of canines...

Grey Hunter Builds

Question: "Not a SW player but what are the more competitive Grey Hunter loadouts and how do you know when to include the Wolf Guard in your squad?"

Answer:

The two main competitive Grey Hunter load-outs involve the use of Rhinos and Razorbacks. Drop Pods, Land Raiders and Foot-slog are all semi-competitive in most cases.

As for the Wolf Guard Pack Leaders, generally they should be added to squads that need the extra punch (eg. Blood-claws, Long Fangs) or that can afford the extra room (eg. Razorbacks). However it's worth noting that Wolf Guard joining a troop choice become a scoring model itself, even if the rest of the squad is destroyed. Therefore allowing scoring terminators.

Either way, Grey Hunters should be the bread and butter of most Space Wolf armies: they're definitely the best Space Wolf troop choice and are often rated as the best in 40K all-together. Similarly, one of the real advantages of Grey Hunters lies in their flexibility and capability at short-range. I am strongly of the belief that Grey Hunters should NOT be used as an assault unit, but as a close-quarters (not combat) unit. This means, that instead of rushing forwards with Wolf Guard in tow and charging into the enemy, a pack of Grey Hunters should advance on the enemy, rapid fire into them and receive the charge from the remnants of the enemy. I don't see them as an assault unit, but instead a counter-assault unit. I'd be willing to explain this in more detail later, even so I shall move back onto topic and suggest typical builds:

Rhino Based

10x Grey Hunter, 2x Special Weapon (2x Melta, 2x Plasma, 2xFlamer), Counter-assault bonus(s) (MotW, Wolf Standard), Rhino.

1. - 10 Space Marines (Grey Hunters specifically) is a tough and dangerous unit. Having the bodies and strength of arms to face many enemies and win via attrition at least.
2. - The 2 Special Weapons give them extra fire-power and flexibility for relatively little cost. With 2 meltas, a Grey Hunter squad can be relied upon to take out tanks (2 meltaguns) and infantry (8 boltguns) alike. It's worth noting that special weapons should generally always be taken in pairs of the same gun (eg. 2x Melta, not 1x melta, 1x flamer) in order to maximise effectiveness. I would say that all special weapons are worth having here, although my preferred set-up is with dual meltaguns. I'd personally say a ratio of 2:1 for Meltagun squads to Plasma or Flamer squads is a good balance in most cases.
3. - The MotW and/or Standard provide some extra punch/bonus for when (not if) the Grey Hunters reach close combat. MotW is almost always the better of the two, but they work particularly well when taken together. With a base of 3 attacks (2x CCW, counter-charge, 1 base) each the Grey Hunters can generally take care of themselves anyway, but with a MotW and/or Standard then they can really dominate in close combat and range. Note that Power Fists and Power Weapons aren't too effective as they power fist will amass too few attacks (2) for too many points and the power sword is too limited in use, particularly compared to MotW.*
4. - Rhino's are best kept cheap (not extra armour, HK's) and cheerful and in the mechanised environment of 5th ed they are very useful, ensuring your unit reaches its destination.
5. - Wolf Guard can make a very good addition to the Grey Hunters; they can make them a solid assault unit as well as a close ranged shooty unit. They'd bomb forwards in a rhino, unload with rapid-fire boltguns and whatever special (and combi) weapon they have, before being able to handle anything in close combat as a result of the Grey Hunters 3 attacks and the 3 attacks from the Powerfist. Add a Wolf Standard onto this and your set.

My preferred Grey Hunter load-out is: - 10x Grey Hunter, 2x melta, Wolf Standard, Rhino - 200pts.

OR - 9x Grey Hunters, meltagun, Wolf Standard, Rhino - 185pts. Led by Wolf Guard with Powerfist and Combi-melta - 43pts.

Razorback Set-up

Unlike the above squad who will need to close with the enemy, you want to keep this squad at arms reach. Due to the Razorback, their main role is to sit at the back in your deployment and shoot the enemy from a distance (akin to Long Fangs). During the first turns they will sit back and shoot, during the later turns they will be quickly transported to take objectives and/or finish off the enemy. The squad itself isn't particularly strong, but it's good for it's intentions which is stealing objectives (MSU's) and mopping up enemy units.

Unlike the above squad, this Grey Hunter squad's strength lies in it's Razorback, rather than the Grey Hunters themselves. The Razorback will provide the much needed heavy weapons and transport the unit at the end. Don't expect miracles from a 5-man unit, but this set-up is very effective in groups as this multiplies the fire-power, improves ability to capture objectives and compensates for the individual units weaknesses and small numbers.

Generally I'd advise having the following as a Razorback unit: 5x Grey Hunter, 1x Special Weapon, 1x Counter-Attack Equipment (MotW/Standard) if points allow, Razorback.

1. - The 5-man unit is weak on its own, but very effective in multiples. With 5-men then it's also great for escorting characters such as Rune Priests whose Living Lightning ability compliments (very well) the firepower of the Razorback. MSU's are best for capturing objectives and working in unison and can be seen to dominate much of the tournament meta these days.
2. - The Special Weapon/ counter-attack wargear adds some extra punch to an other-wise weak unit. As each squad can only take 1 special weapon, flamers are generally best. However both plasma's and melta's could be taken if needed.
3. - The Razorback is the key part of this squad (outlined above). Generally IMHO the Twin-Linked Lascannon or Assault Cannon's are the best choices, providing some devastating fire-power. Take which-ever compliments the rest of your army. Eg. Lascannon = Long Fangs/ Long Range. Assault Cannon = Vindicators/ Short Range. Heavy Bolters and Las/Plas are also good options, particularly the cheap bolters. Avoid the over-costed Heavy Flamers though.

-# A Wolf Guard Pack Leader could also be added to Razorback squads: his combi-weapon compensating for the loss of the (free) special weapon and his close combat ability really strengthening the unit. This is one of the best places to use pack-leaders as the can really bolster the line and their leadership and abilities really benefits the small squad. However, this can lead the squad to around 200pts each, rather than 150pts.

My preferred build: 5x Grey Hunter, Flamer, Las/Plas Razorback - 150pts

Drop Pods

- Drop Pod, 2x Special Weapon, MotW and/or Standard, 10x Grey Hunters.

Give them meltas and both close-combat bonuses and they go from being a suicide unit to a quite significant threat to the enemy. The Drop Pod will drop them straight on the enemies door-step (Grey Hunters happy place), ensures the Melta's are all ready close to the enemy and due to the nature of drop-pods, the Motw and Standard will help due to the proximity of the enemy and therefore increased likelihood of CC.

Also, this is a good place to put a Wolf Guard Pack Leader. Give him terminator armour and you have a tough, leader-ship boosting warrior who benefits the ability to steal objectives and stay in the fight. The combi-weapon helps compensate for the loss of a special weapon (occasionally the likes of an assault cannon could be taken!) and like the MotW/Standard, the Pack-Leader's close combat ability is a bonus due to proximity of the enemy.

Although not typically as good as Razorback or Rhino set-ups, Drop Pods can provide a nasty surprise to opponents and can work a charm for trapping your enemy between a rock and a particularly stabby place. Say for example, you have a squad or two of Grey Hunters riding towards the enemy in Rhinos or Razorbacks, supported by the likes of Wolf Guard, Vindicators and TWC. Having a Drop-Pod squad appear beside or behind your opponent creates a very immediate, very real threat, helping to pin your opponent in, particularly when combined with Wolf Scouts appearing from behind too.

One of the advantages of the Drop Pod unit is that it can also pose a significant distraction for your opponent - no-one wants 10 Grey Hunters on their doorstep - particularly when arriving near vulnerable units (eg. those on the flanks or key units such as Tervigons and Lootas). Furthermore, some armies, such as Orks or Tyranids can loathe to have to face an enemy behind them as-well, forcing them to split their force. Any of the special weapons work well on these units, although Flamers do suffer from a lack of range so I wouldn't recommend them, unlike Meltaguns which can arrive nice and close to the enemy armour or Plasma Guns which can threaten MC's and rear-armour alike.

Preferred Build:

8x Grey Hunter, MotW, Meltagun, Drop Pod. Pack Leader w/ combi-melta, powerfist and terminator armour - 218pts

Foot Slog

- 10x Grey Hunter, 2x Special Weapon (not flamer here), Standard/MotW.

As ever in 5th edition, the foot-slog build is probably the least competitive but it can be used well and here is how I'd recommend creating it anyway.

The Numbers are ever-handy and being foot-slog they'll need the extra bodies to withstand enemy fire-power which they suffer from greater exposion to, due to a lack of transport. As such, 10-men and a Wolf Guard Pack Leader (Termie armour) would be best here.

The special weapons should ideally be plasmaguns due to their range, hence the lack of flamers which may not even get used with the foot-slog's lack of mobility. Meltaguns also suffer from a short range but can be used to prevent vehicles or MC's getting too close to your lines.

The standard is a cheap boost to close combat, close combat which they are less-likely to reach due to their lack of mobility. Hence the cheaper Standard. However, Mark of the Wulfen is never a bad choice so can work well here.

Finally, here you should try to have Pack Leaders in Terminator Armour also. They don't restrict transports (foot-slog), provide extra toughness and punch at range and in close combat.

Preferred Build:

10x Grey Hunter, 2x Plasma Gun, Standard, Wolf Guard with Terminator Armour, Combi-plasma and Power Fist - 218pts

So yes, for Grey Hunters I'd strongly recommend using Rhinos or Razorbacks (although the Razorback build is common these days), however I've tried to provide advice for all options.

Pack Leaders are good in theory, but can limit transport options and space, limiting the free-special weapon, but then again, can add extra punch and leadership. Note that a Wolf Guard with powerfist is 2pts less than a Grey Hunter with power-fist, but will have an extra attack and leadership point. However, this can cost them the extra special weapon and is ultimately more points spent; the role your really intend for them to fulfil can influence this and is often up to personal preference. Me, I intend that with the 2 meltaguns of their own, and the firepower from the rest of the army, that the Grey Hunters shouldn't be in combat with something so tough as to warrant a Power Fist. If you feel you need the extra punch from them in close combat, then by all means get a pack leader. At the very least, it makes your Grey Hunters stronger and all importantly, harder to shift off an objective.

Although some people seem to use Wolf Guard Pack leaders regularly, generally a good deal, I believe Grey Hunters are perfectly fine without a Wolf Guard pack leader. However, they do still have their uses and are a must-have for some people. Understandably. The Wolf Guard section here describes pack leaders in more detail: Space Wolves Tactica Part 2

• Two Notes/Additions from other users:

A couple of other players also left some comments on this topic, which I've decided to include as they are relevant and useful I think.

1:

"I run a super cheap grey hunter squad decked out as follows:

5x Grey Hunters, 1x Melta/ Rhino with a Dozer blade, 1 Attached Wolf guard with a combi-melta

Its only 143pts and i still have 18 attacks sitting still so i should deal 4.5 wounds, which is only 3 less than if they were 10 strong. I know i could fit them into a razor back but that would add 40pts and i lose the ability to do a melta drive by. (which i find hugely affective) At my pt value i can take 6 squads for only 720pts and still have 12 meltas (well, for the first round of shooting)."

This seems like a rather unconventional and effective idea. However, as I said to him, it's not without its flaws.

This build seems to lack the independence, hitting power or objective-scoring ability of the Rhino and Razorback builds in particular. However, ultimately, it can easily be fielded in quantity, compensating for many of these disadvantages and ultimately, does provide more armour saturation and MSU's to help with all aspects of the game.

For popping tanks in particular, I think this could be an effective build and would recommend trying it out. The suggester certainly seemed to like it.

2:

"My GH are the literal backbone of my army. I need them to break units on objectives, I need them to hold objectives against units trying to take those objectives, and I need them to be able to take on almost everything in an opponents army.

That being said; the powerfist, despite reduced attacks in subsequent rounds of combat, is an essential addition to my standard 10man build outs. I cannot afford to have my GH packs locked in a meat grinder with an enemy I cannot even hurt or takes an outrageous to wound roll to hurt. They need to get stuff killed and continue doing what I need them to do which while MoW is capable, it is not as reliable.

Walkers and monstrous creatures come to mind specifically in that I have had several instances where my opponent has used them to push me off an objective and in almost all cases it was the powerfist that made the difference when it came down to winning assaults.

Now while it is limited in subsequent rounds of combat, that is not really a problem for me. I get my two attacks on the charge (when taking objectives) and I get two attacks on the counterattack (when defending objectives). When I need it the most, I have my two attacks. "

This does seem like a reasonable train of thought and at least makes sense. You will of course want your Grey Hunters to be able to be relied upon and obviously the squads I suggested don't really have much chance against a walker in close combat.

However, in my opinion I still feel the powerfist is expensive and considering that I typically have a melta gun, then dreadnoughts etc. should not really be getting into combat with the Grey Hunters.

To me at least, such units would not be allowed to reach the Grey Hunters due to their priority as a target anyway. No unit should have to work completely independently and as such nothing the size of a walker or MC should be getting into combat with my Grey Hunters. The plasma/melta's could potentially destroy them first and even then they'd likely be targeted by something else in the army (Long Fangs/Split Fire).

However, if your local meta contains lots of Dreadnoughts and or monstrous creatures then by all means I'd recommend a Power Fist. Similarly some units such as Trygons and Daemon Princes (although they are pretty much the only two) are too fast for the Grey Hunters to engage them out-side of CC anyway.

As I said, I think a fair point was made here. I still don't fully recommend using a powerfist in your squads however, but it does seem that in many cases it can provide a significant boost and if your would rather be safe then sorry, then by all means use one. However, remember that in quantity, these can really take up a lot of points...

Wolf Guard

Question: "I have to ask about terminators though, since they're usually my favorite units, regardless of chapter. What kind of niche do they fill in the SW army ? The Wolf Guard entry is pretty flexible, so there are many possible compositions, for many roles. Is a shooty squad viable, or should WG terminators focus on CC ?"

Another Question: "In addition to answering the above question about WG Termies, could you shed light on other WG units that pack a punch without TDA? From what I can tell 15 points for 2+5++, Storm B. & power weapon is a great deal and I am having trouble thinking of reasons why anyone would field a full unit of power armor WG".

Answer:

Right Wolf Guard Terminators...

Firstly, yes the Terminator Armour is a very good value purchase (and the models look great), if the power weapon costs 10pts then you're getting terminator armour and a storm bolter for 5pts. 5 POINTS!

Wolf Guard (Terminators) can be used for pretty much any role, close combat, shooty, suicide unit, troop choice... you name it. It's whether you specialize in shooty or close combat, or make them flexible that is the tricky decision.

In a general Space Wolf army, Wolf Guard are you hammer/elite unit, they take on the best of the best and come out on top. If you're attacking then they lead the charge and head to the heart of the enemy. If you are on the defensive then they anchor your defense and act as an immovable object. Much like the old Codex, they are GREAT escorts for characters and made all the more deadly by a Wolf Priest. Ultimately they are not cheap, but you get what you pay for.

Like any Terminators, these guys are your shock and awe unit, they have some of the best training and equipment the Imperium has to offer and are therefore capable of pretty much anything. As I said however, you have to pay for these bonuses.

In terms of wargear, Wolf Guard have it all and most of it is worth having. I'll say a couple of points about what to avoid and notes of unit builds but there is no point describing every weapon. The Bad: Unless led by Ragnar (Furious Charge), Frost Blades aren't worth it. They cost as much as a power-fist but add only 1str. It's not so much that they're bad, they're over costed and Powerfists and Wolf Claws are better options. Meltabombs generally aren't worth it due to the amount of other anti-tank Wolf Guard can provide. Storm Shields - although very good - you shouldn't feel obliged to take, particularly not in quantity. They are simply too expensive. Take a few, but don't equip your Wolf Guard as if they were Assault Terminators. For A Wolf Guard with TH/SS is 20pts more than his codex counterpart.

• Pack A Punch:

Assuming your general squad size is 5-men, I'd advise always making sure you have a couple of powerfists or similar. This will ensure that your Wolf Guard really can take on anything, including Monstrous Creatures, Dreadnoughts, Tanks and HQ's. The additional advantage of this is that the rest of the squad will strike at normal initiative with the likes of power-weapons meaning the enemy strength has all ready been dwindled by the time that the powerfists strike. Here you get the best of both worlds, so yes, try to take at least 2 powerfists or similar.

• Not Your Ordinary Terminator:

I'd advise against equipping your terminators like those in the other codices. Wolf Guard can have all of their qualities with none of their down-sides. Sometimes... As I've said, it's too expensive to try and equip them like a squad of assault terminators and you don't gain much from giving them all power-fists like a normal terminator squad. A Wolf Guard Terminator with Power Weapon/Storm Shield is still 48pts but has the defense of a storm shield and the initiative of a power weapon. The Space Wolves can have the flexibility that other codices lack, we do however have to pay for it...

Recommended Builds: (apologies for any miscalculations, is off the top of my rather empty head)

• Shooty

1. - Wolf Guard - TDA - Combi-Plasma, Power Weapon
2. - Wolf Guard - TDA - Combi-Plasma, Power Weapon
3. - Wolf Guard - TDA - Combi-Plasma, Power Fist
4. - Wolf Guard - TDA - Combi-Plasma, Power Weapon
5. - Wolf Guard - TDA - Assault Cannon, Power Weapon
6. - Drop Pod. 260pts

I have to admit, I don't believe the shooty build is quite as natural to WG as the Close Combat or Flexible variants, it is still a powerful and deadly build none-the-less. The Drop Pod gives the Termies a rapid and reliable arrival to where ever they are needed, making the most out of their weaponry. This is flexibility not provided by foot-slogging or a Land Raider. Land Raiders also impede their shooting capability through a lack of fire-points.

Due to their standard equipment, this squad is still durable and still capable of looking after themselves (and then some) in assault too, range is of course where their strength lies however. With 4- combi-plasma's for only 5pts each, this is a relatively cheap but very dangerous addition to the squad. The combi-plasma's can really create hell for their selected target, ripping open a vehicles rear armour, over-coming a monstrous creatures toughness and obliterating any infantry. Although only one-use, these guns are devastating, flexible and capable of rapid fire. Happy Days. Finally, the Assault Cannon is a rightly feared weapon which simply adds to the fire-power and flexibility, similarly excelling against any target.

These guys can and will kill pretty much anything: enemy vehicles, expensive creatures or characters, troops on objectives and veteran units alike. They are anti-terminator terminators.

• Close Combat

1. - Wolf Guard - TDA - Storm Bolter, Wolf Claw
2. - Wolf Guard - TDA - Wolf Claw, Storm Shield
3. - Wolf Guard - TDA - Thunder Hammer, Storm Shield
4. - Wolf Guard - TDA - Chain Fist, Storm Shield
5. - Wolf Guard - TDA - Wolf Claw, Wolf Claw. 265pts

These guys would probably be best in a redeemer led by a Wolf Priest. This allows them to re-roll any misses and get into assault rather safely and with support. Let the good times (and heads) roll. With the wide variety of war-gear for wound allocation shenanigans, terminator armour and three storm shields, these guys can take the pain as much as they dish it out. And they dish out a lot of pain.

The Wolf Claws are flexible and deadly for little extra cost, the Thunder Hammer and Chain Fist are more than capable of ripping open any enemy armour and the Storm Shields only benefits them in close combat. The real draw-back of this unit is their cost, but they are more than capable of taking on any enemy there is and then some, particularly when led by a Wolf Priest. If you were to see this unit lose in close combat I'd be surprised.

• Flexible

1. - Wolf Guard - TDA - Storm Bolter, Chain Fist
2. - Wolf Guard - TDA - Combi-melta, Wolf Claw
3. - Wolf Guard - TDA - Combi-melta, Wolf Claw
4. - Wolf Guard - TDA - Storm Bolter, Power Fist
5. - Wolf Guard - TDA - Assault Cannon, Power Weapon
6. - Drop Pod. 270pts

This is one of my personal favorite set-ups simply due to its simplicity and flexibility. They have a substantial amount of firepower, are tough as well... Terminators, dangerous in assault, arrive via drop-pod and aren't that expensive. The assault cannon, chain fist and power fist all help against the bigger targets, the ranged weapons can rip apart infantry and in assault they are similarly deadly and will often defeat the best of the enemy. No matter the target or time, this is a great and flexible unit to use. Add more combi-weapons and storm shields for extra funsies too.

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However, Wolf Guard without Terminator Armour are also very good, still benefiting from the substantial wargear (for cheap) but also having strength through numbers and more transport options. The same rules and builds apply for PA Wolf Guard, ensure you have high-strength weapons, combi-weapons add extra power and flexibility and load-up on Storm Shields and Wolf Claws for close combat. These guys can fulfil a Stern-guard type of role, their combi-weapons adding flexibility and fire-power whilst their own close combat prowess and wargear making them deadly in assault.

Where these guys excel above their Terminator brethren is in their numbers and number of attacks, ranged or close combat. They could pack 10 combi weapons and can amass even more attacks in assault due to benefiting from 2 close combat weapons and more bodies. Furthermore, there are many more options with transportation, with Rhinos and Razorbacks both being suitable and cheap options too. Give them a Lascannon Razorback and they can act as a counter-attack in a gunline army.

However, PA Wolf Guard are more expensive and generally don't stand up to fire-power as-well. That's not to say they're poor however, they are anything but, they just have flaws as-well. They are still at-least as good as Terminator Armoured Wolf Guard though and even better in assault IMHO.

I do however believe a mix of TDA and PA to be the best use though, it combines the natural strengths of both kinds, allowing toughness, fire-power, close-combat ability, flexibility and even strength of numbers. The loss of a couple of suits of terminators is countered by the extra bodies and therefore extra attacks and weaponry. Furthermore, they can also carry Terminator Heavy Weapons and make use of the cheap plasma-pistols and MotW. I believe that 3x Terminator, 4x Power Armour to be a very good blend, allowing all of the above. The only flaw? Transportation and cost.

Once again though, despite its rarity, I truly believe a mix of TDA and PA to be the best use of Wolf Guard. Allowing the best of both worlds.

Categories: Old Warhammer 40,000 tactics