Sunday 30 October 2011

Wolves: Up Close and Personal or Balanced?

So in my search for my ultimate Space Wolves list,  I proposed a few lists the other day, attempting to meet several criteria:
1) Strong forward push with lots of bodies
2) Good long range shooting support
3) Baby sitter unit for C&C and SG missions
4) Good CC support for the boys

I've had moderate success in my last 2 singles tournaments at Brighton with Wolves, playing for the win in April, only losing once in July and having the highest VPs by c.550 ... good but not quite right.

I only had No.4 in April and only No.2 in July ...time to combine the two. I'll be brief, but if you guys could let me know what you think, I'd appreciate it!!



Option 1: Up Close and Personal

Rune Priest Fafnir - LL, Jaws, Chooser
10 Wolf Guard - 5x CMelta in Drop Pod, all else farmed out
Lone Wolf - TDA/SS/CF
Lone Wolf - TDA/SS/CF
7 x Grey Hunters - Meltagun, Banner, Rhino  Wolf Guard –CMelta
7 x Grey Hunters - Meltagun, Banner, Rhino  WG- CMelta
5 x Grey Hunters -Meltagun, Razorback TLHB, WG -CMelta
5 x Grey Hunters Plasmagun, Razorback TLHB, WG - CPlas
5 x Grey Hunters Plasmagun, WG -TDA/CML & CPlas
1 x TWC - Wolf Claw 
1 x TWC - Wolf Claw  
3 x 5 x Long Fangs 4 ML 

Good presence from the GH's, baby sitter unit with attached CML Wolf Guard...double CHECK.

Only 14 missiles in this one. However, we do have a 5 man mass Melta unit that can drop in and kill a critical target, no matter what it may be, these boys also have 3 flamers, so they can drop in and put some real hurt on something like Hellions or a blob squad ...for 15 points they have a bit of utility, however their key role is to kill a critical transport...like say, a Land Raider! a squadron of Chimera's etc, so I'm going to go ahead and say, fire support? CHECK.

CC Support? 2 x Lone Wolves and 2 x Thunderwolves with Wolf Claws? Plus the Grey Hunters have good numbers and can do the business, it's just they need support!!

So I am pretty happy with this one.. next up... better long range fire..

Option 2:

Rune Priest Fafnir - LL, Jaws, Chooser
7x Wolf Guard - as detailed below...
1x Dread 2 x TL Auto
8 x Grey Hunters Meltagun, Banner, Wulfen, Rhino, WG –CM/PWeapon
7 x Grey Hunters Melta, Banner, Wulfen, Rhino, WG- CM/PWeapon
5 x Grey Hunters, Meltagun, Razorback TLHB, WG -CM
5x Grey Hunters, Meltagun, Razorback TLHB, WG w Combi Melta
5 x Grey Hunters plasmagun, Razorback TLHB, WG w Combi Plasma
5 xGrey Hunters, Plasmagun, WG w. TDA, CPlas, CML
1 x TWC - Wolf Claw
1 x TWC - Wolf Claw
3 x 5 Long Fangs 4 ML

More troops, strong forward push (CHECK), baby sitter (CHECK), long range fire support with 14 missiles, Rifledread, LL and some harrassment from 9 TL S5 (CHECK) and CC support from the 2 Wolf Claw TWC...
The Dread can also tarpit a unit that cannot kill it but is perfect for killing the objective unit.

My issues? The CC support can be torrented away when comapred to Lone Wolves.. I'm thinking DE here but also Grey Knight Coteaz spam and S6 bolters. At least Lone Wolves have 2+ and FNP. With both in List 1, I prefer my odds of getting one or two into actual combat.

Killpoints? 17 and 18 respectively (on the assumption that I can kill of my Lone Wolves)...no where near as bad as the Coteaz spam and just a few above an average mechanised force.

What do you think guys? Getting closer to the ideal army? I'd like, bearing in mind the amount of Deathstars at Brighton typically, to keep the drop pod suicide melta unit as well as all the other elements, but what can you do? 1750 requires tight work sometimes..

9 comments:

  1. List 1 all the way mate, two Lone Wolves really piss people off especially those Gay ass Grey Knight players when they desperately try and stop them with Gaycannons and Gayflemen Dreads ;)

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  2. Haha, cheers Brad.. sooo, enjoying GK opposition then bud? :)

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  3. I'm actually not doing too bad with my current list and playstyle which is a far cry from what people are used to seeing me use on the blog.

    Lone wolves are just epic, I've left them behind before and I've vowed never to do so again, they can be such massive pains in the ass it funny.

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  4. C'mon then bro, how does it differ? You can't tease like that bud. Yeah, the lone wolves are always a nuisance...

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  5. Here's what I'm running at Onslaught Coy and Paste time:

    HQ 1 -Logan Grimnar - (275)

    HQ 2 -Rune Priest[100]Chooser of the Slain[10]Murderous Hurricane, Living Lightning - (110)

    ELITES 1 -Lone Wolf [20] Terminator Armour [25] Chainfist [25] Storm Shield [15] - (85)

    ELITES 2 -Lone Wolf [20] Terminator Armour [25] Chainfist [25] Storm Shield [15] - (85)

    TROOPS 1 - (345)
    Wolf Guard Pack
    WG1 - Power Armour, Bolt Pistol, Close Combat Weapon -[18]
    WG2 - Power Armour, Bolt Pistol, Close Combat Weapon -[18]
    WG3 - Power Armour, Bolt Pistol, Close Combat Weapon -[18]
    WG4 - Power Armour, Bolt Pistol, Close Combat Weapon -[18]
    WG5 - Power Armour, Bolt Pistol, Close Combat Weapon -[18]
    WG6 - Power Armour, Bolt Pistol, Close Combat Weapon -[18]
    WG7 - Power Armour, Combi Melta, Powerfist - [43]
    WG8 - Power Armour, Combi Melta, Powerfist - [43]
    WG9 - Terminator Armour, Chainfist, Storm Bolter, Cyclone Missile Launcher -[78]
    WG10- Terminator Armour, Powerfist, Storm Bolter, Cyclone Missile Launcher -[73]

    TROOPS 2 - (160)
    Wolf Guard Pack
    WG1 - Power Armour, Combi Plasma, Close Combat Weapon [23]
    WG2 - Power Armour, Combi Plasma, Close Combat Weapon [23]
    WG3 - Power Armour, Combi Plasma, Close Combat Weapon [23]
    WG4 - Power Armour, Combi Plasma, Close Combat Weapon [23]
    WG5 - Terminator Armour, Combi Plasma, Power Weapon [68]

    TROOPS 3, 7 Grey Hunters [105] Meltagun [5] Wolf Standard [10] Mark of Wulfen [15] - (135)

    TROOPS 4, 7 Grey Hunters [105] Meltagun [5] Wolf Standard [10] Mark of Wulfen [15] - (135)

    HEAVY 1 - 6 Long Fangs [90]Pack Leader [0] 5 Missile Launchers [50]- (140)

    HEAVY 2 - 6 Long Fangs [90]Pack Leader [0] 3 Missile Launchers [30] 2 Lascannons [50] - (170)

    DEDICATED TRANSPORT 1 (TROOPS 1) - Drop Pod [35]
    DEDICATED TRANSPORT 2 (TROOPS 3) - Rhino [35] Dozer Blade [5] - (40)
    DEDICATED TRANSPORT 3 (TROOPS 4) - Rhino [35] - (35)


    Its a bit of a Loganwing\Mech hyrid list but its been working really well. The Big Wolf Guard squad add so much flexibility and can put some pain down with tank hunting Cyclones.

    The thing it does lack though it some sort of throw away melta unit but I'm thinking to drop a wulfen to add three combi meltas into the Wolf Guard pack.

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  6. To the OP list one is far superior to the other but I feel it could us some tweaking to take it to the next level. Try this

    Rune Priest.chooser Jaws LL 110
    Wolf guard 2 with combi plasma 3 with combi melta pfist 155
    Lone Wolf TDA storm shield chainfist 2 wolves 105
    Lone Wolf TDAvstorm shield chainfist 2 wolves 105
    7 GH, melta. Banner rhino 155
    7 GH, melta, Banner rhino 155
    7 GH, melta Banner, rhino 155
    5 GH plasma lasplas razor 165
    5 GH plasma lasplas razor 165
    3 x 6 long fangs with 5 ML. 420
    Should be close to 1750 with points to spare.

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  7. To the. Above poster, I. Think your falling into the same trap every SW list has fallen into in the recent past. Mainly proliferation of units to the detriment of staying power and hitting ability. To the above poster you need to think of a few things building the list.
    Can I handle a deathstar?
    Can I handle 10 plus AV11 hulls
    Can I present a credible CC Threat
    Can I present a credible shooting threat?
    I don't think any of the above lists can fill all those ideals.
    With that being said I recommend
    Rune Priest MMurderous hurricane. LLightning chooser
    2 x MM dreads
    2x GH plasma Lasplas razors w/attached WG with Combi Plas
    2 x 5 GH melta in rhino w/attached WG with Combi Melta
    2 x MM speeders
    1 x Full TWC pack
    3 x LF packs with 5 ML with BP&CCW Attached WG
    Wolf Guard pack with 3 combi plasma in lasplasrazor

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  8. @Brad - nice bit of Loganwing there mate. Do the GH just push with the 2nd WG pack following and supporting with missile fire.
    You have the Drop Pod attached to big WG pack. Is that the case, it seems the bigger pack would be better supporting the GH push, with the smaller pack providing the "drop-shot"?

    @Anonymous 1 - Whilst solid, I do think that list falls into the danger zones that I myself fell into, namely...no baby sitter unit, if you want to claim a home objective, you have to leave a whole pack behind, now thats ok as you are leaving 2 lasplas razors behind, but that is 300 points you are claiming home with, where half that would do the job...leading into...your forward push not having quite enough bite...hence the TWC in my first list.. HOWEVER, it is still strong..

    @Anonymous 2 - few issues here bud. Mainly troops. 4 small sqauds are not good enough. They will bedemeched and slaughtered in 2/3 games where they really matter and in KP games, they are 8 easy KPs.. due to their size..you talk down to Anon1 regarding staying power and then throw out a list that doesn't have any!
    MM Dreads? wtf? your GH should and are geared for short range Melta action, but with Autocannon Dreads you can have a real impact straight off the bat. Although I am a fan of mid ranged melta so we'll leave that..
    Speeders I have always found to be useful..the full TWC pack is no more effective in CC than my 2 Lone Wolves and 2 Wolf Claw TWC when combined, and in fact can be overkill in some circumstances, this is where I can be flexible and hit present different targets and hit different threats in varying areas of the board. The fact is, by presenting several threats I can suck up the enemy threat vectors, reducing their firepower at more critical targets.
    The 3 WG in LasPlas, very Stelek, can be useful, but overall just easy to kill ...you are still only presenting 5 AV11 hulls and a couple of dreads running behind.. your Dreads will be in cover, but my Lone Wolves will be invisible..
    I think you have misinterpreted my own lists, indeed Anon1's as well and overestimated what you have built. I'm not slating you bud, I think it could be a credible army and will give it a go... cheers

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  9. The big Wolf Guard squad does a few things. Firstly it can advance on foot with Logan and Rune Priest attached pumping out four 8+1 shots and D6 7+1 shots at armour. I can farm out some Wolf Guard if need be and fit the unit into a pod to get it where I want if need be i.e on an objective, cover or to get some nice flank shots and set up a cross fire with the Long Fangs.

    Can I deal with Deathstars? Yea I do what wolves do best. Sit tight, use my Fire power advantage and Counter attack. 30+ bodies 4 fists, 2 lone wolves and Logan with +1 attack from his battle howl can hurt anything. Stick those Lone Wolves out front and laugh as that Raider tries to squeeze through without getting too close to them chain fists.

    The small Wolf Guard unit is primarily a back field unit that offers missile support but also threatens any power or Terminator armour that gets through my lines. I have sometimes allocated the Cyclone out from this unit to the Long Fangs and advanced the other 4 Combi plasmas forward with the Grey Hunters and other Wolf Guard.

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