Sunday 15 September 2013

White Scars and Space Wolves - White Wolves 1500

...Until now! 
Strike whilst the iron is hot the phrase goes... White Scars are the sexiest thing to come out of Codex: Space Marines and we all know it by now.

If you don't or are unsure - they are.

Graviton guns (whilst generally a bit shitty on the majority of platforms - I agree with 3++'s Sir Biscuit on this one) are superb on the relentless biker chassis. The major range and mobility drawbacks of the Salvo weapon are mitigated completely they get to rock the meta in a big way.

Scout, Hit and Run, +1 Jink, +1S HoW, auto pass Dangerous Terrain plus cheaper bikers than Ravenwing AND cheaper HQ unlock than Ravenwing means these fuckers are here to stay and they are here to mess you up.

This article really is all about the meta. 

Let's consider a few months back and we all 'oohed' and 'aahed' at the Ravenwing Dakka Banner build with their sexy debuff grenades and such like... the Dakka Banner Wing build did what people needed it to at the time (and it still does dependent on how fast your meta environment moves) and that was to remove the vast swathes of infantry clogging up our delightful 6'x4's.

Now we have three things smashing the bejeezus out of us:
1) Riptides - not so utterly death dealing as a right PITA and contesting/line breaking wonderfully, that said they have some excellent solutions to armour and infantry alike as well as suitably smushing heldrakes on intercept...
2) Wraithknights - the Eldar construct that everyone hated and many still do. T8 and mobility keeps it alive and the 240 point stock build has some very useful applications in plugging gaps in...
3) Wave Serpent spam. Ignores cover, mega range, holo fields being pretty decent and av12 making it slightly harder for the S7 Tau spammers (yup, include me in that field lol)

The solution? Fast moving,massed shots, wound on 2/3's (for 1. and 2. respectively) AP2 bullshit. Oh and did we mention that per troop unit they will be spamming out 6 shots that on a 6 immobilise and strip a hull point from a vehicle? sweet. Now, this is not hugely game changing.. but there are other elements that bring this in. Context first - if you are planning on using this as an Anti-Meta tool, well it IS a big thing vs Serpents.. because it keeps the troops away from objectives and FORCES them out.. DAVU sure don't survive too well with snarling Scars around.. Next, Cover has been a real pain for most people when dealing with Serpent spam - primarily around the misinterpreted/whatevs 3+ fortification save from legs of Skyshields - this leads to cray cray saves on Wave Serpents with holofields and then BOOM they throw out their own ignores cover shit. PITA.
Now those tough big models... they drop like a rock to Grav weaponry. AP2 en masse and without the drawbacks of plasma..

But is this the future for ALL marines? I'm sure it isn't.. but remember when you all bought those Ravenwing Dark Vengeance models cause you really wanted a bike army? ...Yeah, I did that too :) Natch.

So whats a guy to do when we see these lovely new rules.......

1500 Battlefield Birmingham coming up and I for one was very unsure about what to run...I have another contender now! D'oh!

Khan - Moondrakken 
Command Squad - Bikes, 4 Meltaguns (I know this could be grav spam as well, but I like results...) 
5 Bikes - 2 GravMotherfuckers 
5 Bikes - 2 GravMotherfuckers 
5 Bikes - 2 GravMotherfuckers 
5 Bikes - 2 GravMotherfuckers 
2 Attack Bikes - 2 Multimeltas 
2 Attack Bikes - 2 Multimeltas 

Rune Priest - Bike, Runic Armour, Jaws (Grav's other beauty....concussive), LL, Chooser (can't fuck up the scout moves with Infiltrate)
Rune Priest - Bike, Runic, Jaws, Murderous
5 Grey Hunters - Flamer (cause shit son, you can't forget about the anti infantry amirite? lol) 

So the idea is we scout forward if going first and gang rape riptides and wraithknights - two major forces on the tournament scene at the minute, we also (again, in the same context) move up and melta 3 wave serpents.

Any low Init targets such as Broadies, Rips, Nid MCs, FMCs after they've been grounded and Concussed... they drop down Dual Jaws holes and the bikers move on and rape another section of the army.
Genghis Khan style baby, hit and run... expose the critical success areas in the enemy army, the areas of gravity and smite that shit.

Now.....

This is all well and good.....

But what about the massed armies without Grav-target rich environments? wounds on saves is no fucking good against those shitty 5/6+ saves...funny that the gun that destroys Wraithknights means less than a lasgun to the humble Termagant. Granted you are bricking it at Ap2... but that's what cover is for!

Now, you are rocking a Screamer Council... now what do we do? Sure, the Rune Priests stand a damn good chance of stopping the crucial stuff (i.e. Forewarning...well, every power is crucial in that list) but they can be sniped and shot off the board, because I assure you the Council has the firepower and the speed to remove the models they need.. and where are these Priests going to be? In the Command Squad at BEST, in Troop units at WORST (for the White Wolves player)..then it satisfies two roles for the Council player.

Same goes for the Dan Sackett style DE/Eldar Beast packs or the Demon army with all FMCs...or the Seer Council Eldar with 4++/rerollable...or the Kroot heavy Tau army (more Kroot Snipers coming your way soon)...

And of course.. As if the Dark Reaper Starshot unit wasn't coming out to play enough to kill off Wraithknights... (watch it rape a Wraithknight or Wave Serpent a turn with the Tau Buff Commander tanking saves up front..) now it'll be all over the place as it really will be a truly excellent meta counter.

Ignores Jink saves, S5, 2 shot AP3 sounds MADE to rape bikes.
Add in S8 ignore Jink FU-Holofields and say good bye to a Serpent per turn or a Wraithknight.
Whack it behind an Aegis with a Fast Shot Exarch and Lascannon and watch it the 2 TL, Tank Hunting shots smash into your Heldrake or Vendetta..

Granted this unit is extremely expensive for what it is.. But it is not SO expensive as to prohibit use.



So once again.. this article asks the question - the meta is shifting once again, with the speed that most of us on the tournament scene are gradually adjusting to, what will you do to counter the new White Wolves? 


Bear in mind I've just knocked this out in reference to Battlefield Birmingham and I've not even built and army that includes everything it needs... for example, the 1-- pt Thunderfire Cannon is an excellent addition here as well as the Storm Talons.. but this is what I'd like and enjoy to run and I also believe it has a place in the current environment. 

15 comments:

  1. White Wolves, love it! Bradimus is having a piece of this bandwagon for the GT heat in Warrington.

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    1. Haha glad you like it! Perfect for Bradimus as it has the mandatory Wolves component to it!
      Different set up for 1650 though wouldn't you think?
      Or perhaps just more bikes! Perhaps more MM AB...or maybe drop a Rune Priest and add in 2 Storm Talons for anti air... Although with bike armies I kinda feel like you should just ignore the dastardly fliers..

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  2. This is what I had in mind, the scout bikes may or may not make the final cut but it'll need some play testing.

    Khan
    4 x 5 bikers, 2 grav guns, combi Gravs
    3 x MM attack bikes
    3 scout bikes, beacon
    2 priests
    2 full GH pods
    1 wolf guard pod with meltas

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    1. Pods are safe enough to drop in, do you really need the Scout bikes for this? I know they are cheap anyway but that could be another MMAB and you could run 2*2 of them.. Or it could be ummmm....stuff...more wolf guard, termie armour to help tank a bit..

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  3. both lists need some flyer support i feel. as said, talons are ace, strafing run is an awsome rule.

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    1. Screw fliers! Lol
      Spread out and take the heldraking like a man haha

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    2. Gotta say I disagree Gaz, this list needs as much alpha strike as possible and by sinking 250 pts into flyers which come on turn 2 you are diluting the lists capability. I'll take my chance with flyers and try and get myself in combat when them der drakes come on.

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    3. maybe its play style then, i like my alpha strike having a mobile second wave to counter problems that turn up.

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  4. I like the concept of the Rune Priests...though they are pricey, well they are now with everyone's basic libby at 65pts.

    Example a DA libby with Divination on bike is 85 pts.

    Thus, I am torn to run Khan+gang with DA's or SW's...only play testing will fix.

    However, the DA Shroud is a nice addition to a White Scars...it grants Stealth to "all FRIENDLY" models within 6". It is not limited to "friendly models from DA codex" etc.

    Jink+Skilled Rider+Stealth=3+ cover all the time, 2+ when turbo or shrouded.

    This is what I have thinking about:

    DA
    Sammael
    4 bikes, 2mg, MMAB
    4 bikes, 2mg, MMAB
    4 bikes, 2mg, MMAB
    RW command squad #4, Grenade Launcher, Dev Banner
    2 Typhoon Speeders
    Shroud Speeder

    Khan
    5 bikers, 2 Grav guns
    5 bikers, 2 Grav guns
    Stalker
    Storm Talon, cyclone

    Could swap the stalker for Thunder fire, depends on how much air defense you think you need in your area

    BDS

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    1. Hey BDS...yeah man the stealth plane is a cracking idea..Mohamed it means you have to take DA to get it lol!

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  5. Nice list, love the idea, although I'm pretty sure you can only take a single hq in an allied detachment so one of the RPs will have to swap out. The aforementioned talons would be a great Sub.

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  6. SW Heroes rule allows a two for one in hq slots remember.... :)
    I'm toying with throwing in another troop choice though

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    1. Of course! D'Oh! Shows how long its been since I got my wolf on, had totally forgotten about that.

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    2. :) I think it's been too long since many of us got our wolf on.. Which is a massive shame :(

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