1500pt Space Wolves - 2nd attempt

[Haven]

Working on friendly/decent 1500pt Space Wolves army and need help with the last few points.

I should now be at 1259 points and looking to get to 1500 points. Suggestions on filling in the remaining points? Maybe Terminators and a drop pod?

HQ
Njal StormCaller -245pts

Elites
3 Wolf Guard -84pts
3 Power weapons (I'm guessing swords?)

Troops
Grey Hunters x9 -175pts
Flamer, Wolf Standard, MoTW, power axe
Rhino -35pts

Grey Hunters x9 -185pts
Plasma Gun, Wolf Standard, MoTW, power axe
Rhino -35pts

Grey Hunters x9 -180pts
Plasma Gun, Wolf Standard, MoTW, power axe
Rhino -35pts

Heavy Support
Long Fangs x 6 -140pts
5 Missile Launchers

Long Fangs x 6 -140pts
5 Missile Launchers

Total 1259, need 1500

The Wolf Guard go with the 3 GH squads in the rhinos
Njal goes with a Long Fangs unit

Thoughts?

[theyak]

Hello Haven,

I like powerfists... especially in 6th edition with 2+ saves becoming actually worth something.
I would swap out those power axes and sping for powerfists or thunderhammers since you have points to fill.
Axes will swing last anyways, and since you're not hurting for points I would pay the extra to get that AP fists have.
It will give you some measure of reprisal against the inevitable 2+ armor save AND give you instakill potential on a lot of things.

Are you set on using Njal? He's really good but I personally prefer to leave 200+point HQs alone until 1850 or 2k simply because they take too much of my points.
For 245 you could get 2 cheap/reasonable WGBLs(Frost blade, bolt pistol, artificer armor, wolf tooth necklace for 13 that's 4 I5 swings, 5 on the charge/countercharge at str 5. Even in challenges that has a decent chance of putting serious number of wounds or killing on HQs that cost near double. Its my play style that I like having redundency.. if one dies, well, I've got another, no problem.
Myself, if I were to run psykers, I would probably take a couple cheaper rune priests(since you're hanging him back anyhow). Space wolves have access to 4 HQ choices for under 2k which allows us to make specialist HQs that are cheap,expendable and still be quite a threat.

[Haven]

Thanks for the feedback, I think you're right in that Njal is too many points for a 1500 list. I've made some significant changes below. What do you think?

Updated list below, still need to fill another 51pts and or change it up a bit per your feedback


HQ
Rune Priest w/ Master of Runes (Divination-Prescience and Living Lightning, goes with the ML Long Fangs) -150pts
Wolf Priest w/Runic Armor, Saga of the Hunter (Goes with the 8 man GH and outflanks) -130pts

Elites
3 Wolf Guard -99pts (1 to each GH unit)
3 combi-meltas
3 Power swords

Troops
Grey Hunters x9 -185pts
Flamer, Wolf Standard, MoTW, power fist
Rhino -35pts

Grey Hunters x9 -195pts
Plasma Gun, Wolf Standard, MoTW, power fist
Rhino -35pts

Grey Hunters x8 -180pts
Plasma Gun, Wolf Standard, MoTW, power fist
Rhino -35pts

Fast Attack
Land Speeder w/ MM/HF -70pts (suicide run to tank hunt or horde kill)

Heavy Support
Long Fangs x 6 -155pts (Rune Priest goes here for re-rolls)
4 ML, 1 LC

Long Fangs x 6 -145pts (This pack goes midfield in a rhino to support GHs)
2 Plasma Cannons
3 Heavy Bolters
Rhino -35pts

Total 1449, need 1500

Thoughts and or tactics with this list?

[SJPhillyVT]

I'm not best at list critiquing, but thought you should know you can't replace one Rune Priest power from the Rulebook, it's either both or neither. So the RP can only have 2 Codex powers or 2 Rulebook powers, not one of each. At least I'm almost sure of it, I might be remembering wrong.

[theyak]

I'm not best at list critiquing, but thought you should know you can't replace one Rune Priest power from the Rulebook, it's either both or neither. So the RP can only have 2 Codex powers or 2 Rulebook powers, not one of each. At least I'm almost sure of it, I might be remembering wrong.

Interesting, I'm not totally up to snuff on the new psychic bonanza, I know they're good but I'm still getting the nuances. For my own part, I'll definitely be taking space wolf psychic powers when I field them.

I'm liking the list a bit more, it has a nice mix of threats.

I would probably swap out the plasma cannons for lascannons(same points, right?) anyone who sees plasma will spread out and you'll be sniping singles anyhow.
Lascannons will give you a little more punch against AV14 stuff.

The long fangs in rhino. I would dump em in a razorback with heavy bolters and storm bolter since they are obviously your horde hunter unit.

For those last few points, why not give your grey hunters a giggle and give them frost blades it allows them to threaten T5 and T6 monsters a little better.

As far as tactics.. I used to play mechanized wolves all the time but with rhinos and light vehicles being way more squishier now I'm going to be testing out the following.
Turn1: use cover and move up ONCE dodging behind terrain as much as possible.
Turn 2: dump my marines regardless of where they are(should be sorta near cover at this point) and spam my rhinos up my oponent's wazoo as far as possible trying to block shot lanes to my wolves behind. I imagine running them up near each other and turning them perpendicular to your table edge to get an extra inch of cover. I'm going to be running my rhinos as XXpt dedicated mobile cover 'cause that tin can will explode really quickly and since my wolves can't assault out of it anyways I'll just use it for mobility ONCE and ditch it for annoyance factor. Play around with it and I'm interested to get feedback on how it works.

[Haven]

Great stuff, thanks SJPhilly and Theyak!

SJPhillyVt, I think you're right on the RP spells in that it's one or the other spellbook. I think I'll give Divination from the new book a go.
Theyak, I've changed the following based on your advice:
- Changed the 2 Plasma Cannons in the LF to Lascannons (5 pts more a piece, so I left off the storm bolter on the horde hunter rhino to pay for it)

HQ
Rune Priest w/ Master of Runes (Divination-Prescience, goes with the ML Long Fangs) -150pts
Wolf Priest w/Runic Armor, Saga of the Hunter (Goes with the 8 man GH and outflanks) -130pts

Elites
3 Wolf Guard -129pts (1 to each GH unit)
3 combi-meltas
3 frost blades

Troops
Grey Hunters x9 -185pts
Flamer, Wolf Standard, MoTW, power fist
Rhino -35pts

Grey Hunters x9 -195pts
Plasma Gun, Wolf Standard, MoTW, power fist
Rhino -35pts

Grey Hunters x8 -180pts
Plasma Gun, Wolf Standard, MoTW, power fist
Rhino -35pts

Fast Attack
Land Speeder w/ MM/HF -70pts (suicide run to tank hunt or horde kill)

Heavy Support
Long Fangs x 6 -155pts (Rune Priest goes here for re-rolls)
4 ML, 1 LC

Long Fangs x 6 -160pts (This pack goes midfield in a rhino to support GHs)
2 Lascannons
3 Heavy Bolters
Razorback w/HB -40pts

Total 1499

[theyak]

Nicely taking shape here

Great stuff, thanks SJPhilly and Theyak!

Heavy Support
Long Fangs x 6 -155pts (Rune Priest goes here for re-rolls)
4 ML, 1 LC

Long Fangs x 6 -160pts (This pack goes midfield in a rhino to support GHs)
2 Lascannons
3 Heavy Bolters
Razorback w/HB -40pts

Total 1499

My only follow up comment, which I didn't really think about before is that you could consider moving those two lascannons inot the 1st squad, and the MLs out to the 2nd squad.

If you make the 1st squad 3 lascannons and 2 missile launchers it gives them a very clear purpose: hunt armor and high toughness targets,
2nd squad being 2 Missile launchers and 3(4 with razorback) horde hunting(the 2MLS can be shot as frag)
The way you have them now is OK, it gives each one multi purpose, the horde hutners with some measure of armor cracking and the 5x missile launchers... well... they can switch hit to horde hunt easily. I would say its preference, if you want to specialize your long fangs swap em out.. it makes each one better at what they want to do but easier to hide from. It will depend on how you wish to play them.

[Haven]

Nicely taking shape here


My only follow up comment, which I didn't really think about before is that you could consider moving those two lascannons inot the 1st squad, and the MLs out to the 2nd squad.

If you make the 1st squad 3 lascannons and 2 missile launchers it gives them a very clear purpose: hunt armor and high toughness targets,
2nd squad being 2 Missile launchers and 3(4 with razorback) horde hunting(the 2MLS can be shot as frag)
The way you have them now is OK, it gives each one multi purpose, the horde hutners with some measure of armor cracking and the 5x missile launchers... well... they can switch hit to horde hunt easily. I would say its preference, if you want to specialize your long fangs swap em out.. it makes each one better at what they want to do but easier to hide from. It will depend on how you wish to play them.

I'm extremely thankful for your help theyak. Hmm tough call on the long fangs being more multi-purpose vs specific function. I'll try a few games and see how it goes and adjust as needed. I could see my opponents hiding easily enough, but diluting the units purpose might cost me as well. Tough one.

Thanks again!

[theyak]

I'm extremely thankful for your help theyak. Hmm tough call on the long fangs being more multi-purpose vs specific function. I'll try a few games and see how it goes and adjust as needed. I could see my opponents hiding easily enough, but diluting the units purpose might cost me as well. Tough one.

Thanks again!

Happy to help.

I'd say play with both, check em out and see what you like. With longfangs being able to split fire maybe its all a moot point, as long as they cover each others fire lanes you can always take follow-up shots at your primary target from the second squad and vice-verse. Happy hunting!