Recently I've been reviewing Space Wolves and looking at them in a more open minded manner (to my already completely outside the box of conventional internet based thinking heh)and fiddling with differing lists in a non-comp orientated mind-set. The list below is one such army whereby I was trying to take a fast in your face from the first turn approach yet also work in enough elements that the list could be adapted to being played as a more stand back and shoot (both in a static and mobile manner) army. Whether the fast drop or the stand and shoot approaches are used depends on the opponent, whether you go first or second and the mission involved.
Taak Drop!
HQ 1a) Rune Priest, Chooser of the Slain, Jaws of the World, Wolf, Living Lightning - 110pts
HQ 1b) Rune Priest, Chooser of the Slain, Jaws of the World Wolf, Murderous Hurricane - 110pts
HQ 2a) Rune Priest, Jaws of the World Wolf, Storm Caller - 100pts
Elites 1) 5 Wolf Scouts Bolt Pistol+Close Combat Weapon, 1 w/Meltagun+Bolt Pistol - 85pts
Elites 2) 5 Wolf Scouts Bolt Pistol+Close Combat Weapon, 1 w/Meltagun+Bolt Pistol - 85pts
Elites 3) 10 Wolf Guard: - 2 Tactical Dreadnought Armour + Storm Bolter + Power Weapon + Cyclone Missile Launcher - 1 Power Armour, Bolt pistol + Close Combat Weapon - 7 Power Armour, Bolt Pistol, Combi-Meltagun Dedicated Transport: Drop Pod w/Storm Bolter - 340pts
Troops 1) 5 Grey Hunters, 1 w/Flamer - 75pts
Troops 2) 5 Grey Hunters, 1 w/Flamer; Dedicated Transport: Drop Pod w/Storm Bolter - 110pts
Troops 3) 5 Grey Hunters, 1 w/Meltagun; Dedicated Transport: Drop Pod w/Storm Bolter - 115pts
Troops 4) 5 Grey Hunters, 1 w/Meltagun; Dedicated Transport: Drop Pod w/Storm Bolter - 115pts
Heavy Support 1) 4 Long Fangs w/3 Multi-Melta's; Dedicated Transport: Drop Pod w/Storm Bolter - 125pts
Heavy Support 2) 5 Long Fangs w/4 Missile Launchers; Dedicated Transport: Twin-Linked Lascannon Razorback - 190pts
Heavy Support 3) 5 Long Fangs w/4 Missile Launchers; Dedicated Transport: Twin-Linked Lascannon Razorback - 190pts
Total = 1750pts
Lets look at the list a bit closer:
The List comes with 5 Drop Pods, meaning that 3 Pods or Pods full of units will drop first turn. Drop Pods, as ever, are useful for board control and line of sight blocking as well as cover for your own approach or units. The Wolf Scouts don't have to just special outflank, they can scout or infiltrate like any space marine scouts and in this list that allows for more melta fire to hit the opposing line on the first turn, granted it won't have the melta rule in place but str 8 ap 1 firepower is still handy as it's just like a super duper krak missile. Attaching Wolf Guard with combi-melta's to them gives double str 8 threats from both units. The drop units give options, the obvious being the Wolf Guard and two units of Grey Hunters with Meltaguns and attached Wolf Guard with Combi-Meltaguns for triple melta strikes first turn from the pods, but also the presence of three Rune Priests each with Jaws of the World Wolf allows for Drop Possibilities that can be devastating against the right opponents especially with all the de-meching goodness the list packs for an alpha strike.
At the same time dropping a Cyclone Missile Launcher toting Wolf Guard or both onto an extreme flank can provide long range disruption from another quarter. The same disruption can be applied to the Living Lightning Rune Priest, in effect allowing deployment possibilities to castle as an extreme refused flank (packed in tight on one corner edge) and then to drop in on the other extreme flank to set up a secondary fire base of mobile units able to move and fire and reach out to an opponents reactionary deployment to such a refused flank. The Multi-Melta Long Fangs have a Drop Pod which allows for the 5th Pod needed for the 3rd dropping pod, but in some rare instances might actually transport in the Long Fangs. This unit of 4 Long Fangs with 3 Multi-Meltas is one I pinched casually from Spaguatyrine (2011 NOVA Invitational Renaissance Man) after private list discussions with him last year some time and like in his own lists, the unit is there purely for disruption and board control measures. At 90pts it's cheap and won't hurt if it dies. Deploying centre and as far forward as possible forces your opponent to destroy the unit or take 3 Multi-melta shots split to up to two units a turn, to the face next turn. It's a nifty unit that I quite like.
The remaining Long Fangs are standard Missile caddies with an attached Lascannon Razorback each for more saturated anti-tank units as well as allowing for more mobile anti-tank (and anti-Paladin for anyone paying attention) firepower at long range. The list is a very much in your face mobile firepower army with flexible long range support. It lacks dedicated combat options but packs a very powerful alpha striking ability as well as the ability to adapt to a mobile enemy quite well. There is a lot of str 8+ AP 2/1 firepower as well as other means (Jaws of the World Wolf & Murderous Hurricane for example) of dealing with the power death star units people field these days (Paladin Spam, Thunderwolf cavalry spam et.al.). With 6th edition just around the corner, the real questions to ask is will the flexibility of this list transition well into the new edition and will the firepower centred nature of this list suffer in any way?
Ideas on the list appreciated, it's one I'll fiddle with whenever I manage to acquire a full 5 Drop Pods - suggestions of note so far have been by Matt Shadowlord to drop the Scouts to bulk out the Grey Hunter Numbers to allow for a much more threatening drop presence as well as much more survivable troops. I've played with minimal squads of Grey Hunters enough that I am comfortable with them, some people aren't, but otherwise thoughts appreciated - What would you change keeping the theme in terms of game play aim and flexibility in mind?
