From the Forge, Come Thoughts

What's up everyone? So before I start this post, let me say that the Facing The Grey Tide Podcast is now up on iTunes (OH Yeah, We have made the Plunge). So please go rate, review, download, and subscribe because we will still be putting up the Podcast on the site, but we also want you all to have the ability to take us with you on your Apple Products.

Card Games against a Hive Mind never seem to work

Now that the business side is done, let's get down with some ideas that have been bumping through my head. As you all know, I really only play two forces, Space Wolves and Iron Hands. Now the Wolves of Fenris are hoping to have their codex updated in the next couple of months (speculation because of the Storm Claw Box Set) and I have been thinking about the vehicles in their arsenal. Now all of the vehicles are the same as the Space Marines, but there are some differences that are making me wonder how to best use them; I am going over my favorites, and how I am thinking of using them in the near future.
As I have slowly started to build a Mechanized force for my wolves, necessity and looks have dictated what kinds of vehicles I have purchased for my wolves. As I have added to my collection, I have come to appreciate 5 vehicles:  Dreadnoughts, Drop Pods, Rhinos, Land Raiders (All Three), and Whirlwinds.  Now with a new codex coming out, we might get a Flyer, we might get a Stalker/Hunter, and we might get something else, but you all are still stuck on Whirlwinds. Well let me get through the benefits to the Vlka Fenryka, and you will see what I mean.

So why Dreadnoughts, besides the fact I love them?  Well they are exactly like the Space Marines Dreadnoughts for other chapters, but for 5 points you get an Assault Cannon instead of a Multi Melta (15 points cheaper). Next, you can throw a Wolftooth Neclace for 10 points (3+ to hit in CC regardless of weapon Skill) or a Wolf Tail Talisman (5+ Nullification on Psychic powers against you) for 5 points.  So for the Base Cost of a Space Marine Dreadnought with an Assault Cannon, you have a Dreadnought that also hits 3+ in CC and can nullify Psychic powers on a 5+ that are targeted against it. So you can drop these bad boys into trouble and see what happens, and you can get them there by the Drop Pod.

Now the Drop Pod is the exact same as the Space Marines but the Wolves can do something fun with it; we can load out a 10 man Grey Hunter Squad with 2 Melta Guns, a Plasma Pistol, and a Wolf Banner for the grand total of 215 points; 2 Plasma Guns, Plasma Pistol, and Wolf Banner for  220; or 2 Flamers, Plasma Pistol, and Wolf Banner for 210.  That gives you a Tremendous Drop Pod group that has Counter Assault, can activate the Wolf Banner to re-roll all 1s in an Assault Phase, and you are in someones grill turn 1.  But as you can see, it isn't the mighty Drop Pod, but what the Drop Pod brings that is good, and that can be a Dreadnought, Grey Hunters, Long Fangs, Wolf Guard, or Blood Claws.

So the Third is the Rhinos, and once again, it falls into the same category as the Drop Pod, so I will keep moving in saying that to get your troops a little protection and across the board, there are few better options than a good ole Rhino.

Now the Land Raiders are the exact same as the Space Marines, and they don't have the fast rule or anything that lets them deep strike, but the goodies in the Land Raider can be very interesting to behold.  That is the beauty of the Space Wolves, they can take an ordinary 240 point Land Raider Redeemer and load it out with 10 Grey Hunters with Meltas or Flamers and a HQ, and charge head first into an army, or you can load it out with 5 Wolf Guard Terminators and a HQ and bring a Spear Point to the enemy. I personally like to use them with Grey Hunters or Wolf Guard, but the combinations are unique and can be limitless for your needs. Oh Yeah, Wolf Guards can get one as a Dedicated Transport meaning you could have a Total of 4, if you have the points, to do some work.

Now the Whirlwind is competing for a spot in the army because it is in the Heavy Support Slot. So why do I love the Whirlwind when it is exactly the same as the other Space Marine Vehicles?  It is because of the fact that for 85 points, you get a vehicle that can fire from behind LOS blocking terrain with a weapon that is either S5 AP4 Ordance 1, Large Blast, Barrage, or S4 AP5 Ordance 1, Large Blast, Ignores Cover.  Now, that doesn't sound like a back breaking weapon, but it provides a way to go after soft targets in cover, to go after swarms, and with the changes to Barrage, this makes them even that much better.  And for my experience, I have tended to have my Whirlwind make it points back doing crazy things like forcing units to flee giving first blood, or forcing a lot of wounds on a target on an objective.

Now take this last bit of knowledge before you destroy my thoughts.  This is a 5th Edition Codex, that does need some updating, and there are other things in other books that can do some of these roles a lot better. Yet, I look at my Wolves and see the Glory and Potential that they hold and I am going to continue to try to push myself to find ways to make my Wolves the best they can be, until we get a new Codex. Look for updates on the Wolves soon to come.