Interlude: Space Wolves - The Spear of Russ (aka Wolves on a Budget for Ray)

Well, you may have seen my Blood Spear list by now, which was partly inspired by Venerable, and partly by my desire to write a cheap Space Wolves list...and a Drop Pod comes in the Battleforce.  Ray had been talking about running a non-MEQ army, only to decide that he wanted to see what kind of cheap SW army I could throw up.  I know by now he will have changed his mind again, because that's what he's like.  :p  However, I am interested myself in how I will go about this, and simply enjoy writing lists.


Without further ado then, let's look at the Space Wolves Battleforce, by GW.  Please join me in a quick lol, when you scroll down and read that apparently a Space Wolf Drop Pod can fit a Thunderfire cannon.

I don't believe for a second that the 'Blood Claws' must be assembled as such...so I choose to look at it as being 20 GH/WG/LW models, and 5 Scouts.  I think we should use them as Wolf Scouts, partly because they aren't bad, and partly because we want to buy at least 2 Battleforces, and there'd be a lot of waste otherwise.  [Sidenote- How awesome would it be if Lone Wolves could have a Drop Pod.  Sigh.]

Since we plan on making this army to 1750 and to 2k, both versions should have room for :

Wolf Scouts Pack :
Meltagun, Wolf Guard [Combi-Melta, Power Weapon] - 85+[33]
Wolf Scouts Pack :
Meltagun, Wolf Guard [Combi-Melta, Power Weapon] - 85+[33]

With a few more Wolf Guard to fill out.  Since we can't have Dreads now, using all our Elites, we need something different to form the bulk of our dropping.  What with the SW inability to get ranged Troops, the temptation is to drop a bunch of Melta-toting GH in their faces...but this may not be really wise either.  After all, they are hardly the most resilient, and our only availability to ranged firepower outside of HS...and Typhoons.  Hrmm.

For now, let's put a bunch of WG in a Pod.

Wolf Guard Pack:
3 WG - Terminator Armour, Combi-Melta
1 WG - Terminator Armour, Heavy Flamer, Chainfist
6 WG - Combi-Melta, Power Weapon [includes the two listed above]
Drop Pod - 395

Obviously, the 6 will disperse, leaving the Terminators to go into the Drop Pod alone.  Or, rather, not alone.

Wolf Guard Battle Leader:
Saga of the Hunter [lawl!], Storm Shield, Runic Armour, Wolf Claw - 150
Wolf Lord:
Storm Shield, Frost Blade, Runic Armour, Saga of the Bear - 210

This makes a rather feisty Deathstar that isn't too shabby.  No, it's not great.  However, it presents a large threat in the enemy's face T1 that they have to deal with, and won't be easy to wipe out.  Until the unit is killed, with their 2+, 3++ and +1 to Cover saves, they will irritate the hell out of stuff, and will put some decent hurt on stationary vehicles if they land in a parking lot.

Altogether, though, we have now spent 925, which is a lot, but less than the BA had at this stage, iirc.  Troops time!

Grey Hunters Pack:
Meltagun, Razorback [Las/Plas] - 155
Grey Hunters Pack:
Meltagun, Razorback [Las/Plas] - 155
Grey Hunters Pack:
Meltagun, Razorback [Las/Plas] - 155
Grey Hunters Pack:
Meltagun, Razorback [Las/Plas] - 155

That takes us to 1545 altogether, which is grand.  We want some Fire Support now, from HS, especially since our Drop Contingent is so much weaker than the BA one, in ways.

Long Fangs Pack:
4 Long Fangs, w/ 3 Missile Launchers - 90
Long Fangs Pack:
4 Long Fangs, w/ 3 Missile Launchers - 90
Long Fangs Pack:
4 Long Fangs, w/ 3 Missile Launchers - 90
That saves a lot of points on the BA versions, without losing a LOT of firepower.  Some, sure.  Not a lot.
That takes us to 1815, letting us round off with:

Land Speeder:
Typhoon, Heavy Bolter - 90
Land Speeder:
Typhoon, Heavy Bolter - 90


For a finished list of;


Wolf Guard Battle Leader:
Saga of the Hunter [lawl!], Storm Shield, Runic Armour, Wolf Claw - 150
Wolf Lord:
Storm Shield, Frost Blade, Runic Armour, Saga of the Bear - 210

Wolf Guard Pack:
3 WG - Terminator Armour, Combi-Melta
1 WG - Terminator Armour, Heavy Flamer, Chainfist
6 WG - Combi-Melta, Power Weapon [includes the two listed above], Drop Pod - 395
Wolf Scouts Pack :
Meltagun - 85
Wolf Scouts Pack :
Meltagun - 85

Grey Hunters Pack:
Meltagun, Razorback [Las/Plas] - 155
Grey Hunters Pack:
Meltagun, Razorback [Las/Plas] - 155
Grey Hunters Pack:
Meltagun, Razorback [Las/Plas] - 155
Grey Hunters Pack:
Meltagun, Razorback [Las/Plas] - 155

Land Speeder:
Typhoon, Heavy Bolter - 90
Land Speeder:
Typhoon, Heavy Bolter - 90

Long Fangs Pack:
4 Long Fangs, w/ 3 Missile Launchers - 90
Long Fangs Pack:
4 Long Fangs, w/ 3 Missile Launchers - 90
Long Fangs Pack:
4 Long Fangs, w/ 3 Missile Launchers - 90

TOTAL: 1995.

Alternately, Drop Pod two of the GH squads, instead putting Razors on 2 LF Packs.  This costs 70 points, (and is obviously in place of Typhoons) and leaves us 150 points with which to grab 2 more GH for the Drop Packs, both squads taking one Mark of the Wulfen, too.  This leaves 40 points, and these are spent on a Lascannon-toting Long Fang for the unit without Razorback.

To get 1750 instead, drop Runic Armour on the WGBL down to a Wolf Tail Talisman, Pod GH as above, and drop the third LF Pack entirely.

Et voila - [Budget] Spear of Russ.

Thoughts?

[The secondary version consists of 3 Battleforces, a Space Wolf Terminators box and 4 Razorback Boxes, with no other purchases, if you can get yourself 9 Missile Launchers, a Lascannon and several Meltaguns and Combi-Meltas...really, the weapons are the main expense here.  Since we used 40 of the 60 Wolves and 10 of the 15 Wolf Scouts, there is some leeway to swap for other people's stuff.  It's possible the list could be cheaper, but I don't see any way to do so without making it substantially worse.]