Well yesterday I got my first taste of facing an opponent using the new Space Wolf codex. I played at my local game shop against one of the owners who was using the store copy of the Wolf codex. I am going to do an overview of the battle to the best I can as I don't have a copy of the list he was using with me.
The Battle was 1850 points Seize Ground mission with a Pitched Battle deployment. We rolled 5 objective markers placed as below on the battlefield.
Space Wolves
HQ:
Logan Grimnar
Njal Stormcaller
Troops:
7 Terminators: 2 wolf claws, 2 thunder hammer/storm shield, 2 power fists/storm bolter - Mounted in Land Raider Crusader with Logan Grimnar
4 Terminators: 2 wolf claws, 2 thunder hammer/storm shield - Mounted in Drop Pod with Njal Storm caller.
3 Terminators: 1 power fist/storm bolter, 2 thunderhammer/storm shield
3 Terminators: 1 wolf claws, 2 thunderhammer/storm shield
Elites:
Lone Wolf: thunderhammer/storm shield, terminator armor
Lone Wolf: thunderhammer/storm shield, terminator armor
Black Templars
HQ:
Marshal: Lightning claws, Iron Halo, Terminator Honors
Emperor's Champion: Vow-Abhor the Witch, Destroy the Witch
Troops:
Crusade Squad: 7 BP/CCW, flamer, BP/PW - Mounted in Rhino with Emperor's Champion
Crusade Squad: 8 BP/CCW, Meltagun, BP/PF - Mounted in Rhino
Crusade Squad: 8 Bolters, plasma gun, BP/PF - Mounted in Drop Pod
Crusade Squad: 4 Bolters, 1 Plasma Cannon - Mounted in Razorback with Twin-linked Lascannon
Crusade Squad: 4 Bolters, 1 Lascannon
Elites:
Dreadnought: Assault Cannon, Dread CCW, Heavy Flamer - Mounted in Drop Pod
Sword Brethren Squad: 6 BP/CCW, BP/PW, Lightning Claws - Mounted with Marshal in Land Raider Crusader
Deployment:
I managed to seize the intiative, but in hindsight I probably should not have even tried. I deployed my Rhinos in the center with My Crusader and Razorback off to the right in cover. I then placed one of my small crusade squads near the objective on the right in my deployment zone, While the other deployed near the objective on the far left.
The Space wolves deployed with a Crusader on the right near the objective in their zone along with a small squad of Terminators. Then another small squad of Terminators deployed in the center. Both Lone Wolves deployed near each other at left-center.
Deployment
TURN 1:
My Rhinos advanced on the center. My Crusader moved around the Left side of the building to Help support the center. My Razorback pulled forward to get line of sight on the Land Raider and both my small crusade squad moved forward with the squad on the right now occupying the objective. My Razorback took a shot at the landraider but had no effect.
Space Wolves: First they drop podded in Njal and the termies with him on the center objective. Then he moved his Crusader forward as well as his other Termie Units and the Lone Wolves. During the Shooting phase he ran his two termie units forward as well as his Lone Wolves. Njal used a psychic power that caused any deep striking unit to take a terrain test once they land. He then did some power that effected the weather but when he rolled for the effect there was no effect this turn. It was at this time I realized I didn't take my free move for Abhor the Witch, Destroy the Witch, but I did remember the ability to nullify the power on a 5+ but failed for.
End of Turn 1
TURN 2:
At the start of turn 2 my Dreadnought in the Drop Pod deep struck near the objective in the Space Wolf zone. He passed his difficult terrain test. The Emperors champion squad disembarked to get into position to charge
Njal's unit. The Crusader lined up to open fire on
Njal's unit. In the Shooting phase my dreadnought opened fire with his assault cannon on the 3 Terminators guarding the other center objective. I managed to hit and wound with all 4 shots. Then the Space Wolves failed all 4 of their 2+ saves. Next my Crusader opened up on
Njals unit
I got 2 rending wounds from the assault cannon and 6 wounds from the hurricane
bolters. For some reason my buddy decided to put a rending wound on
Njal and then failed his save, so
Njal took a wound but the rest of his squad managed to make their saves. Lastly my Crusade squad on the left fired 4
bolters and a
lascannon at one of the Lone Wolves but he managed to make all his saves. The assault phase was a disaster as i failed to reach
Njal's unit with my Emperor's Champion's unit and I knew that meant I would be facing a charge on the Space Wolf turn.
Space Wolves: Movement was pretty simple, he Moved Njal's unit as well as the 3 termie unit in the center to charge my Emperor's Champion and squad. He then moved both Lone Wolves towards my 5 man crusade squad on the left. In the Shooting phase his crusader shot at my crusader doing nothing. In anticipation of getting a charge with Njal and the terminators my buddy forgot to do any of his psychic powers. In the Assault phase Njal and his terminators as well as the other terminators unit assaulted my Champion and his crusade squad, The Emperor's Champion and Njal squared off and Njal managed a wound on the champion before succumbing to the Black Sword, this would be where my luck started to run out! my Crusade squad attacked the terminators, managing to kill off two but then the Terminators struck back kill 8 of my initiates in a flurry of Wolf Claws and Thunder Hammer attacks. I lost the fight by 5 with the templars being fearless in assault I have to take another 5 saves which I managed to fail enough of to wipe out my unit including the Emperor's Champion they even managed to destroy my empty rhino in the joint assault. The Wolves then consolidated toward my Rhino with a full squad.
End of Turn 2
TURN 3:
At the beginning of turn 3 my crusade squad in the drop pod showed up and landed near the center objective. My Dreadnought moved to assault the crusader and my other crusade squad disembarked from my their rhino. When disembarking I moved from the rear and left doors because he had a few
Termies in front of the Rhino and 2 on the left side, so I tried to put myself in a position where he couldn't get both units attacking mine at the same time. In the shooting phase I blasted the crusader with my Assault cannons on my dread and my crusader as well as the Multi
Melta on the crusader and the Plasma cannon from the squad on the objective. After all that firepower I only managed to get 1 Crew Stunned which the extra armor turned into a crew shaken. I then assaulted the crusader with my Dread and my crusade squad assaulted the
Termies on the left of my rhino. This is where I realized how damn deadly the Space Wolves are. Even though I charged the wolves have counter attack so they get all their attacks as if they had charged. I managed to kill of 1 terminator with my regular attacks but then his thunder hammer took out 3 initiates if my power fist did not kill him I would lose combat again. I was only able to score one hit but lucky for me it was enough to bring down the last terminator of that unit.
Space Wolves: He moved his Crusader closer to my objective and deployed Logan and his large Terminator squad. He moved his 2
termies in the middle towards my land raider and the lone wolves headed for my unit from the drop pod. In the Shooting phase His crusader scored a wrecked result on mine using his multi-
melta. The Marshal and Sword Brethren then dispersed from the wreckage only to be assaulted by the 2
termies left in the middle. None of my power weapons were able to get into combat so I caused no wounds to his 4. I then lost an additional Sword Brethren to my fearless saves. Logan and his unit assaulted my Razorback reducing it to a crater several times over. The game was starting to look grim for the
Templars.
End of Turn 3
Turn 4:
I started Turn 4 by moving my Dred to assault the Crusader again. I also moved my Rhino to help my whole crusade squad get into combat. I fired my Assault Cannon at the Crusader and failed to do anything. I then fired my Plasma cannon at Logan's squad but he managed his Invulnerable saves. I then assaulted the terminators that were fighting the Marshal and Sword brethren. This combat was a complete disaster as I only was able to kill 1 of 2 Terminators, the space wolves then wounded 3 of my men in return and I lost another to my fearless rolls. The Dreadnought attacked the crusader and failed to do any damage. (At this point I had decided that my dice really enjoy the number 1)
Space Wolves: The crusader turned to face my dread Fired the Multi-
Melta and missed in extreme fashion. Logan and his men moved then ran towards the close combat in the center. The only assault was a continuation of the battle in the middle. This
time I was able to finish off the
terminatos with my Marshal's lightning claws and the consolidated towards
logan's and his crew. The lone Wolves assaulted my crusade squad at the drop pod where I lost 6 models and only caused 1 wound to a single lone wolf.
End of Turn 4
Turn 5:
I started by moving my crusade squad and my marshal and his sword brethren into assault position. I then fired my
Dred's assault cannon at the crusader again resulting in nothing. I fired my plasma gun at Logan's unit only to scatter complete off of it. I then assaulted my dread into the crusader and managed to immobilize it. Then my marshal, sword brethren and crusade squad assaulted
logan and his unit. This should have gone my way but
logan used a special ability giving his unit an extra attack, the coupled with their counter attack roll gave them an awesome amount of attacks. Logan himself had 7. After the dust cleared only my Marshal remained with a single wound left which he then proceeded to lose to my fearless roll. Logan's unit then consolidated towards my last
remaining crusade squad on the objective. The Lone wolves
proceeded to kill off my remaining crusade squad at the drop pod.
Space Wolves: Logan's unit moved to be in assault position if we went to turn 6, one lone wolf moved towards my rhino the other
moved towards my drop pod. At this point we rolled to see if the game ended. I would have won because I held one objective but naturally I rolled a 3.
End of Turn 5
Turn 6:
Well my turn was over quit quickly as I fired all I had in my unit, 4 bolters and a plasma cannon into logan's unit. I failed to do any damage. The end was near.
Space Wolves: The lone wolves attacked both my rhino and my drop pod but amazingly failed to damage either one. Then Logan and his unit assaulted y crusade and proceeded to slaughter them to a man, thus winning the game for the Space Wolves.
End of Turn 6
Conclusion:
Well all I can say is the Space Wolves definitely excel in the assault phase. I played way to conservatively in the beginning round as I was not sure exactly what to expect from the new wolves. I probably should have unloaded all my vehicles in turn 2 since he had very little firepower and I could have possibly overwhelmed his termie units with sheer numbers. This would have left me with more marines left over to assault Logan's big unit. I also got too distracted with my dreadnought trying to destroy the land raider.
The Space Wolves have some cool rules. The one I found most impressive was the counter attack. Even when I managed to get off an assault his unit still got all the attacks as if they had assaulted. The only time I did well in close combat was when I was able to cause 7-8 power weapon wounds using my marshal and the sword brethren, but it was too little too late and towards the end of the game my dice would only roll ones. The Lone Wolves were very hard to do anything too. I poured fire power into them with almost no effect. The Lone Wolf in Terminator Armor with thunderhammer and storm shield is a beast to deal with and my buddy took two of them.
Over all I had a blast playing them. The codex really seems to have some cool twists to it and I can't wait to see what other tricks that the wolf players will have up their sleeves. I apologize of this report is hard to follow, this is my first attempt at posting one on my blog so any suggestions on how to improve them are greatly appreciated.
-BJ
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