Meditations on the Upcoming Space Wolf Codex

Posted by Ranillon on 15. September 2009 21:50

As most of you no doubt know the Space Wolf codex is inbound and expected to arrive in early October.  Various places have extensive lists as to what's inside -- here is one at Farseer -- and let's just say a lot of it is looking pretty impressive or at least darn cool.  Here are some random thoughts on the subject (in no particular order):

• First, my usual refrain -- once again Dark Angels (and Blood Angels) are looking even more boring.  It's really hard to see how any of the immediate Marine codexes pre-SM codex really relate to those SM and after.  The SM and now SW codexes are full of new and interesting adjustments, units, or up-scaled characters.  Even if some of them prove to be overpriced at least they get your interest going.  By comparison the Dark Angel equivalents are ho-hum and unimaginative.  This is especially when you compare the new SW characters to their DA brethren.  The Wolves are varied, come with a lot of configuration possibilities, unique, and expand design choices.  The DA characters are all basically clones with minor differences in weapon load-outs and stats.  Yawn.

So, if Dark Angel players weren’t sure of it before now they can be – we had the misfortune to play a force that was the last codex under the old (and quickly abandoned) GW theory of streamlining over niftiness.  Now they have gone to the latter with a vengeance with every codex dripping with cool new toys and possibilities.  Over time there is always some griping about how “new codex A has outclassed my old codex B”, but in the case of Dark Angels it really is a fair criticism.  Their codex was nothing too amazing to begin with and is growing more uninteresting real fast.



Okay, enough with the grousing…

• I like the concept of Sagas.  It’s a great way to offer flavor and provide different basic tactical possibilities – plus the built in limitation of you can only take one once keeps down the cheddar.  This is also true for character material in general, also a good thing.

• Njal being able to cast three psychic powers a turn is just insane.  I hope he costs a lot.

• Bjorn is a great concept – a venerable dreadnought as a special character.  It’s really something any and all the founding chapters (not just DA) should have, IMHO.

• Wolf Guard still seem to have the old function of beefing up regular troop squads.  The extra leadership is handy, but the ability to take a power weapon is especially nice.  It gives them real close-combat bite.  Unless their price is outrageous I see them as part of pretty much every Space Wolf force.

• Arjak’s lowbrow version of Mjolnir is pretty sweet as it’ll allow you to get in a close ranged attack before charging – and at S10 AP1.  Great for going cheek-to-cheek with high value targets.

• I have to wonder how tempting Wolf Scouts will be since they are still elites.  There are just so many other choices that seem nicer that I expect they’ll only be taken when part of a deliberate strategy (as opposed to “god, they are great!”).

• You can’t take heavy weapons with any troop choice, but I usually wouldn’t anyway.  You want them to stay mobile.

• Lukas the Trickster’s “Last Laugh” rule is killer.  Sure, it’s not guaranteed to work, but the fact that there is a good chance it might will result in high value enemy units – especially characters – avoiding Lukas like the plague.  If you take him expect your opponent to throw a lot of small stuff in his way in hopes of a kill through attrition.

• Space Wolves seem to get all the new rules from Codex: Space Marines assuming they get the unit or item in question at all.  So, thankfully, no annoying issues like Land Raiders that strangely can’t hold as many troopers as your allies the next valley over.

• I know that Thunderwolf cavalry are 50 points base, but they seem potentially worth the points.  If nothing else the models are going to look great.  Thunderwolves strike me as a unit you’ll see a lot just because they catch the imagination (although, GW’s likely imaginative high prices on the models may dampen interest, admittedly).

• Being able to take wolves as a unit is just nice all on its own.  Again, a real flavorful addition.

• Long Fangs still get to fire at two different units, which is handy – although I suspect only if you go for the lascannons and want to nuke two enemy vehicles a turn (when facing infantry you’ll more likely want to just concentrate fire on a single unit).

• Bye, bye Exterminator – Hello, Redeemer.

That’s enough for now.  I will give a more in depth review when the actual codex arrives in October.