Traitor Space Wolves Battle Reports

So this weekend I played three games of 40k (With “The Dreaded 13th”), however I’m not going to post up 3 battle reports. Partly due to the fact I was sick (and therefore don’t remember specific details) but also that I forgot my notepad (and therefore don’t remember specific details – see what I did there). Instead, I’ll give you a quick summary of the game, highlights, and final thoughts… Followed by thoughts on my new list as well as what I would run were I to collect Dark Eldar competitively!

 

My list for all three (3) games:

Rune Priest (Living Lightning, Murderous Hurricane)

Rune Priest (Living Lightning, Jaws of the World Wolf)

3 Thunderwolves (Thunder Hammer, Storm Shield)

6 Long Fangs (5 Missile Launchers)

6 Long Fangs (5 Missile Launchers)

8 Grey Hunters (Meltagun, Mark of the Wulfen, Wolf Standard, Rhino) + Wolf Guard (Power Fist, Combi-Melta)

8 Grey Hunters (Meltagun, Mark of the Wulfen, Wolf Standard, Rhino) + Wolf Guard (Power Fist, Combi-Melta)

5 Grey Hunters (Meltagun, Razorback [las/plas]) + Wolf Guard (Power Fist, Combi-Melta)

5 Grey Hunters (Meltagun, Razorback [las/plas])

 

1499/1500

 

Game 1 and 2 were against my good buddy Alex and his Dark Eldar! The table was covered with roughly 5 LoS blocking pieces and 2 buildings. His list for both games was (from memory):

Duke Sliscus

4 Trueborn (blasters, Venom)

9 Incubi (Raider [Nightshields])

2 units of 8 basic wyches (Raider [Nightshields])

15 Hellions

2 Ravagers (triple lance)

1 Razorwing (4 mono-scything missiles (Str 6, AP 5 I think) + 2 dark lances and 2 splinter cannons)

 

Game 1 – 4 Objectives with standard deployment. He won roll-off for first turn and took it!

This game was all about me jockeying for position to grab those objectives and him going straight for the throat. He bee-lined his incubi, wyches, and hellions for my thunderwolves while I circled around with my two rhinos. I rolled extremely well in combat and saw the hellions and 1 squad of wyches beaten in combat and ultimately off the board. The incubi steamrolled through everything put in front of them but with no transport they not in an immediate position to threaten objectives. On turn 5 I set myself up to control 2 of 4 objectives while he controlled none (incubi were staring at one held by an 9 man wolf pack which could have gone either way). Game Ends, Victory Wolves! Given another turn or two, the Incubi would have probably cleansed one of the objectives but would have been too far from the other. With no troops or vehicles left, I think I would have won regardless. As well, the other objective still had 9 wolves sitting on it which probably could have finished off the remaining incubi either with bolters or in CC.

 

Game 2 – 2 Objectives with standard deployment. I won roll-off for first turn and took it! I had some awesome buildings/mountains to position my long fangs on with great firing lanes across nearly the entire table (minus behind LoS blocking features) which combined with first turn really helped slow down Alex’s mobility. Alex’s Incubi slaughtered my Thunderwolves in combat but saw their Duke Sliscus fall to Jaws and subsequently flee at under half strength (never to rally again)! The rest of the game was fairly predictable. I maneuvered my two rhinos to his objective in the corner (only 1 managed to make it there due to his razorwing decimating a squad with all of its missiles, lances, and cannons) while my razorback squads stayed home to guard. 1 razorback squad never left its nest while the other was eventually cut down to the wolf guard, who managed to run down a 6 strong unit of hellions on his own and cream the last wych to free my objective. Turn 5 appeared with me having a troop choice at both objectives and Alex having a unit at each to contest (the single wych at mine and a very immobilized/lucky razorwing at his). The game continued to turn 6 where my wolf guard pasted the wych while the razorback managed to avoid everything I could throw at it. Alex zipped his remaining venom over to my objective to contest and… The game went to turn 7. The wolf guard rolled two lucky 6’s to hit the venom and wrecked it. Wolves win with 1 objective!

 

Game 3 was against Josh – An Ultramarines player. His list was (from memory):

Chaplain Cassius

5 Terminators (2 lightning claws, 3 TH/SS, God hammer Land Raider /w MM)

Tactical Squad (Plasmagun, Lascannon, Power Weapon\plasma pistol)

Tactical Squad (Plasmagun, Lascannon, Power Weapon, Rhino)

Tactical Squad (Meltagun, Plasma Cannon, Power Fist, Rhino)

5 Sternguard (3 combi plasma, 2 combi melta, drop pod)

 

Game 3 – 3 objectives with spearhead deployment. He won the roll-off to go first and took it! I made a dumb dumb move this game and deployed both of my long fang squads in a building in my deployment zone. Great LoS but I didn’t realize the building was so far back, I ended being up out of range of 2/3 objectives and had to spend turns later in the game to get within range. I had more firepower and was generally better in CC but he had that death star unit of terminators that refused to leave the land raider, even when I fired meltaguns at it. I lost 2 of 3 thunderwolves + a wound to the sternguard (who were then creamed by one of the Rhino packs) who eventually went off and lost his last wound to 2 measly tactical marines without killing one! I sacrificed a large unit of Grey hunters plus the rune priest attempting to get rid of the land raider but only succeeded in immobilizing it and getting my ass handed to me in CC. Turn 5, I controlled 2 of 3 objectives but the game didn’t end. Through murderous hurricane and combat, I manage to drop the termies to 2 models plus Cassius who then cleansed the centre objective. My long fangs cause one of his tactical squads to fall back off his objective, I now control 1 while he controls none. The centre is contested by both of us, my rune priest in combat with his tactical squad. Game doesn’t end turn 6. My rune priest wins combat and consolidates out within 3” of his objective. I now control 1 and contest 2. Josh concedes as I have last turn and I am currently winning the game. Space wolves win with 1 objective!

 

Three solid games with three solid wins.

 

Overall I like the new list. That extra troop has seemed to be just enough that I am able to leave 1 behind and move the other 3 up. I’m not entirely sure on the TWC, they never seem to do much… However perhaps that’s because my opponents usually concentrate a metric crap-ton of firepower onto them, whether its been sternguard using all their combi weapons or incubi bee-lining for them they’ve taken the pressure off the rest of the army. I haven’t missed the razorbacks on long fangs yet even though I probably could have used them on my long fangs to reposition. I really like the dual rune priests for the extra utility they bring even though they don’t usually make it through the game (due to me separating them from their squads). I think Murderous Hurricane is fast becoming my favourite psychic ability.

 

I need to stop thinking like an Ork/Guard player and realize that I have power armour! I don’t NEED to put my long fangs into cover unless there is a plethora of ap3 or less or a bunch of assaulty troops without grenades. I’ll still make cover a priority but I think fire lanes/range might be a bit more important.

 

Finally, here’s a list and explanation of a Dark Eldar army if I was to play them competitively (For a fun army I would run a wych themed list).

 

 

1500 Pts – Dark Eldar Roster

HQ: Urien Rakarth (1#, 190 pts)

Troops: Wracks
9 Wracks @ 190 pts (Liquifier Gun x2)
1 Acothyst (Basically for the leadership boost)
1 Raider (Dark Lance x1)

Troops: Wracks
9 Wracks @ 190 pts (Liquifier Gun x2)
1 Acothyst (Basically for the leadership boost)
1 Raider (Dark Lance x1)

Troops: Wracks
9 Wracks @ 190 pts (Liquifier Gun x2)
1 Acothyst (Basically for the leadership boost)
1 Raider (Dark Lance x1)

Troops: Kabalite Warriors
9 Kabalite Warriors @ 140 pts (Blaster x1; Dark Lance x1)
1 Sybarite (Again for leadership)

Heavy Support: Ravager
1 Ravager @ 105 pts (Dark Lance x3)

Heavy Support: Ravager
1 Ravager @ 105 pts (Dark Lance x3)

Heavy Support: Ravager
1 Ravager @ 105 pts (Dark Lance x3)

Elite: Kabalite Trueborn
4 Kabalite Trueborn @ 143 pts (Shardcarbine x2; Splinter Cannon x2)
1 Venom (Flickerfield; Splinter Cannon x2)

Elite: Kabalite Trueborn
4 Kabalite Trueborn @ 143 pts (Shardcarbine x2; Splinter Cannon x2)
1 Venom (Flickerfield; Splinter Cannon x2)

Total Roster Cost: 1501 (I would need to drop something somewhere to make this list legal, probably the warriors blaster)

 

 

I think Urien is a bargain for the points. You can stick him in B2B with the enemies power fist and guarantee yourself that you will stop at least 2 of the wounds (1 from clone field and 1 because he regens a wound every turn). On a good roll, he could absorb 4 wounds without worry, that’s enough to shut down most ICs. In addition, he gives you d3 pain tokens for your wracks (more on this later), starts with a pain token (more on this later) and has a poison weapon that wounds on a 3+ (causing ID). To top it all off, wracks are troops (the best troops DE has to offer IMO). I would start Urien off with the warriors and have him leave/embark on a raider full of wracks just to give the warriors a pain token to start with.

 

The wracks are the toughest unit DE have that are troops. I think DE’s biggest weakness is keeping enough bodies around that they can score at the end of the game. These guys are T4, with a 6+ and Feel No Pain to start with. With Urien’s potential to give them all a second pain token you could have wracks with FNP and Furious Charge (which would allow you to reroll wounds against everything T5 or less due to poison!!!). I would zip these guys around cover taking shots of opportunity with the lance – disembark them on the objective and wait.

 

The unit of warriors sits on a home objective in cover and takes pot shots. With a 4+ cover save and Uriens FNP token, these guys would become fairly hard to shift short of close combat.

 

Ravagers are obviously anti-tank. Would need to be creative with cover.

 

The trueborn are anti-infantry. Enough shots to put TEQs, MEQs, or really anything to the grave.

 

Nothing overly killy, but a lot more survivable than most Dark Eldar lists I’m seeing. I don’t see DE being an army able to table most competent generals and such need to have troops kicking around at the end of the game. I mean, look at the game between Alex and I. He’s a great general but the most he could have done both games was forced a draw due to me nuking his 2 troop choices. You’re probably not going to table a space wolf player (insert any marine army here), especially if they go first.

 

Thoughts?