Thunderwolves list!

This is one of the core lists I’m currently running. I first took it to the last AEPDA tournament, finishing 5^th out of 40 which is fantastic for a painter! And surprising given it was my very first time running this type of list.

Anywho I dearly wanted to run Thunderwolves, even though I was pouring way too many points onto them and thus making the rest of my army either less strong. Overall I feel comfortable playing this army, as it is more aggressive than your normal SW list. To me, the wolves play just like the fluff describes them – patient killers that hunt their preys in packs. My game style is more straightforward and I enjoy sending the TWs ahead to the neck of my opponent! They can’t go toe to toe with everything in the game, but can certainly put a dent or 2 in even the worst monstrosities out there and will wipe out any troops they find in their way. 

So the list is:

• Rune Priest, LL & JoTWW, Chooser.
• Rune Priest, LL & Murderous Hurricaine
• Wolf Lord on TW, runic armour, wolf claw, SS, saga of majesty (morale checks rerolls)
• 5 scouts, meltagun
• 5 Wolf Guard (3x combimelta/PF, 1combimelta, 1 CML/Combimelta TDA).
• 8 GHs with meltagun, standard in a drop pod.
• 3x 7 GHs with meltaguns, standard in Rhinos.
• 5GHs with flamer
• 4 Thunderwolves (TH/SS, SS, meltabombs, normal).
• 6LFs, 5ML
• 5LF, 4ML

How this works

The WG are attached to the GH squads. Depending on what’s in the opponent side I might include a PF or just the combimelta guard. The CML can drop pod or just sit in terrain with the Long Fangs and shoot things. The Rune priests are also embedded with the Rhino GH and move midfield shooting LL out of the top hatch. If anything gets to close, it will be melta gunned to death or jaws’ed to… the Fenrisian abyss? I would hardly pod the rune priest to jaws anything, unless someone aligns 3 trygons for me (please?).

The TWs+Lord rush to the opponent’s deployment zone, or can take a different flank. Keep in mind each TWs gear and make sure the hammer, meltabomb and wolf lord are in the right side to take on whatever is needed. You can also detach the wolf lord to take on a different unit by himself, just make sure he detaches once you're in the enemy lines and charges something, or will be torrented to death.

What about the 2 rune priests? well they provide long range dakka through Living Lightning, psychic protection in midfield (there goes your fortitude grey knighs!) and can use jaws / murderous hurricane in specific situations to a good end. Jaws is fantastic for taking on Ork nob bikers or MCs alike, and hurricane loves foot eldar councils and other nasties coming your way.

In a nutshell, this list plays like your normal SW army – GH in Rhinos to midfield, Scouts and drop pod disrupting, Long Fangs pouring missiles – with the addition of TWs that spearhead the assault, or go for an enemy flank and contest it.

Possible changes

The list performs quite soundly, clearly above my expectations of a "funny list that autoloses". There are a few clear improvements that I could do:

The drop pod is tasked with providing a disruption so the rest of the units moves forward, and puts pressure on some armies like IG gunlines. They are however too isolated from the rest of the army and likely dead by turn 2/3. A Rhino would be a safer bet.

The wolf lord is a lot of points for what he does, but provides I5 attacks with rerolls and Ld10 with a reroll. Perhaps adding a Saga of the Warrior Born would spice things a little bit.