Today we’re looking at our dirty tips and tactics for the new Space Wolves rules in the new Curse of the Wulfen supplement.
There isn’t as much ground to cover in the Space Wolf sections as there was in the Daemon book. If you’re asking, “Why are you only doing this now Rob?” Well, because this has been posted on The Long War for a couple weeks as an exclusive now for our Veterans and we like to keep them well fed and hobby happy.
So if you want the information earlier please consider becoming a member of the Long War so you can keep rolling out these wonderful hobby features!
First up, the Curse of the Wulfen chart is pretty interesting, the effect benefits all Space Wolves on the table, not just the ones in your Army, so if you’re a Space Wolf and find yourself in a quarrel don’t forget you get the same bonus’ as your opponent and vice versa.
Plus there a two tables, one for units not in combat, Hunt, and one for units in Combat, Kill, which is pretty neat. The effects have been beat to death but you get some extra attacks, some larger charges and other bonus that can be game changing (like non-Wulfen models being able to attack again if they die).
Note: If a single model doesn’t have Fleet, you can’t re-roll the charge, you have to have all the models in the unit with Fleet (USR Rules BRB). You won’t get longer charges if you attach a model without fleet.
The Great Frost Axe, gives you a reaping swing, which strikes at initiative during the charge but then goes down to 1 after that.
Note: The rule doesn’t say unwieldy.
The Frost Claws are nice because they add +1 Strength, making their attacks Strength 6 because the Wulfen are base 5. The Tempest Hammer then gives them a straight up Strength 10, both of which wreck Wraithknights.
This book also allows them to take various squadrons of Vindicators, Whirlwinds, Predators, and Land Speeders that give them some really neat bonuses just like the Space Marine codex from June 2015.
Of course, the Decurion-style detachment is called the Wolf Claw Strike Force. This is a super interesting formation.
Note: Normally depending on the exact wording, Command benefits confer to anyone in the squad. Special Rules of the formations don’t confer to IC’s joining the squad.
The Command Benefits themselves are pretty cool, Counter Charge and How of the Wolves are great, who doesn’t want to get free furious charge bonus? No one that’s who.
We Saw Krom and Ulrik before, both about the same and decently priced for what they do. My personal fav is Ulrik though for his preferred enemy bubble.
The Iron Priests, if you remember, are Elite, but in this book are now Iron Priest, but now come with 1 more wound, 1 more leadership, and 20 more points.
The White Dwarf tells us to take either versions but of course, make sure you check with the tournament/league/friend about it to see if they want you to be able to take it as an Elite. I know in my gaming group, I could care less. Bring what you want, I’m an adult and I can get along.
The Wulfen are great models in and of themselves. I know you see the pack leader doing Karate Kid Crane pose of death, but FYI he doesn’t have to be built like that, you can model him differently with extra parts they give you in the kit.
I think Games Workshop is intent on bringing assaults back, but be prepared that if you get a long charge off on Turn 1- your opponent will probably havecase of the “feel badsies.”
Counter-point: Similar to when your opponent alpha strikes your assault armies and it just folds on turn 2.
I like to run my Wulfen in small units, and I only bring a block of 8 of them, but that’s because I bring my Grey Knights along. They are of course infiltrating the Great Wolves to keep an eye on them, (but mostly to cast sanctuary) so now they have a 2+ invulnerable and a 5+ Feel No Pain!
I’m pretty much okay with it because it gives less feel badsies than straight invisibility. In my heart of Hearts 2+/5+ isn’t too overpowering. I wish we could four-source it up, because I could do some crazy stuff with all the armies because, I’m a 40k fat kid.
That being said there’s also something to be said about Wulfen paired with thunder wolves, and of course these other formations as well.
The Firehowlers, probably isn’t the most efficient formation, however it’s still solid. You can re-roll failed charges which is for an assault army really good.
The Ironwolves on the other hand is actually really spicy. You have to have enough transports to put everyone in one. However, they can move an additional 6” an flat out, and it says you can take weapon and wargear options for free.
I don’t condone this, as I don’t think it’s in the spirit of the game, but someone might roll up on you and say they upgraded with all the Legacies of glory for free. What I really like about this is that you can disembark units if the vehicle moved 12”, and you can take Land Raiders. That’s super solid tactic from this formation that is often overlooked.
The Drakslayers are okay, nothing to write home about. Deathwolves are fluffy, gives you a variety of stuff, but again, not super amazing.
The Blackmanes, is a competitive formation. You get the drop pods for free, pay the upgrade for the missile spam, might be kinda cool but probably better spent elsewhere. You could bring two of these formations; bring in 20 Drop Pods, BOOM Space Wolf Gladius! (i.e. perhaps a little over powered). The Champions of Fenris are pretty cool, you get to choose from a variety of rules at the beginning of your turn to up your tactical game.
The Greatpack, similar to the other formations, however, if you bring it as part of the Wolf Claw Strike Force you don’t get any troops in here. The Wulfen Murdepack is cool because you get 7+ results because on a 7 you get a free move, double movement, …what!??? Or you get +1 to their attack characteristic. That’s like murder on a stick, a furry Wulfen stick of doom!
The Spear of Russ, gives your vehicles some neat tricks like PotMS, could be interesting.
The Wyrstorm Brotherhood is kinda like the Librarius Conclave, it’s okay. The Ancients of the Fang are, well, they’re dreadnoughts, just not that great unfortunately. They can fight as a single vehicle squadron, not sure how effective that is. They do get it will not die near the Iron Priest though…
The Heralds of the Great Wolf, make the priests a single unit, but it’s not so competitive if you put them all in a single unit. It does however give you +1 to Seize… so if you had Bjorn AND Coteaz in your list, it can give you an edge.
The Wolfkin is pretty neat, if you’re doing outflank shenanigans these guys are where it’s at. If you bring more than one unit you’ll have a better chance at getting them where you want them.
These formations are pretty cool. Certainly, as always, there are some winners and some losers. I’m thinking we’re going to see less actual codex books moving forward and more of these campaign style books.
Then again, who knows – hopefully Games Workshop has a clear method to their new 2016 madness by now.
The Space Wolves Dirty Tips & Tactics You Should Know!
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About the Author: Rob Baer
Rob Baer
Job Title: Managing Editor
Founded Spikey Bits in 2009
Socials: Rob Baer on Facebook and @catdaddymbg on X
About Rob Baer: Founder, Publisher, & Managing Editor of Spikey Bits, the leading tabletop gaming news website focused on the hobby side of wargaming and miniatures.
Rob also co-founded and currently hosts the Long War Podcast, which has over 350 episodes and focuses on tabletop miniatures gaming, specializing in Warhammer 40k. and spent six years writing for Bell of Lost Souls.
Every year, along with his co-hosts, he helps host the Long War 40k Doubles Tournament at Adepticon and the Long War 40k Doubles at Las Vegas Open, which attracts over 350 players from around the world.
Rob has won many Warhammer 40k Tournaments over the years, including multiple first-place finishes in Warhammer 40k Grand Tournaments over the years and even winning 1st place at the Adepticon 40k Team Tournament.
With over 30 years of experience in retail and distribution, Rob knows all the products and exactly which ones are the best. As a member of GAMA (Game Manufacturers Association), he advocates for gaming stores and manufacturers in these difficult times, always looking for the next big thing to feature for the miniatures hobby, helping everyone to provide the value consumers want.
While he’s played every edition of Warhammer 40k and Warhammer Fantasy (since 5th Edition) and has been hobbying on miniatures since the 1980s, Titans of all sizes will always be his favorite! It’s even rumored that his hobby vault rivals the Solemnance Galleries, containing rulebooks filled with lore from editions long past, ancient packs of black-bordered Magic Cards, and models made of both pewter and resin.
