Warhammer 40,000/Tactics/Space Wolves(7E)

Why Play Space Wolves

• Special Wargear and units unavailable to any other marine variants.
• Powerful HQ characters, both special and standard.
• All the close-ranged firepower you expect from marines, backed by excellent h2h ability.
• Motherfucking SPACE VIKINGS!

Unit Analysis

HQ

Note: Unlike other armies, Space Wolves can take two HQ units per HQ slot, giving them access to 1-4 HQ units in a standard force organization chart.

• Wolf Lord: This guy is pretty much a Space Marine Captain, with an extra attack, and better (more expensive) wargear and options available to him. He can be tooled out to be a total hand-to-hand combat monster, but gets expensive very quickly. Be careful not to go overboard. You're often better served with "boys over toys" (Taking a cheaper HQ to allow for more troops)
• Wolf Guard Battle Leader: Cheaper, weaker, version of the Wolf Lord (with a few less options). Make's a servicable HQ for low-point games, but you might as well just use a Wolf or Rune Priest. He does offer 1 more attack and 1 higher initiative than the Wolf Priest, and, as such, is slightly better on his own in combat. The Squad-enhancing abilities of the Wolf Priest (and his free wargear) will typically make him a better "cheap hq" choice though.
• Rune Priest: These are your Librarians. They don't have many wargear options, and most of their psychic powers are shooting attacks. One of which, "Jaws of the World Wolf" is useful for character and Monstrous Creature sniping, and is responsible for more than its fair share of wolf-hate. Their non-shooting psy-powers (Tempest's Wrath and Storm Caller) provide some nice utility, but you really take these guys for the force lightning. They also give you access to a "Rune Staff" which is a slightly-improved version of the Psychic hood. The "Chooser of the Slain" Upgrade is well worth considering for the RAAAAGE it will make infiltrators feel.
• Wolf Priest: This guys is, for all intents and purposes, a Space Marine Chaplin, with more options. The Sagas are the only really note-worthy options available to him. (Though a Wolf Tail Talisman can come in handy). Oath of War isn't as useful as Liturgies of Battle on the charge(as it doesn't apply to everything) but you do get its bonus beyond the first round, so it's about even.

The Space wolves also have access to several special characters:

• Logan Grimnar: The Greatwolf himself. He is pretty great. Lets you take Wolf Guard as Troops (should you so desire), Gives everyone within 18" +1A once per game, gives a bonus (that you can choose each turn) to the squad he joins, and is a pretty nasty h2h fighter, complete with good gear, Eternal Warrior, and the ability to let nearby friendly units reroll failed morale, an ability quite useful to the painfully-average LD units of the Space Wolves. He is quite expensive though, more expensive than two discount characters, and good at little beyond bashing people in the face, so consider him carefully...
• Bjorn The Fell Handed: An Armor 13, Venerable Dreadnought with an Invulnerable Save! Easily the most tough and deadly walker in the game, and boy do you pay for it! He's within a handful of points from the most expensive characters in the game, and cannot be put in a drop-pod. He can, if you so desire, change out his ranged weapon. He has a few nice special rules (such as possessing the Saga of Majesty) and turning into an objective after he is killed. Potentially quite useful, but again, very, very expensive...
• Njal Stormcaller: Expensive, fragile, potentially game-changing. He's a good psyker, but his real power comes from his "Lord of the Storm" rule. Read it carefully, most of the effects require him to have LOS to his targets (i.e. he hide inside a Land Raider). Njal also suffers from the inherent randomness of his power, it may well do nothing for the first two turns, by which time it may be too late for it to impact the game in any meaningful way. Keeping him in reserve (perhaps by Drop Pod) can help keep him alive until his power can get over a 3, and actually do something of note. He does also comes with the very useful Saga of Majesty, and an improved psychic hood, which add to his value.
• Ulrik the Slayer: He's a Wolf Priest with the Stat-line of a Wolf Guard Battle Leader, who allows any friendly unit that can draw LOS to him to re-roll failed moral tests. Handy, may-or-may not be worth his points. Your mileage may vary.
• Canis Wolfborn: Yes, his name really is "Wolf Wolfborn". He also dual-wields Wolf claws (a weapon unique to the Space Wolves) while riding a gigantic thunder Wolf , and wearing a Wolf tail talisman, and a Wolftooth necklace. He may also be accompanied by up to 2 Fenrisian Wolves. He is marked with the Saga of the Wolfkin (Notice a pattern yet?) and is responsible for at least 80% of the Space Wolf rage threads on /tg/. He's quite nasty in hand-to-hand combat (for his point cost) and has an interesting special rule: Lord of the Wolfkin - This rule allows all units of Wolves within 12" to use Canis' leadership.

Elite

• Wolf Guard -
• Dreadnought -
• Venerable Dreadnought -
• Lone Wolf -
• Iron Wolf -
• Wolf Scouts -

Troop

• Grey Hunters - Ultrasmurfs wish their infantry were as good as these. Mostly the same as regular Tactical squads, minus a heavy weapon, but so much more nasty in Close Combat. Their basic profile gives them a close combat weapon and a bolt pistol along with their bolter. Yes. They get TWO weapons for close combat. Shoot shit up, then charge. Repeat.
• Blood Claws - Get a squad of 14, give them a fist and a meltagun. Attatch a Wolf Priest. Load them up in your Land Raider CRUSADER, and then send this neat little package of violence at the nearest enemy. If you don't have a Land Raider of any kind, don't bother with the Blood Claws. They're not worth using in any other way.

Fast Attack

• Fenrisian Wolf Pack -
• Land speeder squadron -
• Skyclaw Assault Squad -
• Switfclaw biker squad -
• Thunderwolf Calvary -

Heavy Support

• Land Raider - Schizophrenic AV14 box. You should take a Crusader instead.
• Land Raider Crusader - The golden cow of Land Raiders. Pintle-mounted MultiMelta plus the sheer bullet rape spewed out by this thing will lay a hurt on squishy things in its way, or stupid Guard or Ork drivers who decide to pull up next to it.
• Land Raider Redeemer - You're better served by a Crusader, unless you really need that much transport space.
• Long Fangs Pack - Take Devastators, get rid of the regular Bolter Boys and give the heavies Split Fire. Long Fangs are the most popular tank-hunting choice of the Space Wolves Heavy choices, and are easily paired up with the more mobile Dreadnoughts to bash in the METAL BOXES.
• Predator - It's a Predator. Duh.
• Vindicator - Vindicators are lightly armored, but with a Str10 weapon for such a cheap points cost, why aren't you using one to back up your assaulting Wolves?
• Whirlwind -

Transports

• Rhino - 35 points for a metal box that keeps your Grey Hunters safe, makes them a lot more mobile, and meltagun tanks out of the top hatch...hell, why not?
• Razorback - The best friends of your Long Fangs. Gear up your Razorbacks to support the Long Fangs in some way. If you face lots of orks and nids and other cheap crap regularly, give your Long Fangs the anti-tank weapons and give anti-infantry weapons to the Razorback.
• Drop Pod - Drop Pods are your best friend from high school who married your sister and parties with you every weekend. Okay, maybe I blew the point, but Drop Pods and Space Wolves are a classic combo. The Drop Pod Assault Special rule means that half of your pods have to deploy in your first turn (round up if you have an odd number of pods). This has a few different uses: Mess with your enemy's head by Deep Striking Grey Hunters in a place where it's not expected. Deep Strike Long Fangs or Dreadnoughts into prime places for popping enemy vehicles. Deep Strike your HQ, his squad, and several supporting squads to put a heavy hammer somewhere. FYI, the other half of your pods come down normally. Make sure you keep this rule in mind when you're writing the army list, so you can figure out how you want to deploy for best effect and capitalize on it when you are at the table.