Space Wolf Scout House Rules

[WestRider]

Since Space Wolf Scouts are supposed to be an alternate Veteran path for some of those who don't go into the Wolf Guard or become Long Fangs, it kind of bugs me that they're basically just normal SM Scouts, but with WS/BS 4. So I started thinking about some Rules that would more accurately reflect that.

 

Wolf Scouts - 90 Points

WS BS S T W I A Ld Sv

4___4__4_4 1 4 2 9__4+

 

Unit: 4 Wolf Scouts and 1 Wolf Scout Pack Leader

 

Wargear:

Carapace Armour

Frag Grenades

Krak Grenades

Bolt Pistol

Bolter

 

Special Rules:

ATSKNF

Acute Senses

Counterattack

Infiltrate

Move Through Cover

Scout

 

Options:

- Add up to five more Wolf Scouts - 18 ppm

- May take Camo Cloaks - 2 ppm

- Any Model may exchange their Bolter for a SM Shotgun, CCW, or Sniper Rifle - Free

- Any Model may purchase a CCW - 2 Points

- Any Model may take Meltabombs - 5 Points

- Any Model may exchange one weapon for a Power Weapon or Power Fist at the prices in the Wargear List

- The Wolf Scout Pack Leader may take options from the Melee Weapons List

- Any Model may take options from the Ranged Weapons List

- Up to two Wolf Scouts may take a Special or Heavy Weapon. (Ignore Note 2 in the Wargear List)

- The Wolf Scout Pack Leader may take options from the Melee Weapons List

- The Wolf Scout Leader may take a Teleport Homer - 10 Points

- The Wolf Scout Leader may take a Locator Beacon. If he does so, he will not gain the bonus for fighting with two CCWs - 15 Points

 

Notes:

- I kept most of the Points Costs in line with those established across the current Codexes. If I were really going all out on this, most of the options would be considerably cheaper.

- The current Wolf Scouts are basically Grey Hunters who trade their Power Armour for Carapace and a couple of USRs, while keeping the same base price, so I kept that same exchange, but used Wolf Guard as the basis.

- Sniper Rifles are free because the extra Attack on the profile means that setting them up as a primarily shooty Unit like that is inherently inefficient, so they shouldn't be further charged for it.

- I gave them the GH option to add a CCW because it always bugged me that SW seem to forget how to carry an extra Weapon once they leave the GH.

- I gave them a somewhat stripped down version of the Wolf Guard options. I figure they don't get quite the same priority on special gear, and it's probably harder to adapt the things like Wolf Claws and Thunder Hammers to work without Power Armour. Pack Leader still gets the full range of options because he has more seniority to grab the cooler stuff and better leverage to talk the Iron Priests into the necessary adaptations for it.

- The full range of Heavy and Special Weapons are available, because the restrictions on those are basically an artifact of how GW designed the sprues. Setting it as a flat 2 per Pack was taken from the SternGuard Veterans.

- Locator Beacons are normally only available on Vehicles or Bikes, so I figured they're probably pretty bulky and would make it more awkward for the Pack Leader to fight while lugging one around. I also bumped the price up a bit, because it's just straight up better than a Teleport Homer, and even more so for SW who tend to use other methods of Deep Striking more often than Teleportation.

[Guest]

Underpriced. They should get pretty close to sternguard prices. Maybe 20pts per model. Though I think making the cloaks part of the model's profile is also reasonable, as every elite scout would have a cloak by now.

 

Remember that with the cloaks, the scout save is often better than the marine or terminator save against most ranged attacks.

 

Sniper rifles should be bought (1pt each, swap for bolter). Lots of times, I charge with a sniper unit. I've even outflanked the sniper unit, assaulted a backfield unit, taken up their position, and then popped sniper shots from their position. They are most certainly worth buying, but they shouldn't be default as you don't always want them. Remember that you can move and fire heavy weapons in this edition, so provided you aren't charging, you've got some awesome snap weapons that the whole unit can have.

 

I'll also note as someone that uses scouts a bunch, they are easily most under rated unit in the SM codex. Despite the WS and BS issues, they are still just as good or better than tactical SM in most situations. The special and heavy weapon access can hurt, as can the lack of transports.

 

Though remember, the snipers are heavy weapons that the entire unit can field. I think 1 special or heavy weapon per 5 guys is reasonable, especially when this doesn't include sniper rifles. You could make it 2 per five guys, but then I'd suggest restricting weapons to those that are more "quite" and "sneaky" in nature.

 

I would not add cost for the CCW, but I suggest having it replace the bolter. Melee scouts are awesome.

 

I'd add combat squads to their special rules.

 

As long as your making a special unit, I suggest an alternate ammo type for shotguns. Something like the sternguard ammo, but scaled to the shotgun profile. Like:

-Hellfire 12" assault 2, S1 poisoned 2+, ap-

-Kraken 18" assault 2, S4 ap6

-Dragonfire 12" assault 2, S4 ignores cover

-Vengeance 6" assault 2, S4 rending, get's hot

 

Unit can swap bolter for shotgun for 1pt.

 

PS: The one I've really wanted is a normal scout unit that is a devastator equivalent. So no profile changes, just heavy/elite slot and ability to take 4 heavy bolters or 4 missile launchers. I wouldn't change any costs, so they's still pay way too much for BS3 missile launchers.

 

PPS: FW has a SM unit with snipers and camo cloaks in PA. Could look into that option. That one is pre-heresy.

[pretre]

Lol at 20 points

[Guest]

Lol at 20 points

He was posting 18pts each with 2pts for cloaks, so same cost, I just default the cloaks. 120pts for an outflank squad with 2x meltaguns is quite worth it. More expensive for a pod squad of the same role.

[Guest]

Stock scouts are 11pts each (SM codex). Cloaks are +2pts, making them 13pts each (same cost as a tactical marine). We're increasing +1WS, +1BS, +1attacks, +1 leadership and granting alternate weapon options for 7pts. The cloaked Vet scout sergeant is normally 23pts and has the same stat increases, plus the character rule and special wargear access, so this is basically a squad of veteran sergeants for scouts. So 20pts each is pretty reasonable.

[WestRider]

Underpriced. They should get pretty close to sternguard prices. Maybe 20pts per model. Though I think making the cloaks part of the model's profile is also reasonable, as every elite scout would have a cloak by now.

 

Remember that with the cloaks, the scout save is often better than the marine or terminator save against most ranged attacks.

So first you say they're underpriced, then you say they should be the same, but just forced to buy Camo Cloaks? Space Wolves are more independent than that ;)

 

Sniper rifles should be bought (1pt each, swap for bolter). Lots of times, I charge with a sniper unit. I've even outflanked the sniper unit, assaulted a backfield unit, taken up their position, and then popped sniper shots from their position. They are most certainly worth buying, but they shouldn't be default as you don't always want them. Remember that you can move and fire heavy weapons in this edition, so provided you aren't charging, you've got some awesome snap weapons that the whole unit can have.

 

I'll also note as someone that uses scouts a bunch, they are easily most under rated unit in the SM codex. Despite the WS and BS issues, they are still just as good or better than tactical SM in most situations. The special and heavy weapon access can hurt, as can the lack of transports.

 

Though remember, the snipers are heavy weapons that the entire unit can field. I think 1 special or heavy weapon per 5 guys is reasonable, especially when this doesn't include sniper rifles. You could make it 2 per five guys, but then I'd suggest restricting weapons to those that are more "quite" and "sneaky" in nature.

There's a difference between how these things work out when you're starting at 13 ppm and when you're starting at 18ppm. And, again, I used exactly the same Heavy/Special Ratio as SternGuard. Also, when you really think about it, Multi-Meltas and Lascannon would be stealthier than Heavy Bolters or Missile Launchers because the former don't generate any real visual signature, and all the noise they make happens at the target, While Heavy Bolters and Missile Launchers make noise and leave contrails all over the place.

 

I would not add cost for the CCW, but I suggest having it replace the bolter. Melee scouts are awesome.

You can do either. You can replace the Bolter with a CCW for free, or take one in addition for extra cost.

 

I'd add combat squads to their special rules.

Space Wolves don't do Combat Squads.

 

As long as your making a special unit, I suggest an alternate ammo type for shotguns. Something like the sternguard ammo, but scaled to the shotgun profile. Like:

-Hellfire 12" assault 2, S1 poisoned 2+, ap-

-Kraken 18" assault 2, S4 ap6

-Dragonfire 12" assault 2, S4 ignores cover

-Vengeance 6" assault 2, S4 rending, get's hot

 

Unit can swap bolter for shotgun for 1pt.

Wolves save most of the really special tech for their CC weapons. They don't have a Veteran Unit that has that special ammo at all. Tho giving them an option for Hellfrost ammo could be cool.

PS: The one I've really wanted is a normal scout unit that is a devastator equivalent. So no profile changes, just heavy/elite slot and ability to take 4 heavy bolters or 4 missile launchers. I wouldn't change any costs, so they's still pay way too much for BS3 missile launchers.

 

PPS: FW has a SM unit with snipers and camo cloaks in PA. Could look into that option. That one is pre-heresy.

[Guest]

Yeah, being confusing. I also was wrong regarding the tactical marines being the cost of a scout+cloak. Was thinking of the DA scouts, which must buy sniper rifles.

 

And yeah, forgot that SW aren't smart enough to use combat squads. Too much dog food...

 

I think I agree regarding 18pt base cost without cloaks. You might still want to insist on the mandatory cloaks, if only to purposely drive up their cost. As is, they are pretty cheap for what they can do with acute senses+outflank+special weapon access+BS4.

[WestRider]

Space Wolves can Outflank a ton of BS4 Special Weapons with Acute Senses if they want to anyhow, using the Wolves Unleashed Detachment, so that's not something I'd charge a premium for.