Editing Warhammer 40,000/6th Edition Tactics/Space Wolves (section)

===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, and up to 8 if you're at 2000+ points.
*'''Wolf Lord:''' This guy is pretty much a Space Marine Captain, but he has an extra attack and can take better (albeit more expensive) wargear. 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. A good rule of thumb is "boys over toys:" take a cheaper HQ and more troops. A good tactic with this lord is to give him twin wolf claws and you always pick reroll hits [as shred gives you reroll wounds auto] and give dude a thunderwolf and you are now the god of rape. To make him even better at rape give him warrior born. All this with an invuln 4++ makes him 245 pts. If you massed up a high number of attacks you could go against failbaddon, no problem (and likely lose, but can come damn close). Another thing to consider is to replace one of the wolf claws with a power fist. As they're both specialist weapons, you can attack with the full amount of attacks and can choose each turn whether you need to cut down MEQs or crack open TEQs.
*'''Wolf Guard Battle Leader:''' Bog-standard "cheap" version of the Wolf Lord with a few less options. He's a fine HQ for low-point games, but Rune/Wolf Priests are almost always better choices. He is slightly better at close combat than the others, with one more attack and one higher initiative. However, the free wargear and squad-enhancing abilities of the Wolf Priest and the psychic abilities and psychic defense provided by the Rune Priest more than make up for that difference. Also bear in mind that he may take saga of the hunter while the Wolf Lord may not. If you want to strike from the edge of the board with a pack of wolves or blast away with a selection of troops, this is your option.
*'''Rune Priest:'''  These are your Librarians. They don't have many wargear options, and most of their psychic powers are shooting attacks... But they're pretty ''good'' shooting attacks. One of the most infamous is Jaws of the World Wolf, which forces an Initiative test which automatically kills the target if failed--useful for character, Monstrous Creature and artillery sniping (it removes artillery automatically, because ''fuck'' forgeworld with its 4W basilisks!). Living Lightning, meanwhile, has ''unlimited'' range and can land as many S7 AP5 hits as a Fire Warrior squad. The non-shooting psychic 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 the Rune Staff, which is arguably the best psychic defense in the game, after the psychic hoods and Runes of Warding nerf in sixth edition (Enjoy this power while it lasts). The Chooser of the Slain is also well worth considering for the [[Rage|RAAAAGE]] it will make infiltrators feel. In short, a tough character with access to two of the best psychic powers in the game, as well as the best psychic defense currently available. Rune priests can also switch their codex powers for either Biomancy, Telekinesis or Divination powers, the latter giving great support options if you field him leading a squad of Long Fangs in the back field. The primaris power of Divination can make all their weapons twin-linked and many other powers help to buff an already strong unit.
**This should be clearly stated: Jaws of the World Wolf affect EXACTLY the same models thet get hit by the line. No Look out Sir!, no invulnerable save, no Eternal Warrior. Initiative test or die (The first unit hit gets Deny the Witch, as per the FAQ). And unlike most beam powers it is pretty long ranged at 24". Combining it with Dark Angels allied Ravenwing Dark Talon (with -3I stasis bomb) would lead to ultimate cheese combo, able to instakill, almost any character on 2+ or 3+ unless it is Eldar, Tyranid or higher Daemon.
*'''Wolf Priest:''' This guy is, for all intents and purposes, a Space Marine Chaplain, 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. In the end, he's not that useful, not being as killy as the Wolf Lord nor providing for the whole army as the Rune Priest, and is far worse stat-wise than the former, losing 1 WS, 1 BS, 1W, 1I, and 2A.  If you still want to use him, then put him in 2000 point games where you have more HQ options, and give him a large unit of Blood Claws, You'll lose an extra attack in the charge, but you'll get your shooting back, and it's better to rely on Overwatch+Counter Attack, this makes for a great tarpit unit.

The Space Wolves also have access to several special characters:

*'''Logan Grimnar:''' OBLIGATORY 200+ PTS NAMED CHARACTER. He is pretty great. Lets you take Wolf Guard as Troops <s>(should you so desire)</s> FAQ'd, they're always Troops instead of Elites if you take Logan Grimnar, so your wolf guard will have to share your troop choices with the grey hunters (who you should never take if you can take wolf guard instead because they have so many more options and are only 3 points more) and the Blood Claws.  Logan 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 re-roll 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...I've seen Mr.Grimnar take on a Dreadknight AND Kaldor Draigo 1v2. Guess what? he came out victorious with two wounds. And in Apocalypse when wielding a Relic Weapon and calling his Finest Hour he can and will destroy anything in combat with [[Rape|18 Str 10 Attacks.]]
*'''Bjorn The Fell Handed:''' Poor old Bjorn. On the one hand he's an Armor 13, Venerable Dreadnought with an Invulnerable Save. On the other hand he's within a handful of points from the most expensive characters in the game, becomes an objective when killed, and '''cannot''' be put in a drop-pod. At first glance this makes him look like an [[overcosted]] dread that's bad at doing a dread's job, but Bjorn's real value is in bolstering/defending a shooty-wolf army. Ancient tactician means you go first 75% of the time, which is huge. Saga of majesty means he can chill with Long Fangs and fire off a plasma cannon while giving them rerolls on leadership and being in a good position to defend against assault units. He tarpits incredibly well, and even if he does manage to get himself killed (somehow) being near your gunline means his death will be at worst a minor inconvenience or at best a positive benefit. From this player's experience, he is the single most resilient unit in the entire game. He only died once on my watch, from a guard player firing 3 lascannons at him a turn, for SIX TURNS. 
*'''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 L Of S to his targets (with the recent FAQ, he can't hide in a bawks and use his rule anymore). 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 a significantly improved rune staff, which adds to his value, especially against heavy-psyker lists. Eldar, Tzeentcian CSM/daemons Tyranids and Gay Knights would be royally PISSED when you render their fancy majick useless on 3+. Even blessings, which commonly could not be denied.
*'''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 morale tests. Handy, may-or-may not be worth his points. Your mileage may vary.
*'''Canis Wolfborn:''' Yes, his name really is [[Derp|"'''Dog''' '''Wolf'''born".]] 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 '''Wolf'''tooth necklace. He may also be accompanied by up to 2 Fenrisian '''Wolves'''. He is marked with the Saga of the '''Wolf'''kin (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 '''Wolf'''kin - This rule allows all units of '''Wolves''' within 12" to use Canis' leadership.
*'''Bran Redmaw (Forgeworld):''' A new special character added in the latest Imperial Armour book. For 210 points you bring home a common Wolflord with Rune Armor, Wolftooth Necklace, a Belt of Russ and a special +1S power weapon that rerolls to wound. Also, he gives a single Grey Hunters pack Infiltrate and Behind Enemy Lines, and has a special Saga of the Hunter that extends to any Fenrisian Wolves unit he joins, but that's not why you take him. His main selling point is the "Curse of the Redmaw". From turn 2 onwards, before movement, you must roll a d6 and add the number of friendly units locked in combat: on a 6+ (reduced by 1 each turn, until you need only a 3+), he transforms into the big daddy of all Wulfens. He gains a Mephiston-like statline, counts as a Monstrous Creature and keeps the Necklace and all his old special rules, plus Fleet, Eternal Warrior, Feel no Pain and Furious Charge. Yup, you can still Outflank him. Yup, you can stick him in a normal unit to ensure nobody will ever want to charge it. Yup, your opponent will do the impossible to blast him off the board before he goes all werewolfy on his ass.  To take full advantage of him you really need to build a list around him, otherwise you're better off with the other characters.  Abuse his ability to give Grey Hunters the scouts "Behind Enemy Lines" rule, and make Bran outflank with Fenrisian Wolves later on in the game to make sure he goes werewolfy as safely as possible, this way you get at best a unit that shows up in the side and eats every unit it can come across with (not even terminators can survive the bucket of dice the wolves throw out), and at worse a really fucking hard to break tarpit.
*'''Ragnar Blackmane:''' A Wolf Lord who was promoted straight from Blood Claw to Wolf Guard, and the youngest Wolf Lord ever, Ragnar is an all or nothing h2h unit. He boasts an impressive stat-line, has a Frost Sword, gives his unit d3 extra attacks on the charge instead of the original 1, gives his unit Furious Charge, can give every unit within 12" of him Furious Charge, and has Saga of the Warrior. In exchange, however, he wears simple Power Armor, and has a 4++ save, and doesn't have Eternal Warrior, making him extremely fragile. He will also probably be the focus of your opponents h2h attacks, so don't expect him to live very long. He will wipe out shooty units in a single turn, but against lots of power weapons (I'm looking at you, Grey Knights), Ragnar will go down quickly. But he will probably take a few models down with him. Either you love him or hate him. Nice in drop-list with a lot of grey hunters.