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A Deep Dive into the Space Wolves’ New Codex Supplement
Greetings, Space Wolves fans! The iconic Adeptus Astartes have officially received their Codex supplement for Warhammer 40K 10th Edition, accompanied by an impressive lineup of new models just waiting to be assembled and painted.
To mark this occasion, we explored the three detachments included in this comprehensive guide, ranking them from least to most competitive—while also considering how much fun and flavor each offers to devotees of the Sons of Fenris.
It’s crucial to analyze these rules alongside the new models and datasheets to determine which units excel in each detachment.
Understanding the Detachments
Codex Supplement: Space Wolves features three detachments, each named after a legendary saga: Saga of the Hunter, Saga of the Bold, and Saga of the Beastslayer. Each detachment comes with a core ability and an extra benefit if you complete specific tasks related to the saga.
3. Saga of the Beastslayer
A Tough Nut to Crack
If your goal is to take down larger foes, the Saga of the Beastslayer is the way to go. Here, all Adeptus Astartes units gain the Lethal Hits ability when targeting enemy characters, monsters, or vehicles. If you manage to eliminate half of these enemy units, Lethal Hits applies to everything else as well. This powerful boost allows your army to tackle stronger targets effectively.
Completing your saga is mostly academic since the focus is on hitting tough targets, usually characters, monsters, or vehicles.
The enhancements you get are decent enough. Wolf-Touched lets a character join a squad of Wulfen—ideal for pairing a Wolf Priest with Thunder Hammer Wulfen. Elder’s Guidance provides a temporary boost to a unit of Blood Claws’ armor penetration (AP), which can be useful in the right moment. Helm of the Beastslayer reduces incoming AP, making it great on units like Wolf Guard Terminators, but it lacks characters to wield it effectively.
However, the stratagems feel somewhat off. You’ll have plenty of movement options, but miss key abilities like advance and charge or fall back and charge, which are essential for melee-focused armies.
While the Beastslayer has the strongest core ability, it ultimately falls short in practical gameplay and is arguably the weakest detachment.
2. Saga of the Hunter
Playing the Numbers Game
This detachment could be dubbed the “dogpile” strategy. Space Wolves units get a +1 to hit if two or more of your units are engaged with the enemy, or if a single attacking unit outnumbers the enemy’s. This ability is simple yet effective: outnumber your opponent and get bonuses.
To complete the Saga of the Hunter, take down a set number of enemy units in melee—three for a 2,000-point Strike Force. This is fairly easy for a melee-centric army, allowing your units to also gain a +1 to wound.
Adding to this, the stratagems are more focused on movement than damage. You can fall back, shoot, and charge, along with other movement tricks to help position your troops. The standout enhancement is Swift Hunter, giving a scout move of 7 inches, which is invaluable for getting into melee range quickly.
1. Saga of the Bold
The Heroes Rise
Focusing on your characters, the Saga of the Bold grants each character unit the ability to reroll a hit, wound, or damage roll per turn—good but not game-changing.
To unlock the full potential of this saga, you must complete three specific tasks with your character units, which can be tricky. Achieving these tasks could unlock powerful rerolls for all Adeptus Astartes units, not just Space Wolves.
While the core rule isn’t the strongest, the enhancements and stratagems here shine. Braggart’s Steel boosts damage nicely, while Skjald generates command points. Thunderwolf’s Fortune lets a character potentially return after falling in battle, making them more resilient on the field.
The stratagems also provide some powerful offensive options, including Countercharge, which allows a charge during the enemy turn. Coupled with Alpha Strike, giving advance and charge to your units, this detachment excels in melee.
Bonus Insights: Gladius Taskforce / Stormlance
It’s no surprise that the Space Wolves may perform best when fielding the strongest base detachment options: the Gladius Strike Force and Stormlance Task Force.
The Gladius Strike Force provides unmatched flexibility, allowing for both advance and charge, while the Stormlance Task Force offers army-wide advance and charge options, perfectly complementing a close-combat-centric army.
Conclusion
The Space Wolves are well-equipped to make their mark in Warhammer 40K 10th Edition, showcasing stunning models and unique detachment abilities. However, for maximum competitiveness, leveraging the strongest base detachments might be the way to go.
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