Army List: Honey Badger KP Denial Part 1

After picking up the Space Wolves codex last week I've been over analyzing page after page to figure out a list that I wanna run. The first list I put together I liked, but of course I just wanna write more and more and more, etc. After writing my CSM KP denial list, which I've had alot of fun with, I figured I'd try my hand at writing one along the same lines with this book. Yeah, here it is. I'll explain everything as I go.

Bjorn the Fell Handed w/ Twin Linked Lascannon - 290
First of all he's the most expensive HQ unit in the book, and figuring that we only have to take 1 HQ it made some sense on that level to take him. The TL-Lascannon was added to not only increase his points but fill in for a role this army might be lacking, long range anti-heavy armor. Long Fangs are so damn cheap that I don't think they're worth taking, given the fact that I want the lowest amount of KPs on the board. Next are his special rules, which are what make him perfect for this list.

First off he's a venerable Dread, meaning his survivability is increased ten fold and he's also front AV 13. He also lets you re-roll your die when determining who goes first/picks deployment sides. This is a huge bonus for a list that is looking to use terrain as much as possible to exploit the multi objective mission. He also comes with a 5++. That's right, a Venerable AV 13 Walker with a 5++...yeah pretty awesome. His last special rule is really the main reason I decided on taking him. When this model is destroyed it becomes an objective, oh and if you don't control it at the end of the game you forfeit D3 Kill Points. And when and IF he dies all of your units on the table become fearless. So then, the few units you have on the board can't be escorted off.

The whole point of this list is to deny Kill Points. Which means that your basically just playing for objectives and table quarters. Around my area we usually do this with with about 3 objectives. With this train of thought the ability to have another objective on the field means you'll be able to tie on this part of the mission as well. So now we've gone into the game winning (hopefully) on KP already, then being able to tie on objectives means that you only have to play for table quarters. This way if you win KP, tie on objectives, then tie on table quarters, well you win. It's easy as that. This is what Bjorn brings to this list and thus why he is key to its success.

15 Blood Claws, 2 Melta Guns, Power Fist, Plasma Pistol, Lukas the Trickster - 410
I know most people hate Blood Claws, just because of their lower BS and WS. However in this list we are trying to have as few KPs we can possibly have. By taking Blood Claws you still get 2 Melta Guns, and your Power Fist, but you loose the the versatility of having a Bolter. This disadvantage is somewhat mitigated by the fact that there are 15 models in this squad instead of 10. Whichever way you look at it 15 MEQ models on the board is better than 10, plain and simple.

The biggest downside to these guys is their Headstrong special rules. What this does is makes you for go your shooting phase if the unit is within 6" of an enemy unit and then in the assault phase you must attempt to charge it. The only way to to get rid of this rule is by attaching a World Guard or some other Independent Character. Their other special rule is actually pretty awesome. It gives them +2 attacks on the charge instead of the normal +1. This gives them each 4 S4 attacks when you charge with them, and considering that we have 15 models instead of 10 you'll be getting around 60 attacks on the charge!

Lastly I added Lukas. Really it's just to increase the cost of the unit, and you're not adding any extra KPs. He also adds a few fun combat rules to the squad as well as 3/4 S4 Wolf Claw attacks. First of all any attacks that are directed at Lukas must re-roll any successful to hit rolls. After that he has a 5++ and a fun rule called The Last Laugh. What this does is, when Lukas looses his last wound you and your opponent each roll a die. I you (the SW player) roll higher or the same as your opponent you immediately remove Lukas and any models in base contact with Lukas. I still have yet to try him out, but the ability to remove, say Abaddon, in one round of combat can ward off some unfavorable match ups for your squad. Maybe, maybe not, really it's just a fun rule to have, but really he's only in there to beef up the unit both in the shooting phase, the assault phase, and in points.

10 Grey Hunters, 2 Melta Guns, Power Fist, Wolf Standard, Mark of the Wolfen - 200
This unit is pretty self explanatory. Because of the possible unreliability of the Blood Claws we need one unit that can counted on to get stuff done. The load out is semi-standard, all I really did was add the Mark of the Wolfen to possible add to their CC abilities. They already have 2 close combat weapons each, as well as the Power fist, then add on top of that D6+1 Rending attacks. The possibility of this unit to wipe another power armored unit off the table on the assault is now just a bunch of 6's away.

This concludes part one of this army list. You've got your standard 1 HQ and 2 Troop units. Right now now the list sits at 900 points even. Next week, or in the next couple of days, I'll write up the next 950 points, explaining as I go. If you have any ideas on what you think should be in the rest of the list just hit me up with an e-mail or feel free to comment.

List of the week

This week I'm gonna be taking a KP denial list this thursday. What I'm gonna start doing is writing a different list every week, since I really don't care about winning anymore in these last days of 5th. So I decided to make a KP denial list using the CSM codex. Now I had originally gotten this idea from the 11th Company podcast (if you haven't listened to it, you've been left behind). I realize that a KP denial list is a mute list to write considering that 6th will come out in a couple months, but figured I'd try my hand at it.

The whole idea behind a KP denial list is quite simple. In most tournies across the country each game that you play has 3 mission objectives. One is usually objective markers, another one being something like table quarters, and then of course Kill Points. This way there are a couple of ways to determine a victor. So it's a given that 1/3 of the overall game is gonna be KP, and whoever can get the most wins that mission objective. With taking a KP denial list you're eliminating (not completely) from the game, and now only really playing with 2 mission objectives. Which is alot easier than having to constantly be thinking about 3, duh.

Writing a list like this is only for 3 mission games. I can't stress that enough. If you're playing just a standard book mission, you won't do so hot. Now with that in mind I'll get to the list, and some of the other theories that I used going into it.

Abbadon - 275

Kharn - 165

2x 12 Plague Marines, 2 Plasma Guns, Champion w/ Power Fist and Combi-Plasma - 712

3x 3 Oblits - 675

So the total is 1827, which just means that I'll add one more Plague Marine to one of the units. And yes, this is a complete foot list, with only 7 kill points. It may look like a gun line, and it basicly is. There really is not that many flashy tricks or wargear, or all that many tactics.

It's just a simple list that is hard as hell to kill especially when it's dug into any sort of terrain. There's 25 Plague Marine models on the board, and in each unit you have one of the biggest close combat beasts the codex has to offer, Kharn and Abbadon. With these two models people become a bit weary of charging you, on top of the defensive grenades that can be a deterrent as well. The plasma guns also take control of any mistakes you opponent might make by not charging in. So the result is two completely solid units who excel at shooting up troops and butchering them in the assault phase.

At first glance you may wonder why I didn't give them Melta guns. That's because I already have 9 twin-linked melta guns in my list anyways, as well as any of the other weapons these guys wanna use. Heavy armor isn't an issue for this list. Minus the array of anti-tank weapons these guys pack, if any armor gets close enough (Lard Raiders really) I throw Kharn or Abbadon at it. And that's if any of those meltas didn't get though anyways.

The basic tactic you're gonna use with this list is the "Come at me bro" tactic, a.k.a sit and shoot. After getting everyone out of their transports as you have to do is send volley after volley of plasma into the enemy and see who still has a head for Kharn to take. There's nothing flashy about this list at all, but I can almost guarantee that it will give your opponent a headache.

The Downsides: Mobility. This is the obvious one. There are no transports in the list, so getting from one edge to the other is gonna be either hard, or impossible. Yet there are ways to mitigate this, deep strike. Of course it is quite a risk, it is really the only way to get that objective your opponent so cleverly set in their corner. Only having one squad of oblits deep strike over there isn't that scary, and really you probably don't wanna commit more than two anyways. This is why you attach Abbadon to one of them. Having 3-6 oblits and good ole Abbadon come down behind your lines will make most weak hearted opponents evacuate their bowels. This is also the stupidest and high risk/reward move you could make, possibly losing every single model in one bad scatter.

Now I've thought about this one major flaw. Then I realized you don't need it, you don't need the mobility. If you're playing this list correctly, and in the correct format, then you won't need to get to that corner. At that point all you need to do is hold your own, get more kill points, and try to draw on what ever the third objective is (table quarters, victory points, etc). You have the amount of guns to rack up the KPs you'll need, and then you just have to position yourself to tie. At the end of the day if you get that one out of the three mission objectives and your opponent has none, then you won anyways.

So their you have it, hope you enjoyed it. If you have any comments or suggestions I'd be more than happy to hear them. Oh and for anyone who wants to complain about Abbadon's daemon weapon here's my side. In the past 2 games I've rolled for his weapon about 10 times, out of those I've rolled about 5 or 6 ones. Yeah my dice suck.