The future of the Wolves, and some forgotten blood claws.

So I have been combing what little I have posted, as I have finally started to keep record of each Space Wolf on my phone. This way I can easily make note of impressive feats and song worthy battles. While doing so I noticed I had left a bit of a stray pack behind.

Knud, Fafnir, Garin and Ulkoa are still alive and well, but still blood claws. With a new batch from the caverns having already started, a new set of trials will have to wait for these few. I started to think, maybe these few just are not meant to be grey hunters. Perhaps they would be better suited as Thunderwolf cavalry, or long fangs (I know, young long fangs and all). Or maybe they just need one last chance to prove they have what it takes? A small group of blood claws, stranded behind enemy lines, outnumbered and outgunned.

As for the future of the wolves (no it isn't bad news) I have been torn on an army list. I like to plan out my armies before I make the big purchases, it's an expensive game after all! I have decided on drop pod wolves as my starter army. Alpha striking is something I miss dearly from my daemons. It doesn't just end with that though. What would be interesting about bland and basic infantry spam? That wouldn't be very awesome at all. So I will be using Blood angel allies, they will count as 13th company. The allied contingent will be made of:
Reclusiarch, using the 2003 gamesday wolf priest
Death company, using the old metal Wulfen models
optional inclusions
Death company Dreadnought, thinking about the FW dread, still unsure
Storm raven gunship (but this baby is expensive!)

The general idea will be something like

Rune priest
7 GH pod wolf standard, plasma gun
7 GH pod wolf standard, plasma gun
7 GH pod wolf standard, melta gun
7 GH pod wolf standard, melta gun
7 GH pod wolf standard, melta gun
7 GH pod wolf standard, flamer
Reclusiarch
7 death company, pod
Death company Dreadnought, blood talons, pod

This is a 1500pt rough list. There is a good chance I will remove 1 of those GH units so I can flesh out the rest with more fancy stuff, like MotW, power fists, and all that fun jazz. Every game, 13th company will be held in reserves, while the wolves do the alpha dropping.

Recruits from the deeps, the first trials!

This is the first attempt at actually typing the trials instead of scratching them on paper as I go. So there is a great deal more recorded. 

Kordar with his flamer advances up to meet the insanely fast daemonettes (move 6, run 8!) and positions himself to hit them with the giant burning fist of flamer. Rov and Dunaak support him from behind. With a quick pull of the trigger, 4 daemonettes are covered in flames and seem to dissolve. A group of plaguebearers was advancing from behind. Kordar hits one with a wall of death, killing it, but is charged by 2 others that land 3 hits and 1 wound that did not break through his armor, Kordar strikes down a plaguebearer, then the other, surviving the slow poisoned blows. He burns one more on overwatch, and then fails to deal any damage to a second that assaulted him. Taking no damage in return, he manages to slay the second plaguebearer and free himself from its grasp.

Rov’s scent seems to be what the beast of nurgle wants. He fires at it advances, unable to deal any notable damage to it. The beast assaults Rov, he fumbles on overwatch, and in a panic fails to land any hits. The beast is excited landing 3 poisionous wounds. Rov’s armor blisters and breaks under the horrible acidic weight of the daemon and he falls in battle.

Geim sees the daemonetts advancing, fails to land a hit with his pistol and is assaulted by 2 of them, he panics and fails his counter attack, then is slain by a rending blow that pierced straight through his torso.

Gehgin with his plasma pistol, fails to land a hit with it at the oncoming damonette. The daemonette closes the gap, locking Gehgin in brutal combat. Blows are exchanged, but the daemonette takes an opening and rends Gehgin, putting him out of the fight.

Yeraim Fires at the oncoming Daemons, missing, frustrated he doesn’t listen to Rignus’ commands and charges in to the Daemonette that is pushing back Gehgin in combat, hoping to save his ally. Yeraim underestimates the daemonette. Both Yeraim and Gehgin are slain with rending hits before they could even strike back.

Thogus is taken off guard by the ferocity and horror of daemons. Perhaps a flashback to his parents death? He fails to land a hit with his bolt pistol, then fails his counter attack. Taken off guard he barely manages to save himself against an onslaught of 2 daemonettes. He sees an opening and strikes one down with a bludgeon to the head. The second strikes back, but Thogus is ready, dodging the attacks and cleaving the daemonette into 3 pieces with his chain sword as Yeraim and Gehgin are slain. Thogus fails to hear the commands of Rignus, he is in a blood fury now. He charges the daemonette that slew his comrades, dodging all blows, and returning with 3 massive arcs of his chain sword. He is assaulted by another Daemonette as it leaps into the ruins towards him, he slays it before it can land a blow. The last daemonette finally makes it to the fray, unable to land a scratch on Thogus, and taking a massive fist to the head, crushing its skull.

Bul Calmly kills a daemonette with his bolt pistol, then misses the second time and is assaulted. He kills the daemonette in close combat, taking no wounds, but the fury takes over as he sees 3 of his allies fall to the rending claws of the daemonettes. He assaults the closest daemonette, and is slain before he can land a blow

Baergbar: wielding a might powerfist lands a steady aimed bolt pistol wound on the beast of nurgle. Excited to use his power fist, he disobeys Rignus and assaults the beast as it crushes Rov. He lands a wound with his powerfist, but the beast seems. He is then assaulted from behind by a deamonette, who deals no damage to him, the powefist is heavy and he misses with his single attack. Rignus Slays the daemons and Baergbar assaults a plaguebearer that has been locking Dunaak in combat, killing the horrible daemon.

Thir is calm and ready, landing a hit with his pistol, but not causing any damage, he assaults a daemonette, striking perfectly with his chain sword. To his surprise the daemonette had no wounds, it should have split the horrid thing in two! In his astonishment, 2 more damonettes join the fray. Thir is overwhelmed and falls.

Dunaak: Fires his bolt pistol, causing the upper half of a daemonette to simply vanish in a fine mist of unholy colors. Assaults a Plaguebearer that is locked in with Kordar, killing it. He is then assaulted by 2 plaguebearers, unable to land an overwatch hit, or any other damage. The plaguebearers deal heavy damage, but Dunaak is able to stay standing. He manages to slay one, and Baergbar slays the other.

Ringus: Failing to hit the beast with his plasma pistol, Rignus decides to take the horror on himself. Issuing orders to his claws, he assaults the beast after it crushes Rov, wounding the horrible thing. Baergbar ignores his commands and in a thirst for glory assaults the beast as well, only getting in the way. With his mighty power maul, Rignus lands several more wounds, slaying the beast as well as a daemonette who joined the battle. The daemonette had a killing blow on Baergbar, but Rignus intervened and was unharmed.

MVPs

Kordar - The flamer gave him a great start, and he protected his flank from a horrible assault of daemonettes and plaguebearers. If not for him, the daemons would have most likely overrun the flank, and possibly the unit. 

Thogus - I couldn't have asked for a better narrative to play out in any of the trials! Starting with a bad omen, which is a D6 roll of 1 when the recruits are given names, it's only impact is for fluff, and in this case it did well. Thogus went from fumbling meat in power armor to a berserker during this battle. Failing to hit, then counter attack, I thought Thogus would just be a failure under a bad star, but then slaying 2 daemonettes, failing leadership and avenging his fallen allies was perfect. I really hope Thogus does well in the next trial, he seems to be cursed with the wulfen. 

There were some who did pooly, and some who did OK. They will have their chance to prove their worth in the next trial. I also realize that there are past blood claws who did not participate. I have decided to stop rolling blood claws into new recruits, it helps keep each new bunch themed. 

Instead, down the line I will have an all or nothing proving grounds. Sort of a "one last chance" for the blood claws who just couldn't quite cut it. These will be gruesome missions to represent the unit of blood claws taking on a difficult front of the battle on dire hopes to make grey hunter. The mentality is that they would rather die in combat than fail to make the grade. Those who succeed will do so with such great honor, they may even make wolf guard. 

Recruits from the depths of Fenris!

10 more recruits have found their way into the care of Rignus. The old wolf priest has been waiting patiently for a new litter of pups to make into proper wolves. This batch or claws come from deep below the surface of Fenris. Within the deepest caves live tribes of craftsmen who have learned the ways of metal and stone. They battle the unseen horrors of the depths for survival. They do so with weapons that would cleave straight through those of your average fenrisian tribesmen, as well as the tribesmen himself. However these weapons, as great as they may be, still lack the destructive power of a chainsword or power weapon. From time to time the Space Wolves will send an Iron Priest to select the greatest smiths of these tribes to help tend to the ancient dreadnoughts and forge new weapons for the wolves.

These 10 blood claws were from a group of aspirants from one such cavern tribe. Deadly warriors with senses tuned to fight the darkest and stealthiest foes. These are the 10 recruits, and the results of their rewards and Bad Omens.

Kordar showed promise as an aspirant, he has a Flamer

Rov, many of the aspirants regarded Rov as bad luck. Bad Omen

Geim

Gehgin has promise with close range shooting. Plasma Pistol

Yeraim

Thogus was raised an infant, his parents killed at an early age. Bad Omen

Bul

Baergbar being the best of the aspirants got first roll on rewards. Power Fist

Thir

Dunaak

These are the names of the 10 who will prove their worth in the upcoming battles against horrors alike they have never seen.

Daemons

Necrons

Chaos

(I need to get a few models from other armies for trials!)

Those who survive will become grey hunters. 

"Rules" update and refreshment.

First off, a recap and some new “rules” to the trials of the blood claws:

I have 10 “blank” marine models. No arms, with helmets, no individuality. These are the wolves during their trials; they must earn their individuality and place amongst the ranks of Grey hunter, and be fielded in my army.

Every group is accompanied by the Wolf Priest Rignus, who gauges the recruits and assists them in hardship if needed.

Some “rules”:

The trials are played out similar to kill teams, models move individually of each other, some team bonuses are kept, and some are not. I just kind of wing it.  

With each new batch of recruits, each blood claw rolls a D6. A 1 is a bad omen, it has no bearing on game play, only fluff. 6 means they show great potential and get a special weapon which is determined randomly within the rules of weapons for the squad.

At the beginning of each turn, each blood claw must make a leadership test on their base leadership. If it is failed they ignore Rignus’ tactics and move on their own, following the “headstrong rule if needed”. Generally they will assault the closest enemy, or one they feel could make a great saga.

There are 3 “rounds” for each set of recruits, at the end all of the data is looked at, and grey hunters are made. Sometimes recruits manage to become much more than just grey hunters. Even Rignus started as a recruit! It is a long and hard road to Grey Hunter, many will fall in their pursuit .

Lastly, I will be attempting to add a bit more lore. It will add some more book keeping on my part, but I feel it could give for some more in depth fluff. Starting with these upcoming trials, recruits homes will be recorded. For example, this next batch is from the mines of fenris, famous for their strong armor and weapons. The grey hunters will wear trophies from their homes in their battles across the stars...