Space Wolves Rune Priests

[Forteller]

So guys i was thinking about Space Wolves and most specifically Rune Priests.
Are there any particular tactics to be used in such an army scenario? I am referring to 4 Rune Priests in Rhinos or something to that effect.

For starters is it worth going all out on 4 x JoTWW? Perhaps 4 x Living Lightning or 4 x Murderous Hurricane?

What should compliment such a list, what are its weaknesses, its strengths?
Isn't it kinda like playing 4 overpowered vindicare assasins?

Cheers!

[Farseer_Orso]

When it comes to rune priests, two of their powers really stand out (and it's not the one you think).

Living Lightning is good. Murderous Hurricane is good. The other powers have their place, but those are the go-to powers.

BUT, they aren't game changers. Living Lightning is essentially a marine carrying an autocannon. Usually better, occasionally worse (in terms of shots). Good, but not exactly a game changer.

MH is my personal favorite, as it gives me a Kustom-Force-Field-esque cover bubble. Rune Priests are cool, but unlike other special characters, they aren't exactly beasts in combat. They'll get shredded in anything other than 1-on-1 combat with something with low initiative (provided they have a psychic use left).

The RP is a support unit. And you're spending a bare minimum of 400 points on them. I'd knock it down to two (MH on both, LL on one and Jaws on the other) and take a Lord or a Priest or whatever complements the rest of your army.

[somerandomdude]

MH is my personal favorite, as it gives me a Kustom-Force-Field-esque cover bubble.

You mean Storm Caller? That's the one that gives a 5+ cover save. Murderous Hurricane is the power that causes 3d6 hits and makes a unit go through difficult/dangerous terrain.

If you did mean Murderous Hurricane, then yes, those two are the best options.

[Commander Vimes]

Jaws used creatively can be amazing. Use it to pick the Commissar out of a guard blob, or a walking Sanguinary Priest, or one guy to knock a heavy weapon unit out of coherency so they have to move next turn. Even a 1/3 chance of killing off a key model like a priest or chaplain is pretty good.

Jaws, Murderous Hurricane, and Living Lightning are all quite good.

[BlindGunn]

Think Rune Priests depend on your Army size and composition, more than anything else.

I'm usually at 1500pts and I can't remember the last time I've used the RP. I usually prefer the Wolf Lord and/or a Wolf Priest then use the rest of the points to increase my units numbers, size & weapon mixes.

At 1750, I would start using a RP.

What size army you planning for?

[Forteller]

Think i 'll be running around 1750.... and truly i think people underestimate things like LL and JotWW.
I mean with LL, just put two rhinos in your objectives, far from any action and start popping up mech left and right, chimeras,rhinos,razorbacks,ravagers hell even Stormravens are easy pickings, we 're talking about 4D6, if you put chooser of slain or whatever the bird is called on every librarian we 're talking about an average of 15 LLs out of which 12 should hit, at str 7 no less, that is nothing to scoff at and far surpasses autocannons....
and thats just with 2 rhinos camped in your home base.

JotWW makes it even better just deep strike em or charge em in, you can even kill independent characters with eternal warrior that way...pick off the meltas off marine squads or kill that annoying Logan in one hit....why is everyone so negative with JotWW these days anyhow?

[Thorsson]

I normally play with two Rune Priests, they are the game changers for me.
The Fury of the Wolf Spirits and Storm Caller are decent powers if you plan on having the Priest join a Close Combat unit.
Living Lightning and Murderous Hurricane in combination with Storm Caller are my go to though.

I like the idea of Thunderclap but it is not that great.

[Commander Vimes]

I mean with LL, just put two rhinos in your objectives, far from any action and start popping up mech left and right, chimeras,rhinos,razorbacks,ravagers hell even Stormravens are easy pickings, we 're talking about 4D6, if you put chooser of slain or whatever the bird is called on every librarian we 're talking about an average of 15 LLs out of which 12 should hit, at str 7 no less, that is nothing to scoff at and far surpasses autocannons....
and thats just with 2 rhinos camped in your home base.

You're mixing up Living Lightning's strength with Murderous Hurricanes volume of fire. 4d6 Str. 7 shots on a 100 point model would make Jaws look like a balanced and well designed power.

[somerandomdude]

He's talking about using 4 Priests with LL (and some other random power), even though he didn't come right out to say it. That's where the 4d6 comes from.

However, 4 HQs in 1750 points isn't too efficient point wise. It could work, and be annoying to your opponent, but considering those points could go to Long Fangs, etc. the opportunity cost may be too high.

[incenerate101]

I personally only run one rune priest in a 2250 point game and this is competitve list im talking and i put in my squad of long fangs with Living Lightning and Murderous Hurricane. The long fangs and the rune priest will mow down infantry and can be a very effective shmedium armor popper and can easily defend home and middle objective. Murderous Hurrican is for things that get to close to the long fangs or just to clear out an objective.
In my personal opinion id only take 2 rune priests in any point vaule just for the fact that a wolf priest is worth taking in a squad of blood claws lol

[Lerra]

Rune Priests are great if there isn't much psychic defense in your local metagame. I used to run with 4 Runes Priests until I ran up against Eldrad, and 400 points of my army killed itself with Perils of the Warp.

2 Rune Priests seems to be enough, and you aren't getting completely shut down by an army with strong psychic defense.