STARTING A SPACE WOLVES ARMY IN 11TH EDITION: A SAGA IN PLASTIC
The Space Wolves are the Sons of Russ: Space Marines with the armour unbuckled, covered in pelts and talismans, the most character-dense range in the chapter catalogue. This page covers the first hunt, the Thunderwolves and Wulfen, and Grimnar or Murderfang.
Blood Claws, Grey Hunters and Fenrisian Wolves
Begin with the current starter or Combat Patrol; these rotate with the edition, so buy what is current rather than hunting an old one down. The heart of a young pack is its infantry: Blood Claws if you love the reckless-youngster fantasy, Grey Hunters or Intercessor-style battleline if you want dependable veterans. A pack leader with a chainsword and an attitude is the image of the chapter. Add a unit of Fenrisian Wolves early; they are fast to paint, cheap to love, and make the army read as Space Wolves from across the room. Grey-blue armour is quick to get looking good, and every model invites a scar here or a wolf tail there, so no two squads in your pack look alike.
Thunderwolves and Wulfen
Second purchases are where the saga gets loud. Thunderwolf Cavalry are the kit everyone secretly starts this army for, armoured giants riding wolves the size of horses, and they earn their place on any shelf. Wulfen bring the feral tragedy of the chapter to the table, all wild hair and oversized blades. A Rune Priest or a character like Ragnar Blackmane, the Young King himself, gives the pack a leader worth following. For list-builders: 11th edition brought new points and datasheets, so check the current numbers before you commit to a roster. The models never go out of date.
Recommended: Thunderwolf Cavalry
Grimnar on Stormrider, or Murderfang
For a centrepiece the Space Wolves spoil you. Logan Grimnar on Stormrider, the Great Wolf on a sled drawn by two enormous wolves, is one of the most excessive kits in the entire game, and painting it is a saga in itself. Prefer something more armoured? Murderfang, the chapter's infamous Dreadnought, is a compact model with tremendous menace. Either one finishes an army photo like a signature finishes a letter.
Even Russ paced himself
- A second box of Thunderwolves before the first trio is painted. Probably even Russ paced himself.
- Every named character at once. The Wolf Guard can wait until you know your own saga's shape.
- Vehicles in general. This army's soul is fur and fury; transports can join the hunt later.
A skjald for the pack
The skjalds of Fenris remember every deed, and your collection deserves a skjald of its own. Log each kit as it joins the pack and mark it boxed, built or finished, because a saga with missing verses is a rumour. The finished column growing like a pack gathering for winter keeps the pile of grey plastic from becoming a legend of a different kind. The full roll of everything the Sons of Russ field, from Blood Claws to the Great Wolf, is on the Space Wolves faction page under Data.