Taking a look into the latest release for Psychic Awakening: Saga of the Beast which is not available at the moment in its book format. You can still go digital though.
This takes a look at some of the new options your Space Wolves will have with this book and how they can be used on the tabletop.
via the Warhammer Community
https://www.warhammer-community.com/2020/04/08/paul-murphys-space-wolves-tacticagw-homepage-post-4/
Paul: Psychic Awakening: Saga of the Beast blows the doors wide open for Space Wolves players looking for list-building opportunities. Ragnar Blackmane is a powerhouse, making him an easy addition – in fact, he’s a character you can build your army around.
The most important thing to consider about Ragnar is how well he keeps up with the rest of your army. The easiest way to keep him protected and moving forward is the unsung hero of the Dark Imperium – the Impulsor.
You have the option of deploying Ragnar from a board edge with Cunning of the Wolf, but this is probably not the best option, since the Impulsor is so survivable. Ragnar needs to be on the table and you’ll want the flexibility to put him exactly where the action is.
Special thanks to John Fought for letting us show off their lovely Space Wolves Impulsor.
The Shield Dome option for the Impulsor grants it a 4+ invulnerable save. You may think this is a bit overkill considering the tank boasts Toughness 7, 11 Wounds and a 3+ Save by default. With just a little luck, your opponent will have a hard time cracking through this transport.
The Impulsor can hold 6 Space Wolves Primaris Infantry models. This leaves 5 extra slots for Ragnar’s buddies. You’ll want your aggressive units – like Wulfen, Primaris Infiltrators or Thunderwolf Cavalry – deployed as far out as possible and rushing forward with the option of Charging in the Charge phase. To support them, consider filling Ragnar’s transport with additional Space Wolves utility Characters like Primaris Rune Priests and Primaris Wolf Priests.
The Impulsor comes standard with the ability to deploy its passengers after moving. Undamaged, it has a Movement value of 14”. You can then disembark within 3” and move. The total threat range of embarked units is incredible. In the first turn of the game, you’re using this for Aura Ability management. There’s no wrong way to equip an Impulsor – each of its configurations has a place in your army list and can take advantage of Combat Doctrines in the early turns of the game.
Rune Priests are the signature Psykers of the Space Wolves. If you choose to fill your Impulsor with other passengers, you could do worse than a Rune Priest in Phobos armor. You can deploy this Rune Priest using Concealed Positions, but you lose access to the Tempestas discipline.
Rune Priests of all types get access to a powerful new Relic called the Talisman of Storms. This allows the Rune Priest to potentially dish out one mortal wound to each enemy unit within 12” after successfully resolving their first Psychic Power. When paired with Living Lightning or Smite, you’re peeling off an incredible number of wounds from multiple units. The great thing is this Relic activates no matter which power you successfully resolve. You can choose to play defence by casting Tempest’s Wrath or Storm Caller and still distribute mortal wounds in a huge bubble.
You can come close to this threat range with a standard Rune Priest with a jump pack. He’ll have the protection of being a Character, but this isn’t a guarantee with the frequency with which you’ll encounter Sniper units. You may also find yourself falling a few inches short on movement to properly support your advance.
Successfully manifesting a psychic power allows you to activate the Cloaked by the Storm Stratagem. This is a 3 Command Point Stratagem that forces your opponent to subtract one from their hit rolls when targeting a friendly Space Wolves unit within 6” of the Rune Priest with a ranged attack. This can be improved by the Saga of Majesty Warlord Trait. There’s an important distinction between the way these powers manifest – Talisman of the Storm requires you to resolve the power, then make it through the target’s psychic defences, while Cloaked by the Storm only requires you to have passed your Psychic test.
I hear what you’re thinking – this is a pricey Stratagem. Some armies pay 2 CP for this effect and it only helps a single unit. If you’re pushing forward with high-value units in close proximity, it’s nice to have this option in your back pocket. You can wait to activate this Stratagem until you see how your other tactics have worked (or not). Many games hinge on how the opening turns play out and this may give you an advantage when all else has failed.
Primaris Wolf Priests are a strong second option to include with Ragnar in his Impulsor, but needing to be on the table at the start of the battle round to recite their Litanies of Battle hinders their effectiveness in the first turn. Ragnar has pretty solid Aura Abilities providing re-rolls to failed charge rolls and hit rolls of 1, so you may not need a Wolf Priest backup.
One new Litany, Tale of the Wolf King and the Lord of the Deeps, plus the standard Canticle of Hate and Exhortation of Rage, are totally worth looking at. Non-Primaris Wolf Priests can take jump packs, and with favourable Advance rolls along with stringing a few models per unit to hover within the Wolf Priest’s bubble, you’ll be putting out a lot of damage in the Assault phase. Five models on 40mm bases stretched out at as wide as possible will cover nearly 16” of the table, so if you’re willing to potentially sacrifice a few attacks you can substantially increase the reliability of the unit.
Including a Wolf Priest also gives you access to the potent Stratagem Mentor’s Guidance, allowing a Space Wolves Character to re-roll wounds while they’re near the Wolf Priest for 1 CP.
How does it all come together? Your individual play style can shine with the latest updates to the Space Wolves. If you prefer a flashy-looking army, load up on Thunderwolf Cavalry and Wulfen. If you prefer a ground-pounding hold-the-line force then Primaris Intercessors, Infiltrators and Incursors, supported by a fleet of Impulsors, are very difficult to shift. Overall I think this gunline variant is more reliable, but nothing beats the thrill of charging across the table attempting to absolutely mangle your opponent.
The Saga of the Beast increases the offensive and defensive capabilities to your Space Wolves without sacrificing either. Through Stratagems and Psychic powers, your generalship will shine as you choose when and how to spring your traps and tactics. Both of these build variants benefit immensely from Ragnar Blackmane and other support Characters. By pushing Ragnar into the fray, he passes on his powerful Aura Abilities. If you place him just close enough, you dare your opponent to allow Ragnar to Heroically Intervene. This may force your opponent to play differently than what you’re accustomed to. In turn, you’ll be able to capitalise on that confusion and really sink your fangs in.
Don’t forget, you might not be able to get physical copies at the moment, but you can order the digital edition of Psychic Awakening: Saga of the Beast right now.
