I Hate Thunderwolf Cavalry

Forward

Thunderwolf Cavalry are broken good. They aren't the most broken unit in 40k, but they're in the top 10. Nobz are a middling unit. They bring a strong melee presence, but are far too fragile comparatively. I custom built nobz but regularly have to play againt thunderwolves. They fulfill nearly the same role in each army. It's purely envy because what they have is so much better than what I have. Here's why I hate TWC so much:

Battlefield Role

Both armies are fairly similar. Orks are obviously more numerous while Space Wolves are more skilled and heavily armored. Both units fulfill much the same role as a fast, tough, melee oriented unit that can deliver a lot of damage. Nob Bikers, being upgrades to regular Nobz, are in Elite while Thurderwolves reside in Fast Attack. Thunderwolves compete with Stormwolves in FA, but the latter can be taken as a dedicated transport, so it isn't as much of a problem. Nobz compete with the very useful Tankbustas and Meganobz. Though generally, you wouldn't really run Nob bikerz alongside meganobz anyways since they compete for the same beatstick-melee unit functionality. Slight edge to Thunderwolves due to lesser competition.

Cost

Thunderwolves start at 40 each. Nobz are 18pts and cost 27 to put on a bike for a 45pt total. Both come with a free, identical character upgrade. Thunderwolves are cheaper by 5pts, so that's a win there. Let's see later why Nobz pay an extra 5pts.

Unit size

Nobz can be taken in unit size up to 10, while Thunderwolves max out at 6. Slight Edge to Nobz for being able to take more wounds to absorb fire, which they'll need since they die quicker.

Guns

Nobz have a Str5 AP5 twin-linked assault 3 dakkagun. Being only BS2, the TL really helps. You've got enough speed to get to rear armor in many cases, which might help. Overall, it's a pretty good ork shooting platform. They also get to keep their sluggas for +1 attack if you don't give them any other melee weapon upgrades and you can save a few points on extra wounds. Realistically, this is a melee unit. You can waste points on a combi weapon, but please don't. Thunderwolves get only a bolt pistol, but it is +1 attack. The Nobz get a solid edge here.

Speed

Both units move 12" and aren't slowed by terrain. Both units have to take horrible dangerous terrain tests, which are no fun. Bikes can turbo boost 12" (and gain +1 to cover save). Thunderwolves can run D6, but due to fleet can choose to reroll it. Fleet will also help them get into where they really need to be, which is combat, more effectively. The Orks at least get 'ere we go, which is like fleet but you can only re-roll 1 die. I'm going to declare this a draw. The extra distance on turbo boost helps, but isn't a game changer over fleet.

Stats

Now here's where the Thunderwolves will start to pull away. They have identical WS4. Nobz can buy a Waaagh Banner for 20pts (worth it on larger units only) for +1WS. The Champions of Fenris detachment gives you +1WS for TWC for free, but you do have to take 2 elites. BS2 for Nobz (but TL) vs. BS4 is fairly meaningless on a melee unit. Both have identical T5 and 2 wounds.

TWC have native Str5, while Nobz are Str4 with furious charge. This is huge when considering taking a powerfist/klaw means that Orks are Str9 on the charge and TWC are Str10 always. TWC double out Nobz, Nobz don't double out TWC.

TWC are I4 to Nobz I3. TWC have 4 base attacks +1 for 2 cc while Nobz only have 3. Effectively, TWC hit first and with more attacks. To say nothing for the Ld and save, which we'll cover in a minute. TWC match or beat the Nobz in every category. Str5 alone is enough to push this to a big win for TWC.

Morale/Ld

TWC have ATSKNF and Ld9. On the rare occasions they fail (1/6 chance) they recover automatically and can charge the next turn. Nobz are an abysmal Ld7, so they fail often (42%). Orks have Mob Rule to mitigate. If you aren't in combat or lost combat, you're likely not above 10, so you'll need to take a bosspole to reroll on the table and hope to only hurt yourself (average .58 wounds), then you'll get to stay in combat. Otherwise, you're fleeing, don't auto rally, and can charge if you miraculously do rally.

Nobz can be swept. You don't know the heartbreak of seeing a large melee oriented unit get swept until it happens. It makes you question even playing. Orks are susceptible to fear, tank shocks, pinning, etc. Ld7 sucks. The whole morale mechanic isn't fun, especially when half the armies you face don't even pay attention to it (or it's worst affects). Big win for the wolves here.

Save

Nobz get a 4+ with the bike. They can jink for a 4+ cover as well, which can be boosted to 3+ if turbo boosting. This can help them get into assault with more units alive. That 4+ armor does nothing against any power weapon. You could waste points to get a 6+ FNP, but don't bother. Nobz have no way to get an invuln in CC. You don't realize the number of AP4 weapons until you play as an army with armor 4.

Thunderwolves get the marine 3+ as standard, but cannot jink for a cover save. The most important point here is that they can take a storm shield for 15pts. Only 15pts is sick. Any or all of them can take it. Very disheartening. They're just as susceptible to small arms fire with it as without, but really they're going to live much longer against the special/heavy weapons you would normally take to kill units like this. This is a massive win for the TWC.

Melee Equipment

Nobz get only 2 choices. A powerklaw (fist) and a big choppa. The big choppa is a nice choice, giving you some Str7 on the charge (AP5), but sacrificing an attack for 5pts. At least you're going at init, so you'll get some wounds through before the unwieldy stuff gets to you, but not before normal power weapons take you down. Without it, you've only got +1 attack and +1 Str over a 6pt slugga choppa boy, so what's the point. Powerklaws boost you to Str 8, 9 on the charge with AP2 at Init1. A lot of the nob power comes from these klaws. You want at least 1 klaw for every 3 models.

Thunderwolves can get the same powerfist, but at S10 for the same cost. They can also take power weapons, frost weapons, and klaws. They have a much wider range of equipment to chose from (including the storm shield mentioned before). Not even close here.

Special rules

Both get hammer or wrath, though TWC have +1S on the Nobz. Nobz have furious charge, which is worse in all ways than +1S. Most of the other rules have been covered previously, so Nobz get jack shit else.

All Space Wolves get counter attack, so it's almost like they have +1 attack base. It can't fail now either, which is really nice. Oh yeah, and Thunderwolves get rending. Let me rephrase that, because it may not sink in yet, Thunderwolves get motherfucking rending. So base, a TWC gets 6 attacks on the charge at S5, plus rending. For cheaper. It's unexplainable. TWC for the very very obvious win here.

ICs

Space Wolves offer a beatstick Wolf Lord and two named characters (Harald & Canis). Each can take ablative fenrisian wolves. All have sick rules. They also offer Iron Priests in the Elite spots, which can also take wolves for ablative wounds (still counting as an IC). The Lord and Priests can get a 2+ (Orks can never get a 2+ (or even a 3+) on a bike).

Orks get Warbosses, who's Waagh can't help them. He's a more powerful version of a Nob biker essentially. He has +1T, so desn't get double out w/S10. He suffers from the same low armor save weakness and comes it at only 3 wounds. He is S5 at least, so swings his klaw at S10. Orks can also get Bik Meks on bikes, but they don't really offer anything. Painboys are a big help at 75pts for FNP and a few poison attacks. All of these are in the HQ spot, so you're going to limit yourself supporting them.

Let's award Victory points based on each of these areas

Nobz		TWC
	Cost	⚫
	Competition	⚫
⚫	Unit size
	Stats	⚫⚫
	Assaults	⚫⚫
	Morale/Ld	⚫⚫⚫
⚫⚫	Guns
	Speed
	Save	⚫⚫⚫
	Special rules	⚫⚫
	Equipment	⚫⚫⚫
	ICs	⚫⚫
3	Total	19

Crushing victory for the TWC. So what did we for the extra 5 points we pay for Nobz, a substantially worse unit that will lose to the TWC in every battle. If Nob bikers were in the Space Wolf codex, you would never take the nobz. If the situation were reversed and TWC were available in the Ork codex, you would also never take the Nobz. I think that's a pretty damning condemnation of the Nobz.

Example battle

435pts Nob unit, 7 models
90pts Nob w/Bike, Banner, Klaw
75pts Nob w/Bike, Klaw, bosspole
70pts Nob w/Bike, Klaw
50pts Nob w/BC
50pts Nob w/BC
50pts Nob w/BC
50pts Nob w/BC

370pts TWC unit, 6 models 80pts TWC w/SS & fist
80pts TWC w/SS & fist
75pts TWC w/SS & wolf claw
55pts TWC w/SS
40pts TWC
40pts TWC

Let's compare what happens when the orks get the charge on the TWC:
Orks shoot the TWC, killing 1. TWC cause 1 wound in overwatch. TWC strike first 12 attacks plus 5 wolf claw attacks results in 4 wounds and 2 dead nobz. Nobz strike back with only 8 attacks causing 1 wound. Then the unwieldy weapons strike. Assuming the TWC put the wounds from the nobz on the SS, to maximize survivability, the Nobz only cause 2 wounds, killing 1 TWC. The wolves with fists cause 4 wounds, but at S10, actually cause 8 wounds. Left standing is 1 Nob against 4 TWC (1 w/1 wound). The Nobz lost combat by 8 and need double 1s to stay in combat., otherwise, they are likely to get swept or fall off the board.

Summary

TWC live a lot longer, get into combat more, hit first and harder, then survive the counter attack better all at a cheaper cost. It's not that Nobz are bad, they're pretty decent. The lack of any invuln really sucks hard, especially since the TWC can so easily and cheaply get the 3++. The codexes came back to back less than 2 months apart, so GW has no excuse on how poorly thought out the comparison between these two units comes out.

TWC should be limited to either no SS or SS only on the character. They also need a 5-10 point boost. Nobz need an invuln and native Str5. Nobz should be Led8 and some revamps to the whole morale phase (which orks in general need).

It's easy to point to actual dollars for a reason. There is no Nob Biker box. There is a warbiker box with a nob upgrade for $41.50. If you kit bash like I did, you can use these for Nobz. TWC are $55 a box for 3 with no real way to kitbash from other units. Gotta move that product.