Sven Hammerhand was touched by the storm before being raised to Asaheim. Sven’s death brought the attention of the Rune Priests from the Fang. A tribal warrior, Sven fought as hard as any other man – but no more than. In his final battle he slew at least one enemy, wounded another. The third man to face him was simply a better fighter. The beard of his axe blade tugged away Sven’s shield, the haft parried Sven’s counter blow and the blade returned to hack into Sven’s chest. Sven fell, blood pulsing from his chest. Then the storm rose.

A fork of lightning snapped down from a cloudless storm. It struck Sven first, but the dying warrior was unharmed. Uncontrolled, it crackled around him, killing his slayer before leaping between two men from his tribe. The lightning diverged, spreading out in erratic lines, charring warriors from either side. Within a minute a hundred men had fallen. Within five the battle was over, the survivors fleeing the storm.

After passing the Rites, Sven was inducted into the Rune Priests. He served with distinction in Erik Morkai’s great company, the Sons of Morkai. He fought in the Third War for Armageddon against the greenskins, battled the Drukhari on Luetin Necropolis and combatted the daemons of Tzeench around the Fang itself.

Sven believes, as do the rest of the Rune Priest order, that the Wolftime – the returning of the Space Wolf Primarch Leman Russ – is near. Sven also believes that he was sent a vision by the Emperor or by Russ. In the vision he saw a great sea with a small longboat rowing against rolling waves. A storm suddenly divided the sea in half, stretching from horizon to horizon. The boat rowed hard, straight through the storm. The wind battered the hull and more than one rower was cast overboard. The little boat continued to struggle against the storm, eventually making it through the storm into calmer waters. On the horizon was an island. The boat made landfall at a beach belong a high cliff. At the top of the cliff was a huge wolf, magestic and strong, with a grey mane and teeth as long as a man.

Sven interpreted the storm as representing the Cicatrix Maledictum – the great warp rift that seperates the galaxy. The great wolf was Leman Russ, and the meaning of the vision was that Russ was waiting on the far side of the rift. After consulting with several other Rune Priests, Sven went to Morkai, to try and convince him to lead his Great Company across the rift.

Morkai was cautious and wary of Sven’s belief. He was not convinced that the vision was sent by the Emperor or Russ, but that it could be a trap – an attempt to lure one of the understrength Wolves’ great companies into destruction. He refused to lead his great company across the Rift. But, the appeal of finding Russ was too great to simply dismiss Sven’s notion. So, he allowed Sven to ask for volunteers to form a party to track down the Great Wolf.

The Last Hunt in real life, Sven Hammerhand leading a group of Wolf Guard deploying out of a razorback with a Bloodclaw pack charging from a Rhino and Sigurd Sailmaster leading the packs of Grey Hunters on foot.

Sven called his band ‘The Last Hunt’ – a reference to the Great Hunts that the chapter embarked upon. If Sven found Leman Russ, then there would be no more Hunts. The first to volunteer was Sigurd Sailmaster, a longboat captain on Fenris before his selection to join the ranks of the Space Wolves, and a Wolf Guard Battle Leader. He brought with him five wolf guards who form a personal retinue for Sven Hammerhand.

Sigurd Sailmaster, acting Wolf Lord of the Last Hunt

Sigurd is the Battle Leader of the Last Hunt. Sven commands where the hunt will go, but when they meet resistance, it is Sigurd that gives the orders.

A number of bloodclaws volunteered, led by Kristian Redskull, eager for the honour and glory that would come of finding Russ. A trio of Grey Hunter Pack Leaders, Bjorn Spearfrozen, Guthrum Uheldig and Hakkon Axethrower, also volunteered, leading the handful of Grey Hunters that came with them.

Two Predator tank crews brought their great vehicles with them, one of them, Russ’s Fury, an ancient model bristling with no less than four lascannons. Others joined the call, including a pack of Swiftclaws from the Stormwolves Great Company.

Russ’s Fury, an ancient Predator tank that joined The Last Hunt.

Erik Morkai assigned them a single Strike Cruiser, crewed entirely by servitors led by Nils the Smith, an Iron Priest. The Last Hunt departed Fenris in 119.M42 without ceremony. The boat was in the ocean, heading towards the Nachmund Gautlet to try and cross the Storm. Some rowers will undoubtedly fall – but Sven will drive them onwards regardless.

Sven Hammerhand, Rune Priest and guide of The Last Hunt

Army List:

++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (Imperium – Space Wolves) [87 PL, 1,500pts] ++

HQ +

Rune Priest [6 PL, 117pts]: Plasma pistol, Psychic hood, Runic armour, Runic axe, Saga of Majesty, Warlord

Wolf Lord [5 PL, 89pts]: Frost sword, Master-crafted boltgun, Plasma pistol

Troops +

Blood Claws [7 PL, 158pts]

. 7x Blood Claw

. Blood Claw Pack Leader: Power fist

. Blood Claw with Plasma Pistol: Plasma pistol

. Blood Claw with Special Weapon: Meltagun

Grey Hunters [4 PL, 81pts]

. Grey Hunter Pack Leader: Power axe

. 2x Grey Hunter w/Bolt Pistol

. Grey Hunter w/Plasma Pistol: Plasma pistol

. Grey Hunter with Special Weapon: Bolt pistol, Flamer

Grey Hunters [4 PL, 79pts]

. Grey Hunter Pack Leader: Power fist

. 3x Grey Hunter w/Bolt Pistol

. Grey Hunter w/Plasma Pistol: Plasma pistol

Grey Hunters [8 PL, 101pts]

. Grey Hunter Pack Leader: Power axe

. 5x Grey Hunter w/Bolt Pistol

. Grey Hunter w/Plasma Pistol: Plasma pistol

Elites +

Wolf Guard [8 PL, 118pts]

. Wolf Guard: Bolt pistol, Boltgun, Frost axe

. Wolf Guard: Bolt pistol, Boltgun, Frost axe

. Wolf Guard: Bolt pistol, Boltgun, Power fist

. Wolf Guard: Bolt pistol, Boltgun, Power fist

. Wolf Guard Pack Leader: Bolt Pistol, Boltgun, Frost axe

Wolf Scouts [4 PL, 69pts]

. Wolf Scout: Boltgun

. Wolf Scout: Boltgun

. Wolf Scout: Boltgun

. Wolf Scout Pack Leader: Bolt pistol, Boltgun

. Wolf Scout with Heavy Weapon: Meltagun

Fast Attack +

Land Speeders [6 PL, 72pts]

. Land Speeder: Multi-melta

Swiftclaws [8 PL, 102pts]

. Swiftclaw: Bolt pistol

. . Bike: Twin boltgun

. Swiftclaw: Bolt pistol

. . Bike: Twin boltgun

. Swiftclaw: Bolt pistol

. . Bike: Twin boltgun

. Swiftclaw Pack Leader: Frost axe

. . Bike: Twin boltgun

Heavy Support +

Predator [9 PL, 180pts]: Twin lascannon

. Two Lascannons: 2x Lascannon

Predator [9 PL, 150pts]: Twin lascannon

. Two Heavy Bolters: 2x Heavy bolter

Dedicated Transport +

Razorback [5 PL, 112pts]: Storm bolter, Twin lascannon

Rhino [4 PL, 72pts]: Storm bolter

++ Total: [87 PL, 1,500pts] ++

Created with BattleScribe (https://battlescribe.net)

This army is actually an old one, based around what’s left of my Brother’s Erik Morkai great company.