Playing Versus Space Wolves

I've been playing 40k for a few months now. Actually I've only played twice in that time and been working on my army the rest. One of the regular players I go up against has a Space Wolves army and he talks insane amounts of smack. The first time we played he stretched the rules a little bit and I read up on the SW codex to make sure it didn't happen again. I'd like to know what some of your tactics are against SW? He likes to use Rhinos (3-4 in a 750 point game) and Rune Priests. Last time he put troops with rocket launchers up in a building to try and take out my vehicles. Their codex seems solid and they have an answer for everything I throw at them. Please give me some advice and share your stories/strategies with an aspiring Archon of Commoragh!

Generally speaking I believe the strategy vs. Space Wolves is to outshoot them.

Primary threat is Long Fangs.
Secondary threat is...well...all other anti-vehicle firepower, but a vague preference towards Runepriests.

Sight unseen - the major issue you might be facing is simply a list one.

My basic advice is as follows;

- focused splinter fire into Long Fang squads - they are a priority one threat due to their ability to split fire and drop 2 Raiders/Venoms a turn each.
- Because of the stupidity in Wolves having one of their big shooting threats be footslogging (and our anti-infantry firepower being awesome) lance fire should focus on other anti-vehicle threats, focus on stunning/shaking them and then move on. Your primary goal is to deny them the ability to shoot (Razors or Preds or Dreads, et al) or to force the Rune Priests to climb their shaggy backsides out of their metal boxes to shoot at us...then we can kill them via splinter fire or Wych assault.
- Basic rinse and repeat after that. Use mobility and stunning results to hamper his ability to shoot back and whittle him off the board. I suggest mostly dancing away from TWC and killing them via a focused turn of your army once they're out of position.

Post your current list for us to make some suggestions. I personally dedicate the Razorwing or 5 Man Splinterborn in a venom to take care of Long Fangs. At the end of the day, they're just marines

Yeah, they are just marines. The problem I'm having is not being able to pop the rhinos and he has two rune preists that are using living lightning from rhino. If they are shooting from the top of the rhino does that make the vehicle open top and subject to +1 when rolling for vehicle damage?

It did an edition or two ago, not anymore.

If you're having trouble popping Rhinos then you probably need more anti-mech weapons in the army. I know that sounds silly in how simplistic it sounds, but it's very true. If you can't accomplish 'A' bring more of what allows you to accomplish 'A' until you accomplish it at a reasonable rate of success.

Also, recognize to a certain extent you're happy to get a stunned result, because preventing a Rhino from moving or shooting will force the Priest out of the safety of his metal box, and also hampers the general strategy your opponent is going for.

Wyches with haywire grenades will solve your rhino problems. Rush up in raider, jump out and assault, ensuring you surround the rhino so there are no escape points, then hit it with haywire grenades. on a good round of assaulting, you pop the rhino and the troops inside can't get out, therefore they die.

Venoms solve long fangs.

You can also pop rhinos with blaster, and if surrounded by wyches, they are still dead if you force the riders out.

DE despite the internet opinions, are quite effect against Space wolves. I've played 4 different wolves players and have not lost yet. One of those was a guy who ran 10 thunder wolves and double long fangs. Splinter weapons are your friend with 4+ to wound anything.