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Hello, guyz! I'm pretty new to Mordheim but i've fell in love with it quickly! As i'm a 40k ork player, the guyz generously allowed me to use my 40k models to play as orks orcs. Having gotten acquainted with the rules i've come up with this list:

Boss [2 clubs, bow, helmet]
Wierdboy [2 clubs, bow]
2 Big Unz [2 clubs, bow, helmet]

3 Boyz [2 clubs]
3 Gobbos [short bow]
3 Squigs

And i've got a few questions:
1. Is armor really as bad as it seems from the first glance? Basically everyone has good chances to ignore it on a 6 to-wound while regular s3 weapons allready wound orcs on a 5+, they have around 1/3 chance to plain ignore your expensive armor, furthermore, it's lowered by str and there's a number of spells that ignore it outright. And it costs so much! Is there something i'm missing about armor?

2. As you can see, i've equipped my guyz with lots of clubs. They're cheap - just 1 pt more than a plain dagger - but don't provide much else other than a wider stun range. What about swords? Parry might prove useful for lower ws models like regular boyz. Or is 10 pt too expensive for it? What about an axe? Even though, armor seems not really good, an axe is quite cheap. A spear seems useless for low ini models. everyone's ini 2-3 for orcs. What about 2-handed heavy weapons? Something tells me that an extra attack is more potent due to how powerful crits are.

3. Shooting. It feels completely different from 40k to say the least. Generally everyone's hitting on 6-s at the start. But as i see it, having at least something ranged could be benefical vs purely mellee bands that would have an upper hand vs orks up close. The guyz told me that x-bows are best ranged weapons. But as i see it, only Boss has shooting skills. And while x-bows could be good at the start, they won't become any better as most guyz won't be able to take double shots or ignore cover or move + shoot. Only boss will be able to benefit from it. But do i really need one backfield shooty model? He's supposed to provide a ld bauble and stomp heads with his higher than average ws/str if i get it right.

4. Gobbos and squigs. It happened that i sent one goblin forward to hide behind walls and get to an objective (had a mission to capture 5 buildings) while 2 others failed Animosity across 3 turns and ran forward screaming. Squigs quickly noticed lack of herds and went wild. One squig ate the second one and the third one charged an orc boy! It took 2 turns before i managed to get a grot back to them. It was hilarious, so, i'm 100% running squigs. But i'm thinking about changing proportion. 3 goblins, 2 squigs or 4 goblins 2 squigs.
Are gobbos any good? They can't become heroes as they get murderised for being too mouthy if they have talent. And it's not like they're so much cheaper or better than the guyz from different warbands that don't risk getting killed for having tallent at the same time. I'm going to run goblins and squigs anywayz - would just like to know what to expect from them. And are short bows any good? Or shouldn't i risk getting shot due to animosity if there's no hero nearby?

I found Orcs & Gobbos very difficult to run in Mordheim. Mordheim rewards and is built around careful micromanagement of individual models, and the Orcs' animosity rules tend to shoot that to hell. Badly. You'll set up a turn perfectly, and then watch as models don't do what you need them to.

They also only start with 4 heroes, which hamstrings you from the start for wyrdstone searching. Hired swords might be a good way to fill some holes (although I'm generally not a big hired sword guy), but your selection is limited there too.

Having said all of that, the best success I had was running them was somewhat contrary to one's first instinct -- namely, shooty heroes and choppy henchmen. It looks like you're partially on the right path there.

Note that your Boss AND Big 'Uns get shooty skills. One of gorgon's first rules of MH is that if you have heroes with Shooting skills, get them right away, and Quick Shot should be your first. Doubling your offensive output is amazing. Don't sweat your BS...those will increase. Later, other skills like Trick Shooter can also help you achieve more hits. Keep those shooty heroes out of the fray (preserve your heroes is another rule of MH) and let them blaze away at range. Personally I greatly prefer crossbows...better range and hit harder. Don't worry about move-and-fire bow shenanigans. Again, the shooting won't be great at first, but it will get better.

For henchmen, just field a bunch of gobbos and squigs at first, and run them as a big mob that can control areas, overwhelm things with numbers and provide a screen for your heroes. Generally speaking, if you're facing a choppy or balanced warband, don't charge the mob all across the table so much as just kinda mush forward somewhat. Against supershooty firebase warbands, you'll need to go get them. Obviously different scenarios will call for different tactics. Don't pass out bows to gobbos...club and dagger is fine to start. They're a bunch of fodder and chaff, but they'll get some crits here in melee and there. Oh, your Shaman can run with the mob too. I generally like keeping heroes out of harm's way, but he'll accomplish more up front than in back.

Then as you start gaining gold, start working in some henchmen Boyz. My goal with them was usually to make them a flex unit, with bows and 2 weapons. That way they can sit and shoot (assuming animosity tests are passed) or pile in if needed. You'll need some Boyz at some point if you want to get the 5th hero (and again, when that happens...SHOOTING SKILLS).

To answer your specific questions...

1) Yes. Don't bother with most of it. Helmets can be useful. I don't hate shields on shooty characters, although it's not something I start with.

2) Clubs are great...cheap, with a good crit table. Don't mess with other h2h weapons until your band is more established. This could take some time. IME, Orc & Gobbo warbands tend to be one of the poorer bands around due to the hero restrictions, the need to replace casualties, and warband sizes that tend to be higher rather than lower.

3) Covered that above.

4) Covered that above.

Good luck to you. They really aren't easy to run. Keeping your sense of humor during games will be important.

Thanx for the reply!
Yes, i've heard about how effective x-bows are. But my main arguements for a bow are:
1. Need heroes nearby regular guyz to minimise killing each other due to animosity. Can't do it being stationary.
2. Seems that it's easier to earn XP on the frontline finishing the enemy off rather than trying to score 5+ on the damage result.
3. X-Bows are quite expensive and you lack mobility. Maybe i'm locked within 40k ork mindset when i pick boyz before toyz?

Maybe i'm wrong.

You're right about shooting skills for big unz. Do regular boyz loose animosity when they become heroes?

Btw, squigs are odd with their 2d6 move-charge compared with beasts other factions are getting

1. The only way that happens is if the hero is the closest guy. It would be challenging to arrange a formation in which the closest model to every henchman is a hero -- keeping in mind you only have 4 heroes -- and hold that formation on the tabletop, while moving through windy streets, buildings, etc. Not to mention various tactical situations in which you'd probably not want to be in that formation.

Besides, your scenario is only on a roll of "1". Results 2-6 can be just as bad (trust me), and hero proximity will have no effect there. So basically I think you're really spinning your wheels with that. When I played O&G, I just assumed that 1/6th of my henchmen were going to be doing something annoying every turn. You really have to accept that your henchmen will sometimes snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

2. It is. And it's also easier to get taken OOA, pick up injuries, and end up rolling very few dice for wyrdstone searches. A Boss is a solid fighter, but there are better fighters in the game, and you really have to beware the crit from even lowly gribblies. Big 'Uns are okay, but really nothing that special for MH heroes. Toughness 4 on your heroes and boyz henchmen is pretty nice, but extra S is very easy to get in MH. It's a common early upgrade for henchmen, heroes can get it through stat increases and skills, and weapons can grant it also.

Look, I'm not saying to *always* castle or that you should never get your heroes stuck in. The scenario, your opponent, etc. will dictate your tactics. And you'll probably have your moments if you just run everything forward and try to overwhelm them. But I'm a firm believer in protecting your heroes, and that's even more important when you start with only 4. Gold is what keeps your warband running, and having just one or two get taken OOA can really hamstring your wyrdstone rolls.

3. Crossbows are expensive, but effective. Regular bows just suck. If the list had access to longbows, there *might* be an argument for those over crossbows (hunting arrows can help). Remember that it's not just about missile weapons' range, but also about their half range. I think bows are okay in the hands of flex-use boyz henchmen groups, but that's just throw-gak-against-the-wall shooting, and not a viable base of shooting. Once your heroes get a BS boost and Quick Shot -- and those can come fairly quickly in a campaign -- you'll see the rubber hit the road for crossbows.

Squigs...are just more of the randomness in the warband. You'll cheer when you pull off a 11" move to take out that stunned model way back there, and cry when you fail to contact the model 4" in front of it. They're like the whole warband in a nutshell.

Edit: Oh...I didn't answer your question. While it doesn't say that the Animosity rule goes away in the case of a Boyz Hero, note that the Animosity rule says to roll for each henchman. Which he isn't anymore.

Thanks! You've enlightened me!