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So my Orks...designed for 4th edition when I last played. They really don't hold up today so I want some advice on how to spruce them up a bit so they stand a chance in 6th.

Right now, my ideas are to include a Big Mek for my HQ. Throwing KFF on him, along with a Cybork Body. Then I'll be putting him with my Nob squad. Complete with Painboy, the Nobz will have a 5+ Cover, 5+ Invulnerable and 5+ FNP save, which will definitely help them stick around a while longer.

I really wanted to include a Weirdboy as my other HQ. I like the randomness of being able to get a different power each turn, a lot of which can be very helpful. I'm gonna upgrade him to a Warphead to help me avoid any nasty 1s.

I'll only be including 1 squad of Lootas. They're an awesome unit but I feel the Orks have a lot more to offer in terms of variety, and I'm trying to avoid the cookie cutter builds that see me take 3 full Loota squads and nothing else for Elites.

Troops, I've got a squad of 20 Slugga Boyz, with 2 Big Shootas. I also have 2 30 man Shoota Boy squads, with 3 Big Shootas in each. The more shots I pump out, the more stuff is gonna die.

I find Fast Attack a goldmine for the Orks. I plan on taking 1 Dakka Jet with the extra Supa Shoota and Fighta Ace. Hopefully it'll be able to combat any other fliers and mow down some infantry . I also wanted to take a bunch of Warbikers. They have a very nice Toughness 5, they're fast, can potentially be a scoring and denial unit, have a 4+ cover save and a 4+ regular save. Plus, they come with Dakka Guns, meaning I'll have the ability to pump out even more shots per turn. With this same shooty idea I also decided to take a squad of 3 Deffkoptas. TL Big Shootas are great, since the Orks need the reroll to make sure they hit, and Toughness 5 with 2 wounds each is quite handy.

Heavy Support wise, I'm taking 2 Battlewagons with Deff Rollas, Grot Riggers, 2 Big Shootas and 1 with a Kannon. I plan to stick the Nobz in one and the 20 Slugga Boyz in the other to help me move them around faster to objectives. Plus they can be used as tie up for squads while my heavier ranged pieces take care of other threats.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Praises?

Don't forget some of the Forge World rules. Many in the newer books have units that are stamped as Ok for 40k (and at least according to my FLGS don't require your opponents permission, although getting it is always a nice gesture). There is nothing more orky then grot bomb launchas. They are also (despite being one shot each) insanely useful. I'm also in the process of building a Big Mek Junka. An AV 11 transport with a Kustom Force Field and room for a burna boyz squad? Yes please! The best part about FW rules...they don't require the FW models. Any halfway-decent modeler can easily scratch build an Ork vehicle


Also, just IMO, Weirdboyz aren't worth it. I've never had one make its point back. A Warboss thrown in the front lines is always good though, as hes sure to wreck someone's day.

I don't think the Mek is worth it in the Nobs. You can't take a cover save and an invulnerable save at the same time. And Invulnerable saves RARELY get negated (by 1 or 2 things in the whole game...) Besides, Invulns also work in combat, which cover does not. If you want a Big Mek with KFF, I'd put him in the middle of several large boyz squads. As long as he touches 1 member of each squad, they all get 5++.

As for everything else, sounds good. Very few options in the Ork codex are flat out worthless, just some better than others in most situations. Fiddle with how you like to run your Orks (horde of footsloggers, speak freaks, shooty, what have you) then that'll help guide you to the right units.

Good call on the Big Mek. I'll put him in between the two Shoota Boy Squads to give them a cover save, which will hopefully keep them alive a while longer. Is it worth putting him with the Lootas? I'm thinking no, since the Boyz will be seeing more up close action and there's more of them to protect.

A weirdboy is amazingly useful in the right hands. Getting those free waaghs, bonus attacks and that auto-hitting 36 inch melta are more than worth it, plus that fancy MEQ killer blast.

Instead of adding your KFF mek, just add cybork bodies to the nobs, does the same thing only better and in melee.

I would suggest two dakkajets and then the warbiker unit. Your one plane isn't going to last long.

Take a warboss in mega armor as your other HQ, he helps the nobs more and allows the nobs to be troops.

If your going to take a warphead, I suggest just slapping him with 30 boys plus nob and PK.

Furthermore I would recommend a shokk attack gun big mek instead of the KFF one, just camp in the corner and blast away. Attach 30 boys plus PK nob and enjoy.

I'm not sure about adding Nobz with PK to each squad. I mean, it might be a decent idea, but I don't plan on having my Orks in close combat often (Nob squad is the exception) since they're Initiative is so low. Every time I've thrown squads of Slugga Boyz at the enemy in the past they just get trounced and it ends up being a points drain. Seems like a smarter idea to just save the points on the PK and Nob and leave the regular Boyz in there.

juraigamer wrote:
Take a warboss in mega armor as your other HQ, he helps the nobs more and allows the nobs to be troops.

Honestly, i always find my Nobs are killy enough without the warboss. Usually they destroy my enemies fairly quickly, so i view using the Warboss in the same squad as a bit overkill. I prefer to usually throw him in with the 30 man slugga boyz.

....I've also heard tale of some people running a mega armored boss with their lootas, thereby giving the lootas Slow and Purposeful...again this just seems wasteful to me, especially since lootas can now snap fire, and BS 2 isn't that much better the BS 1 lol.

Here is your 900ptish core.

E-Lootas x 15
E-Lootas x 15
E-Lootas x 15

H-Cannon x 3 + extra grots
H-Cannon x 3 + extra grots
H-Cannon x 3 + extra grots

fill in the rest w/ boys and a warboss.

45-135 Str7 AP4 will kill anyhting except AV14, that's were the 9 x Str8 AP3 @ BS 3 come in = glance those LRs to wrecks.

Kind of WAACAHish type of core, but its IG ORCS.

juraigamer wrote:A weirdboy is amazingly useful in the right hands. Getting those free waaghs, bonus attacks and that auto-hitting 36 inch melta are more than worth it, plus that fancy MEQ killer blast.

Being in the "Right hands" actually has no bearing on the weirdboy whatsoever. A free waagh! on turn one, bonus attack when you aren't in charge range at all, and a 36 inch melta during nightfight, failing your psy-test after your mob shrank down, and boom, it didn't do anything at all for an entire game - even though you didn't get any of the two bad rolls and you played a flawless game. After a couple of games with double-warpheads now, I'm pretty convinced that they are a very fun, but completely inefficient choice. Even if you consider the extra-shots from three dakka-jets not a single one has made its 85 points back.

Jidmah wrote:

juraigamer wrote:A weirdboy is amazingly useful in the right hands. Getting those free waaghs, bonus attacks and that auto-hitting 36 inch melta are more than worth it, plus that fancy MEQ killer blast.

Being in the "Right hands" actually has no bearing on the weirdboy whatsoever. A free waagh! on turn one, bonus attack when you aren't in charge range at all, and a 36 inch melta during nightfight, failing your psy-test after your mob shrank down, and boom, it didn't do anything at all for an entire game - even though you didn't get any of the two bad rolls and you played a flawless game. After a couple of games with double-warpheads now, I'm pretty convinced that they are a very fun, but completely inefficient choice. Even if you consider the extra-shots from three dakka-jets not a single one has made its 85 points back.

I'll echo Jidmah. I tried a 2 Warphead list several times. The Warpheads just never earn their points, even when you roll "well".

They are very fun though. Most of the time my opponents were actually cheering for something "good" to happen. There were collective sighs of disappointment on both sides of the table whenever I rolled that unnecessary "Waaagh!".

I'll still give the Warphead a try, it looks like its a lot of fun.

Any other suggestions people have?

You deffinately want that pk nob in each squad, and you deffinately want you orks in cc. They are great shooters with all the shootas, but it's still bs 2, and mostly for softening things up before a charge, or to get something you'd rather not touch. The nob with pk gives you anti-vehicle capabilites, and when fighting marines, he often gets you near as many kills as all of your boyz did.

Slogging boyz and sending battlewagons isn't too great for synergy. Your force will be showing up in pieces. The enemy will get to concentrate all he has on the wagons, with them coming up first. With just two without kff support, they'll go down quickly. He won't have to worry about the slogging boyz until afterwards, because they're taking so long to get there, so he can ignore them until the wagons and fast things are down, and safely kill them afterwards. Because you're taking so many fast things already (Dakkajets, bikers, wagons) i'd just load all your boyz in wagons. Something along the lines of a couple wagons with boyz, a wagon with nobz, a pair of dakkajets, a big mob of bikers, a unit of lootas, and a weirdboy. Then fill the rest to taste. Probably want a kff aswell, so that your wagons last longer.

I want my Orks in close combat? Every time I've ever had my Orks in close combat they get annihilated. There are a ton of better close combat units out there, and while the Orks get a lot of attacks, their low Initiative means that they're gonna be hitting last most of the time. And with the new challenge rules, my Nobz have always been challenged in combat, and either both squad leaders kill each other or if I sit out, my Nob doesn't get to fight. He ends up being more of a waste of points.

The game is very range heavy now, so my guys have to adapt to that. Getting into close combat is hard these days. You can't assault out of BWs or Trukks, and they limit your size of squad. So you'll get out of the transport and have to sit for a turn while the enemy lights you up. If you footslog you'll be dead before you get to your opposition from the sheer amount of fire power. So the Orks are almost guaranteed losses before they even get into close combat, and when they're finally there, they're very slow. I can't tell you how many squads I've had that have been massacred and finally overrun with almost no losses to my opponent. The Shootas have done better in just about every game, even almost killing a Demon Prince once. I find that the Orks really have it tough up close in 6th and fighting at range seems to be their best bet.

Nobz I'm fine with being up close, because they sport a higher Initiative (3 I believe). Plus they have multiple wounds, 3 attacks a piece and mine will have FNP and a 5+ Invuln save from their Cybork bodies. They will at least last a while up close. Slugga boyz? In my experience in 6th, they never have. They have it even harder with all the GK players who have that insane power that makes opposing squads in close combat take wounds on a roll of 4+ (can't remember the name). That would just tear me apart.

Where did you read that you can't assault out of battlewagons and trucks? Pretty sure you can still do this.

vikings vs mafia wrote:Where did you read that you can't assault out of battlewagons and trucks? Pretty sure you can still do this.

You can, open-topped vehicles are now assault vehicles.

So ALL vehicles that are open topped allow you to assault directly out of them? I thought they only allowed you to shoot out of them, and that the only vehicles you could now assault out of were Land Raiders since they specifically have the rule that they're assault vehicles.

If you can indeed assault out of open topped vehicles then this definitely changes things.

Now that I think about it...this means my SM Scouts can assault out of my Land Speeder Storm, as well. VERY good to know.

The rule you're looking for is on p. 82: Passengers Charging from Open-Topped Vehicle.

Ah thanks, I see it now. Very nice.

Anyone have suggestions on what I might want to consider adding? Strategy tips?

KOBossy wrote:Good call on the Big Mek. I'll put him in between the two Shoota Boy Squads to give them a cover save, which will hopefully keep them alive a while longer. Is it worth putting him with the Lootas? I'm thinking no, since the Boyz will be seeing more up close action and there's more of them to protect.

Dont put him in between the two, put him in one of the units and keep the other close enough to get the save. If hes all alone, hes going to get shot down right quick, no sense in giving your opponents a free warlord kill.

Yes, you want your orks in cc. It doesn't matter if you go last, just get the charge. That's where orks shine. If you jump out of a wagon with 19 boyz, and shoot 38 shoota shots in for 2 dead marines, then assault into 8 marines, you're taking maybe one death from overwatch, and then anouther two from the marines swinging first. Still got 16 boyz left, and 48 attacks, which gets you 4 dead marines. Captain with power weapon challenges nob with power klaw. He less then a half a wound, a fourth of a wound if you have 'eavy armor. Nob then krumps the captain in return. Finish the marines next round with only one less boy. You ge to consolidate out with 15 boyz and a nob with pk, and assault another unit without getting shot up in between. Traded 24 points for 170. Actually more, because i messed up and gave the marines 10 guys plus Sargent.

And sure, tactical marines are over costed and sub-par, but they'll do the same thing to strike squads, and necrons, and most eldar units besides striking scorpians. I've had Slugga boyz munch Harliquinns on the charge before! The main thing to make sure of is to get that charge, because boyz just suck when they get charged. That's why most boyz lists focus on being fast enough to grab a charge, using battlewagon, trukks, or bikes to get in quick, as well as tricky specialists, like stormboyz, and, once upon a time, kommandos.

The exception to the rule is green tide, which focuses less on getting the other guy and more on sitting around on 3/4s of the board like an obese squig hound that just ate a couple dozen grots in one sitting. The main idea is to just have way too many guys to kill and somether your opponant.

More good advice.

Anyone have any critiques of what I'm thinking of including? For example, "take more of this, less of this" sorta thing?

Facing against two squads of 12 lootas for most games against a regular ork opponent, I can say that they are one of the most annoying and deadly units in the ork army. They are thrown into a battlewagon and left in the deployment zone so they're untouchable by anything but the heaviest weapons, and you have to walk through 90 orks to get there.
They bust open most tanks, and thanks to the glancing rules, that many lootas would strip the hullpoints off armor 13 vehicles too with relative ease, destroy monstorous creatures and give heavy armoured targets a big hassle, plus massed firepower enough to really hurt flyers.

Personally, I always equip my slugga boyz mobz with pk Nobz and rokkits (for a little extra AT power) and shoota boyz mobz with regular Nob and big shootaz. Always give Nobz bosspole and 'eavy armour; it's worth the extra 10 or 15 points to make sure that your Nobz don't die and keep the boyz in line. As far as Warbikers go, ALWAYS give the Nob a PK. When you put that model on the table, your opponent will shed tears. Warboss would be a better HQ than a Mek for the army list you described; give him a PK, cybork body, 'eavy armour, and twin-linked shoota (I'd rather have PK, cybork, and warbike but there isn't a model for a Warboss on a bike yet). I'd take at least one unit of Lootas; their firepower is undeniable regardless of how overrated they are (they are viable anti-flyer units). Deffkoptas are great, especially for the points cost. A big bomm on at least one of them is usually worth the points cost if you can fit it in, but don't make it a priority.


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KOBossy wrote:I want my Orks in close combat? Every time I've ever had my Orks in close combat they get annihilated.

If you don't know that Orks belong in CC, then you have no business playing Orks. If they get slaughtered, it's because you're playing them wrong (or the dice gods don't favour you - we all have bad games once in a while).

MedicalMonstrosity wrote:Personally, I always equip my slugga boyz mobz with pk Nobz and rokkits (for a little extra AT power) and shoota boyz mobz with regular Nob and big shootaz. Always give Nobz bosspole and 'eavy armour; it's worth the extra 10 or 15 points to make sure that your Nobz don't die and keep the boyz in line. As far as Warbikers go, ALWAYS give the Nob a PK. When you put that model on the table, your opponent will shed tears. Warboss would be a better HQ than a Mek for the army list you described; give him a PK, cybork body, 'eavy armour, and twin-linked shoota (I'd rather have PK, cybork, and warbike but there isn't a model for a Warboss on a bike yet). I'd take at least one unit of Lootas; their firepower is undeniable regardless of how overrated they are (they are viable anti-flyer units). Deffkoptas are great, especially for the points cost. A big bomm on at least one of them is usually worth the points cost if you can fit it in, but don't make it a priority.


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KOBossy wrote:I want my Orks in close combat? Every time I've ever had my Orks in close combat they get annihilated.

If you don't know that Orks belong in CC, then you have no business playing Orks. If they get slaughtered, it's because you're playing them wrong (or the dice gods don't favour you - we all have bad games once in a while).

Oh don't get me wrong, I know that Orks are awesome up close. Its just that every time I've ever had them up close, its been a disaster. Its that damn Initiative 2. I'd kill for it to be higher. When they're constantly going last in a fight they're gonna sustain heavy casualties constantly before they get the chance to strike back. And when they get overrun, their low Initiative makes them very easy to catch and be wiped out. I, personally, have never had luck with Orks up close.

And yeah, I do roll like crap (and its not just one game, its pretty much all games).

And now that they're initative 2, even guardsmen go before them which can't be right can it?

That's why you take big mobs to make sure ya have enough ladz left over ta krump da humies anywayz!

Add a Dakkajet to your list and you'll never waste a waargh again?

omgitsduane wrote:And now that they're initative 2, even guardsmen go before them which can't be right can it?

Yeah that blows, a lot. Another reason to pick shoota boyz over sluggas, so you can gun a bunch of dem 'umie down before charging them.

I dont play orks, but I have played against them, and for me the first thing I kill is the Lootas. To me they are the best pound for pound shooty thing in the ork army. So if you need some shooty, get some lootas and Dakka them to death. IMO

KOBossy wrote:

Oh don't get me wrong, I know that Orks are awesome up close. Its just that every time I've ever had them up close, its been a disaster. Its that damn Initiative 2. I'd kill for it to be higher. When they're constantly going last in a fight they're gonna sustain heavy casualties constantly before they get the chance to strike back. And when they get overrun, their low Initiative makes them very easy to catch and be wiped out. I, personally, have never had luck with Orks up close.

And yeah, I do roll like crap (and its not just one game, its pretty much all games).

Make sure you get the charge as soon as possible and try not to stay engaged in combat too long; Orks get slaughtered in extended CC.