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Under the new codex it states May take a single big gun (does not include crew). Does this big gun (Zapp gun, lobba, kannon) require passsangers to fire? I can't find any explanation of the "does not include crew" comment in the codex


Also May take up to four of the following: big shoota, rokkit launcher. No blurb about crew so are these vehicle mounted and crew fired? If yes does this mean you can only fire one rockkit if you move up to 6"? Strength 8 therefor a primary weapon?

Yeah, this one had me scratching my head at first. I concluded that it becomes a vehicle mounted weapon and therefor vehicle crew would fire it so the standard crew isn't needed and can't be taken.

About the rokkits, as it stands they're rather pointless. Maybe 5th ed will change things?

No, the big gun does not require passengers to fire. The wording is to prevent people from gaining the benefit of a grot's BS on the vehicle mounted weapon.

Oh is that the deal? lol neat.

I'm curious about the Rokkit Launchas too. Jimbo has a point that they are Str 8 and would basically be considered main weapons which would be prevented from firing more than one if it moves. Anyone know if this is right or not? Seems kind of jacked up or poorly written if its not the intention of the writers.

Whats wrong with it? You can only shoot one S7 or higher weapon if you move. Just because a tank can have multiple weapons of higher strength doesn't change this rule in the least.

However, if the BW just sits still, you can unload all of its payload. So ask yourself, what do you want to do with it?

But what if you have models riding in it can they fire all the rokkits?

I brought this up because under the previous version of the Ork Codex the bolt on big shootas were fired by the mob being transported and could not fire if no one riding the battlewagon. Many people I have talked to assume that the extra big shootas or rokkit launchers were the same and I can find nothing in the codex to support that.
Then they confuse the issue about the big gun - May take single big gun (does not include crew)- is this to differentitate between big gun battery which have grot crewmen? If so not sure why that statement is needed , since no vehicle weapon comes with extra crew unless noted and the vehicle has a BS of 2 regardless of what the same weapon in a big gun battery has for a BS.
On another not is the Zapp gun a primary or secondary weapon since it has a variable strength?

The Battlewagon's weapons have been brought into alignment with the usual vehicle rules rather than retaining a dead-end remnant of the 3rd edition rules. There should be no confusion (except, perhaps, in the heads of those poor silly souls who can't keep their edition rules straight).

Likewise the big gun thing appears to have been intended to discourage rules lawyers from arguing that they get to use the Grot Crew BS rather than the vehicle's BS and gain an unintended advantage.

Whether the Zzap gun is a primary weapon or a secondary weapon is an interesting question though. I figure one should roll for its strength first and if it's a primary weapon then follow up with secondary weapons, and it is a secondary weapon follow it up with a primary weapon and other secondary weapons. After all, there are no situations where a secondary weapon can fire when a primary weapon cannot.

You just roll for the strength of the zzap first, that will tell you if it is a primary or secondary weapon, then choose what to shoot accordingly. Easy.