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Given the ridiculously low cost of the new 40k starter set, I'm giving some serious thought to starting an Ork army. I don't own a single model yet so I'm not dedicated to anything in particular. First I was toying with doing Stelek's Kommando/Storm Boyz list, but I think I'd rather go in a different direction. Most of the armies I've started have ultimately gravitated towards being mostly or fully mechanized, so perhaps I'll cut to the chase and keep the theme going.

Anyways, here's the general idea:

HQ
Warboss ('eavy armor, cybork body, power klaw) - 115
Rides with the Boyz in one of the Battlewagons

Big Mek (Kustom force field, 'eavy armor, cybork body, power klaw) - 125
Rides with the Boyz in one of the Battlewagons

ELITES
12 Tank Bustas (2 tank hammers) - 180
This unit rides in the spare Trukk

TROOPS
12 Ork Boyz (shootas, Nob, power klaw, boss pole) - 162
1 Trukk (armor plates, reinforced ram) - 50

18 Ork Boyz (sluggas, Nob, power klaw, boss pole) - 148
1 Trukk (armor plates, reinforced ram) - 50
The Trukk is purchased for the Tankbustas to use, this unit rides in a Battlewagon

19 Ork Boyz (sluggas, Nob, power klaw, boss pole) - 154
This unit rides in a Battlewagon

19 Ork Boyz (sluggas, Nob, power klaw, boss pole) - 154
This unit rides in a Battlewagon

FAST ATTACK
3 Deffkoptas (1 buzz saw) - 130
3 Deffkoptas (1 buzz saw) - 130

HEAVY SUPPORT
Battlewagon (armor plates, 'ard case, deff rolla) - 135
Battlewagon (armor plates, 'ard case, deff rolla) - 135
Battlewagon (armor plates, 'ard case, deff rolla) - 135


General idea is to keep all 5 transports together for the first turn (or two) as they advance across the board. The Big Mek rides in the most centrally positioned Battlewagon with his KFF providing 4+ saves to all of the other vehicles. This didn't work in 4th edition because embarked units were not considered to be on the board, however I believe the following 5th edition rule now makes this possible:

When the unit embarks, it is
removed from the table and placed aside, making a
note or otherwise marking that the unit is being
transported (we find that placing one of the unit’s
models on top of the transport works well!). If the
players need to measure a range involving the
embarked unit (except for its shooting), this range is
measured to or from the vehicle’s hull.

In any event, even if this interpretation of the rules is incorrect and the KFF cannot function while the Big Mek is embarked, it is perfectly possible to have him disembark alone at the end of each Movement Phase behind the Battlewagon so that he is within 6" of the others. It might be necessary to switch the Warboss for a second Big Mek with KFF in order to make it work reliably. The Ork Boyz units are all below 20 to allow for an HQ selection to accompany them on the transport from the start or to hop on in case their initial wagon gets popped en route.

The Deffkoptas are basically there to get first turn (or second, at the very latest) charges in order to either tie up shooty units or incapacitate dangerous vehicles for a turn.

Originally I didn't have Tankbustas in this list, but I was concerned about how things would go if I come up against any skimmer-heavy lists where using deff rollas and power klaws to take out tanks would not be viable.

This is my first time messing around with an Ork list so if I've made any illegal selections let me know. Any and all feedback is appreciated.

Also worth noting, almost no one around here plays Orks, so my exposure to them is extremely limited. Let me know if my wargear selections are completely slowed or something.

Tankbustas and deffcoptas.. they are ok but there really are more useful things there. Almost any other choice or just more boys are better, burnas works too.

If you by a Trukk for you Standard Units then the unit-size is only allowed to be up to a maximum of 12. At least my codex says so.
If your Warboss uses heavy armour and is attached to a mob then the mob moves with the speed of the slowest model, which is your warboss.
If you choose hard case for the battlewagons, then be aware that is not any longer open topped (which is good for the vehicle damage table) this then does not allow your units to disembark, and assault in the same turn.
I wouldnt give the bikmek a powerclaw, he shouldnt get to cc.
3 Defkoptaz are to fast forced to do moralcheck. 1 hit and the complete unit migth run away. I would rather recommend to go for 5 or none.
For the possibility to turbobuoost in a mission objective i recommend to use at least one buggy.
Your tankbustas will be a high value target. Therefore i recommend to use a boss with bosspole in that unit.

In general, with the new improved vehicle rules this list can do everything and nothing, depending very much on the AT capability and the manoverability of your opponent. However three battletanks will look quiite cool.
However, with this list your are neither fast nor overwhelming, you dont have the initiative and cannot shift your main effort. That is why I guess that this list will not perform verz well, but it is cool.

Tankbustas and deffcoptas.. they are ok but there really are more useful things there. Almost any other choice or just more boys are better, burnas works too

The Deffkoptas are just suicide units meant to stop things like Devastator squads, Lootas, Obliterators, etc from firing for a turn (hopefully). I have been thinking about Burnas because of the Glory Hog rule which makes Tankbustas so difficult to use, however this wouldn't help me deal with skimmers, which is pretty much the only reason I'm taking them to begin with. I'll definitely give it some consideration though, as having more power weapon attacks might be more important.

If you by a Trukk for you Standard Units then the unit-size is only allowed to be up to a maximum of 12. At least my codex says so.

Ah, you are right. This kind of changes things a bit. I assumed it worked the same way as the Chaos codex, which explicitly allows you to take a dedicated transport even if you have more models than can fit inside.

With regards to the other points, I will try combining the koptas into a single unit, removing hard cases, and taking a boss/bosspole with the tankbustas, and perhaps the buggy as well.

Out of curiosity, which kinds of Ork armies typically perform at the highest levels of competition? Are straight-up hordes usually the way to go?

Out of curiosity, which kinds of Ork armies typically perform at the highest levels of competition? Are straight-up hordes usually the way to go?

In general the new codex offers a broad variety of really good options.
In the early phases of 4th ED I used to play green horde and was quite sucessful with it. Green hordes just allow more mistakes when you play.
Nowadays green hordes are still a stright forward army, however I generally prefere a well beallanced list with truckers, buggies and bikers.
I know some guys who are really very successfull with combining kommandoz, truckers and bikers, or a kind of botstorm.
The codex just offers too many well ballanced posssibilities to say this way or that way is the only succesful option, your joices must fit together and support your way of playing.