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If im going for a horde army what do I want?

Probably some of both, but more Shoota boyz than Slugga boyz.

Why more shoota than slugga?

Shootas are more versatile. They can defend/hold objectives better than Sluggas, they still have a Nob with a Power Klaw, and they can both thin out enemies that you you might be "iffy" against pre-assault (Khorne Berzerkers, Seer Council) and lend weight of fire to other squads to obliterate a single target from 18" away.

They lose very, very little in close combat effectiveness. 20 Shootas will throw 60 dice on the charge versus choppas throwing 80. Against targets that you're probably going to kill like IG/Fire Warriors/Guardians, the extra dice are just stupid overkill. Against targets you're not going to kill like Plague Marines, the extra attack per model isn't going to tip the balance a whole lot.

The only time I wouldn't take Shootas is when you're loading Boyz into a Trukk. A PK Nob plus 11 Boyz often finds itself having to run instead of shooting, and the impact of their low initiative and the 3-4 casualties you'll take before you swing has to be mitigated by an extra attack per model.

Shoota Boyz have a bigger area of influence. With Sluggas the maximum threat area is 18" i.e. if they move, run and assault and you are more than 18" away you are totally safe.

Shoota boys have a 24" area of influence. If they move they can then shoot out to 18" and hurt you.

With Trukks the area of influence changes and now you have 12" move, 2" deployment, and 6" assault for a 20" area of influence. Better than before and getting into Assault gives you the benefit of not worrying about shooting for a turn at least (assuming you live that long).

Overall, it depends on your play style and overall army composition. I favor shooting anyway being a DeathSkullz type so have lots of dakka and Shoota Boys fit in better for me. A KOS player will prolly favor Sluggas and lots of Trukks.

Having a unit or two of slugga boyz behind your first wave of shoota boyz is not a bad plan. Shoota boyz back that far might not get any shooting in during the game (out of range, and/or the front units are in melee blocking fire lanes).

Before you worry about boyz, i would consider building up a strong core for your army of nobz. I have 15 nobz, all with sluggaz (this makes 4 attacks per nob) and 5 of them with power claws led by a warbass. although i do also have 'ard boyz, my nobz are the core of my army and have yet to lose more than 5 of them in a match. (i'm 8-0 right now)

In fact, for defending an objective, Shoota Boyz are better as they have a larger area of impact and they are still decent in cc.
Slugga Boyz are better in assault. Mount them into Trukkz.

shorzfam wrote:Before you worry about boyz, i would consider building up a strong core for your army of nobz. I have 15 nobz, all with sluggaz (this makes 4 attacks per nob) and 5 of them with power claws led by a warbass. although i do also have 'ard boyz, my nobz are the core of my army and have yet to lose more than 5 of them in a match. (i'm 8-0 right now)

wrong...oh so wrong.

You only worry about Nobs first IF (and only IF) you are spamming Warbosses to make them troops and are either running them as biker Nobs or BW troops nobs.

Always remember the Ork mantra...Boys before toys!!!!

Boys are the heart and soul of your army. Personally, I prefer shootas in just about every way to sluggas. However, I have about 30 AoBR boys that are currently still in slugga form, simply beacuse I haven't got the shoota bits for them yet. Sure, they assault well enough, but by shotta boys usualyl out perfrom them every game. Mathhammer wise you will find that 20 shoota boys outperfrom a to man tac Marine squad at every distance except within 12", and even then it is pretty much a draw...if you bump them up to 30 they are significantly better shooting, and there is no contest in CC.

um, shootas? better than sluggas and choppas, not really, as orks fire in the genral direction of the enemy and probably aim with thier eyes closed, you may want some, just to reduce the enemy number, but at the end of the day, as long as you have truckks and battlewagonz, you should just put loads of slugga and choppa boyz in them, charge as muuch as you can across the battle field, unload them and unleash hell on the opposition!!!

I would always go with Shoota Boyz over Sluggaz for foot sloggers. One round of shooting can vaporize a full squad of Marines.

G

Green Blow Fly wrote:I would always go with Shoota Boyz over Sluggaz for foot sloggers. One round of shooting can vaporize a full squad of Marines.

G

Well, not exactly. It has the Potental

30 Shootas = 60 Shots
BS2 means 1/3 will hit = 20 Hits
S4 vs T4 Means 1/2 will wound = 10 Woulds
3+ Save means only 1/3 will fail = 3.3 Unsaved Wounds.

But still, the abilty to, ON AVERAGE, take out 33% of a Unit of Marines from 18" is just awesome.

Although, I am partial to Battlewagon Boyz, 13" Move, 2" Deploy, Call Da Waaaaagh! for D6" then assault 6". Huge Area of Effect and throw In a Deff Rolla to Mitigate Terrain and Tank Shock a Few units on the way there

Shootas on foot, Sluggas on transport.