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Hey guys, brand spankin' new member here
I've been interested in WH ever since I was a kid, but I never really delved into the deeper tactics of it (or even fully understand the rules), until recently.

I'm still painting my army and working on scenery, but what I have is approaching completion, so I am wondering what my priorities should be at this point.
I am hoping that the wisdom of DakkaDakka can lead me toward the true path of Gork and Mork

The specifics:
Currently I have the starter set Orks, +1 box of boyz
That's a warboss, 35-40 boyz, and 3 deffkoptas.

My primary opponent will be a space wolves, and to a lesser extent eldar and 'nids.
By far I am most concerned with the wolves. I know little about them, except that they are marines with a counter charge. I've read that boyz seem to have a problem getting shot up by marines, then assaulting only to get cut down because of their inferior initiative... and I imagine the counter-charge might make boyz all but useless. Is this true?

So what should my priorities be at this point? In adding to what I have, to beat space wolves (at about 1000-1500 points for the time being)
From skimming some topics I get the sense that a Killa Kan army is the most effective at lower point ranges, and battlewagon at higher ranges.
Should my next purchase be a big mek? The cover save is tempting... is it worth it without a battlewagon? How many kans should I aim for? Any other advice?


WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you're worried about counter-charges, go with Shootaboyz. They can usually give as well as they get with shooting, utilizing quality over quantity.

Alternately, grab or make some Meganobs (much cheaper to make them, and more Orky to boot!) or a good Nob squad- the damage dealers there will generally be initiative 1 Powerklaws anyways (though Big Choppas in the Nobz squad are useful against certain enemies).

Also, I think (correct me if I'm wrong) that counter-charge simply gives the charged unit an extra attack, as though they had charged as well- Boys will still have Furious Charge, and you'll still have the Powerklaw nob- so large enough mobs will still be able to soak up fire and do some damage, hitting pretty much equal to most Marines on their charge turn- slugga boyz may be useful here, since they'll get more attacks.

Thing of them as orks in power armour, that have better wagons and can shoot straight.

They like to plow into close combat in a proper orky way, or shoot you with massed missile fire from maxed out longfangs..

You'll have a hard time beating him in CC one on one, so bring numerical superiority

Buy a KFF big mek. If you're runnign a kan wall you'll need 6-9 of them.

Boyz, Boyz, and more Boyz. The easiest list to get started with in Green Tide. One of the most basic tactics with a Green Tide is 30 mobs of boyz running across the board trying to get into hand-to-hand combat as fast as their little green legs will take them and when I say running I meaning actually running during the shooting phase don't bother to stop and shoot. The next step up from that is the Kan Wall. The most effective Kan Wall has 9 Kan and one or two Big Meks with KFF and that is followed up with the Green Tide. After that you can start filling in your elite and fast attacks to flavor.

Space Wolves are not that scarey to a large mob of Orks. While they are better in the assault phase than other marines you just have to understand the basics of mathhammer. On an average a full 10 man unit of Gray Knights will kill around 6 or 7'ish Ork on the counter-charge just keep than in mind when you are charging.

Footwerk wrote:My primary opponent will be a space wolves, and to a lesser extent eldar and 'nids.
By far I am most concerned with the wolves. I know little about them, except that they are marines with a counter charge. I've read that boyz seem to have a problem getting shot up by marines, then assaulting only to get cut down because of their inferior initiative... and I imagine the counter-charge might make boyz all but useless. Is this true?

So what should my priorities be at this point? In adding to what I have, to beat space wolves (at about 1000-1500 points for the time being)
From skimming some topics I get the sense that a Killa Kan army is the most effective at lower point ranges, and battlewagon at higher ranges.
Should my next purchase be a big mek? The cover save is tempting... is it worth it without a battlewagon? How many kans should I aim for? Any other advice?

The Kanwall army involves 3 units of 3 Kanz and a Big Mek with a KFF to give them all a 4+ cover save. The idea is you stick them in front of your boyz so they can soak up most of the attacks from the enemy for the first round or two. If that's the route you want to go, then you'll need 9 Kanz and a KFF Mek.

The BW list involves lots of vehicles and using KFF as well. Deff Rollas are fun when you crash into enemy units.

You need to pick a specific focus of your army. You listed Kanwall or Wagon spam, both work fairly well. There are also Speed Freaks (getting as many fast vehicles on the table as possible), Green Tide(getting as many boyz on the table as possible), and a few other variations.

It really depends on what your particular playstyle is going to be.

As for tips, I don't have anything specific for Space Wolves, but for Eldar/Tyrannids:

Eldar are extremely specialized in 1 specific task. Figure out what each unit specializes in, and force them into a different situation.

Tyrannids don't like templates, Burna Boyz are a lot of fun against them if you can get them close enough.

And don't forget that a unit with Counter-attack also needs to pass a Leadership test for the bonus attack so they might not get it all the time. (even though Space Wolves still have good Ld value)

If you want survivability then you should try the Kan Wall/KFF approach since a walking cover save is a god send for Orks!

More boys is also a great place to go, you can never go wrong with that.

I'm not sure how Deffkoptas work against Wolves, but against my friend's IG they tear through them. You can use them to Outflank onto the table and slow down units for a bit and give them Buzzsaws and throw them into CC with some Wolves and see if the can slice a few open in the process. Once again, I have no experience against Wolves so if someone says this won't work then listen to them.

Deffrollas... they're nice.

I would just play-go for some foot slogging orks to start and then add which models you like the best but not flashgits and build the list around them.

Space wolves can be very competitive. I would not worry too much about counter charge, it gives a maximum of 2 extra Fist attacks and 8 st4 attacks at normally WS4 so with furious charge and numbers and a klaw you'll be ok. Their best units are,
Wolf scouts act a bit like snikrot, so protect those Lootas hanging the back, this is good practice anyway.
Long fangs are the greatest heavy weapon units in 40k. This will be an issue when slowly buying models, as you will use one battlewagon and it will be blown apart but it is only when you buy the second that you'll find they start to work. This will actually be good for you as I think preds are harder for you to kill.
Thunderwolf cavalry are men on wolves they shouldn't cause such a problem to an ork army.
But as I say space wolves are a good army so it should be tough.

I would go for shoota boyz just to help with 'nids. The advice here is do not play like an ork, they will charge you so you can afford and can not afford not to sit back and shoot.

Only Eldar players understand eldar.

Thanks for all the advice guys,
I bought 3 kans for the time being, they seemed like the most dakka for my dollar

I wanted to pick up a big mek too but it was $30 for something that just looks like a boy with some junk on his back... I think I'll try to convert one, and put the money towards something else.

can't wait to get these guys on the field !

Not to steal this thread but I thought it might be a good place to add since I also play space wolves with my green tide quite a bit.

In simple terms, how do I beat them?

I have 3 units of 30 boys. All with PK Nob and one of the units is shootas the other two slugga.

My characters are usually a Warboss and KFF Mek, I have a unit of 3 Killa Kans and a Deffdread but they are usually tied up killing his units of Terminators.

Now my SW opponent plays units of 10 Marines with these banners that let him reroll 1's for the turn or something, one use only. His tactic is simple, sit there and shoot me untill I get there and then counter-charge and activate the banner and some Mark thing that gives him +D6 attacks.

Often ill make it to his line with rougly 20-25 boyz left in each unit but its never enough to overcome them. The banner rerolls are just too powerful, mainly on his armor save which pretty , much makes them termies for that turn, Ill usually only kill 2-3 depending on how lucky the Nob gets. Ill lose back about 5-10 more and then lose that many again from the fearless casualties from there I dont have enough attacks each turn to win and i slowly grind down to nothing over a turn or two. The only unit that does ok is the one with my Warboss, which usually cleans them up with less than 5 Orks remaining in the unit. Its not just bad luck either this happens game after game. Often my warboss does not even make it to combat as he kills it with an initive test line attack that auto removes him.

How do I go about beating these 10 man units of wolves?

vossyvo wrote:Not to steal this thread but I thought it might be a good place to add since I also play space wolves with my green tide quite a bit.

In simple terms, how do I beat them?

I have 3 units of 30 boys. All with PK Nob and one of the units is shootas the other two slugga.

My characters are usually a Warboss and KFF Mek, I have a unit of 3 Killa Kans and a Deffdread but they are usually tied up killing his units of Terminators.

Now my SW opponent plays units of 10 Marines with these banners that let him reroll 1's for the turn or something, one use only. His tactic is simple, sit there and shoot me untill I get there and then counter-charge and activate the banner and some Mark thing that gives him +D6 attacks.

Often ill make it to his line with rougly 20-25 boyz left in each unit but its never enough to overcome them. The banner rerolls are just too powerful, mainly on his armor save which pretty , much makes them termies for that turn, Ill usually only kill 2-3 depending on how lucky the Nob gets. Ill lose back about 5-10 more and then lose that many again from the fearless casualties from there I dont have enough attacks each turn to win and i slowly grind down to nothing over a turn or two. The only unit that does ok is the one with my Warboss, which usually cleans them up with less than 5 Orks remaining in the unit. Its not just bad luck either this happens game after game. Often my warboss does not even make it to combat as he kills it with an initive test line attack that auto removes him.

How do I go about beating these 10 man units of wolves?

Biker Nobz and Bikerboss. Also, hug cover like a maniac.

For some purchase advice on the Kan Wall as I am doing it at the moment I would do this. Start with 3 boxes of Kanz, maganitze the arm sockets and the Grotzookas, KMB and Rokkits, really no need for the other stuff. When you start take 3 units and have each unit of 3 take all of one kind of KMB, rokkits and grotzookas. Down the road when you get a deffdread or 2 you can magnatize their rokkits and add them on the kanz as they are compatible it just looks a little off when you need to save 15 points for rokkits rather then KMB. Some people with trash the KMB but for 15 points you have a weapon that is better against terminators and negates FnP.

Magnetizing is king, even if it seems bothersome now, you really should to it, or you'll find yourself breaking off your kanz arms for remodeling sooner or later.
I wouldn't bother with the KMB unless you have spare bits lying around. As you are playing vs SW and 'nids most of the time, rokkits would be just as good as KMBs.

You should also note that SW units usually have less ld than most other marines(unless they have a Wolf Guard), and counter-attack requires a leadership test to activate.

oh, magnets.. that's a great idea. I've already begun ripping off my boyz' arms to give them shootas, and most of them are giving out at the shoulder :(

Hargus56 wrote:For some purchase advice on the Kan Wall as I am doing it at the moment I would do this. Start with 3 boxes of Kanz, maganitze the arm sockets and the Grotzookas, KMB and Rokkits, really no need for the other stuff. When you start take 3 units and have each unit of 3 take all of one kind of KMB, rokkits and grotzookas. Down the road when you get a deffdread or 2 you can magnatize their rokkits and add them on the kanz as they are compatible it just looks a little off when you need to save 15 points for rokkits rather then KMB. Some people with trash the KMB but for 15 points you have a weapon that is better against terminators and negates FnP.

Rokkits also negate FNP against T4 targets due to ID.

for prying off glue parts use a small skrewdriver like the ones for glasses or electronics. they work pretty well