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Hi there, I just had a few quick, seemingly innocuous questions that I wasn't quite sure of the right answer to.  So I thought I'd ask you all.

1)  Let's say you upgrade one model in a Warbike Mob to a Nob.  Can you get rid of the Twin-Linked Big Shootas to save some points like you can on a normal Warbike?

2)  Very similar to the first question, but it seems poossibily different to me, if I purchase a Warbike for my Warboss, can I get rid of the Twin-Linked Big Shootas there?

3)  According to the Evil Sunz variant army list

Any Troops choice, other than Gretchin mobz, can choose to purchase a Mekboy for +10 pts instead of upgrading a model to a Nob. The Mekboy must be equipped with a kustom force field, and may take any other wargear a Mekboy would normally be allowed to take from the armoury.

Now, Warbikes are "Core Units" according to the Evil Sunz list.  Core Units are defined as

CORE MOBS
The core mobs are the kind of Orks that
most typify the clan. Mobs of this type
may be chosen as Troops, regardless of
which Force Organisation slot they would
normally occupy. In addition, they may
also be taken from the slot they normally
occupy. For example, a Goff clan army
may take Skarboyz as both Troops and
Elites, meaning the army could take up to
nine of these mobs in a Cleanse mission.
They also have any restrictions on
number removed (ie. 0-1, 0-2). Aclan
army must fulfil its compulsory Troops
choices with core mobs.clan may not use it at all.

The way I'm reading this, that means I can't take a Warbike with a "Mekboy" instead of a Nob, because they aren't actually troops and simply "May be chosen as troops," but I wanted to get a definitive answer as to whether it was possible to have a Mek on a Bike.

Thanks for any help you can provide.  I had another question too, but I've forgotten it as I typed this, so I may be back for round two

OK this is nothing official of course but according to army builder the answers are;
1) Yes
2) No, though this does seem a little inconsistent.
3) You can take a Warbike Mekboy.

Now AB also allows you to take a Nob and a Mekboy which I'm pretty sure isn't allowed. So I'm not sure how much you can take from this.

2.that would be the dumbest Idea there is. the Warboss is most deadly when he charges. and I don't see why you should't be allowed to get rid of shootas on his Bike when you're allowed to do so on the Non bikers.
3.but why would you use a Mekboy with a 20points custon-force-field? Bikes already have a 5+ cover save.

I'm still hoping for a little more definitive answer on this, but I just wanted to chime in to say that a reason for a Mekboy on a Bike would be to race around supporting some Buggies with his KFF. I'm not sure this is a good use, I was just curious if it was even possible to do. I'm still not sold that it is, even, because of my reasons in my first post, and we know how inaccurate ArmyBuilder can be.

I think that you can get rid of the Big Shootas on the Nob, because the Ork book says "At the cost of an additional +22 points one of the bikers may be upgraded to a Nob." This comes after the line which lists as an option for the normal bikers, "Some Warbikes are stripped of their Big Shootas and their riders fight as pure assault troops instead. In that case the warbikes cost ** [removed by me] points and the riders are armed with sluggas and additional close-combat weapons." So it seems to me that you could then take the option of the Assault Troops and then upgrade the bike to Nob. Then you could equip the Nob with whatever other equipment or weaponry you wanted to from the Ork Armory.

As for the big shootas on the warboss, it says in the PDF, "All the special rules that apply to warbikes also apply to a Warboss mounted on a warbike (5+ invulnerable save, etc). Note that a Warboss on a warbike will suffer instant death if he is wounded by a hit of Strength 8 or more and fails to save." So, as the option to remove the Big Shootas is not listed in the Special Rules section, so I would say that you most likely can't remove them, but at the same time it seems like you should be able to.

Lastly, I thought of my 4th question. If you equip a Warbike Nob with some Close Combat Weapons, (say Power Klaw and Choppa), but retain the Twin-Linked Big Shootas, is he FORCED to use the Psycho Blastas special rule and shoot his Big Shootas in the first round of Close-Combat rather than use his Klaw and Choppa? I don't know if it is kosher to quote an entire special rule here, so I'm just going to ask the question rather than post my opinion, but let me know and I'll post the rule's text. The way I'm reading it, though, any Warbike with Big Shootas MUST use the Psycho Blastas rule in the first round of CC, with the exception of the Warbike Warboss, who specifically has a rule which states, "Note that characters on warbikes may fight normally from the back of their warbikes, they do not have to use the Psycho Blastas special rule."  As far as I'm aware, a Nob does not count as a Character, though it might, so yeah, I think a Nob with Big Shootas has to use the Psycho Blastas rule.

Thanks again for any help!

No, you do not NEED to fire your psyco blastas on the charge. Read FAQ Armageddon.

The ability to strip your Big Shootas is an Option, not a Special Rule.

"Some Warbikes are stripped of their Big Shootas and their riders fight as pure assault troops instead. In that case the warbikes cost **

After an examination of the text. (I just read Outriders entry)
"Some outriders strip their big shootas, they cost X-10 points, where X is the points cost of a model"

Character, at an additional +22 points a boy may be upgraded to a nob...
So my conclusion is that what ever the points cost maybe, 20 pts or 80000 pts, you still add 22 points when you upgrade to the nob, he just doesnt have the big shootas anymore.
~~~

If you want a mek, grab a Deth Kopta, upgrade to mek for free, give him super stikk bombs, Kustom Field, Bionic Bonce, and a choppa I think. Itll total up to 80 points for a tank busting 12" flying through cover 3+ saving 5+ hull down giving to 5 model. I like it. Fly to the back of a vehicle and blast it.

I agree with Shadow_Strike.  The rules for a Kult of Speed Warboss are pretty clear.  The twin-linked big shootas are not a 'special rule' and therefore can not be stripped off.  Secondly, it's crystal-clear that you would not have to use the Psycho Blastas special close combat attack.

Ok, I hadn't seen that FAQ before, that makes #4 pretty clear: A model doesn't HAVE to take the Psycho Blasta attack.

#1 and #2 seem decided on as well; One can take a Nob with no Big Shootas, but one cannot take a Warboss without the Big Shootas. This was my original reading of the rules here, I just wanted to be sure that I was reading them correctly.

Lastly, #3 seems somewhat clouded still. I understand Shadow_Strike's point of simply grabbing a Deth Kopta with a Mek is clearly feasible for the KoS List and undoubtedly better than the Evil Sunz alternative, but I'm curious for the Evil Sunz list here. Can one take a Mek on a Bike? I'm rather curious.

If you bought a Bike Squad of 3. Instead of upgrading one of them to a nob for X points, you can PURCHASE a mekboy.
So you'd have 4 models now instead of 3. It said the mekboy cost 10 points right?

However, it did not say a boy was upgraded to a Mekboy.
When you "upgrade" the model upgraded retains all it's old weapons. Thats why a warbike outrider nob still gets a bike and why Ork Boyz' Nob still get his Choppa and Slugga free.
So this Mekboy you bought will be on foot, bringing down your move speed for the unit from 12" to 6".

we really need ork bikes and jump packs as normal equipment choices in the new Codex

But a Boss with a jump pack is just oh so wrong!
Id love to give me boss a jump pack.
I can give him a bike but I just cant model that!