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Has anyone taken a large number of skorcha buggies? I'm thinking about getting some. 5 fearless buggies in a single unit outflanking 12" and dropping heavy flame templates sounds pretty good, even if most die the next turn.

Any thoughts?

I love using buggies and tend to use the rokkit variety. The problem I have with them is when I dont roll for the side I need them to come in on. And with a 24" rokkit range on a 12" movement, it can still happen quite a bit.

So I would be even more fearful of using the skorcha variety and them not being able to reach anything. Although I think it could still work pretty well if you did get the side you wanted. Just not enough security for me.

But then again, Orks should embrace the randomness right?

I use to always run the random one skorcha buggy on its own if I had the slot. I always got targeted early but ate the shot instead of a trukk. I do use the rokkit variety often though.

I have a friend who's used this tactic before, when they come in on the side you want they can do a horrific amount of damage, of course they might come in on the complete opposite side than what you need,

if you were going to use the flame template it might be more ideal to start them on the board in small units and just move and flat out turn one. It's good for you if they are over commiting to shooting such cheap models, it's also good for you if one or two actually get to where you need them by turn two.

5 templates are an overkill and quite expensive to boot. It's short ranged, it can't kill anything over 8-9" away from the shooters, It's gona be very hard to place them effectively. I'd not go over 2-3 skorcha buggies. Flamer effectiveness diminishes with numbers. They do have their benefits from time to time. Especially vs opentopped stuff but good luck catching this stuff unless you're facing other orks.
If you want more buggies in one squadron, go with bigshoota or rokkit buggies. Bigshoota buggies get 2 s5 ap5 hits on average. From 36". Can also target flyers and invisible stuff. While rokkit buggies fire...you know, rokkits! They're always good.

Although I must admit if you were to run some MSU styled lists, having single skorcha buggies could be really useful. 210 points for 6x1 Skorcha buggies; add in plenty of other high priority targets and force them to make a choice. Pretty much anything shooting at a 35 point model is going to be a waste.

And if they don't.... well just remind them what lots of templates will do Would be great for chasing other bikes, especially ravenwing. Yeh they still get an armour save, but no re-rollable cover

Solar Shock wrote:
Although I must admit if you were to run some MSU styled lists, having single skorcha buggies could be really useful. 210 points for 6x1 Skorcha buggies; add in plenty of other high priority targets and force them to make a choice. Pretty much anything shooting at a 35 point model is going to be a waste.

And if they don't.... well just remind them what lots of templates will do Would be great for chasing other bikes, especially ravenwing. Yeh they still get an armour save, but no re-rollable cover

I like this idea, unless I roll up a kill points mission...adding 6 buggies to the trukk death quota seems to be an auto-lose situation.

Depending on what you're facing they are crazy destructive for their points, especially outflanking. They are also small enough to hide fairly easily. They do a real number on things like Cultists, Eldar Guardians, Dark Eldar in skimmers, Lootas, Ripper swarms and Scarabs- any of which you're fairly likely to run into at some point. In casual they're extremely nasty. They are also, generally, going to die immediately thereafter. But for the points, they're great. Units of one are ideal if you are going multiple detachment or unbound.

Yeh in a killpoint mission they would suck. But I generally only play maelstrom. Not a huge fan of the Eternal missions, as I dislike missions that penalise you for running an army the way you want to. Atleast with maelstom you can put all your objectives in your board side knowing you have a castle or a list to run that way.

I imagine they certainly would die wouldn't they flamer at point blank. But atleast again, to charge or shoot them it requires dedicating a units focus, as they can't do anything else after. I've always wanted to run single Khymera/beastpacks in a DE list for the purpose of movement blocking and overwatch eating. Buggies could play a similar role in preventing movement while also piling on some wounds.

How do you think buggies would fair in a defensive list? Im thinking like 5xLobbas, 2x5KMK's, using bodies to screen, maybe throwing a second CAD in and bringing some more shooty stuff like lootas.

How do you think buggies would work? maybe rokkit buggies outflanking? allowing the artillery to take some toll on the enemy and then having the buggies come in with rear armour and helping clear out units? So like 3-5 rokkit buggies in 1 squad? maybe adding in a couple skorcha versions as singles? I can use them to clear the units camping in cover that the artillery struggles with?

Haven't used Rokkit buggies in ages, they were decent at rear shots on tanks and such even just as fast vehicles. Add outflank and they should do some damage. But they are probably not actually as tough as Deffkoptas with the same armament so I'd take the latter myself, plus you can give one a Klaw equivalent and charge. Even if you don't outflank, putting low-points investiture heavy flamers wherever you desire, more or less, is very useful. Too bad that old 6+ invul they used to get is no longer a thing, it was hilariously good.

What models will you use? I've wanted to run them, I just won't use metal or party 29 pounds each for buggies

I like the idea of skorcha buggies, but I too would err on the side of not taking too many. I can see a squadron of five buggies getting in each other's way when trying to shoot with the flamer templates and not actually covering as many models as you might think.

FratHammer wrote:
What models will you use? I've wanted to run them, I just won't use metal or party 29 pounds each for buggies

Im currently working on some cheap conversions for buggies. Initially they had meant to be bikes, but size wise they suit buggies as they are little cars. I think once finished the build cost of each would be roughly £3-4, that's including cost of plasticard, GS, the cars, the wheels and some orky bits and pieces. So if you already have the modelling stuff stocked then its even cheaper. However this is assuming that people are willing to put the conversion time in. They don't take long, but its certainly not simply buying stuff off the shelf.

I intend to do a conversion tutorial, as its a process that you can conveyor belt, allowing you to produce a variety of different looking buggies without much effort. I am now just trying to work out whether it is worth magnetising the weapon options, as rokkits are a given, but I don't know whether I am going to want many flamer versions or if BS's are even worth it.

I like the idea of a full squadron. Its too deadly to ignore and with a full squadron, the opponent will fire a disproportionate amount of shots to get rid of them. Even still some might make it to the target. I would start them on the board though and not outflank them.


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I like the idea of a full squadron. Its too deadly to ignore and with a full squadron, the opponent will fire a disproportionate amount of shots to get rid of them. Even still some might make it to the target. I would start them on the board though and not outflank them.

I probably should've pulled out my book before posting but I believe the buggy is the cheapest platform for twin linked rokkit launchas. Twin linked is significant for Orks and this also happens to be on a unit with Outflank special rules. I'd probably not waste that opportunity. Mind I always say to make sure at least one buggy has trakks so it can crash into ruins to take the objective. Perhaps that one should have the Skorcha since it'll be always closest to a ruin, in my thinking, and might need to clear it out with it's ignore cover.

I just picked up 3 wartrakks on fleabay. Since there is no "skorcha" model we're on our own, but they get the Trakked rule they out to look different from the basic buggy.

I'll put a big-ass flamer muzzle on the gun and a giant tank with hoses...for psychological value if nothing else.

 JimOnMars wrote:
I just picked up 3 wartrakks on fleabay. Since there is no "skorcha" model we're on our own, but they get the Trakked rule they out to look different from the basic buggy.

I'll put a big-ass flamer muzzle on the gun and a giant tank with hoses...for psychological value if nothing else.

I converted 3 BS Trakks 10 years ago buy adding a IG flamer nozzle and gluing gas cans to the sides. Done.