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I am discovering as I've been playing lately that it seems underwhelming to run a Warboss within a unit (outside of the ability to call Waaagh!) because of the mixed stat issues. The rulebook says basically that you use majority stats for any unit for most things. So say a warboss in a group of 30 boyz - the only thing he is bringing is a couple of extra wounds to the pool (which I would guess you're not supposed to throw away til the rest of the boyz are all dead) and a couple extra strong attacks....But I'm just having a hard time seeing how it's justified to spend the points on a warboss, especially when:

1. I'm playing against a KDK guy the most of the time so Waaagh! is far less useful and
2. You could throw a painboy inside that mob of 30 boyz and get a way greater benefit.

I can't speak much from personal experience, but I would imagine that this majority stat rule craps on MABosses and Biker Bosses as well. What good is having higher stats when they aren't used? Even if you put your boss with nobz, the unit is still going to use the nob stats for many rolls.

Anything would be useful... whether pointing out how I'm flat out wrong about how I'm interpreting the rules, ways that warbosses are actually really awesome and why, or even confirmation on what I'm saying.

This is my first post btw so be kind, I'm an Orky yet very delicate flower.

The warbozz brings, a rerollable 2+ save and a decent LD.

In addition to tank-ability and leadership, as 'Zoggy says, Warbosses have access to Da Lucky Stikk (to make the entire unit of 30 Boyz WS5), or if going for the Ghazzy suppliment, the Big Bosspole (for Fearless), and are S5 base, meaning power klaw attacks from them are S10 all the time - very relevant against heavy armour (i.e. Land Raiders or Dreadnoughts), instead of relying on S9/8 Nob Klaws. You also use his individual toughness / weapon skill in challenges, which seems very relevant against KDK.

Sure, you can pull off access to Gifts o' Gork & Mork using a Big Mek, but a Warboss is a bit more survivable.

Not to say that you have to take one though. If you don't think he's worth it, load up your HQ slots with Painboys.

Yeah you're definitely looking at it wrong. You really only use majority stat lines for a few areas. When an enemy attacks your unit they hit using your majority WS. Then to wound they use your majority toughness. When your Warboss attacks he gets to use his S value against the enemy majority toughness value.

Now if you accept a challenge. The challenger attacks the Warboss' WS and toughness and vice versa.

For the most part you don't use majority stat line. If your MA Warboss is out in front during shooting you do not have to use majority armor save. You get his 2+ until you die or pass lookout sirs, in which case you use the armor save of the next closest model.

Warbossess are easily the strongest ork HQ (which isn't saying much, admittedly).

That being said, they can dish out more str 10 ap2 attacks than most monstrous creatures.

I personally wouldn't worry too much about the warboss buffing boyz - that's not his job. On the contrary, it's the boyz job to buff the warboss, essentially by giving him an extra 30 wounds. Besides, adding a warboss to a group of boyz and making them all T5 would be honestly a little OP. Imagine doing that with, say grots. T5 grots for free!

Also, lets be honest. Boyz are trash. When they get into CC, the warboss + nob with PKs do like twice the damage of the boyz combined against anything that's even half-assed in CC.

Honestly, I try to bring 2 warbossi when I can. They really are that good. Bringing a warboss + painboy is also a solid combo.

Against KDK......I can see them not shining as much, except they bring +2 LD, which doesn't sound like much, admittedly, but when you're taking fear tests against their the ENTIRE ENEMY ARMY 100% of the time, that +2 LD can make a world of difference. Their biggest problem is they can be singled out via challenges, and there's a lot of things in the KDK book that will murder them far before the I1 step.

The solution to this is to bring as many cheap characters as possible to 'eat' challenges, and let your warboss swing away.

Because if they issue a challenge - YOU choose who answers. So, if their bloodthirster roars a challenge - you got this 15 point mek character! Then the warboss gets to lay into him with this str 10 claw.

Anyways. They may be expensive for an ork HQ, but they are an absolute bargain for what they accomplish, especially since most other army's HQs are twice that. They bring a whole lot of str 10 attacks which should never be underestimated. They help you with fear tests, which is critical v. KDK, and they can bring helpful relics as mentioned (big bosspole, DLS). They even have a decent I stat, which can be helpful at times (sweeping advances, blind checks, and the like).