Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I've decided my burgeoning AdMech army needs an antagonist. I have the old AOBR kit and about 30 more boys in various states of assembly. I think it'd be fun to style the Orks as a mockery of AdMech and Knights. So I'm going to build a bunch of walkers with as much flash and dakka as I can. I'll probably get a squad of Killa Kans and a Deff Dread, and scratch build the Gorkanaut with the spare bits and plasticard. I do have the 3 AOBR Deff Koptas as well. This is what I came up with:

Bad Moons Battalion [+5CP], Dread Waaagh! [-1 CP]
Big Mek with Shokk Attack Gun, 80 [Warlod; Relic: Da Souped-up Shokka]
Warboss, Kustom shoota, Powerklaw, Attack Squig, 80
20 Orks, Shootas, 2 Big Shootas, 2 Bombs, Nob, 150
20 Orks, Shootas, 2 Big Shootas, 2 Bombs, Nob, 150
10 Grots, 30
3 Killa Kans, Gotzookas, 120
1 Deff Dread, 2 Big Shootas, 2 Saws, 75
Gorkanaut, 311 [Kustom Job: Slug Gubbin -1 CP]
Total: 996 points, 6 CP remaining

To the goal have lots of giant robots and roll lots of dice, I'm interested in optimizing within that framework. I have no idea how to build a good Deff Dread, and I don't know which melee weapons are best for the Kans. I'm not sure how to equip Boyz and their Nob bosses anymore either.

 DarkHound wrote:
I've decided my burgeoning AdMech army needs an antagonist. I have the old AOBR kit and about 30 more boys in various states of assembly. I think it'd be fun to style the Orks as a mockery of AdMech and Knights. So I'm going to build a bunch of walkers with as much flash and dakka as I can. I'll probably get a squad of Killa Kans and a Deff Dread, and scratch build the Gorkanaut with the spare bits and plasticard. I do have the 3 AOBR Deff Koptas as well. This is what I came up with:

Bad Moons Battalion [+5CP], Dread Waaagh! [-1 CP]
Big Mek with Shokk Attack Gun, 80 [Warlod; Relic: Da Souped-up Shokka]
Warboss, Kustom shoota, Powerklaw, Attack Squig, 80
20 Orks, Shootas, 2 Big Shootas, 2 Bombs, Nob, 150
20 Orks, Shootas, 2 Big Shootas, 2 Bombs, Nob, 150
10 Grots, 30
3 Killa Kans, Gotzookas, 120
1 Deff Dread, 2 Big Shootas, 2 Saws, 75
Gorkanaut, 311 [Kustom Job: Slug Gubbin -1 CP]
Total: 996 points, 6 CP remaining

To the goal have lots of giant robots and roll lots of dice, I'm interested in optimizing within that framework. I have no idea how to build a good Deff Dread, and I don't know which melee weapons are best for the Kans. I'm not sure how to equip Boyz and their Nob bosses anymore either.

Staying with badmoons -

Killa Kans - melee depends on what you're fighting but the klaw is str8 -3ap and 3dmg vs Buzzsaw str7 -2ap 2dmg and +1 attack. Personally I lean more towards the buzzsaw for the extra attack but I think either is viable.
Additionally I'd suggest swapping off the grotzookas to big shootas and instead loadout the deff dread with 2x Kustom mega blastas and 2 klaws/or saws to save on points, it makes use of the re-roll 1s and the big shootas aren't much worse than zookas to be honest.

Doing that puts you at 999 points, so reconfiguring your troops is probably in order - at this points level you might be able to get away with 1 30 man unit of shoota boyz and 2 sets of grotz.


Doing so (along with the changes to kanz/dread ends you up with 949 pts. so 51 pts left over for your boyz nob, additional grotz, oiler for the mek, and skorchas or rokkits for the kanz.

Shoota boyz in badmoons definitely roll tons of dice and in a 30mob have enough melee attacks to do what they need to do vs 2x 20mobs that are more susceptible to morale and lose out on extra melee attacks after just one casualty. Instead of 1x30boyz and 2x10 grotz you could instead go for 1x30 shootaboyz and 1x10 boyz and 1x10grotz which could be more shootaz or sluggaz for extra melee threat - either one being a good target to mob the 30man with. Doing that gives you just 11 points for nob loadout so basically bigchoppaz/choppa.

If you went for 3x10 grotz instead you could pack another 2 deff dreadz and 2x more kanz if you wanted to double down on the walker heavy list.

Example walker heavy list

Thanks for the feedback. I've also done some reading and looked at other lists, so I've got a whole bunch of changes.

The most certain change is dropping the Killa Kans. I played a lot in 5th edition where their old AV11/11/10 profile made them totally immune to small arms. They could just grind infantry down with impunity in close combat. None of that is true anymore, and they suffer from morale removing entire models, so they seem really crap. I'd rather just take another Deff Dread.

On that note, I really appreciate your suggestion about the Megablastas. I overlooked them due to having 1 shot, but between the kulture and Dakka, Deff Dreads actually have about 46% accuracy. With Big Shootas, I expect to get one, possibly two, wounds against infantry per turn, which is just too low impact. Especially since orks never lack for anti-infantry. The Megablasters provide vital anti-tank coverage, with the potential to fish for big damage with a command re-roll.

Likewise, the Deff Dread is going to have ~4 attacks which is really limiting against infantry. So it's going to be best when attacking hard targets, then the S10 and S9 are the same 3+ to wound. So is 5 points worth -1 AP and +1D? Yeah, probably, but is 15 points worth +1 attack? Ehh. Therefore, I'm actually leaning toward 3 Kustom Mega-blastas and one Klaw for 87 points.

Similarly, I'm being drawn to the Morkanaut, especially with the Sparkly Bits Kustom Job. That thing just vaporizes vehicles (each shot generates hit 73% of the time), and doesn't really get worse as it takes damage. And of course, KFF coverage is huge.

Lastly then, there's the troops. I agree, a block of 30 is just better for Unstoppable Green Tide, and Grot Shields and/or Mob Up helps preserve Green Tide +1 attack. I think a spare squad of 10 Boyz is fine. It gives flexibility for Mob Up, doesn't suffer morale near the 30, and has the option to break off and take objectives better than Grots.

Now my prospective list looks like this:

Bad Moons Battalion [+5CP], Dread Waaagh! [-1 CP]
Big Mek with Shokk Attack Gun, Oiler Grot, 84 [Warlod; Relic: Da Souped-up Shokka]
Warboss, Kustom shoota, Powerklaw, Attack Squig, 80
30 Orks, Shootas, 3 Big Shootas, 3 Bombs, Nob, 225
13 Orks, Shootas, 1 Big Shootas, 1 Bombs, Nob, 96
10 Grots, 30
Deff Dread, 3 Megablastas, 1 Klaw, 87
Deff Dread, 3 Megablastas, 1 Klaw, 87
Morkanaut, KFF, 310 [Kustom Job: Sparkly Bitz -1 CP]
Total: 999 points, 6 CP remaining

This is great info guys! do you have any tips on running this list without having to bring a Morkanaut?

Also, when I try to put this list together in Battlescribe, it tells me I can't do more than 6 models in the Heavy Support arrangement.

What am I doing wrong?

I haven't had a chance to play the list, so take my advice with a grain of salt. Without the Morkanaut, you need more anti-tank coverage and a KFF. It's a pretty straight swap to 3 Blasta Deff Dreads and a KFF Mek (only 6 points more than the Morkanaut). You can even keep them in a single unit and apply Sparkly Bitz to the 3. Honestly, the choice between them is pretty close. They've got the same number of (average) shots and attacks. The Deff Dreads have 6 more wounds but lose guns as Dreads die, but the Morkanaut has 1 more toughness and doesn't lose fire power.

I've also been thinking more about melee Deff Dreads, and I think there's a tipping point where they become viable with investment. A split configuration Dread is bad at both jobs. so go all-in on melee. I think melee Dreads need to have the Tin 'Ead subkulture, and ditch all their guns. While I don't think +1 attacks is worth 15 points, it might be worth 10. I think the best loadout might be 1 Klaw and 3 Saws for 90 points; you choose the Klaw as your melee weapon and split 3 attacks Klaw and 3 Saw. On top of that, you can give a unit of 3 the Orkymatic Pistons kustom job to make them dead fast.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
I've been thinking of ways to expand the army to 1500 points, as well as use more models I already own. I've come up with this progression.
50010001500I think the 1500 army is 3 distinct elements. There's the pack of 30 grots, 30 boyz and the Warboss covering the mid field, the Dread Mob and 3 Meks following behind it, and the SAGs with Grots and Runtherd in the backfield. I'm not totally convinced by Grot Oilers, so I shaved them for a Runtherd instead. At 1500 it kinda looks like a lot of the army isn't doing anything, but I've got enough CPs to double shoot with the Morkanaut and Super-SAG for most of the game, with some to spare for Grot Shields and maybe an Unstoppable Green Tide.