A Quick Side Project: Ork Counts as Tau, and Now Some Necrons

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**yeri**

I've decided to branch out of just the ork codex for my samurai orks blog, so I've made some counts as tau that I'm looking for feedback on:

this is my version of a fire warrior with a pulse rifle, or as I call them: Dakka Boyz with long barrel shootas.

this is a basic pathfinder that I call Scouta Boyz with bang-guns and attached git-marka.

this is a pathfinder with a rail rifle. I call them Snipa Boyz.

so what does everyone think? do these work for counts as Tau?

**Freytag93**

I dont think that there is enough to differentiate these guys from regular orks. I like the concept, and I would be fine playing against them if you explained what was what. However I feel like it could get very confusing.
Maybe try to show that these guys are weaker than regular orks and are tau. I've seen a lot of good conversions using grots as FW and making suits driven by the little guys.
If you're dead set on using actual orks, then how about making them look more "tau-ey"? Maybe hats? or back banners? Just trying to spitball ideas and help.

**Brother SRM**

They look like tough Orks with longrifles. They'd make great big shootas, but they don't look like they'd really work as Tau.

**nkelsch**

I see no valid reason these should be 'counts as' Tau.

Grots make much better 'counts as' firewarriors.

**Decio**

Looking good, but still looks a bit too Orky and not enough Tau themes. You could turn them into Ork/Tau robots or file their arms down, GS them, and add weaker faces. It'll take some work, but I think it can be done.

**yeri**

The thing is they are ment to ally with my orks, and they are in segmentum solar, so they don't even know of the tau. Also they are a specialy bred form of ork that can shoot well but can't fight if their life depended on it. They are the "dakka boyz".
As far as making them grots, no, everyone does grots as allies for their orks, I want to do something different.

**barnowl**

They really need something that ties them more in to the Tau codex. Right now just look like either Loota's or Big Shootas. The models themselves look really nice, but I think are to much like standard orks for a "count's as" allies.

the question I guess are you running Orks using the Tau Codex, or use Tau allies to an Ork army?

**yeri**

Tau allies to an Ork army.

**Shadowclaimer**

Ah so you're trying to avoid the ugliness that is the clash of two armies.

Having the replacement weapons firstoff isn't a bad idea.

Pulse Rifle = Longshoota etc.

I like that idea, I think Vehicles are where things get a little more difficult, and Crisis Suits.

**pretre**

I like the idea, but I think you need more to differentiate them. For example, what represents the better armor save?

**Shadowclaimer**

pretre wrote:
I like the idea, but I think you need more to differentiate them. For example, what represents the better armor save?

Also, I'd almost consider making them more marksman-y. Give them some crazy camo, maybe Orky Ghillie Suits with hoods.

**yeri**

Shadowclaimer wrote:Ah so you're trying to avoid the ugliness that is the clash of two armies.

Having the replacement weapons firstoff isn't a bad idea.

Pulse Rifle = Longshoota etc.

I like that idea, I think Vehicles are where things get a little more difficult, and Crisis Suits.

oh i have ideas for the vehicles and battlesuits:

this is my inspiration for the devilfish. and the battle suits will be modified killa kans (with a dome on top for an ork to pilot them like the avatar mechs)

pretre wrote:I like the idea, but I think you need more to differentiate them. For example, what represents the better armor save?

well the ork codex has 'eavy armor that gives a 4+ save, so that's what those square plates are. that armor design is found no where else in may army except on nobz.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Shadowclaimer wrote:
pretre wrote:
I like the idea, but I think you need more to differentiate them. For example, what represents the better armor save?

Also, I'd almost consider making them more marksman-y. Give them some crazy camo, maybe Orky Ghillie Suits with hoods.

actually what about targeting reticules over one of their eyes? or some kind of Sam Fisher style goggles?

**nkelsch**

The problem is Ork bodies are not matching of Tau Statlines which means the orks simply are not WYSIWYG and are misleading to opponents.

Grots make a much more reasonable representation of Firew arriors than an Ork does. Also Grots do not have units where Ork bodies would carry Tau weapons so there is less confusion. Your orks are poor 'counts as' because those models would be BIG SHOOTA orks or LOOTAS far before being shoehorned into TAU Firewarriors. Grots with Tau weapons and armor would be much more representative of the statline, Balistic skill, LD and toughness.

**yeri**

actually I think my group would complain more if I used grots as tau. they're kind of short, and that could cause a LOS issue. lucky for me it's game night tonight, so I'll bring the counts as tau and see what they say.
just one more thing: if I painted the counts as tau orks as albinos would that be enough to differentiate them? I could call them "Da Ghosts".

EDIT: just had an idea for some IG counts as: a MoO with a pressure suit called "Squig Eye 6" (cookie for reference)

**Decio**

lol, for their weaknesses, you could make them albino Orks with hemophilia.

**yeri**

well they are basically all descended from a single ancestor: Da Dakka Kid, an ork with a mutation that somehow gave him better eyes, but reduced muscle density. they may look buff, but they are actually kind of flabby. also their genes have been modified each generation, so some additional mutations like albinism and hemophilia could have occurred some where along the line.

also, I just got back from my FLGS, they loved them

if they don't get confused by them that's all that matters for me.

**Muzwa**

Just not enough Tau-ness in them for me. Good looking models, but IMHO I just see Ork. Maybe giving them a big shoulder pad like the Tau Fire Warriors have on their left arm, and putting more Tau symbols on them would help. Right now, I would need to say they currently don't work as 'counts as Tau' for me

**yeri**

alright I'm expanding my allies project after my gaming group loved my counts as Tau so much, so here's my version of a counts as necron gauss immortal:

so what do you think?

**Shadowclaimer**

Muzwa wrote:
Just not enough Tau-ness in them for me. Good looking models, but IMHO I just see Ork. Maybe giving them a big shoulder pad like the Tau Fire Warriors have on their left arm, and putting more Tau symbols on them would help. Right now, I would need to say they currently don't work as 'counts as Tau' for me

Counts-as doesn't mean looks like. They aren't Tau, they're Orks that follow the Tau rulebook to prevent Ork/Tau allies from looking silly on the board.