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.

ok, since i have finally decided to go with Orks ... i am now in the process of gathering up my army ... my LGS is going to be starting an escalation league in the coming months so i will also be using some store credit to build up more to have them on hand when i can use them ...

what i have right now

2 aobr ork sets 2*(20 Ork Boyz, 5 Ork Nobz, an Ork Warboss and 3 Deffkoptas)
1 ork boyz box
1 gretchin box
1 ork nobz box

so i have more then enough to cover the 500 points to start ... and possibly cover one or two escalations (depending on which setup they decide to use)

now i am stuck as to what to use my store credit on ... (i have about 260$ credit and the shop gives a 20% discount)

my overall idea on what i want to try is just a big mob of boyz with maybe gretchin in front as a shield ... but having options would be nice as well ...

should i just get more boyz and gretchin? or some killa kans and deff dreads as well?

Get a Big Mek w/ KFF to support your foot slogging boyz, get at least 1 squad of 10 lootas to help bust those annoying bawkes at range, and more boyz. Always boyz. You can never have too many boyz.

Boyz carry the day, that's true. Shoota boyz to be specific, they put out a disgusting volume of fire at 18'' or less and still get 2 base attacks in CC (3 when charging). The Deffkoptas are really good for getting at annoying enemy units fast - good stuff.

The Warboss is also very nice for making a unit of Nobz count as Troops. My old ork mate used it to good effect last game, nobz with painboy (FNP) and Cybork bodies (5+ inv save). Classic Deathstar that survives almost anything, kills anything in CC and also scores! What more do you want?

hmmm will have to see if they can order the Finecast mini's ... if not can get online ...

ok so more boyz gotcha ... should i bother with the gretchin? or would the points be better elsewhere? ...

hadn't read up on the lootas much will look into them as well ... yeah stuff at range is the main issue i think i will run into ... i know a few people locally play Tau ... and then another ork player or two ...

Gretchin are a cheap scoring unit so for smaller games they're perfect, leaves you more points for specialized orks that kill stuff.

If you can get ork warbikes used or otherwise cheap they're also a very good choice. Tough, fast and nasty.

Another good use for Gretchin - a speed bump. Run them exactly 2" apart in front of your Boyz. Boyz get 5+ cover, and anything that wants to assault your boyz has to go through the grots. Finally, no matter what the VPs say, when your Grots take down a Carnifex, you win.

 Happyjew wrote:
... Finally, no matter what the VPs say, when your Grots take down a Carnifex, you win.

things like that are exactly why i picked ork .. no matter what the points say ... the craziness in the game makes it worth it.

ok, so stock up on more boyz ... pick up a few more gretchin ... another HQ to have as an option ...

would bikes be that much different then the kopters? ...

- - - - - -

Orks have access to my favorite deathstar, (that scores!), that is a warboss and nobs with a painboy, on bikes. Nobs are kitted out to taste, all have cybork bodies. Gives you a handful of multi-wound models that need str10 to deny FNP, that have 4+/5++ plus mobile 4+ cover. God awful expensive points wise however.

As for what you need, Lootas are a must. being able to pop transports is critical. I personally like Killa Kans, as anything with bs3 is awesome. Those with KMB for killing terminators, or grotzookas for lots of hits.

Spetulhu wrote:If you can get ork warbikes used or otherwise cheap they're also a very good choice. Tough, fast and nasty.

They are neither very good, nor a unit that I would suggest to someone just starting out his army. If you want bikes, build nob bikers, using the two torsos from the bike box and a third one from a boyz box.

Happyjew wrote:Another good use for Gretchin - a speed bump. Run them exactly 2" apart in front of your Boyz. Boyz get 5+ cover, and anything that wants to assault your boyz has to go through the grots. Finally, no matter what the VPs say, when your Grots take down a Carnifex, you win.

That doesn't really work anymore. A gretchin screen is all but ignored by focus fire unless you run the in three rows. In addition, they are easily shot out of coherency, forcing them to become a speed bump for yourself, because they have to re-establish coherency instead of moving forward. They still do work a tarpits though.

storm boys with zagstruk is pretty awesome. and fun too. great looking models.

battlewagons with deffrolla. never a bad thing to have one or two of these rollin around.

Lootas. Cannot say it enough, Lootas.

They are anti-air, anti-skimmer, anti-small tank, and good fire support.

Also, a dakkajet is a good purchase as well.

ok, so get my boyz established in numbers ... after my order i will have about 100 of them total ... (44 from aobr)

lootas is a possibilty in the near future ... in the mean time ... what about a group of boyz with shootas?

bigger stuff will take a bit longer, so will be a future purchase. once i have the army established.

Lootas and Bikernobz are the bread and butter right now. I rarely, and i mean RARELY, field orks and dont have 2 groups of 8-10 lootas and a 6-7man Bikernob force with a Boss in there, theyre just too strong to ignore.

As for the Grot thing, theyre worthless for anything other than cheap (40pts!) backfield objective campers that can hide behind a damn pebble and firing a quad gun, since theyre BS3. Ive tried being funny with them and go for a toyz list with a mess of grots so i could keep the body count - they did literally nothing except prevent a necron deepstrike flamer (whatever thats called) from hitting anything i gave two shiz about. I rarely go a game without 1-2 groups of these things because you'd be surprised what they can do to help you win for 40-80pts, just reserve them or hide them behind a wall out of sight until turn 4-5 then sprint to an objective.

Shoota boyz are the standard right now. Honestly i bet something in the new ork codex will bring back slugga choppa but ya never know. Its because of overwatch and weight of fire. Slugga range usually means only about half of the boyz can even fire before charging unless you are right in their face, shootas rarely are out of range if you can charge any reasonable distance. That and the sheer mass of overwatch shots make them better than +1 melee attack now, in most situations anyway.

Another very powerful unit is Kannons. 60pts for 3 bareboned kannons that come with 6 crew (total), 36" S8 Ap3 or S4 AP5 Blast at BS3 and T7. Theyre a big enough threat to draw attention as they will do something worthwhile if left alone, and basically require stupid luck or anti-tank weaponry to take out (or charge them, as the T7 thing goes away in combat). If he ignores them, WIN! If he shoots anti-tank at them, WIN! i love them...but dont buy the GW ones theyre a ripoff and its the EASIEST thing to kitbash.

One thing i will warn you though, orks scream to be kitbashed. If you have no kitbashing or sculpting skills, i suggest you learn some. Buggies, bikernobz, warbosses, lootas, kannons, and even Trukks/battlewagons just demand to be altered in some way shape or form.
Ive met a few ork players that couldnt do this, and when they saw my orks they felt ashamed to put theirs on the table lol. Its not as hard as people make it out to be, but it still takes practice. My first total kitbash model looks acceptable, but compared to what i do now (almost a year later) i hate it and never use it anymore lol.

I have been playing Orks since the 90s they are great fun. That being said Boys are your best friends but currently Shoota boys are what you want and in 30 boy mobs. Getting 2 battle wagons with death rollas for your AOBR boys would be good to get them where they need to be fast. Make sure to have a Big Mek with KFF near them at least in the first turn or two to keep the wagons going. Then as been said LOOTAS they have saved me soooomany times. The shear number of shoots they can put out is awsome. I have found Killa kans As a boys body gaurd are helpful but once again keep a KFF close to them. And what I mean as body gaurd charge them at trouble squads that the boys can't handle, such as death company. Just have fun Orks are crazy.

Get the following;

Boyz (mostly Shoota Boyz)
Convert some of the Nobs from the AOBR set to Biker Nobs
Get some more Boyz
Lootas
Buy even more Boyz
Get a Dakka Jet or two for fun
Sprinkle on some Boyz
Add some Boyz
And, as the pièce de résistance, add some Boyz t taste.

actually go talk to any long time ork player they'll say the boyz before toyz motto is kinda dead right now. You still want a bulk of boyz but its so commonly countered now days since the things that counter most MEQ armies also deals with hordes (anti cover blasts/pi plates mainly).

Also it really hurts your back after awhile when youre moving 100+ models 2-3 times every turn lol trust me i hate green tide because of that.