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Just thought i'd pick everyone's brain on behalf of my wife. She is starting her serious push into playing 40k with Orks. To date she has purchased and is painting about 100 Boyz, and 6 Deff-koptas, mostly because she liked painting the later, and we know the former are an essential cornerstone to every Ork list.
Where would you suggest we go from there? We are going to slowly make purchases across the next few months, which I know puts us around the rumored Ork codex, and thus some uncertainty, but based on the existing codex, what are some likely smart purchases?
Incidentally a lot of her stuff does come from AoBR boxes, so we likewise have a couple war-bosses, and about ten Nobs.
Fast Attack
Deffkoptas do alright
Dakkajets do pretty well
Heavy Support
This is where you will see some discrepency
I like Big gunz (whatever flavor you prefer, Zzap guns are relatively unreliable)
I also like Battlewagons
Otherwise, feel free to search the WH40K tactics forums for orks or the Army lists section to see what is commonly run in competitive lists.
If you are going for a casual or fun list you really can't go wrong with anything from the codex. SAG Meks are a lot of fun IMO.
Units that have performed well for me: Deffkoptas, Lobbas, KFF Mek, Warboss, Painboy.
Units that have not performed well for me: Lootas (not reliable enough for my taste).
I haven't had a chance to run any Mega armoured Nobz yet, but I hear they can pack a real punch.
Lootas auto include, Deftcoptas Auto Include ( Personal Preference), I really love killa kans but Battlewagons are far far superior in the HS Slot. It really depends on what type of army she likes. theres "Competetive" builds for most ork builds. It looks like shes doing a green tide, So killa kans could fit in wih them. Looted wagons are also fun.
My thoughts in terms of "what's next" would echo what others have already said. So with that, I'll just focus on my opinion of the best units per FOC slot.
HQ Tie - Big Mek or Warboss
Units: Boyz (no question)
Elites: Lootas
(Nob Bikers, MegaNobz, and TankBustas are all contenders for second)
Fast Attack: 3 way tie of Rokkit Buggies, Deffkoptas, and Dakkajet
Heavy Support: Battlewagons (as transports)
Lobba Batteries otherwise.
Troops
Shoota Boyz w/ Nob(PK, BP) - A
Shoota Boyz - B+
Shoota Boyz w/ Nob & Trukk - B+
Gretchin - B
Slugga Boyz w/ Nob & Trukk - B
Shoota Boyz w/ Trukk - B-
Slugga Boyz w/ Trukk - C+
Slugga Boyz w/ Nob(PK, BP) - C
'Ard Boyz - C
Slugga Boyz - D
Shoota Boyz w/ Trukk - B
Fast Attack
Dakkajet - B+
Deffkoptas - B
Warbuggies - B-
Burna Bomber - C+
Blitza Bomber - C+
Warbikers - C
Stormboyz - C
Heavy Support
BattleWagons - A
Big Guns - A-
Killa Kans - B
Looted Wagon - C+
Deff Dread - C
Flash Gitz - C-
These ratings generally exclude synergy. So for instance, Big Mek w/ KFF gets better if you are running multiple Trukks / Battle Wagons. Biker Nobz get better if you add a Biker Boss. Warphead gets better for every Dakkajet. Burnas get better in a Battlewagon, but that isn't a dedicated transport, so I didn't rate it separately.
This is a really good summary. The HQ slot is the only major area I disagree with.
HQ Big Mek w/ Shokk Attack Gun - This guy is definitely a solid B and not a C-. Yes, it's a bit random, but I like to think about it this way... probability dictates that USUALLY the Shokk Attack Gun is a Strength 6-8 AP2 large blast. That's pretty potent. He does NOT work in all lists, but in a list where you can use him, he's awesome.
I'd give a Warphead a C, and put the Biker Mek, Mega Mek, and Weirdboy at D.
Other than that, my only personal preference is that I think Buggies are more cost-effective than Deffkoptas.
tag8833 wrote: I think there is a degree of rating, so I will supply a letter grade.
HQ Biker Boss - A+
Mega Boss - A+
Big Mek w/ KFF - A
Biker Big Mek - B
Mega Big Mek - B
Warphead - B-
Wierdboy - C
Big Mek w/ Shokk Attack Gun C-
Murrdox wrote: This is a really good summary. The HQ slot is the only major area I disagree with.
HQ Big Mek w/ Shokk Attack Gun - This guy is definitely a solid B and not a C-. Yes, it's a bit random, but I like to think about it this way... probability dictates that USUALLY the Shokk Attack Gun is a Strength 6-8 AP2 large blast. That's pretty potent. He does NOT work in all lists, but in a list where you can use him, he's awesome.
I'd give a Warphead a C, and put the Biker Mek, Mega Mek, and Weirdboy at D.
Other than that, my only personal preference is that I think Buggies are more cost-effective than Deffkoptas.
Spoiler:
tag8833 wrote: I think there is a degree of rating, so I will supply a letter grade.
HQ Biker Boss - A+
Mega Boss - A+
Big Mek w/ KFF - A
Biker Big Mek - B
Mega Big Mek - B
Warphead - B-
Wierdboy - C
Big Mek w/ Shokk Attack Gun C-
You are probably right with your critique. The only time I've seen the Shokk Attack Gun used, it rolled incredibly poorly, so I have some personal bias against it.
Just want to put out that those burn as can have a torrent flamer for the 40 points of the promethium line, that's 260 points for 15 torrent flamers.... Seems like it deserves a grade better than a C
Jakobokaj wrote: Just want to put out that those burn as can have a torrent flamer for the 40 points of the promethium line, that's 260 points for 15 torrent flamers.... Seems like it deserves a grade better than a C
That is Stronghold only. Indeed it would be a force multiplier.
Put Burnas in a Battle Wagon, and they jump to a solid B. But because BW isn't a dedicated transport, I didn't grade the combination.
I am not looking for "OP" units/combos per se, but my wife gets frustrated if she just chains losses together. I've always been more about having a fun, narrative game, but she definitely likes to win from time to time.
Our meta is super relaxed. No Tau, no Eldar, amongst 10-15 players... so Orks being her favorite race fluff-wise actually doesn't put her in a horrific spot of having no chances to win.
So, sounds like the bulk of our investments, namely many, many shootas, are done. We've got 100-ish Shoota Boyz. That alone ensures that we shouldn't have to throw astronomical amounts of money at the army to get it up and running at 1500-1850pts.
There aren't many bad options in the Ork Codex. The only thing resembling a completely awful choice are Flash Gitz. Everything else has at least some potential.
Waaaghpower wrote: There aren't many bad options in the Ork Codex. The only thing resembling a completely awful choice are Flash Gitz. Everything else has at least some potential.
And even then, they seem like they would be fun to play. i think the only that's really bad about them is their point cost.
Honestly me and my friends swap armies from time to time for laughs, and they always take flash gitz just to see how bad they really are, And they arent horrible, but they just cost so much to make them a reasonable choice.
Automatically Appended Next Post: Also Shokk Attack guns are complete garbage and ill never use one ever again in my life . ((I think 10 games justifies my dislike for them.) Every game i rolled double 5's.)
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2014/01/31 21:55:07
Just a quick post to say this is a really handy thread for me as well as I'm developing my army too. Going to be fluffy rather than competitive but still good to get basic guidelines like that. Cheers folks
My buddy let me 'illegaly' proxy Badrukk and his statline as an HQ about a week ago. I put him with some grots, fun anti MEQ shooting. I also like the shokk attak gun. Hordes? It's a pieplate!, Marines? It's an AP2 Pieplate! Mechanized? (lol who is mechanized?).
It's funny I'll poke fun at shoota boyz and insist we need choppas all the time, but then I'll talk about some flash gitz like I love'em.
I am the kinda ork that takes his own washing machine apart, puts new bearings in it, then puts it back together, and it still works.
It's worth considering the extensive list of extra units you can get by branching out into Forge World and Stronghold territory. As for my own list of Orky All-Stars:
Big Mek with Kustom Forcefield- Will almost always return your investment purely through saving your dudes. It's a very rare day that this one ends up costing you points.
Warboss on Bike- T6, S10, A5 beatstick. I'd only really take him if you want his Nob mates to ride with him, but he's an excellent way to unlock them.
Lootas- Heavy D3 Autocannons for peanuts. Give them a bunker or a Battlewagon and let rip.
Meganobz- They always come with a transport, no question. Lightning fast melee monsters that are cheap enough to fling away.
Biker Nobz- Similar to Meganobz except they don't need the transport and trade a 2+ for Cover and FNP. Typically played in bigger, less expendable squads.
Shoota Boyz- Honestly, what are you expecting for 6pts a model? Weight of numbers wins games.
Dakkajet- 18 S6 shots at BS3/TL is just outstanding.
Battlewagons- Some of the cheapest AV14 in the game. Worthwhile either as a static bunker for your Lootas, or as a Deffrolling sledgehammer.
Looted Guns- T7, BS3 and dirt cheap. There is no reason for an Ork player not to use all his HS slots.
Junka- One of the most customisable units in the game, equally proficient as a cheap Deffrolla, an Ordnance-spewing artillery tank or as an S6/AP3 flamer.
Grot Tanks- Spewing S6 templates is a very good way to kill anything infantry-related, and they do it cheaply.
Grot Megatank- See above but squishier and cheaper.
Void Relay Network- Because an assault army hiding in AV10 benefits enormously from your entire army getting 9 Void Shields. I'd say it's near-mandatory for a Trukk-based army,
WarOne wrote:
At the very peak of his power, Mat Ward stood at the top echelons of the GW hierarchy, second only to Satan in terms of personal power within the company.
Waaaghpower wrote: There aren't many bad options in the Ork Codex. The only thing resembling a completely awful choice are Flash Gitz. Everything else has at least some potential.
LOL the only good unit in the codex are the Lootas, everything else you can Allie in. You will get better units for cheaper namely any shooting unit in the game! Don't hold your breath about them getting better in the new codex.
Nids just got a new codex & it was a total nerf they lost the spore pods ( the Nid drop pod ) IN 6th Ed So.... Unless Matt Ward writes the new Ork codex there getting a nerf
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2014/02/01 14:32:38
Waaaghpower wrote: There aren't many bad options in the Ork Codex. The only thing resembling a completely awful choice are Flash Gitz. Everything else has at least some potential.
LOL the only good unit in the codex are the Lootas, everything else you can Allie in. You will get better units for cheaper namely any shooting unit in the game! Don't hold your breath about them getting better in the new codex.
Nids just got a new codex & it was a total nerf they lost the spore pods ( the Nid drop pod ) IN 6th Ed So.... Unless Matt Ward writes the new Ork codex there getting a nerf
I live with one of the only competetive Nid players in the US. They actually got some good buffs overall, despite some stupid crap. Which makes me excited for my new Ork rules to come.
I am not looking for "OP" units/combos per se, but my wife gets frustrated if she just chains losses together. I've always been more about having a fun, narrative game, but she definitely likes to win from time to time.
Our meta is super relaxed. No Tau, no Eldar, amongst 10-15 players... so Orks being her favorite race fluff-wise actually doesn't put her in a horrific spot of having no chances to win.
So, sounds like the bulk of our investments, namely many, many shootas, are done. We've got 100-ish Shoota Boyz. That alone ensures that we shouldn't have to throw astronomical amounts of money at the army to get it up and running at 1500-1850pts.
100 Shootas are an excellent start. Can never have enough.
I see a lot of calls for the Big Mek with KFF, so went flipping through the codex.
It grants a 5+ cover save... Is that really that valuable? Again, our meta is free of "ignores cover", etc... but I usually feel ill in 40k when i'm relying on a 5+ anything save, to keep me in the fight. :-p
Troops: Shoota Boys (if you take normal boys its always in a trukk) Nobs, Deff Dreads, biker boys, tiny squads of grots
Fast Attack: Biker mobs, Dakkajets
Heavy Support: Battlewagons (some variety of loadouts are up there, but deff rolla+bs is whats said) Big Gunz (Lobba) (I hear looted tanks with boom guns are pretty up there too)
Maybe I'm wrong, I can't say from experience but... the only niche opinion stuff I'd say is the deff dread as a troop, I think its valuable for the slot, in lower point games but your mileage may very.
Wazdakka and biker boys as troops is maybe another niche option, but I think its solid-idly in the upper tiers.
@ is the cover save worth it, with so much ignores cover...I think yes, even as much ignores cover as there is...not EVERYTHING has it. So even just having that extra 5+ helps...at the very least for its points cost.
This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 2014/02/01 17:21:29
I see a lot of calls for the Big Mek with KFF, so went flipping through the codex.
It grants a 5+ cover save... Is that really that valuable? Again, our meta is free of "ignores cover", etc... but I usually feel ill in 40k when i'm relying on a 5+ anything save, to keep me in the fight. :-p
In comparison, most of your models only have a 6+ save, which nearly every weapon in the game ignores. Playing as Orks means you are going to lose models, and you will almost never get an armor save against shooting. So a 5+ cover save is nice compared to the alternative, which is literally nothing.
I am not looking for "OP" units/combos per se, but my wife gets frustrated if she just chains losses together. I've always been more about having a fun, narrative game, but she definitely likes to win from time to time.
Our meta is super relaxed. No Tau, no Eldar, amongst 10-15 players... so Orks being her favorite race fluff-wise actually doesn't put her in a horrific spot of having no chances to win.
The GREAT thing about the way she is doing it is that when the new codex comes out she's going to have plenty of stuff that she won't have to shelf, or re-learn how to use w/o too much difficulty.
I think Loota's are right up her alley. 2 Units is MORE than enough, and they're one of the Best AA units in the game right now, but these things just mow down stuff. Get 1 unit, and she should start to see some changes in her games.
The Mek with a KFF, is pretty much standard. Yes it sucks to have to rely on a 5+, but for the points, getting that 5+ when you can is better than just removing models. Especially in Hammer and Anvil games when she's trudging across the board.
Current Armies
40k: 15k of Unplayable Necrons
(I miss 7th!)
30k: Imperial Fists
(project for 2025)
I am not looking for "OP" units/combos per se, but my wife gets frustrated if she just chains losses together. I've always been more about having a fun, narrative game, but she definitely likes to win from time to time.
Our meta is super relaxed. No Tau, no Eldar, amongst 10-15 players... so Orks being her favorite race fluff-wise actually doesn't put her in a horrific spot of having no chances to win.
So, sounds like the bulk of our investments, namely many, many shootas, are done. We've got 100-ish Shoota Boyz. That alone ensures that we shouldn't have to throw astronomical amounts of money at the army to get it up and running at 1500-1850pts.
I would say your best bet for an HQ is grab one of those plastic Big Bosses from the last starter. Super cheap and actually fun to paint. Look if your wife really wants to have fun but still be challenging, just paint up 2 weird boys and run them in 30 boy blocks.
Get lootas. Look don't go crazy. The tendency is when something is on everyones list, GW nerfs it to make people buy new units when the new codex comes out. Orks are due for a new codex. I would drop $ on 2 boxes of lootas. This will give you 10 lootas then proxy more orcs to fill out loota units.
So...
1. 2 weird boyz
2. 2 boxes lootas
3. go to a dollar store and buy some plastic toys to be battle wagons
Also at 1850 you can run Flash Gitz properly. They are pricey but REALLY fun to play and do a buttload of damage with a bit of luck.
AP3 or better on a roll of 4 or less with Blastaz, and The Kaptian is always 3x S8 AP 2 shots.
You have to give them the full kit, and a Painboy and cybork bodies, and run them in a BW, but they are well worth the points esp if you're not playing in a super competitive group. They will wreak HAVOC more times than now with assault 2 S6 AP probably 3 or better, and no cover saves allowed
11527pts Total (7400pts painted)
4980pts Total (4980pts painted)
3730 Total (210pts painted) 
5000
Who knows? 
' ~9000pts
' ~1500
" ~2500 
the only good unit in the codex are the Lootas, everything else you can Allie in. You will get better units for cheaper namely any shooting unit in the game! Don't hold your breath about them getting better in the new codex.
they lost the spore pods ( the Nid drop pod ) IN 6th Ed 
Ward writes the new Ork codex there getting a nerf
