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I'm planning to start an Ork army. I'm sure I will grow it over time, but my initial goal is a 1,500 point competitive list.

I've come up with 3 potential lists, and would like advice on which looks the strongest. Other suggestions and tweaks are welcome as well.

Meganobz 1 HQ, 3 Elites, 4 Troops, 3 Hv Support - 112 models
Aegis Defense Line with Icarus Lascannon - 85 Points
Big Mek ('Eavy Armour, AS, Burna, CB, KFF) - 135 Points
2 Squads of 7 Lootas - 210 Points
3 Meganobz (Skorcha Kombi) - 135 Points
in a Battlewagon(2 Big Shoota, Boarding Plank, Deff Rolla) - 125 Points
Deff Dread(2 Skorcha, as a troop) - 85 Points
10 Gretchin - 40 Points
2 Squads 29 Shoota Boyz (3 Big Shoota) w/ Nob (PK, BP) - 470 Points
2 Squads 3 Big Gunz (3 Kannon, 2 Ammo Runts) - 132 Points
3 Big Gunz (3 Lobba, 2 Ammo Runts) - 81 Points

Strategy: MN + Boyz charge, Big Gunz behind the Aegis firing the Lascannon, Big Mek hides behind the DD. Gretchin = BubbleWrap.
Scale Up: More Boyz, Add a Warboss, Dakkajets
Questions: What should I replace the DD with? Do I have enough anti Air? What are likely counters?


Vehicles 2 HQ, 2 Elites, 4 Troops, 2 HV Support (3 BW, 2 Trukk) - 69 Models
Big Mek ('Eavy Armour, AS, Burna, CB, KFF) - 135 Points
Warboss (AS, Mega) - 115 Points
10 Burna Boyz w/ 3 Mek Boyz (3 Kustom Mega-Blasta) - 195 Points
in a Battlewagon(2 Big Shoota, Deff Rolla) - 120 Points
2 Squads of 3 Meganobz (Skorcha Kombi, One is a Troop) - 2 x 135 Points
in 2 Battlewagons(2 Big Shoota, Boarding Plank, Deff Rolla) - 2 x 125 Points
10 Gretchin - 40 Points
2 Squads 11 Shoota Boyz w/ Nob (PK, BP) - 2 x 112 Points
in 2 Trukks (Big Shoota, Boarding Plank, Reinforced Ram) - 2 x 45 Points
3 Big Gunz (3 Kannon) - 60 Points

Strategy: Big Mek in Center BW w/ MN, WB in the other MN Wagon. Gretchin = BubbleWrap
Scale Up: More Boyz in Trukks, Lootas, Dakkajets
Questions: Which transports will be the biggest target? Can I survive air? Are my Mek Boyz worth it? Should I replace my WB with another Big Mek? Should I run Boyz instead of Nobs in one BW? What are likely counters?


Kans 2 HQ, 2 Elites, 4 Troops, 3 HV Support - 69 Models
Big Mek ('Eavy Armour, AS, BP, Burna, CB, KFF) - 140 Points
Warboss (AS, CB, Mega) - 125 Points
2 Squads of 7 Lootas - 2 x 105 Points
3 Meganobz (Skorcha Kombi, as a Troop) - 135 Points
Deff Dread(2 Skorcha, as a troop) - 85 Points
10 Gretchin - 40 Points
29 Shoota Boyz (3 Big Shoota) w/ Nob - 205 Points
2 Squads of 3 Killa Kan (3 Rokkit) - 2 x 150 Points
3 Killa Kan (3 Grotzooka) - 135 Points

Strategy: Big Mek in Boyz squad. WB rides with MNs. Long Slog with the Kans. Gretchin = BubbleWrap.
Scale Up: More Boyz & Lootas, Dakkajets
Questions: What should I replace the DD with? Will Kans or BW draw the most fire? How should I arrange my Kans? What are likely counters?

I think you swapped the names out of the Meganobs and Vehicles title.

Other than that, I can't really help ya right now. It's late, and I'm too tired to think properly.

I think the 2nd lisf is the strongest. I would consolidate the MANZ and take more boys in the BW. Are Burna boyz really that good?

Putting a warboss in mega armour in with your mega-nobz is a bit of overkill for most things. If you want to put a warboss with mega-nobs, just give him a cybork body and a bosspole. Then you can use him to manage challenges or shred through tarpits while the nobs handle the big stuff. A mega-armour boss would be better used to buff up a smaller, weaker unit, like lootas or burna boyz.

Battlewagons are always good, but they are even better when they have meks inside them. If you take a Big Mek, always put him in a BW. If you have Lootas or Burna Boys, they should be in a battlewagon anyway, but it's worth swapping a couple of them for mekboys. AV 14, 5+ cover save, 4 HPs and multiple repair rolls every turn will drive your opponents crazy. Especially if you field three or more of them...

Hmmmmm, well for starters I plain dislike Gretchin. They do good camping objectives and their strength is that you can have a lot of them for cheap, so having 10 of them seems a waste to me, but you can find that out yourself after some playtesting. For the MANZ list: I have never had the need to use boarding planks which makes me believe they are a waste of points. I'd cut out the Dread and put in a Warboss, which will make your MANZ a troop with the Big Mek to give them a cover save against AP 2 stuff. You need to give that BW some support, because if it gets killed far ahead of the rest of your army then those guys are as good as dead being targeted by every melta and lascanon your opponent can find. I'd focus on either Big Gunz or lootas, as lootas can crack anything a Kannon can while firing more shots, and lobbas are anti-infantry, which you have no shortage of in this list. And finally, don't take the lascannon on you defence line, quad gun takes down aircraft better IMO.

Vehicles List: When I run my vehicle list I use 2 big meks, 1 for the trukks and 1 for the BWs, but your Warboss is good for making MANZ into troops. I'm not a fan of burna boyz as I can't seem to strategize with them without breaking my formation and leaving them vulnerable, and I recommend only taking 1-2 meks, that is good enough for repairing and 1 more flamer is much, much better. Take Lobbas if anything, your PKs and Deff Rollas will do for anti-vehicle, you need to take out as many guys as possible. Slugga/choppa boyz are good in trukks IMO as you should be moving flat out and getting them ahead to draw fire away from your more important units.

Kanz list: Kan wall is a sub-par strategy now. Most of the time they will be shredded quite easily. But I must say they are fun to use especially with a Dread to back them up. Maybe against swarm armies.

Overall I'd say that you have ideas where you want to go, and I'd say the vehicle list is better than any of the other 2 lists.

May the WAAAAAAGH! be with you.

 Barun Von Krump wrote:
I think the 2nd lisf is the strongest. I would consolidate the MANZ and take more boys in the BW. Are Burna boyz really that good?

I haven't used MANZ in play yet, but I've read repeatedly that 3 is enough in a squad, and that more is a waste.
I also haven't used Burna Boyz yet, but I've seen them used to devastating effects. If the BW carrying them makes it near an enemy mob they are putting out 10 flamer templates. That is a lot of auto hits. However, most of the time, I see them being the primary target of enemy fire, and not making it near a mob.

Perfect Organism wrote:
Putting a warboss in mega armour in with your mega-nobz is a bit of overkill for most things. If you want to put a warboss with mega-nobs, just give him a cybork body and a bosspole. Then you can use him to manage challenges or shred through tarpits while the nobs handle the big stuff. A mega-armour boss would be better used to buff up a smaller, weaker unit, like lootas or burna boyz.

Seems like good advice. I was planning on separating him from the MANZ when they got in charge range, and trying to run him solo at that point. But your idea might be better.

wolflord43 wrote:
Hmmmmm, well for starters I plain dislike Gretchin. They do good camping objectives and their strength is that you can have a lot of them for cheap, so having 10 of them seems a waste to me, but you can find that out yourself after some playtesting.

10 is the fewest I can have in a unit. 1 unit of them for camping backfield objectives.

wolflord43 wrote:
For the MANZ list: ... I'd cut out the Dread and put in a Warboss, which will make your MANZ a troop with the Big Mek to give them a cover save against AP 2 stuff.

Good idea.

wolflord43 wrote:
You need to give that BW some support, because if it gets killed far ahead of the rest of your army then those guys are as good as dead being targeted by every melta and lascanon your opponent can find.

What do you suggest? More BW? Warbuggies? Trukks?

wolflord43 wrote:
I'd focus on either Big Gunz or lootas, as lootas can crack anything a Kannon can while firing more shots, and lobbas are anti-infantry, which you have no shortage of in this list.

So I should drop the Big Gunz in favor of more Lootas?

wolflord43 wrote:
IVehicles List:.. I'm not a fan of burna boyz as I can't seem to strategize with them without breaking my formation and leaving them vulnerable, and I recommend only taking 1-2 meks, that is good enough for repairing and 1 more flamer is much, much better.

Is there a recommendation for optimum number of flamers? I figured 10 templates would be good, especially since the Burna's are the most expensive part of my list. If I were to dump them what would I replace them with? More Boyz in Trukks?

wolflord43 wrote:
ITake Lobbas if anything, your PKs and Deff Rollas will do for anti-vehicle, you need to take out as many guys as possible.

Good advice.

wolflord43 wrote:
IOverall I'd say that you have ideas where you want to go, and I'd say the vehicle list is better than any of the other 2 lists.

Thanks