Hey everyone, Reecius here to talk about some Ork lists I have been thinking about! Check the Tactics Corner for more great articles!
The Orks have been a wild ride so far and while I took a little shock and awe with my first run in with Mob Rule, much like Nids, Orks are delivered into the land of awesome via their Formations. Whereas before it was pretty challenging to write a list that had enough of what you needed without going Unbound (which no one in my area plays) you now have the option for fun, themed Formations that give you a ton of options and cool special rules.
Bully Boyz
The one that jumped out at me right away as good fun was the Bully Boyz which is 3 units of 5 or more Meganobs that get Fear, Fearless and +1 WS which is incredibly good. That allows them to ignore Mob Rule, never get run down and not have to worry about getting pinned in a vehicle that explodes, plus it means they hit most things on 3’s and occasionally will get Fear of, which is a nice little bonus. For my money, I would run them in Trukks with few upgrades, if any. Maybe some Kombi-skorchas to make them light infantry killers but honestly, they are great right out of the box. For the 3 units + Trukks with Rams, that runs you 705pts all in. Toss in some Skorchas too, if you like, but that is the baseline.
Really, that is not bad at all for the sheer power that packs in. You could stick them all in Battlewagons, too for a higher price point, but far more reliable delivery system. I love Trukks personally though, and for the cheapo price and breakneck speed, that is the way to go for me!
That covers your offensive assault punch and provides a durable force to get in your opponent’s face. I would back that up with some Lootas and Mek Guns which are just so incredibly good and give you a combination of long range shooting with barrage, flexible Kannons, and Lootas for Dakka. The nice thing about Lootas is that they are also decent AA. On an aside, I assembled one of the new Mek Gun kits and those are some beefy models! I took a pic next to my scratch built Kannons that are actually bigger than the GW Kannons and Lobbas and you can see the difference. They are a beautiful kit, too, if a bit pricey. You get 5 really characterful Grots to go with them, as well. Interestingly, the new kit only makes the new guns, it doesn’t make Kannons, Lobbas or Zap Guns so the old (tiny) models are still official.
I really enjoy dual Dakkajets and have had really good success with them. The nerf to WAAGH!! plane hurts though and the Burna-bommer has gotten so good (and cheap!) that I think the two make a good pair for both AA and AI duties. Plus, the Burna-Bommer’s ability to reach out and burn a little scoring unit with an ignores cover, very accurate weapon pretty much anywhere on the board is a potentially game winning asset. Taking 2 flyers also really increases the odds that you get at least 1 of them on turn 2 if you find yourself facing lots of aerial threats that need to be dealt with.
Lastly, some big, durable units of Boyz for taking objectives and holding the midfield. I like to back these up with a Painboy and a Warboss to help mitigate Mob Rule and to really make them hard to kill plus increase their punch. Plus, it gives you a WAAGH!! for the flyers and the Boyz themselves. The Meganobs don’t benefit though, as they can’t run, but that’s OK. You can either put both characters in one unit to make it very durable, or spread them out to make both units better. Normally, Boyz on foot in units of 20 may not work out with only 2 units, but, the Bully Boyz and other big threat targets are so intimidating that the Boyz will often get ignored.
That leaves you with just enough points for a little Grot Squad to run around picking up objective points and being sneaky gits!
That list has a lot of really good tools, is flexible, can take and hold objectives, has reliable, fast assault units, good shooting, decent AA and solid scoring units, too. My kind of list!
Ork CAD
- Warboss with your choice of goodies, but I would definitely look at Da Finkin Kap as an extra Strategic Warlord trait is REALLY good for this list.
- Painboy
- Boyz x 20 with Nob, Klaw, Bosspole
- Boyz x 20 with Nob, Klaw, Bosspole
- Grots
- Dakkajet with extra supa shoota
- Burna-Bommer
- Lootas x 15
- Lobbas x 5 with ammo runts
- Kannons x 5 with ammo runts
Bully Boyz Formation
- Meganobz x 5: Trukk, Ram
- Meganobz x 5: Trukk, Ram
- Meganobz x 5: Trukk, Ram
The other Formation that immediately jumped out at me was the Blitz Brigade. This one is really flexible in that you can take the base of 5 Battlewagons and from there go in so many different directions with it. You can load them up for assault, and pack in Meganobz, Nobz, Boyz, Tankbustas, Burnas, etc. and go to town. Or, you can kit them out for shooting and as they will typically start out closer to the opponent due to their Scout special rule, you can go hog wild with adding on guns and packing them with shooting units! This version is more of a for fun list that might surprise some people, but maybe not a tournament winner. It does pack a mighty wallop in the shooting phase, though and can be quite durable.
Blitz Brigade Formation
- Battlewagon: Killkannon, Kannon, Rokkits x 4, Grot Riggers
- Battlewagon: Killkannon, Kannon, Rokkits x 4, Grot Riggers
- Battlewagon: Killkannon, Kannon, Rokkits x 4, Grot Riggers
- Battlewagon: Killkannon, Kannon, Rokkits x 4, Grot Riggers
- Battlewagon: Killkannon, Kannon, Rokkits x 4, Grot Riggers
Ork CAD
- Big Mek: KFF, Da Fixer Uppers
- Big Mek: KFF
- Mek
- Mek
- Shoota Boyz x 11: Big Shoota
- Shoota Boyz x 11: Big Shoota
- Lootas x 11
- Lootas x 12: 1 Mek upgrade
- Flashgitz x 10: Ammor Runts
So, a funny list that shoots like crazy inside durable Battlewagons that can all repair themselves and have IWND from the Grot Riggers! Having only tanks on the table also means that small arms are totally worthless until the Battlewagons start popping. Plus, with only 5 models actually on the table, it plays fast! You have no real AA but the Lootas can get it done in a pinch and the Flashgitz can take down light flyers or FMCs. But who cares really, this list is largely for laughs!
Red Skull Kommandos
This Formation jumped out at me as just awesome based on cool factor alone! Snikkty Snikrot is my man, and Ork Kommandos are some of the most characterful models. Plus, the Formation is quite good as they call come on at the same time, they come on any table edge of their choice (including behind your opponent), get Shrouded that turn and if they opt not to shoot the turn they arrive from reserve, they get to reroll their failed cover saves! Wowzers, that is really good.
As this is an MSU play style, I thought it would be fun to write a list that went all in with the MSU concept. This list would be really good at objective missions, but obviously pretty crummy in Kill Points. However, it would be fun and would overwhelm many lists ability to deal with the volume of targets presented. And, the units that do get into enemy lines will wreak havoc as you can charge multiple units into an enemy target, simulating the effect of a single big unit but with more of the goodies like Klaws, etc. Mostly though, it’s just funny as hell, and would be very amusing to play if it worked!
Ork CAD
- Big Mek: KFF, Da Finkin Kap
- Grots
- Grots
- Grots
- Grots
- Grots
- Grots
- Tankbustas x 5: Trukk, Ram
- Tankbustas x 5: Trukk, Ram
- Tankbustas x 5: Trukk, Ram
- Buggies x 5: Rokkits
- Buggies x 5: Rokkits
- Buggies x 5: Rokkits
- Mek Gunz x 5: Traktor Kannon, Ammo Runts
- Void Shield Generator with 2 extra shields
Red Kommandos Formation
- Snikrot
- Kommandos x 5: Nob, Klaw, Burnas x 2
- Kommandos x 5: Nob, Klaw, Burnas x 2
- Kommandos x 5: Nob, Klaw, Burnas x 2
- Kommandos x 5: Nob, Klaw, Burnas x 2
So, a crazy list! You go all out for the Strategic Trait which gives you +1 to seize and rerolls on reserves. You reserve as much as you think you can safely get away with, outflank the Buggies, and hide behind the VSG and KFF. The Mek joins the Traktor Kannons to buff their Ld and they help defend against Aerial threats. You patiently wait a turn, hoping to weather the storm, and then spring your trap! Muaha! You have buggies coming in on the sides, Kommandos in the rear and Tankbustas in the front! It’s an Orky pain train coming from every side at once! Plus, there’s crazy Grots running amok all over the board taking objectives and doing what they do. A good list? Sometimes! But a fun list? Yes!
So there you go, just some ideas going around in my noggin at present. Orks present a ton of ideas and cool lists like those above, which are just the tip of the iceberg, really. You can go crazy with it and have a lot of fun and the variety available to you with Orks is seriously crazy.
What are some lists you all are thinking about with Orks?
Great stuff, Reece!
The supplement seems to have salvaged the Codex and breathed a lot of fun back into the Orks.
A question about the Ghaz supplement: All of the “how to use these” paragraphs for special rules, Warlorld traits and Orkimides gubbinz (relics) seem to indicate that these are only available for “the detachment and formations featured in this supplement”.
Is the only way to access these rules and wargear by taking the special Waaagh! Ghazghkull Detachment or formations (Blitzwagons, Bully Boyz, etc.)? So no Fearless Banner or 4++ KFF on a regular Ork CAD?
OR is this “how to” paragraph merely stating that THESE formations & detachment can ONLY take from THIS list of relics (and not the codex list)?
It’s a little confusing now that there are so many FOC detachment charts (the CAD and two unique ones for Orks). Amright?
Yeah I feel you man, the new army building system is definitely a bit confusing. However, i read it as you can ONLY use those rules and relics in a Ghaz detachment or formations, which is somewhat limiting.
Thanks for the confirmation. Yeah, that’s kind of what I thought it meant too. 🙁
Just wanted to pick your brain [I’ll make sure the painboss doesn’t leave a squig in there 😉 heh!] to see if that was your interpretation as well.
Still there are a couple decent formations that allow options for accessing the gear.
I don’t think the detachment is ultimately worth it. The extra Elite slots are great, but no additional Heavy slots and the loss of Objective Secured make it unattractive.
Great analysis, mang. Your site and 40K Daemons are my go to pages for 40K deep thought!
Reece,
Really impressed by all the work you are putting into the orks. These are really well done articles, with tons of info in them. You must really love the orks, and it shows! Thanks so much for taking the time to do these.
I personally am still trying to figure out a way to make the dread mob work. The fact that they all get benefit from ere we go, and waarghing, really buffs their ability to get into close combat. It would have been nice if they eased up a bit on the restrictions (like having to take 9 killa kans). But man I want to make ork walkers work…i just love the models so much.
Thanks for the kind words, Greggles, much appreciated!
Yeah, I know, right? The Orky walkers are the best! They look so cool, but, walkers in general that aren’t a Knight or purely for shooting are struggling. They got significantly better in 7th with the nerf to smash and the buff to the damage table. But, it is still tough. I think though, that if you really play up the KFFs, Grot Riggers and Meks, that you can get it done. It may never be a tournament winning army, but, it will be good enough to have fun with it. The models are so cool, too.
Aww, no love for the Green Tide? It’s probably not very good (sucks up a ton of points if you want it to be dependable, plus if I like something it tends to be bad) but I want to be wrong.
This wasn’t comprehensive, just the Formations that jumped right out at me. I think the Green Tide can be really good! I would definitely give it a go if i was you.
So what your saying is basically:
the codex isnt actually that bad – its just for some reason its sold in 2 halfs and cos £30 quid each?
If you buy just the first half on its own it sucks….
…”just a model company” my hairy ass gw
Yeah, that is, unfortunately, a true statement =(
GW attacks our wallets, I will not deny that.
Quite liking the Snikrot themed list, definitely going to grab some more tankhuntaz, the loss of glory hogs (and points drop) is pretty much the best thing I’ve found in the codex so far, the price drop on koptaz and buggies is pretty ace too. Not buying the ghazz supplement just yet, though fairplay for embracing it so readily and selling it on its merits.
So with no formations or any of that jazz, this is roughly what im looking at so far;
Big mek/kff x 2
Mad dok
30 boyz/Nob/rokkitz
29 grotz (or 19 haven’t decided)
20 boyz/nob/rokkitz
10 boyz/trukk
2 x 5 rokkit buggies
5 deffkoptaz
10 tank bustaz
3 mega nobz/trukk (1 pair killsaws)
Battlewagon/Killcannon/rokkitz x 2
What you guys reckon?
Benn,
Put the KFF guys on bikes, and hide them out of LOS. You’ll get better coverage that way. Depending on what you are doing though…i think they aren’t worth it in this list. You’d do better with another painboy and a warboss. (for a waaagh, and FNP on the 20 boy unit).
The KFF only works vs shooting attacks…not explosions, assault, psychic. etc. It’s only effective in a single phase…those buggies by themselves will be giving most of your stuff 5+ cover.
Cheers for the input, I’m not 100 percent dedicated to the kff’s, the plan was to put one in the big boyz squad, the other walks behind the wagons on his lonesome, see how they get on. I know what you’re saying about cover saves for the boyz, but with all the ‘ignores cover’ about, im thinking invuln might prove worth it. Cybork bodies were great in the last codex for thwarting Tau/IG firepower a bit.
But I quite like the idea of trying them on bikes and will definitely be trying the painboy at some point.
Not sure if i want/need a warboss atm, ‘ere we go’ I’m hoping will be enough to make sure they make the charges they need to. I’m also not sold on him as a CC beast so much anymore either; being warlord, striking last without an invuln…not great really for the role you want him for (imo).
I think the other big issue you run into with the KFF, is it doesn’t effect the entire unit anymore. It just effects the boyz who are under the 6 inch shield. This means in those larger groups, you’ll need to have the KFF big mek closer to the front to get a large enough gap across…which almost makes him vulnerable to being sniped out.
As always, suggest trying out your list, then swapping around. Going to take a lot of games to figure out what works for everyones play style! Please make sure to report back any findings! I love hearing ork strategies!
For sure the KFF got nerfed pretty hard, which is why I’m going to take two, and hope for the best.)
Definitely, will do, good luck with making the dread mob work, and don’t forget there’s always IA8! 😉
I like it! I agree with Greggles though, and Bikes for the Meks would help to have them able to jam around giving protection where needed, maybe even just on one. Also, put Da Fixer Uppers on the Mek on a bike with a gort oiler as that makes him ultra reliable at fixing something and gives him the speed to get there.
Cheers, I think I’ll be keeping an open mind on HQ for a while yet, need to test out all the possible combos, but I think I’ll take the advice on the fixer-biker mek, at least one anyway, just need to convert one up before Sunday…:)
Good luck! Let us know how it goes!
FIGHT MY NIDSSSSS!!!
Let’s do it! I am gone till Sunday, but Monday on, bring it, son!
sounds good bro <3 have a good trip
Will do, thanks!
OK, I keep seeing info about the supplement, but I’m not seeing it anywhere. Is it for d/l? Is it for sale!??! WHERE IS IT!??!
It is in the extra supa special Ork book.
Ok, but where is that?
Is this in the Waaagh! Gaz supplement?
Yes
It was available in the limited edition ork warboss edition of the codex, that is why we are seeing early info everywhere. Its on sale normally this Saturday
Gotcha, thanks for that!
It’s on sale Saturday.
Reece do you think the Deffrolla is worth the extra 5 points since it nolonger does s10 hits vs vehicles, and only does the extra s10 hits vs infantry if the infantry does a death or glory attack ?
Hey man, nice work.
Reading these latest articles has got me super keen to bust out some ork lists based around these detachments as well.
Ork’s are nothing if not the most fun army to play in 40k.
The hardest part is deciding which one to give a crack first.
I agree, they have so much character.
Reece what do you think about min units of Tankbustas in trukks, 100 points for 5 rokkits and 5 melta bombs? Seems sweet. Im hoping to try 2 units out in the next couple of games along side some BWs and buggies.
I’d always put a ram on the trukk, but, I think the unit certainly has merit.
I’m surprised you aren’t putting boarding planks on the trukks for the Meganobs. +2″ charge range on Orks? Yes please!!
I’m rather miffed that most of the stuff they removed from the Orks in the base dex has been returned to them in the Ghaz codex, basically requiring you to purchase two codices to get the actual, full codex. Oh well, GW’s underhanded sales tactics simply do not surprise me any more.
Tried an extra shooty 1500 point ork list on the weekend:
Big Mek – Shokk Attack, ammo runt, heavy armor, Da Finkin Cap (Warlord)
Big Mek – Shokk Attack, ammo runt, heavy armor
Mek – Killsaw and Rokkit Launcha
Mek – Killsaw and Rokkit Launcha
10 Grots + Runtherd (a Shokk Attack attaches to this unit)
10 Grots + Runtherd (a Shokk Attack attaches to this unit)
10 Lootas
10 Lootas
10 Tankbustas + Nob – PK and Bosspole in a Trukk with Ram (1 Mek attached)
10 Tankbustas + Nob – PK and Bosspole in a Trukk with Ram (1 Mek attached)
5 Deff Koptas – 5 x mega blastas and 2 x saws
19 Stormboyz + Nob – PK and Bosspole
What a fun list!! Talk about tons of Dakka!
I played against a non-optimized Eldar list, which won by 1 point by holding the relic when the game ended. I had 5 grots, 1 runtherd, 1 big mek, 5 tankbustas, and 8 lootas left. He had 4 guardians left standing on the relic. 😛
As im sure is the same with at least a couple of you guys out there, I am friggin DETERMINED to make the GW dredmob work…at least fairly well…most of the time. without the help of AI 8.
so this is what im thinkin at 1850. it comes to 1849
Dr. Roborknik’s “ardshellz
CAD
Hq.
warboss– finkin cap, eavy armor, bosspole, big choppa (rollin on strategik traitz like a Sneeky git. “cough”cough” reecius!
bigmek–KFF, bike
Troops.
boyz +20
boys +20
Formation Dredmob (Ghazzy supplement)
3×3 killa kan mobs– rokits, riggers
3 deff dreds– rokkits replace big shootas, riggers
2 Morkanaughts– buck nakked
1 big mek– bike, oober sexy mega foce field
1 pain boy — bosspole
takticz
pain boy and warboss stuck in seperate boyz mobs to try and mitigate friggin mob rule. pray for that lucky infiltrate( 3 dice rolls give you a decently good chance) and put da pressure on
bigmeks – motor on around givin out those juicy KFF saves and fixin stuff when and where they can, hiding behind or in bigger things if they must.
dreds,kans,morks- scuttle up dat field! the formation gives them ere we go! use that waaagh for where it counts and get stuck in right proppa.
i know its not perfect, and that 3 limit on the kanz is killing me but i try to keep it fluffy in this house. lemme know what you guys think.