So, once again, Forgeworld gives us a unit that helps to fill a big gap in a list. Meet Zhadsnark, Da Rippa. Check out the Tactics Corner for more great articles!
Who is this Ork Warboss? He’s the updated Biker Boss from the Dread Mob FW list. He’s an Ork Faction HQ, and is really, really good. Why is he so good? Here’s why.
On the surface he’s pretty run of the mill, really. He’s a standard Warboss on a bike, but, the devil’s in the details. First of all, he’s got a special Power Klaw that swings at initiative (not unwieldy) and he does have grenades (take that, Dark Eldar!). He also comes with Skilled Rider (which confers onto the unit), and twin linked Big Shootas on his bike. He can also turbo boost 24″ and tank shock, cool! Those are all nice, but not amazing. What really sets him apart, is that if he is the warlord, he makes Warbikers troops. If he joins a unit of Warbikers, he gives them Scouts.
Now, we’re talking! Due to the craptastic Mob Rule this edition, Boyz are pretty sucky. It hurts to say that as they should be the backbone of an Ork army, but as is, they are really unreliable. You have to support them with Characters to get much out of them these days. Warbikers though, are solid as they are affordable, MUCH more resilient with T5 and a 4+ (which goes a long way to mitigating Mob Rule), are very mobile and shoot well, too. They are a superior troops choice. With Zhadsnark, a unit of 15 with Scouts and a Painboy become quite a flexible unit that shoots very well, can assault effectively and is blisteringly fast. With Scouts, they can be in the enemy deployment zone turn 1 and they then jink for a 2+ cover save (Ork Bikes get a +1 to their Jink save save when they Turbo Boost). That causes huge pressure, especially when paired with other fast moving pressure units. A unit of 3 Warbikers to fill one of the mandatory troops slots is a great choice, not much more expensive than a unit of Grotz, but much better. A few of those are a good comparison to a unit like Eldar Jetbikes…but Orky! Another benefit here is being able to get multiple Klaws into a combat. Often, an enemy can just challenge and kill a Klaw to take it out of play which stinks for Orks as they are what do most of the killing in a fight. Min/maxing Biker units with a Nob with Klaw also gives you a way to put multiple Klaws into a combat to ensure your heavy hitting power gets to swing. It also makes them a big threat to vehicles for a reasonable price point.
On the downside, Zhadsnark prohibits you form taking the excellent Big Gunz and less excellent Ork walkers, so there is a trade off. I think it is well worth it, though, for the flexibility of potentially ObSec Warbikers (depending on the detachment you use). So, you need a solution for AA. I have been using a pair of Dakkjets and Lootas to fill that gap, and it has worked quite well so far.
Give him a look for a new way to play. He gives you a great utility character that also hit hard. His I4 St10 Klaw is extremely good, and in a pinch, can go into a Knight and punch it in the lug-nuts.
-Thanks to Goatboy for pointing out the updated dirty Warboss to me!
Striking at initiative is huge in a challenge too. Anything that would be able to stand toe to toe with this Warboss will be at initiative 1, so this beast should be able to lay them out first. Love it.
Yeah, it’s a big help. Things like Daemons Princes are still problematic unless you can get them to assault you in cover, in which case he will knock their dick in the dirt.
Awesome. FW is really knocking it out of the box these days…. throwing a lifeline to hurting elements of the game. Its nice the GW followed up with the Tyranids as well… are they listening to the outcry of fans? Maybe they are starting to…
We can only hope that is the case, but, who knows?
I believe warbikes have 2+ cover if they jink after turbo boosting.
By being able to take multiple formations Orks can be competitive such as the five scouting Battlewagons and three Mekk Boy formations. Opening up the game to multi cad and formations will help lots of armies that were designed to played as such in seventh edition.
They have a 3+ when they Turbo Boost and Jink, Zhardsnark has a 2+.
Just to clarify: a unit with Zhardsnark has a 2+. One model confers it to the unit.
I’m sure that’s what you intended, but the way the comment reads it looks like you’re implying only Zhardnsark has a 2+.
So…….holy crap T5, 2++ cover and 5+ FnP. You sure this isn’t a CWE unit?
Yeah, he also lets them pass Dangerous Terrain tests automatically, which is really handy.
Yes, you are correct, I said it in a confusing way.
You was confused… Lulz
: )
A S10 Ap1 weapon that strikes at initiative seems pretty OP. Does he cost LOW style points?
No, he’s actually pretty affordable. (165ish, if I remember correctly?) But aside from his cover save, he doesn’t actually have a lot of protection- 4+ armor and FNP if you fit another character into the unit. Failing three 4+/5+ saves really isn’t that hard, and something like a Wraithknight- or even just a guy with a Power Maul- can tear him up pretty badly.
Doesn’t mean he’s bad, just that he punches way above his weight class.
Don’t forget, he has NO invul save. He is not OP at all, just very good.
A Wraith knight has I5 Strength 10 attacks, for example.
if a WK is the standard to which we judge balance, then 90%+ of the game is underpowered
HA! Many of the new Codices have rather high-strength attacks at initiative. Orks deserve it, I promise.
FINALLY Orks getting something good.
Agreed.
What are your thoughts on the Big Mek Z as a Stompa LOw with this guy?
I think it would be great!
He is ok. IMO Still no chaptermaster on a bike.
He’s not supposed to be =)
If you want to see a tournament report with Zhagsnark, check out my articles from Da Boyz. Don’t take it as a judgement on how good he is because I am terrible and the non-bike portion of the list needs to be worked on. I think it’s better with a pair of big blob squads to hold things down in the back field while the bikes scream forward and murder everything.
https://www.frontlinegaming.org/2014/11/20/da-boyz-2014-part-12/
https://www.frontlinegaming.org/2014/11/21/da-boyz-2014-part-22/
Awesome! I heard about this guy when reading Adam’s tournament reports. Zhagsnark really looks boss! If I played Orks, I would definately give him a try!
P.S: Reece! You should stop writing this kind of articles! you already made me try Lias Issodon, and I ended up converting a model for him and playing Raptors in several torunaments. Now I’m really tempted to ask my cousin to lend me his Orks, which have been sitting on the shelf for 2 years now, and take them to a friendly-not-very-competitive tournament we’re having in december. I’ve never played Orks myself, but have played tons of times against them. It would be an awesome challenge!
Happy to bring these to light =)
I think last time I emailed Forgeworld about the Dread mob list, they said “It’s being worked on to update to 7th in the future”
I’m assuming that there will be a points adjustment, and any HQ’s which make things troops will be removed to adhere to the new method of “no troops for you” in 7th.
Of course when this update happens? Who knows…
Also how does he get to a 2+ jink? He has skilled rider, but that would only drop it to 3+, not 2+. (exhaust cloud just gives him jink)
“If a Warbike turbo-boosts, it counts its cover save as being one point higher than normal until its next turn.”
Yeah. If you email Forgeworld, they will tell you that Zhagsnark counts as having a regular Ork Warbike and therefore has the regular exhaust cloud rule for Ork Warbikes and he also gets a 4+ armor save.
What I didn’t ask them is if I can count his “WAAGH!” ability as the new one or not. That’s a pretty good question.
Hi mate, I know it was a while since you posted this, but if possible could you forward me the email they sent you? My address is jackwhitehead@hotmail.com.au
Cheers
That’s abuse. I was looking in the rulebook, and the ork codex and couldn’t find it. Is it in the wargear section? I figured it would be under the warbiker dataslate.
Under Orky Know Wots
Thank you Loopy!
Is it possible to take Mek guns in a separate detachment with Zhardsnark as warboss? IA8 says not in his warband and update says not in army.
TY
What book did you get him from I am reading from Raid on Kastorel-Novem and he seems slightly different than what you are posting.
It’s on the FW download section of their website.