[Epic] Ork Army for critique

From: John Richards <server_at_...>
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 1997 15:50:58 -0500

I heard a complaint not too long ago that most people on the list seemed
to be talking about their Space Marine armies. I think that may be due to
the release of the SM figs first, and I hope that now that the Orks are
out, there will be more Ork warlords appearing soon.

I thought I'd prime a little Orky discussion by throwing out my ideas for
a 2000 point Ork army. It's geared to fight SM armies (since that's what
my primary opponent plays), and would probably need an overhaul if it was
to face an Assault heavy force like Chaos or Tyranids.

Warlord in Great Gargant 480 pts

(Actually a plastic Mega-Gargant from Titan Legions, but I think 2000 pts
is too small an army for a Mega)

3 Battle Fortresses 255 pts

(Probably fielded as 3 detachments, as I expect to fight Land Raiders, and
the only advantage to 1 detachment I could see is the distribution of hits
from FP, which SHW don't care about. With 3 detachments, blast markers
affect each Fortress individually, so slowing them down by making them
fail leadership tests is harder).

Boys Bunch 206 pts
1 Warboss, 4 Shooty Boyz, 4 Big Gunz, 3 Pulsa Rokkits

(To be carried around by the Battle Fortresses until within range,
preferably behind cover but anywhere will do)

2 Kults of Speed - Waargh 267 pts x 2 534 pts
Warboss as battlewagon, Weirdboy as battlewagon, 6 battlewagons, 8 Nobz

(To run around the field carrying the nobz until they can assault
something. The detachments can shoot, too, but not as well as they can
assault)

1 Kult of Speed - Fasta 173 pts
Warboss on Bike, 6 Bikeboyz, 5 Speed Freeks

(To take out soft targets like Whirlwinds, artillery. At least that's the
intent. Usually they die like dogs instead. Gotta work on that)

2 Flyboyz Mobz 175 pts x 2 350 pts
5 Fighta-Bommerz in each

(Split up, so if 1 detachment is ground attacking, the other can
intercept. I haven't tried fliers yet, though)

So what am I forgetting? What holes are in this army?

I have more figs, but haven't found a use for all of them yet.

Like Dreadnoughts - I have some old ones, but can't imaging fielding them
instead of Battlewagons, since for almost the same price the Battlewagons
move 25cm instead of 15cm, for the loss of 1 assault, which the
Dreadnought has a hard time using because it's so darn slow. I suppose if
I was facing armies which would assault me, they might see some action,
but I'd hate to have Dreadnoughts with 3 assault as my front line against
Tyranids or Chaos.

Stompas and Mekboy Speedstas also look cool, but against an army with lots
of AT shots (Land Raiders again) anything expensive is an automatic
target. Plus for FP, I'd rather have 2 Big Gunz than the Stompa. The
Gunz take two hits to kill, have the Artillery skill and can be carried on
a Battle Fortress or Battlewagon. Like the Dreadnought a 15cm move for
the Stompa seems too slow to be able to use the 4 Assault value. I'd love
to be able to use a Lifta-Droppa against a Land Raider (sensing a theme
here?) or two but with a 30cm range, the Mekboy will probably eat a
Lascannon blast first.

Squiggoths look cute, but I'm not sure how they work. If 3 Squiggoths are
in one close combat, do you roll once or three times to find their Assault
value? Is it 1D6*3 or 1D6+1D6+1D6? I suspect the second, but it could go
either way. Also, they'd slow down any of the detachments I could add them
to, and I don't want them arriving last at the assault. Bad manners,
don't you know.

I'll just end by saying that I believe in small detachments, speed, and
quantity. I believe in explosions and the colors green and red. I
believe in an Ork's right to a good Fungus beer, and his right to bat
around some poor Gretchin until he gets it.

I believe I've said enough for one day.

John Richards richards_at_...
Received on Fri Aug 22 1997 - 20:50:58 UTC