Goatboy’s 40K: How To Fix Orks
Goatboy here again and if you’ve paid attention to my posts these last few years you know that my second 40K love is Orks – and here’s what they need!
In fact I actually find painting them a lot more enjoyable to the evil/chaos/etc stuff its just – I can’t seem to find an army build that I want to enjoy. I don’t feel like playing a big ole green tide and hoping to outlast their offense nor do I want to play some weird combo thing Mr. Bad Touch Ben Mohile builds and gets working. Its just I can’t seem to get a list working in my head. It’s sad as I have a crap ton of Orks and even gave away a 100+ of them to help a buddy get a Greentide off the ground.
This got me thinking – what are the issues in the book that have me scratching my head? What would I change to make this book “better”?
First – the number one thing I would change is the Mob Rule. It is just a piece of bad design. Who would have thought that losing Orks to a random table due to massed leadership tests was a good thing? The last Mob Rule was excellent in its design. It was simple, effective, and fit the Ork bill of having a ton of buddies makes you feel like a bad ass. I would go back to the old build and let mobs have their leadership set by their Mob Size and if they were over 10 they are fearless. This would alleviate a lot of leadership issues as well as give the Orks a good “army wide” rule. Plus you wouldn’t have to roll on a table that just says – sorry you are playing Orks.
The next thing I would change up how their HQ’s are. I would have the top be a Warboss. In fact I would change up how their Force Org would be and make sure there is some kind of Boss at the top. It just doesn’t feel Orky enough to not have the Warboss leading his gang of Boyz around. From there I would set up new Elite choices that are the “leader” Nobz. You would have 0-6 choices that would range from Painboy, Big Mek, Weird Boy, and Big Boss Nob. Big Boss Nob is just like a Better Nob with more wargear Options. This lets you keep your Warboss as your bad ass and leaves you not needing to have a ton of other Warbosses etc. This way you can still have your underlings you need without having to waste that HQ slot on such a weedy git. Heck the book just screams for a true Decurion or Boyz Gang of some sort.
Ork Raiding Party
1 – Warboss’s Gang – Can Call a Waagh Every Turn after the First, When Calling a Waagh All units in this formation are Fearless, All units in this Formation may take a Free Trukk.
HQ: 1 – Warboss (May be Ghazghul)
Elite: Warboss Advisors – 0-2 Painboys, 0-2 Big Mek, 0-2 Weird Boyz
Elite: 1-2 Nob Squad
Troops: 4-8 Boyz Squads – Free Nob Upgrades and maybe Free Equipment Upgrades?
Troops: 2 Gretchin Units
1-4 Formations
Warbike Formation – +1 to Cover Saves on First Turn, Shoot at Full Ballistic even after Jinking
Elite: 1 Big Boss Nob on Bike
FA: 3 Warbike Units
Mek Big Guns – All Weapons Twin Linked, -1 Opponent Cover Saves
Elite: 1 Big Mek
Heavy: 3 Units of Mek Guns with Maxed Gretchin
Flash Gitz Murder Ball – All Weapons Twin Linked, Weapons do not get Hot
Elite: 1 Big Boss Nob (Flash Gitz Character)
Heavy: 1-3 Units of Flash Gitz
Crazy Rokkit Jerks – Move through Cover, Hammer of Wrath Str 5, Can use Jump Packs in all movement phases – ie Move, and Assault
Elite: 1 Big Boss Nob (Special Character guy)
FA: 2-4 Rokkit Boyz
Weirdboy Conclave – Add + 1 to Perils of the Warp Rolls, Generates d3 Warp Charges per Warphead.
Elite: 2-4 Weirdboyz with the Warphead Upgrade
Plus some of the other Formations from the other books – some of them are still decent with Upgraded Rules. Probably fix them by adding in the Boss Nob Elite Character – maybe even make one for the Mega Nobz and others etc. Give more flavor with characters that are looking to move up to being a Warboss etc.
0-4 Dataslates
Gorkanaut/Morkanaut
Squad of Killa Kans
Deff Dread Squad (0-3)
Battle Wagon
Squad of Looted Vehilces (0-3)
Squad of Warbuggies/Wartraks
Stompa
From there I would drop a lot of points costs on specific units. I think the Mega Nobz need either a point drop, Toughness Increase, or some kind of Invulnerable save. Heck I think Cybork Armor should go back to a 5+ Invulnerable save. Just something that lets Orks have a chance in combat. Flash Gitz, while better now should be made stronger. The new kit is pretty boss and it is a shame they are just not worth it. The Ork book also needs to have an actual Wazzdakka that isn’t just a FW rip off. There just feels like there is so much missing in the book that it just doesn’t fulfill all the pieces you need.
Another unit I think needs a big upgrade is the dang Morkanaut/Gorkanaut. This is one of those kits you either love or hate. I think it is pretty dang awesome and just feel like they missed the mark when writing the rules. I think the simple thing to do that would fix this would just be making it a Super Heavy Walker. It would fix the whole threat of getting Immobilized, let it shoot all kinds of things everywhere and let it get into combat. Sure it would mean the book would have 3 Super Heavy Walker options – but we all know the Knight book isn’t tearing up all the events so there is no reason not to give the Orks more things that feel Orky. Plus when it explodes it would generate some really fun interactions. I would also add the whole – Effigy of Gork/Mork as well especially if they keep that terrible Mob Rule.
I do think Orks get a big boost from double CAD options. It allows them to get more HQ’s and still keep Objective Secured if needed. Plus it can create other combos like moving Artillery and even mean Death Stars as well. Of course that lovely new Tau super suit says you only Jink when I say so!
Heck the whole thing should be modeled after the new Mad Max movies. Lots of buggies, fast movement, and a Devil May Care/Take me to Valhalla attitude. I could envision a simple Car game that has Orks fighting it out over the wasteland. Have it run on a mobile platform and watch the fun as you drive around and throw Grots at people. Really the big issue with the book is that it feels very – Chaos Space Marine like. It feels like they just don’t know what to do with the book and have left it with very little bite. The Orks are supposed to be this never ending tide. The book generates too many instances of running away or just hurting themselves when they really shouldn’t give a rat’s bootie if their fellow brother took one to the head.
Have you thought of anything else that could help the Orks? I really think if they changed the Gork/Morkanaut to Super Heavy Walker and added Effigy of Mork/Gork it would really breathe some interesting life into the book. You could have a ton of Force Fields running around, big monster walkers and tons of boyz witnessing the second coming of the Horde.
I bet there would be armies with all the Ork Boyz having silver grins on their faces. What formations do you think the Greenskins need?
