Goatboy’s 40k:: Ork’s New Big Mek Brings the Heat
Goatboy here to talk about the new Big Mek with KFF from the Saga of the Beast. It’s a good time to be green!
This is one of the few “none” models GW has created a Datasheet for that isn’t locked into the Warhammer Legend status. It is also a big shift in their rules in how they updated the KFF. For those wondering the KFF is the Kustom Force Field and it used to be an anti field for ranged attacks and a way to give a 5+ inv save to ranged attacks to transport vehicles. The new rules have shifted this completely and I think it has pushed it into the “must” have category of Orks.
Now you saw a ton of KFF Meks in the old Legend standbys of the Ork world. You usually put them on a bike (Rest in piece with the old Ork Warboss on a bike), used their fat base to throw out a bubble, and profited as they covered your Mek Guns and other bits from ranged fire. It was a pretty wonderful piece of tech for the Ork player to have when they played the Brick style army. The New KFF Mek though changes this but removing the old bit of rules of only being effective for Ranged attacks. This is huge as you now have a fairly cheap model (55 including field) that can hide out in waves of boyz, give them all a 5+ invulnerable save, probably grab some nice close combat option if wanted, and be a pain in the butt to get rid of. Mix in some Painboyz and you start to get mini Plaguebearers with more attacks, an assault gun if you want, and removing that pesky daemon keyword.
The only thing it lost was the ability to confer to a vehicle if the Big Mek rode in one. This is ok as you can easily set up some 9 inch bubbles to try and cover some of the new vehicles you want to keep protected. But the bigger thing is just giving out a flat 5+ invulnerable save. I am not sure what GW was thinking as we all know how 5+ bubble saves can be powerful (ahem… Iron hands) especially on a model GW currently doesn’t produce yet. Thankfully the blobs of models Orks can produce all have one wound or else we would are looking at another season of pain-in-the-butt hordes.
It’s weird to see a model come back as “good” as this and not have a kit they lock you into. I made a few of my own over the years and would have thought this would show up alongside the new Ghaz as it is an easy model. I know the new boxed set gives ya Mega Nobz that you can easily pull the KFF bit off of there, slap it on a Nobz back and call it a Big Mek. I ended up finally painting my Gorkanaut and thus had the weird Morkanaut bits to hack apart and shove on a Nob body. Here is my red skinned jerk in all his glory. He just needs a few waves of Red Skinned boyz to sit behind him.
New KFF Tactics
So how would I use this new model? I think having him surrounded by Boyz like the last list I talked about with Ghaz is probably the correct way. I also thought he would be useful for a bunch of Nobz coming out of a few Bone Breakers as they can vomit out a ton of attacks if needed. A few set of boyz, some Gretchin, and of course 3 Bone Breakers sound pretty brutal. I don’t know if it will work – but it’s something to think about as we wait and stay in our houses/caves/holding areas.
Can you think of any other models GW has true rules for but no models right now? The Space Marine Captain on a bike, the Slam Captains (all varieties), most jump variant HQ’s, Destroyer Lords, and I am sure a few other random HQs. What are the best ones that require conversion? I think the Big Mek here is probably in line for one of the best due to its cost and boosting nature. Follow that with the always loved Slam Captain and you get a few fun things to mess around with.
The Future?
What other models do you think GW needs to bring back? I am all for more Biker options for Chaos lords and all the old “daemon” riders. It feels like a serious loss of random cool to lose those guys. I don’t know about you – but I made some simple Steeds of Slaanesh conversions and would love to play them with my waves of Possessed hordes. I am sure a lot of Eldar players would like their old characters back – most likely with less backpacks of infinite options and more locked in upgrade sets.
Until next time – stay safe, stay painting/building, and hopefully we can see each other on the other side with waves of sweet tournaments and totally bad ass looking armies.
