General Description | Da' Klanz
Orky Know-Wotz | Ork Army Special Rules
Characters | Mobz | Support | Special Characters | Tactics
The Orks are a savage, and brutal race who love war. They are the dominant element of a race of Orkoids that includes Orks, Gretchin, and Snotlings. The Orks are in charge because they are the biggest, toughest, meanest, and most warlike of their kind.
The Ork mind is specialized: it is devoted wholly to the pursuit of power and war. Orks are brave and tough, and their bodies have a natural resilience which allows them to survive traumatic injuries and the most primitive of surgery.
Gretchin
Gretchin are much like Orks, though not as brutal, strong, or tough as their larger cousins. The smaller Gretchin are more clever and cunning.
Snotlings
Snotlings' main role in Ork society is the cultivation of fungus. They also look after the Squigs. Snotlings are bred and raised by a class of Orks known as Runtherds.
Nobz and Warlords
Nobz are Ork Nobles. They are wealthy, battle-hardened veterans who have gotten to where they are by being bigger, tougher, and meaner than anybody else. Nobz can be found in positions of command or organised into their own select bands. They prefer the company of other Orks of equal status, and Nobz units are usually very well armed and equipped.
The most powerful and prestigious Nobz are given the title Warboss or Warlord. The finest trophy a Warlord can have is a Space Marine helmet. Orks judge the worth of a Warlord by the quantity and quality of the enemies he has defeated in battle.
When a Warlord's authority is challenged, the Warlord simply takes on any rival contenders in gladiatorial combat in a pit fight.
Ork Freebooterz
The Freebooterz exist on the fringe of Ork Kultur. They are small roving bands of pirates, bandits and mercenaries belonging to no Waagh! or clan. They are eager for adventure, combat, and booty.
These motley crews have long since abandoned any clan loyalties. The Freebooter band is now the only home they have. They roam the galaxy in small dilapidated spacecraft and hide out on isolated planets and large asteroids. The band is led by a hardened Boss or Kaptin. They use the sign of the Jolly Ork to set them apart.
Squigs
Orks use Squigs for everything from food to hair and beards to ammunition, and sometimes even pets! For some reason, anywhere Orks settle, Squigs will develop. No one knows exactly why.
Bad Moons
Bad Moons are the wealthiest clan, and they have the best armour, weapons, and wargear, as they have the most teef (teeth) to spend. Bad Moons also seem to have the most psychic powers and develop the most Weirdboyz.
Deathskulls
Deathskulls take their name from their horned-skull totem and skulls and bones feature prominently in their adornments. Deathskulls are notoriously superstitious and often paint their skin blue to bring them luck.
The Deathskulls are renowned as plunderers of the battlefield. After a battle, the Deathskulls descend upon the wreckage to salvage weapons, equipment, clothes, and anything else they can find. They are also tremendously good at scrounging (stealing) equipment from their fellow Orks. All this has earned them a bad reputation as a bunch of Lootaz. Orks from other clans normally keep a wary eye on any Deathskulls boyz. The Deathskulls use their odd bits to make some truly weird and bizarre wargear. Deathskull Mekaniaks produce the highly feared, if rather unreliable, Kustom Kombi-Weapons.
Snakebites
Snakebites do not really feel comfortable with technology, and prefer a more primitive lifestyle. Many of them ride into battle on fierce war boars. They take the snake as their totem.
Blood Axes
It was the Blood Axes who first encountered the armies of the Imperium, and it is their who have had the most contact with Imperial culture. this has led to the Blood Axes picking up Imperial battle practices such as the wearing of camouflaged wargear, the use of captured and traded Imperial vehicles, and even planning tactics for battles. Blood Axes have even been known to retreat if they are losing rather than fighting to the bitter end like the other clans. This has earned the Blood Axes the reputation of being cowardly gitz with other Ork clans, who fail to notice that the Blood Axes normally come back later reinforced and better prepared than they were before.
Goffs
The Goffs can be identified by their predominantly black wargear and their black bull's head totem. They have the reputation of being the biggest, meanest, ugliest, and most ferocious of the Orks. Of all the Ork clans, the Goffs are the most inspired by the thrill and thunder of battle. They consider themselves superior to the cowardly Orks from other clans who hang back to shoot when they could just get in there and do battle. Most Goffs carry brutal short ranged weapons such as axes and bolt pistols, so they can get stuck in as soon as possible.
Other clans that wear bright colours are mocked as "not propa' Orkz," or "juz' plain weedy."
Evil Sunz
The Evil Sunz are irresistibly attracted towards fast Warbikes and loud noise. They are constantly tinkering with the engines of their bikes and buggies, trying to get as much speed out of them as possible. Not surprisingly, the Evil Sunz have many Mekaniaks.
The totem of the clan is a blood-red Ogryn face grinning out of a sunburst. Evil Sunz wear red, and paint their machines red too, firmly believing in the old proverbs, "Red wunz go fasta'," and, "If it's red den no wun'z gonna' catch up wiv ya'." The Evil Sunz are especially noted for their Bikeboyz.
Oddboyz
There are many types of Oddboyz, the most important of which are Mekboyz, Painboyz, Runtherds, and Weirdboyz.
Mekboyz make and maintain the Orks' weapons, wargear, and vehicles. They are essential to an Ork Waagh!.
Painboyz are the Ork battle surgeons, and they work with the Mekboyz to install mechanical bitz on the Ork boyz.
Runtherds train the Gretchin and Snotlings, and are responsible for the breeding of them.
Weirdboyz are psykers with unpredictable powers. Most Weirdboyz are forced to live outside the Ork village, as they are considered too dangerous to live amongst the general Ork population.
Bikes, Buggies, and Da' Kult of Speed
The Orks' love of fast vehicles, known by the Orks as Da' Kult of Speed, accounts for the vast array or customized buggies, bikes, and ramshackle vehicles that can be mustered by an Ork warband.
Ork Dreadnoughts
An Ork Dreadnought is piloted by an Ork who has been surgically implanted into the machine by the combined efforts of an Ork Painboy and an Ork Mekboy. Most Ork Dreadnoughts have four arms, although there is a small, two-armed version. However, the fact that the four-armed version is both bigger and capable of carrying twice as much weaponry makes it the most powerful.
Kustom Weapons
Ork Kustom weapons can be bizarre and weird in form, they can be both powerful and dangerous to their user at the same time, as no Mekaniak would ever admit to any shortcomings in their creations.
The Waaagh!
Orks are evolved primarily for fighting, and this leads to rivalry and even outright war between the different tribes. Although this gives the impression that Orks are disorganised and rebellious, they are actually capable of a high degree of cooperation. The Techno-Magi of the Adeptus Mechanicus have identified low levels of background psychic energy in the minds of all Orks and Gretchin.
As a particular Warlord grows in power, other Orks are attracted to his armies, and clamour to assume subordinate positions under his command. This means that Ork armies can assemble very quickly, growing into massive hoards appearing out of nowhere and attacking unsuspecting planets. A Waagh! will last until the Orks are defeated, or until they run out of enemies.
Waaargh!
Orks have a strategy rating of 3 when it comes to determining who sets up first. However, the wild and unpredictable nature of an Ork attack means that quite often the Orks will launch their attack very suddely, catching their opponents unaware. To represent this, the Orks double their strategy rating to 6 when rolling to see who gets the first turn.
Ork Missions
Ork tactics are quite limited, and because of this there are a number of missions that it never occurs to them to undertake. Because of this, when a mission is selected for the Orks, Witch Hunt and The Assassins missions should not be included.
Warboss
You must have a Warboss or a special character to lead your Ork army. An Ork Warboss has good, but not great stats, and he may have up to three wargear cards. He may also have Gretchin Assistants. Use his Wargear and his Assistants to increase his ability to survive. The Warboss should be tactically located to aid the Leadership of the most troops possible.
Battle Standard
You can have either an Ork or a Gretchin Standard Bearer. The Standard Bearer should be kept close to your Warboss so that he can give benefits to the most possible troops. Myself, I prefer to take an Ork Standard Bearer, as he has a greater Toughness and a better chance to survive on the battlefield. I would give him armour and wargear designed to enhance his survivability.
Big Boss
Big Bosses are some of the best character buys in the game. They can be used either to bolster the Leadership of units or as individual characters for hunting opponents' support weapons, vehicles, and sometimes opponents' characters. They are cheap enough that you can have several of them. Equip them to bolster the units they are with and/or to give them the most killing and staying power.
Freebooter Kaptin
You must have one of these for each Freebooterz mob, you can include one of these for each Freebooterz mob you have in your army, and if you take Freebooterz, you should include one. I usually give my Freebooterz Kaptin two or more (up to four) Gretching Assistants. I also usually equip them fairly well with weapons and armour.
Blood Axe Kommando Kaptin
The Blood Axe Kommando Kaptin can infiltrate with the Blood Axe Kommandos, and he has a high Initiative as compared to other Ork Big Bosses, and costs the same points. He is a very good purchase for the amount of points.
Drillboss
If you take Stormboyz, the Drillboss is a must, with his Ld 9. If you equip your Stormboyz with jump packs, you must also buy one for the Drillboss. I usually give this guy a Special Weapon.
Nobz
These are the leaders for your mobs, and they are useful for their Leadership and for the Special Weapons they can be given.
Mekaniak (Mekboy)
The Mekaniak is a must for any Ork army. He is the only way you can have Support Weapons, or Vehicles, and you need him and a Painboy to be able to have any Dreadnoughts. The Mekaniak can also be equipped with a Shokk Attack Gun, the Orkiest of heavy weapons! He can also have three wargear cards. I usually like to have at least two, so that one can have Mekboy's Toolz to repair things (to take more than one, you must take Evil Sunz mobz, of course all good Ork Warbosses will have at least a couple of Evil Sunz Bike Mobz, if he can get them). You can give them up to four Gretchin Assistants (Gretchin Assistants make a good screen for a Mekaniak with a Shokk Attack Gun).
Painboy
You must have at least one to be able to have your Dreadnoughts, and if you take Deathskull Mobz, you can have more than one, which is a good idea. These guys can be useful. Give them Doc's Toolz and let them go killing troops, or give them a Medi-Pack and let them use it to revive your characters and Goffs. You can give Painboyz up to four Gretchin Assistants.
Runtherdz
Again, this is a must-have character. It's the only way you can Gretchin and Snotlings, and they are the only characters that can lead Gretchin. You can only have multiple Runtherdz if you have Snakebite Mobz, then you can have one extra for each Snakebite Mob. You can give Runtherdz up to four Gretchin Assistants.
Weirdboy
A Weirdboy is a level 2 psyker, and you may include one, plus one extra for each Bad Moons Mob, in your army. The Weirdboy is accompanied by two Minderz. If you can, always give them a Weidboy Staff.
Weirdboy Warphead
Your army can only have one Weirdboy Warphead. The Warphead is accompanied by four Minderz, and the Weirdboy is a psyker with a mastery level of 4. I usually try to give him a Psychic Hood.
Ogryn Leader
There are three different Ogryn Leaders: Champion, Hero, and Mighty Hero. If you are going to have Ogryn, buy the best one of these you can. The Hero or Mighty Hero are awesome characters. The Hero has 4 Wounds, and the Mighty Hero has 5.
Gretchin Assistants
Gretchin Assistants are useful, as they make up a unit with the character and casualties are taken from them first, before the character. They can also help with some firepower, if somewhat weak.
Nobz Mob
You can have a Nobz mob for each Boyz mob. I use Nobz mobz mainly to give firepower to the army, and as Special Weapons Nobz geared to special tasks. Bad Moonz Nobz in Mega-Armour are as close to Terminators as the Orks can get. They can be used as Assault Troops, but Skarboyz are actually better at that job.
Blood Axe Kommando Mob
Infiltrators used for disrupting your enemy by upsetting his deployment (he will be afraid of all cover that is just outside his deployment zone), and for disrupting his advance. If you can get the right location to infiltrate to, they can be very useful for taking out support weapons, etc.
Freebooterz
These are useful mainly for the variety of different weapons they can have at a low point cost. These are basically average Boyz.
Mad Mob
The Mad Mob is totally unpredictable, they either give you great success or they may just sit there and do nothing. These are not my favourite Orks.
Bad Moonz
There are several ways to use Bad Moonz. They can be very specialised with Special Weapons, or they can be a normal Boyz mob.
Blood Axe Boyz
These are normal Ork Boyz, except for their camouflaged clothing and they give you the ability to take Imperial support weapons and/or vehicles from the Imperial Guard or any Space Marine lists.
Stormboyz Korps
Average Boyz with jump packs (that aren't the most reliable). These are useful only as a diversion.
Deathskullz Mob
A Deathskullz mob consists of 3-10 Deathskullz Lootaz, which means 3-10 heavy weapons! These are your support troops. Use them to lay down firepower to support your other mobs.
Evil Sunz Mob
Biker Orks! Speed, the firepower of twin autocannons, and maneuverability. This is the way to use your Evil Sunz. Evil Sunz Bike Mobz come from your Mobz section, meaning you can have more vehicles and support.
Goff Boyz Mob
The Goffs prefer hand-to-hand. They are the only mob that can have more than one Nob (they can have up to two), and you can upgrade any or all to Skarboyz. I usually upgrade the complete Mob. These make good assault troops when upgraded to Skarboyz.
Snakebite Boyz Mob
Their main advantage is their ability to have Boars and Cyboars. I use a Boarboyz mob quite often, but not always in my army. They can be very good assault troops, but they usually draw a lot of firepower from the enemy.
Gretchin Mobs
These are basically screens, but they can be used in large numbers to overwhelm an enemy squad, and they are cheap.
Snotling Herd
Screens (but not the most effective) and Ammo for the Shokk Attack Gun.
Allies
Orks will not normally ally with anybody but other Orks.
Ogryn Mob
They're large, strong, tough, and mean. These guys can kill a lot of enemies, but they're exspensive. I can usually find better uses for my points.
Ork Dreadnought
I like this tin can! Lots of firepower, AND close combat capabilities BOTH. I usually give it two ranged weapons and two claw arms.
Pulsa Rokkit
If you can guess the range and fuel estimate, it can be effective by knocking down enemy foot troops; spinning enemy support weapons and knocking down the crew; spinning enemy vehicles and making them move out of control for one turn; knocking down terrain, walls, etc. in the field; and damaging walkers' legs location.
Smasha Gun
Not the most accurate weapon in the world, but it can do a lot of damage when it hits by picking up and dropping troops and vehicles.
Splatta Kannon
When the Splatta Kannon fires, it will strike 20" + the Artillery dice in range. It will then bounce randomly, using the Artillery dice for Scatter, until a misfire occurs, or the shot bounces off the table.
Squaig Katapult
The Squig Katapult has a maximum range you can guess of 48", you do not have to have a line of sight to fire it, as it is an indirect fire weapon. It can be quite deadly if the target fails its savings throw. Any target that fails its savings throw is eaten alive.
Traktor Kannon
You do not have to roll to hit, the target is hit automatically, and the penetration against a vehicle is equal to the Artillery dice + 3d6. The Strength of the hit is the Artillery dice, and any model that survives is pulled toward the Traktor Kannon half the number in inches of the number rolled on the Artillery dice.
Ork Battlewagon
Basic Ork transport.
Warbuggy
The Warbuggy is a fast, versatile weapons platform that you can customize with the weapon(s) for the job at hand. The many different weapons that it can be armed with make the Warbuggy a very versatile and useful vehicle.
Wartrak
All that was said about the Warbuggy can be said about the Wartrak, and the Wartrak uses the bike acceleration rules.
Scorcher
This is what I call an Orky vehicle! A big flame template, and you don't even have to roll to hit, just charge in full speed (30") with a squadron of these and torch 'em!
Nobz Bike
Fast transportation for your Nobz mob. These guys are great for doing hit-and-run attacks.
Warbike
Speed, maneuverability, and twin autocannons! Just what all good Orks love! Your enemy can never be sure where these guys will hit!
Nazdreg Ug Urdgrub, Bad Moon Warlord
Narzdreg can have up to 4 wargear cards. One of these must always be a Kustom Shoota. Nazdreg, because of his extra D3-1 strategy cards and extra wargear card, can be an asset to your Waagh!. His main strength is in giving your Waagh! extra strategy cards, and this is dependent on your luck with dice.
Kaptin "Flash Git" Badrukk
When I am playing in a game where I am allowed to use him, I like using Badrukk and his Flash Gitz from time to time, but I do not make a point of planning my tactics around him.
Mad Doc Grotsnik, Deathskull Painboy
This can be a very 'ard character, if his Madboy rules don't get in his way. With a S6 and a T5, and an Armour Value of 15, he is a good deal at only 82 points.
Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka, Goff Warlord
Ghazghkull has very good stats, and he can call on the Ork Gods to invoke the power of the Waagh!. As soon as Ghazghkull calls on the power of the Waagh!, any fleeing Ork models immediately rally. For the remainder of the turn and all of the next turn, Ghazghkull is immune to ANY damage, he cannot be harmed in any way at all, and all Orks, including Ghazghkull, recieve a +1 modifier in hand-to-hand.
Makari, Ghazghkull's Battle Standard Bearer
This is one BAD Grot! He's not much at fighting, with only a hand weapon, but he has a 2+ unmodified save! Makari must stay within 2" of Ghazghkull, and any hit will go against Makari before going against Ghazghkull.
Zodgrod Wartsnagga, Snakebite Runtmaster
Zodgrod gives you the ability to upgrade one mob of Gretchin to Super Gretchin or one mob of Snotlings to Super Snotlings. He may have two wargear cards, one of which must be the Runtherd's Grabba-Stikk.
Wazdakka Gutsmek, Evil Sunz Mekaniak and Bad Ork Bikeboy
Wazdakka may be included instead of one of the army's normal Mekaniaks. Wazdakka doesn't just love fixing bikes, he loves riding them too, and is a dedicated member of Da' Kult of Speed, and a much feared Bad Ork Bikeboy! He has a power fist, frag, krak, and blind stikkbombz, he wears Mega-Armour, he may have two wargear cards, and he rides a customized warbike that has the following FOUR vehicle cards: Kustom Force FIeld, Squig Fuel Injector, Super-Charged Engine, and Reinforced Armour. Besides the twin autocannons, it also mounts a battlecannon that fires over Wazdakka's head. Wazdakka is a speed freak, he is a highly skilled biker, and adds +2 to the dice roll when rolling on the Bike Skid Turn Table on page 83 of the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook. Unfortunately, he is very reluctant to slow down or stop once his bike is moving, he must take a special Speed Test to slow down. The battle cannon's recoil causes the bike to be knocked back D3" every time it is fired.
The Ork Warlord must take care choosing his Waagh!. He has a wide array of specialised troops available to him, and they must be chosen carefully. He must choose mobs that can support the other mobs in his Waagh!. Orks are not heavily armoured and must rely on speed and cover to get into combat with their enemies. You need a good mix of close combat troops, support troops such as Deathskullz, support weapons, and your fast light vehicles, all working together. Use your Skarboyz for assaults, supported by the covering fire of Deathskullz mobs with heavy weapons. Use specialised mobs of Bad Moons with meltaguns for close assaulting vehicles. Use Bad Moons mobs with flamers for taking out such troops as 'Stealers, and lightly armoured foes that are in large masses. Use heavy weapons such as lascannons, heavy plasma guns, and autocannons to take out Terminators and vehicles at long range. Concentrate fire on very dangerous targets, such as vehicles, Terminators, characters, and Devastator-type squads (including Eldar Dark Reapers, etc.). Use your Blood Axe Kommandos to infiltrate and disrupt your enemy's plans. Use Bike and Buggy squads for flank attacks and use Evil Sunz bike mobz and Nobz Bike mobz to do hit-and-run attacks. Use your support weapons in a concentrated firepower, taking out the most dangerous targets. Do not spread and weaken your. Concentrate on one part of your enemy's deployment at a time, take out one powerful squad after another instead of scattering your fire accross several squads. Make sure that you cover each mob or squadron with another mob or squadron, and always cover and protect your support weapons. The Orks have a very good Dread, it is versatile in its armament, and can carry a lot of armament, so make use of it. Scorcha Squadrons can be very useful for getting at enemies who hide in trees and heavy cover, as cover gives them no protection against the Scorcha, you do not have to roll to hit, and you can lay down the templates to take out areas where you have not spotted the enemy troops. For that matter, template weapons are a very good idea for Orks, especially against IG, and 'Nids.
Some Useful Mobz and Dirty Tricks:
A Deathskull Mob: 10 Deathskullz with heavy bolters = 220 points, and gives you 20 Sustained Fire dice. This is a good mob to use against IG and 'Nids. For that matter, against Eldar.
Gretchin Screens: Gretchin Screens can be very useful for soaking up enemy fire and protecting your more important units until they get to close combat range.
Shokk Attack Gun! This weapon scares more players than any other. This thing can take out Greater Dameons with one shot, and if your opponent is Chaos and he wants to try to pull the Daemon Possessing the Snotlings Trick, just fire three stands at one time, instant death for the Daemon! (Possessing Snotlings being fired by a SAG is probably not legal, and even if it is, it is super cheese, LIMBURGER, it stinks! But if you fire at least two, he's dead anyway, and you've only paid 10 points to kill him. >;-) ) The fear this thing can cause in the mind of your opponent is almost as effective as killing his troops. The SAG has unlimited range, so give it a good clear line of fire.
Ork Battlewagons and Rhinos are very useful for transporting troops. A neat trick is to place a small Nobz mob all armed with heavy weapons in a Battlewagon, then you have a group that can move AND fire (cheap tank). You can also place a Deathskullz mob with Kustom Kombi-Weapons in the Battlewagon, drive up to point-blank range, and then fire with an automatic hit. Of course, if your opponent catches on to what you're doing, they'll never get there, as he'll fire everything he has at them. The one way to get around this is a Kustom Force Field vehicle card.
Five Nobz on Bikes with power fists is a great mob for making hit and run attacks on vehicles, Dreadnoughts, and support weapons. You might want to give your Nobz 'eavy armour.
You can also arm your Evil Sunz bike mob with meltabombz so that when they get a chance, they can hit and run tanks also.
A squadron of 3-5 Scorchas can do a devastating amount of damage on lightly armoured troops in large units. They can also overlap their templates on characters to take out characters by making it take multiple saves and fire tests (it will still only start one fire on the model, but it gives multiple chances to start that fire, and unless they are frenzied or wearing Terminator/Mega-/Exo-armour, they cannot do anything while on fire).
Stands of Snotlings can be sent in multiples against enemy units to tie them down for one or two turns while you deal with other units (I know your opponents will holler "CHEESE!" on this, but it is a legitimate tactic, and has won several tournaments).
I would tell you to design characters that are under 50 points to keep them from being Victory Points, but I disagree with this, and I prefer the new VP rule that was used at the Grand Tournament.
The main thing is plan your tactics and coordinate your attack so that your combination of troop types and specialised weapons are all working together. The Orks, when you do this correctly, are one of the most powerful armies in the 40K universe.
These are the best low-point wargear cards for Orks:
Bionic Eye - 5 pts.------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Try this Warboss:
Mega-Armour, Bionic Eye, Spike Arm, and Bionic Leg
Dis wun 'ARD git! An' ahl da' wargeer iz 5 pts. eech! Total = 15 pts. wargear
The Mega-Armour isn't wargear.
Result: Warboss with WS 6+1=7, BS 6+1=7, bionic eye, 4 attacks
(3+1), 2+ mod. save then 4+ unmod. save.
Then give him a power fist and a sword.
Total points = 116
You can give him a special weapon to take advantage of his BS, and you still have a cheap Warboss that's equal to anything the Marines have, except special characters.
This is a very good tournament Warboss also.
Data entered by Ragnar and Kaptin Gavrin.