Warhammer 40,000: Orks

Tips and Tactics

Warboss / Battle Standard / Bigboss / Kaptains / Drillboss / Nobz / Meks / Docs / Runtherdz / Wierdboyz / Ogryn Leaders / Gretchin Assistants / Nobz Mobz / Blood Axe Kommandos / Freebooters / Mad Mob / Bad Moons / Blood Axes / Stormboyz / Deathskulls / Evil Sunz / Goffs / Snakebites / Grots / Snots / Ogryns / Dreadnoughts / Pulsa Rokkit / Smasha Gun / Splatta Kannon / Squig Katapult / Traktor Kannon / Battlewagon / Buggy / Wartrak / Scorcher / War Trukk / Nobz Bike / Warbike / Nazdreg / Kaptain Badrukk / Mad Dok Grotsnik / Ghazghkull and Makari / Zodgrod Wortsnagga / Wazdakka Gutsmek

Warboss
AS with all armies, as leader, the Warboss is very important. Warbosses should always be suitable for hand to hand in my opinion and they should never be above 200 points. Also, try to give your Warboss some type of Wargear to let him move easily and quickly. Don't forget some typ of un-modifiable save! Here is my favourite armament so far for my Warboss:
1. Warboss - 65 pts.
2. Combat Drugs - 25 pts.
3. Melta-Bolter Combi - 10 pts.
4. Spike Arm - 5 pts.
5. Mega Armour - 25 pts.
Total= 130 points

Battle Standard
In any army a battle standard is very important and this is no less true in an Ork army with its average Ld. Take an Ork standard over a grot one for better survivability, as he already costs 50 pts and gives away a VP, and because of this you can give him additional wargear without losing more VPs (until you reach 100 points). Try a powerfield or mega armour, or for a fast moving standard mount on a boar or bike and give him a powerfield.

Bigbosses
Bigbosses kick ass. Make sure you lead every squad with one of these, you can get a good character that can be independent or lead a squad and can be jiggled so that he gives away no VPs, additionally he has 2 wounds and 2 attacks! What more do you want??? Try combos of storm shield, jumppack, spike arm (if not used on the warboss) and other close combat nasties. If points cost is no object, go for mega armour, frenzon and a sword, you thus get 5 attacks, 2+ save, a 4+ save, S8 attacks (remember mega armour has a built in powerclaw) and a parry for 66 points, and still have a wargear slot left.

Kaptains
These are the 2 different Kaptains I'm talking about:
Kommando Kaptains and Freebooter Kaptains.
Kommando Kaptains: Give your Kommando Kaptain melta stikkbombz, Power Fist, Sword, a Vortex Grenade and Rad Grenades. This way he is a killer! Throw a bunch of Rad Grenades around to deny passage of troops to your Kommandos, then, as the enemy draws near, throw a Vortex at something important and KABOOM! Everything dies! The only problem is that the Vortex Grenade and Rad Grenades would bring him over 1 VP, so its pretty annoying having a character that's 126 points and worth 2 VPs. If you choose not to get something, keep the Rad Grenades, the Vortex is less useful (in most cases) because you can use an infinite amount of Rad, but only one Vortex.
Freebooter Kaptains: Well, arm the Freeboter Kaptain with the same things as the Freebooters he's leading (hoping they are Flash Gitz with Jump Packs). Give him a Power Fist and sword. Then any other Wargear you want, frenzon is always a good bet if you are going hand to hand.

Drillboss
If you are going for hand to hand with your stormboyz then give him a powerfist and meltabombs for anything really hard. 'Eavy armour is always good for surviving, why not mega armour I hear you ask, because you cannot use mega armour and jumppacks together! The above combo only costs 47 in total, so once again you have a decent character that gives away no VPs.

Nobz
If you cannot afford Bigbosses to lead your squads, then make sure these fellows do the job instead. The additional +1 Ld is a godsend to the greenskins. At only 13 points, you can happily dole out mega armour and stuff and give away no VPs.

Mekboyz
There are 3 ways to approach the mekboy problem. 1) give him a powerfield/mega armour and a shokk attack gun, this one is a long range killing machine, just buy plenty of ammo. 2) give him meks tools and a jumppack so he can bound around fixing your vehicles that get hit. 3) give him force field projekta, this is great for covering the advance of your army, but rememer the 12" field must be totally within 18" of the mek, so be sure to move your mek with the rest of the army, I have found this is a good way to protect the warboss and his retinue as it shields them from hostile heavy weapons and then suddenly out bursts a warboss and 5 bigbosses all in mega armour! hehehe, bring a spare change of underwear for your opponent.

Painboyz
VAXXINE SQUIG!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you fail to take a vaxxine squig in your army you are incredibly stupid. The easiest way to kill orks is a virus and while many people do not use the virus outbreak strategy card there is still the virus grenade, also the painboy allows you a dread in your army. Another use for the doks is that they can potentially take out any character with one hit if they have doks tools. Take a couple, give one vaxxine squig and hide him, and give the other doks tools and attach him to a squad to lead it.

Runtherdz
These can possibly be the most useful thing in your army. Grabba sticks are brill. They hit automatically on a 4+ before close combat starts and give a S8 hit with no save for armour, great for terminators etc, even better if the target survives it has a WS of 0 for a round of combat. Scenario; A nobz mob of 5 armed with powerfists and led by a runtherd attack a bloodthirster, the grabba stick hits and the bloodthirster loses a wound and now has WS0. The runtherd attacks first and gets say 3 hits with a powerfist, if you follow this through and merely add +1 hit per opponent that is 33 hits in total!! (3+4+5+6+7+8) and the last nob attacks with WS10 (4 +1 for charging +5 for being the 6th opponent) and 7 attacks thus the bloodthirster will at least be severely injured, if not dead. This also works on avatars, hive tyrants, carnifexes etc.

Weirdboyz
Weirdboyz are so important it isn't even funny. I suggest 4 Minderz with 1 Bolter for Warpheads, 2 for Weirdboyz. Get a Warphead first as Level 4 psykers last much longer than level 2 ones, especially with the Waagh power. Always get a Weirdboy Staff, re-rolling on the 'Eadbangerz table is soooo useful. For Warpheadz, just get 4 Minderz, exhange the pistols for boltguns and get a Weirdboy Staff, making him 199 points. Never change your wargear card, a save may seem cool but avoiding an exploding head is better! Support your warphead with 3-2 normal weirdboyz, as you don't want to lose all psychic capability in one unlucky turn.

Ogryn Leaders
Not necessary, but great! Only get Ogryn Mighty Heros. Give him a Storm Shield so that he has a parry and a save. A Bionic Arm is useful because it would increase his save modifier and strength, wounding marine characters on a 2+ with no power armour save allowed. With 5 wounds he then becomes a veritable killing machine and can pound through tanks and infantry alike.

Gretchin Assistants
Gretchin Assistants are REALLY bad! If you have some extra points left, get a couple, sure. Well, that is if you can't give anyone else a scanner.

Remember that with nearly all the characters you can get a useful character with wargear for under 50 pts and thus give away no VPs.

Nobz Mobz
These totally kickass, give them mega armour or 'eavy armour and then either close combat weapons or heavy weapons, they are cheaper than devastators, but just as good at shooting and have better armour complete with an unmodifiable save (if you take mega armour). In close combat take powerfists and swords so that you can wreck anything.

Blood Axe Kommandos
For nasty infiltrators take a multi-melta and melta stikkbombz mixed with swords and power axes. Try krakz for hard characters. This armament is better than bolters because you will kill more and you can still fight well in hand to hand.

Freebooters
The only reason you should use Freebooterz is FLASH GITZ! Flash Gitz are Freebooterz upgraded by the special character Kaptin Badrukk for those of you who don't know. Since Flash Gitz can get a Wargear card, give them Jump Packs and they instantly turn into assault squads that are harder and more reliable than stormboyz. . And don't forget to arm them with Power Swords and Swords for double parries and Strength 5 attack.

Madboyz
These guys aren't much cop now compared to the orignals in Rogue Trader, try using them as a cheap and big boyz mob with bolters, or as cheap and fairly tough cannon fodder. Just don't rely on them to do anything.

Bad Moons
These are great for weaponry, try taking small squads with plasma guns so that one squad can fire while the other recharges. If mounting them in a battle wagon or wartrukk try melta guns for that short ranged kick and then get them hand to hand with tanks and watch them blow it sky high. Try a small squad of 5 with flamers in a wartrukk to support your scorcher in taking out hidden infiltrators. Overall, one of the best mobz behind Skarboyz.

Blood Axes
There is only 1 reason for taking these treacherous gitz and that is to obtain imperial vehicles. Take a small squad of 5, tool up with imperial vehicles and then just use them to cover the rest of your army as it advances.

Stormboyz
These are quite good to support the really cool flash gitz with jumppacks. They are not really worth on their own as the stormboyz jumppacks are a bit too dodgy to trusted much. If you are supporting the flash gitz then take a good mix of assault weapons and as with kommandos take lots of stikkbombz as you will be moving very quickly and ahead of the main army.

Deathskulls
Here are your Heavy Weapons squads. Don't give these troops anything but Heavy Weapons. Take either seperate squads of short and long ranged weapons or take a mix of them so that the heavy bolters etc in the squad can prevent troops getting to close to your lascannons, missile launchers etc. If you can afford to do it take a squad of 3-5 multimeltas and run them down a flank and then stop and roast any hard tanks, infantry etc that are getting too close.

Evil Sunz
The only thing I have to say about Evil Sunz is mount them on bikes! They are kind of useless otherwise. On bikes they get better weapons and can do drive-by attacks. Also, a squad of 6 bikes with Evil Sunz, 5 of them have Bolters, one has a Meltagun and its 293 points, which is a very efficient squad, almost 4 VP's but not quite.

Goffs
Goffs are very cool if you make them Skarboyz. Give them a Power Sword and Sword and for 20 points you have a WS of 4, 2 attack dice, S5 and 2 parries. If you take Goffs, take nothing but Skarboyz as the extra point is always worth it. If you want mobility mount them in a battlewagon or wartrukk, or if you want them to last longer take rhinos, chimeras etc. The best close combat troops for the orks are these guys, as they are cheaper than nobz.

Snakebites
Snakebites are only good for the boars and cyboars. With up to 30" charge and WS4, 3+/4+ save, +2 when charging, and up to 8 attacks, each boarboy is rather hard. Kit them up with close combat weapons and use them to soften up the opposition before the skarboyz and nobz get there. Use them in small units of about 5 and use 2 or 3 to harass the enemy, they will concentrate a lot of fire on these things ad probably will not do a lot of damage with basic weapons.

Gretchin

Take lots of gretchin, they soak up fire like nobodies business and are great at only 5 pts. If you have 100 it only costs 500 pts and the enemy has to remove 100 grots before he reaches your boyz. Multiple sustained fire weapons may be able to take out a lot, but having to waste multilasers and assault cannons on grots is really good to watch. Hopefully some will reach the other side and will still be able to support the boyz in close combat. Never take the blunderbuss as none will get that close.

Snots
Ammo.

Ogryns
Ogryns are fun. Their main advantage is the 3 wounds per unit. I suggest going for one particular squad, vehicle or character with them, preferably one where you're in a position not to be shot at. But, if someone's close, and you can get in short range, do it! You'll always hit and 2 Sustained Fire dice ain't bad. The main thing about Ogryns, try to avoid large groups of the enemy's units because they'll die. If you have about 5 Ogryns though, do whatever you want as they are slightly more expendable. Remember the Imperial Guard tactic, pile them in a APC and then jump out next to the enemies front ranks, you will only lose 1 wound and then can kick their teeth in.

Dreadnought
Ork Dreadnoughts are the best dreadnought in my opinion. Its got decent armour and great weapons. Upgrade both claws to missile launchers or lascannon and then use Dark Millenium to change the heavy bolter and heavy flamer to long ranged weapons for a tank buster, up upgrade to heavy bolters and heavy flamers with powerclaw(s) for a nasty short ranged git, remember compared to other dreads they are cheap so don't skimp on ablative armour and stuff.

Pulsa Rokkits
Practically a must for all armies! 2 in every army is good. Well, at least 2. Fire the Pulsa Rokkits or one Pulsa Rokkit on the first turn and aim for things that'll be moving fast (i.e. Harlequins, Assault Squads with Jump Pack, Warp Spiders) so that they don't get a chance to move. And remember that the enemy misses a turn with them, giving you a chance to get into position with Boars and Bikes.

Smasha Gun
This is probably the worst Ork weapon (next to a Gretchin Blunderbuss). The only use is against tanks. Picking them up and dropping them on other units works quite well. But I wouldn't get one. Get anything else instead.

Splatta Kannon
Position your Splatta Kannon near a wall but still allowing it to shoot in its 90° fire arc. then just shoot away. Also, shoot each turn, even if you can't hit anyone in the arc of fire. It may just bounce around and hit someone. Splatta Kannons are useful, but get other support weapons if possible like Pulsa Rokkits, Traktor Kannons or Squig Katapults (all of which cost fewer points, too).

Squig Katapult
This has got to be one of the BEST Ork support weapons. Position it right behind a wall and fire!!! You could get 2 Squig Katapults if you want. In fact, 2 is pretty good although they cost some money, point-wise though, cheap!. I suggest shooting 48" first just to give you feel of range. Eventually though, once you get used to ranges, you can just guess right away, whether its 10", 20" or 40".

Traktor Kannons
Traktor Kannons are fairly cool. They are great for pulling units out of coherency (not to mention killing them too). You have to have one of these in your army! Use them to move around vehicles and troops.

Battlewagon
As troop carriers go, the battlewagon isn't too bad. Load it up with boyz and scoot off to battle, just remember that it is open topped and you are susceptible to templates and blasts.

War Buggy
Give your Buggy a Multi-Melta. Its worth the points. Get a whole lot of Buggies/Wartracks and let 'em rip! Multi-Meltas are the most effective weapons for Buggies as the short range is the weapons only disadvantage, so you can just drive fast and cancel that out. With buggies, they will most likely die fast, so move up the battlefield quickly and try to get at least one shot off.

Wartrak
Same as the Buggy. But remember, better armour and faster slow speed and combat speed. I would prefer a Wartrack over a War Buggy, but you can decide.

Scorcher
The Scorcher is very fun. Remember that you can go at fast speed and still shoot but with a modifier to hit. With the Scorcher, who cares! There are a few very important tips for the Scorcher though... 1. Give it Ablative Armour 2. Give it super charged engines 3. Start it behind a wall with a 45 degree angle towards the enemy 4. Don't stop moving and get out of your deployment zone RIGHT AWAY 5. Don't worry about getting shot at, just as long as you're close to the enemy. Ablative Armour is useful as it gives some protection while you try leaving your deployment zone and get into the enemy's. Supercharged engines helps you get into the enemy's deployment zone a lot faster. Start behind a wall so that the enemy can't shoot you and start with a 45 degree angle so that you on't have to waste to many turns. Never stop moving, get to the enemy's deployment and then burn!!!!!!!!!!!, but otherwise, DRIVE! And don't worry about getting shot at in the enemy's deployment zone or when you're around enemies because if you blow up, which you most likely will, you can take down opponents while you're at it. Try supporting it with the Bad Moon wartrukk mentioned above.

War Trukk
Pretty much the same as the battlewagon but can carry less troops, however does come with twin linked heavy bolters.

Nobz Bike
If you want, you can get a Nobz Bike leading a squad of Evil Sunz on bikes. Or a squad might work, but in the end, they are not a necessity.

Warbikes
Bikes are a strong part of Ork society and of course what better way to show this than by having a squad of 'em in your army! In a game you have to make sure you deploy your bikes in a good position near the front of your deployment zone to give you better access of the battlefield and keep them with any other bikes, buggies or wartracks. Make sure you drive them up to enemy lines and blast away quickly because they won't last very long. Bikes are good for blowing away the front of your enemy's lines with 2 Sustained Fire dice on each bike, they provide good fire power. Your bikes will probably only last a couple of turns before dying but they should do enough damage for your other troops to get to the next row of troops. Another thing you can do but you should only do under the right circumstances is stay in one very good position beside cover and shoot away. An advantage about bikes is that they are a fast moving vehicle that has twin-linked move and fire autokannons! Make sure you try to use this advantage as often as possible and I do mean often. Never forget the massive range you have compared to the bikes of other armies.

Nazdreg Ug Urdgrub
In my opinion, Nazdreg is the best Ork special character around after Ghazghkull. He is a killer in hand to hand! With Nazdreg, go for the gold. Kill the best opposing character. Give Nazdreg frenzon, storm shield etc for hand to hand and a sword. Nazdreg is extremely useful when used with Strategy cards. If your opponent is most likely going to use a Calidus Assassin or Recon Pack, get Nazdreg. You never want to be unbalanced with strategy cards. If you have less strategy cards than your opponent, you're in trouble.

Kaptain Badrukk
Kaptin Badrukk is extremely cool! Make sure if you have him to get Freebooter Flash Gitz. Also, get Badrukk leading that squad. He can provide supporting fire with his Ripper Gun or just fight in hand to hand. He's good either way.

Mad Dok Grotsnik
This character may not be very hard but is very characterful and no army with Ghazghkull should be without Grotsnik.

Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka and Makari
Ghazghkull kicks ass, give him a spike arm and charge him fowards. Use the Waagh! in combination with the psychic power Waagh! so that all orks within 36" get +2 WS, this means all charging Skarboyz and Boarboyz have WS7 and all other boyz have WS6 if charging. Makari is the best standard bearer.

Zodgrod Wortsnagga
Get into Hand to Hand combat with Zodgrod. He is deadly with the Grabba Stikk and give him a sword for a parry! Go for anyone you want with Zodgrod (other than Greater Daemons perhaps, and an Avatar) unless you use the tactic above for normal runtherdz.

Wazdakka Gutzmek
Wazdakka is soooooooooo cool! Give him really cool wargear and vehicle cards, try supercharged engines, vortex grenades (or virus grenade against Imperial Guard) and other stuff like that.

 

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