The far future of Warhammer 40,000 is a miserable place to live. At any moment, your quiet farm world could be attacked by giant bugs from space, destroyed by nihilistic skeleton robots, corrupted by evil cultists, or blown up by an Inquisitor who thinks your neighbour Jim might be worshipping the giant bugs from space.
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But through it all, there is one faction who not only survives but thrives in the cruel darkness of the 41st millennium: the Orks. They love nothing more than a good fight, grow bigger and stronger with time, and have created some of the most, let’s say, creative technology in the setting. If you want to charge into the fray bellowing “WAAAGH!” at the top of your lungs, the Orks are the tabletop army for you.
Why Play Orks
Aside from their unique aesthetic and darkly humorous lore, the Orks are a simple army at heart – run toward your opponent and get into close combat as quickly as possible. If any of your dedicated melee units (which is most of them) cross the table and make it into Engagement Range, you’re very likely to win the game.
However, there are a couple of quirks you’ll need to keep in mind: most of your units have poor Armour Saves, low Shooting accuracy, and a lack of reliable anti-tank weapons outside of melee. How you solve these issues is up to you, but you’ll have to keep them in mind before settling on a battle plan.
Army Rule
Thankfully, you don’t have to rely purely on the enthusiasm and natural ferocity of your units to see you to victory. The Ork Army Rule is called – you guessed it – WAAAGH! For the uninitiated, WAAAGH! is both the Orks’ signature battle cry and the name for a gathering of Orks. In gameplay terms, you can call a WAAAGH! once per game, at the beginning of any Battle Round.
When you do so, everyone in your army gets three buffs until the start of the next Battle Round: a five plus Invulnerable Save, plus one to Strength and Attacks for all melee weapons, and the ability to Charge after Advancing.
When to WAAAGH!
To get the most out of an Ork army, it is vital to learn when you should (and shouldn’t) call a WAAAGH! – it can turn a losing game into a winning one if done correctly, but can also be mistimed or cause you to take unnecessary risks.
For example, you could call a WAAAGH! in an early round, helping you to weather the storm of incoming fire and increasing the odds of making a successful Charge. Or you could save it until later in the game, ensuring your important units hit as hard as possible to completely destroy your enemies.
Suggested Units
There are as many ways to wage a WAAAGH! as there are Orks in the galaxy, so you’ll have no shortage of fun and useful units to leverage in your battles. Here is a short list of the best Ork units at your disposal:
Characters
Usually found leading from the front, all of your Characters are at least passable in close combat, with a handful reaching the pinnacle of melee prowess. A lucky Warboss with a Power Klaw can trade blows with the strongest Characters in the game and can often wipe out small units by himself.
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Warboss |
Your classic leader unit, the Warboss does exactly what you’d expect him to: turn enemy units into a fine red mist. He’s fairly cheap, works well with many Stratagems, and acts as a force multiplier to whatever unit he’s attached to. Just keep in mind that you’ll need to make sure he gets to the front line in one piece. |
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Weirdboy |
When you think of Orks, you might not think of Psykers. That would be a mistake because Weirdboys can prove valuable in almost any list – their main ability, Da Jump, allows them to teleport themselves (and whatever unit they’re attached to) anywhere more than nine inches from an enemy unit, allowing you to pull off a turn one charge if you’re lucky. He also packs a mean ranged attack called ’Eadbanger, which gets stronger the more Orks are around him and is decent in melee too. |
|
Big Mek |
This is your oddball support Character – he buffs shooting, but also increases his unit’s mobility while on foot. And if you put him in Mega Armour (more on that later), he can repair/revive Meganobz, which is incredibly valuable. |
|
Beastboss on Squigosaur |
And now we come to the new Boyz on the block. Beast Snaggaz are semi-feral Orks who love hunting Monsters and Vehicles, and the Beastboss is their version of a Warboss. While you can have him run around on foot, putting him on the back of a giant Squig is probably the best way to go. Fast, tough, and packing a hell of a punch in melee, this fella is your go-to leader for Beast Snagga armies. |
Most of your Characters can use multiple sets of armour and/or mounts,
and each option changes how they function, which units they can lead, and how many points they cost. Special shout-outs go to the Big Mek in Mega Armour, default Beastboss, and Deffkilla Wartrike (which effectively replaces the old Warboss on Warbike).
Battleline
Among Ork players, there is an old saying that never goes out of style: “Boyz before Toyz.” If you have the option of adding more Ork Boys to your army or adding another type of unit, nine times out of ten you’ll want more Boys.
|
Ork Boys |
You know them, you love them, you can never collect enough of them. They’re cheap, hit hard, and are more durable than they’ve ever been. Unless you’re running a gimmick/themed list, never leave home without 20-40 of them. |
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Beast Snagga Boys |
Your elite alternative to regular Boyz, these primal powerhouses are more expensive, but also slightly better all around, especially against Monsters and Vehicles. Use them in Beast Snagga lists, or if you need an escort for a Beastboss on foot. |
Infantry
Boyz may be the best-known Ork unit, but let it never be said that Orks lack options. When the Orks go to war, everyone piles in – from the biggest, gnarliest Nobz to the weediest Gretchin.
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Nobz |
Bigger Boyz with more Toyz. Grab Power Klawz to crack open tanks or stick with Big Choppas to mulch Infantry. The best bodyguards a Warboss could ask for thanks to their special rules, use them to bring down anything your Boyz might struggle with. |
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Meganobz |
The Ork answer to Space Marine Terminators. If you need something obliterated in melee combat or an objective held under heavy fire, Meganobz is your best option. They can’t run very fast though, so make sure they have a suitable transport to ride in. |
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Flash Gitz |
Rich Nobz who paid a Mek to weld three guns together and call it a Snazzgun, Flash Gitz are the Orks’ primary supplier of mid-range shooting. If they get a good vantage point – or a Vehicle to shoot out of – they can reliably bring down tough Infantry and even scratch the paint on light Vehicles. |
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Stormboyz |
These are the most serious, level-headed Orks you could ever find. And they just so happen to strap rockets to their backs so they can get into melee faster. Stormboyz move quickly, can Charge after Advancing, and have the Fly keyword, so they can ignore Terrain and intervening units. Use them to tie up important enemies, grab far-away objectives, and generally annoy your opponent. |
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Gretchin |
These little blighters are surprisingly useful – they can give you extra Command Points while holding out-of-the-way objectives, hide behind cover with their tiny models, and save you points to buy more Boyz and/or toyz. |
Mounted
Orks have access to a pair of useful cavalry-esque units to bridge the gap between your Infantry and your Vehicles. These units are reasonably tough, very fast, and great for taking down enemy Vehicles (Squighog) or Infantry (Warbikers) who thought they were safe at the edge of the board.
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Squighog Boys |
If you’re running a Beast Snagga army, Squighogs are practically mandatory. Incredibly durable for their point cost, they can run roughshod over any enemy unit that isn’t just as tough and deadly as they are. Can be led by a Beastboss on Squigosaur for maximum carnage. |
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Warbikers |
These fume-spewing speed demons are ideal for harassing enemy Infantry with their surprisingly good Twin Dakkaguns, and then charging the survivors once they’re softened up. Can be led by a Deffkilla Wartrike for additional speed and melee punch. |
Vehicles
Ork Vehicles may lack the durability or ranged punch of other factions, but they make up for it by being cheap and doing exactly what they need to do: bring your Boyz, Nobz, and Characters into Choppa-swinging range.
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Trukk |
Your cheap and cheerful Dedicated Transports. Keep in mind that they can only carry 12 models (or six in Mega Armour), so you’ll need something bigger to haul your max-size units of Boyz around. Also, nothing is stopping you from ramming your Vehicles into melee alongside their passengers – it might deal the last couple of Wounds you need to finish off an enemy unit. |
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Battlewagon |
Your premier troop transport. Comes stock with a plethora of guns, can carry 22 standard Boyz (or 11 Mega Armour models), and either let 11 of them shoot out the top or boast a respectable Toughness 12 with the ‘Ard Case. Other upgrades to remember are the Killkannon (which makes it much deadlier at medium range but halves its transport capacity) and the Deff Rolla (which makes it much scarier in melee). |
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Hunta Rig |
The Beast Snagga transport of choice. Similar to a Battlewagon with more focus on melee, landing a shot with the Stikka Cannon can help you guarantee a Charge, and the Boyz inside can disregard ride safety regulations to swing their weapons outside the Vehicle and buff its Attacks. Can be swapped for a Kill Rig if you want more shooting at the cost of less Transport Capacity. |
Detachments
The Orks have a long, proud tradition of arguing with each other about what makes a good WAAAGH! – some think that riding in Vehicles is cheating, preferring to mob up with their mates and run headlong into battle. Others wouldn’t even consider going to war without a roaring engine (or Squig) underneath them.
Some love the whooshing sound of a Blastajet overhead, and some prefer the clanking footsteps of their own custom-made Mega Armour. Whatever style of WAAAGH! you enjoy, there’s a Detachment to make it happen. Here’s a list of Ork Detachments, and which Clan they are inspired by:
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Detachment Name |
Clan |
Description |
Suggested Units |
|---|---|---|---|
|
War Horde |
Any |
This is your general-use Detachment, the measuring stick by which all others are judged. If you can’t find a good reason to pick another Detachment, chances are you’ll want to run a War Horde. All melee weapons in your army gain Sustained Hits, which is huge, and your Stratagems help you weather incoming attacks as you make it into Engagement Range. |
Any |
|
Da Big Hunt |
Snakebites |
Beast Snaggas, assemble! While nothing is stopping you from adding Squighogs or Beastbosses to any other Detachment, this is where they truly shine. You get to designate one enemy Vehicle or Monster per turn, and your entire army gets bonuses to Charge rolls and Armour Piercing against them. This helps significantly with a major weakness of the Orks – their shoddy anti-tank – and turns it into a strength. |
Beastboss on Squigosaur, Squighog Boyz, Hunta Rigs |
|
Kult of Speed |
Evil Sunz |
For some Orks, just fast is never fast enough. This is an ideal Detachment if you love Vehicles and/or Warbikers, as it improves their speed and efficacy at range. Special consideration should be given to Ork Aircraft: they benefit greatly from everything the Kult of Speed has to offer. |
Battlewagons, Warbikers, Wazbom Blastajet |
|
Dread Mob |
Deathskulls/Bad Moons |
Dread Mobs are what happens when a Big Mek has too much free time on his hands, and this is an army for players with too many dice to count. You get a random buff every time you shoot or fight with a Walker, Grot Vehicle, or Mek, and Gretchin becomes Battleline – which is good because you’ll need every point you can save up to pay for your Vehicles. |
Meks, Lootas, Mek Gunz |
|
Green Tide |
Goffs |
You took the evergreen advice of “Boyz before toyz” to heart, and you intend to bury your opponent beneath a wave of green maniacs. Your Boyz gain buffs that scale up if they stay above ten models, and everything you have revolves around masses of Infantry running up the board. |
Boyz, Weirdboyz, Painboyz |
|
Bully Boyz |
Any |
Enough mucking about – time for the big lads to show us what they’ve got. If you want to focus on Nobz, Warbosses, and Mega Armoured variants of the same, this is your Detachment of choice. You gain the ability to declare a second WAAAGH! that only affects Warbosses and Nobz, so you’ll probably have fewer models than most Ork players, but each one hits like a runaway Trukk. |
Warbosses, Meganobz, Nobz |
Sample Armies
Now that you know what the Orks have access to, it’s time to examine what it looks like when it’s all put together. Using these sample armies as a starting point, you can mix and match units to create your ideal WAAAGH!
Seeing Green (War Horde)
- Weirdboy (Enhancement: Follow Me Ladz)
- Boyz x2
- Kommandos
- Nobz
- Battlewagon
- Trukk
Strategy
Put half your Boyz in the Battlewagon, and the other half behind cover with the Weirdboy. As soon as you get the chance, try to use Da Jump to close the distance, then pray to Gork and Mork that you make your Charge roll – I.E. use the ‘Ere We Go Stratagem beforehand, and the Command Re-Roll Stratagem on the charge roll if you need to.
The Nobz will careen off in the Trukk to hunt for scary units to tear apart with their Power Klaws, and the Kommandos will sneak up the board to grab out-of-the-way objectives or counter-charge enemies that try to block Da Jump from working. Use the Stratagem ‘Ard as Nails liberally, and you should win the resulting brawl.
Tough as Old Boots (Da Big Hunt)
- Beastboss on Squigosaur (Enhancement: Glory Hog)
- Beast Snagga Boyz
- Gretchin
- Stormboyz
- Squighog Boyz
- Hunta Rig
Strategy
Put the Squig-riders together and run them from cover to cover until you can charge the nearest Vehicle or Monster. Your Beast Snagga Boyz will ride the Hunta Rig into the nearest Infantry, and the Gretchin will hold on to any objectives near your Deployment Zone.
The Stormboyz are a wildcard: they can either Deep Strike into your opponent’s backline to attack some artillery or objective campers who thought they were safe, or start on the board and use their ability to Charge after Advancing to cover a lot of ground, assisting whichever units need help and grabbing any objectives that seem vulnerable.
Krump ’em Good (Bully Boyz)
- Big Mek in Mega Armour
- Warboss in Mega Armour (Enhancement: ‘Eadstompa)
- Weirdboy
- Boyz
- Gretchin
- Meganobz x2
- Stormboyz
- Trukk x2
Strategy
Put the Big Mek in one Trukk, the Warboss in the other, and give them both an escort of five Meganobz each. If your opponent doesn’t have enough anti-tank shooting to break your Trukks before they reach the front line, they’ll be in for a world of hurt.
The Big Mek won’t benefit from your Detachment Ability, but he will increase the durability of his unit significantly – and if you make him your Warlord, he’ll do a great job of drawing fire away from your Warboss, who will be dealing most of the damage. The Gretchin and Stormboyz will grab objectives while your opponent is occupied, and your Weirdboy will teleport his Boyz wherever they are needed.
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