ORKS
"Always endeavor to fight the enemy on your terms. If you are powerful
at close quaters then engage in dense terrain where your advantage will
prove greatest. If you are superior at long range then fight the battle
at a distance. If you have greater numbers then attack along an extended
front. Use reserves to break through when the enemy's overstretched lines
collapse. If outnumbered then concentrate your forces so that the enemy
can fight only your best troops. No-one ever won a battle who failed to
take advantage of his enemy's weakness." -IMPERIUM TACTICA
Advantages
Many players opt for a Warhammer 40k Space Ork army because the sheer ferocity
of Orks is hard to match with any other troops in the game. The "Orkish"
habit of breakdowns and random events also makes every game they play varied
and exciting.
Ork infantry, known as "da Boyz" form the heart of any Ork force.
Although all Ork armies need plenty of boyz, each clan has its own distinctive
advantages. All Orks are vicious in hand - to - hand, but Orks in the Goff
clan are the most aggressive in close combat. In contrast, the Bad Moonz
clan is well known to be the richest of all Ork clans, and therefore able
to afford the best shootin' weapons available. To get the most from his
"boyz" an Ork Warlord must be able to select the clan most appropriate
for any particular battle.
The Orks also field number of unique vehicles, from the flame-spewing Scorcher,
to the metal monstrosity of an Ork Dreadnought. Don't forget about the more
haphazard Orkish specialty weapons like the Squig Katapult, a primitive,
but effective weapon that hurls not rocks but the deadly Buzzer Squigs,
horrible creatures capable of chewing through even the most advanced armour.
Whether it is speed, power, or just something unusual, an Ork Warlord can
easily find what he wants in the army list.
Lots of Troops: You want lots of cannon fodder? Look no closer! Impress
your friends with the hordes of Gretchin that you field (and, you poor sod,
paint) as the vanguard of your Orky forces. Regular orks are pretty cheap
too. Lots of Vehicles: Want vehicles? Then welcome to Uncle Unglok's used
speedster lot. Orks have lots of buggies, bikes, and so forth to throw at
the enemy. Just be sure to paint them red (they go faster that way). Effective
Weapons: Orks have some special weapons capable of amazing feats. Teleport
some Snotlings into an enemy tank, or hurl some hungry squiggs at some clueless
Imperial troopers. They're also fun at parties! Colorful Troops: A fully
painted Ork army is a dazzling array of colors and banners guaranteed to
impress your friends. It's a lot of work, but well worth the effort
Disadvantages
Being savage as they are, most Orks can kill any opponent in HTH. Although
they also have very low balistic skills, leadership and armour. Fortunately
they also have very low point cost. This will allow to have huge armies
of hundreds of orks. Sheer numbers might alone be able to turn the tide
in most battles. But remember not to let your forces get dis-rallied.
Too Much Cannon Fodder: Gretchen, as numerous as they may be, are easy targets
for better troops. Orks are merely average. Sure, you'll have a lot of them,
but expect to see a lot of them die to achieve victory -- if you can. Undependable
Weapons: Ork weapons are capable of doing amazing things, like blowing up
in an Ork player's face! You need a bit of luck to have them work effectively.
One bad run of the dice can cause you to loose the game before you opponent
even takes a turn. Lots of Painting: Orks are a numerous force, so be prepared
to do a lot of paitning. Trying to finish up your 101st gretchin may finally
drive you insane.
Psionics
When it comes to psionics, Orks posses the amazing powers of the Waaaagh!
Field about 1-2 WierdBoys and only 1 WarpHead for maximum warp usage.
Vehicles
Ork vehicles are cheap, but quite easy to destroy. They don't have the armor
of Imperial tanks or the speed of Eldar skimmers, but the are ideally suited
for mobile heavy weapon support.
Since Orks don't have targeters like other races, there is always a good
chance that they miss the target, and area effect weapons missing the target
have the nasty habit to blow up in some cases. I lost 2 Warbuggies with
Multimeltas in a single shooting phase (note: my own shooting phase), so
be warned. Always keep the squadron away from your own sensible forces,
and
don't drive side-by-side while firing template weapons.
Here are some examples of Ork vehicles:
Nobz Bike: This bike is a deathtrap for your characters,
some hits to the (low armored) bike will simply kill the crew, or a lucky
shot might even kill the driver and make the bike go out of control and
crashing into the next tree. Not a good choice.
Warbike: At 45 points, you get a cheap but mobile weapon platform
with twin autocannons (2 sustained fire dices), capable of dealing death
to enemy squads and light vehicles. Since a single autocannon already costs
16 points, you get the bike nearly for free ! If the terrain suits for biking
actions, Warbikes are worth their points, even withthe low BS of the driver.
Expect the Warbike to be destroyed from incomoming fire very easy, since
it's armored like a support weapon.
War Buggy: Just like the Warbike, you only have the possibility to
use different weapons instead of the twin heavy bolters. A Multimelta is
pretty usefull, but dangerous if misfired (see above).
Wartrax: The Trax is comparable to the Buggy in every aspect, only
the side/rear armor is slightly better. You pay 5 points for this 'advantage'.
Scorcher: The Scorcher is different from the other small vehicles,
since its main armament is a Scorcher firethrower (used as a heavy flamer
now). It's great for burnig down enemy attackers or even support squads.
The Scorcher is a suicide-vehicle, speed towards the enemy, burn him down,
and after the countercharge it's destroyed most of the time. However, it
is easy to burn down 50 points worth of enemy forces, so it's worth taking.
Battle Wagon: This is the Orky version of the Rhino, and it has the
same disadvantages: a serious attack with a heavy weapon will destroy it,
and all the transported models must be lucky to survive this. Use it as
moving cover, drive towards strategic points, and then advance behind the
wreckage, enjoying the cover. That's the only thing it's good for (in my
experiences).
Dreadnought: Dreadnought from other races are totally different to
the Orky version, they are hard to kill with psychics and in close combat,
and are pretty expensive. The Ork Dreadnought is a funny machine with up
to 4 heavy weapons, making it a deluxe shooting platform. The disadvantages
are the low Ld, WS and BS values, and the low level of armor (compared to
the other races). For a basic 120 points a good deal, for more heavy weapons
better use smaller vehicles, they will cause more damage before they are
destroyed.
If your army includes Blood Axe mobs, you can buy Imperial vehicles,
too. However, you always pay for targeters you don't get. Good choices are
Landspeeders, Sentinels, and the heavier tanks (always buy blind grenades
for these !).
But always remember that the Orks have the cheapest vehicles carrying heavy
flamers and multimeltas.