+ Trash da burg! +
+ Not the most aesthetically appealing inload today, but since it's the first modelling I've done in a while, I thought I'd pop up some pict-captures of the progress of my Epic orks – currently grisaille as well as grizzly. +
+ Noosphericexloadlinks for these models can be found in an earlier inload [+noosphericinloadlink embedded+], if you're interested in picking some up. I'm pleased to report that my fears that they were too big to fit the bases was largely unfounded, as you'll see here. +
+ Planning the stands I wanted to build took a little double-checking. The new model sizes of Legions Imperialis (LI) are considerably larger than old Epic scale, and so its becoming common for people to 'stretch' specialists (like Terminators) by having four models to the base. I prefer to have five models to a base where possible, but try to balance that against bases looking over-crowded. +
+ Here, the worst offenders were the Mega nobz. Absolutely no chance in hell of getting three of those on a base and looking decent (and bear in mind I'm using 2p pieces, which are flat sided and so have a little more play than the official bases), so I took cues from the Solar Auxilia ogryns and based them 2 to a base, as you can see above. +
+ You'll also note that the base in the middle has one mega nob, a banna wava and a painboy – this is the warlord stand. The Nobz and specialists aren't quite as massive as the Meganobz, but still looked over-crowded in fives. I therefore opted to have three to a base – which has the pleasing knock-on advantage of making them more clearly distinguishable for the other player; very important at tabletop distance. +
+ One of the reasons that I err towards five for a base is that things start look a bit thin on the ground, and for orks a massed rabble is really key. I have plans to come back to add some gretchin servants/runners/ammo carriers to the Nobz and Meganobz, but will do this on an individual base basis. +
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+ Da boyz +
+ I opted to split the boyz with sluggas and choppas into a separate group from those with shootas. While I personally prefer a little more abstraction, LI leans into granularity – much like its forebear, Space Marine 2nd edition (SM2). It's therefore useful to be able to distinguish the fierce assault troops from the uh... even more fierce assault troops. +
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| + Shootas, Sluggas – and a Weirdboy. No-one brave enough to share his base! + |
+ The stands can, of course, be mixed back together to create a more mixed formation, so this strikes me as a good safety net. If playtesting proves that distinguishing small arms (as with GW's official Space Marine army list, which provides the cues) is just too exhausting for a mass army like orks, then they can be folded back into a catch-all armament. +
+ The 30 of each type in the Rok Minis pack includes heavy weapons and Nobz. I ended up not including the Nobz with the boyz stands, and instead split them off as described above. I thought it would be too visually confusing to have some Nobz in their own stands, and some mixed in with Boyz. +
+ I did, however, include the heavy weapons here in order to have six stands of five. You could split them off to have two stands of heavy weapons instead.+
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+ Flash gitz/Lootas +
+ Flash gitz are one of those odd troop types that have oscillated between being 'orks with special weapons', 'Freeboota pirates', and 'Nobz who like shooting' in various games and editions. This has left them in a bit of an odd position – do I treat them as boyz with heavy weapons – the Devastator equivalents to the Boyz' Tacticals – or as Nobz, with the accompanying Boss rule and increased stats? +
+ In the current playtest rules Bloodsong v0.6, I've run with 'Boyz with special weapons', distinguishing them from Lootas, who are 'Boyz with long-range weapons'. However, this seems a bit redundant, so I'd be interested to hear what you think. Should Flash Gitz become more like Nobz, or stay like Boyz? Should this change be purely in terms of stats and points, or should they also get the 'Boss' rule? +
+ Whether these end up as Lootas or Flash Gitz (or something else) Model-wise, these ones are the size of Nobz, and so they're three to a base. I ended up using a couple of Boyz with the bigger heavy weapons (leftover from the Shootas/Sluggas) to ensure the numbers were right. +
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+ Stormboyz +
+ The identity of these orks has likewise changed since SM2. Unlike Flash Gitz, the change from 'oddly-disciplined yoofs' to 'rokkit-pack-equipped assault troops' was much more absolute and unchanging. +
+ I'm pulling the basis for the stats from SM2 for the most part, and in this iteration of Epic, Stormboyz were still foot-slogging. Nevertheless, I think the rokkit-pack-equipped version will be both more readily identifiable by the majority of LI players, and offer more tactical opportunity for the ork player. +
+ I outline the aims of the project here, and part of that is wanting to ensure that the rules I'm writing allow people to use their orks as they see fit – and, perhaps more importantly, allow the use of as many existing models as possible. +
+ I've therefore included the option for Rokkit packs rather than making it compulsory. Players can thus still use the old plastic Stormboy models as Stormboyz, or opt to simply count them as more Boyz. +
+ These were the figures I was most concerned about fitting five to a base, but they actually fit quite nicely, as the smoky exhaust fumes enable them to overlap the edge in places. +
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+ Assembling a Waaagh! +
+ So, with all the models assembled and the rules drafted, let's see what sort of army you can actually make with Rok Mini's box – and how far off I was! +
Formation: Goff Warhorde
HQ Detachments:
- Warboss – [50pts]
- Nobz Mob (2) – [30pts]
- Nobz Mob (2) – [30pts]
- Meganobz Mob (2) – [50pts]
- Meganobz Mob (2) – [50pts]
Core Detachments:
- Boyz (6) – [50pts]
- Boyz (6) – [40pts]
- Boyz (6)– [40pts]
Support Detachments:
Vanguard Detachments:
- Stormboy Korps (4) – [100pts]
- Detachment size (2)
- Kaptin
- Rokkit Packs
- Speedsta Mob – [155pts]
- 5 Buggies with Big shootas – 50pts
- 3 Buggies with Rokkit launchas – 30pts
- 3 Wartraks with Skorchas – 45pts
Battle Tank Detachments:
- Braincrushas (3) – [165pts]
- Increase Detachment size by 1
Transport Detachments:
- Battlewagon (6) – [180pts]
- All upgrades to Gunwagons
- Battlewagon (3) – [45pts]
Total: 975pts
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+ Rather top-heavy – I think I need to consider where Meganobz should fit; and whether there's something clever I can do with Nobz as retinue upgrades for the Warboss, rather than as independent entities. Or perhaps the Formation should allow [X] Nobz Mobs to be selected – perhaps 1 additional per Boyz mob or something. That would also help curb spamming Biker Nobz/Meganob and other unusual types. As a completely different alternative, maybe a couple of stands of Nobz should simply be part of the Boyz Mobs. Food for thought... +
+ Ignoring that, it looks like the box gets you nigh-on 1,000pts in the current rules (v0.7 which you can find on the Facebook group), and I haven't even used all the models you get, so it seems a good starting point. The only snag is the lack of bikes – currently the Speedsta mobs require at least three bike stands, and I have none. Hopefully playtesting buddies will have access! +
+ Overall, I think this is feel right – at least for a first outing. Because the Nobz now have Attached Deployment, they have to be attached to an another Detachment. This ensures that the ork army ends up with fewer, bigger Detachments for activations, curbing spamming – but (thanks to smaller independent detachments like Stormboyz) not preventing players from gunning for activation advantage. It will, however, not play to the orks' strength. +
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