1,000 pts Ork army - footslogger or mechanized?

[Kommissar Waaaghrick]

I'm a returning Wh40k player, my last game was in 3rd ed. For the last month, I've been reading several forums on 5th ed. Now, I'm humbly asking your advice please.

I'm posting 2 different Ork army lists. The premise is that I've learned (from your posts) that Orks can be of many different army types, but should focus on 1 at a time.

The 1st list is a footslogger army designed for superiority of numbers. The 2nd is a mechanized list for mobility.

I'll be facing the following army types in terms of popularity (with the top being the most popular):

- Space Marines
- Imperial Guard
- Orks or Chaos Marines
- All other races

Please let me know the following:

- with the above mix of opponents, which army list is more appropriate?
- what improvements do you suggest please?

----------------------
Footslogger: 1,000 pts
----------------------

HQ: Big Mek
w/ power klaw, bosspole, kustom force field
115 pts

ELITE: 15 Lootas
225 pts

TROOPS: 30 Slugga Boyz
w/ nob, power klaw, bosspole
220 pts

TROOPS: 30 Shoota Boyz
w/ nob, power klaw, bosspole
220 pts

TROOPS: 30 Shoota Boyz
w/ nob, power klaw, bosspole
220 pts

Looking forward, at the 1,500 pts level, I plan to add a Shokk Attack Mek and a Kommandos unit with Snikrot.

----------------------
Mechanized: 998 pts
----------------------

HQ: Big Mek
w/ power klaw, bosspole, kustom force field
115 pts

HQ: Biker Warboss
w/ power klaw, bosspole, warbike

ELITE: 10 Lootas
150 pts

TROOPS: 6 Biker Nobz (rides with Warboss)
w/ warbikes, 1 power klaw, 1 big choppa, painboy
330 pts

TROOPS: 11 Trukka Slugga Boyz (joined by Big Mek)
w/ nob, power klaw, trukk
136 pts

TROOPS: 12 Trukka Slugga Boyz
w/ nob, power klaw, trukk
142 pts

In scaling up to 1,500 pts, I'll likely attach more Lootas and Biker Nobz to their existing squads, while adding 2 new mobs of 12 Trukka Shoota Boyz.

----------------------

I'm deliberately keeping my comments to a minimum to avoid causing bias in your responses. I will visit different forums for advice. Thank you in advance for your time.

:dance:

[The Prince of Excess]

I'm fairly biased but here's my answer: Footsloggers. I'll give you a few good reasons why.

1. People know what to do against Mech and they expect it. I myself pack lots of guns to deal with armor because that's a good decision for an all around list. Ork vehicles are very easy to blow up. They have bad armor, no smoke and it's not that easy to hide vehicles and rush forwards.

2. There are no other horde armies commonly played right now. IG and Tyranids can field hordes but almost never do. Orks have the best horde force right now and that's a big advantage. Your opponents Lascannons, Meltaguns and Railguns will be killing Shoota Boyz. Not exactly a good use for them.

I really like your foot slogging list. All I'd change would be give the Mekk a Burna, not a PK. You have hidden Nob PKs to do your work, the Mekk can be picked out in CC so have him swing at Initiative, or roast some guys pre-charge. I'd also split the Lootas into two squads, and use the PK points to bump them up by one if you can, I forget the exact cost.

Your Mech list has mean units, but only 29 Troop models. Troops win games and Orks have amazing Troops. You also have to few vehicles to make an impact, Mech lists get better with higher points.

I'd say go foot. You won't have the mobility or the speed but you have mobile cover, plenty of scoring models, guns and the ability to just come down on people like an avalanche. Hope that helps.

[Ramonacus]

Low level points equals horder orks, usually. Besides, your footslogger list looks.

One question, tho: why Power Klaw qand boss pole on the KFF mek? He's not a fighter and he can be picked apart if he is on CC, only having to deal 2 wounds to an armorless T4 model to kill him... so that PK is never going to strike. And if he has BP to sit with the Lootas he can't be walking cover for your boyz.
I'd drop them both and spend 30 points on big shootaz for your boyz. Or 2 lootaz to make two mobz of them ( 9 + 8 )

[tyland13]

The footslogers look like a very good list, I would just suggest to change the Choppa Slugga boyz for more Shoota boyz, drop the Bigmek PK in exchange for all boyz units having Big Shootas.

[tinytim84]

see i would drop the lootas down to 9 give the mek a burna and drop in a looted wagon with boom gun or some big gunz so that you have some support wile you cross the field

[The Prince of Excess]

The point of a foot army is to have maximum ground pounders. You gamble that your mobile cover and huge numbers will hold up the 2-3 turns until you can get to CC. Lootas and Big Shootas provide enough support and soften up potential targets.

Mixed Orks just don't work as well as they once did sadly. It's kind of one or the other.

[Kommissar Waaaghrick]

Thanks for your feedback thus far. I'm reading posts from different forums and, when available, the blogs of their respective authors.

I'm still keeping my comments to a minimum as to avoid bias. However, I'll post my reasoning to show how you helped with my final decision as a token of appreciation.

[The Prince of Excess]

There's not really any bias. Were still going to give our opinions in the context of what you want, i.e. footslogging vs. meched.

Also don't read my blog, it's terrible. ;]

[Kommissar Waaaghrick]

Guys, thanks for your thoughtful comments. I studied them thoroughly, then went through various tactica and the rulebook again. I've a few conclusions, but not a final decision just yet.

Across the different forums, overall people preferred the footslogger list slightly, but I noticed it's because the mechanized list was too "Toyz Over Boyz" (especially the Nob Bikerz.)

Now, I've reconstructed both lists to spread out the points more evenly. Both lists benefitted, but the improvement is probably greater in the mechanized list. Please take a look.

For those that've already posted, have these changes changed your mind please? For new posters to this thread, what do you think is better?

Please also keep in mind my opponents mix of 1) Space Marines, 2) Imperial Guard, 3) Orks/Chaos, 4) everything else.

----------------------
Footslogger version 2.0: 1000 pts
----------------------

HQ: Big Mek
w/ kustom force field
85 pts

ELITE: 15 Lootas
225 pts

TROOPS: 30 Slugga Boyz
w/ 2 big shootas, nob, power klaw, bosspole
230 pts

TROOPS: 30 Shoota Boyz
w/ 2 big shootas, nob, power klaw, bosspole
230 pts

TROOPS: 30 Shoota Boyz
w/ 2 big shootas, nob, power klaw, bosspole
230 pts

----------------------
Mechanized version 2.0: 1000 pts
----------------------

HQ: Big Mek
w/ kustom force field, grot oiler
88 pts

HQ: Big Mek
w/ shokk attack gun
95 pts

ELITE: Lootas (joined by SAG Mek)
225 pts

TROOPS: 11 Trukka Slugga Boyz (joined by KFF Mek)
w/ nob, power klaw, bosspole, trukk
141 pts

TROOPS: 12 Trukka Slugga Boyz
w/ nob, power klaw, bosspole, trukk
147 pts

TROOPS: 12 Trukka Shoota Boyz
w/ a big shoota, nob, power klaw, bosspole, trukk
152 pts

TROOPS: 12 Trukka Shoota Boyz
w/ a big shoota, nob, power klaw, bosspole, trukk
152 pts

----------------------

In this thread, I really took on your ideas about taking away the KFF Big Mek's power klaw and bosspole, adding big shootas. I'm keeping Choppas for now partially because I see a slight mix is good, but also because I got the AoBR set.

I'm coming closer and closer to a final list. I appreciated your pointing out the flaws in my previous lists, and I hope to hear more of your opinions.

[The Prince of Excess]

For the foot I'd run the Lootas as 2 squads of 7 and I think that let's you grab a Burna on the Mek, if not run 1 squad of 8 and 1 of 7. Switch all the boys to shoota.

The Mech has some problems. SAG Meks and Lootas are not friends, they have very different jobs. SAG Meks need Grots as a retinue, they just soak wounds and sit on an objective as ho drops templates.

The Trukks would benefit from some Rams. You can drop the Big Shootas to buy those. I'd split the Lootas if possible as well.

The Mech looks better but I'm still loving the foot. Your foot list would beat your Mech list and it has the tools to win a lot of games. I keep my vote the same.

[Chaosundivided]

I have to agree with Excess, the Mech list is improved, but the footslogging list is still superior. For the footslogging list, try switching all boys to Shoota Boyz, in fact, follow what Excess suggested, it's pretty solid. dropping a Loota and making 2 units of 7 should just let you grab a Burna on the Mek, but I don't have my codex to hand, so you'll have to work that one out yourself.

My vote is firmly with the footslogging list. The Big Shootas were a good addition, they should help to keep your boyz covered to get up close.

[tinytim84]

ok i have to agree with them that your mek list would get stomped by the sloging list hear lets explain that real quick 1st turn sloggers move lootas blow up a truck and big shootas probly hurt a truck or the boys run in the shooting faze. Trucks move up and your now on foot slugas move up your lootas kill some boys and the Sag may do something. turn 2 boys move up and fleet with waaagh in shooting faze lootas blow up another truck and boyz assult if in range then it is game over for the mek list.

now i took second in a 1k torny with a mek list but mine was much defrent than yours

Warboss
PK/BP/CB/HA

4nobs/Painboy
4PK/1HA/2KSS/1TLS/1 Slugga
battle wagon
BS/P?GR?DR
count as troop

11 slgga boyz
nob PK/BP
truck with ram

11 slgga boyz
nob PK/BP
truck with ram

2 rockit buggies

8 lootas

[Kommissar Waaaghrick]

Thanks for all your insight. I promised to reply, sorry I been busy recently, but I've basically decided on the footslogger approach.

I want to explain my reasons as to show appreciation for both sides of the "footslogger vs mechanized question." Really, the decision really came down to "why play Orks in the 1st place."

1st, I noticed a lot of minor, yet good, variations on the footslogger theme. I think the fundamental point was that there were more options for footsloggers available to Orks.

2nd, I had a tough time tweaking the mechanized list. Every time I fixed 1 issue, another seemed to come up. Ultimately, it was really how trukks have few defensive options (no smoke, low armor) yet can only carry a relatively small unit. I always feel like the opponent will just divide and conquer my forces if I had to spread them to fit in trukks.

3rd, it was about the opponents' mix of armies. They'll probably have better mechanized AND anti-mech counter-measures. It's like if I went mech with Orks, I'll be trying to face my opponents on their terms rather than mine.

4th, I was looking at scaling up to 1,500 points. With the footslogger, I could see adding Killa Kans, which naturally compliments the army's style. For the mechanized, there's still a lot of argument, especially since the anti-mech threats seem to grow as the points level goes up.

5th, there's few horde armies, which gives me an extra edge. Yes, Imperial Guard and Tyranids can do hordes, but I've never seen them IRL. I'm not doing something different merely for the sake of being unique, but I'm playing up the special characteristics of Orks IMHO (high Toughness, Mob Rule, etc.)

In conclusion, there wasn't 1 single key point, but it was how every single issue regarding an Ork army. For footsloggers, every idea was like "that seems to fit Orks." For every mechanized suggestion, I thought "that's cool, but man, I should be playing Space Marines or Chaos Marines instead."

---

I'm still tweaking the footslogger list, such as replacing some Choppa Slugga Boyz with Gretchen or splitting my Lootas into 2 squads, but those are minor adjustments.

For painting/modelling, I'm going with an old technique, which is to separate the Mobs based on their Clan colour schemes. Whereas I find 5th ed is more about choosing 1 theme and sticking to it through out, back in 1st ed there was a lot more variety in painting schemes in a single army. With units of 30, I think this is a good practice, and a lot of fun to show different Ork kulturs in the same army.

Just FYI, at the beginning, I really weighed both choices quite equally, but this process really helped. Thanks all. I'm still considering mechanized armies, but I think I will do it with another race.