Generic Ork Hype Post

Hello!

Unless you've been living under a rokk, you are probably aware that it is currently Orktober, and that the new Ork Codex is just around the corner, due for release in November (or Nobvember if you'd prefer.) I'm very excited about all this. My Orks have seen the table at the start of 8th edition a few times, but when all my other armies started getting their books, the Orks got hidden away in their boxes until it came to their time to shine - and that time is almost upon us!

I thought I'd take a moment to talk briefly about some of the new rules and miniatures we are seeing, and also use it as an excuse to dig out some picture of Redtoof's Orks, or Da Vipers as they call themselves. They are (mostly) of the Snakebite Clan, so this article from Warhammer Community is particularly interesting to me. I was very curious what aspects of Snakebite lore GW would pick from to portray the tough, nomadic, traditional Snakebites whose previous signature units, such as Boar Boyz, no longer exist. I am pretty happy with the direction they have taken, having a universal 6+ 'feel no pain' style save feels thematically appropriate and quite powerful, though I wonder how it will interact, if at all, with the Painboy rules, which currently give the same effect. I'll be disappointed if my Docs are suddenly useless - they feel much more on theme than the Kustom Force Field wielding Big Mek.

Speaking of the Force Field - I have questions for that of the Codex. (Even though we are Snakebites, sometimes we will grudgingly allow a Mek to carry around his favourite shiny thing.) It's never been completely resolved how the Force Field covers whole units - if it just needs to cover part of each model, or if each model must be wholly covered as well, and I'd very much like to see this cleared up. In addition, currently the wording for the force field to work while embrked upon a transport specifies vehicles, which a Gargantuan Squiggoth is not. This makes me a bit sad, and hopefully it will be just 'Transports' in the Codex.

On the subject of big stompy things. The new rules for the Stompa that were covered in the Bad Moon clan fokus look interesting. Even with all those buffs, it currently costs an awful lot of points, and I struggle to see how it will make it's way into many lists unless it gets a sizable drop. Many of the other units look like they are getting cheaper, based on rumours and the power levels given by Warhammer Community, so it's not unlikely, though will it be enough is the question.

Assuming everything gets appropriately costed, I'm looking forward to fielding Meganobz, Killa Kans, Battlewagons, etc etc. I like an infantry horde as much as the next Warboss, but just running 120+ boyz is a little samey. Plus it is hard countered by lists that take lots of anti-infantry firepower. Like Noise Marines. Grumble.

Lastly, new miniatures! All the new buggies look fabulous, but it remains to be seen which will see use on the table. Based on what we know, the Shokkjump Dragster looks a strong and unpredictable unit for putting a dent into armoured units, particularly ones your opponent thought were safe. The Boomdakka Snazzwagon also looks interesting to me, both in that it looks really cool, and that it apparently has some interesting rules to allow it to be a great annoyance to the enemy. Finally the Rukkatrukk Squigbuggy looks fun and obviously jumped out at me as the on theme Snakebite option, but based on the rules that have been shared and the power level being the highest of all the buggies, I struggle to see how it will be worth taking in a list. It looks like it pays a large tax for it's versatility which in most games will not be worth paying. That said I will probably still get one or two at some point, because Squig Launchas!