Only 5 years ago you could spend $200 bucks and have a ready-made 1500 point army. Sadly those days are long gone. Now it takes a magical mathematical feat just to get 1000 points for $200 bucks, especially if are buying retail. If you adjust for GW yearly price increases you will find that about $320 is the new $200 and even that is stretching it. Now of course most 40kers are savvy enough to avoid paying full price unless they intend on supporting their local shop.
The point of this exercise is to show exactly what you can get for $320 dollars, along with and sample army lists and the reasons why I selected those items on my lists. I will also look at what an average 20% discount can get ya.
Lets see how to buy a basic Ork force.
I have a few methods when thinking about buying any new army. First, always think about what can these models become besides what is said on the box. There are very simple ways to convert units that do not require master techniques. Second, focus on buying variety, that way you can build many combinations of units. This is important also because your initial army design might not last. Lastly, avoid buying metal not because metal is evil per se, you pay more and get only a few bits.
Then there is the topic of Assault on Black Reach. When it was $60 bucks you could buy as many boxes as you want and ditch the Space Marines. Now at $75 the best way to approach AoBR is to make sure you have a partner in crime when buying it, by buying a set and swapping the appropriate halves.
Here is what Nathan Fluger came up with, which is pretty good.
AoBR $75
2 Ork Boyz box sets $44
4 Ork Boyz $33
3 Lootas/Burnas $66
One BattleWagon $57.75
Ork Big Mek with KFF $20
Ork Gretchin $15
Ork Painboy $13.25
$324The key to this is that the loota/burna box set gives you enough parts to make each type, all you are missing is the torso and legs. By nabbing some spare AoBR dudes and making some simple conversions, you get two units for the price of one. Add on to that a few good bang-for-your-buck units like deffkoptas and such, and you have an 1850 point force that (while not even remotely optimized) has enough tools to at least give you a fighting chance. With some light customization, you can get rokkits on your regular slugga boyz units instead of big shootas; and you’re SET! All for only $324!
Warboss with Power Klaw, attack squig, cybork body, bosspole 115
Big Mek KFF: 85
8 Ork Nobz, one power klaw, cybork bodies, one painboy, waagh banner 270
15 lootas 225
15 burnas 225
30 Slugga boyz with nob with power klaw and boss pole, 3 x rokkits 250
30 Slugga boyz with nob with power klaw and boss pole, 3 x rokkits 250
10 Gretchin 40
3 Deffkoptas 135
3 Deffkoptas 135
Battlewagon: reinforced ram, stikkbomb chukka, red paint, kannon, grot riggers 120
1850 points
Can I do any better?
$75.00 (1) Warhammer 40,000: Assault on Black Reach
$22.00 (3) Ork Lootas & Burna Boyz
$25.00 (1) Ork Nobz
$22.00 (2) Ork Boyz
$20.00 (1) Ork Big Mek
$17.00 (1) Ork Mad Dok Grotsnik
$30.00 (2) Ork Trukk
$13.25 (1) Ork Painboy
Total = $320.25
The best way to approach Orks is by going with a simple Green Tide army. Ork boxes provide some of the largest amounts of bits of any army. You can use the left over Nob and Boyz bits to make Ard’ Boyz or any Elite choice. Just remember to horde the Rokkits from all the kits in order to make Tankbusters. You can use the left over Nob and Boyz bits to make Ard’ Boyz or Kommandos. You will also need to cannibalize some AoBR boyz to make Burners. The Mad Dok addition gives you a great HQ or use the same money to get different named character.
What happens when you cannot get an AoBR deal? Well just like Space Marines you are stuck with a really crappy Battleforces. Forcing you into an expensive Speed Freak force if you go the Battleforce route. The Battleforce is really a big middle finger when you com[are it to AoBR. Without AoBR you must have a more focused approach– let me see what I can come up with.
$200.00 (1) Orks Megaforce
$22.00 (2) Ork Lootas & Burna Boyz
$25.00 (1) Ork Nobz
$30.00 (1) Ork Trukk
$20.00 (1) Ork Big Mek
The Ork Megaforce is such a better deal than the regular Battleforce. Still you are left with large gaps in your force and not much variety. You might also consider getting more boys instead of a Big Mek or get a Painboy.
So what happens when you stop buying from your local store and go hunting for discounts? With eBay and online discount retailers it almost too easy to get a better deal. On average though without spending your day eBay sniping the best you usually come across is a 20% discount for NIB. So for my next list let us see what you can get presuming a 20% discount
$75.00 (1) Warhammer 40,000: Assault on Black Reach
$22.00 (3) Ork Lootas & Burna Boyz
$25.00 (1) Ork Nobz
$22.00 (1) Ork Boyz
$15.00 (1) Ork Gretchin
$11.50 (1) Ork Spanner Boy
$13.25 (1) Ork Painboy
$57.25 (3) Ork Battlewagon
Total = $319.00 at 20% off
If you ever get a discount always go for the future dream army. With 20% off you will not regret getting Ork Battlewagons. The Spanner Boyz are Meks, easily converted with other bitz to have a KFF. The box of Gretchin are your crew for the Kannon or Zzap Gun batteries you use from the spare parts of your Battlewagons.
What is next? A Green Tide is a good starting point to pick up the basics and you will learn very fast if Orks are right for you. What you do next is buy Trukks and Battlewagons the really give Ork armies flexibility. You can grow your army into something that doesn’t have to have sooo many models on the table at once. Just remember if you want Speed Freaks than think about picking up the Ork Megaforce it is the best way to get bikes fast and on the “cheap”. Either way you should only need two sets of AoBR unless you have an obsession with Deff Kopters.
Here are some sample lists from the purchase orders I created.
Questions for Comment:
- How would you approach buying Orks?
- Is Orks the best bitz bash army around?
- Can you think of any better buyer lists?