Ahhh, the Heavy Support slots! Almost always my favorite part of any codex. When I think of 40k, the idea of big tanks and hard-hitting units are what I think of, and this is where we find them. There’s a lot of variety in this section for the orks, not just in the number of unit types, but also in the ways to use each and in what configurations. Lets get crackin’!
Battlewagons:
A unit that seems to make it into most Ork armies no matter what. AV14 and the ability to move 20 models is really nice. Battlewagons are used in one of a variety of ways.
First of all, as a transport. This is probably the most common strategy. Usually, the Battlewagon is transporting a nice and strong unit that needs to get up close and personal to do damage to your foe. You’ll see everything from slugga boyz to mega nobz, to burna boyz being transported inside. I’m not a huge fan of this strategy as the Battlewagon is (at least the official model) very narrow, and as it moves up, its mostly AV12 open topped. Even with a KFF in range; that’s a bit too easy to pop for my liking. However, if it does arrive and deliver its cargo unscathed, you should be pretty happy with the results. Bonus points for throwing a deffrolla on there and going after vehicles after the unit is out. This can also work as a way to keep a unit of troops safe and sound to nab objectives.
Second of all, as a bunker. This was one of my favorite tactics in 4th edition; dumping 15 lootas inside a battlewagon and leaving it in the backfield with a lobba. Its cheap, it saves on table space, and makes your lootas safer. I wasn’t as much of a fan in 5th edition because the way shaken and stunned work now (as in, if the vehicle is shaken or stunned, in 5th, the lootas can’t fire as well); however, I know many people who swear by this combination. Enough that I might have to check it out again. This can also work as a mobile bunker, moving 6″ (or 7″ with Red Paint) and firing. Works best with Burnas I’ve found (just a quick note, if a unit of 15 burnas can put a template down and hit 4 marines, that should equal 10 dead marines…), but tank bustas, shootas and even Flash Gits (ewww!) can work like that.
Finally, as a gun platform. This is probably the least common variant that I’ve seen, but its the one I’ve used the most. At first glance, the killkannon isn’t that exciting; it doesn’t instant death T4 models; but the AP3 is pretty nice, and I’ve had that cannon win me quite a few games by wiping out a unit of marines that just had their ride wrecked. Also, don’t forget the bevy of big shootas you can throw on there. Sure, they’re only at BS2, but 12 S5 shots at BS2 should still be doing just 2-3 wounds a turn to T4 targets, or 3-4 wounds to T3, not too shabby for 20 points in upgrades. You could also go whole-hog and go 4 rokkits and a kannon for 5 S8 ap3 shots a turn. Should get about 1-2 hits a turn and that’s all you need to start popping rhinos. Also, anything krak equivalent is looking mighty nice with all the BA running around with FnP. The final thing I like about the gun platform is putting a unit of gretchin in it and a big mek with KFF (and an ‘ard case) to make it rugged and scoring! It also projects my KFF nicely to my little infantry dudes running around.
Deff Dreads:
Deff dreads are a unit that I’ve never really had much success with. I prefer their smaller cousins, the Killa Kans; but I’m thinking of bringing these bad boyz back as a response to Blood Angels (I need more stuff that gets rid of FnP!). I see a lot of folks running them with 4 CCW and grot riggers and armor plates to make sure they get into melee and do damage. That’s a bit of a pricey loadout though, for only 15 more points you can have 3 Killa Kans with Grotzookas! Doesn’t seem like a good swap IMO. The only way I can see using them is in a list that has already maxed out heavy support and has a big mek to get them from troops (an option not available to killa kans). I run mine cheap with 2 CCW and 2 Big Shootas for 85 points. Its enough of a threat that you can’t totally ignore it, but its not a huge investment in points. It also has weapons that can be useful if it gets immobilized. The main advantage of a deff dread vs killa kans is WS4 (so no getting hit on 3s by marines with Power Fists) and AV12. That one point makes a huge differene with all the units with furious charge out and about now (being immune to S5 is rather nice!). Really though, in most cases, the dread is going to be acting as a tarpit. Against MEQ, a powerfist wielding sarge has about a 17% chance of getting a pen on the dread; so it SHOULD stick around for a while. Deffdreads just suffer because they are slow and can’t react quickly enough to certain threats. I do like the idea of plopping one down in DoW as a troops choice though! LOL! I’m batting around ways to get one into my 2k list and see how it goes.
Killa Kans:
IMO the best bargain in the whole ‘dex. Cheap dreads with decent saves and decent BS with good weapon options. 3 for 1 on the FOC is great and the new vehicle squadron rules make them super effective. I have run 3 killa kans with rokkits since the ‘dex came out. They excell at taking down light vehicles at range, tarpitting nasty stuff, taking out tough vehicles in combat, acting as a buffer between my boyz and the enemy, providing a 4+ cover save for my boyz, and just being tough to take out with the KFF nearby.
Killa Kans also have access to one of the best guns in the game in the grotzooka. As long as you have enough lootas on the table to take out transports, going bonkers for grotzookas is a decent idea. 3 killa kans firing at a unit of marines that have just had their Rhino blown up where they can hit 7 of them with the template should get about 20 marines and do about 18 wounds before saves. OUCH. They can even be tasked for taking out light vehicles in a pinch, though I don’t recommend it; just if you have no other options. Frankly, filling up your Heavy Support slots with nothing but killa kans is a strong idea (and the new models are soooooo good and decently priced). For only 450 points you have a bunch of very versatile and powerful units aiding your cause.
Flash Gits:
Probably the worst unit in the dex and in the running for one of the worst units in the game. They got SLIGHTLY more interesting with the new BA and the need for more AP2/AP1 shooting to negate FnP; but they have two big blemishes. One, they are super expensive! A “useful” unit of flashgits is going to run you 385 points (painboy, more dakka, shootier or blasta) or even 435 points if you invest in getting all the upgrades. What do you get for a fully upgraded unit of Flashgits? 5 dead marines a turn not counting cover saves and assuming you rolled a 4 or less for the AP value… That’s not terrible; but is it worth 435 points!??!?!?!?! Admittedly, they are VERY tough to kill (they have Nob stats after all and a painboy), so they can actually win some shooting contests; but they have CRAP for leadership and they are super easy to take down with S8 weaponry (especially with AP4 or better). Sure they can assault in a pinch; but if you’re going that route, why not regular Nobz?
Second, they don’t have an option for a dedicated transport, which means you need to invest TWO heavy support slots to make them even remotely useful.
Just to put this in perspective; you could get 10 Mega Armor nobs for LESS points, they are MORE survivable, they can get a transport as a dedicated transport, they can be troops, and they still shoot almost equivalently (they do as many wounds to T4 models as the Flashgits!). WHY WOULD YOU EVER CHOOSE FLASHGITS!?!?!?!? If anyone has ever gotten any good effects from these guys, please let me know. I find them abhorrent.
Big Gunz:
Ahhh, my little diamond in the rough! Big gunz are a thinking orks’ best friend. Mostly just lobbas though. 3 lobbas is a mere 75 points, and with two ammo runts, 81 points. What do you get for 81 points? Probably one of the best long-range anti infantry options that the Orks have. Even models in power armor need to be careful about getting clumped up, because a good round of shooting (and judicious use of my ammo runt re-rolls) means I can easily inflict a bucket of wounds on you and then watch you die and take a pinning check. Like I mentioned a while ago, the first time I play against people, they tend to ignore the lobbas, and after that first game, they become a priority target (chaosgerbil can speak from experience!). Indirect fire is something I’ve come to love in all editions and I wouldn’t build a list without it. I’m just happy to have some that is so cheap and effective!
The other two options, kannons and zzap guns don’t appeal to me as much simply because I have to expose the grots to fire (ewww!). Kannons aren’t so bad, simply because they are cheap. A unit of 3 with 3 ammo runts can offer you a good round of shooting before being blown off the table for 69 points (150% chance (wait, how does that work?) to get a pen on a Rhino chassis). The Zzap guns I just don’t like in any way. The low AP is nice, obviously, but the variable strength means you can’t reliably go after vehicles. LAME. Again though, with FnP being so prevelant; it might bear trying them out again.
I had considered running a unit of Zzap guns with a runtherd and max additional gretchin and putting a big mek with Shokk attack gun in there. All the shooting is AP2, and you have a template and better leadership and more bodies. Purely theoretical and I’m sure not even very competitive, but I like the visual of it, and I can see it being useful against a few builds. Then again, I hate the Shokk attack gun with the fire of a thousand suns (and a shame too, because the model is soooo awesome).
Looted Wagon:
Looted Wagons aren’t nearly as much fun as they used to be, and their diminished stat line (open topped rhino chassis!??!) is pretty lame. At 35 points you’re not spending too much; but you’re using up a slot that you need to use to get you some killy.
Admittedly, you could upgrade them with a Boomgun for some nice anti-vehicle and anti-MEQ shooting for a relatively low price, and this is about the only way I can see these being useful. For 115 points you get a vehicle that can really reach out and touch enemy units, and has better survivability (gave it the ‘ard case) and that’s worth it to me in some builds. The 36″ range is nice, as is the Battlecannon stats. Heck, even running 3 of them for a total of 345 points isn’t a terrible way to use up your force org chart, if you can keep them in range of a KFF they’ll be pretty survivable.
Quick note on “Don’t press dat!”. This is really a minor issue in most lists, because you can’t move through your own troops. Simply have a unit of lootas in front of the Looted wagon (very fluffy too!), and then it won’t be able to move forward, and you can still shoot the gun! A backfield shooting gallery of two looted wagons as described above blocking LOS to the unit of lobbas behind it and a unit of lootas in front of it with a big mek with KFF in the lootas who have a unit of gretchin in front of them is pretty cheap (701 points if 20 gretchin and 15 lootas) and a tough nut to crack and deals out a ferocious amount of useful shooting.
Basically, I’d only ever use a looted wagon for long-range shooting and never as a transport; but I’ve heard people doing so. If you’ve done this and find it useful; let me know what was being transported and how it all worked out.
Well, that’s it for Heavy Support and also for the Ork Dex in total.
I think I’ll start talking micro-strategies next.