Codex Review: Vehicle Upgrades

‘Ello ‘ello ye bleedin’ gitz, this ‘ere be da thurd an’ final entry for Codex review: Wargear, da vehicle upgrades! After dis ‘ere gets done den we can move on to da importan’ bitz, da boyz demselves! We gonna take a right quick look at da snazzy upgrades fer yer Wagons and Trukks, plus dem stompy dreads an’ da like. ‘ere we go!

Just as before this review will cover the basic vehicle upgrades, any which are specific, like the Deff rolla for the Battlewagon will be reviewed with the Battlewagon.

Ork Vehicle Equipment:

Red paint job- Nothing makes a Trukk go faster than a nice coat of red paint, or some racing stripes for that matter (as long as they’re red). Orky believe that “Da red uns go fasta” as proven to be correct time and time again, Imperial intelligence still has yet to find out just how this happens for sure but it’s undeniable to anyone who sees just how fast Ork vehicles go.

One of the more interesting Ork upgrades available, painting a vehicle red (and paying the applicable points) does in fact make the vehicle go faster. Whilst moving Flat Out an Ork vehicle increases its speed by 1”. I find this upgrade more often than not un-necessary and usually will not make a difference in a game. If you have a Trukk or Warbuggy with red paint you increase its’ total move (Move + Flat out) from 24” to 25”, so potentially useful to get close enough to an objective it more likely has not won’t make much of a distance to getting closer to the enemy or into position to shoot next turn. I case of a Trukk you are usually 24” away from your opponent at the deployment step, so moving, flatting out, and then moving again in the next phase will net you 30” of movement, while doing the same with red paint is 31”, not a massive difference for a Trukk unit. It is however potentially more useful on non Fast vehicles such as Battlewagons or Supplemental Forge World units, as these models may only Flat Out 6” instead of 12”, that one extra inch may just help them. Overall this Vehicle equipment has a rating of C

Reinforced ram- Most Ork Meks fit their vehicles with large rams made from scrap which allow the vehicle to plow through terrain and enemy units and barricades with ease. In some cases Meks find they don’t have a choice, as the drivers of these vehicles love ramming things and end up damaging the vehicle in the process.

Any Ork vehicles with this upgrade may Tank Shock or Ram as if it were a tank, in addition it counts its’ front armour as two higher during a Ram. When moving through dangerous terrain the vehicle may re-roll failed Dangerous Terrain tests. These three abilities combined together make the Reinforce Ram one of the best dozer like upgrades available for vehicles, making it easier to move through terrain, being able to Tank Shock and Ram with non tanks, and counting the armour two higher will give Ork vehicles a sort of advantage on the table top, paired with their speed and high transport capacity Ork vehicles are not to be taken lightly. Overall this Vehicle equipment has a rating of A

Stikkbomb chukka- A crude device that fires a volley of Stikkbombz into the foe sending them ducking for cover allowing the Ork unit to organize a charge against the now bewildered enemy forces.

I would have to say this is without a doubt one of the most useless equipment choices for vehicles for the Orks, if not in the entire game. Effectively it counts the unit as having equipped with assault grenades the turn it gets out a vehicle and charges, the problem comes from the small fact that almost all units in the Ork codex come with assault grenades as standard equipment. There are a total of 3 units that do not come with Stikkbombz on their profile and those are Painboy, Mad Dok Grotsnik, and Grots. Now this could be useful for a Painboy as he strikes at I3 using his ‘urty syringe, but more often than not your opponent will be swinging first anyway, The Mad Dok is equipped with a Power Klaw so he swings at I1 regardless of having assault grenades or not and Grots are I2, so there is nothing they can swing before anyway and even if they were faster or the same speed as something else buying a transport for Grots that they will be using to assault from is a laughable idea. Overall this Vehicle equipment has a rating of F

Extra Armour- A fancy way of saying “Welding more scrap metal to the side of a Wagon”, Extra armour is adding a few pieces of armour to some of the more vulnerable parts of a Trukk or Wagon, such as the wheels, gas tanks or the drivers face. More often than not an “Armoured up” Trukk looks more like a pile of scrap than it did before the enhancement.

An upgrade that is almost universal to armies that have access to vehicle upgrades, Extra armour offers slight protection to a vehicle, treating Crew Stunned as Crew Shaken results instead. This can be useful to transports as it allows them to keep moving and not get bogged down by a lucky shot from the opponent. On more shooting focused battle tanks it can be useful in case enemy infantry get too close, you don’t want you tank being destroyed in combat because it’s not able to move away from any unit trying to assault it. Overall this Vehicle equipment has a rating of C

Grot Riggers- Effectively Ork damage control for vehicles, Grot riggers make hasty repairs to vehicles during battle, riveting on new armour plates after a missile blasts through the side of a wagon, replacing tank tracks or even pushing the vehicle to a safe spot to repair it without getting shot, these little Mek minded Grots keep the tanks going well past when they should have been blown up.

A fairly useful upgrade, Grot riggers give any vehicle the It will not die special rule, effectively allowing the tank to repair mid battle without a Mek being present. More so useful on Battlewagons due to their high armour or Deff Dreads so they can keep going in combat over Trukks that usually don’t make it past a turn of shooting. Overall this Vehicle equipment has a rating of B

Wreckin’ ball- Much as it sounds, a Wreckin’ ball is a large crane like arm that is usually fitted with a spiked ball or other sort of large dense object that an Ork operator will swig into enemy vehicles as they race by. Nothing is more satisfactory to the Ork controlling it than to hear a large crash and see parts of a vehicle flying away, as a huge rent leaves it crippled.

The only Ork vehicle equipments that add an additional weapon to the vehicle, the Wreckin’ ball is an extremely short range weapon with a threat range of 3” but what it lacks in range it makes up for in power. Every time you use this weapon it gets D3 S9 AP4 shots that work just like any normal shooting attack. Making a vehicle with a Wreckin’ ball quite possible of severely damaging another vehicle at short range, if not destroying it completely

. The power this weapon offers often outweighs the short range and point cost tied to it. Overall this Vehicle equipment has a rating of B

Boarding planks- Large spiked planks that are often welded to the hull or set up with hinges, these allow a Mob of Orks to disembark much faster than normal from a vehicle, even if it hasn’t come to a complete stop yet.

A great piece of wargear for an Ork mob that loves to assault from vehicles, Boarding planks grant a +2” bonus to units disembarking that charge in the same turn (to a maximum of 12”). This helps the Boyz reach enemies in those hard to reach places. Overall this Vehicle equipment has a rating of A

Codex Review: Relics

Greetin’s all to da secund part of the Codex review: Wargear, da Relics! A Relic is a supa spushal piece ok Orky kit full of Orky mumbo jumbo or Mekboyz secret gubbins an’ whatsits. Powahful bits that are dead killy when used propaly! So listen’ up an’ see what bits and bobs is best fer takin’!

One thing to note is I will be reviewing both Relics from Codex: Orks and Waaagh! Ghazghkull at the same time, so if there is anything I mention that you cannot find in the Main Ork book that is why.

Gifts of Gork and Mork:

Da Dead Shiny Shoota- Deadly, Shiny, and very shooty this weapon lives up to its name in strides. A Kustom double barreled shoota that always fires on full auto, (knowing Orks it probably can only fire on full auto) spraying down enemy units with a barrage of bullets. However the gun kicks like a bull Grox, so it’s not unusual for the stray bullet or ten to go into a nearby mob of Orks.

Da Dead Shiny Shoota (or DSS for short) works similar to a shoota; having a range of 18”, S4 and AP6, however it is better as it is Assault 6 and twin linked, so this gun can put out a lot of bullets, perfect for the more Dakka obsessed Warboss. The only real drawback is the “Stray Shot” special rule. Simply put, for every shot you miss (after re-rolls for twin linked) you roll a further D6, for each roll of a ‘1’ a unit of Orks that is within 6” of the target gets hit instead. That is of course if you think of the idea that your Warboss kills some random boy then it’s a boon more than a drawback. Overall this Relic has a rating of B

Da Finkin’ Kap- Not exactly Orky in nature, Da Finkin’ Kap was a piece of training equipment taken from a Schola Progenium that was combined with a snazzy Ork hat that showed the great plans and strategies from the Imperial Guard to whatever Ork set it atop their head. Flashing random scenarios and reports, any Ork keen enough to understand what he was seeing could incorporate these plans into his own army and crush the humans, using their own strategies against them.

Da Finkin’ Kap is an interesting Relic as it allows the Warlord to generate an additional Warlord trait from the Strategic Traits table. So while not outright powerful it could grant your army an advantage on a more strategic level, combined with the first Warlord Trait generated this could lead to your army having a major advantage and even enable them to outmaneuver your opponent. Overall this Relic has a rating of A

Da Fixer Upperz- Once belonging to a well known Mek that could seem to repair any vehicle, no matter just how wrecked and non-functional it was; these tools have been stolen, sold and re-stolen so many times no Ork truly knows if the tools they posses are the realy Fixer Upperz. But Orks being Orks, the sheer belief that these tools will do the job holds true.

Da Fixer Upperz are a decent Relic that has a low points cost and lets a more repair focused mek do his job better. Allowing repairing on a 3+ instead of a 5+ this can keep a Battlewagon or even a Stompa going strong even after getting blasted by enemy anti-tank weapons. Paired with a few Grot oilers and you’ll have nothing to worry about. Overall this Relic has a rating of B

Da Lucky Stikk- Originally owned by what could only be described as the luckiest Grot to ever live, well until he was sat on and killed by his master. Da Lucky Stikk is a Bosspole that is infused with unnaturally good luck and seems to keep the bearer from harm and misfortune everywhere they go. That is until of course the luck seems to stop and the wielder meets a serious of unfortunate event that leaves them less alive then how they woke up that day.

Da Lucky Stikk is most undeniably the best Relic in the Ork codex, if not the best Relic in the entire game. Granting a +1 WS bonus to the wielder and whatever unit he joins it works great as a combat boosting upgrade, but the real treat kicks in after that. In addition to +1 WS the wielder may also re-roll any failed to-hit, to-wound, or saving throws he takes. This leads to a particularly nasty Warboss that always seems to hit, wound and make his saves. It does come with a price however. If you fail three re-rolls in a single turn (Note this is player turn not game turn) the wielder is automatically removed from play with no saves allowed. Of course that is a small chance of happening and well worth all the benefits. Overall this Relic has a rating of A

Headwhoppa’s Killchoppa- A seemingly normal looking Big choppa that has a tendency to always find a way to decapitate whomever it hits. Originally belonging to Grand Warboss Headwhoppa, this weapon has found its way to the hands of many different Ork tribes. Whether by intervention from Gork, Mork or even Khorne who knows for sure, one thing can be said however is this, many heads will fly and it will bring many cheers from the Boyz watching as a head goes sailing into the air before falling down into the enemy forces.   

A more interesting Relic, the Killchoppa acts like a normal Big choppa, however any roll to wound of a 6 gains the Rending and Instant Death special rules. Perfect for any Warboss that likes to kill anything bigger than himself, this Relic will sure make combat more interesting when heads start to fly. Overall this Relic has a rating of C

Warboss Gazbag’s Blitzbike- Once owned by a notorious Speed Freek Warboss, this Kustom bike has been modified , sold, stolen and re-sold so many times that it’s hard to tell where one Mek’s modification started and another ones ended. At the bikes for however it is still a monster sized bike with a large jet engine and Kustom dakkablastas than can turn anything it shoots at into a bloody pulp.

Similar to a normal Ork Warbike this Relic grants the wielder a 4+ armour save and counts his cover save as being 1 higher in a turn in which he went flat out. In addition he may flat out 18” rather than 12” and the Dakkagun is replaced by a more powerful Dakkablasta that has a 24” range with S6 AP3 and Assault 3 Twin linked, this Relic is perfect for any biker boss that wants more speed and even more Dakka. Overall this Relic has a rating of B

Orkimedes' Kustom Gubbinz:

Choppa of Da Ragnarork- A Big choppa that is said to be the very embodiment of Orkiness, Orkdom, and Orkitude, this weapon gains more power the more it fights until it reaches the point of pure Ork power and will unleash massive amounts of Waaagh1 energy that can destroy mountains with a single swing.  

Starting out like a typical Big choppa this weapon will increase in strength every player turn it kills models in close combat. Whenever one or more casualties are removed the Strength will increase by 1 and AP decrease by 1 until the max of +6 strength and AP 1, making this one dead killy Big choppa. Overall this Relic has a rating of B

Big Bosspole- Said to be the original Bosspole carried by the most fearsome Ork Warboss that ever lived, Ghazghkull Thraka, this has been sold off to so many times over the years to different Warbands it’s hard to tell which Warboss has the true Big Bosspole, or if it really existed in the first place. Orks being Orks however, believe the tales and the Waaagh! Energy flows and the effect is still the same.

A rather simple Relic that makes the bearer and any unit he joins Fearless, it’s a good replacement for a standard Bosspole and makes sure the Boyz stay stuck in a fight. Not particularly powerful or granting multiple abilities it is still a useful piece of equipment. Overall this Relic has a rating of C

Da Supa-Cybork- What could only be described as a perfect blend of Ork physiology and technology, Da Supa-Cybork is an Ork that is the epitome of Orkiness. Far larger and stronger than the nastiest Meganob, Da Supa-Cybork caries the largest of weapons into battle, blasting away with kannon sized guns as if they were nothing.

More of a Wargear Relic than a weapon, Da Supa-Cybork grants the Feel no Pain, Eternal Warrior, and Relentless special rules. However the downside is the relic has a hefty price tag and doesn’t do all that much when realistically a Warboss on a Warbike will be immune to almost all instant death, gain Relentless, and a Painboy would grant not just him but his unit Feel no Pain. Falling short of actual practical use in the Codex there aren’t any weapons a Warboss can take that he would need relentless for. A neat idea but you’ll be hard pressed to find any of the special rules actually coming into effect short of Feel no Pain, Overall this Relic has a rating of F

Da Killa Klaw- A massive Power Klaw made from the deadly Iron claw wielded by a Khornate Soul Grinder, this Klaw has a reputation for being dead killy and glows with a red aura that seems to fill those nearby with dread.

Yet another Relic that falls short of potential greatness, Da Killa Klaw is a a normal Power Klaw that can substitute all its attacks for one attack that causes instant death. While seeming nice the fact is a Warboss is already strength 10 with a Klaw, and short of monstrous creatures there are few things he cannot already instantly kill. Being 15 more points than a typical Power Klaw this Relic doesn’t seem worth taking as using it practically will almost never happen. Overall this Relic has a rating of D

Mega Force Field- A Kustom force field that is said to be built from pieces of the shield generator that protected the massive Space Hulk ‘Wurld Killa’ afterit crashed on Armageddon.

Following the same rules as a Kustom force field with the difference of a 4+ invulnerable save to all models within 6” rather than a 5+, this Relic is perfect for those Ork Meks that like protecting their inventions from enemy fire. Overall this Relic has a rating of B

Kill-Dakka- Kill-Dakka is the prototype of the perfect weapon built by Big Mek Orkimedes, constantly being tweaked and worked on this weapon changes every time it is used but it can be said for sure it is impressive and dead killy.

A Ranged weapon that has a random profile this Relic falls short of being good and more so into the “possibly useful” range. The main downside being that the weapon has a random profile and you won’t know what it does until the beginning of the game, this could mean that you have a weapon that is almost useless on the model you took it for. Having a chance of being Heavy or short ranged it is more than possible you get stuck with a choice that you won’t end up using. Effectively being a variant of  a Deffgun, Skorcha, Supa shoota, Zapp gun, Grotzooka or Bubblechukka it is not something that you couldn’t easily get elsewhere in the army for less points and more reliability. For the point cost this Relic is just too random to be worth taking every time, if at all. Overall this Relic has a rating of D