Games Workshop has previewed new rules from the upcoming Orks codex that makes Warhammer 40k Ork Boyz mobs a much more appealing unit choice. The new Green Tide Detachment gives a massive buff to all Ork Boyz mobs, and its Stratagems and Enhancements get better when applied to great big units of infantry.
Games Workshop is currently releasing preview articles on the Warhammer Community site explaining what Warhammer 40k Orks fans should expect to change in the upcoming Codex: Orks. An article published on Monday reveals how the Detachment rules for the most cheerful Warhammer 40k faction will change when the codex drops.
The basic Waaagh! Tribe Detachment from the Orks’ Index has been renamed to the War Horde, and has apparently been “polished up” – but presumably it still provides the Sustained Hits weapon ability to all Ork melee weapons.
The new Green Tide detachment provides a 5+ invulnerable save to Ork Boyz mobs, and further grants them the ability to re-roll save rolls of one while their unit contains ten or more models.
It’s a massive buff to the survivability of a squishy melee unit, similar to the benefit from the Kroot Hunting Pack Detachment in the T’au Codex. The article also reveals the ‘Come On Ladz!’ Stratagem, which for one CP returns D3+2 models to an Ork Boyz unit.
There are further incentives to take large units of Boyz. The article shows off the Bulldozer Brutality stratagem, which allows a unit to make melee attacks against enemy models in engaged units within 3” – in essence, the whole darn mob of Boyz should be able to get its attacks in.
Then the ‘Ferocious Show Off’ enhancement grants a character +1S, which increases to +3 while there are ten or more models in their unit. That makes Warbosses and Beast Bosses killy enough to wound anything smaller than a Warhammer Titan on a 3+ or better.
The article reveals other, very thematic Detachments. The Dread Mob lets Meks, Walkers, and Grot Vehicles gain a random weapon ability each time they attack; or you can pick one, and suffer the Hazardous special rule.
The Stratagem ‘Bigger Shells for Bigger Gitz’ grants +1 to wound enemy monsters or vehicles when shooting; or you can choose to push it, for an additional +1 damage and the Hazardous special rule.
Then there are brief mentions of the Bully Mob – all about Nobz units, which can use the Waaagh! ability multiple times – and the Kult of Speed, which gives Trukks and Buggies a 4+ invulnerable save “just for going extra-fast” (which probably means “after they advance”).
In short, it looks like a great time to be an Ork. The fact that the new War Horde detachment buffs the survivability of melee infantry, and comes so close after the new T’au Empire Kroot Hunting Pack detachment did the same, feels like a tacit acknowledgment that Warhammer 40k 10th edition has buffed monsters, vehicles, and 40k Dreadnoughts. Perhaps cheap infantry with invulnerable saves will tip the scales in favor of mob justice.
The Orks Warhammer 40k codex release date is April 20, with pre-orders starting on Saturday. To keep up to date with the latest Warhammer 40k news, follow Wargamer on Google news.