On Tuesday, Games Workshop released the updated points costs for the Orks army for Warhammer 40k. In a genuinely surprising turn of events, the cost for the majority of Ork units has increased, with many units going up by around 20%. With the recent news that Space Marines and their heretical cousins will see points increases too, there's a pretty clear pattern here: Warhammer 40k armies are getting smaller.
These changes will come into effect when the Orks' 11th edition 40k Codex releases this weekend. The new Codex doesn't just tweak points costs, it's sent them up, down, and sideway, but in general I expect the average 2,000 point Ork army will be two to three units smaller in 11th edition than it was in 10th.
The mainstay Ork Boyz unit now costs 90 points for 10 models, a 20% point increase, and one that most Ork armies will feel. The largest percentage increase is the Beastboss on Squigosaur, which is almost 50% more expensive at 140 points. A few units have gone down, with the Painboy taking the biggest cut, 50% off the top that drops it to just 45 points.
You can find all of the updated points costs online in the Munitorum Field Manual. The great majority of units have increased in cost, and many by more than 20%.
This, and the planned increase in points for Space Marines and all their variants, means a good half of the Warhammer 40k factions will field smaller armies in 11th edition. It's not certain, but this does give us reason to conclude that every army is going to shrink at least a little.
I'm very slightly younger than Warhammer 40k itself, and to the best of my knowledge this is the first time in my entire life that this has ever happened. Frankly, I'm here for it. The slightly smaller game board which came in with 9th edition 40k is going to feel less cramped with two fewer units per army. Games will be a little bit faster and a little less mentally exhausting. And smaller armies will be cheaper to collect.
This will definitely change the feel of the game. 11th edition already reduced players' ability to screen board areas against enemy movement by limiting unit coherency distances. Those open areas are going to get a bit more open still, making it easier for units to maneuver, and armies will have fewer disposable units to throw under their opponents' big threats.
The Orks' points increases do seem to account for this changing dynamic. The units that got the largest proportional points rises concentrate a lot of hitting power into one tough body, like the Squigosaur and the Gorkanaut. So while these big threats will have an easier time maneuvering, they'll have fewer support units backing them up.
Are you happy to see the game shrink a little? Do you think this is a necessary adjustment to keep armies affordable and games short enough to fit into an evening? Or would you rather the model count stayed high and GW made things simpler? Let us know in the Wargamer Discord community!