7 Battlewagons: A shooty Ork thought experiment

[Commander Vimes]

I fought a list with 6 Battlewagons at a recent team tournament and it has since sent my mind spinning on how to scary a shooty Battlewagon list could be for 'Ard Boyz. This is what I came up with.

HQ
Ghazghgull:
225

Big Mek w/ Kustom Force field, Bosspole
90

Elites
3 Nobz/ Big Choppa
75
Battlewagon w/ 4 Big Shootas, Deff Rolla,
130

3 Mega nobz w/ 2 kombi-Skorchas
130
Battlewagon w/ 4 Big Shootas, Deff Rolla
130

5 Mega nobz w/ 2 kombi-Skorchas, 1 kombi-Rokkit
215
Battlewagon w/ 4 Big Shootas, Deff Rolla
130

Troops
5 Mega Nobz w/ 1 Kombi-Rockit, 1 Kombi Skorchas
210
Battlewagon w/ 4 Big Shootas, Deff Rolla, 'Ard Case
145

20 Shoota Boyz /w 2 Big Shootas, Nob with Power Klaw, Boss Pole
170
20 Shoota Boyz /w 2 Big Shootas, Nob with Power Klaw, Boss Pole
170
20 Shoota Boyz /w 2 Big Shootas, Nob with Power Klaw, Boss Pole
170

Fast Attack
2 Deff Koptas w/ Buzz Saws

Heavy Support

Battlewagon w/ 4 Big Shootas, Deff Rolla,
130
Battlewagon w/ 4 Big Shootas, Deff Rolla,
130
Battlewagon w/ 4 Big Shootas, Deff Rolla,
130

2500 points on the dot.

Big Mek goes in the one 'Ard Case wagon for a bit of extra protection, and hides horizontally behind the wall of other wagons to give them all a cover save. The weak nob squads' wagons go on the flanks to minimize losses from Outflankers or fast enemies. The deff koptas are there to alpha strike a priority enemy vehicle turn 1 with the first turn, or outflank otherwise.

Between the wagons, Ghazghkull, and the boyz, the list has 35 Big Shootas that are going to fire on each turn (shaking 7 obscured AV14 vehicles isn't going to happen). That's a frankly silly amount of Str. 5, and it's enough that you can stand off and force any opponent that can't crack AV14 at range to come to you. Against strong long range shooting, like Guard, it can blitz and get a decent chunk of the 7 Deff Rollas 16 Nob Power Klawz, Ghazghull, and the three Big Choppas in to destroy any parking lot it gets close to with ease. It's also got enough close combat punch to counter attack with.

I'm not actually an Ork player, so there's probably a number of tweaks that could be made to improve the list, but it seems pretty damn scary to me. Place 7 Battlewagons is pretty intimidating, and the sheer volume of Big Shoota fire the army can put out will probably catch many players off guard.

What do others think? Could you take this easily? Would it run right over you?

[davel]

i have often come across the use of lootaz in battle wagons (protected by custom force field)
worth considering if you want to go full ork shooty

dave l

[Skragger]

I love putting my Tankbustas in Battle Wagons - the fact their weapons are assault means that the battlewagon can trundle about and still fire my rockets (none worrying about that "the unit inside counts as having moved" junk).

Love the list though! The battle wagon is one of my favourite ork models

[blackarmchair]

I would definitely put lootas or tankbustaz in some of those wagons. I'm not sure how you're going to open up tanks, deff rollas are nice but you have to be up in people business to really open up anything - and this not only brings you right up next to their meltas but the more you come forward the more you expose your side armour to anti-tank fire.

Shooty orks can work, but I usually see fewer gun wagons, and more boyz/lootaz.

Boys before toys!