A Mek's WAAAAGH!!! (potentially)

Since I've been going through the Ork codex, I had an inkling to put together an Ork list. This is another of my exercises in futility to many, or what I call a list building exercise in the name of a good time.

Every big WAAAAGH! has a number of Ork mechanics to cobble together their ramshackle armor, weapons and vehicles. This is what might happen if a Mek decided to strike out on his own WAAAGH! and leave the Warboss wanting.

These Mek models are too damn cool to not be used.

I have to start with a Mek. They are cheap and have some great upgrades. My HQ, or the Big Mek, will have eavy armor for some modicum of safety, an attack squigg for an extra attack, the all important Kustom Force Field (for those 4++ vehicle cover saves and crummy 5++ for everyone else) and maybe a burna as well. A powerklaw is more killy, but I'll go for flamer/power weapon instead. That runs him at 125 points.

Now a Mek allows for A Deff Dread to be taken as a troop choice, so I must take one. Why not? I'll go close combat arms and take four of them. That should increase his killing power. I'll even throw on some grot riggers to help keep this guy mobile (well on a 4+ if immobile). Plus it would be fun to model some grots trailing behind or hanging off a rampaging Deff Dred.

Speaking of Grots, I'll need some for troops. Well actually more like fodder than troops. Every Ork workshop needs a labor force and that is what these guys will represent. They follow the army grabbing bits and bobs from the battlefield (great alliteration there). A full squad of 30 and three grot herders should suffice. They are cheap and can be a screen or backfield objective holder. They will be an easy kill if anything gets near them, but hopefully they fly under the radar since they are of almost no threat to anything.

I'll need some more actual troops and I think some Boyz in a truk will do. A squad of 12 with a Nob and power klaw is pretty cheap. Heck I'll add two of these since they are so cheap. I'll give them all shootas since a base Ork has a descent attack profile. This gives them a tiny bit of tactical use. Yeah, Orks and tactics don't really go together in the same sentence. Well this pushes me to a total of 639 points.

Now I'll need some more Mek inspired creations and that means Killa Kans. A grot strapped inside a mini-dred is just to crazy not to use. A squad of three is really cheap, and they all need a ranged weapon. I'll go with grotzookas.  A giant scrap launching bazooka is very Orky and can lead to some great modelling ideas. It is also a pretty effective weapon; 18" S 6 AP 5 heavy 2 blast is nothing to sneeze at. That is a whole mess of template silliness from a unit of walkers. Yeah they also have a dreadnought close combat weapon as well, so they can fight if they are force into one. Hell, I'll take two squads of these! Only 591 points left to spend.

I have some mobility and some ground pounders, now I need some speedy annoyance. I'll go with Warbuggies. A squad of two is dirt cheap in points and survivability; but these are an annoyance so I want to be cheap. Well they need a bit more than a twin-linked big shoota (their standard weapon), so I'll add a twin-linked rokkit launcha (think 24" krak missile). This makes the squad only 70 points. Why stop with one squad? I'll run three of these! Thtat gives me a chance to maybe even ruin some armor. If you have enough BS 2 shots and twin-linkage you might actually hit something. If not, they can move as fast vehicles and get to flanks, soft targets, block moves or contest if they are still alive late game.

Well my Big Mek will need a ride, since the other trukks are full. A Big Mek will need a big ride, so a Battlewagon should do. Why wouldn't a crazy mechaninc have what is basically a monster truck? A Battlewagon with 4 big shootas (short range heavy bolters) and grot riggers is dirt cheap for a armor 14 , 12 , 10 vehicle. Sure it is open topped, but hopefully that 4++ force field save will help mitigate damage. Plus it is an assault vehicle, so I'll need some assaulters.

Another squad of Boyz seems appropriate. These will also be upgraded with 'eavy armor (4+ save) and act as a bodyguard/ bullet shield for the Big Mek. Another 12 with 'eavy armor, Nob and klaw is only 155 points. These will all have choppas and sluggas to get the extra attack in close combat. Where they will hopefully get to while riding in the Battlewagon. I was looking at a Nob squad here, but for the remaining points, I thought more bodies would be better.

Well what to do with the remaining points? Well every crazy villian needs a second in command.  A second HQ Mek should fit well here. He will be the Big Mek's: Wez to Lord Humongous, Starscream to Megatron or Destro to Cobra Commander. This L'il Mek will have 'eavy armor, an attack squigg and a power klaw. I'll run him with the Big Mek and the 'eavy armored Orks in the wagon o' battle. That gives the squad two power klaws and a power weapon/ flamer. It isn't the killiest unit in the game, but it should do some damage. I think this gives me 1469 points. I'll add 3 more Boyz to the armored squad. That gives me extra bodies and 1499 points.

HQ- Big Mek kustom force field, burna, 'eavy armor, attack squigg
HQ- L'il Mek power klaw, 'eavy armor, attack squigg

Troop- Deff Dread- close combat weapon x4, grot riggers
Troop- Boyz x12 shootas,trukk, Nob, power claw
Troop- Boyz x12 shootas,trukk, Nob, power claw
Troop- Grots x30 runt herder x3
Troop- Boyz x 15 slugga/slugga, 'eavy armor, Nob, power klaw

Fast- Warbuggies x2 twin-linked rokkit launcha
Fast- Warbuggies x2 twin-linked rokkit launcha
Fast- Warbuggies x2 twin-linked rokkit launcha

Heavy- Battlewagon big shoota x4, grot riggers
Heavy- Killa Kan x3 grotzooka x3
Heavy- Killa Kan x3 grotzooka x3

1499 points

There is a lack of ranged shooting for sure, but who cares? Yes Lootas are an Ork "must," but this is not an Ork "must" list. The walkers are great in close and the buggies give a suitable distraction. I like the idea of the trukks running in early behind the rokkit buggies. Then the Kans and Dread follow behind with the Battlewagon. The Grots shore up a deployment objective, hide to save a kill point or serve as a walking screen.

This would be a riot to build and a gigundous pain to paint. The Ork bodies have always annoyed me with all the belts and straps they have. The vehicles would be easy to paint. I have always had a want to play Orks, just not had the desire to paint them. If I did play them, it would probably be something like this list. There are so many cool things to convert and cobble together, when the leader is a crazy mechanic in a vehicle/walker heavy army.