8th Edition Orc & Goblin Armybook Tactics

[Nickthebear]

Black orcs are good just for the varity. equip them with shields for a 4+ as against shooting etc then in combat you can either go hw and shield for 4+ as and 6+ ward with single strength 5 attacks or if you come across a horde of weaklings swap the shield for additional hand weapons or against monsters or cavalry etc go great weapons. they are prepared for most combats. and the choppa rule means +1 strength in the first round of any combat meaning you dont need the charge, the +1 for charging aint much compared to how much they (should) kill during the actual combat.

all this and then of course any black orc characters that a no doubtedly in the fight aswell and any magic banners(mine go for the flaming attacks)

[Oogie boogie boss]

Against Warriors i'd say Black Orcs w/GW are the best option, simply for the armour save reduction (-4). Against T4 troops with less armour, go SO.

[friendsofrhomb]

Thats what i was thinking, either go warmachine heavy, or none at all, just to throw him off.

I have 2 rock lobbas, 4 spear chukkas and a doom diver available. I generally don't have much of a problem beating him, but im unsure about this manticore. With all the powerful magic items available his lord/sourcerer could be quite difficult to beat. I'm guessing a 4/3++ at least.

My other option is to ignore it altogether and use the warmachines to pummel the rest of his army before my boyz get there, they shouldnt be too hard to beat once a few rocks land on their heads and their general out of range trying to eat my warmachines.

On another note, I just bought gorbad and another box of boar boys. How does he go in a unit of 10 boar boys? or should I get another 5 and make it bigger

One last question, does a manticore have a breath weapon? or the ability to upgrade to one? I dont have the WoC army book and army builder doesnt say it does (but its been wrong before )

[Glenn87]

Question: Do normal Orc units (and Arrer Boyz) have ANY use?? (I'm asking because some local retailer has the old O&G Battalion, and it has 19 Orc Boyz and 16 Arrer Boyz in there.

(same on basic Gobbo's).

Or should I just NOT buy it because all are utter crap?

[Oogie boogie boss]

Orrc Boys and arrer boys have lots of uses. Started a thread on this in the discussion bit. Orc boys have been massively underrated in contrast to SO and BO. They're cheaper, the can have a 5+/6++ save, and are a great Anvil unit.
As for Arrer Boys, they're just as hitty as Orc Boys, but also have 'arrers! Seriously, with the new volley fire rule, a big unit of arrers can dish out a serious amount of shots, and even with average BS, they're gonna cause even Empire Knights and WoC trouble.
People seem to assume that because normal Orcs aren't as hitty as SO or BO, they aren't worth taking, but they really ARE!
You just need to use them differently, and not rely on them to go steaming through a battleline. Properly supported, they're a great unit for durability.
Also, OnG armies should have normal Orcs in. Fluffwise, it makes sense.

[sssk]

Why must everyone slander the name of arrer boys?

they're a toughness 4 shooty unit, not bad ballistic skill, reasonable range, give them a musician and they can free reform (more easily than gobbos) and they're not really very expensive. So they're pretty much the perfect O&G unit for getting rid of light cavalry and that kind of thing (the doom diver will be shooting at stuff with armour).

However contrary to just about every other shooty unit in the game (I know, there're almost certainly a ton of exceptions, but shhh) they can also actually fight in combat. You can't just get rid of them with some fast cav or anything, because they'll eat it. Similarly, they can actually functionally provide a supporting flank charge for a main line unit.

Certainly a unit of 16 is great for guarding warmachines and/or flanks.

As for (normal) orcs, give them a shield and you can use them as a nice anvil unit (then hit the enemy in the flank with a unit of savages or something).

While they don't kick out as much damage as savages, that doesn't make them utter carp (the fish). For one thing you don't need to worry about frenzy, so you can stick them away from the general without them running off after the first thing which bounces past.

[TMATK]

Question: Do normal Orc units (and Arrer Boyz) have ANY use?? (I'm asking because some local retailer has the old O&G Battalion, and it has 19 Orc Boyz and 16 Arrer Boyz in there.

(same on basic Gobbo's).

Or should I just NOT buy it because all are utter crap?

The current O&G battalion doesn't come with arrer boyz and only comes with 15 regular orcs. I don't think they ever came with arrer boyz.

Maybe your retailer cobbled together his own package? It might be a deal worth grabbing, depending on the price and what else is included.

[Malorian]

He's talking about the (very) old starter set.

[Glenn87]

The current O&G battalion doesn't come with arrer boyz and only comes with 15 regular orcs. I don't think they ever came with arrer boyz.

Maybe your retailer cobbled together his own package? It might be a deal worth grabbing, depending on the price and what else is included.

I know, I'm refering to the 6th Battalion (when they were square boxes).

It contains:
1 Warboss on Boar
19 Orc Boyz with full command (armed with additional hand weapons)
18 Arrer Boyz with full command
10 Goblin Wolf riders
1 Boar Chariot

I think it's priced 85 euro's. Quite a bargain. Funny enough, everthing in there (except the Wolf Riders) were also in the 6th starter set).
This one seems better then the current one (20 Gobbo's, 15 Orc boyz, 5 Boar Boyz and 10 Spider Riders).

2 More questions on battalions:
* does anyone know what the 7th edition one contained, (the one right before the current one).
*for people who bought this one, are the Orcs mono-pose?

Seems like a good deal, because the only current Arrer Boyz are the very expensive metal ones...

[Gork or Possibly Mork]

I didn't buy the 7th edition battalion but i know for fact the orcs in there where the same as the current orcs and not monopose. The only orcs that were mono pose where the starter set or before.

I think the 7th battalion came with
20 Orc boys, 20 Night goblins,10 Goblin spider riders and i think a boar chariot.

[Glenn87]

Another quick question on the 6th battalion:
The Hero on Boar that's with it (same as in the 6th edition starter), is it the same model as the older Boar Boyz champion??

(I'm asking because if so, then there's no need for me to try and get him).

thx!!

[Trustey]

How do you feel about Arrer Boys vs about twice as many NG for the price though?

And I thought Volley Fire was a special rule in the brb? Do Arrers get it?

[Glenn87]

yeah, I know competitive wise NG's with bows are better for the points...but I just want every unit there's in the book, and make fluff-lists sometime

[TMATK]

How do you feel about Arrer Boys vs about twice as many NG for the price though?

And I thought Volley Fire was a special rule in the brb? Do Arrers get it?

Any unit with any kind of bow gets to use the volley fire rule.

[Djekar]

I have found that arrer orcs are the most useful orcs this edition. If you have bows left from the savage kit, make those other 19 boyz arrer's too and reap the rewards!

[Oogie boogie boss]

Arrer boys are more expensive than NG with bows, and no better at shooting, but they are T4 with better leadership, and have choppas, so they can more than hold their own in combat. That's where the extra points go.

[Yowzo]

I'm floating ideas for a MSU-based approach to O&G tactics.

I'm thinking 15-ish (5x3) or 12-ish (6x2) sized units of dual-choppa savages would do a great job at outdeploying and hunting the flanks of those big steadfast units we're seeing this often.

I'd consider giving them the big stabba thing.

I'm wondering this because my ideal size of my black orc unit has gone down and down with every game as they're now playing the role of flankers/monster hunters with their S7 GW and flaming banner.

[Malorian]

I'm floating ideas for a MSU-based approach to O&G tactics.

I'm thinking 15-ish (5x3) or 12-ish (6x2) sized units of dual-choppa savages would do a great job at outdeploying and hunting the flanks of those big steadfast units we're seeing this often.

I'd consider giving them the big stabba thing.

I'm wondering this because my ideal size of my black orc unit has gone down and down with every game as they're now playing the role of flankers/monster hunters with their S7 GW and flaming banner.

I think it's a horrible idea.

You see the problem is that people think that multiple small units will out maneuver 1 big block, and they're right. The problem however is that this isn't a realistic situation unless you are playing a very small game and one side put everything into one unit.

In reality it's going to look more like 12 small units of 12 vs 4 big units of 36, and when you put those 4 big units side by side there really isn't any room to out maneuver them.

[TMATK]

Arrer boys are more expensive than NG with bows, and no better at shooting, but they are T4 with better leadership, and have choppas, so they can more than hold their own in combat. That's where the extra points go.

They also have a 6" longer range. Not game breaking, but they might shoot something on turn 1 that night goblins couldn't reach.

[Malorian]

They also have a 6" longer range. Not game breaking, but they might shoot something on turn 1 that night goblins couldn't reach.

If only our trolls could trade their great weapons for big bows

Oh wait, our trolls can't get great weapons...

Oh wait, us greenskins aren't as stupid as our bone head cousins so it doesn't matter anyway