Warp Rift 25

[horizon]

Hello,

We have issue 25 of Warp Rift for you. This issue sees another selection of high quality articles. Kicking off, we have an article on the fleets of the Orks, followed by a set of upgrades for your Imperial vessels. We then have information of a new fan-developed suppliment in the works, and as someone who knows how much work this type of thing is I wish the guys the best with this. Following from this, we have some new technology and scenarios to use it all in, and a selection of the fleet pictures from this years GothiComp09 submissions. Rounding all of this out, we have an article on simultaneous movement for Eldar fleets (who are always the exception to the rule) and the concluding chapter of the ongoing 'Tyranid War' fiction. Issue 25 is then closed off with more ordnance markers for use in your games. As always, feedback and contributions for this publication are in constant demand, so let us know what you think and feel free to drop us any ideas for articles and features that you would like to submit. Until next time....

Download Warp Rift 25 here:
http://www.epic40k.co.uk/bfgmag/index.html

or direct:
http://www.epic40k.co.uk/bfgmag/warprift25.pdf

best regards,
Horizon

[UberBeast]

I love your little magazine, especially the counters and the fiction, but I have to say the ork tactics article may well have read "Everyone knows that orks stink, but I disagree" while rambling about games the author played. I'm glad for the optimistic/contrary view, but there wasn't anything in the article that shines a new light on how to play the weakest fleet in the game.

[Mr_Foulscumm]

Originally Posted by UberBeast

how to play the weakest fleet in the game.

This made me lulz. Orks weak you say?

[Deadshane]

Those of you that know me would've seen this coming...

RANT ON!!!!

Wow? Orks are terrible?

I wish someone would've told me that before I went and had such a good run with them at adepticon over the past three years...getting one overall and a best admiral...

"Orks are the weakest fleet"....Interesting way to describe what some people consider the strongest Ordinance fleet in the game barring Tau. Ever see an Imperial/Chaos cruiser boarded by a Kill Kroozer with a Warboss w/ Mega Armour aboard? It turns a fresh cruiser into a drifting hulk. How many fleets can offer up 72 hp's in a 1500 pt battle? Like RR's? Try to get more than Orks have availiable. How about this...only 1....ONE possible Eldar fleet has a chance of doing better than a DRAW against an expert run Ork fleet...and even that single Corsair build that CAN win will be a struggle for the win. It's a boast, but I havent been proven wrong yet. My Orks slaughter Eldar like its an Olympic Sport. Give me some planetary cover and proper positioning to the sun and Corsairs and Craftworld (especially) are Skree-yewed.

"Weakest fleet in the game." LOL, geez I need to go get my pills now. Otherwise I'd post a link to the Dark Eldar list and probably even the Imperials.

Now that everyone knows how to touch on my nerves, I take you back to our regularly scheduled discussion on Warp Rift.

[freelancer]

I liked it the Warp Rifts are really good its just the big picture at the end of Warp Rift 24 was better then WR 25 lol Still twas a good read.

Freelancer

[horizon]

Heya,
it wasn't a tactica, that Ork article. It was a general view by someone, who has good results with Orks, just like Deadshane.

Heh, I kinda like the art run at the last page of Warp Rift. Heck on a website which describes ezines Warp Rift gets a special note on the great art.

[Deadshane]

I need to finish up that tactica for warp rift....

So much on the table right now.

[Dexter099]

Dark Eldar weak?

I don't wanna start another rant post...

[Iracundus]

Are there any more pictures from the same artist that did those CG looking pictures in this latest issue of Warp Rift?

[LordJose]

Originally Posted by horizon

Heh, I kinda like the art run at the last page of Warp Rift.

+1

do you know where to see more artwork from that artist?

[Burnthem]

Another great issue, keep em coming!

[horizon]

LordJose,
Jason Quillen's art (WR25) or that from WR24 (look in the editorial, it has a link to his deviant art page)?

Iracundus,
The Imperial Navy/Transport ships you mean? I got one pic from him which is saved for a better place in either Warp Rift or another project....

Dexter,
Dark Eldar are not weak if you play them to their strength, which can become short battles, one-dimensional and in the end boring.

[LordJose]

WR25 artwork

[horizon]

Jason Quillen hasn't done any other art yet but he said he wanted to do more Battlefleet Gothic art. But his first project was to get his own website with portfolio online. He graduated just recently. The art on WR25 is part of his portfolio.

I hope to get more from him, I really liked his fresh approach.

[UberBeast]

Originally Posted by Deadshane

Those of you that know me would've seen this coming...

RANT ON!!!!

Wow? Orks are terrible?

I wish someone would've told me that before I went and had such a good run with them at adepticon over the past three years...getting one overall and a best admiral...

"Orks are the weakest fleet"....Interesting way to describe what some people consider the strongest Ordinance fleet in the game barring Tau. Ever see an Imperial/Chaos cruiser boarded by a Kill Kroozer with a Warboss w/ Mega Armour aboard? It turns a fresh cruiser into a drifting hulk. How many fleets can offer up 72 hp's in a 1500 pt battle? Like RR's? Try to get more than Orks have availiable. How about this...only 1....ONE possible Eldar fleet has a chance of doing better than a DRAW against an expert run Ork fleet...and even that single Corsair build that CAN win will be a struggle for the win. It's a boast, but I havent been proven wrong yet. My Orks slaughter Eldar like its an Olympic Sport. Give me some planetary cover and proper positioning to the sun and Corsairs and Craftworld (especially) are Skree-yewed.

"Weakest fleet in the game." LOL, geez I need to go get my pills now. Otherwise I'd post a link to the Dark Eldar list and probably even the Imperials.

Now that everyone knows how to touch on my nerves, I take you back to our regularly scheduled discussion on Warp Rift.

I guess I'm properly schooled. No wait... orks still stink. I've been playing Gothic since they rereleased it in 98, and orks were my first and still are my largest fleet. I can agree that my experiences with them may not be the same as yours are, but there really isn't any reason for you to act like I'm telling a joke or don't know what I'm talking about simply because I'm stating an opinion which is widely supported by the larger part of the BFG community for years now.

The fastest way to beat orks with any fleet in the game: Get behind them. They have the shortest ranged weaponry, the slowest ships, low leadership and a terrible turning radius; and to seal the deal they have terrible rear armor. Orks only gimik is their damaging short ranged weaponry, which is easily avoided thanks to a crippling combination of the above stated limitations.

Watching someone play an ork fleet is like watching a two fingered man play rock paper scissors- His lack of flexability makes him predictable and easy to outplay. It's not my fault that a couple of posters here keep throwing paper and can't see how easy it is to beat an ork fleet.

[horizon]

That's why you should have a fleet build on a core of Terror kroozers, about 3 at least. I mean... it is unfluffy but if you want results with Orks the best thing to start with.

[Mr_Foulscumm]

@UberBeast - It could also be that you're not playing Orks to their strengths.
Also a a two fingered man playing rock-paper-scissors doesn't lack flexibility. Maybe it is the person who thinks two fingered people can only play scissors who is lacking imagination.

Warp Rift Rules!

Thank you very very much for the ordnance markers! Pure genius. Now if we could just get tyranid markers I would be set for all my fleets

[UberBeast]

[quote=Mr_Foulscumm;3920225]@UberBeast - It could also be that you're not playing Orks to their strengths.
Also a a two fingered man playing rock-paper-scissors doesn't lack flexibility. Maybe it is the person who thinks two fingered people can only play scissors who is lacking imagination.
QUOTE]

Witty, but I never meant that a two fingered man couldn't close his hand to make a rock; Simply that he can't play paper. Either way my choice of analogy shouldn't detract from my point which you chose to argue.

As for playing the ork fleet to its strengths, it's simply a problem of ork fleet strengths<other fleet strengths.

For instance:

-Orks don't really pay less for their ships. They pay the same price for escorts that don't even compare to similarly priced escorts in other fleets. Their limited supply of cruisers are really overpriced as well when you consider a complete lack of lance weaponry, slow speed and overall lower stats.

-Heavy weapons batteries aren't a much of a strength when your opponent can cripple your ships well outside your range and run circles around you at the same time. Any opponent worth his dice can easily limit the number of times you get to fire with your 15cm weapons.

-Automaticaly passing "all ahead full" is marginally useful for moving somewhat faster in a straight line- completely offset by losing dice from the total movement. I would actually prefer losing the special rule and being able to get the full number of dice so that I could speed off after the initial headon engagement and have more space to turn my cumbersome ships around for the fabled "ork's second pass".

-Higher hitpoints for cruisers is nice but doesn't make up for the fact that you're nearly helpless at long range, too slow to close the distance and extra vulnerable on your rear. The HPs are nice for boarding actions along with the +1 for being an ork, but the name of the game is ranged combat and manouverability. Orks simply lack the speed and handling nessesary to take advantage of their boarding bonuses.

-Fightabombas manage to combine all the negative traits of fighters and bombers; being both weak in their role as bombers and slow in their role as anti-ordinance. Add in the random wave size and low leadership for reloading ordinance and you don't have much to work with. Fightabombers are simply too watered down. I prefer having fast fighters and strong bombers.

-Spacehulks are a joke against any fleet with lances or long ranged weaponry. Roks are even worse in this regard. Enemies simply target the key locations of a hulk from a distance until it is eliminated.

Orks weren't meant to be a competitive fleet when they were released. They were a limited raiding force with only two cruiser choices and no battleships. Then GW tried to add in a few more fun units like unique battleships, hulks and roks to bolster poor ship selection, but failed to address the basic unbalanced structure of the core fleet. The consequences are that the ork fleet remains the fleet of half measures and short-sighted planning. At least the other fleets were designed all in one go instead of being cobbled together at random.

I can understand the direction the designers were trying to take with the ork fleet but they completely screwed up by combining too many negative features; denying them even the most basic working combination of speed, firepower, range, or expendability.

[Deadshane]

Originally Posted by UberBeast

-Orks don't really pay less for their ships. They pay the same price for escorts that don't even compare to similarly priced escorts in other fleets. Their limited supply of cruisers are really overpriced as well when you consider a complete lack of lance weaponry, slow speed and overall lower stats.

Don't bring Ork escorts, they have no place in an expertly played ork fleet.

Quote

-Heavy weapons batteries aren't a much of a strength when your opponent can cripple your ships well outside your range and run circles around you at the same time. Any opponent worth his dice can easily limit the number of times you get to fire with your 15cm weapons.

Prow mounted torpedoes...across the board.

Quote

-Automaticaly passing "all ahead full" is marginally useful for moving somewhat faster in a straight line- completely offset by losing dice from the total movement. I would actually prefer losing the special rule and being able to get the full number of dice so that I could speed off after the initial headon engagement and have more space to turn my cumbersome ships around for the fabled "ork's second pass".

...unless used on a Dethdeala or Kroolboy. AAF without LD helps when boarding is key. Period.

Quote

-Higher hitpoints for cruisers is nice but doesn't make up for the fact that you're nearly helpless at long range, too slow to close the distance and extra vulnerable on your rear. The HPs are nice for boarding actions along with the +1 for being an ork, but the name of the game is ranged combat and manouverability. Orks simply lack the speed and handling nessesary to take advantage of their boarding bonuses.

You must only play "Cruiser Clash" in open space....cause otherwise you'd be totally wrong.

Quote

-Fightabombas manage to combine all the negative traits of fighters and bombers; being both weak in their role as bombers and slow in their role as anti-ordinance. Add in the random wave size and low leadership for reloading ordinance and you don't have much to work with. Fightabombers are simply too watered down. I prefer having fast fighters and strong bombers.

Fightabommas totally remove the decision of a ratio of fighters to bombers. No more getting caught with too many fighters in the air not being able to take advantage of a chance to do damage. No more getting hit by a surprise ordinance alpha strike that you needed more fighters out for protection. Fightabommas also hit heavily turreted capitol ships harder than normal bombers (sans fighter escort) Against a capitol ship with 4 turrets, a normal bomber needs to roll a 5 or 6 to get attack runs thru. Against the same ship, a fightabomma needs to roll a 3+ to get attack runs thru.

Also, fightabommas are your key to defeating eldar.

Low leadership for reloading...you're doing it wrong. Squadroned Terrors and more RR's than any other fleet in the game? I NEVER have a problem reloading....NEVER. You're doing it wrong.

Quote

-Spacehulks are a joke against any fleet with lances or long ranged weaponry. Roks are even worse in this regard. Enemies simply target the key locations of a hulk from a distance until it is eliminated.

Yes, space hulks suck.

Quote

Orks weren't meant to be a competitive fleet when they were released. They were a limited raiding force with only two cruiser choices and no battleships. Then GW tried to add in a few more fun units like unique battleships, hulks and roks to bolster poor ship selection, but failed to address the basic unbalanced structure of the core fleet. The consequences are that the ork fleet remains the fleet of half measures and short-sighted planning. At least the other fleets were designed all in one go instead of being cobbled together at random.

They may not have meant to be competetive at release, but I've found them to be competetive against some of the strongest fleets in the game....at repeated tournaments.

Quote

The fastest way to beat orks with any fleet in the game: Get behind them. They have the shortest ranged weaponry, the slowest ships, low leadership and a terrible turning radius; and to seal the deal they have terrible rear armor. Orks only gimik is their damaging short ranged weaponry, which is easily avoided thanks to a crippling combination of the above stated limitations.

....probably why I dont let anything but drifting hulks get behind me.

...you're doing it wrong.

[Mr_Foulscumm]

Seeing as Deadshane has already pointed out everything else...

Originally Posted by UberBeast

Witty, but I never meant that a two fingered man couldn't close his hand to make a rock; Simply that he can't play paper. Either way my choice of analogy shouldn't detract from my point which you chose to argue.

I might as well point out that you can play paper with only two fingers.

Scissor = Fingers apart
Paper = Fingers closed



And no the bad analogy didn't detract. The fact that you've obviously never faced a brutal ork fleet did.

I too was laughing when one of my friends brought his Orks to the table for the first time. "Ah good... a free win" I thought. I was very much mistaken. A pure cruiser ork fleet is as tough as they come in Gothic.

----

Anyway, this has gone a tad off topic so I'll stop now