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Warbuggy Tactica

Submitted By: adamscurr Date: July 21, 2011, 03:19:41 PM Views: 1994
Summary: This article covers basic to advanced buggy use, as well as the discussing the different types, functions, and options for warbuggies.

Tactica: Warbuggies




One of the best advantages of Codex: Orks is the availability of cheap, but effective vehicles.  What they lack in armor, they make up for in speed.  The Warbuggy can fulfill a number of rolls, from infantry killing to popping tanks.

The Basic of Buggies:
Buggies are designed for two basic roles: anti-infantry and anti-tank.  However, each is flexible enough to perform several soft battlefield roles as well: blocking assaults, creating cover saves, and contesting objectives.

Why Take One and When You Can Take Three:
Ork vehicles are cheap for a reason.  A single buggy will quickly be destroyed, giving your opponent an easy kill point.  Two buggies suffer the penalties of vehicle squadrons (immobilized = wrecked), while not having enough survivability or effectiveness to be worth the sacrifice.  Buggies should be taken in groups of three to increase their life expectancy and their ability to complete their primary mission.   

To Trakk or not to Trakk:   
When fifth edition came out, Armor Plates and Grot Riggers became irrelevant for vehicle squadrons.  However, trakks give you the ability to re-roll dangerous terrain test.  This option should be considered in Cities of Death missions and boards with an abundance of terrain.  With getting to the enemy as quickly as possible in mind, the Skorcha comes in handy with its trakk option! 

Which Options Are Worth It and Which Are Not:
With the coming of fifth edition Warhammer 40K, Red Paint became the only viable option for buggy squadrons.  The additional move it provides can sometimes can be useful, but is often just wasted points.  Armor Plates and Grot Riggers are irrelevant because of the vehicle squadron rules.

Skorcha, Big Shoota, or Rokkit:
Arming your buggies will depend on what battlefield role you intend for the squadron.  The Big Shoota and Skorcha options are designed for anti-infantry roles.  The Rokkit excels at crippling and destroying vehicles.

The Big Shoota:  Dakka From Afar:
Big Shoota buggies are the cheapest option.  They excel at delivering heavy infantry killing power at range.  Being twin-linked with a high rate of fire, you can be assured of hitting frequently.  The strength is adequate to wound anything less than monstrous creatures, but the AP is less than spectacular.  The range is excellent, and combined with the fast vehicle rule, really nothing on the board is safe from this buggy.  It is recommended for lightly armored opponents such as Guardians, Guardsmen, and Gaunts, as well as targeting vehicles with weak rear armor. 

The Skorcha:  Burn Baby Burn:
The Skorcha gets "free" trakks for the points you pay, so you can go bouncing through terrain without fear of getting stuck.  This allows you to get to those pesky mortar squads that seem to hide in heavy terrain.  Since the Skorcha is a heavy flamer it will kill almost everything if touches, often ignoring their armor save and of course like all flamers ignoring their cover save.

While it may not have the range to kill from round one, it normally goes unnoticed as it speeds around the board, harassing enemy units, and killing off the odd heavy support team.  It is a great weapon for killing off most everything Tyranid.  Skeetergod argues, “If I know I am going against nids, I make sure that I take Skorchas.  Of course, the Rokkit buggy is good at killing the monstrous creatures, but the Skorcha is good at killing off and thinning down those large broods of gaunts.  It is also fantastic for killing Genestealers.”

Against marines Skorchas are good for scout hunting and getting sniper teams out of terrain since a flamer can fire up one level. 

Against Imperial Guard, the Skorcha really shines.  Nothing is safe from its burning promethium.  With the speed you can get in close to the heavy weapon teams and cook them off the board.

Finally, the Skorcha excels at 'off the board escort' duties.  When a unit has broken the Skorcha drives nearby, staying close enough so that the enemy unit cannot rally, spitting flames every turn until it is off the board.  Being fast, it can keep up with the enemy unit no matter how far it runs.

Rokkit Buggies:

The primary function of Rokkit buggies is destroying vehicles and monstrous creatures.  Being twin linked, they have a reasonable chance of hitting their target; being fast, they have an excellent chance of hitting side or even rear armor. 

Rokkit buggies can be used in two ways.  The first is to ride along with a mechanized Waaagh, firing off rokkits of opportunity at vehicles, popping transports so that the boyz can rip the troops inside apart in close combat.  In a more conventional greenskin horde, the buggies can ride ahead and destroy transports, slowing those mechanized armies down.

Rokkits are best used on AV 12 or lower.  Anything higher wastes firepower, although rokkits are able to damage any AV.  The primary role of Rokkit buggies should be to force enemy infantry to disembark from their transports.  Additionally, Dreadnoughts are easy prey, as the buggies can stay out of reach while delivering a continual barrage of rokkit fire.  Additionally, rokkits should be employed against monstrous creatures, or very tough MEQ infantry, denying Feel No Pain and armor saves.  The high strength and low AP are sufficient to wound most.

Finally, mass rokkit fire can make a mess of skimmers, particularly if you can target the rear armor.

Dirty Tricks: Expert Buggy Use:
Buggies can be used in a number of functions beyond their ability to kill the enemy.  With their incredible speed, they can often fulfill a number of battlefield roles:

• Buggies can offer cover saves to the troops and vehicles behind them.  While troops are easy to cover, players seeking to give cover to trucks should use the old truck model (the new one, though splendid, is too large).

Below, a group of Grey Hunters wants to fire on the boyz.  The buggies give the boyz some cover, and they will come through only losing a couple:






• Orks are often outmatched by our enemies.  Often, it is necessary to ensure that we charge our enemies, rather than be charged.  Any buggy, regardless of its armament, can block an opponent's advance.  Moving into position at cruising speed, it is a difficult target to hit in melée.  As a squadron, buggies can stop the advance of the enemy, forcing them to run around, or fruitlessly swing away at them in an assault.

Below, the Grey Hunters, frustrated by the ineffectiveness of their Bolters, try to move into position to assault.  The buggies prevent this, giving the Orks the choice to assault in the next round:




• Buggies can be used in some sneaky manoeuvres.  They can easily split supporting units from each other, effectively preventing a second unit from supporting the first.  Another favorite tactic is locking a Dreadnought in place by surrounding it with buggies.  Even if it manages to destroy a buggy or two in the assault or shooting phase, it has missed its chance to move in the movement phase.  Positioning your buggies correctly means that a Dreadnought has no choice but to fire at them.

Below, the Grey Hunters finally engage the Orks, but find themselves a bit outnumbered.  The Thunderwolf Calvary moves to support them.  However, the buggies intercede and force the Thunderwolf unit to assault them instead.  Needing sixes to hit, they do little to no damage against the fast moving buggies:




Below, a second unit of Warbuggies moves to intercept a Dreadnought.  With any luck, the rokkits will cause it to explode.  However, the buggies have surrounded the walker, and it will not be going anywhere:





A Gallery of Buggies:












Adamscurr,
July 2011.


Rating: ***** by 7 members.

Comments

SKEETERGOD
Infinity Circuit | Boss Orkountant | I used Flash Gitz and didn't lose! | KoN Warlord
Lazerous Penguin
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The best upgrade for an ork, is more orks!


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September 7, 2011, 09:32:57 AM
An excellent guide and tactica, one very good article! This will definitely be a help to many ork generals for generations to come. Good Stuff!



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