Grimdark Future/Tactics/Orc Marauders

Why play Orc Marauders?

The orcs are an inorexable tide of axes and muscle. When you attack, you attack in force and with charges as your chief means of attack. However, this comes with some critical drawbacks: Your army sucks at shooting and isn't very durable.

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Pros

• Lots of Activations
• High model count
• Sprawling variety of unit choices and upgrades
• Your melee game is incredibly strong with universal Furious
• Your heroes are all rather cheap

Cons

• Choice paralysis is very real
• Your troops are flimsy as hell
• Your army almost universally sucks with their guns

Special Rules

• Bad Shot: Your entire army (outside of some specific exceptions) have a 5+ quality when shooting. This means that you absolutely should not be relying on shooting without using either lots of shots or some very powerful weapons that make the few shots worth it.

• Good Shot: The opposite. Your model now has 3+ to hit.

• Red Paint Job:' This model can add +3" to movement and +6" to charge/rush.

Psychic Spells

• Warpath (4+): Friendly unit within 12" gains Stealth the next time they are shot at. This is vital because of how limited your protection is.
• Crackling Bolt (4+): One enemy unit within 12" must test for dangerous terrain.
• Headbang (5+): A friendly unit within 12" gains Rending on their next set of attacks, which can be pretty neat.
• Death Bolt (5+): One enemy model within 12" takes a single AP 4 Deadly 3 hit. Pretty much all you can ask for when sniping a hero or heavy weapon.
• Teleport (6+): One friendly unit within 12" can immediately move 6". This gives you a desperate escape button or possibly an easier charge.
• Psychic Vomit (6+): Enemy unit within 12" takes 4 AP 2 hits. This allows you to flatten elites pretty quickly.

Unit Analysis

Heroes

• Warlord: This is your genuine beatstick of a hero. Your shooting is rather meager between the base pistol, a carbine (with heavy flamethrower or rocket launcher add-ons) or twin carbine, but your shooting sucks anyways. Instead, you can focus more on the choppy, including buying up to two attack pets. The unique rules for the warlord are either WAR!, which grants their unit a +3" for movement and a +6" for rush/charge, or SHOOT!, which gives the mob Relentless.
  • Melee: yes, you got quite a list of melee weapons if you don't feel like relying on a base CCW. Instead, you could grab the ultra drill (6 attacks), ultra axe (rending), ultra claw (AP 2) or ultra sawblade (Deadly 3). On top of this, you can also buy up to two attack beasts for three AP 1 attacks each - These alone can add a lot more to your combat potential.
  • Upgrades: The Warlord has five options for special wargear, the most of any hero. Heavy Armor gives a 3+ defense, a pretty cheap benefit. Cyborg Body gives Regeneration. Ultra Armor gives a beastly 2+ defense but also Slow. The attack bike gives Fast and a twin mini-machineguns, giving a good bundle of shots. The jetpack grants Ambush and Flying, making you capable of covering more ground.

• Mechanic: While not quite as good in melee as the warlord, the mechanic has the power to repair nearby Tough units while also being able to use most of the same upgrades. The mechanic can buy a Precision Monocle for Good Shot, making use of their expanded array of guns. In this instance, it might be a good idea to spring for a bike to get those shots as well. However, if you dislike shooting, you can instead replace their gun with a Energy Field for unit-wide Stealth.

• Shaman: Generally the same as a mechanic, but replace the repair power for Psychic. Aside from that, they share the same upgrades as the warlord or mechanic, but instead of better guns, you can buy an additional level of Psychic. You're better served with a unit to take your blows, especially if you're not on the front lines.

Infantry

• Goblin Herd: A literal mob of tissue paper. These guys are practically useless, but they are the only unit with Good Shot. If you're intent on throwing to their death with zeal, then you can buy a Goblin Herder and confer Fearless, Furious and Relentless - pretty much a flat upgrade. You can also buy a special gun, but it's mostly pistols.

• Orc Mob: Your workaday unit of orcs, and your most populous of them, since you get mobs of ten of them. These guys can buy two extra guns, while the unit (one being a carbine+attachment or twin carbine, the other being more specialized) can buy carbines for longer-range mass shooting. For non-weapon upgrades, you can buy either a Mad Doctor for Regeneration and Heavy Armor for a 4+ defense.

• Jetpack Orcs: A smaller herd of orcs with Flying and Ambush. These guys can carry more special melee weapons than other units, but are trapped with only pistols for special weapons. This is quite powerful since you now have a pack of flying bruisers.

• Commandos: While cheaper than the jetpack orcs, they get Scout, Stealth and Strider out of the exchange. They can grab the special guns available to the base orcs, though they have the option to also replace their base guns for either shotguns or carbines depending on how short-range they want to be. One commando can also buy a sniper carbine - a bit of a modest help since you can try to snipe out heroes and heavy weapons here.

• Specialist Orcs: A bunch of orcs toting flamethrowers with Relentless. Unlike most specialist units, these guys only take one weapon, being either this or the rocket launchers or the long-range railguns. While the mob can replace their CCWs for blowtorches with AP 2, if you buy rocket launchers you can replace two launchers with bomb hammers for a single devastating swing. You can also buy a bomb beast, giving a small blast as an additional gun.

• Orc Pirates: The beefy pirates surprisingly have better pistols, each firing three AP 1 shots as well as Tough 3 and Relentless. You can replace their pistols with double-ranged boarding guns and buy AP 1 cutlasses. This alongside their 3+ quality makes them a step ahead of other orcs, letting them drown infantry with lots of dice.

• Boss Mob: A bundle of genuinely ded 'ard orcs with 3+ quality and Tough 3. Each of them can not only buy special melee weapons, but also replace their guns with carbines (either lone carbines with addons or twin carbines). You can also buy them a 4+ defense, but it's more expensive for them than it is for the base orcs.

• Ultra Bosses: The equivalent of destroyers in the battle-brothers. The ultra bosses may have the epic 2+ defense, but are stuck with foot-slogging and do so with Slow. While you can keep their carbine so you can slap on a rocket launcher or heavy flamethrower, you can also replace it with a dual carbine. If you intend on going full melee, you can instead replace their weapons with ultra sawblades for Deadly 3, making them able to chop tanks into scrap.

• Orc Bikers: Your troops are now Fast and have Impact 1 in order to give some better charges, a welcome idea considering how orcs are. Alongside the carbine and melee weapon, they can also buy twin carbines or twin mini-machineguns, giving a bunch of shots from mid-range.

• Boss Bikers: Your bikers now have the Tough 3 of bosses. Their loadout options are about the same as the base bikers with the exception of their free reign over the special melee weapons.

• Boss Trike: A much beefier bike with Tough 6 and Relentless. Be default, it's equipped with a double shotgun for modest short-range fire and an energy claw usually seen on an ultra boss. You can then buy another gun from a twin carbine, twin double shotgun (wouldn't it be a QUAD DAMAGE shotgun then?) or a twin mini-machinegun. These guns are all short-ranged as well.

• Orc Helicopter: The copter's got 4+ quality but also has Fast, Impact 3, Tough 6 and Strider. Its base weapons are pretty weak, being a mere pistol and CCW. For guns, you can buy a twin plasma rifle (shockingly the cheapest option), twin rocket launcher or twin heavy machinegun. You can add a secondary melee weapon with either an ultra sawblade for three Deadly 3 swipes or an assault bomb with a single blast 6 attack. You can also a rotor attack for Impact 3.

Vehicles

• Truck: Your cheapest transport. It's base means of combat is a heavy machinegun (or a rocket launcher for a refund of 5 points). You can also grab it Strider, a Red Paint Job, a wrecking ball to add +3 to Impact and a boarding plank, which adds +6 to Impact if the truck's carrying models. This all can make it a literal monkey barrel with spikes all around, though it won't last long as such with Tough 6. If you plan on making the most of shooting, then grab Relentless.

• Looted Tank: This tank has Tough 12 in place of a default Transport capacity. In addition to the upgrades available to the truck, you can also buy back either a transport capacity of 10 or a heavy cannon for Blast and then buy up to three rocket launchers or heavy machineguns. You can then buy a second heavy gun between a heavy machinegun, rocket launcher or heavy flamethrower.

• Battle Truck: This truck has Tough 18 as well as the same options for more guns (as well as more Transport capacity or a big cannon), but their secondary gun is a choice between a heavy mortar, heavy cannon or lightning cannon - all of them give you a considerably more long-ranged role if you're not as keen on just going up-front and being the battering ram.

• Goblin Tank: Being owned by goblins, this thing possesses Good Shot, which you want for that plasma rifle. This rifle can be replaced with a manner of other heavy weapons, including the bazooka for Blast 3. This tank, being essentially a weapons platform, should be well protected by your army so it can keep on shooting.

• Goblin Walker: While not as Fast, the walker still totes the plasma rifle (and options) as well as a decent melee weapon and Tough 6. Though this makes it better-equipped for getting stuck in, the fact that it has a 5+ quality will make you reconsider quickly.

• Orc Walker: This walker's better suited for melee, having Furious and Fear as well as Tough 12. It comes stock with two AP 4 claws, though you can replace its guns with more claws for cheap. If you feel more inclined to rely on Deadly, these claws can be swapped out for sawblades at no cost. If you plan on keeping the guns (plasma rifles to be exact), you could instead buy rocket launchers or heavy machineguns if you intend on keeping at range or heavy flamethrowers for more shots.

• Attack Buggy: Even cheaper than the truck, but you're essentially making it a mobile gun platform that sucks at shooting. You can buy it a Red Paint Job and Strider so it's at least able to move past terrain. If you feel the heavy flamethrower is too short-ranged, you can instead buy a twin rocket launcher (AP 3 and Deadly 3 is a dangerous combo) or a twin heavy machinegun for long-range dakka.

• Combat Kart: This thing is easier to describe as having multiple modes than a particularly customizable vehicle. This is especially true since the base kart has only a shock rifle and rocket launcher to cover all your shooting. Aside from that, you can also pick up Teleport so you can be unfairly fast beyond the need of any red paint.
  • The beast-gun/beast machinegun makes the kart into artillery, as both of its guns have good range and Blast 3 to manage mobs. However, this is at the end an Orc vehicle and thus will more likely than not fail to hit.
  • The boost-gun/blast grenades is a loadout meant to manage crowds. The issue is that it's got one really short-range weapon now instead of two decent-range ones. The Rivet Cannon gives AP 2 Blast 6, which is a dangerous combination, but suffers from one shot. The sticky grenades suffer from both range and bad accuracy but at least deals Blast 3 when it does.
  • The snazz-gun/heavy machinegun gives the dakka! It's also rather expensive. Strider allows this one to ride wherever it wishes while the turret combi-gun and heavy machinegun guarantee that the enemy will swim in bullets.
  • The Mega-Scrap MG/Rockets is the costliest to buy, but for good reason. This one carries a gun with a flurry of AP 1 shots to guarantee some hits. It also has rockets for something with more bite, though that's only two shots.

• Goblin Artillery: Super-cheap, though it is Slow. Though only one weapon has Indirect, you won't see much movement with this as all of the gun options have an impressive range, each with a distinct role for whatever you want dead.

• Blaster Plane: This plane's the dedicated destroyer of the three between its AP 4 smasher cannon and its dangerous twin teleport rifle (which you can replace for twin plasma cannons if you don't like risking for Rending and enjoy a better range). You can then upgrade it with Regeneration and a twin super machinegun for a bunch of shots.

• Flame Bomber: Unique to this plane is the flame bombs, touting Blast 6 when it does hit. It also has one twin super machinegun with the option for a second in addition to fire missiles for Blast 3. This gives you quite a bit more in the field of firepower along with the premise of crowd control if it hits.

• Blitz Bomber: Take the flame bomber and replace those flame bombs with AP 4 Blast 6 heavy bombs, capable of flattening whatever it hits. In exchange however, this plane lacks any manner of upgrades. This will limit your firepower, so you need to guarantee that what you have will hit.

• Attack Plane: Despite being the most expensive plane, its premise is so simple: KILL IT WITH DAKKA. It comes with two super machineguns and you can buy a third if you want to make even more firepower.

• Brutal and Cunning Orc Titan: This is a genuine behemoth and you will know it just by looking at it. Tough 24, a Transport capacity of 6, Fear, Furious, and a bundle of guns to work alongside its devastating mega claw make this titan one made entirely to fight. You can then upgrade it with either Relentless or Regeneration depending on how much you plan on shooting. It can then strap on two more guns (one being either a plasma rifle or heavy flamethrower, the other being a deathstorm plasma cannon or deathstorm minigun) just in case you didn't feel like overkill enough.

Army Building

Tactics

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Pros

• Cheap troops
• Sprawling variety of unit choices and upgrades
• Your melee game is incredibly strong with universal Furious
• Your heroes are all rather cheap

Cons

• Choice paralysis is very real
• Your troops are flimsy as hell
• Your army almost universally sucks with their guns

Special Rules

• Bad Shot: Your entire army (outside of some specific exceptions) have a 5+ quality when shooting. This means that you absolutely should not be relying on shooting without using either lots of shots or some very powerful weapons that make the few shots worth it.

• Good Shot:' The opposite. Your model now has 3+ to hit.

• Mad Doctor: Models within 12" of this unit gain Regeneration. This is incredibly important because most of your army's clad in t-shirts.

Psychic Spells

• Warpath (4+): Friendly unit within 12" gains Stealth the next time they are shot at. This is vital because of how limited your protection is.
• Crackling Bolt (4+): One enemy unit within 12" must test for dangerous terrain.
• Headbang (5+): A friendly unit within 12" gains Rending on their next set of attacks, which can be pretty neat.
• Death Bolt (5+): One enemy model within 12" takes a single AP 4 Deadly 3 hit. Pretty much all you can ask for when sniping a hero or heavy weapon.
• Teleport (6+): One friendly unit within 12" can immediately move 6". This gives you a desperate escape button or possibly an easier charge.
• Psychic Vomit (6+): Enemy unit within 12" takes 4 AP 2 hits. This allows you to flatten elites pretty quickly.

Unit Analysis

Heroes

• Warlord: This is your genuine beatstick of a hero. Your shooting is rather meager between the base pistol, a carbine (with heavy flamethrower or rocket launcher add-ons) or twin carbine, but your shooting sucks anyways. Instead, you can focus more on the choppy, including buying up to two attack pets. The unique rules for the warlord are either WAR!, which grants allies a +3" for movement and a +6" for rush/charge, or SHOOT!, which gives them Relentless.
  • Melee: yes, you got quite a list of melee weapons if you don't feel like relying on a base CCW. Instead, you could grab the ultra drill (6 attacks), ultra axe (rending), ultra claw (AP 2) or ultra sawblade (Deadly 3). On top of this, you can also buy up to two attack beasts for three AP 1 attacks each - These alone can add a lot more to your combat potential.
  • Upgrades: The Warlord has five options for special wargear, the most of any hero. Heavy Armor gives a 3+ defense, a pretty cheap benefit. Cyborg Body gives Regeneration. Ultra Armor gives a beastly 2+ defense but also Slow. The attack bike gives Fast and a twin mini-machineguns, giving a good bundle of shots. The jetpack grants Ambush and Flying, making you capable of covering more ground.

• Mechanic: While not quite as good in melee as the warlord, the mechanic has the power to repair nearby Tough units while also being able to use most of the same upgrades. The mechanic can buy a Precision Monocle for Good Shot, making use of their expanded array of guns. In this instance, it might be a good idea to spring for a bike to get those shots as well. However, if you dislike shooting, you can instead replace their gun with a Energy Field for unit-wide Stealth.

• Shaman: Generally the same as a mechanic, but replace the repair power for Psychic. Aside from that, they share the same upgrades as the warlord or mechanic, but instead of better guns, you can buy an additional level of Psychic. You're better served with a unit to take your blows, especially if you're not on the front lines.

Infantry

• Goblin Herd: A literal mob of tissue paper, so they're bought in groups of 5 for the price of two orcs. These guys are practically useless, but they are the only unit with Good Shot. If you're intent on throwing to their death with zeal, then you can buy a Goblin Herder and confer Fearless, Furious and Relentless - pretty much a flat upgrade. You can also buy a special gun, but it's mostly pistols.

• Orc: Your most populous unit of orcs since they're the cheapest. These guys can select a rather decent list of weapons, but Bad Shot will make shooting difficult. For non-weapon upgrades, you can buy either a Mad Doctor for Regeneration and Heavy Armor for a 4+ defense.

• Jetpack Orc: An orc with Flying and Ambush for +10 points. These guys can carry more special melee weapons than other units, but are trapped with only pistols for special weapons. This is quite powerful since you now have a pack of flying bruisers.

• Commando: An orc with Scout, Stealth and Strider for the same price of a jetpack orc. They can grab the special guns available to the base orcs, though they have the option to also replace their base guns for either shotguns or carbines depending on how short-range they want to be. One commando can also buy a sniper carbine - a bit of a modest help since you can try to snipe out heroes and heavy weapons here.

• Specialist Orc: An orc toting a flamethrower with Relentless. Unlike most specialist units, these guys have a limited selection of weapons, being either this or the rocket launchers or the long-range railguns. While they can replace their CCWs for blowtorches with AP 2, if you buy rocket launchers you can replace it instead with bomb hammers for a single devastating swing. You can also buy a bomb beast, giving a small blast as an additional gun.

• Orc Pirate: The beefy pirates surprisingly have better pistols, each firing three AP 1 shots as well as Tough 3 and Relentless. You can replace their pistol with a double-ranged boarding gun and buy an AP 1 cutlass. This alongside their 3+ quality makes them a step ahead of other orcs, letting them drown infantry with lots of dice.

• Boss: A genuinely ded 'ard orc with 3+ quality and Tough 3. They can not only buy special melee weapons, but also replace their guns with carbines (either lone carbines with addons or twin carbines). You can also buy them a 4+ defense, but it's more expensive for them than it is for the base orcs.

• Ultra Boss: The equivalent of destroyers in the battle-brothers. The ultra bosses may have the epic 2+ defense, but are stuck with foot-slogging and do so with Slow. While you can keep their carbine so you can slap on a rocket launcher or heavy flamethrower, you can also replace it with a dual carbine. If you intend on going full melee, you can instead replace their weapons with ultra sawblades for Deadly 3, making them able to chop elites into shreds.

• Orc Biker: Your troops are now Fast and have Impact 1 in order to give some better charges, a welcome idea considering how orcs are. Alongside the carbine and melee weapon, they can also buy twin carbines or twin mini-machineguns, giving a bunch of shots from mid-range.

• Boss Biker: Your biker now has the Tough 3 of bosses. Their loadout options are about the same as the base bikers.

Army Building

Tactics

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Grimdark Future Tactics Articles
General:	General Tactics
Alien Hives:	Alien Hives - Soul-Snatcher Cults
Aliens:	Dwarf Guilds - Eternal Dynasty - Jackals - Orc Marauders Robot Legions - Saurian Starhost - TAO Coalition
Battle Brothers:	Battle Brothers - Custodian Brothers - Prime Brothers
Elves:	Dark Elf Raiders - Elven Jesters - High Elf Fleets
Havoc:	Havoc Brothers - Machine Cult Defilers - Wormhole Daemons
Humans:	Battle Sisters - Feudal Guard - Gangs of Hive City Human Defense Force - Human Inquisition - Infected Colonies Machine Cult - Titan Lords - Rebel Guerillas
Ratmen:	Ratmen Clans - Vile Rattus Cult