Warhammer/Tactics/8th Edition/Orcs & Goblins

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Why Play Orcs & Goblins

The great Green Tide is the army for any player wishing to field a close-combat army with an inane number of models and perhaps the widest variety of options per force org slot in the game. The level of army customization for O&G, as a result, is almost unparalleled. Orcs are right killy and excel in their specialized role of cc, but tend to suffer from their terrible leadership and initiative stats. In addition, their latest edition introduced the Animosity special rule, which can effectively cripple any given O&G unit and spoil any plans you may have so carefully formed. All in all, this army is for those who wish to have lots of fun without being particularly competitive.

Unit Analysis

Lords & Heroes

Named Characters

Note: Under the current edition, named characters tend to be overpriced; you can pretty easily emulate most named characters from scratch and save yourself some points. That said, a few named characters do have abilities and wargear or wargear combos unique to them, so if you absolutely need to have them, go ahead. Just make sure you're really getting your points worth.

• Gorbad Ironclaw: The named Boar-Boss for the army, Gorbad has some seriously awesome gear and rules. He carries a fuck-huge choppa that Always Strikes First, inflicts d3 multiple wounds, and ignores armor, and his stat-line insures that he won't be going away anytime soon. The real reason you'll be taking Ironclaw is for his strategic bonuses: he can help any unit within 18" with their animosity rolls should they fail and grants Hold Your Ground! and Inspiring Presence to all units in that range as well. He also counts as both your general AND battlestandard bearer, which is awesome. On top of all this, your normal limit on the big 'uns upgrade is now available to as many orc boy and boar boy units as you can field with it. His only disadvantage is his high point cost (coming in at almost 400 points!), and therefore this fellow is better reserved for larger games.
• Azhag the Slaughterer: At well over 500 points, this is the ultimate point sink for your army. This one model and his wyvern will consume your entire Lord slot in even very large games, and probably will never be a realistic unit to field. That said, he is possibly the biggest bad-ass in the army. He basically makes your units within his range immune to Animosity, has a pair of magic weapons that get re-rolls in cc, 5+/5++, and a crown that makes him a level 3 lore of death wizard (and unfortunately gives him stupidity, but the advantages seem to outweigh this little issue). Additionally, he of course rides his mighty wyvern, Skullmuncha, who shares a similarly insane statline with Azhag, has poisoned attacks, and gets a 4+ scaly skin save. Unfortunate you'll never actually use this sexy green beast.
• Wurrzag, Da Great Green Prophet: Another 350 point lord, Wurrzag is the ultimate choice for anyone centering their O&G army around Shamans. This mean, green, son of a bitch puts out an absolutely retarded amount of magical power since he has a magic item that allows him to store any unused power dice for a turn, a bound spell in his mask, a 5++, and a staff that gives him magic resistance 3 and re-rolls on miscasts. Additionally, he has a unique spell that can reduce enemy casters within 12" to squigs. Perhaps the only issue with Wurrzag is his mediocre statline and the fact that he is frenzied, which means he's probably going to go get himself killed.
• Grom the Paunch of Misty Mountain: The first Lord choice to be mentioned under 300 points (barely), Grom is the ultimate gobbo boss and the named character for Goblin war chariots. This mother fucker completely changes the way Goblins play, ignoring the normal Fear Elves rule, granting this onto EVERY other goblin unit in the army. He also has a 5+/5++ and has a magic weapon that gives him +2 to strength and killing blow, which goes up to a 5+ killing blow vs Elves. He has regeneration as well, and he has a little snotling buddy that carries the battle standard for your army. A very good choice if you plan on mulching a fuck-ton of sissy Elves or if you field a lot of Goblin units.
• Skarsnik, Warlord of the Eight Peaks: Slightly cheaper than Grom, Skarsnik is best in a night goblin theme army. He has an awesome magic staff that fires d3 s6 hits that ignore armor, and this multiplies when he's near other night goblins. His buddy is a fat-ass squig named Gobbla, who gives Skarsnik some real staying power in cc (not to mention SIX WOUNDS. On a GOBLIN for fucks sake). Skarsnik has some great special rules too, the main one being that he can force enemy units into reserves at the start of the game (perfect for ruining any 'just as planned' strategies), and he also gives night goblin units the ability to move and shoot in the same turn they recover from running from a combat, though this is a mixed bag since with Ld6 they probably won't be doing that anytime soon.
• Snagla Grobspit: A relatively cheap hero option, his low cost is quickly lost by the fact that you have to take a unit of spider riders with him. This isn't a big deal, however, especially if you love yourself some spider riders, as Grobspit makes them all Ambushers, have Devastating Charge, Hatred (Empire), and cause Fear on the charge. Also, SOOO many poisoned attacks.
• Gtilla da Hunter: Basically Snagla, but mounted on a Giant Wolf and meant for shooting instead of combat.
• Grimgor Ironhide: Very possibly Gazkhull Thraka reincarnated as a Fantasy character, and very certainly the most angry greenskin in existence. The cheapest of the Orc named characters, but quite possibly the best if you have a particular fondness for Black Orcs. Grimgor must take a unit of Black Orcs as his retinue and gives them all +1 WS and hatred (everyone!). As the army's ultimate close-combat monster, he has 1+/5++, a positively nightmarish stat-line, an essentially s7 weapon...and on top of it all Always Strikes First! Grimgor, quite frankly, will absolutely fuck shit up if you get him to cc and will take an insane amount of punishment from ranged attacks on the way there.

Generic Characters

Note: While named characters are judged against their generic counterparts, generic characters are examined based on their role in your army.

• Orc Boss: Your quintessential Orky army leaders, they come in both Lord and Hero form and can be standard Orcs, savage, or black. They can be mounted on boars and wyverns, and chariots. Look at my hand. The warboss is now diamonds! Anything is possible with the versatility of your standard Orc Boss.
• Goblin Boss: Not much more to be said here. Come standard and in night form, have a wide variety of customization, and can mount chariots, giant wolves, and giant squigs (making them the only units who can roll with your squig-hoppers. Slap one in a squad of those guys and watch their danger level shoot waaay up).
• Orc Shaman: All the same customization options as Bosses, but they're wizards of the Big Waaagh! The Orcish lore of magic primarily focuses on damage spells, and boy do they do it well. Roll well and you'll be slapping foot-shaped templates all over the board. Just be sure to give them a ward-save for when they inevitably end up misshaping.
• Goblin Shaman: See above posts, minus the ability to ride a giant squig. The lore of Little Waaagh! focuses on hexes and irritating the ever loving shit out of your opponent. Field multiples of the hero form of these buggers with your night goblin units for extra lulz.

Core Units

• Orc Boyz: Your bread and butter unit. Orc boys are tough, have decent stats, and at only 6 points a model, can be fielded en masse (read: tarpits). Make sure to give them a musician and standard bearer of course, so they can win a few combats. Give them extra hand weapons as well. With orcs, its always a great option. You can also upgrade a single unit of boyz to big 'uns, giving them +1 strength, but this is a mixed bag as it makes them 8 points a model, and lets face it, you're playing a horde army. You need those points for greater numbers, not stronger tarpits.
• Orc Arrer Boyz: Orcs...with bows. It feels so wrong...again, they make up for their relatively poor stats in solid walls of flesh. Their access to volley fire is useful here, as it allows the whole block to fire their bows, albeit with extremely poor accuracy, but who really cares when you're putting out 30 shots from a single unit? Dakka dakka dakka!
• Savage Orc Boyz: Batshit insane orc boyz with 5++ ward saves and frenzy (and at 8 points a piece, compared to standard boyz 6). These are an insane cc core choice, should they ever make it to assault. You can give them big stabbaz, which give them d3 impact hits (and why wouldn't you?). Like most units in the army, feature a wide variety of upgrades for tailoring them into just the kind of unit you want it to be, though they are best off doing what they are meant to: flail wildly around in cc, inflicting as much damage as possible before they inevitably die.
• Goblins: Your army's quintessential tarpit. At 3 points per model base, Goblins can be fielded in inane numbers. Just like with other units, you can make them shooty or better in combat, can take shields, bosses, musicians, and standard bearers, and can take a special hidden squad upgrade called Nasty Skulkers. Kind of a mixed bag, these ones, as they share near identical stats with goblins, but they do gain killing blow on the turn you reveal them. This is a hilarious surprise to any player looking to smash through the squishy goblins with multi-wound models like Ogres, Minotaurs, etc. Always priceless to watch that smug grin turn into shock and horror as they lose an entire squad of Ogres in a single round of combat.
• Goblin Wolf Riders: Your army's fast cavalry. Give them spears and watch them flank charge a heavy infantry unit to death, or at least keep them tied up long enough for your chariots to flatten them.
• Night Goblins: Same price as goblins, -1 to Ld and +1 to I. They come standard with shields,and can take all the same upgrades as Goblins as well, with just two differences. The first is netters, an infinitely useful upgrade to an otherwise simple tarpit unit, netters inflict a -1 strength modifier on any unit they are locked in combat with on a 2-6. There is always the odd chance that they entangle themselves on a 1, but they are already so low strength that that should only add to the lulz. The other upgrade is fanatics. Ohhh fanatics. Watch as the enemy player tries to blast through the squishy night goblins with heavy infantry, only to suddenly be being it by up to 18 s5 armor piercing hits as the little bastards swing insanely through them.
• Forest Goblin Spider Riders: Goblin special cavalry, spider riders can be quite useful. They pump out plenty of poisoned attacks, but their best trick is their ability to move right up inside of buildings and ignore terrain as they do so. Perfect for flushing well encamped enemies out of cover and the bane of wood elf players. However, their high point cost makes them sort of situational.

Special Units

• Black Orcs: Your heavy infantry. Black orcs have incredible staying power, and are one of the few units in the army that are immune to Animosity. They also have Immune to Psychology, meaning they won't panic like most of the other units in the army book. The only foreseeable issue with black orcs is that your opponent is sure to try and avoid them, and they cost twice as much as a standard boy. If used correctly, black orcs can be an excellent addition to the army, just make sure you have the spare points.
• Orc Boar Boyz: Your heavy cavalry. Though a very high point cost, they have a potential to be very worth it, as you are putting that awesome cc squad into assault relatively quickly, plus with lots of impact hits from the tusker charge special rule. Slap a Warboss on a boar with them so they won't run quite so easy.
• Savage Orc Boar Boyz: Again, not much more to be said here, simply more expensive, batshit insane Boar Boyz with some special frenzy rules.
• Orc Boar Chariot: What's not to love? It's a heavy chariot pulled by boars. Can easily mow enemy infantry units flat. Give it an extra crew for additional lulz and attacks.
• Goblin Wolf Chariot: A much faster, more fragile chariot option, better for taking on light infantry. Again, give it extra crew and wolf for added killy-ness.
• Goblin Spear Chukka: Handy for killing infantry at range, but perhaps not quite as versatile as a rock lobba. Then again, this thing is a special and is much cheaper than the lobba, so one could potentially field both. Put a bully in the bunch to keep em in line.
• Squig Herds:

One of the more useful special units for O&G, squig herds are great for taking out large blocks of infantry. They put out a lot of attacks and move very quickly, so at their worst they can at least soften up an enemy unit for your boyz to finish off later. Just make sure to take 1 or 2 herders for every 3 squigs you bring just to make sure you get the things where they need to be.

• Night Goblin Squig Hoppers:

Where herds are more about the squigs alone, Hoppers are a special cavalry unit. These are perfect for harrassing enemy units and flank charging, as their relatively high speed can get them where they need to go in a more controlled fashion than herds. As with most units in the army, you should try to throw a boss in here so the unit can benefit from the improved Ld.

Rare Units

• Trolls:

Big, strong, and fieldable in groups of three, trolls are good for keeping between your groups of Gobbos and Boyz in case they fail their Animosity rolls. Trolls are very powerful in cc, and have some great staying power due to their regeneration. They come in three varieties: standard, stone, and river. The differences here are only slight, and generally one should pick based on how the rest of their army is coming together, but no matter what trolls will be causing some damage. They do suffer from Stupidity, so you'll have to keep a boss with them at all times if you want them to actually get shit done.

• Giants:

Fairly standard rare choice here, the ever venerable giant can serve a fairly useful purpose depending on how you use it. However, as with all other armies, it tends to be somewhat situational. You may want to save your points for some trolls here.

• Mangler Squigs:

Good. Gork. Essentially massive squigs that have been prodded by night goblins till they are insane with RAEG, manglers behave like enormous fanatics. Point them in the direction you want them to go, pray to Mork they get there, and watch as they fling out a positively retarded number of high strength hits. All in all, a very fun (if not unreliable) choice for flattening units and wreaking havoc.

• Rock Lobba:

The army's heavy artillery, perfect for flattening anything you don't want on the board. A fairly standard catapult, all in all. Take it if you want some long range support to cover your boyz as they march into enemy lines.

• Goblin Doom Diver:

Situationally useful. The doom diver is the piece you want to take if you plan on assassinating enemy heroes and characters. However, it tends to be more useful to simply flatten entire units with the rock lobba, so this one might be best reserved for goblin theme armies.