Looted Tanks-How to build around 'em., I think I can....I think I can...CHUGGA CHUGGA WOO WOO! Options

[Grimskul25]

Shortly after the Kill Team game I've had recently we're going back to our 1000 point games as usual. However I want to mix up the joint a little since at this point people are already used to my Killa Kanz and I wan't to pop something completely different.

Lacking the funds (and non-frugal will) to impulse buy 3 battlewagons for an Ork Mech army I was thinking of making a dakka army instead; thereby also meaning I'm thinking of replacing the walkers with looted tanks.

So the question is, besides boomguns, what loadout should I give them and how should the rest of my army be comprised of?

Also in terms of the Big Meks themselves should I forgo giving them the KFF I usually have and have double SAG Big Meks in their own grot mob? Or keep them with the KFF and close-by the Looted Tanks so they don't get popped the 1st turn?

In any case this is what I have in mind for a rough outline of what my army might be like:

2xBig Meks w/either SAG or KFF

2x30 Shoota Boyz w/Nob+PK+BP as well as 3xBig Shootas each

3xLooted Wagons w/Boomguns

2x10 Gretchin

I am a bit wary of using Looted Wagons though, simply because they have the arbitrary and unnecessary rule of "Don't Press Dat!" as well as only having AV11. Also I have a bad feeling this army will do really bad against double-land raider chaos army my chaos friend plays a lot so again feel free to say no on taking Looted Tanks, I'd love to see your takes on this.

[nkelsch]

I like boomwagons. I feel the don't press dat is mostly bad for transports more than boomwagons.

Boomwagons need to be front and center, moving and shooting. They are awesome coming on from reserves and pieplating something with an unobstructed view.

While other things do the ork HS slot better (grotzookas, and tri-kannon big gunz) the tri-boomwagon can be fun and random and when they hit, they really ruin people's day. Just don't be conservative because AV11 means they will die fast so be super aggresive.

[Mugruk]

When I use mine, I run a pair of looted wagons. Both have the same setup... boomgun, 'ard case and 2 big shootas. You want to keep them cheap and firing every turn until they get destroyed. I don't think I've played a game where at least one of them didn't get destroyed. The "Don't Press Dat!" rule is not as big problem as some would lead you to think. Looted wagons (boomwagons) are really a fun unit.

[big mek tank kru...]

they are good, but the moment you rely on them, you'll start rolling 1's.

i sometimes use mine to shoot around corners - if the scatter dice comes up right, that hidden unit aint so hidden.

just don't be tempted to think 'they're S8, i'll use them to take out that tank', 'cos you've got powerklaws for that - they're pieplates, use 'em to remove enemy infantry

[Warboss Gorhack]

I like Boomwagons a lot. I almost always run three, with 'Ardcase and a Big Shoota. The AV11 is actually a key break point on armor protection. It's usually enough to deflect S7 and below, and you're immune to any common small arms (except pulse rifles). If you're hunkered down in cover or protected by a Kustom Force Field you'll be surprised how much enemy fire you can survive. On the other hand, I wouldn't expect more than one Boomwagon to survive any fight.

If I run with a speedy army I'll often spring for red paint. It's kind of fun rolling along at 7" and still firing that boomgun. It's even more fun when he charges said boomwagon and needs sixes to hit in close combat.

With three boomies I don't much care if one of my wagons goes "Don't Press Dat". Other than placing the wagon where I don't want it to be, I still have two pieplates to toss around.

With a less mobile army I string a mob of something in front of the Boomwagons to prevent them lurching into assault range of da skumgrodz. Since you come to a screeching halt when you contact a fiendly model, it allows me to keep a castle more or less intact. Of course I still can't shoot that turn, but at least the wagon's backside isn't flapping in the breeze. Sometimes I use a Grot mob with a SAG Mek in it. Sometimes it's a mob of Shootaboyz or Lootas. With the Lootas, I've occasionally put Meks in the mob to perform repairs if necessary.

I like SAGs. They're the only thing weve got that can kill Deathwing type armies with any reliability. I'd still recommend at least one KFF to protect your gunline, though... especially your Boomwagons.

At 1000 points I think your proposed list will put a lot of hurt on Beakie equivalent armies. Hordes shouldn't even be able to get close to that kind of firepower. Deep Strikers will die horribly unless they land too close for you to risk Boomwagoning them, but even then you've got a shedload of Shootas to throw at 'em, and a small Grot mob or two you can use to feed close combat specialists if they do mange to get close.

I say go for it!

My two teef,

Warboss Gorhack

[Grimskul25]

So in terms of loadout I should avoid rokkit launchas? I thought since I mainly face beakies it might synergize with the Boomgun more since they both have S8 and AP3. It's too bad they don't give us TL versions of rokkits and big shootas on Looted Wagons and Battlewagons but oh well.

Also in terms of the rest of my army how would they deal with AV14? I think one of my friends are trying double-land raider spam (crazy I know) with zerkers in them, so I'm worried I won't have anything in my army that can do anything but scratch the paint off them. That plus the lascannons make me feel like my Looted Wagons are sitting ducks (especially if he gets first turn) and that I need to take a KFF in order to do anything.

[big mek tank kru...]

nobs with PK's are S9 on the charge, so they can hurt landraiders fine, and are your most reliable way of doing so, aside from the warboss.

if you're concernead about 'don't press dat' and AV11, consider using big trakks from IA8 with supa-kannons. AV12, 2 big shootas standard, no 'don't press dat', re-rolls difficult terrain if it moves 6" and access to deffrollas, for 50 points instead of 35. supa-kannons are S9, so capable of penetrating LR armour, and are 60" range not 36", and they all come in squadrons of 3 per HS choice. so, with the points, you could field 9 supa-kannon deff-rolla trakks.

it's the list-bump I'm planning for my army, anyway. i'm fed up of unopportune 'don't press dat' fails.

[Mugruk]

Grimskul25, I use big shootas to keep the cost down. If you have the few extra points, use rokkits if you want. They should work fine. As far as killing AV14, PK's are your best friend. Every unit (and I mean EVERY UNIT) that can get a PK gets one. Just some thoughts...

[Da Kommizzar]

I LOVE boomwagons. I am never without them in any list I take. The fire they put out and what they CAN take out is amazing! I use them for everything from tank-popping, monster-killing, infantry flattening, and MEQ tear-forcing. I always have no problems with Don't press dat, when it happens (rarely) it is just hilarious! You never have to worry abotu them getting blown up in my list, as I have so much going on at my enemy's lines and behind it that they always forget the big pie plates blowing chunks into his force. My list has Big-mobs and deffkoptas buzzing around and messing them up that he is too busy on the defensive to take out my boomguns.... My lootas? they always get targetted first

[Grimskul25]

Thanks a bunch for the feedback guys.

I do now have one final question however....

What tanks should I loot to make them?

Should I go mainly Imperial (They seem the easiest to orkify) with Looted Predators, Whirlwinds, Russes and Basilisks?

That or go for more xenos based designs like the skimmers from pansies and fish'eads?

[Mugruk]

My boomwagons are a looted Leman Russ and a Rhino. Both are easy to convert. I'm not a big fan of looted fish'ead vehicles, but that's just me. Really, anything is fair game to be looted.

Gotta stop talking like a weedy, no good deffskull.

[Warboss Gorhack]

Doesn't matter what vehicles you use as a base. Personally, I'd mix what you use to show that you've looted... pretty much everyone. That and some scratch builds can make your army look even more ramshackle.

Of course, if you have a favorite opponent I'd base the bulk of my looted vehicles on his (or her) army. Maybe have some of that army's paint job peeking through yer red paint, just to tweak yer sumgrod'z nose.

Me, I've got a plethora of kitbashes and such. Maybe you can get some inspiration herein...

Battlewagons: 1 Leman Russ based, one Landraider based, one GW orky B-wagon.

Looted Wagons: All three are based on the old Rhino chassis, but are heavily modified so they resemble armored cars. One is heavily festooned with tin'ead bits with an Egyptian style staff (from some old toy) as an energy weapon. One has an outsized Orky Kannon in an outsized blocky turret that looks like it would flip over when the gun recoils. The last one has an extended dragster front end and an outsized energy weapon, and the turret is ringed with batteries and cables.

Trukks:
- Wheeled low-rider Dark Panzee Raider
- Double-wide Rhino with excess and surplus exhaust
- Home brew 'bosswagon' three wheeler - the front wheel is a mini deffrolla. Based on a Star Wars racing pod, jet engines in the rear and a piston engine sticking up in the middle of the passenger compartment
- Old Armorcast 'battlewagon', modified with additional passneger 'wings' with underslung rokkits.
- Panzee Falcon, inverted and half tracked. Front wheels are on extended 'chopper' style forks.
- What used to be a Fish'ead Devilfish on quad tracks.

My two teef,

Warboss Gorhack

[BlackSpike]

Some good tactics for BoomWagons here.

As for what to use as a base: Anything!
I got given an airfix kit with with 1920s open-topped Omnibus and Fire Engine! Perfect!

Pound-Shops are your friend for kids toys, tanks, cars etc.
Stamp on them, pour the bits into a bag, add glue. Shake. Pour out, paint red! Viola!