Andy: When I originally wrote the Codex: Orks army list I tried to angle it so players could make up clan-themed warbands. The right paint schemes and a few choice units (I reasoned) would create a Goff warband or a Bad Moons warband by cunningly utilising the codex list. Ever since writing the codex I've intended to do a follow-up article about specific variant lists for Orks clanz and I've read a number of interesting ones on the Net (kudos to Cannibal Bob for his unstinting efforts). What follows is a simple set of roolz for theming different clanz based on the Codex: Orks list.

'OW IT WERKS

Each clan has a list of what's different about their army, broken down as follows:

CORE MOBS

The core mobs are the kind of Orks that most typify the clan. Mobs of this type may be chosen as Troops, regardless of which Force Organisation slot they would normally occupy. In addition, they may also be taken from the slot they normally occupy. For example, a Goff clan army may take Skarboyz as both Troops and Elites, meaning the army could take up to nine of these mobs in a Cleanse mission. They also have any restrictions on number removed (ie, 0-1, 0-2). A clan army must fulfil its compulsory Troops choices with core mobs.

COMMON UNITS

These are units that are common and/or popular with the clan and so have no limit on the number that can be chosen (subject to the normal Force Organisation chart limits, of course). They are still taken from the Force Organisation slot as normal.

RARE MOBS

These units are less likely to be seen in a clan warband and so become 0-1 choices. If the unit is already 0-1 then the clan may not use it at all.

Clan Warboss upgrades: A Warboss exemplifies the traits of his clan and may have compulsory wargear choices or extra options to reflect this.

Clan Boss upgrades: Many clanz have a preponderance of 'Oddboyz' – Mekaniaks or Bad Doks for example. Where appropriate they can include these as leaders for their Boyz mobz in place of Nobz. Other clanz may be distinguished more by the wargear the Nobz carry, and so this category may also contain details of wargear the character must take, or gets a points break on.

THE DEATH SKULLS

The Death Skulls are renowned as plunderers of the battlefield. After a battle the Death Skulls descend upon the wreckage to salvage weapons, equipment, clothes and anything else they can find. They are also tremendously good at scrounging (some would say stealing) equipment from their fellow Orks. All this has earned them a bad reputation as a bunch of looters, spivs and petty camp pilferers, and Orks from other clanz normally keep a wary eye on any Death Skull Boyz that are hanging around.

The clan is named after their horned-skull totem, and skulls and bones are prominent among their personal adornments. The Death Skulls are notoriously superstitious and often paint their skin blue to bring them luck, believing this habit earns them the attention of the Ork war gods, and thus brings them better fortune in the field of plunder.

The oddments the Death Skulls pick up on the battlefield or elsewhere are used to augment the warriors' already bizarre wargear. Death Skulls never seem to throw anything away, and end up festooned with weapons, bone amulets, strange items of clothing, and cherished bits of long-dead enemies. Death Skulls Meks are highly skilled at welding and bolting together bits and pieces of weapons to produce the highly-feared, if rather unreliable, kustom kombi-weapons with which so many Death Skulls Boyz are armed.

USING A DEATH SKULLS ARMY IN WARHAMMER 40,000

Core mobs: Lootas.

Common units: Looted Vehicle (may not take more than one of each type of vehicle in the army if over 51 points).

Rare units: Skarboyz; Kommandos; Flash Gitz.

Clan Warboss upgrades: Warboss must purchase Lucky Tattoos at +5 pts (counts as Cybork Body).

Clan Boss upgrades: Any Troops choice, other than Gretchin mobz, can choose to purchase a Mekboy for no additional points, instead of upgrading a model to a Nob. If taken, the Mekboy must take three Grot Oilers and may take any other wargear a Mekboy would normally be allowed to take from the armoury.

Download the Ork Clan Rules in PDF format [Download PDF - 232 Kb].

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Related Links:
Goffs Army List | Bad Moon Army List | Evil Sun Army List
Snakebites Army List | Blood Axe Army List