Typhus and the forces gathered at the Forge had expected the Orks to swarm forward from their preliminary attack at the Communications Array but the advance did not happen. The Orks were taking their time and massing the machines of war. New variants were reported daily some twice the size of the much feared Deffdread. Would the fortifications hold against such might? When would the attack begin?
The latest images from the front seemed incredibly unlikely. Surely nothing this huge could carry its own weight effectively and prove itself on the battlefield? Reports were that it towered over everything else by two to three times. It looked like the Mek Boyz had finally lost it. Their ambition would surely be overcome by their lack of technical know how. They were calling it 'Da Stompa'!
But Typhus was uneasy. This was not the Ork approach to Waaagh that he was anticipating. A bead of sweat dribbled down his face......
Well I have finally had the opportunity to have a look at the Ork Stompa. I had purchased the kit some time back and had great fun assembling the model. I really enjoyed it. Lots of options to consider, little grots everywhere, great fun. The model is huge!
I gave it the 'iron gob' because this fits in really well with my army theme and then applied the metal paints with red shoulder pads and the dirty yellows in various spots. The yellow does jump out at you. Really great fun and I recommend it to anyone. I worked in a few black and white Goff squares as well. Helps with the Ork feel. And finally added a few Space Wolf panels - well you have to poke fun at someone ;-)
I have not played the Stompa in any battles and was delighted to see it in the new 7th edition codex. I gave it a brief review but nothing major. In my mind I was thinking of it as a Walker with all the downsides this entails. There were lots of weapons but lets face it you can only kill one thing at a time and with a cost of 770 points I just failed to see how it could really pay for itself in a six turn game. But then I read the rules - I mean the Super Heavy Walker rules in the new Rule set (page 96 for those interested) and my world has changed!!
Movement - it can move up to 12" (big smile). It causes Fear and can Move Through Cover (Cool)
Shooting - it can shoot as if it were stationary even if it has moved and it can shoot Ordnance and all other weapons as well. It can also shoot its weapons at different targets (Oh Yes - smile broadens)
Invincible Behemoth - When a damage table says it Explodes is does not Explode but D3 Hull Points are removed (now we are talking)
Transport - It can carry up to 20 models in its belly (rock on baby)
Stomp - this is a special attack in addition to everything else it can do. It uses 3 Blast markers against the enemy unit and damage is from a special Stomp Table generally causing S6, AP4 Hits but it can be much worse than that - on a 6 it is Instant Kill to everything that it touches! (I am in a happy, happy place)
And all this before you get to the Stompa Rules. This changes everything. Da Stompa is a beast!
Da Stompa itself has 12 Hull Points, 4 Attacks, Strength 10, FA13, SA13, RA12. It is also an Effigy so that all models within 6" of it are fearless. Additionally it has four Fire Points so that the models inside can fire out. 12 HP's with an Armour Value of 13 is a lotta, lotta armour!!
Shooting - it still has a poor BS of 2 (5+ To Hit) but it can shoot all its weapons and at different targets!!
We have :-
3 x Big Shootas - S5, AP4, Assault 3 - that is 9 shots!
1 x Twin-linked Big Shoota - S5, AP4, Assault 3
1 Skorcha - S5, AP4, Template
3 x Supa Rokkits - Infinite, S8, AP3, Large Blast
1 x Deff Kannon - R72", S10, AP1, Massive Blast - smashing vehicles and killing entire units
1 x Supa Gatler - R48", S7, AP3, Heavy 2D6 - does this 3 times a turn!!! - we are talking 18 shots
It can shoot all of that, every round of battle. Think of the damage that can do.
Close Combat - with a WS4 and 4 attacks, 5 on the charge.
It is armed with :-
Mega Choppa - SD, AP1 meaning that it can sweep through Vehicles like a knife through butter.
Stomp - as above 3 blast markers with S6 Hits!
You can have Mek Boyz inside repairing any lost Hull Points, you can even have a Big Mek with Kustom Force Field so the shots are bouncing off you. And then you have a unit of Boys to deposit for good measure that are Fearless when they appear within 6" of the big man!
Summary - Well I am stunned. What a completely devastating piece of kit this Supa-Gargant is! I think my view is that at ONLY 770 points he is a bargain. He is also a super distraction so anything else that is brought to the table will have free reign. Whats not to love?
I can imagine hundreds of Boyz on the move behind him or Trukks filled with Boyz zooming up the battle field beside him or Buggies and Kopptas or or or ........ oh the options are just so appetising. Orks is made for Rockin baby!!
Now where is that quivering wreak of a Nurgle boss? You know the one I mean, the one with the tail feathers and the big yellow stripe down his back. You know him - 'Typhus' is his name!
Oh my, that will have somebody running for his codex lists! If you take that then any opposition will have to target it first for fear of it running amok through the defensive line. Oh wait, what was that? "Taxi for Typhus?" :D
ReplyDeleteOh mate - I love you - rolling around laughing here :-D
DeleteTaking that in a 2500 point list will dominate from start to finish and the game will be over before it begins. You would need specialist troops to take that on and they wouldn't be shooting at anything else. Once it got into combat it could stop its way through an army in a couple of turns. It would be a nonsense.
ReplyDeleteHowever, if it were to meet a Baneblade or worse – a Lord of Skulls at 888 points – in a bigger battle (who hit on 3's not 5's and regenerate Hull Points) then the playing field would be sloping quite the opposite way ;)
The problem Orks have is that the Stompa is as big as it gets – Chaos go waaaaayyy bigger – Warhound Titan or even a Reaver Battle Titan (that things costs thousands of point… and pounds!).
DeleteMine's bigger than yours ;)
I can see how the Stompa would dominate in a tournament. You mentioned that you had seen a Tournament list with a Stompa and 30 Loota's. I did some reading after the last game and the recommendation was to take one for anything of 1250 points and above. Crazy! And for larger games you could take more than one.
DeleteThey will have an achilles heel, we just don't know what it is yet… and Typhus doesn't have time to find out, lol.
DeleteOf course all this aside, Bull is going to have to field it now, just to see what happens - it's the Ork way!
DeleteYou are an Ork at heart ;-)
DeleteThe stompa is as big as it gets...on the tabletop.
ReplyDelete"Ork Gargant Godbreaker" slew an Imperator class titan on helsreach. It was so big, its guns could fire over the hive citys walls....
As for games...the stompa's weakness is melta. Drop pod SM armies give them fits.
Alas Nurgle armies can't take drop pods, else this would be a good tactic!
DeleteWell thats good news :-)
DeleteAwesome I always did love the look of the Stompa's I used to field loads when I used to play Space Marine.
ReplyDeleteSee - I knew it was a good idea :-)
DeleteHaving just read the Stompa entry myself I notice that, like every good marketing man you left out the negatives, lol.
ReplyDeleteThe "massive blast" is not the size of the blast marker in the photo but a third of it, plus your Supa Gatler runs out of ammo for the game on a double when rolling your 2D6 shots – that's three chances to run out per turn ;)
Needless to say - it is not my job to point out the negatives - and I admit there are a few - but thats what makes the game fun. You got to love a Stompa!
DeleteThe green blast marker is the 10" Apocalyptic Blast Maker and there are 3 rings on it. 5" is the inner one and that is the Large Blast area, the next one is the 7" and that is the Massive Blast that the Stompa uses. Had you worried there ;-)
DeleteI can honestly say that I drew up my proposed army list in half an hour and it is very much based on the story line and the discussions on the blog - for which I thank everyone. I genuinely think that it fits the bill. I just added in what I thought would be cool and would do the job and have only had to remove one unit because I didn't have enough points. It is going to be really interesting to see if they can do the job. Can't wait for the big day. I am still the same Ork Detachment as before - so not extreme. I have kept Zagdakka, because he was successful. The list is me to a tee! You will smile broadly when you see it and say - 'Yip, thats what Ghazghkull would send for this task'. This is going to be soooooo fun and do you know - I might just be successful. My suspicion is that I should be less confident about the final 4000 point game where there may be an ambush waiting - but we will cross that bridge when we come to it.
ReplyDeleteLol – I think the final game will be carnage as I'm not sure how 4k points will fit on the board. Maybe we'll have to do an escalation thing where half the army is in reserve. Looking forward to next Sunday too – did my list a week ago, but will probably change it the night before!
DeleteThat thing is epic! I can't wait to see it on the field.
ReplyDeleteMe too :-)
DeleteAlways wanted one one of these. :) It has been a while since I worked on a W40K mini ... and what better way to start than with an ork.
ReplyDeleteIt is very worthwhile. One piece of learning that I would pass on. I would paint the grots separately and then add them later. I glued mine on and then struggled to get the paintbrush where I wanted. There are quite a few and lots of platforms for them to be mounted on. Have fun.
DeleteJust fielded my stompa as part of a 2000 point battle (2 players per team). Crewed with Big Mek HQ with KFF, Da Fixer Upperz; mek HQ (mekaniacs rule); loota squad (3 meks, 4 lootas) for 990 points. The Big Mek gives a 5++ invul and repairs on a 3+, the 4 meks each give a 5+ repair, and the lootas put Deffguns at the four fire points. Came through w/o a scratch, killed lots of space marines and tanks.
ReplyDeleteSounds great mate. I think you tooled it up properly and those saves are awesome with the Mekboyz. Well done.
DeleteOne potential weakness is the stompa's anti-air. Once the supa-gatler runs dry (this could happen in round one) you are snap-shooting with S5 big shootas; well-armored aircraft will give you fits. Putting lootas at the fire points allows 4 - 12 S7 shots. Even though they are snap-shooting, some shots could hit, and one lucky pen (immobilized/crash and burn) will do the job.
ReplyDeleteGreat advice on the loota's! Could you put a mega armored big mek in there with the KFF...that would give the loota's slow and purposeful, making them not snapfire :).
DeleteThat would work for ground targets; but the lootas are really icing on the cake for that. My idea was to have something more reliable(ish) for dealing with flyers. If only I could give the lootas Skyfire or strap a Tractor cannon on the stompa!
DeleteOh excellent point! Thanks Tag, appreciate it. (running a stompa at LVO) :)
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