The elites section still feels somewhat crowded even with Lootas no longer present. This is partly because Nobz will always be Elites now but what it means is that to be useful a unit has got to be better than another option for similar points. That's a bit of an obvious statement I suppose but it's they way people will make their decisions.
Burna Boyz
For some reason these guys have gone up by a point each and I think it's probably because they've been given stikk bombs. The Mek in the unit has effectively increased in cost by 5pts if you want his kustom mega-blasta. He can now take combi-weapons but not their regular equivalents. For example he used to be able to take a rokkit launcha but now can only take the combi equivalent. He's now got access to the Killsaw though and for 10pts less than normal. Killsaws are pretty good incidentally. Effectively a chainfist but they give orks a nice reliable way of dealing with vehicles, especially as more and more have rear armour of more than 10.
Anyway, burnas themselves are effectively the same as they always were. The 6th edition changes made them AP3 which somewhat limited their effectiveness. I struggle to find a use for the Burna Boyz I've got. They give you great anti-infantry firepower but you need a decent delivery vehicle for them. They've now got access to trukks mind you, so there's an option but it seems a waste to put them in a battlewagon which is too slow for them to be really effective anyway. Ultimately they're just ork boyz with power weapons a lot of the time. Devastating against the right opponent but with I2 as standard they're likely to have been whittled down somewhat before they get to strike.
Tankbustas
These guys have benefited from one of the "let's make Orks less random" changes that seem to have been the theme. They don't have to target the nearest vehicle like they used to. Instead their Glory Hogs rule now gives a bonus VP if they kill a vehicle for First Blood. They've also taken a decent 2pt price drop and have been given stikkbombs into the bargain. Like the burna boyz they've also got access to trukks which I think is a bonus. They've also been given the Tank Hunters USR which makes their rokkits more effective.
What I can't quite understand is what they've done to tank hammers. Previously they were a free upgrade that gave you an S10 melee weapon. Now they're simply S8 AP3 and are Unwieldy too. If that wasn't quite bad enough then GW also throw in a massive 15pt upgrade cost. Of course they've got Tank Hunters now but still it seems expensive and by making them Unwieldy they've limited the effectiveness of them against infantry. The question is, why would you bother when tankbusta bombs, which although only one attack, are now melta bombs and therefore S8 AP1 Armourbane and still can use Tank Hunters. Being AP1 they give you a chance of causing an explosion too. Unless I'm missing something, save yourselves the points!
Finally, bomb-squigs have remained S8 with an 18" range. Whilst they still hit on a 2+ they no longer blow up your own vehicles on a 1 (see what I mean? less random). They've stayed the same cost but I'm not sure if they're worth it. I used to give them to the guys with tankhammers to give them a ranged option but since there won't be hammers any more I might not bother. Still, 5 pts for a nearly guaranteed hit is worth sacrificing a BS2 rokkit shot if you're close enough.
I actually think Tankbustas are worth considering now. They struggled in the old book as your opponent could effectively control them but with the bonus VP they could be potential game winners. Think I'll dust off my (well Matt's) models and see if the theory holds out..
Nobz
Like the Tankbustas, Nobz are also 2 pts cheaper with free stikkbombs. Mind you, nob bikers are still the same cost (although with stikkbombs for what it matters). They also now include a Boss Nob making one of them a character. Should you decide you want some firepower you can give them a twin-linked shoota for a measly 3pts each but of course you lose an attack. Might be worth it on the power klaw/big choppa guys though since they lose one anyway. For just a couple of points more you could throw in some combi-rokkits but I wouldn't bother. The Waaagh! banner is 33% more expensive but gives the same bonus.
Otherwise things are pretty similar. You could still give them all 'eavy armour but for a slightly reduced cost. Save your money on a Bosspole though as I'm not sure they're worth it now. The big deal in my opinion is that you can't include a painboy without using an HQ slot. That makes them far less durable.
Nob bikers perhaps aren't as good as they were. I'll cover more when I talk about warbikers but they no longer get a permanent 4+ cover save but can Jink for it like anyone else on a bike I suppose. If they Turbo-Boost they get a +1 to their cover save but unless I'm missing something they still have to Jink for it?!?
Meganobz
Well the cynic in me says that since GW have re-sculpted these guys their rules will probably make them a must have. Let's see though. Once again one of them is a character just like the normal nobz and again they're getting stikkbombs. Strangely though their cost is the same which is odd when the basic nobz are cheaper. They're pretty much the same beast they always were apart from the minor detail that they can take the questionably useful bosspole.
Another new feature is the ability to take twin killsaws. I actually think this makes a lot of sense. Not only does it make them deadly against vehicles but also having two of them does, unless I'm mistaken, give you a bonus attack for two CC weapons. That means a whopping 5 S8 AP2 attacks on the charge, there's very little that could stand up to that.
The question is more about delivery. They almost
have to take a transport and since they're expensive it seems daft to stick them in a flimsy trukk without some guarantee of going first. They're a bit different with Ghaz but I'll get to that. The addition of a battlewagon makes them particularly pricey but I'm still tempted to grab a couple of boxes of the new models. Damn you GW.
Kommandos & Snikrot
Still the same cost but get Stealth now which is a great little bonus. They were one of few units to already have stikkbombs though! Like everyone else they get cheaper rokkits now but it's a shame burnas stayed the same price. You can now take a Boss Nob whilst still taking Snikrot which is an unexpected bonus too. They really need Snikrot to be effective though. He now causes Fear but as we well know this is rarely effective.
The big guy is now significantly cheaper and his Ambush rule still allows you to move on from the opponent's table edge (as I read it anyway) and they get Shrouded on the turn they arrive. This to me makes them fairly viable if you can get them on in cover. Remember they're scoring now (like everything else) so bringing them on to clear an objective and subsequently claim it is powerful. Of course you can't assault from Reserves still but Shrouded should mean you can survive long enough if you plan your arrival position well.
Sadly word of his prowess must've been lost as his Killa Reputation no longer precedes him and his Mork's Teeth now have Shred (and AP5 for what it's worth) and therefore re-roll to wound instead of to hit. He can now be taken separately to Kommandos though and doesn't take up a slot if you've already got some Kommandos in your army. Can't see why you'd ever not put him with Kommandos though. Perhaps GW are moving away from upgrade chars in the traditional sense though?
Conclusion
It's worth noting before I forget that neither Nobz nor Meganobz prevent their battlewagon from taking a killkannon any more. Not a huge difference but worth mentioning all the same.
As I said at the start, there's some stiff competition in this section. The standouts for me are the Meganobz but both Tankbustas and Kommandos represent decent competition for the slots and at a far lower cost. Nobz are probably close behind them but the poor Burnas simply won't get a look in unless there's some gimmick I'm missing. They're great if you can guarantee to flame something or survive long enough to strike with the power weapon but I just don't think it'll happen. I just think they're too expensive for how situational they are.
Generally speaking though the inclusion of Trukks for more units makes it easier to run a mechanised Ork horde and it's something I'll be looking at doing myself when I start writing some lists. Giving everything stikkbombs is a nice touch but as I've mentioned, it barely makes a difference most of the time.
Onto the Fast Attack section next but before then, any thoughts? Anything you think I've missed?
