Waaagh! Ghazghkull First Look

Ok, it's a little later than most of our "First Looks," but with the holiday weekend and fantastic weather, I wasn't hanging out with my computer much. Anyway, let's take a look at the supplement about the most famous Ork Warboss of all.

First off, I thought it was interesting that in the fluff sections where it talks about famous groups from Ghaz's various invasions of Armageddon, it included a list of units that would represent the group. For example, after a bit about who and what Goff Blitzboys are, it lists Gurgat's Mob (Nob, 20 Boyz, and Da Meatwagon - a battlewagon), the Black Deff Blitz Brigade (Warboss and 5 Battlewagons with Deff Rollas and boyz), Kragrak's Blitzdakka Warband (Warboss, 2 Trukks with boyz, 3 Battlewagons with deff rollas and boyz, 2 Wartrakks, 10 Nobz on bikes, and a dakkajet), and Kroksnik's Deff Trakk Tribe (Warboss, 4 Warband formations, 32 Battle Fortresses). There are no particular rules for these groups, but it's kind of cool to see.

Getting to the actual rules, units from this supplement get a few special rules. Namely, if the Warlord is chosen from the supplement, he must accept or issue a challenge, but if he kills the opposing character in a challenge, he can re-roll failed To Wound rolls in combat for the remainder of the game. Also, units from the supplement with the Mob rule get a +2 bonus on the chart, but will do D3+3 hits rather than D6.

In addition to those rules, which I would argue are less than good, the supplement grants access to different special wargear and a warlord table.

The wargear (Orkimedes' Kustom Gubbinz) include a big choppa that increases in Strength and lowers in AP for each round of combat in which it inflicts an unsaved wound; a Bosspole that gives fearless; a power klaw that can "smash" with instant death on one attack; a KFF that gives a 4+ rather than a 5+; and a gun with a random profile for each game, which includes a boosted deffgun, a scorcha, a Zzap Gun, and a Bubblechucka equivalent.

A new detachment is included, (1 Elites is required in addition to being an otherwise normal CAD) which comes with the Supplement Special rules, and also allows the Warlord to re-roll on the Ghaz chart as well as a Tellyporta Strike: before deployment, each non flyer unit rolls a die, with a +1 for troops. On a 6+, the unit gains the Deep Strike special rule. Generally I'm not a fan of deep striking combat units, but a 30 boyz mob Deep Striking on an objective sounds like it would work out well.

The rest of the rules (outside of themed missions) are formations:

First is the Council of Waaagh!, which is a self contained CC deathstar of Ghaz, Mad Dok Grotsnik, 2 Warbosses, a Big Mek, and a unit of Nobz with a Waaagh! Banner. They must be used as a single unit and the ICs cannot break off. The unit's Waaagh Banner grants fearless in addition to the +1WS, and allows units within 12" to reroll failed morale and pinning checks. The Warbosses in the unit get an additional +1WS to their profile as well. Finally, Ghaz gets two bonus rolls on the Ghaz warlord table in addition to his own regular Warlord trait, which you can roll on other tables. If nothing else, this unit sounds fun.

Next is Ghaz's Bullyboyz, three units of 5+ Meganobs who get +1 WS.

Then comes Da Vulcha Skwad, which is Zagstruck plus three units of Stormboyz. They must arrive via Deepstrike, but only scatter D6", and their Hammer of Wrath attacks get the Shred special rule. Finally, you can choose to deploy all three mobs as one giant mob worth 3 Kill Points.

The Blitz Brigade is 5 Battlewagons that must take a Reinforced Ram or Deff Rolla, and get scout.

Next is the Dreadmob, which is a Big Mek, Painboy, 2 Gork/Morkanauts, 3 Deff Dreads, and 3 units of 3 Killa Kans. All units in the formation get the 'Ere We Go special rule, and any with the Hammer of Wrath rule do D3 hits instead of 1.

Then comes Boss Snikrot's Red Skull Kommandos, which includes Snikrot and 4 units of Kommandos. The entire formation is rolled for once, and then comes on from Reserve from any board edge (they must come from the same board edge). Each unit that doesn't shoot the turn they arrive can reroll failed cover saves until their next turn, and gain Shrouded for that turn as well (though Shrouded is regardless if they shoot).

The final formation in the book is arguably the most absurd: The Green Tide, which is a Warboss and 10 units of Boyz, which form a single unit worth 11 Kill Points. The Formation gets the Waaagh! bonus of Hammer of Wrath on charge rolls of 10 or more, and if the mob's warboss is the Warlord, he can call a Waaagh! each turn after the first.

I think some of the formations would be a lot of fun, but I'm not sure any will see a whole lot of competitive play. That said, the Waaagh! Council could be a lot of fun and worth a try.

What do you think of the supplement?