N18 Orlock starting gang advice

[Twilite]

Heya!

So, I’m starting an Orlock gang for our campaign and I’d like your advice on it please. I posted a week or so ago, but I think this is a better list, using some advice from others and Goonhammer articles. Please note, this is meant as a Wrecker gang, not a “general” gang.

HOUNDS OF HADES

Captain: Bolter, power pick, mesh armour.
Bullet lord LN, Unstoppable.

Arms Master: Shotgun, mesh armour.
Blade breaker LN, Nerves of Steel.

Champion: grenade launcher, mesh armour.
Lucky LN, skill undecided

Wrecker 1: sawnoff shotgub

Wrecker 2: plasma pisyol

Wrecker 3: demo chsrge

Wrecker 4: hand flamer

Wrecker 5: 2 auto pistols


After the first game or two I want to get a grease monkey and give the arms master an arc hammer. Then I want to pad out the armour of the heroes, and then upgrade the weapons of the wreckers. Maybe get 2 more and another champion, plus some dogs.

CONCEPT: Kind of a “Dirty Dozen” group. They are all Orlocks who have had a hard time fitting into society - trouble makers, criminals, etc. The gang leader has been charged with “training them” (“obedience school”, if you will!). In reality, the leader is commanded to send them on basically suicide missions - knowing that most of them are too determined to make a name for themselves to give up easily.

 

[katfezza]

I think your boss needs a backup pistol of some kind. You could waste a lot of actions trying to reload that bolter after using Bullet Lord.

 

[Vonvilkee]

The arms master should go with shotgun savant as a skill, getting pinned can be beneficial and he isn't geared for combat. An always "Short Range" shotgun will get them more experience to buy specialist skills. Also direct access to inferno shells can be quite nice.

 

[Hobo86]

(Helmawr's Hours collector)

-you could use a bigman / commanding presence build to 'drop in' a few wreckers simultaneously?
-I'm not sure about the twin autopistol build (low hitchance), maybe a flail or chainsword could help you to hit?
-the democharge is oneshot, maybe add a stubpistol there?

 

[Twilite]

I think your boss needs a backup pistol of some kind. You could waste a lot of actions trying to reload that bolter after using Bullet Lord.

Yeah, I’ll be giving him a pistol after the first game. For now he’ll just wade in with his power pick if he runs out of ammo!

 

[Twilite]

Ill

The arms master should go with shotgun savant as a skill, getting pinned can be beneficial and he isn't geared for combat. An always "Short Range" shotgun will get them more experience to buy specialist skills. Also direct access to inferno shells can be quite nic

Yeah, I’ll be giving him a pistol after the first game. For now he’ll just wade in with his power pick if he runs out of ammo

The arms master should go with shotgun savant as a skill, getting pinned can be beneficial and he isn't geared for combat. An always "Short Range" shotgun will get them more experience to buy specialist skills. Also direct access to inferno shells can be quite nice.

I’ll be giving her an arc hammer soon, but yeah I think you’re right about the savant. Is it worth upgrading the shotgun to a combat one after the first few games?

 

[Twilite]

The arms master should go with shotgun savant as a skill, getting pinned can be beneficial and he isn't geared for combat. An always "Short Range" shotgun will get them more experience to buy specialist skills. Also direct access to inferno shells can be quite nice.

I’ll be giving her an arc hammer soon, but yeah I think you’re right about the savant. Is it worth upgrading the shotgun to a combat one after the first few games?

 

[Vonvilkee]

I’ll be giving her an arc hammer soon, but yeah I think you’re right about the savant. Is it worth upgrading the shotgun to a combat one after the first few games?

I don't like the idea of "upgrading" the shotgun. The extra range on the basic shotgun does surprising work, spend the credits on some of the limited ammo choices. I also think combat shotguns are best on worse BS models get flame storm ammo and profit, yay templates! You have bolters for rapid fire BS based hitting.

Hopefully about the time you can afford an arc hammer you have the XP for nerves of steel.

 

[Twilite]

(Helmawr's Hours collector)

-you could use a bigman / commanding presence build to 'drop in' a few wreckers simultaneously?
-I'm not sure about the twin autopistol build (low hitchance), maybe a flail or chainsword could help you to hit?
-the democharge is oneshot, maybe add a stubpistol there?

Yeah, the twin auto pistol isn’t all that great. I’m hoping to get him fast shot or gunfighter early on.

The demo charge guy is going to head into melee once he’s thrown his charge. I figure S helps grenades and CC, so there is some overlap there.

 

[Twilite]

I don't like the idea of "upgrading" the shotgun. The extra range on the basic shotgun does surprising work, spend the credits on some of the limited ammo choices. I also think combat shotguns are best on worse BS models get flame storm ammo and profit, yay templates! You have bolters for rapid fire BS based hitting.

Hopefully about the time you can afford an arc hammer you have the XP for nerves of steel.

Hmmm… I’ve never used shotguns before (actually, I’ve never played this edition before!), so perhaps I’m missing something here. Shotgun savant seems to me like a waste with just a regular shotgun, since scatter shot is just a weaker sawnoff scatter. Savant with a combat shotgun and shredder ammo seems vastly more powerful. Am I missing something here?

 

[katfezza]

Hmmm… I’ve never used shotguns before (actually, I’ve never played this edition before!), so perhaps I’m missing something here. Shotgun savant seems to me like a waste with just a regular shotgun, since scatter shot is just a weaker sawnoff scatter. Savant with a combat shotgun and shredder ammo seems vastly more powerful. Am I missing something here?

Regular shotguns have more reach and are more useful the longer you go in a campaign thanks to flexible ammo types. One of my Arms Masters has been doing really well with a standard shotgun loaded with executioner, inferno, and shatter shells (plus standard solid and scatter). Executioner especially gives you the punch to get through the better armour opposing models have as the campaign progresses. Inferno is useful for blaze so opponents waste their actions running around on fire, if you don't manage to kill them. Also means they can be seen in limited visibility situations. Shatter shells give you a range 18" frag grenade which can be handy. A Bullet Merchant will make the fancy ammo easier to acquire and stop the limited types running out completely.

Combat shotguns are great but are the same range as pistols. With all the short range wreckers you'll want some longer ranged stuff to support them. They also lack armour piercing. As soon as your opponents start rocking any armour you'll be cursing the times they save against all your high damage hits. The template attack is excellent for pinning but may as well be on a regular ganger as the BS doesn't matter.

 

[Vonvilkee]

The above comment came in as I was about to type... ditto

I will add that being able to claim the short range modifier at full range for any shell type is handy! Solid slugs at 16" with plus to hit, yes please! Aiming into heavy cover hit on 3+ (even odds without aiming) gives flexibility in positioning and allows your very valuable arms master to be a threat but not the highest threat (by being further away, harder to hit back etc). Use nerves of steel special rule for a wrecker take a shot and stay on the table for the bottle help all while standing further back and not being exposed to as much return fire! Legendary name that forces cool to target him is fun too.

 

[Psyan]

if you're going to use a regular Shotgun with primarily Executioner ammo, you shouldn't really need Shotgun Savant; Executioner ammo has a +1 to hit at long range.

 

[Vonvilkee]

Which is why I favor inferno

 

[HugeSamples]

I might wait on the power pick on your leader. Generally you build for one role--shooting or close combat--as you can't really advance towards both at the same time.

Ask yourself this, if your leader runs out of ammo are you really going to run him out of position all they way down the board to be so-so at melee?

I'd drop the power pick.

I'd consider Munitioneer from the Savant skills to help keep his Bolter loaded. Bonus perk, people near by his also get that benefit.

Same deal with your arms master, it sounds like you really want to go the Arc Hammer route, why not do that from the start and build accordingly? If you want some shooting for him give him a cheap pistol.

A shotgun Arms master is fine. If you go that route I'd lean into it and forget about the melee part (until you're swimming in credits).

That said Necromunda isn't about min/maxing (like much of our advise is), it's about telling a story with dice. At the end of the day play what you want .

 

[Vonvilkee]

Very much so pick what you like and make it happen. I just like shotguns and bolters... in lead we trust!

 

[Twilite]

Regular shotguns have more reach and are more useful the longer you go in a campaign thanks to flexible ammo types. One of my Arms Masters has been doing really well with a standard shotgun loaded with executioner, inferno, and shatter shells (plus standard solid and scatter). Executioner especially gives you the punch to get through the better armour opposing models have as the campaign progresses. Inferno is useful for blaze so opponents waste their actions running around on fire, if you don't manage to kill them. Also means they can be seen in limited visibility situations. Shatter shells give you a range 18" frag grenade which can be handy. A Bullet Merchant will make the fancy ammo easier to acquire and stop the limited types running out completely.

Combat shotguns are great but are the same range as pistols. With all the short range wreckers you'll want some longer ranged stuff to support them. They also lack armour piercing. As soon as your opponents start rocking any armour you'll be cursing the times they save against all your high damage hits. The template attack is excellent for pinning but may as well be on a regular ganger as the BS doesn't matter.

Well, you have now convinced me to stick with a regular shotgun! Haha! The extra range would definitely be ideal, although either way I’ll likely be getting in reasonably close. Blaze does sound a lot of fun though! Honestly, the thought of having the enemy become little living candles for me is all the convincing I needed.

 

[Twilite]

A

The above comment came in as I was about to type... ditto

I will add that being able to claim the short range modifier at full range for any shell type is handy! Solid slugs at 18" with plus to hit, yes please! Aiming into heavy cover hit on 3+ (even odds without aiming) gives flexibility in positioning and allows your very valuable arms master to be a threat but not the highest threat (by being further away, harder to hit back etc). Use nerves of steel special rule for a wrecker take a shot and stay on the table for the bottle help all while standing further back and not being exposed to as much return fire! Legendary name that forces cool to target him is fun too.

The above comment came in as I was about to type... ditto

I will add that being able to claim the short range modifier at full range for any shell type is handy! Solid slugs at 18" with plus to hit, yes please! Aiming into heavy cover hit on 3+ (even odds without aiming) gives flexibility in positioning and allows your very valuable arms master to be a threat but not the highest threat (by being further away, harder to hit back etc). Use nerves of steel special rule for a wrecker take a shot and stay on the table for the bottle help all while standing further back and not being exposed to as much return fire! Legendary name that forces cool to target him is fun too.

Ah yes, I totally forgot about the to hit bonus! I only thought of the scatter benefit. Hmmm… that is very handy to have! Thanks

 

[Twilite]

Very much so pick what you like and make it happen. I just like shotguns and bolters... in lead we trust!

Yeah, I definitely see what you mean. Some of the gangs in our group are much more specialist, esp with their heroes (ie van Saar, Escher, Delaque), so it would be useful to specialise. However, since I’m designing my figures with Heroforge, and they look soooo cool with those load outs, it becomes tricky!

In lead we trust!

 

[Vonvilkee]

Orlock work well as versatile fighters, shooting on the way into combat or just better positions to blast away the trick is to overwhelm with threats. Take a few turns staying out of sight until ready to have everybody contribute. Then you aren't feeding the enemy fighters piece meal.

To that end don't forget you can just randomly give someone nerves of steel from the arms master, great little trick to add threat giving it to a fighter that doesn't have easy self access. Focusing on shooting allows the arms master to position for greater effect instead of pushing the combat.

Definitely feel free to add the hammer it is cool and counter charging is a thing. It is also nice to have when you need a combat started by some one else to end.