“We’re da best. Think different do ya? Come and have a go then, ya runty little wimp!”

–Gasgrakh, Goff Nob

In the strategically critical Traxis sector, the powers of the galaxy do battle, crafting plans, leading armies, and claiming glory and victory. Warhammer 40,000: Conquest invites you to take control of these factions and clash at countless planets, destroying all opposition in the name of conquest.

Past previews of Warhammer 40,000: Conquest took a closer look at the mechanics of gameplay, ranging from the deployment of armies, to the command struggle for resources and card draw, to battles that rage across the sector. We also examined an in-depth example of a battle at one planet. Most recently, we’ve begun our exploration of factions within the game, beginning with the warriors of the Space Marines, and moving on to the armed forces of the Imperium, the Astra Militarum.

Today, however, our preview moves away from the civilized reaches of the Imperium of Man, outward into the grim darkness of space. Amid the stars, there are few forces more wild and brutal than those of a fully fledged Ork Waaagh! Read on to preview the brute ferocity of the Orks and get ready to smash some ‘umies!

Waaagh! WAAAGH!!

The Warboss commanding the Ork forces in the Warhammer 40,000: Conquest Core Set is Nazdreg (Core Set, 3), a fearsome warrior of almost colossal intelligence (for an Ork). Any Ork knows that if you get hit, you just hit back harder, and Nazdreg helps you do just that with his special ability. When Nazdreg leads your armies into battle at a planet, every other unit receives the Brutal keyword, meaning that a unit gains +1 ATK for each damage on it. With this keyword enabling your armies, your opponent won’t be able to hit you without fearing your quick reprisal.

The cards of Nazdreg’s signature squad help you incite your Orks even more, beginning with four copies of Nazdreg’s Flash Gitz (Core Set, 54). This army unit allows you to take a potent Combat Action, dealing this unit a damage to ready it. Damaging a unit to ready opens up plenty of opportunities for striking in quick succession, but when you add the fact that Nazdreg’s Flash Gitz may gain Brutal from your warlord, you have a deadly army that only becomes more dangerous as you use its ability.

The next card in Nazdreg’s signature squad is a support entitled Kraktoof Hall (Core Set, 55). During the combat phase, you may exhaust this support to move one damage from a unit you control to another unit at the same planet. Combined with the Brutal keyword granted by Nazdreg, this support allows you to get the maximum benefit out of every point of damage. Whether you shift damage among your own units to take full advantage of Brutal, or move damage to your opponent to pick off the weak, Kraktoof Hall’s advantages are readily apparent.

Next in the signature squad are two copies of the Bigga Is Betta (Core Set, 56) event card. This event is free to play and reads “Interrupt: When you deploy an Ork unit, reduce its cost by 2. Deal 1 damage to that unit after it enters play.” In general, the downside of the Brutal keyword is that you must wait unit your unit has been attacked for Brutal to take effect. With Bigga Is Betta, though, you can get your Orks into play for cheaper and ensure that if Nazdreg is at their planet, they’ll already be getting a bonus from Brutal.

Cybork Body (Core Set, 57) is the final card in the signature squad, and it is an attachment for one of your army units. By granting one of your armies a Cybork Body, you double that unit’s hit points! Not only does this attachment ensure the longevity of one of your powerful armies, it also enables you to take even more damage on that unit, getting more and more attack power out of Brutal.

Dakka Dakka Dakka!

Your options for inciting your Orks to greater heights of carnage are not limited to Nazdreg’s signature squad. The Weirdboy Maniak’s (Core Set, 60) uncontrollable Psyker powers grant you new options for gaining the upper hand. Whenever a Weirdboy Maniak enters play, you may deal one damage to each other unit at the planet. Not only will this damage weaken the opposition for your incoming onslaught, it can give your units added striking power or even other abilities.

One army unit that gains drastic benefits from being damaged is the Bad Dok (Core Set, 65). While undamaged, this unit possesses a fairly typical one command icon, but while damaged, the Bad Dok gains three more command icons, making him the Ork army unit with the most command icons! The Bad Dok is an excellent choice for winning the command struggle, assuming you can find a way to damage him first.

If you need to generate more damage to carry a battle in your favor, you could do worse than to use the Battle Cry (Core Set, 70) event. This event can only be played during a battle, and it grants every Ork unit you control +2 ATK until the end of the battle! With that much extra damage coming at your opponent, even his shield cards won’t be able to completely prevent your attacks.

A final method for spreading damage across the battlefield is the Ork Kannon (Core Set, 74). This support card can be triggered during the combat phase to target a planet and force both players to deal one indirect damage among the units they control at that planet. Indirect damage is assigned by each player to units they control, and by using the Ork Kannon, you can whittle away at your opponent’s forces while enraging your Greenskins even further.

Smash Da ‘Umies!

Lead your Orks into the glories of combat in Warhammer 40,000: Conquest, and overwhelm the planets of the Traxis sector beneath a green tide of rage. Check back next time for our preview of the Chaos faction and preorder Warhammer 40,000: Conquest at your local retailer today!