Ork Unit Analysis: Mek's and Big Mek's

Mek's and Big Mek's

 

The next HQ we will take a look at is the Mechanics of the Ork society, the Mek's and Big Mek's. Let's start with the regular Mek's!

Mek's

Mek's are interesting little models and you would be a fool not to take at least one, before anything else, these Mek's work similar to techmarine's, you can bring one for every other HQ choice in your army, so they do not take up a force org slot. However, if you do this, they must start the game in a infantry or artillery unit and are not independent characters. 

 

Mek's rock the same stat line as a boy, and are base 15 points, making them, as far as I know, the cheapest HQ in the game. They come base with the same weapons as an ork boy but with Mek tools, these allow them to repair a vehicle on a 5+. They can be upgraded to have a S7 chainfist for 30 points. This upgrade, in my opinion, is not worth the points cost, might as well just bring more mek's! The mek may be accompanied by a grot oiler, which lets it re-roll a single failed repair test. For 5 points, there is no reason not to take one of these. And finally, the mek can take anything from the mek's weapons list, the only item of significance in here is the kustom mega blasta, which is a 5 point, 24", S8, Ap2, Get's hot slugga. 

 

A mek is a handy addition to any army, for 15 points, 20 max, he can get you out of some potential sticky situations, I can tell you from experience, there is NOTHING more annoying than your trukk getting immobilized and having to watch your boyz foot slog it across the board getting shredded by any form of ranged weapon. Mek's can repair immobilized results, making them worth their weight in gold to any user of Trukks or Battlewagons.  

Big Mek's

Big Mek's are just that, Mek's but bigger. A Big Mek is a nob where a mek is a boy, and he rocks the appropriate stat line. S4, T4, W2, A3, Ld8 (Better than nobz). A Big Mek also has far more options than a mek, and is an independent character, meaning he does not have to join units but can camp in a vehicle, repairing it as it goes. A big mek is 25 points base, and is equipped identically to the regular mek's though has lots of room for upgrades.

 

Firstly, a big mek has the options to increase its armor save to a 4+ or a 2+, if equipped with mega armor, the big mek can take a tellyporta blasta or a kustom force field. A tellyporta blasta is a teleporting gun which is 12" range, S8, Ap2, 6's causes ID or auto pen. Good, but the short range and low BS makes it impracticable, especially as it costs 25 points, I would rarely, if ever, bring it to a game. A far more expensive upgrade, but worth every point, is the Kustom Force Field, one of the most useful items in any ork army, it gives any model within 6" a 5+ invulnerable. This is one of the only invuln saves the Orks can get, and it is essential in any unit you want to survive, such as Meganobz with a Warboss or a unit of Nobz. However, keep in mind Mega Armor confers slow and purposeful to the unit, meaning it cannot run, so the KFF should go with meganobz or around vehicles, conferring the 5++ save.

A kustom force field can also be taken by a Big Mek wearing 'eavy armor, however, this replaces his slugga, meaning he has no shooting attacks. If the Big Mek does not bring this, he can bring a Shokk Attack Gun, which is a new weapon as of this codex and has a chart for if any doubles are rolled during rolling for the 2D6 strength. This result can go very well or very poorly for the Big Mek, ranging from his blast gaining the vortex special rule, to his gun overheating and him being removed as a casualty. This rule alone makes the Shokk Attack Gun unreliable to take, and could potentially be a waste of 85 points.

Big Mek with Shokk Attack Gun

Apart from this, the Big Mek can bring a S9 Chainfist, probably worth it if you plan on getting your Big Mek into close quarters, most likely a bad idea, but sometimes inevitable. The big Mek can take from any of the wargear lists, though the only items worth taking are "Da Fizer Uppers", which allow the big mek to make repairs on a 3+ or the cybork body, which gives him a 6+ FnP. If you are bringing a Kult of Speed army, consider putting a Big Mek on a bike with a Kustom Force Field, further buffing your warbiker mob. 

Bringing at least 1 kind of Mek is essential no matter what type of Ork army you play, they are useful around the board and only a foolish warboss leaves for battle without one! The versatility of the Big Mek's gives you an edge in battle, you can use them as close combat monsters, ranged warfare supremacists, cheap fillers that sit in your important vehicles repairing them or support characters that follow around important units, giving them a much needed invuln save.

Cheers,

Christian (The mekkiest mek that ever did mek)