now before you all go and tell me that FFG already did this by releasing rules for making Ork Freebooters, Kommandos, Mekboyz and Wierdboyz, Hear me out.

well before Into the Storm came out, a buddy of mine who was an Ork TT player discussed the idea of an Ork version of Rogue Trader. i never really thought much of it at the time, and thought even less when i saw that Into the Storm did essentially exactly that.

Then i started playing the Ork Campaign on DoWII: Retribution, and I realized how badass Ork Freebooterz can actually be. so I did a preliminary scan of Into the storm and realized that Orks As Written are more for being individual mercenaries working for a rogue trader than good for full Ork Games, so I'v decided to come to you guys for help on making a supplement for RT meant for playing all ork Campaigns.

as it stands, the only things i've actually sat down and done is decided which classes i'm going to port over and try to make into Orky Equivalents, and Orky Names for different Hulls.

• Kaptin: Rogue Trader
• Ded 'Ard Nob: Ork Freebooter (replaces Archmilitant)
• Weirdboy: as Weirdboy from the Rogue Trader Supplement (cant think of the name right now)
• Big Mek: combination of advanced class from Into the Storm and the Explorator career
• Kommando Nob: gonna have to write this one from scratch. replaces Missionary, because who the hell needs organized religion when you're an Ork?
• Paindoc: replaces Navigator, gonna have to write this one from scratch
• Krooza driva: Void Master

Hull titles:

• Transport: Lootboat
• Raider: Dakkaboat
• Frigate: Extra Dakkaboat
• Light Cruiser: Puny Krooza
• Cruiser: Krooza
• Battle Cruiser: 'Ard Krooza
• Grand Cruiser: Ded 'Ard Krooza

any ideas you guys have for modifying the existing rules for an all orks game, please let me know. I'll try and put together a Google Doc with a running list of rules for everything from Expanded Character creation for Orks, to career write ups, to individual hull classes and anything else we can think of. thanks in advance

First of all, I suspect I don't quite see what you're trying to achieve.

In particular, I don't understand your replacement idea.

Surely an RT is just a character with good social skills, mainly command. Your basic ork (from ItS) has this covered in spades I'd say. Similarly just about any boy makes a decent Arch Militant replacement I'd think*, but having a harder type of boy kind amakes sense, except why wouldn't he be the boss?

Where you really have me scratching my head is where you start decalring a kommando nob to somehow be a replacement for a missionary. You do realize that no single career is mandatory, right? And that you are adding to the game rather than replacing anything?

I may have missed something, but I don't see why the kommando nob is seen as some sort of replacement for the missionary - do you mean to say that they fill similar roles? You even provide the counterargument against that?

And then the painboy replacing the navigator? Pardon me, but what the bleep?

The wierdboy fills the role of navigator - getting the ship through warp, about where you want to go - whereas the painboy patches boys up and nail wierd bitz upto poor bastards what can't get away. More similar (in rules) to a genetor I think, if anything. If this makes sense to you, I've clearly missed some part of your logic.

As for hulls, I think your approach is much to structured for orks. If you wish to expand the options for ork ships, I think you need a few very basic hulls and then options to mess about with them extensively. Have a look in Battlefleet Koronus for some inspiration.

But most fundamentally, I think you're making un-necessary work for yourself. the ork freebooters are surprisingly flexible and powerful. Have a try with them first. Sorry to be discouraging, but I really don't see what you envision to do.

wow i made absolutely no sense last night.

forgive the total lack of continuity in my original post, i had just finished the twelve hour drive from school to work for the holidays. allow me to make a few clarifications.

the classes listed that have no correlation to their human counterparts are not meant to be equivalent to each other at all. when looking at the Class list, I saw no need for Missionary or Navigator for Orks, but I still wanted there to be an equal number of class choices. Kommando Nobz and Paindocs both have a place aboard a Kaptin's Krooza, and therefore (I felt) should be represented within the list of possible careers.

Regarding Ship Hulls, perhaps you're right, and classifying them like that is a bit too structured for Orks, but there's no reason to say that Orks themselves wouldn't put their own ships into rough categories depending on their size and function. Orks may be simple, but they are far from stupid, and can choose to ignore one fight if it means that they can go win another later. likely a Kaptin can recognize the difference between a Lootboat, that's designed for carrying a Kaptin's stuff, and a Ded 'Ard Krooza, which is his own Flagship. while both ships are undeniably Orky and perfectly good for fighting, the Kaptin's going to know that taking on a Repulsive class Grand Cruiser with his Boardin' Ded 'Ard Krooza is a better idea than taking on said grand cruiser with his Shooty Lootboat.

On that note, i do recognize that Orks have no need for different classes of vessel, so the different hulls may only have one class, but with wildly variant customization options to fit an individual captain's needs.

Finally, you're right. i am creating unnecessary work for myself. but i'm a glutton for punishment, and I'd rather put in the effort and watch this crash and burn -and at least be able to say i did it- than wonder how it wouldve gone had i done it.

Your mechanics dont have to match the fluff or the race you are trying to design. Just make the crunch make sense. Game mechanics dont have to live in the world they are trying to convey.

Orks may not need different classes of vessel, players do, so they know wtf to pick and what is in improvement, tradeoffs etc. If its meant to be a supplement for RT (for the most part), make it fit within the existing rules structure.

I'm actually working on some more Ork alternate career class ranks in the houserules section.. Feel free to loot anything you find there. For the purposes of swapping classes I'd go with

Rogue Trader = Kaptain/Boss. The biggest and meanest Ork of the bunch who leads the mob with an iron fist.

Explorer = Mekboy or Dok depending.

Navigator = Weirdboy

Seneschal = Runtherd who better than the Ork with a network of sneaky grots to be the eyes and ears?

ArchMillitant = All Orks everywhere

Astropath = Wierdboy (again)

Missionary = Yeller, these are the Ork versions of priests and will use their impressive voices to rally the boys.

Void Master = Flyboy http://www.cold-moon.com/40k/Deff%20Skwadron/deff_skwadron.htm

The biggest hurdle I'm imagining is how to mechanically represent the Kaptain and not have his stats put all the other orks to shame especially in toughness, strength, and weapon skill. As ork leadership is almost always ( odd exceptions with wierdboys/big meks not counting) based on being bigger, being stronger, and being better in a fight.

I would find it odd that any boy would follow a Kaptian that they have a chance of beating.

Other than that detail I think that it is a good idea and I wish you luck.

To put in something helpful I see stormboys as a good choice for voidmasters as well, And I agree with the above that the different ship classes would be more for player benefit than what orks would know them as. So far reading the various books I have found shooty class crusers, more shooty class, more faster and shooty class...ect

The biggest hurdle I'm imagining is how to mechanically represent the Kaptain and not have his stats put all the other orks to shame especially in toughness, strength, and weapon skill. As ork leadership is almost always ( odd exceptions with wierdboys/big meks not counting) based on being bigger, being stronger, and being better in a fight.

I would find it odd that any boy would follow a Kaptian that they have a chance of beating.

If I were reskinning the Rogue Trader as a Kaptain career I'd replace the level one Melee Weapons Training (Universal), which all Orks would generally have as standard with Hulking to signify that this Ork's ambition and cunning has lead to him growing significantly faster than other Orks.

I'd then replace the Rogue Trader's Exceptional Leader special ability with 'Nobs are better than smaller, runtier Orks!'

As a free action, once per round the Rogue Trader may grant an ally that he is larger than and that can see and hear him +10% on any test.

I don't see how this is a hard idea. It's just like a privateer-oriented Rogue Trader game. With more dakka.

I wouldn't have a 'kaptin' career. Let everyone be whatever they want to be; mekboy, kommando, freeboota, whatever.

Before (or at the start of) the first session, everyone starts unarmed into a fightin' pit. No dakka, no shivs, no zoggin wierdboy tricks. Last one concious gets the title of 'Kaptin', the Exceptional Leader ability and a big shiny hat.

Ork ship designations that I can remember from battlefleet gothic are the Attack Ship (a general term for all escort classes), the Krooza, and the Battlekrooza.

I wouldn't have a 'kaptin' career. Let everyone be whatever they want to be; mekboy, kommando, freeboota, whatever.

Before (or at the start of) the first session, everyone starts unarmed into a fightin' pit. No dakka, no shivs, no zoggin wierdboy tricks. Last one concious gets the title of 'Kaptin', the Exceptional Leader ability and a big shiny hat.

I think it'd be interesting to see the damage and wounds carry over, forcing each Ork to think of Takticks. Would there be less animosity between the Kaptin and his Nob Stormtrooper (acting as bodyguard and Chief Pilot) if the Nob took a dive in the match and let the Kaptain move forward without an actual fight? The Nob would have a better chance of being the number two (and the Ork in Charge when the Kaptin wasn't around!), and be in the perfect position to take the top spot during the fighting. In return, the Kaptain gets an easier fight to get to the next round...

I wouldn't have a 'kaptin' career. Let everyone be whatever they want to be; mekboy, kommando, freeboota, whatever.

Before (or at the start of) the first session, everyone starts unarmed into a fightin' pit. No dakka, no shivs, no zoggin wierdboy tricks. Last one concious gets the title of 'Kaptin', the Exceptional Leader ability and a big shiny hat.

The problem there is that the one who wins the fight may not be played by the player who is confortable or wants the leadership role.

In GorkaMorka there was a rule that if anyone's leadership ever exceeded (or perhaps equalled) the bosses then there would be an official challenge.

The challenge could be fightin' (Start right next to each other, melee weapons only), Shootin' (start some distance apart, guns only) or Kunnin' (start next to each other, no weapons at all).

Perhaps that would be a better way to do it as generally if you're going to raise a stat you do it on purpose. I'd probably pick Strength as the stat in question as Orks can command using intimidation.