The WAAAGH! is hitting full throttle as Wazdakka Gutsmek arrives in Combat Card with engine and dakka firing on full cylinders! The iconic Speed Freek mech is long overdue for a model and so it’s great to be introducing him to the game with his release and pair it with this Year’s Skulls celebration!

As can be expected of the pre-eminent name among Speed Freeks Wazdakka is all about speed and his rule is too. His release coincides with an initiative overhaul for all cards. Since the games release initiative has been based around the older Warhammer concept of body types, however as the game – both ours and 40k – has grown it’s definitely been left behind, and is something that has created ratings that don’t line up with tabletop expectations. So, we’re stripping that all away and reducing it to its most basic concept – Movement. Each card’s Initiative will be based on their movement value in the tabletop. If your cards are faster, you’re more likely to go first. As simple as that.

Warlord Rule

As well as being a general good quality of life improvement, it comes just at the right time for Wazdakka’s rule – SpeedWAAAGH!

“If a friendly card has higher Initiative than the card opposite, it increases all attack types by +30% during your turn and takes 30% less damage during your opponent’s turn.”

Mastering the Rule

Simply put, if your card is faster than the card opposite, it deals more damage when you’re attacking and takes less damage when being attacked. Much like Kravek Morne’s rule, each time a card is destroyed, changes lanes or a new card is placed, there will be a check on whether your cards have higher Initiative than the card opposite, and if they do they will gain a status effect. Worth noting is that the Initiative has to be higher, being equal isn’t good enough!

While active that status effect increases damage dealt on your turn, and reduces damage received on your opponents. It’s very simple, and simple is good, because that means more time for more speed, and more dakka.

The only issue to contend with is balancing the all out high speed, high damage cards you can find in the Ork roster of buggies, flyers and even squigs, while bringing enough support cards like Taunts, Medicae and Inspiring Presence. Rely too heavily on speed and offence and you can be stranded without proper back up. 

Both melee and ranged builds are viable for Wazdakka, although overall the roster favours ranged, at least in terms of options. Wazdakka himself will almost always have his own rule active since his Initiative is only beaten by flyers!

So get out there, rev your engines, and make sure the only thing that drowns out the sound of your dakka is the shouting of WAAAGH!