Boyz Before Toyz?

"Boyz before toyz" was one of the first mantras I heard for ork advice. I'm not sure it applies anymore.  There are so many great choices in the Ork codex that are reasonably priced it seems like taking boyz is a missed opportunity.

I'm not considering unbound lists, it's too rife for abuse.  This means we have to have at least 2 units of troops.  Troops are at less important then ever before for sitting on objectives since everything scores, but more important for taking and holding objectives.

Here are the three main troop choices with their pros and cons.  I'll use the next post to dig into my thoughts on how to fit them into a list.


Slugga choppa boyz
Pros

1. At 6pts a pop you're getting 4 attacks on the charge
2. Can take a nob with a BP and PK for 40pts over the cost of a boy.
1. The nob is going to do most of the work
3. 'Ere We Go rolling 1 dice makes mid range charges fairly reliable
4. Makes best use of the mob rule table, since you'll want to be in assault
5. Nobs can wound units outside a challenge and are more likely to live to get to do so. 

Cons

1. Really need to get the charge off.  If you fail, you get blasted by the opponents guns, then charged and are only str 3
2. Probably not going to shoot very much, you 
3. Vulnerable to fear since they are only Ld7, which isn't eligible to roll on the mob rule table
4. Vulnerable to tank shocks as long as the opponent is smart and avoids the Nob .  You'll want to be in your opponents zone.  If you pass morale then you're bunched for templates and blasts, if you fail you roll on the mob rule table and causing wounds to yourself (which can trigger additional tests for 25% casualties) all in the movement phase.  Remember that falling back units automatically fail morale tests.
5. Once you lose the nob, the squad is pretty useless, but thankfully it's harder to do with less precision shots and focus fire
6. Nobs will get crumped by any real CC unit or character.  A lone nob won't survive to swing.
7. Really hard to plan assaults to last 2 player turns

Shoota boyz 
Pros

1. Assault 2, Str4 gun
2. Still 2 attacks base
3. A full squad with 27 and 3 BS is 63 shots.  Dat's a lotta dakka. It's fun to roll that many dice
4. Even snap shooting, it's a fair number of hits  (but can't overwatch when going to ground)
5. Can pump out shots from open topped vehicles

Cons 

1. More expensive at 1 point over standard boy
2. Less attacks on the charge, less attacks in subsequent rounds
3. Mob rule favors assault, so not only are you less efficient in assault, you won't get the benefit of a 1 roll on the table
4. Nob is mandatory, making the unit more expensive (used to run them base at 30 boyz for 180pts, not they require a nob (w/BP but no weapon) and clock in at 224pts)
5. Can shoot yourself out of charge range

Grots
Pros

1.  Objective secured usually
1. This will protect against something like jetbikes turbo boosting on the last turn, but tank shocks push you off since you have no way to stop even AV10 without taking a grot-prod
2. Cheap at 35 points for 11 wounds, albeit at T2.  The magic numbers are 13 and 17 for maximizing value when taking 25% casualties. 
3. Can take a squig hound for a morale/pinning re-roll.  You'll usually want to take this.
4. Fear doesn't bother them too much, since they weren't expecting to win combat anyways
5. Can shield other infantry, giving a 5+ cover to units behind them (pg 38) even if they aren't 25% covered
6. Runtherd can now be your warlord :)

Cons

1. Are 1 or 2 T2 units, along with Ratlings
2. Poor shooting, no assault capabilities
3. No mob rule, must rely on squig hound
4. Need to protect the runtherd, otherwise you're dropping to Ld5, which only passes Ld tests 28% of the time
5. The grot prod is pretty useless going into effect only when in a challenge.  If you challenge with the runtherd, it's usually because you want him to die so you can lose the combat, because you risk losing Ld7 to stay in so reducing their attacks by 1 isn't going to do much.  I'm not sure who a runtherd is expected to beat in a challenge, maybe a naked AM sgt charging through terrain

It's a lot harder to decide how to use boyz than most other codexes.  Unsupported, they're fairly lackluster.  Do we use our HQs or heavy support to buff the boyz squads or keep them cheap and use more efficient units elsewhere to do the heavy lifting?