Ork Population

This article draws inspiration from one written a long time ago by White_Pointer on the Relic forums.

How does Ork Pop work?
Orks do not have a squad cap, like the other races. All other races are limited in the number of squads they may built, but once built they can reinforce it to the maximum size possible. The only caveat to this is that the maximum squad size in DoWpro increases throughout the game for most squads, which includes Orks as well.

For Orks, every individual Ork has a population cost. This means that reinforcing a squad to maximum size will mean you have less squads. In Dowpro (unlike the original game), larger Orks take up more Ork Cap. This means that Orks can choose between a vast horde or an elite army, or some combination of both.

For non-Orks, if a squad is cut down with one model left alive it is better to reinforce it back to full strength because even that single model consumes vital population. For Orks, a lone Ork left only consumes very little pop, and still can be used to capture critical locations (etc).

Ork heroes take up Ork pop, whereas other races' heroes do not take up population.

Ork vehicles take up Support Cap, like the other races. However, Orks gain Support Cap differently and in such a way that can be used to support their base building strategy.

All other races have a maximum squad limit of 20, or 26 with a 2nd HQ. As Orks work differently, Orks are limited to a maximum of 100 Ork pop, or 160 with a 2nd HQ.

Squad Leaders
Orks can only build squad leaders once the squad is sufficiently strong. Other races have no such limitation.

Like all Ork models, Squad leaders cost pop.

Squad size needed is the number of Orks necessary in the squad to buy a squad leader.

Max squad size is the maximum number of Orks in the squad in the late game. For every squad leader you could have 3 Slugga boys.

For most squads, if you max out the squads in your army you would theoretically have half the number of squad leaders.

Gaining Ork Population Cap
All sources of Ork Population Cap stack, even with duplicates of the same source. For example, 2x Da Mek Shop does increase vehicle pop by 2 each. Once you've built the necessary population to get Da Mek Shop, future Da Mek Shops do not require population. This happens even if all your Waagh Banners are destroyed and you lose your last Da Mek Shop.

Ork Squad Sizes
Each source of max squad size do not stack with duplicates of that source. For example, 2x Barracks will not give +6 max squad size to Slugga Boyz.

Barracks
Increases max squad size of:
 * Slugga Boyz by 3
 * Shoota Boyz by 1

Pile of Guns
Increases max squad size of
 * Slugga Boyz by 3
 * Shoota Boyz by 1
 * Ard Boyz by 2
 * Gretchin (Grot Builder) by 1

Tier 3
Increases max squad size of
 * Slugga Boyz by 3
 * Shoota Boyz by 1
 * Ard Boyz by 2
 * Gretchin (Grot Builder) by 2
 * Storm Boyz by 3
 * Nobz by 2

Warboss Gubbinz: Boss Pole
This is a Hero Wargear, available at Tier 3 from the Ork HQ. Increases max squad size of
 * Nobz by 1
 * Mega Armoured Nobz by 1

Ork Resource
Orks have a third resource known as Ork Resource. This is the red number in the top left corner of the screen underneath the requisition and power numbers. This acts to slow down the growth rate of the number of Orks on the field. '''Practically speaking you can ignore it as its effects are subtle. '''