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| − | {{Quote|Da furst an' da best part o' da WAAAGH is a gud ol' mob o' boyz.| |
+ | {{Quote|Da furst an' da best part o' da WAAAGH is a gud ol' mob o' boyz.| Kaptin Bluddflagg}} |
| − | [[File:Azgar's_Damagers_-_Ork_Kommandos.jpg|thumb|250px|A mob of Ork Boyz]] |
+ | [[File:Azgar's_Damagers_-_Ork_Kommandos.jpg|thumb|250px|A mob of Ork Boyz.]] |
| − | + | '''Ork Boyz''' are the different types of troops deployed by the [[Orks]], a savage, warlike, green-skinned race of humanoids of the [[Milky Way Galaxy]]. They are in some ways equivalent to ''[[Warhammer Fantasy]]'' [https://warhammerfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Orc Orcs], particularly in terms of their physical appearance, but they vary from the [https://warhammerfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Warhammer_World Warhammer World]'s Greenskins in some biological and cultural details. |
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| + | Orks are seen by their enemies (pretty much everyone else in the galaxy) as savage, warlike and crude, but they are one of the most successful species in the Milky Way, outnumbering possibly every other intelligent race, including [[Mankind]]. However, the power of the Ork race as a whole is limited due to the fact that they are split into hundreds of tiny [[Ork Empire|empires]], klanz and tribes, which are more often warring between themselves than not. Were the Orks ever to unite as a species, they would undoubtedly crush all opposition in a massive migration-invasion known as a [[WAAAGH!]]. |
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| − | ==Game History== |
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| − | [[File:Snakebite_Orks_vs._Imperial_Guard.jpg|thumb|250px|Orks, in their earliest incarnation. Here we have [[Snakebites]] Orks taking out an [[Imperial Guard]] trooper]] |
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| − | [[File:Blood_axe.jpg|thumb|250px|Orks, as they appeared with the release of the 2nd Edition; this is a [[Blood Axes]] Warboss]] |
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| − | Orks first appeared in the ''Rogue Trader'' rulebook and the Space Orks boxed set, containing eighteen metal models. These Orks were squat, powerfully muscled humanoids, wielding crude ballistic weaponry (usually blackpowder or other explosive projectile-based equivalent) and large 'stikbomz' or stick grenades; along with their helmets and other paraphernalia, these are apparently modeled on German equipment from World War I. |
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| + | The average Ork Boy stands about 2 metres (six and a half Terran feet) tall when fully upright and varies greatly in their specific battlefield tactical roles. Ork Boyz who occupy the same field of interest often band together in groups known as "Mobs," and frequently these Mobs are led by an Ork [[Nob]] who is the epitome of that particular group's tactical skills. As basic Ork troops, Ork Boys vary greatly in the weaponry and equipment available to them. Below is detailed all the different types of Ork Boy found among the armies of the Greenskins. |
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| − | Additional rules, cultural details, and painting guidelines were given in the later expansions ''Waagh Da Orks'' and '' 'Ere We Go!''. An explanation for the combination of brutal stupidity with relatively high technology was now found: Orks had been created, in times long past, as a warrior race by the long-vanished Brain Boyz. (This theme recurs in recent editions, the Orks having been created by the [[Old Ones]] to fight the [[Necrons]] in the war that shattered their galactic civilization that existed prior to the rise of the Eldar.) In early editions, the [[Snotlings]] were said to be the last degenerate remnant of the [[Brain Boyz]]. |
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| + | ==Slugga Boyz== |
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| − | Orks are thus genetically engineered to be muscular, aggressive, and none too bright; their technology is maintained by a caste of [[Oddboy]]z who have genetic dispositions to do well at such tasks. Indeed, the Brain Boyz were apparently able to encode information on how to build simple machinery in the genetic strands of Orks; thus Mekboyz require very little training in their function, since they understand mechanics at an instinctive level. |
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| + | Slugga Boyz represent the standard heavy infantry of the Orks and they are generally armed with ramshackle, semiautomatic, solid-shot ballistic pistols known as [[Slugga]]s and brutal, bladed melee weapons similar to [[human]] battleaxes known as [[Choppa]]s. A few scraps of [[Flak Armour]] or the Ork equivalent and a shoulder or back plate with the Ork's klan or personal insignia make up the poorly maintained armour of a Slugga Boy. |
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| + | Slugga Boyz are the most common and typical Ork warriors, and represent what the average Imperial human thinks of when they imagine an Ork. Slugga Boyz are anarchic brutes who love nothing more than a good fight, often leaving a horrific mess of whatever they attack on the battlefield. A Slugga Boy Mob consists of 10 to 30 Slugga Boyz which may include a Nob as the leader or the equivalent of a "non-commissioned officer." For every ten Orks in the Mob one might be armed with either a [[Big Shoota]] or a [[Rokkit Launcha]]. |
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| − | Other castes include [[Painboy]]z who heal Orks wounded in battle and Runtherdz (later renamed 'Slaverz') who direct the efforts of [[Gretchin]] (or 'Grotz'), the smaller and smarter (this not being too difficult) servant caste equivalent to goblins. ''Waagh da Orks'' also informs us of the existence of more specialised castes such as Diggaboyz, Yellerz and Brewerz; however, as the game became more combat-oriented, these were never mentioned again. Even ''Waagh da Orks'' gives no information on them other than their bare existence; it may be assumed that when the Orks go to war, these castes fight as ordinary, shoota-armed Boyz. |
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| − | [[File:Kurguz_the_Marauder.jpg|thumb|250px|A contemporary portrayal of Orks]] |
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| − | As the game evolved, some of the clunkier (if more flavour-filled) rules regarding Orks were dropped, though their culture remained much the same. For example, '''Ere we Go'' contains several pages of rules for mobs (i.e., squads) of Madboyz, Orks whom even other Orks consider maladjusted. (It should be noted that an average Ork would be considered dangerously aggressive to the point of insanity in a human society). The Madboyz change their behaviour unpredictably according to dice rolls whenever conditions change, for example, when an enemy unit charges into combat with them. A roll is first made to determine which subset of behaviour is going to apply, such as 'Skitzo' and 'Manik', then another roll is made to see how this overall insanity manifests. The results vary from charging the closest enemy, with bonuses to their combat attributes ("Waargh! Dat makes me mad!") to phobic avoidance of all vehicles, even ones on their own side ("Urr! Keep dem wurrin' teknikol bitz away!") While often very amusing, this was highly time-consuming, and dropped in the later editions, which were streamlined for combat. |
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| + | ==Shoota Boyz== |
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| − | The main background change lies in their method of reproduction. According to ''Waagh da Orks'', Orks are born to feral enclaves as Wildboyz. They are then recruited into warbands and fight for a while with primitive weapons such as spears, before being recruited into a Boyz Mob and being given their first gun. If they survive the ensuing ten or twenty years of warfare, they become overwhelmed with the urge to go off 'lookin' fer sumfink' and wander back to their enclaves to breed, developing sexual characteristics on the way. In newer editions, however, adult Orks are constantly giving off spores which lie in the ground, often for years, waiting to develop into Orks or Gretchin. Thus a world invaded by Orks will be troubled by them for hundreds of years to come, even if the original assault is beaten off. |
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| + | [[File:EvilSunzShootaBoyz.jpg|thumb|250px|Shoota Boyz of the [[Evil Sunz]] klan.]] |
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| + | Shoota Boyz are those Orks who prefer the "shooty" side of combat and serve solely as ranged infantry with no melee component like the standard Slugga Boyz. A Shoota Boy's prized possession is his ballistic, solid-shot automatic rifle or [[Shoota]], from which he takes his name. |
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| + | Despite their love of ranged combat and firearms, Shoota Boyz have no appreciation for marksmanship, and are more addicted to the violent noise and heavy recoil of automatic gunfire. This is psychologically due to the Ork belief that a firearm will not cause any real damage to the enemy unless it makes a loud, terrifying noise. A Shoota Boyz Mob consists of 10 to 30 Shoota Boyz which may include a Nob. For every ten Orks in the Mob one might be armed with either a Big Shoota or a Rokkit Launcha. |
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| − | The beginning of the Orks has also been changed with the arrival of the 3rd Edition of Codex: Necrons. Here a [[xenos]] species called the Krork is described as a hardy green-skinned race, created by the [[Old Ones]] to defend their last strongholds against [[Warp]]-spawned horrors like the [[Enslavers]]. The [[C'tan]] called the [[Deceiver]] once expressed its surprise that Mankind and the Krork had spread across the galaxy. Since humanity and the Orks are the most numerous races in the ''Warhammer 40,000'' universe, the connection is obvious. |
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| + | ==Stikk Bommas== |
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| − | Ork weaponry is built by the [[Mekboy]]z or Mekanikz, as well as being captured from enemies or delivered as tribute. It is intentionally portrayed as being rather Rube-Goldberg-ish, often steam-driven and with clunky, early-industrial driving belts and ad-hoc armor and extraneous bells, whistles, and gongs. It is often based on teleporter and force-field technology, which the robust Ork physiology can use more easily than humans; a weapon found in '' 'Ere we Go'', for instance, is the Snotling Teleport Gun (also known as the Shokk Attack Gun). [[Snotlings]] are a tiny, Orkoid race even smaller than Gretchin and less bright than Orks, thus they are not usually of much use in combat. The weapon sends the Snotlings through a tunnel through a daemon-infested alternate dimension know as [[the Warp]]. The horrors the Snotlings experience drive them mad, and they emerge inside enemy power armor or vehicles as a biting, scratching mass. The Teleport Gun suffered from severe inaccuracy, but could be quite effective when it did hit. However, the rules for it were very complex, and it was removed from later editions. |
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| + | Stikk Bommas are those Orks so intellectually gifted that they know which part of a grenade is thrown once the pin is removed. For this reason they are equipped with [[Stikkbombz]] (grenades of Greenskin manufacture) but otherwise they are effectively identical to the standard Slugga Boyz. |
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| + | A Stikk Bommas Mob consists of 10 to 30 Stikk Bommas which may include a Nob. Ork Stikk Bommas are similar to Slugga Boyz in that they are combat oriented. While they are less well-armed than Slugga Boyz, they carry Stikkbombs which allow them to take on opponents in cover and light armoured vehicles much more effectively than basic Slugga Boyz. |
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| − | In their current incarnation, Orks are very much a close-combat-optimised species, their weapons having short range and low accuracy - though this can sometimes be made up by sheer numbers. Orks are quite cheap in terms of in-game points, that is, it is possible to build a very large army, colloquially known as a 'sea of green' or 'green tide' from the skin colour. This is often necessary, since the effectiveness of an individual Ork at any but the shortest range is small, and the Ork commander must be prepared to absorb considerable casualties in his effort to close in for axe ('choppa') work. This is in contrast to their earlier editions, where the large number of fun, but inaccurate weapons and special rules could easily make them rather unfocused, a jack-of-all-trades army but master of none. Some have accused the designers of regarding the Orks more as comic relief than as a serious army, and being more concerned with the flavour than the effect of weapons designed for them. If so, they have reined in their imaginations considerably where Orks are concerned, drawing the race more into line with the overall gritty feel of WH40K. |
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| − | == |
+ | =='Ardboyz== |
| − | [[File: |
+ | [[File:ArdBoy.png|thumb|250px|An [[Ork]] [['Ardboy]] armed with a [[Choppa]].]] |
| − | [[File: |
+ | [[File:ArdboyinEavyArmour.jpg|thumb|250px|An [[Ork]] [['Ardboy]] in [['Eavy Armour]] outfitted with [[Shoota]] and [[Choppa]].]] |
| + | [['Ardboy]]z are the heavily-armoured standard Ork infantry who fulfill the same tactical role as the basic Slugga Boyz but can take a great deal more punishment. 'Aedboyz outfit themselves in thick scrap metal plates that they've scavenged and that is known as [['Eavy Armour]]. Despite poor maintenance, the result is a suit of armour than can withstand most small arms fire. |
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| − | Orks are green-skinned, a side effect of their symbiotic relationship with fungi. Orks were genetically-engineered for combat, and quite efficiently so. They are extremely strong, and their squat bodies can withstand immense punishment. This is fortunate since the Painboyz operate on a generally nineteenth-century level of surgical knowledge; unlike humans, though, Orks are quite capable of being beheaded, having the head sewn onto a different body, and surviving the experience to fight again. |
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| + | 'Ard Boyz are equipped with either Sluggas and Choppas or Shootas and can also equip Stikkbombz. An 'Ard Boyz Mob consists of 10 to 30 'Ard Boyz which may include a Nob. For every ten Orks in the Mob one might be armed with either a Big Shoota or a Rokkit Launcha. |
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| − | They eat fungi of all kinds as well as meat. A particularly favoured ingredient in their diet are [[Squigs]], short for 'Squiggly beasts' — a variety of symbiotic races about the size of a cat but legless. In earlier editions, squigs were said to be a form of Tyranid with Ork genes. These include the 'Eatin Squig', a limbless blob which feeds on fungus, the 'Growler squig', a legged variety used as a sheepdog for Gretchin (in third and fourth editions referred to as a 'Squighound' and available as an item of wargear), the 'Attack Squig' a powerfully voracious little beast available as an item of wargear, and the 'Face-eater Squig', a ferociously toothed variety used both as a weapon and for entries in face-eating contests. (The Ork and the Squig both open their mouths and bite, in a parody of a kiss. If the Ork eats the Squig, he wins. If he keels over backwards, he loses.) There is also a larger sub-species of squig, called a 'squiggoth' that ranges in size from about that of an elephant to a 60-plus-foot monstrosity capable of stomping buildings into rubble. Squiggoths are used as pack animals and in combat as the carriers of mobile fortresses. |
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| + | Only veteran Ork Boyz who have managed to survive many battles and slaughtered many foes have the chance to scavenge sufficient materials to build or purchase 'Eavy Armour. This also means that 'Ardboyz are excellent scavengers even for Greenskins. |
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| − | Orks grow all through their lives; the effect is particularly notable in successful Orks. As the Ork survives combats and wins trophies, the respect of other Orks will produce in him an effect somewhat similar to adolescence in the human male: He puts on muscle, becomes more aggressive and assertive, and generally throws his weight around. If he wins the ensuing challenges to single combat, he may become a '''Nob''', a leader of Orks, noticeably larger and tougher than the average. Once he begins to grow, an Ork will generally keep getting bigger and stronger until he is beaten by a bigger or more cunning Ork. '''Warbosses''' and '''Warlords''', the rulers of continents and empires, are very large Orks indeed, often standing three metres tall or higher. |
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| − | Ghazghkull himself is a towering 6 meters in height. |
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| − | ===The WAAAGH!=== |
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| − | [[File:Ork_Warboss.jpg|200px|thumb|A mighty Ork [[Warboss]] gathering a WAAAGH! of Greenskins]] |
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| + | 'Ard Boyz usually spearhead Ork advances as their increased durability allows them to survive heavy fire fights with barely a scratch. Mobs of 'Ardboyz retain all the tactical versatility of standard Ork Mobs, thus being able to fill the roles of Shoota Boy Mobs or Slugga Boy Mobs, but usually serve in the latter tactical role, as their armour proves more useful when close to the enemy. |
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| − | Barbaric and savage, the Greenskins spread across the galaxy like a viridian stain. They plague the battlefields of the 41st Millennium in great numbers, overruning any who stand before them in a torrent of bloodshed and usually mindless violence. And that's the way they like it! |
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| + | In the hierarchy of an Ork klan or tribe, 'Ard Boyz tend to hold a position just below Nobs (though given the unpredictability and flexibility of Orks this is not a hard rule). More techno-hesitant Ork klanz (such as the [[Snakebites]]) tend to look down upon 'Ard Boyz, seeing their love for heavy armour as a sign of weakness and cowardice. 'Ard Boyz are more frequent among the [[Bad Moons]] and [[Deathskulls]] klanz, as both tend to be naturally wealthy or streetwise enough to gather the materials for the armour. |
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| − | Ork behavior is dominated by the WAAAGH!, a gestalt psychic field they generate that affects the Ork psyche, which allows Orks to instinctively recognize who is "bigga", and therefore who is in charge, since might makes right in Ork society. All Orks generate this field, and it grows stronger as the Orks enjoy themselves, generally while fighting. The WAAAGH! helps give momentum to the Orks' planetary assault campaigns, which are also known as WAAAGHs! (the Orks like to call a lot of things WAAAGH!s). Such a WAAAGH! is a cross between a holy crusade and a pub crawl, with a bit of genocide thrown in for good measure. Thousands of Orks will gather together, drawn to the power of a single dominant Ork called a [[Warboss]] or [[Warlord]] if the WAAAAGH! is particularly massive, who is bigger and more intelligent than the Orks around him. Then the Orks will set off to find an enemy to fight and defeat. Ork WAAAGHs! will sweep whole planetary systems away and destroy armies and fleets in tides of bloodlust and carnage, and only once the Orks have killed every available enemy will they start to fight amongst themselves again. |
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| + | 'Ardboyz almost always grow arrogant and laugh at the casualties incurred by their less well-armoured comrades, who in turn call them "walking magnets" (referring to their attitude to pick up scraps for their armour as they proceed even when in combat), but only when those comments won't be heard by the 'Ardboyz in question. |
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| − | The [[Imperium of Man]]'s [[Tech-priest]]s have theorized that this gestalt psychic field also has a telekinetic or quantum probabilistic effect, allowing the seemingly ramshackle and poorly designed Ork technology to work as the Greenskins expect. It is believed that the reason this hypothesis came into existence is that the Imperium adopted the [[Adeptus Mechanicus]]' religious belief that aspects of a universal "[[Machine Spirit]]" inhabits all technology, and that this Machine Spirit serves [[Mankind]] at the command of the [[Machine God]]. If this is the case, without a Machine Spirit, Ork machines could not work, requiring some psychic cause to justify their often devastating effect. Furthermore, Mechanicus Genetor Lukas Anzion has noted that many Ork-built weapons will not function at all unless wielded by an Orkoid, possibly supporting this hypothesis. |
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| − | ====Gathering the WAAAGH!==== |
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| ⚫ | Although a standard Ork Boy's genetically-encoded knowledge base allows him to keep his weapons in working order, there is always a need for specialists who can do things most Greenskins can't. These "[[Oddboy]]z" develop genetically-encoded instinctive knowledge that is useful for specific tasks. Oddboyz include the following specialists among their ranks. |
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| − | [[File:WAAAGH!Garaghak.jpg|thumb|300px|WAAAGH! Garaghak, an example of the formation of an Ork WAAAGH!]] |
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| − | First and foremost amongst all of the Orkoid instincts is the literal need for an Ork to wage war. Orks need war just as a human or [[Eldar]] needs food and water and over the long millennia of their existence the Greenskins have become very, very good at it. Due to their inherently aggressive nature, Orks constantly fight amongst themselves to prove who is the strongest, sharpening their in-born warrior skills and weeding out the weak, though this process usually poses little threat to the larger galaxy. However, Ork populations can reach a form of critical mass that can unleash a full-scale interstellar migration of Greenskins. This violent migration and the planetary assaults that result from it is what Imperial savants refer to as a WAAAGH!, a crusade of pure aggression that crashes through multiple star systems in an absolute orgy of fury and violence. |
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| − | A WAAAGH! usually starts small, perhaps even as small as a single Ork, who is visited by the Orkoid deities [[Gork and Mork]] with dreams of great carnage. He will impart this vision to others of his kind through repeated blows to the head, or, if he is of a more intellectual bent, he will build a great Ork war machine like a [[Gargant]] that is the very image of his savage Gods. Rumours of the coming WAAAGH! will spread through the local Orkoid society and the Orks begin to unite. New warbands join the growing throng with every passing day. An Ork [[Warboss]] will fight his way to the top of the hierarchy of this growing Greenskin horde and earn the status of a [[Warlord]], adding the armies of those clanz he conquers to his own horde. As news of his new position spreads, the trickle of Ork reinforcements will grow into a green flood. Ork [[Mekboyz|Meks]] will begin to collaborate on more and more outlandish projects, building ever larger war machines and weapons for the WAAAGH! Smoke-belching mobile fortresses and titanic war engines are cobbled together out of nothing more than heaps of scrap metal and the always heavy-handed enthusiasm of the Greenskins, another side-effect of the growing gestalt psychic energy of a WAAAGH! |
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| ⚫ | [[Painboy]]z, known also as "Mad Doks" or "Doks", are responsible for fixing injuries even the highly regenerative Ork physiology cannot repair, such as severed limbs and brain damage. They use "Stabby Bits" as their medical tools. An Ork will only go to a Painboy when he has no other choice, as these Oddboyz are infamous for trying out experimental procedures (such as the greatly feared [[Squig]] brain transplant) on patients while they are under anesthesia (known as a "concussion" to other intelligent races). |
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| + | Painboyz are responsible for attaching crude [[bionics]] to Ork patients that have been created by the [[Mekboyz]], although sometimes they are not paying attention and replace the wrong part of the patient's body. This is often distressing to a patient who is the lucky recipient of an exploding leg, especially if it was his arm that needed attention. |
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| − | Whilst these masterworks of destruction take form, even more Greenskins are drawn towards the horde by the impending promise of these massive war engines' use and the exciting carnage they will reap. Most of the Ork [[Boyz]] of the horde simply relish the chance to get into a really good fight. But those amongst their number who dream of becoming part of a truly awesome vista of destruction often choose the roles of crewmen and gunners on mobile Battle Fortresses and [[Stompa]]s. There is always a great deal of continued rivalry between the clanz and tribes of a WAAAGH! and each strives to outdo all the others in the sheer "killyness" of their war machines. Those Meks without the resources to construct towering Stompas or [[Gargant]]s, the Ork equivalents of Imperial [[Titans]], instead create mobs of [[Killa Kan]]s and Ork [[Dreadnought]]s, banding their creations together to form armies of mechanical savages that dwarf the mobs they march beside in size and power. Others build the fleets of [[Fighta]]s, [[Fighta-Bommer]]z and [[Bommer]]z that are laden with gunz and bombs that will assault their foes from the air once the battle begins. |
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| + | High-ranking Painboyz are called "Painbosses" and are known to be accompanied by [[Cybork]] bodyguards. Orks are surprisingly resilient and have had arms, legs and even heads swapped around and the Ork in question has survived to tell the tale! |
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| − | Those Greenskins that do not aid in the construction of the WAAAGH!'s war machines seek out like-minded fellow Orks who fight in the manner that most appeals to them. The Orks call these groups Kults, of which the vehicle-obsessed [[Kult of Speed]] is the most widespread and well-recognized in the Imperium, though by no means the only Kult that exists in Ork society. The [[Stormboy]]z and [[Flash Gitz]] also represent Kults, while those Orks who are unusually sensitive to the growing pool of gestalt psychic energy surrounding a gathering WAAAGH! may become [[Madboyz]]. Hundreds of other Ork Warbosses will add their own armies to the cause of a new WAAAGH! as the Greenskin assault begins to spread across whole star systems rather than just a single world. Entire native planetary populations are forced into slavery to their new Greenskin masters to manufacture ammunition for the horde's guns and other materiel that the WAAAGH! requires. Crude factory-ships and war hulks are bashed together to produce further transports for the horde, while a truly large WAAAGH! may ultimately infest a Space Hulk to move from world to world or even hollow out asteroids and create the massive spaceborne Ork fortresses known as [[Rok]]s. When the lure of battle can no longer be resisted, the WAAAGH!'s savagery reaches a fever pitch that can no longer be contained save by the spilling of blood in vast quantities. |
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| − | The Orks who launch a WAAAGH! generally have little in the way of a coherent combat doctrine like the other major intelligent species of the galaxy. Their only goal is destruction and mayhem in as large a quantity as they can muster. The Orks are a plague upon the other civilisations of the universe, a race of genetically-engineered bioweapons whose true purpose was lost eons ago but who still carry on the fight -- against anyone, at anytime -- for no reason other than their own joy in destruction and slaughter. Once an Ork WAAAGH! has gathered, with one almighty bellow to the heavens from millions of Ork throats, another world will be plunged into unending war beneath a surging greenskinned tide. |
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| + | [[File:Mekboy_Roge_Trader_RPG.jpg|thumb|250px|An [[Ork]] Mekboy]] |
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| + | A [[Mekboy]], known also as a "Mekaniak" or simply as a "Mek", is a type of Oddboy who serves as one of the engineers and technicians who build all the weapons, vehicles, and other advanced technology used by the Greenskins. Mekboyz are especially important to Ork [[Speed Freeks]], as they maintain the prodigious amount of bikes and vehicles used by Ork warbands. |
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| + | The most important and skilled Mekboyz are known as "Big Meks," who lead groups of lesser Mekboyz armed with a wide variety of Greenskin kustom equipment and [[Combi-weapons|Kombi-Weapons]], sometimes including even full warbands or whole [[WAAAGH!|WAAAGHs!]] armed with a large amount of less-than-conventional Ork weaponry. |
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| − | ==Biology== |
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| − | [[File:OrkBoy1.jpg|thumb|252px|An Ork Boy holding a grim trophy; the head of an unfortunate Imperial Guardsman of the [[Maccabian Janissaries]]]] |
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| − | Orks consists of two symbiotic organisms: one comparable to a terrestrial animal and the other to an alga or fungus living in the first's bloodstream. The animal cells carry the genetic information of only the individual's subspecies, but the alga has genetic information for all the varieties of Orkoid, as well as the different Oddboyz. The alga also helps heal wounds quickly. Ork biology lends itself well to combat: they are extraordinarily strong and tough and are naturally good fighters, always looking for a scrap. |
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| + | A Big Mek's mastery of technology is unsurpassed amongst the Orkoid races and a Big Mek is often seen generating a "Kustom Force Field" around himself that protects his person and his creations. A Big Mek who becomes the leader of a Greenskin WAAAGH! will be known as a "Mek-Boss." |
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| − | There are two theories relating to why Orks have this unique biology. The first is that they were adapted by their masters, a race referred to in Ork legends as "Brain Boyz;" theorized by Imperial scientists to be the ancestors to the [[Snotling]]s, the Brain Boyz were a race that soared to intelligence upon eating a particular species of mushroom and spread across the galaxy with the help of their less intelligent Ork slaves, but whose empire fell apart when the Orks consumed all traces of the mushroom which only grew on their home planet. Before the Brain Boyz regressed into the permanently juvenile Snotlings, they genetically engineered the Orks' DNA to include a 'techno gene'. This gene develops in Orks as they grow, influencing their minds and releasing encoded knowledge; in a similar way that a human baby will reflexively hold its breath under water or a horse can walk half an hour after being born, an Ork's techno gene gives it information on how to fight, operate weapons, and speak his language. Ork specialists, such as Mekboyz and Painboyz, are the mechanics and surgeons of Ork society, and receive their knowledge through these techno genes. It seems this was a deliberate measure to ensure that the Orkoid race would survive in a hostile universe. |
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| − | The more modern theory is that Brain Boyz were the Old Ones, and the Orks are the descendants of the green-skinned '''Krork''', created as a survivor race by the Old Ones in their wars against the Necrontyr. The fact that an entire Orkoid ecosystem can be constructed from the mere presence of but a single Ork, and their general state of total war-readiness, suggests that this is the more likely of the two. |
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| + | Though the majority of Orks will never venture far from their tribe or klan, there are those strange few who are driven to explore, compelled to do so even in preference to fighting. Such pioneers will seek out the deepest jungles or most arid deserts, where most creatures would struggle to survive at all. Should they endure and multiply, it is common for these remote Ork tribes to degenerate into savages, sometimes known as "Wildboyz." |
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| + | After a time, some of these groups will seek out and return to their parent warband. There they learn about Ork kultur and take their place in the warrior society, exchanging stone spear and axe for Slugga and Choppa. However, should the new tribe emerge on a world where their technologically advanced Ork ancestors have been driven off or slain, the Wildboyz will instead develop into a tribe of [[Feral Ork]]s. |
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| − | ===Reproduction=== |
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| − | Orks have not only survived, they have prospered and are more numerous than humanity. This at least is due in part to how they reproduce. Orks reproduce through the release of spores, which grow into a plant-like womb underground that nourishes the bodies of the various Orkoid species. This is the entire basis of the Orkoid ecosystem, producing first Squigs, then Snotlings who cultivate the Squigs and fungus, then Gretchin to build the settlements, and finally the Orks themselves. This means the orks, where ever they go, will have an abundance of food, slaves and other resources, a moving ecosystem that supports them as they go on their Waaaghs!. |
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| + | At first, Feral Ork tribes pose little threat to the planet they infest. They are uncivilised, even by the low standards of their Ork brethren, and live by the old Neolithic ways of hunting and exploring. As the tribe increases in size they breed ever-larger varieties of [[Squig]], riding around upon great tusked beasts that vary in size from that of a horse to that of a [[Baneblade]]. |
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| − | This also makes it extremely difficult to rid a planet of Orks, even if the initial invasion is defeated. Orks release spores throughout their lives, but release them particularly at the moment of death; to prevent this you must decapitate them shortly after killing them, and then burn their bodies and heads. Without a nearby population of Orks, the fungus will eventually start the Ork life cycle anew. Decades after weathering an Ork Waaagh! settlements on a planet can find themselves faced with an unexpected attack from feral Ork tribes coming out of the wilderness. |
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| + | Through constant conflict and strife with one another, eventually, the Wildboy enclave will mature into a fully-fledged and technologically-capable warband in its own right, only to spawn wandering Wildboyz of its own. |
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| − | ===Orkoid Subspecies=== |
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| − | [[Gretchin]] are the Orks' slaves. Small, grasping, green creatures with the overall demeanour of a whipped dog, gretchin are at the wrong end of everything, including the food chain. Gretchin are used to clear minefields, distract the enemy in combat, assist Oddboyz and act as a living carpet for larger Orks to cross difficult ground. They are overall similar to the [[Warhammer Fantasy]] goblins. In ''Gorkamorka'', it was revealed that snotlings are actually young gretchin. They originally were used in swarms like in Warhammer Fantasy and could even be fired out of a shokk attack gun, but have vanished from 41st-Millennium battlefields with the advent of the 3rd Edition. |
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| + | ===Speed Freeks=== |
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| − | More unusual are the squigs. Squigs are animals that share the same general algae based biology of the orks and gretchin, and are used as food, clothing, hair, and even weapons, being trained as guard squigs and attack squigs. |
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| + | [[File:Blood_Rippaz_Truk_Boyz.jpg|thumb|250px|A group of [[Speed Freeks]] in battle on a [[Wartrukk]].]] |
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| + | [[Speed Freeks]] are those Orks who become addicted to the sensation of speed. These speed-obsessed Greenskins band together in their own Mobs and warbands, which are full of buggies, bikes, and trukks. They belong to what Ork kultur refers to as the "[[Kult of Speed]]" and become members of the Speed Freeks. Speed Freeks tend to be found predominantly among the members of the [[Evil Sunz]] klan. |
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| + | These grinning Greenskin loons roar into battle on exhaust-belching jalopies and crude but effective flying machines, intent on getting into the thick of the fighting before their ground-pounding comrades. Most vehicles used by Speed Freeks are painted red as, according to Ork superstition, "Da red wunz go fasta!" |
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| − | In the first and second editions of the game, squigs were the result of [[Tyranid]] manipulation of Orkish gene-matter and could be present in either army. Orks were said to have discovered the first squigs aboard a Tyranid bio-ship and recognised them as being "Orky", subsequently taking the little creatures home. Squigs then spread throughout Ork space. However, since this conflicts with the more recent descriptions of the Orkoid ecosystem, this has been dropped. Squigs are now exclusively orky, with ripper swarms replacing them in the tyranid list. |
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| + | Due to the large number of vehicles in each Speed Freeks warband, they often have several of the Oddboyz known as Meks amongst their number to keep their vehicles running efficiently. Sometimes a warband of Speed Freeks is even led by a Big Mek instead of a true [[Warboss]]. |
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| − | *'''Mekboyz''' - [[Mekboyz]], known also as a "Mekaniak" or simply, as a "Mek" is a type of [[Oddboy]] who serves as one of the engineers who build all the weapons, vehicles, and other advanced technology used by the Greenskins. Mekboyz are especially important to Ork [[Speed Freeks]], as they maintain the prodigious amount of bikes and vehicles used by Ork warbands. The most important and skilled Mekboyz are known as "Big Meks," who lead groups of lesser Mekboyz armed with a wide variety of Greenskin kustom equipment and Kombi-Weapons, sometimes including even full warbands or whole [[WAAAGH!|WAAAGHs!]] armed with a large amount of less-than-conventional Ork weaponry. A Big Mek's mastery of technology is unsurpassed amongst the Orkoid races and a Big Mek is often seen generating a "Kustom Force Field" around himself that protects his person and his creations. A Big Mek who becomes the leader of a Greenskin WAAAGH! will be known as a "Mek-Boss." Important meks are known as "[[Big Meks]]", who lead groups of lesser meks armed with all variety of kustom equipment and [[Combi-weapons]]. |
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| − | *'''Wildboyz''' - Though the majority of Orks will never venture far from their tribe, there are those strange few who are driven to explore, compelled to do so even in preference to fighting. Such pioneers will seek out the deepest jungles or most arid deserts, where most creatures would struggle to survive at all. Should they endure and multiply, it is common for these remote Ork tribes to degenerate into savages, sometimes known as Wildboyz. After a time, some of these groups will seek out and return to their parent warband. There they learn about Ork kultur and take their place in the warrior society, exchanging spear and axe for slugga and choppa. However, should the new tribe emerge on a world where their Ork ancestors have been driven off or slain, the Wildboyz will instead develop into a tribe of [[Feral Ork]]s. At first, Feral Ork tribes pose little threat to the planet they infest. They are uncivilised, even by the low standards of their Ork brethren, and live by the old ways of hunting and exploring. As the tribe increases in size they breed ever-larger varieties of squig, riding around upon great tusked beasts that vary in size from that of a horse to that of a [[Baneblade]]. Through constant conflict and strife with one another, eventually, the Wildboy enclave will mature into a fully-fledged and technologically capable warband in its own right, only to spawn wandering Wildboyz of its own. |
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| + | ===Warbikers=== |
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| − | [[File: |
+ | [[File:Warbikers.jpg|thumb|250px|A pair of Ork Bikers riding their [[Warbike]]s.]] |
| + | The [[Warbike]] of an Ork Warbiker is his own individualised steed. Massive [[twin-linked]] [[Big Shoota]]s called [[Dakkagun]]s are mounted upon the front of the Warbike. |
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| − | *'''Speed Freeks''' - [[Speed Freeks]] are those Orks who who become addicted to the sensation of speed. These speed-obsessed Greenskins band together in their own mobs and warbands, which are full of buggies, bikes, and trukks. They belong to what Ork kultur refers to as the [[Kult of Speed]] and become members of the Speed Freeks. These grinning loons roar into battle on exhaust-belching jalopies and crude but effective flying machines, intent on getting into the thick of the fighting before their ground-pounding comrades. Most vehicles used by Speed Freeks are painted red as, according to Ork superstition, "Da red wunz go fasta!" Due to the large number of vehicles in each warband, they often have several of the Oddboyz known as Meks amongst their number to keep their vehicles running. Sometimes a warband of Speed Freeks is even led by a Big Mek instead of a Warboss. |
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| − | [[File:Azgar_Brain_Busta_-_Ork_Weirdboy.jpg|thumb|210px|An Ork [[Weirdboy]]]] |
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| − | *'''Weirdboyz''' - [[Weirdboyz]] are the Orks' [[psykers]]. One major difference between them and the psykers of other races is that Weirdboyz draw on the power of the WAAAGH! instead of the power of the [[The Warp|Warp]], a dangerous realm full of daemons, where the other intelligent races' psykers draw their powers. However, the Waaagh! has its own perils for Ork Weirdboyz: if they soak up too much of this power, their heads explode, causing a powerful psychic backlash that can cause other Orks' heads to explode as well. Naturally, Weirdboyz avoid combat as much as possible, but the ability to gout green flame capable of melting armour and shoot bolts of lightning is too great for most warbosses to resist, and they get dragged into combat anyway. Some Weirdboyz actually become addicted to the power and seek out battles; these exceptionally dangerous individuals are known as '''Warpheads'''. |
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| + | The oil and [[promethium]] each Warbike consumes sends great clouds of smoky exhaust fumes out in pillars behind its wheels. Boyz who enjoy riding Warbikes are often also members of the Speed Freek kults who get an enormous adrenaline hit from riding their Bikes into combat as fast as possible. |
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| + | Warbikers are armed with Sluggas and Choppas and operate in Mobs of 3 to 12, which may include a Nob or even sometimes a Warboss at their head. |
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| − | ==Society== |
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| − | Orks gather into various levels of organization. The first is the '''mob''', a squad-level unit of Orks with similar ideas of how to act on the battlefield, generally led by a '''Nob''' (short for "noble," but pronounced "knob"). A number of mobs will gather together into a '''warband''', which is roughly equivalent to an [[Imperial Guard (Warhammer 40,000 army)|Imperial Guard]] company (although with a greater variation in size), led by a warboss. The largest organizational unit is the '''tribe''', a group of numerous warbands all under the command of a warboss. Different tribes can be united by a powerful warlord when he raises a Waaagh!. |
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| − | === |
+ | ===Flyboyz=== |
| + | [[File:Flyboy.jpg|thumb|250px|An [[Ork]] Flyboy and his [[Gretchin]] gunner in a [[Fighta-Bommer]].]] |
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| − | The Orks speak the same language that most humans do although due to possessing tusks they can't pronounce words in the same way as humans do, for one they seem unable to voice some letters, such as h. Therefore, they pronounce words such as hunter "'Unter", head "'Ead", and so forth. Their speech seems largely based off an English 'cockney' accent, although it is important to note that English is only used to represent the Imperial language so we can understand it and that humans actually speak Low Gothic and High Gothic which are descended from today's languages but almost certainly unintelligible to us. In the games 2nd edition (and repeated with additions and modifications in the game Gorkamorka) the orks have a runic/glyphic language, with simple symbols used to carry the meaning of certain words (generally battlefield/mechanical concepts) with glyphs capable of spelling words without a specific symbol. While this has not been carried into the 3rd edition codex, your average ork warband will still be covered in these glyphs, often painted in clan colours. |
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| + | Flyboyz are Ork pilots who are actually a sub-cult of the Speed Freeks and have been determined to be an unstable part of a klan that that holds an irrational desire to fly. This marks them as very different from most Orks, who prefer to have their feet firmly planted on the ground. |
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| + | Flyboyz are also not satisfied with the speed of ground-based vehicles and thus take to the air as part of their own Speed Freek quest for greater exhilaration at breakneck speeds. They are often seen in states of manic euphoria as a result of their search for greater speed as well as their reckless attacks and dive bombing, which seemingly have an effect on their brain pattern. |
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| − | Orks believe in two gods - [[Gork and Mork]]- Gork being the god of cunning brutality; and Mork being the god of brutal cunning (the subtle distinction being that one hits you when you're not looking at him, the other hits you hard when you are). Orks can't agree which god plays which role, and debates about this topic often erupt into fighting. They have no real priesthood, although the infamous Goff Warlord Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka claims to be receiving visions from them. In earlier versions a third god, Bork, appeared, but has since been dropped. Orks generally tend to distinguish between Gork and Mork as one being mean, and the other being meaner. Some divisions lie in determining who is meaner; another factor preventing Orks from being united. |
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| + | This has resulted in many Orks seeing Flyboyz as just a different form of Madboy. As a result, most Flyboyz live in a state of semi-exile from their klan or tribe's hierarchy, which means they mostly associate with other Flyboyz. The only other contact they usually have with other Greenskins is [[Gretchin]] slaves and the Meks who maintain their aircraft. |
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| − | Orks use their teeth ("teef") as currency. This is quite a natural solution to inflation and income support, as orks go through teef in a similar manner to sharks, replacing them quite frequently, and they degrade over time, so it is impossible to hoard them. This keeps prices constant, ensures all orks have access to money, and allows constant values to be placed on commodities. A toof will buy a good squig pie and a tankard of fungus beer, while a bag of teef will buy a cheap buggy. A big flash battlewagon could cost a warboss hundreds of teef. |
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| + | As is typical among Speed Freeks, Flyboyz hail predominantly from the [[Evil Sunz]] klan. |
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| − | ===Ork Clanz=== |
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| − | Ork clanz are not communities but rather philosophical delineations of the different varieties of Ork. Each has its own colors, markings, and ways of waging war. Orks tend to form warbands with others who follow the same clan, but different groups tend to be lumped together after suffering casualties during a Waaagh!. There are six famous clans: |
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| − | === |
+ | ===Weirdboyz=== |
| − | [[File: |
+ | [[File:Azgar_Brain_Busta_-_Ork_Weirdboy.jpg|thumb|250px|An Ork [[Weirdboy]].]] |
| + | [[Weirdboyz]] are the Orks' [[psykers]]. One major difference between them and the psykers of the other intelligent species of the galaxy is that Weirdboyz draw on the gestalt psychic power generated by the Ork [[WAAAGH!]] instead of directly upon the psychic energies of the [[Warp]]. |
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| − | The [[Bad Moons]] are a powerful and very wealthy [[Ork]] tribe or "klan". The Bad Moons are the richest of all the Ork klanz. This is because their teeth grow faster than anyone else's, meaning that even the lowliest Bad Moon Ork has a steady supply of wealth. This is not regarded as an unfair advantage, as any Ork who is big and ferocious enough can simply smash the teeth out of a Bad Moons' head. In fact, many Ork Warbosses like to keep a mob of Bad Moons around for just this purpose, their toothy gobs a ready supply of extra teef. It's often not a terrible deal for the Bad Moons either, as any Ork tough enough to beat their teeth out of them is usually one worth following into a fight. The Bad Moons essentially fulfill the role of a merchant caste in what passes for Ork society, and have a reputation for showing off. They are always continuously buying, selling, swapping, and conning to get teeth. The highest ranking amongst them wear garishly decorated war banners on their backs and the richest openly flaunt their wealth by wearing necklaces of teeth. These Orks prefer a posh and refined lifestyle, at least by Ork standards. Instead of rushing in to melee combat immediately like many of their brethren, they sometimes hang well back, firing their deadly [[Snazzgun]]s into the fray while their mobs of Gretchin slaves wade into the enemy ranks to do the dirty work, with tooth and claw and [[Choppa]]. |
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| + | However, the WAAAGH! has its own perils for Ork Weirdboyz: if they soak up too much of this power, their heads explode, causing a powerful psychic backlash that can cause other Orks' heads to explode as well. |
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| − | ====Blood Axes==== |
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| − | [[File:Blood_Axes_Icon.png|thumb|[[Blood Axes]] klan sigil]] |
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| − | The [[Blood Axes]] are an [[Ork]] tribe or "klan" that has actually been known to work alongside the forces of the Imperium on occasion. The Blood Axes are held by the other Ork clans to be a bunch of untrustworthy gits. They trade openly with the [[Imperium of Man]], parley with the foe and will even consider retreating from battle if faced with insurmountable odds. Perhaps once intended to make the Blood Axes natural leaders, these qualities have instead earned them a reputation among other Greenskins as little more than treacherous scumbags. In fact, most of the Blood Axes' reputation is undeserved. True, they have made the most contact with the forces of the Imperium, occasionally fighting as mercenaries and making extensive use of Imperial war materiel, but then every Ork can see the funny side of extorting weapons from human planets only to use them against their former owners. Considered untrustworthy by their fellow Orks due to their peculiar ways, these Orks put a greater emphasis on "cunning and tactics" than on the typical brute force approach favoured by other Greenskins. It doesn't help the Blood Axes' reputation among the tribes that a lot of their young Orks end up in the [[Stormboy]]z. These odd Ork formations are a place where a young Ork can rebel against the anarchy of Ork society by following orders, conducting precise military drills and polishing their boots. Ork [[Kommandoz]] are those rare Boyz who have been "touched by Mork", and emulate that Orkish God's tendency towards "kunning" (i.e. resorting to dirty tricks) first and open combat second. Unlike the average Ork Boy who enjoys loud weapons, big explosions and fast vehicles, Kommandoz prefer spreading panic behind enemy lines before launching a perfectly timed ambush. |
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| + | Naturally, Weirdboyz try to avoid combat as much as possible, but the ability to gout green flame capable of melting armour and shoot bolts of lightning is too great for most Warbosses to resist, and they get dragged into combat anyway. Some Weirdboyz actually become addicted to the power they can unleash and seek out battles; these exceptionally dangerous individuals are known as "Warpheads", and even other Orks are wary of them. |
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| − | ====Deathskulls==== |
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| − | [[File:Death_Skull_Icon.png|thumb|[[Deathskulls]] klan sigil]] |
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| − | The [[Deathskulls]] are an [[Ork]] tribe or "klan" that has an unsavory reputation as inveterate looters, scavengers, borrowers, and scroungers. The Orks of the Deathskull clan have a well-deserved reputation |
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| − | as thieves and filchers. Never ones to pay their fair share or spend teef when an item can be spirited away with a modicum of effort, the Deathskulls are nearly as mistrusted among fellow Orks as their [[Blood Axes]] cousins. Whereas the notoriety of the Blood Axes is completely without merit, the Deathskulls deserve their scabrous reputations to an Ork. When not looting bodies on the battlefield (both Ork and non-Ork), they can be found either fighting or dickering among themselves for scavenged items, or stealing everything that isn't nailed down from one another and any other Ork in sight. Some of what they steal they trade or sell to other Orks, or turn into upgraded wargear, but the majority of their loot they simply hoard. Anything "'dat might come in 'andy lata" is put aside and kept in one or more hidey holes, from useful items like weapons and armour to trinkets, lucky charms, and strange gubbins of unknown use or provenance. |
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| − | === |
+ | ===Madboyz=== |
| − | [[File: |
+ | [[File:MadboyzIllustration.jpg|thumb|250px|A variety of Ork Madboyz.]] |
| + | Madboyz are a type of [[Feral Ork]] who have gone somewhat insane from the perspective of their fellow Greenskins. Most Feral Orks have little to no concept of advanced technology and sometimes their introduction to even the simplest mechanical devices will be too much for their puny brains to handle. |
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| − | The [[Evil Sunz]] are an [[Ork]] tribe or "klan" who are dedicated to speed and making as loud a noise as possible when in combat. Just as the [[Goffs]] klan loves violence and aggression, so the Evil Sunz love speed. The Evil Sunz have adopted the general Ork maxim that "Red 'uns go faster" as their klan motto. Evil Sunz prize fast vehicles like Ork [[Warbike]]s, [[Warbuggy|Warbuggies]] and [[Trukk]]s on which their [[Boyz]] can ride to battle. To assist their highly-mobile warbands, the Evil Sunz have many [[Mekboyz]], to keep those vehicles tuned and running. By far the largest number of Ork [[Speed Freeks]] come from the Evil Sunz klan. An Ork's love of speed can easily affect its brain, to the point where an Ork becomes addicted to the thrill of a wild ride into battle. The Evil Sunz have mobs of Ork Warbikers (known also as [[Bikeboyz]]) that race into battle at suicidal speeds, exhausts belching greasy clouds of smoke. As they hurtle toward the enemy ranks, the Warbikers fill the air with a murderous storm of shots from their blazing dakkaguns. Beyond even a Speed Freak's delirium there are also [[Flyboy]]z, whose need for speed has driven them into the air in search of ever greater thrills, piloting the Ork's [[Fighta]]s and [[Fighta-Bommer]]s. |
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| + | When this happens, an Ork can become psychotic and lose what little rational thought processes he had in the first place. These Orks are known as Madboyz or "Nuttaz" by their fellows and are put in separate mobs known as Madboyz Squads. Due to their insanity they can be either a deadly weapon or a clumsy hindrance to the rest of the warband. |
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| − | [[File:Goff_Icon.jpg|thumb|[[Goffs]] klan sigil]] |
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| − | The [[Goffs]] are an [[Ork]] tribe or "klan" who represent the largest and most aggressive of the known Greenskin klanz. The Goffs are the biggest, meanest and most brutish of all their kind, and that's saying something since they are Orks. Of all the Ork klanz, the Goffs are the most inspired by the thrill and thunder of battle. Goffs will take any excuse to start a brawl, even amongst themselves. As a result the Goffs are specialists in hand-to-hand combat who prefer their battles up close and personal. They are particularly fond of the [[Stikbomz|Stikbombz]], because they're hurled by hand and are good for close combat in trenches, ruins, bunkers and ratholes. Goffs usually carry a brace of hefty Stikbombz stuffed down their black jackboots. Goff armies are notorious for the sheer number of Ork infantry they muster in times of war. A mob of Goff [[Boyz]] is usually at least twenty strong, and a true Goff horde has a hundred times that number at its heart. When the Goffs go to war, the ground shakes to the incessant thump of thousands of steel-capped boots.As in all clans, Nobz often wear coats decorated with glyphs and always wear big horns on their helmets. The infamous Warlord [[Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka]] is a member of the Goff Clan. |
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| + | Due to their madness, other Orks keep their distance from Madboyz. In battle, if Madboyz fail to keep the tiny bit of sanity they retain, they can start fighting amongst themselves, arguing over whether a cloud looks like Gork or Mork, fall in to a gibbering panic or decide to show the other Orks the true meaning of "Orkyness." |
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| − | ====Snakebites==== |
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| − | [[File:Snake_Bites_Icon_updated.png|thumb|140px|[[Snakebites]] klan sigil]] |
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| − | The [[Snakebites]] are a well-known tribe or "klan" of Orks. The Snakebites are considered to be a backward tribe by many of the more technologically-advanced tribes of Orks, for they still follow the old ways of the Ork race and often remain [[Feral Ork]]s even after they gain access to more advanced technology. They prefer tradition to technology, shunning things like forcefields and vehicles in favor of protecting themselves with war paint and riding into battle on huge boars. They often wear hair squigs trimmed and dyed into crests and topknots, and some decorate their bodies with swirling red tattoos in the likeness of coiling snakes. As a result of their rugged lifestyle, the Snakebites are usually weather-beaten and as tough as an old boot. They are experts in the field of breeding Orkoid creatures and their Grots and Squigs are the fiercest among all the Greenskin tribes. The Snakebites klan's name and emblem comes from a tribal rite of passage that requires the young aspirant to full membership in the tribe to goad an extremely poisonous serpent into biting him, then sucking out the venom to prove his resilience. Orks of the Snakebites Klan thus build up a powerful immunity to natural poisons and keep various species of snakes and toxarachnids as pets. They always carry a selection of venomous beasts with them when they migrate to a new world in case the local varieties of snake prove disappointingly benign. |
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| + | Mobs of Madboyz are considered to be a great sign of luck and good fortune for an Ork settlement or WAAAGH! though their presence is not always appreciated due to their outlandish behaviour. Within an Ork settlement Madboyz may spend their time in eccentric, self-constructed shanty towns that stand apart from the dwellings of the other Greenskins. |
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| − | ===Kult of Speed=== |
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| − | [[File:Speed_Freeks_Icons.png|thumb|250px|Speed Freeks symbols often incorporate lightning, or the glyph "zag", to reflect their preference for striking hard and fast]] |
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| − | The largest and most popular of the various subcultures of [[Ork]] society is the [[Kult of Speed]]. Orks love to go fast. Speed fulfils some deep need in the Orkish temperament, just like the thunder of guns, the clank of tank tracks or the din of battle. The Greenskins like to feel the wind whipping into their faces, see the dust rising behind them in a great cloud and hear the throaty roar of supercharged engines. It is hardly surprising that bikes and buggies of all kinds are popular war vehicles amongst the Orks. These up-gunned vehicles may not be as sturdy as those used by the armed forces of the [[Imperium of Man]], but they are cheap, well-armed and most important of all, they can achieve truly breakneck speeds. Some Orks become addicted to the sensation of speed and join the [[Speed Freeks]], the name for those Greenskins who belong to the Ork Kult of Speed, a Kult whose members rarely if ever get out from behind the handlebars or steering wheels of their light vehicles. These grinning greenskinned lunatics roar into battle ahead on exhaust-belching jalopies and crude but effective flying machines, intent on getting into the thick of the fighting before their ground-pounding comrades. Due to the large number of vehicles in each Speed Freek warband, they often have several of the [[Oddboy]]z known as [[Mekboy]]z amongst their number to keep the [[Battlewagon]]s and other vehicles and aircraft running smoothly. Sometimes it is even a Mekboy, who leads the warband as a Big Mek. The obsession with speed can affect any Ork -- so it is possible to find Orks from different Clans in a Speed Freek force. Of all the known major Ork clans the Evil Sunz have the most Speed Freeks. |
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| + | Here they randomly hold shouting matches at the worst possible moment and search for non-existent lost items in the dwellings of other Orks -- a habit that often leads to conflict for obvious reasons. |
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| − | ====Flyboyz==== |
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| − | A subset of the Kult of Speed, some Orks in their desire for speed crave to fly through the air like birds. Their demand and addiction for speed cannot be satisfied on the ground, so take to the skies in cobbled together aircraft, taking great pleasure in divebombing enemy (and friendly) targets. Flyboyz are considered mad by Ork standards, and will often live in semi-exile, only associating with other Flyboyz, Gretchin slaves, and the Meks responsible for maintaining their 'fighta-bommaz'. |
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| + | When they go to battle Madboyz often band together and provide an unintentional retinue for a Weirdboy, dressed in bizarre clothing and wielding as a weapon anything that takes their fancy, from unconventional choppas to rusty buckets filled with pterasquirrels. |
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| − | ==Ork Technology== |
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| − | [[File:Ork_Guns.jpg|thumb|200px|Examples of Ork Wargear]] |
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| − | [[File:Blood_Axes_Mek-Boyz.jpg|thumb|200px|Ork Mek-Boyz fixing an Ork [[Deff Dread]] in the heat of battle]] |
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| − | Ork technology appears ramshackle and slapped-together, but is as potent as any weapons used by the Imperium or other races. Ork technology (or "teknologee") is characterised by a constant stream of poorly thought-out experimentation and constantly trying to outdo the competition to build the biggest gun, the largest gargant (a huge land-based walker), or the fastest buggy. Therefore, Ork technology is not uniform, lending Ork warbands a cobbled together and random appearance. Ork mechanics ("Mekboyz") are specialists in the field of producing powerful force fields that can protect against damage, and at battlefield improvisation of repairs. Traditionally, ork meks are masters of teleportation, forcefield and tractor cannon technology, all technologies used when hitching onto space hulks (large conglomerations of interstellar wreckage used by the orks as improvised transport ships/battleships). They are superior to even the Eldar in these fields, as the Third War for Armageddon shows. They can salvage almost any burnt-out wreck, and many Ork vehicles have been reported destroyed dozens of times, only to be cobbled back together, given a fresh lick of paint (if even that), and sent back into the fray. The tough, resilient nature of Orks means they accept crude bionics, transplants, and other medical shenanigans being performed on them with ease. |
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| + | The unpredictable movements and behaviour of Madboyz has beaten the greatest tacticians as their anarchic unhinged nature means that they are just as likely to pull apart an enemy squad with their bare hands as they are to become engrossed in picking each others noses in the heat of battle. |
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| − | An interesting aspect of Ork technology is that, from a scientific perspective, their weapons do not work, or by all means shouldn't. Orks are known to be a strongly psychic race, and their beliefs affect the Warp just as those of any other race. However, for Orks, it is slightly different, and their belief actually manifests on the battlefield: if they believe it works, it does work! An example is 'shootas' (the orkish term for assault rifles/sub machine guns): many are cobbled together in seconds from scrap parts and have a magazine of ammunition simply slapped in. This kind of construction "should" not work on firing, but in the hands of an Ork, it does. Another example is red paint: a Mekboy may build two almost identical warbuggies (though mekboyz never build identical buggies; every vehicle is always unique), except that one is painted red and the other yellow. The Orkish belief that "da red wunz go fasta" then manifests itself, and the red buggy will actually move faster; this is catered for in the game rules by allowing red Orkish vehicles to obtain a small speed increase. The same goes for many physics-defying Ork weapons as mentioned above. |
||
| − | == |
+ | ===Runtherdz=== |
| ⚫ | |||
| − | Orky "kultur", originally intended as a joke, has given birth to several concepts widely recognized among ''Warhammer'' and ''Warhammer 40,000'' gamers. For example, most longtime ''Warhammer 40,000'' tabletop gamers have a collection of assorted pieces, additional weapons, and parts left over from modelling projects, which they keep around in the expectation that they may be useful in future scratch-built models or conversions. [[Games Workshop]] encourages this practice by giving prizes for the best gamer-built models at their annual Golden Demon awards, and by including a choice of weapons or optional parts in their own models. This has become known as a "bitz box", from the Orky spelling of where a Mekboy keeps his stock of reserve parts. |
||
| + | [[Runtherdz]], also known as "Slaverz", possess the patience to take care of his klan or warband's [[Gretchin]] and [[Snotling]]s. Runtherdz's characteristic weapons are whips, [[Grabba Stikk]]s and [[Grot-Prod]]s. |
||
| ⚫ | |||
| − | Finally, there is a general Ork stereotype, portrayed by hunching the head down between the shoulders, showing one's teeth, and "talkin' like dis, me." Shouts of 'WAAAAAAGH, da Orks!' and '"'Ere we go, 'ere we go, 'ere we go!" can often be heard at tournaments, particularly when an Ork player is doing well, but also as a sort of general rallying cry for the entire hobby. |
||
| + | |||
| + | Runtherdz are also responsible for organising and overseeing an Ork tribe's slaves that are taken from other races such as [[Mankind]], and Runtherdz have been known to own slaves from every intelligent race in the galaxy except the [[Necrons]] and the [[Tyranids]]. |
||
| + | |||
| + | ===Pigdoks=== |
||
| ⚫ | This unique class of Oddboy are an odd combination of a "Dok" and a "Mek", although a Pigdok is not as skilled as either of those Oddboyz individually. Pigdoks are often found in [[Feral Ork]] tribes, tending the [[Warboar]]s that are ridden to battle by the primitive Greenskins. Their main use in battle is to provide "doping" to increase the ferocity of the various beasts that Feral Orks take to war, as well as some of the Orks themselves. |
||
| + | |||
| + | ===Herdas=== |
||
| ⚫ | Herdas are Oddboyz who are skilled Trappas and caretakers of Squigs. Common amongst klanz of Wildboyz, Herdas are not seen much on the battlefield in Ork warbands past the feral stage, as their uses are mostly rendered obsolete by the advent of vehicle use among the Greenskins as their technology advances. |
||
| + | |||
| + | ===Miscellaneous Oddboyz=== |
||
| ⚫ | Other Oddboyz found amongst the Ork klanz include "Sumboyz", Greenskin bankers who count and loan out [[Ork Teef]], "Yellerz" who serve as the Ork clergy of [[Gork and Mork]], and "Brewboyz" who serve as the cooks of Ork warbands. Each of these Oddboyz serve an important role in so-called Ork "kultur", even though they have no role on the battlefield. |
||
==Sources== |
==Sources== |
||
*''Codex: Orks'' (7th Edition) |
*''Codex: Orks'' (7th Edition) |
||
| − | *''Codex: Orks'' (4th Edition) |
+ | *''Codex: Orks'' (4th Edition), pp. 37, 40, 42-47, 98-99, 101 |
| − | *'' |
+ | *''Codex: Orks'' (3rd Edition), pp. 10-15, 33 |
| + | *''Dark Heresy: Creatures Anathema'' (RPG), pg. 98 |
||
| − | *''Waaagh! Ghazghkull: A Codex Orks Supplement'' (7th Edition) |
||
| + | *''Death From the Skies'' (7th Edition) (Digital Edition), "Da Flyboyz" |
||
| + | *''Deathwatch: Mark of the Xenos'' (RPG), pg. 57 |
||
| + | *''Epic Armageddon Rulebook'' (Specialty Game) (4th Edition), pg. 142 |
||
| + | *''Ere We Go: Orks in Warhammer 40,000'' (1st Edition), pp. 58-67 |
||
| + | *''Gorkamorka:Da Roolz'' (Specialty Game), pg. 21 (Stikkbomma picture) |
||
| + | *''Imperial Armour II - Ork, Eldar and Dark Eldar Vehicles for Warhammer 40,000'', pg. 34 |
||
| + | *''Only War: Enemies of the Imperium'' (RPG), pp. 33-66 |
||
| + | *''[[Dawn of War - Dark Crusade]]'' (PC Game) |
||
| + | *''[[Dawn of War - Soulstorm]]'' (PC Game) |
||
*''[[Space Marine (Game)|Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine]]'' (Video Game) |
*''[[Space Marine (Game)|Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine]]'' (Video Game) |
||
==Gallery== |
==Gallery== |
||
<gallery spacing="small" position="center" widths="200"> |
<gallery spacing="small" position="center" widths="200"> |
||
| − | + | SluggaBoy.png|[[Slugga]] Boy |
|
| − | SluggaBoy.png|[[Slugga Boy]] |
||
ShootaBoy.png|[[Shoota]] Boy |
ShootaBoy.png|[[Shoota]] Boy |
||
| − | RokkitBoy.png|[[Rokkit |
+ | RokkitBoy.png|[[Rokkit Launcha|Rokkit]] Boy |
| − | StormBoy.png|[[ |
+ | StormBoy.png|[[Stormboy]] |
| − | + | WeirdBoy.png|[[Weirdboy]] |
|
| − | WeirdBoy.png|A [[Weirdboy]] |
||
| − | Nob.png|[[Ork]] [[Nob]] |
||
| − | NobShoota.png|[[Ork]] [[Nob]] [[Shoota]] |
||
</gallery> |
</gallery> |
||
| + | [[es:Chikoz]] |
||
[[Category:O]] |
[[Category:O]] |
||
[[Category:Ork]] |
[[Category:Ork]] |
||
| ⚫ | |||
[[Category:Ork Boyz]] |
[[Category:Ork Boyz]] |
||
| ⚫ | |||
Latest revision as of 03:08, 12 August 2018
"Da furst an' da best part o' da WAAAGH is a gud ol' mob o' boyz."
- — Kaptin Bluddflagg
A mob of Ork Boyz.
Ork Boyz are the different types of troops deployed by the Orks, a savage, warlike, green-skinned race of humanoids of the Milky Way Galaxy. They are in some ways equivalent to Warhammer Fantasy Orcs, particularly in terms of their physical appearance, but they vary from the Warhammer World's Greenskins in some biological and cultural details.
Orks are seen by their enemies (pretty much everyone else in the galaxy) as savage, warlike and crude, but they are one of the most successful species in the Milky Way, outnumbering possibly every other intelligent race, including Mankind. However, the power of the Ork race as a whole is limited due to the fact that they are split into hundreds of tiny empires, klanz and tribes, which are more often warring between themselves than not. Were the Orks ever to unite as a species, they would undoubtedly crush all opposition in a massive migration-invasion known as a WAAAGH!.
The average Ork Boy stands about 2 metres (six and a half Terran feet) tall when fully upright and varies greatly in their specific battlefield tactical roles. Ork Boyz who occupy the same field of interest often band together in groups known as "Mobs," and frequently these Mobs are led by an Ork Nob who is the epitome of that particular group's tactical skills. As basic Ork troops, Ork Boys vary greatly in the weaponry and equipment available to them. Below is detailed all the different types of Ork Boy found among the armies of the Greenskins.
Slugga Boyz
An Ork Slugga Boy.
Slugga Boyz represent the standard heavy infantry of the Orks and they are generally armed with ramshackle, semiautomatic, solid-shot ballistic pistols known as Sluggas and brutal, bladed melee weapons similar to human battleaxes known as Choppas. A few scraps of Flak Armour or the Ork equivalent and a shoulder or back plate with the Ork's klan or personal insignia make up the poorly maintained armour of a Slugga Boy.
Slugga Boyz are the most common and typical Ork warriors, and represent what the average Imperial human thinks of when they imagine an Ork. Slugga Boyz are anarchic brutes who love nothing more than a good fight, often leaving a horrific mess of whatever they attack on the battlefield. A Slugga Boy Mob consists of 10 to 30 Slugga Boyz which may include a Nob as the leader or the equivalent of a "non-commissioned officer." For every ten Orks in the Mob one might be armed with either a Big Shoota or a Rokkit Launcha.
Shoota Boyz
Shoota Boyz of the Evil Sunz klan.
Shoota Boyz are those Orks who prefer the "shooty" side of combat and serve solely as ranged infantry with no melee component like the standard Slugga Boyz. A Shoota Boy's prized possession is his ballistic, solid-shot automatic rifle or Shoota, from which he takes his name.
Despite their love of ranged combat and firearms, Shoota Boyz have no appreciation for marksmanship, and are more addicted to the violent noise and heavy recoil of automatic gunfire. This is psychologically due to the Ork belief that a firearm will not cause any real damage to the enemy unless it makes a loud, terrifying noise. A Shoota Boyz Mob consists of 10 to 30 Shoota Boyz which may include a Nob. For every ten Orks in the Mob one might be armed with either a Big Shoota or a Rokkit Launcha.
Stikk Bommas
Stikk Bommas are those Orks so intellectually gifted that they know which part of a grenade is thrown once the pin is removed. For this reason they are equipped with Stikkbombz (grenades of Greenskin manufacture) but otherwise they are effectively identical to the standard Slugga Boyz.
A Stikk Bommas Mob consists of 10 to 30 Stikk Bommas which may include a Nob. Ork Stikk Bommas are similar to Slugga Boyz in that they are combat oriented. While they are less well-armed than Slugga Boyz, they carry Stikkbombs which allow them to take on opponents in cover and light armoured vehicles much more effectively than basic Slugga Boyz.
'Ardboyz
An Ork 'Ardboy in 'Eavy Armour outfitted with Shoota and Choppa.
'Ardboyz are the heavily-armoured standard Ork infantry who fulfill the same tactical role as the basic Slugga Boyz but can take a great deal more punishment. 'Aedboyz outfit themselves in thick scrap metal plates that they've scavenged and that is known as 'Eavy Armour. Despite poor maintenance, the result is a suit of armour than can withstand most small arms fire.
'Ard Boyz are equipped with either Sluggas and Choppas or Shootas and can also equip Stikkbombz. An 'Ard Boyz Mob consists of 10 to 30 'Ard Boyz which may include a Nob. For every ten Orks in the Mob one might be armed with either a Big Shoota or a Rokkit Launcha.
Only veteran Ork Boyz who have managed to survive many battles and slaughtered many foes have the chance to scavenge sufficient materials to build or purchase 'Eavy Armour. This also means that 'Ardboyz are excellent scavengers even for Greenskins.
'Ard Boyz usually spearhead Ork advances as their increased durability allows them to survive heavy fire fights with barely a scratch. Mobs of 'Ardboyz retain all the tactical versatility of standard Ork Mobs, thus being able to fill the roles of Shoota Boy Mobs or Slugga Boy Mobs, but usually serve in the latter tactical role, as their armour proves more useful when close to the enemy.
In the hierarchy of an Ork klan or tribe, 'Ard Boyz tend to hold a position just below Nobs (though given the unpredictability and flexibility of Orks this is not a hard rule). More techno-hesitant Ork klanz (such as the Snakebites) tend to look down upon 'Ard Boyz, seeing their love for heavy armour as a sign of weakness and cowardice. 'Ard Boyz are more frequent among the Bad Moons and Deathskulls klanz, as both tend to be naturally wealthy or streetwise enough to gather the materials for the armour.
'Ardboyz almost always grow arrogant and laugh at the casualties incurred by their less well-armoured comrades, who in turn call them "walking magnets" (referring to their attitude to pick up scraps for their armour as they proceed even when in combat), but only when those comments won't be heard by the 'Ardboyz in question.
Oddboyz
Although a standard Ork Boy's genetically-encoded knowledge base allows him to keep his weapons in working order, there is always a need for specialists who can do things most Greenskins can't. These "Oddboyz" develop genetically-encoded instinctive knowledge that is useful for specific tasks. Oddboyz include the following specialists among their ranks.
Painboyz
An Ork Painboy or "Mad Dok"
Painboyz, known also as "Mad Doks" or "Doks", are responsible for fixing injuries even the highly regenerative Ork physiology cannot repair, such as severed limbs and brain damage. They use "Stabby Bits" as their medical tools. An Ork will only go to a Painboy when he has no other choice, as these Oddboyz are infamous for trying out experimental procedures (such as the greatly feared Squig brain transplant) on patients while they are under anesthesia (known as a "concussion" to other intelligent races).
Painboyz are responsible for attaching crude bionics to Ork patients that have been created by the Mekboyz, although sometimes they are not paying attention and replace the wrong part of the patient's body. This is often distressing to a patient who is the lucky recipient of an exploding leg, especially if it was his arm that needed attention.
High-ranking Painboyz are called "Painbosses" and are known to be accompanied by Cybork bodyguards. Orks are surprisingly resilient and have had arms, legs and even heads swapped around and the Ork in question has survived to tell the tale!
Mekboyz
An Ork Mekboy
A Mekboy, known also as a "Mekaniak" or simply as a "Mek", is a type of Oddboy who serves as one of the engineers and technicians who build all the weapons, vehicles, and other advanced technology used by the Greenskins. Mekboyz are especially important to Ork Speed Freeks, as they maintain the prodigious amount of bikes and vehicles used by Ork warbands.
The most important and skilled Mekboyz are known as "Big Meks," who lead groups of lesser Mekboyz armed with a wide variety of Greenskin kustom equipment and Kombi-Weapons, sometimes including even full warbands or whole WAAAGHs! armed with a large amount of less-than-conventional Ork weaponry.
A Big Mek's mastery of technology is unsurpassed amongst the Orkoid races and a Big Mek is often seen generating a "Kustom Force Field" around himself that protects his person and his creations. A Big Mek who becomes the leader of a Greenskin WAAAGH! will be known as a "Mek-Boss."
Wildboyz
Feral Orks armed with Shootas.
Though the majority of Orks will never venture far from their tribe or klan, there are those strange few who are driven to explore, compelled to do so even in preference to fighting. Such pioneers will seek out the deepest jungles or most arid deserts, where most creatures would struggle to survive at all. Should they endure and multiply, it is common for these remote Ork tribes to degenerate into savages, sometimes known as "Wildboyz."
After a time, some of these groups will seek out and return to their parent warband. There they learn about Ork kultur and take their place in the warrior society, exchanging stone spear and axe for Slugga and Choppa. However, should the new tribe emerge on a world where their technologically advanced Ork ancestors have been driven off or slain, the Wildboyz will instead develop into a tribe of Feral Orks.
At first, Feral Ork tribes pose little threat to the planet they infest. They are uncivilised, even by the low standards of their Ork brethren, and live by the old Neolithic ways of hunting and exploring. As the tribe increases in size they breed ever-larger varieties of Squig, riding around upon great tusked beasts that vary in size from that of a horse to that of a Baneblade.
Through constant conflict and strife with one another, eventually, the Wildboy enclave will mature into a fully-fledged and technologically-capable warband in its own right, only to spawn wandering Wildboyz of its own.
Speed Freeks
A group of Speed Freeks in battle on a Wartrukk.
Speed Freeks are those Orks who become addicted to the sensation of speed. These speed-obsessed Greenskins band together in their own Mobs and warbands, which are full of buggies, bikes, and trukks. They belong to what Ork kultur refers to as the "Kult of Speed" and become members of the Speed Freeks. Speed Freeks tend to be found predominantly among the members of the Evil Sunz klan.
These grinning Greenskin loons roar into battle on exhaust-belching jalopies and crude but effective flying machines, intent on getting into the thick of the fighting before their ground-pounding comrades. Most vehicles used by Speed Freeks are painted red as, according to Ork superstition, "Da red wunz go fasta!"
Due to the large number of vehicles in each Speed Freeks warband, they often have several of the Oddboyz known as Meks amongst their number to keep their vehicles running efficiently. Sometimes a warband of Speed Freeks is even led by a Big Mek instead of a true Warboss.
Warbikers
A pair of Ork Bikers riding their Warbikes.
The Warbike of an Ork Warbiker is his own individualised steed. Massive twin-linked Big Shootas called Dakkaguns are mounted upon the front of the Warbike.
The oil and promethium each Warbike consumes sends great clouds of smoky exhaust fumes out in pillars behind its wheels. Boyz who enjoy riding Warbikes are often also members of the Speed Freek kults who get an enormous adrenaline hit from riding their Bikes into combat as fast as possible.
Warbikers are armed with Sluggas and Choppas and operate in Mobs of 3 to 12, which may include a Nob or even sometimes a Warboss at their head.
Flyboyz
An Ork Flyboy and his Gretchin gunner in a Fighta-Bommer.
Flyboyz are Ork pilots who are actually a sub-cult of the Speed Freeks and have been determined to be an unstable part of a klan that that holds an irrational desire to fly. This marks them as very different from most Orks, who prefer to have their feet firmly planted on the ground.
Flyboyz are also not satisfied with the speed of ground-based vehicles and thus take to the air as part of their own Speed Freek quest for greater exhilaration at breakneck speeds. They are often seen in states of manic euphoria as a result of their search for greater speed as well as their reckless attacks and dive bombing, which seemingly have an effect on their brain pattern.
This has resulted in many Orks seeing Flyboyz as just a different form of Madboy. As a result, most Flyboyz live in a state of semi-exile from their klan or tribe's hierarchy, which means they mostly associate with other Flyboyz. The only other contact they usually have with other Greenskins is Gretchin slaves and the Meks who maintain their aircraft.
As is typical among Speed Freeks, Flyboyz hail predominantly from the Evil Sunz klan.
Weirdboyz
An Ork Weirdboy.
Weirdboyz are the Orks' psykers. One major difference between them and the psykers of the other intelligent species of the galaxy is that Weirdboyz draw on the gestalt psychic power generated by the Ork WAAAGH! instead of directly upon the psychic energies of the Warp.
However, the WAAAGH! has its own perils for Ork Weirdboyz: if they soak up too much of this power, their heads explode, causing a powerful psychic backlash that can cause other Orks' heads to explode as well.
Naturally, Weirdboyz try to avoid combat as much as possible, but the ability to gout green flame capable of melting armour and shoot bolts of lightning is too great for most Warbosses to resist, and they get dragged into combat anyway. Some Weirdboyz actually become addicted to the power they can unleash and seek out battles; these exceptionally dangerous individuals are known as "Warpheads", and even other Orks are wary of them.
Madboyz
A variety of Ork Madboyz.
Madboyz are a type of Feral Ork who have gone somewhat insane from the perspective of their fellow Greenskins. Most Feral Orks have little to no concept of advanced technology and sometimes their introduction to even the simplest mechanical devices will be too much for their puny brains to handle.
When this happens, an Ork can become psychotic and lose what little rational thought processes he had in the first place. These Orks are known as Madboyz or "Nuttaz" by their fellows and are put in separate mobs known as Madboyz Squads. Due to their insanity they can be either a deadly weapon or a clumsy hindrance to the rest of the warband.
Due to their madness, other Orks keep their distance from Madboyz. In battle, if Madboyz fail to keep the tiny bit of sanity they retain, they can start fighting amongst themselves, arguing over whether a cloud looks like Gork or Mork, fall in to a gibbering panic or decide to show the other Orks the true meaning of "Orkyness."
Mobs of Madboyz are considered to be a great sign of luck and good fortune for an Ork settlement or WAAAGH! though their presence is not always appreciated due to their outlandish behaviour. Within an Ork settlement Madboyz may spend their time in eccentric, self-constructed shanty towns that stand apart from the dwellings of the other Greenskins.
Here they randomly hold shouting matches at the worst possible moment and search for non-existent lost items in the dwellings of other Orks -- a habit that often leads to conflict for obvious reasons.
When they go to battle Madboyz often band together and provide an unintentional retinue for a Weirdboy, dressed in bizarre clothing and wielding as a weapon anything that takes their fancy, from unconventional choppas to rusty buckets filled with pterasquirrels.
The unpredictable movements and behaviour of Madboyz has beaten the greatest tacticians as their anarchic unhinged nature means that they are just as likely to pull apart an enemy squad with their bare hands as they are to become engrossed in picking each others noses in the heat of battle.
Runtherdz
Runtherdz, also known as "Slaverz", possess the patience to take care of his klan or warband's Gretchin and Snotlings. Runtherdz's characteristic weapons are whips, Grabba Stikks and Grot-Prods.
They are often seen leading Gretchin mobs into the fray or ordering around the Gretchin crews of Big Gunz. Runtherdz often make use of Squig-hounds to eat errant or fleeing Grots in battle to "increase" the morale of their Gretchin mob.
Runtherdz are also responsible for organising and overseeing an Ork tribe's slaves that are taken from other races such as Mankind, and Runtherdz have been known to own slaves from every intelligent race in the galaxy except the Necrons and the Tyranids.
Pigdoks
This unique class of Oddboy are an odd combination of a "Dok" and a "Mek", although a Pigdok is not as skilled as either of those Oddboyz individually. Pigdoks are often found in Feral Ork tribes, tending the Warboars that are ridden to battle by the primitive Greenskins. Their main use in battle is to provide "doping" to increase the ferocity of the various beasts that Feral Orks take to war, as well as some of the Orks themselves.
Herdas
Herdas are Oddboyz who are skilled Trappas and caretakers of Squigs. Common amongst klanz of Wildboyz, Herdas are not seen much on the battlefield in Ork warbands past the feral stage, as their uses are mostly rendered obsolete by the advent of vehicle use among the Greenskins as their technology advances.
Miscellaneous Oddboyz
Other Oddboyz found amongst the Ork klanz include "Sumboyz", Greenskin bankers who count and loan out Ork Teef, "Yellerz" who serve as the Ork clergy of Gork and Mork, and "Brewboyz" who serve as the cooks of Ork warbands. Each of these Oddboyz serve an important role in so-called Ork "kultur", even though they have no role on the battlefield.
Sources
- Codex: Orks (7th Edition)
- Codex: Orks (4th Edition), pp. 37, 40, 42-47, 98-99, 101
- Codex: Orks (3rd Edition), pp. 10-15, 33
- Dark Heresy: Creatures Anathema (RPG), pg. 98
- Death From the Skies (7th Edition) (Digital Edition), "Da Flyboyz"
- Deathwatch: Mark of the Xenos (RPG), pg. 57
- Epic Armageddon Rulebook (Specialty Game) (4th Edition), pg. 142
- Ere We Go: Orks in Warhammer 40,000 (1st Edition), pp. 58-67
- Gorkamorka:Da Roolz (Specialty Game), pg. 21 (Stikkbomma picture)
- Imperial Armour II - Ork, Eldar and Dark Eldar Vehicles for Warhammer 40,000, pg. 34
- Only War: Enemies of the Imperium (RPG), pp. 33-66
- Dawn of War - Dark Crusade (PC Game)
- Dawn of War - Soulstorm (PC Game)
- Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine (Video Game)
