Orks first appeared in the Rogue Trader (game) rulebook and the Space Orks
boxed set, containing thirty plastic miniatures. These Orks were squat,
powerfully muscled humanoids, wielding crude ballistic weaponry (usually
blackpowder or other explosive projectile-based equivalant) and large 'stikbomz'
or stick grenades; along with their helmets and other paraphernalia, these
are apparently modelled on German equipment from WWI.
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 to fight the Necrons in the war that shattered the
galactic civilization that existed prior to the rise of the Eldar.)
Orks are thus genetically engineered to be muscular, aggressive, and none
too bright; their technology is maintained by a caste of Oddboyz 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 mechanical principles at an
instinctive level.
Other castes include Mad Doks (or Painboyz) who heal Orks wounded in battle
and Slaverz (or Runtherdz) who direct the efforts of the Gretchin.
Waagh da Orks also informs us of the existence of more specialised castes
such as Diggaboyz and Brewerz; however, as the game became more
combat-oriented, these were dropped. 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.
Later Versions
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 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.
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
Shoota. 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.
Ork weaponry is built by the Mekboyz or Mekaniaks, 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 extraneous bells, whistles, and gongs. It
is often based on Tellyporta 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. 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. When sent through a warp tunnel to appear
inside an enemy vehicle or Power Suit, however, they are a terrifying
experience, because the teleportation goes through the demonic realm known
as the Warp, scaring the Snotlings out of their minds. When they arrive,
they are a biting, scratching mass of flatulent fury. 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. Ork weaponry is analysed in more detail in the Ork Da Gunz
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
ingame 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 Warhammer 40,000.
Physiology
Orks are green-skinned and green-blooded, a side effect of their symbiotic
relationship with fungi (explained in more detail below). Orks are
genetically engineered for combat, and quite efficiently so. They are
extremely strong and their squat bodies can stand 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.
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. 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.
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.
The Waaagh!
Ork behavior is dominated by the Waaagh!, a gestalt psychic field they
generate that has affects on the Ork psyche, as it allows Orks to
instictively recognise who is 'bigga' and therefore who is in charge. All
Orks generate this field, and it grows stronger as the Orks enjoy themselves,
generally while fighting. The Waaagh! helps give momentum (and the name) to
the Orks' planet-crushing Waaagh!s. These Waaagh!s are a cross between a
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 Warlord, who is bigger and more intelligent than the
Orks around him. Then the Orks will set off to find an enemy to fight - any
enemy. Ork Waaagh!s 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.
The Imperium has theorised that this gestalt psychic field also has a
telekinetic affect, allowing Ork technology to work. This argument has been
debunked, even by the Imperium itself. It is believed that the reason this
argument came into existence is that the Imperium believes that a 'Machine
Spirit' inhabits all technology, and that this machine spirit serves
humanity. If this is the case, without a machine spirit Ork machines could
not work, requiring some psychic effect to justify their often devastating
effect. However, Genetor Lukas Anzion has noted that many Ork-built weapons
will not function unless wielded by an Orkoid.
Biology
Orks consists of two symbiotic organisms: one comparable to a terrestrial
animal and the other to a fungus living in the first's green bloodstream.
The animal cells carry the genetic information of only the individual's
subspecies, but the fungus has genetic information for all the varieties of
Orkoid, as well as the different Oddboyz. The fungus also helps heal wounds
quickly. Orc biology lends itself well to combat: they are extraordinarily
strong and tough and are naturally good fighters, always looking for a scrap.
There are two theories relating to why Orks have this unique biology. The
first is that they were adapted by their masters the Snotlings, a race that
soared to intelligence upon eating a particular species of mushroom, spread
across the galaxy with the help of their less intelligent Ork slaves, and
were then deemed stupid again when the Orks consumed all traces of the
mushroom which only grew on their home planet. The more modern one is that
they are the Krork, created as a survivor race by the Old Ones (referred to
in Ork legend as the Brain Boyz) in their wars against the Necrontyr. The
fact that an entire ecosystem can be constructed of Orkoids, and their total
war-readiness, suggests that this is the more likely of the two. In early
forms of this theory, the Brain Boyz were an Orkoid subspecies, along with
orks and gretchin.
The Brain Boyz apparently died out through a plague, but before they did,
they genetically enginered the orks' DNA to include a technogene. 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.
Reproduction
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 Waaagh!s
This also makes it extremely difficult to rid a planet of Orks, even if the
initial invasion is defeated. Orks release spores throught their lives, but
release them particularly at the moment of death. 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.
Orkoid Subspecies
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, and assist Oddboyz. 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 3rd
Edition.
More unusual are the Squigs. Squigs are animals that share the same general
algae based biology of the Orks and Gretchin but are used as food, clothing,
hair, and even weapons, being trained as Guard and Attack squigs. In the
first and second editions of the game, it was revealed that Squigs were the
result of Tyranid manipulation of the Orkish gene-matter. Orks discovered
the first Squigs aboard a Tyranid Bio-ship and subconsciously recognised
them as being "Orky", subsequently taking the little creatures home. Squigs
then spread throughout Ork space. This backstory neatly explained how Squigs
could appear in both Ork and Tyranid armies. Since then, Tyranid Squigs have
been changed into Ripper Swarms.
Da Boyz and Oddboyz
The Ork army list is well developed and contains a wide variety of units,
mostly cobbled together from stolen pieces or crudly constructed vehicles
made by Mekboyz and Big Meks. These are analysed in the Ork Da Boyz article.
The Oddboyz are Orks who are born with specific information programmed into
their DNA to be released as they grow. They specialise in doing things that
most other Orks can't, although a standard Ork boy's genetically encoded
knowledge allows him to keep his weapons in working order. Often there are
competitions between Oddboyz to see which can make the most Orky thing, be
it biological or technological. There are several different Oddboyz,
cumulated under the term Oddboyz. Some of these Oddboyz are:
* Mad Doks - (also known as 'Painboyz' or 'Doks')
* Herdas
* Mekboyz - (also known as 'Mekaniaks' or just 'Meks')
* Pigdoks
* Slavers - (also known as 'Runtherdz')
* Wyrdboyz - (also known as 'Warpheads')
Society
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 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!
Religion
Orks believe in two gods: Gork, the god of violence; and Mork, the god of
cunning and speed. They have no real priesthood, although the infamous
mighty Goff Warboss Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka claims to be receiving
visions from them.
Currency
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. They degrade over time so its
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 Warbuggy. A big flash Battlewagon could cost a Warboss
hundreds of teef.
Da Clanz
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:
* Bad Moons
* Blood Axes
* Death Skulls
* Evil Sunz
* Goffs
* Snakebites
* Kult of Speed
Technology
Ork technology appears ramshackle and slapped-together, but is as potent as
any weaponry used by the Imperium or other race. 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 Warbuggy.
Therefore Ork technology is not uniform, lending Ork Warbands a cobbled
together and random appearance. Ork Mekboyz are specialists in the field of
producing powerful Force Fields that can protect against damage, and at
battlefield improvisation of repairs. 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 enhancements, transplants, and other medical
shenanigans being performed on them with ease.
Ork Kultur
Orky 'kultur', originally intended as a joke, has given birth to several
concepts widely recognized among GW gamers. For example, most longtime
gamers have a collection of assorted metal 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. (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.
Similarly it is a well-known fact among gamers that 'Red wunz go fasta,'
from the Orky belief that this is so. (Indeed, the latest edition of the Ork
rules permits vehicles to gain a small speed upgrade for a small points cost,
provided the model is painted red.)
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 'Waaarrgh, 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. (The
Imperial battle cry "Kill the mutants. Burn the heretics. Purge the unclean"
does not seem to have the same appeal.)
