Orc

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Orcs on the battlefield.


Orcs are the largest and strongest of the Greenskin races, the biggest members of which naturally dominate the others. Pecking order is established by constant fighting, so only the meanest and nastiest Orcs get to the very top of the tribal ladder.

Description

Even the smallest Orc packs a great deal of bone, muscle and bloody-mindedness into a body no taller than a Man's, but which is substantially broader. Orcs have huge jaws, and tiny foreheads behind which lurk a thick skull and not much in the way of brain.

Society

Orcs live in tribes, a collection of greenskins ruled over by the largest, strongest and loudest individual, who is either known as a Boss, Big Boss or a Warboss, depending on his stature. These tribes might only exist as long as the Orc leading them can hold their fractious elements together, or until a challenger usurps power, invariably slaying the old Boss in a leadership challenge, and moulding the tribe after his own, unique vision.

There are many tribes, and they are often colourfully named, after their leader, their deeds or some unusual characteristic or custom exhibited by them. Some particularly infamous tribes include the Ironclaw Orcs, the Red Fang Orcs, the Orcs of the Bloody Hand, and the rarely seen White Orcs of Mount Grimfang.

All greenskins, worship two gods, Gork & Mork - the former "fighty but kunnin", the latter "kunnin' but fighty". Their faith in their gods is made terrifyingly real through the phenomenon of the Waaagh! During the intense excitement of battle this magical field, unconsciously focused by all greenskins, becomes stronger until the horde is swept up in an explosion of violence so intense that it will only begin to abate when every last enemy (or Orc) is slain.

The power of the Waaagh! serves not only to drive the Orcs and Goblins forward in battle, but also to fuel the magic of their crazed Shamans. The Waaagh! always discharges through the most receptive mind, that of an Orc or Goblin Shaman. In immature Orcs this takes the form of random visions and crackling green energy, but mature Shamans have learned how to control these powers and turn them to their advantage in the form of powerful blasts and awesome spells of destruction.

Orcs are rather more susceptible to heatstroke than humans. If an Orc is exposed to extreme heat for extended periods of time, its brain will eventually be so damaged that what little semblance of intellect it might have once possessed disappears altogether. Orcs who suffer from this are referred to as Savage Orcs, and are amongst the most savage of their race.

Black Orcs are the strongest and most aggressive and dangerous breed of Orcs, that come from the Dark Lands, where they long ago were created by selective breeding by the Chaos Dwarfs.

Orc Choppas are particurarly unhinged orcs who act as berserkers in battle.

Weapons and armour

While most Orcs prefer to use sharp and heavy handweapons called Choppas (one or two at a time), they also utilise spears and - uncaring of their mediocre skill with them - bows. Most Orcs bear shields and/or light armour. A Regiment of Renown - Ruglud's Armoured Orcs - even use looted crossbows. Some Orcs ride boars, or use them to draw chariots into battle.

Sources

Johann van Hal-Small.jpg Attention, Scribe of the Lexicanum!

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