Waaagh!
A Waaagh! or Waaa-Orc is when Orcs & Goblins gather together under a powerful warboss to conquer and fight. [1a][2a][3a]
Formation
A Waaagh! often forms when a warband slaughters the defenders of a village, pausing only to pile their heads up to give the Warboss a place to sit and enjoy the cheering of his mates. If news of his victory spreads to other greenskins, often they will flock to his banner as all Orcs and Goblins desire to fight alongside a really powerful leader who will provide them with spoils, give them a really good scrap that they can win. [4]
The leader of the Waaagh! throws everything he can against a chosen enemy causing other greenskins to flock to join him eventually, unless it is stopped, forming a sea of green skinned monsters swarming across the horizon yelling their war cries! [1a][2a] However many budding Waaagh!s quickly fall victim to infighting but the bigger and badder the Boss is, the easier they can maintain their power and discipline amongst the squabbling tribes. [4]
The word-of-mouth history of Orcs themselves consists mostly of stories about the major Waaaghs and their leaders. [2a][4]
History
Renowned Waaagh!s
| name | years | notes | sources |
| Waaagh! Gorbad | 1707 - 1712 IC | Gorbad Ironclaw led his horde through Black Fire Pass and into the Empire, rampaging through the Moot, sacking Nuln and even besieging Altdorf for a full year and killing the Emperor Sigismund IV. Ultimately defeated by Dwarfs at Battle of Blood Peak. | [1a][2b][3c] |
| Waaagh! Grom | 2410 - 2424 IC | Goblin Warboss Grom the Paunch of the Misty Mountains defeated Dwarfs at the Battle of Iron Gate, burned down Nuln of Empire and invaded eastern Ulthuan of High Elves until he was defeated by Eltharion the Grim at the Battle of Tor Yvresse. | [2b][3d] |
| Waaagh! Azhag | 2512 - 2514 IC | Azhag the Slaughterer invaded the Empire following the whispers of his Crown of Sorcery. He ravaged the northern provinces for years until he was slain at the Battle of Osterwald. | [2b][3e] |
| Waaagh! Skarsnik | 2473 IC onwards | Night Goblin Warboss Skarsnik of Karak Eight Peaks. Perhaps the most devious Night Goblin ever has rules the ancient ruined Dwarf hold, which of king Belegar and Skaven desire. | [2b][3f] |
| Waaagh! Grimgor | 251? IC onwards | Fearless Black Orc Warboss Grimgor Ironhide raiding from the Red Eye Mountain. | [2b][3g] |
Warfare
Larger Waaagh!s are epoch-defining violent invasions of immense armies. Some Waaagh!s travel only a short distance but others have crossed half of the Warhammer World.[3a]
Often the best defence is to retreat before it and hope that the energy of the Waaagh! will dissipated by internal conflict and the whole thing will fall apart. However all too often, the horde will reach a big city and they must be fought. [1a]
Sources
- 1: White Dwarf 153 (UK)
- 1a: Night Goblins, pg. 37
- 2: Warhammer Armies: Orcs & Goblins (7th Edition)
- 3: Warhammer Armies: Orcs & Goblins (8th Edition)
- 3: Ravening Hordes (TOW), Waaagh!, pg. 10
