Orks (Warhammer 40,000)

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Orks.

The Orks are an alien species that feature in Warhammer 40,000.

Contents

History

The Orks were a humanoid race of green-skinned beings that were members of the Orkoid species and who inhabited the universe. Their origins were unknown except it was believed that they were genetically engineered millennia ago. According to Ork legend, their origins were attributed to an extremely intelligent subspecies of Orkoid called Brain Boyz. It was said that they had bred the Orks as warriors and the Gretchins as servants with their intelligence being marked by a special fungus that they consumed. This was until the supply of the material was exhausted by the Orks causing the Brain Boyz to devolve mentally and became the Snotling race leading to their former servants taking over their civilisation as the dominant Orkoid race. However, another account indicated that the Orks were the creation of an even older race of beings known as the Old Ones. They were said to had created a race of warriors called the Krorks during the War in Heaven as a last-ditch effort against the Necrons and the Enslavers.

Overview

Biology

In appearance, the Orks were an aggressive race of bipedal humanoid green-skinned beings. They were a dominant species of Orkoids with their cousins including the smaller Gretchin and Snotlings. The typical Ork was the same height of an average Human though were actually taller if they stood upright. In addition, they had robust muscular frames with strong arms that end in clumsy fingers which had a vice-like crushing grip. An Orks skull was thick with a protruding brow-ridges that shaded their savage red eyes. Their jaws were elongated and lined an impressive series of long canine fangs. They tended to be naturally hairless where they lacked hair or a beard. Furthermore, their hides were tough and green were they bore many scars from their many fights or scabs from parasites. (Waaargh: Orks)

The reason for their green skin complexion was due to their skin cells containing symbiotic green algae. This epidermal algae endowed their skin with a natural polymer quality akin to plastic. As such, their skin had a strong waxy texture similar to rubbery leaves on some tropical plants thus giving them greater strength and resilience. As they grew older, the algae became thicker and rougher giving older Orks their characteristic scabby and gnarled appearance. (Waaargh: Orks)

All Orks were noted for being by nature slightly psychic. (Waaargh: Orks)

Society

Greenskins.

Their society was divided into a number of clans and castes. (Waaargh: Orks)

Ork communities that formed could either become a single group of unaffiliated tribes or confederations of tribes that were united temporarily under a great warlord. (Waaargh: Orks)

Within their civilisation, the Orks consisted of a number of clans and groups which included:

  • Bad Moons :
  • Blood Axes :
  • Deathskulls : a renowned clan of arch looters of the battlefield that consisted of many mischievous thieving Gretchin. (Waaargh: Orks)
  • Evil Sunz :
  • Goffs : a very militaristic clan that consisted of many Nobz where they nobles form an arrogant military aristocracy. They had the largest number of ultramilitaristic young Orks such as Stormboyz but fewer Runtherdz or Weirdboyz. (Waaargh: Orks)
  • Snakebites :

Other groups within their society included:

  • Freebooterz :
  • Kult of Speed :
  • Feral Orks :
  • Beast Snaggas :

The Ork Way of being strong and virtually invulnerable was reflected in the Warp as mighty, belligerent and boisterous gods that included two heroic deities named Gork and Mork. One myth concerned the Hunt where they searched for a gigantic Squiggly beast where they found it at the bottom of a cesspit. Besides the beast was the Chaos God Nurgle who had eaten all the Snotlings. This was until Gork and Mork clobbered him causing Nurgle to spew out all the Snotlings. Nurgle shrank into a Squiggly beast with the Snotlings turning him into a feast for the Ork gods. This was said to symbolise the Ork triumph over Nurgle and had no fear of the Chaos god's realm. (Waaargh: Orks)

Their military consisted of numerous types of warriors that included:

  • Warboss :
  • Nobz :
  • Mekboyz :
  • Weirdboy :
  • Madboyz :
  • Painboyz :
  • Runtherdz :
  • Kommandos :
  • Stormboyz :
  • Lootaz :
  • Beast Snagga Boyz :
  • Da Boyz :

On the fringes of Ork Kultur existed bandits and sell-swords belonging to no tribe or clan with these being Freebooters. (Waaargh: Orks)

Great Ork space fleets conquering worlds and settling the galaxy were said to be a relatively rare. These only occurred during a Waa-Ork or during periods of migration. Such invasion fleets were recorded in the histories and legends of various races including those of the Orks themselves. More common than large fleets were rag-tag fleets led by individual warlords. These warlords led their tribes from system to system where they subjugated individual worlds and collected tribute. Some warlords were noted to had led an entirely nomadic existence where they wandered through space commanding fleets of Ork pirates who sought adventure and loot. Others made long circuits across their domains collecting tributes from each subject world before returning to the first one. These tribes had no permanent world though they had no need for one. These fleets teemed with Ork households and spread Ork Kultur throughout the universe. (Waaargh: Orks)

Teeth were used as a source of currency and formed the basis of Ork economy. (Waaargh: Orks)

The Ork language was written in a form of glyphic script that was a mixture of glyphs and runes. (Waaargh: Orks)

Technology

Ork robots were crude copies of Imperial designs that were programmed to advance with the herd and provide some protection until they engaged in combat. (Waaargh: Orks)

Weapons created by the Orks included:

  • Breacha Ram :
  • Burna :
  • Dakka Shoota :
  • Dakkakannon :
  • Deffgun :
  • Shokk Gun :
  • Lifta-Droppa :

Vehicles used by them included:

  • Warbuggy :
  • Killa Kan :
  • Deff Dread :
  • Looted Wagon :
  • Gunfortress :
  • Deffkopta :

Gargants were Ork Titans constructed in the image of their gods. Thus, they were both the ultimate war machine and a religious idol. (Waaargh: Orks)

Known Ork space craft included:

  • Hammer class Battlekroozers :
  • Kroolboy Battleship :
  • Slamblasta Battleship :
  • Dethdeala Battleship :
  • Space Hulk : Ork Hulks were gigantic agglomerations of ancient wrecked ships, asteroids, ice and other such flotsam and jetsam, that had been cast together after millennia of drifting in and out of warp space. Space Hulks served as the primary method of Orks for travelling between the stars. When a space hulk appears in an Ork-held system, it soon gets seized and converted into a huge invasion craft with cavernous launch bays for innumerable assault boats and hundreds of thousands of Ork warriors and their war machines. Once completed, the space hulk was then sent back out of the system with an attendant fleet of attack ships, kroozers and Roks. Once beyond the outer reaches, the space hulk gets drawn back into the warp and, if all goes well, arrive at some point at a world ripe for conquest.
  • Rok : large asteroids hollowed out and fitted withdrives, guns and crew quarters. Though incapable of travelling through the Warp, any system containing Orks quickly came accumulate a growing number of Roks as they ‘built’ them at a prodigious rate.

Members

  • The Beast :
  • Wazzdakka Gutsmek :
  • Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka :
  • Boss Zagstruk :
  • Mad Dok Grotsnik :
  • Kaptin Badrukk :
  • Old Zogwort :
  • Orkimedes :

Notes

  • The Orks were created by Games Workshop and featured in the setting of the Warhammer 40,000 universe.

In other media

Video games

  • In Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War, the Orks were a playable faction in the campaign and multiplayer mode of the strategy video game.
  • In Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Winter Assault, the Orks were a playable faction in the campaign and multiplayer mode of the strategy video game expansion.
  • In Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Dark Crusade, the Orks were a playable faction in the campaign and multiplayer mode of the strategy video game expansion.
  • In Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War – Soulstorm, the Orks were a playable faction in the campaign and multiplayer mode of the strategy video game expansion.
  • In Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II, the Orks were a playable faction in the campaign and multiplayer mode of the strategy video game.
  • In Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II – Chaos Rising, the Orks were a playable faction in the campaign and multiplayer mode of the strategy video game expansion.
  • In Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II – Retribution, the Orks were a playable faction in the campaign and multiplayer mode of the strategy video game expansion.
  • In Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine, the Orks appeared as antagonists in the setting of the third person shooter video game. Warboss Grimskull led an Ork invasion of the Forge World Graia where he initially intended to loot it of weapons but came to be interest in a prized technological relic that was being protected by a squad of Space Marines.
  • In Warhammer 40,000: Eternal Crusade, the Orks appeared as a playable race in the third-person shooter video game.
  • In Battlefleet Gothic: Armada, the Orks appeared as a playable faction in the space-based real-time strategy video game and were present in the story campaign mode.

Appearances

  • Waaargh: Orks:
  • Warhammer 40,000:

External Links

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