INTRODUCTION Orks are brutal and barbaric aliens that live to fight. This Codex is the definitive guide to collecting and playing with an Ork army in the Warhammer 40,000 wargame. ‘THE WARHAMMER 40,000 GAME ‘The Warhammer £0,000 rulebook contain the rules you need to fight battles with your Citadel miniatures Set inthe war-orn universe of the 4st Milennium Every army has its own Codex book that works with ‘these rules, allowing you to turn your collection of miniatures into an organised force ready for your games of Warhammer 40,000. This Codex detals fveryting you need to know about the Orks. WHY COLLECT AN ORK ARMY The Ork army is not only one of the most powerful in the 415t Milennium but also one ofthe most fun to play. The greenskin hordes excel at close combat, and fll upon the enemy in a howling tide of violence, Ork \warbands are so large that despite the losses you may take as you close with the foe you will aways have ‘enough Boyz let to get your bloody revenge. ‘The natural toughness and ferocity of the Ork army is bolstered by an array of ingenious weapons and war machines that are as entertaining as they are deadly. (rks appeal to players witha sense of humour and a taste for inflicting severe beatings upon the enemy. HOW THIS CODEX WORKS Codex: Orks contains the flowing sections: 9: The frst section introduces the Orks yn and savage splendour, and their part 40,000 universe. It includes ful details of their origins, the lasser greenskin races, and the system-wide invasions the Orks call Waaaghs! Als Included are details of the infamous Ork clans + Forces of the Orks: Each and every character, troop type and vehicle inthe Ork army is examined in gruesome detall inthis section. Firstly, you wil find a {ull description ofthe unt, describing ts role within the army and its favoured method of crushing the foe. ‘Secondly, you wil find complete rules forthe unit and detalls of any unique weapons, gizmos and powers. they use fo slaughter their way across the universe. +The Greenskin Army: Ths section contains colour photographs ofthe extensive range of Citadel miniatures avaliable for your Ork army, gloriously painted by Games Workshop's famous avy Metal team. Colour schemes for he various clans are included, as well as Ups and techniques for Constructing and painting your Ork warband, + Ork Wargear: This section contain fll details for the rugged but deadly wargear used by the forces of (Orkdom, inluding annotated illustrations. + Ork Army List: The army ist takes all ofthe units presented in the ‘Forces of the rks’ section and arranges them so you can choose an army for your ‘own games. Each unit type also has a points value attached to help you pit your force against an ‘opponent's in a fair maten, FIND OUT MORE rile Codex: Orks contains everything you need to play a game with your army of greenskins, there are Alvays mare tactics fo use, scenarios to fight and painting ideas to try out. The monthly magazine ‘White Dwart contains articles about all aspects of the \Warammer 40,000 game and hobby. and you can find arlcles specific to the Orks on our website: ‘worw.games-workshop.comTHE ORK RACE (rks are the most warlike aliens in the 41st Millennium, and thelr number is beyond counting. From the depths of the galactic care tothe distant Ghost Stars burgeoning Ork empires rise and fall. Should the Orks. ever truly unity, they would crush all opposition ang drown the cillsed races in a tide of gare, But the Orks’ Uunquenchable thirst for violence is their downtall as well as their strength. The Or« tribes spend much oftheir time fighting amongst themselves, waging brutal wars against ther own kind so that only the strong survive. On occasion, an Ork leader wil emerge who is mghty enough to defeat his rvals and unite the warring tribes. His success draws other tives to him, atracted by the promise of carnage. Soon a great Waaagh! Is underway ~ part migration, part holy war. When the Orks are on the rampage, the galaxy trembles. THE ORK Usly and violent creatures, Orks are the dominant caste of arace that includes the smaller Gretchin and Shoting sub-races. The Orks rule their barbaric Civilisation with an iron fist. They see themselves as the toughest and most aggressive of all races in the galaxy, and kil everything in their path to prove the point. ‘Atypical Ork stands around the same height as a man, though he would be much taller ihe would only stand up straight, His trame is extremely muscular and soli ‘An OF’ arms are long and heavily thewed, and his knuckles almost scrape the loar as he lopes around. His gnarled hands end in taloned fingers capable of tearing an enemy's throat out with ease. Volrog crane his neck nse his mega-amour for whet sxemed like the fiteth te that doy. and Was finally ‘renarded. The shes were streaked vith the unmistakesble conta of Space Marine drop poss hammering through the Tortured sees tovsrds ther postion The Warbos' ror of ‘locust was taken up by his tribe unt sounded ike the avery of savage god. Hs warriors mounted up, bofing for ther ramshackle witks and batlewagons. The real bate was about begin Inside the red. ely of his bate foes, the Ork Warboss Stade purposely before his warband, the resoundiog cary ‘ofeach footstep puncturing his bellowed rss. The bate fortress lurched and one of Vokrag's bye, doping his bare 2 fungus beer eared himsel 2 punch nthe face tom the (nk nett him. Volkrag loosed 3 few waning shots fom his ‘shoot, stopping the ineable bra and lacing the Ne ‘ofthe hold ith the sharp tong of orate [] ecm ‘An Or’ skull is extremely thick, able to absorb impacts ‘hat would cave in a human head. His heavy brow ‘shades blood-red eyes alre with the need 10 kil ‘Jagged fangs jut rom a heavy jaw that would not look ‘out of place upon a far larger predator. An Ork’s genetic. make-up contains fungal and algal strains, making them | hight resilient The skin of the Ork is green and leatner-tough, and his body is dottea with scars, scabs, ockemarks and parasites. More oftensive stil is the ‘Ores smell, which has been likened to that of diseased Grox languishing in its own dung. ‘Orkoid physique isso robust that it can withstand ‘temendous punishment. An Ork feels next to no pain ‘even trom the most grievous of wounds, enabling him to fght on whilst horfically injured and even for @ short while after he is technically dead, The greenskin regeneratve process is so powertul that an Ork who has been cut apar in the crucible of battle can simply be stitched back together again, bewildered but ready to fght once more When an Ork speaks, itis in a slow, gruff tone thick with salva and guttural curses. His words are sparse, brutal and straight tothe point. Orks have but one philosophy: might is always right. They believe thatthe ‘weak must suffer the rule of the strong. Over the ‘countless milennia in which the greenskins have ‘waged their wars, not one Ork has ever doubted this for single moment ‘This unshakeable set-belie! is perhaps the most dangerous quali of the Ork race, for ‘hey will never give up on their mission to plunge the galaxy into an eternal war You lot Lsen up 0s we got a prover scrap 10 Fok ford ‘9 now!” Valrag stomped fonards the asaut ramp, crushing 2 squealing Grethin under his mege-amoured bulk “Ths ere thor’ about open and when does you wil See wat we {ome here tl” Hi warriors rowed the poral “HOt ant t see isa good ‘ar charge! No fancy stuf” Another roar. “On yr fet! Check yer guns! Ready yer chopeas! Last fone outa stinkin’ panay! Waaagh! Volirag’s warery was taken up once more asthe asout ramp exploded outward. The Ors poured ou of the hot, an Unstoppable de of savagery and hated tat pete headlong Into the volleys of eicilined boter fire. Vera es the charge, hiting the Space Marie's gun ie ike an outa ‘conta juggemaut Blood arced a: his power Ks smashed {hve Space Marines ftom thet feet, andthe Vatboss’s Dbughier ong out across the bate ody wos » good doy tbe an OrkTHE GREEN MENACE rk civilsation is hierarchical inthe extreme. These hierarchies are not determined by rank or bith, but by size and savagery. The largest Orks boss about their smaller brethren, who in turn buly the diminutive slave- race known as the Gretchin Into doing their bidding ‘Smaller stil are the Snotings, who some say are the stunted remnants of a once-great caste thatthe aeons have reduced to the level of simple-minded children ‘The feenskin sub-races have a symbiotic relationship of sorts, with the smaller greenskins performing menial tasks for their Ork overseers in exchange for a measure of protection, The selt-sustalning Ork society and ‘ecology ie £0 robust that ican exist almost anywhere, ‘which is why Ork settlements nave been found scattered to the furthest comers of the galaxy. GRETCHIN Gretchin have a similar physiology tothe Orks, though they are not as strong of tough. To compensate for this the Grotchin possess an abundance of low cunning, Sometimes known as Grots, Gretchin are more humerous than Orks. They scurry around the larger Sreenskins on scrawny legs, and ther grasping fingers snatch and steal from the unwary. Gretchin have large, bulbous heads and wide tattered ears that flatten agains! ther bald patos when they are afrald. Sharp {angs fil ner jaws, ever ready to be sunk into the flesh ‘of the weak or in rm, and malice gleams in their beady litle eyes whenever there is an opportunity for violence, ‘The Greichins' large and protruberant nose gives them ‘an excellent sense of smell, thei ears afford them a similarly advanced sense of hearing, and thelr eyesight is acute even in the dark. These traits, combined witn a heightened instinct for sel-preservaton, mean that Gretchin can not only survive but also thrive n a society dominated by vicious predators. Some Grots have their ‘survival inetinet honed to such a degree that they may. possess a rudimentary sith sense, or naturally be far more fortunate than they have a rght to be. Makati the {Grot, lckiest ofall his kind, lived to the ripe old age of nine before finally being sat on by his master and ‘subsequently fed to an il-tempered Squiggoth ‘On his own, a single Gretchin poses lite threat to a hhuman-sized adversary. However, If there is ane qually ‘he Grots have in abundance, itis quantity. On the feld ‘of atte the Gretchin advance ina great mob, fring volleys of scavenged ammunition from thelr poor-quality Weapons before diving upon the fallen and tearing them ‘apar in their scrabbling haste to loot the corpses.SNOTLINGS Shotlings ook lke thy, immature Gretchin. Their scrawny limbs are {09 small to bear weapons larger or more complicated than sharp knives and, lacking the violent tendencies oftheir larger kin, they make for very oor soldiers indeod. They are kopt as litle more than pets for thelr Ork masters, although they do make ‘excellent ammunition for he strange weapon the Orks eal te Shokk Attack Gun, Nonetheless the Snots do perform a valuable function in Ork society Shotings have an even claser genetic bond with fungal Ite forms than the other greenskins, and cutivate the great patches of the func! that spring up around Or Selllements. In this way the Snotings provide food ‘tink and medicine for the rest of Ork society. Snotings also look after the ferocious squigaly beasts that ve in the Ork cesspits. Their natural affnty with these lWetorms means that in a given day only a few dozen Shoting attendants wil be devoured alve oy their ravenous enarges The Snoting populations that spring up around Ork settlements are monitored and cultivated by a caste of (Oras known as Rurtherds, These grizzled and merciless slavers have a varety of ways to bully thee charges into a state of anxious obedience, not least of which are the much-feared grot-pred and the ferocious Squig-hound. Y sous ‘Sauigs, also known a Squiggly Beasts are alvays found living th Ons. Tey ae an tegyal part of the mole ‘ind mobie Or ecosystem The Squgs ext the refuse of | the Ort, and the Ors eat the Squgs. There are mary) farm of Sui aa each varity incorparetes many } Subyypes. Their fonctions range fom eae to medial, | but perhaps the most infamous of al Squg types are the | ravenous facebiters, hich the Oks use in the same Way | humans might use atack dogs Lite mare than 3 snapping, croolng mouth on le, these ferocious Dessies ore a 9n of satus ane many an Ok Warlord eens a pt face ber that dines upon those who have | | | | fallen out of the Baz tevour Other exualy harp- toothed Squgs grow and bred athe sawing esis lof the Or setomens, lending an oof unpredtabity ‘ad excitement f even the Brees rp othe oops 4 Y i ee THE LOST RACE Many of the more civilised races of the galaxy have ‘speculated about where the seemingly omnipresent Ork race came from, and whether they originally had a home warld trom which they spread to the furthest ‘comers of the galaxy. The exact truth is shrouded in mystery, for the Or«s do not Keep written recoras, Instead they rely on an oral tration of storyteling ‘Ork legend (such as itis) is generally passed down by ‘ne Runtherds, those who specialise inthe breeding and taining of the lesser greenskin races. They speak ‘of a legendary caste of eenskins who created the ‘Orks of today as a warrior race to protect their own. Dificut as it sto believe, this ancient race was ‘extremely iteligent, and held dominion over the other ‘rk castes. They were much smaller than their ‘servants, so they bred the Orks to be as strong and fierce as possible to protect them from predators and invaders. Though their Ork and Gretehin servants were anything but intellectual, they had a strong survival instine! and an innate understanding of their own universe, The Runtherds refer to the mysterious forefathers of the Orks as the Brainboyz "Da only lost race I ever heard of wor when Hef crashed his trike in da final stretch of da cross-desert rally. Cost me a few teef, that NNuzagrood of the Bick Shalls ‘The Brainboyz wore the driving force behind Ork hlisation; developing technology and directing the ‘other castes in their expansion across tho stars. A great tragedy must have belalien them, however, for they do not exst today. Some Ork legends tell of a great plague ‘tat lasted for many centuries, causing the Brainboyz to dwindle and eventualy die out altogether. Others maintain thatthe Brainboyz regressed into Snotlings and that an Or« rebelion was responsible for reducing ‘ne Brainbayz tothe infantie litle monsters they are today. Either way, the Brainboyz took steps to preserve What they could of thelr knowledge by engineering i into the genetic stucture oftheir slaves, thereby ‘reating the ultimate survivor race. Many amongst the Magos Biologs ofthe Imperium theorise thatthe Orks retain such a relatively igh level of technology in the 4st Millennium as a direct resut ofthis acceleratea ‘evolution, thet technical skils coded into their genes, rks being Orks, they care ite either way. rweom ace [7]4 GREENSKIN KULTUR rks have their own distinct culture (or ‘kultura the (Oras call), the origins of which stem trom the days of ‘the Brainboyz. Though itis a corupted version of the society engineered by the Orks' progenitors. by and large it functions very well Perhaps ths is because the fundamental tenet of Ork society is a simple one that even the most pea-brained Snotling can understand the belie that might makes right. ‘THE ORK HIERARCHY (rks instinctively obey those larger than themselves. provided they are a healthy shade of green - most Orks ‘would rather die than bow to a non-greenskin’s wil. The rulers of Ork society are the largest and mast powertul (Oras of all, known as Warbosses or Watlares. These ‘monstrous kiling machines can reach up to ten feet in height. Warbosses offen rise to power through low cunning, as their abilties as a warrior are deemed more important than any real leadership qualties. A Warboss will ld dominion aver al he surveys, and beat the living éaylights out of anyone who says ciferent. His ‘decisions are enforced by a ruing caste of Orks known as Nobz, who are larger, richer and more aggressive than normal Orks “The bulk ofthe Ork horde is comprised of great mobs of infantry that eall themselves Boyz. The Goff in particular are famous for he sheer number of Boyz that they can field in times of war, marching to battle as a green horde that often outnumbers is foes several {imes over. (rks tend tobe lazy and forgettul, and only war and the preparation for war realy brings out tei innate talents Most ofthe day-to-day running of Ork society is let to the Gretchin, whose dues include preparing food, taking messages, fetching, carrying, general organisation an just Being around the place when an Crk wants something to kick. This gives the Orks plenty of te to swagger about, getting into ights and coming up with new ways to kil things. “The Orks are the pinnacle of creation. For them, the great struggle is won. They have evolved 2 society which knows no stress or angst. Who are we to judge them? We Eldar who hive failed. or the Humans. on the road to ruin in their turn? And why? Because we sought answers to questions that an Ork ‘wouldn't even bother to ask! We see a culture that is strong and despise it as crude” Uthan the Pesere, Elda Philosopher ‘THE ORK RACE ‘The Gretchin are happy enough in thei rate. They bear litle resentment towards their superiors, for to them ‘Orks are just a fact of Ife, and questioning the facts of Me leads toa clip round the earhole and ite else. Individual Gretchin can enjoy a relatively comfortable ‘existence by providing valuable services to their Ork masters, Most Grots are owned by Orks as personal ‘servants, though some gather togethe” into loose tribes that may even own functional weapons and equipment ‘The Gretchin have created an entire enterprise culture ‘of tei own within their Ork-dominated society. Many Gretchin operate their own black-market businesses on the sige, such as seling {ungus-beer, roasting squige ‘on sticks, coordinating the bets when a fight Breaks out ‘fTaoting corpses for fun and prof ALIFE OF CONFLICT ‘Orks excel in the field of war, on everything from a personal to a galactic scale, It's cantlet that governs ‘ner entire society, their technological advances, and ‘even thei individual growth. Prolonged periods of ‘confit lead to a proportional increase in the size and strength of an Ork, and greenskins who have fought in ‘an active warzone fora fen years tower aver those who have been deprived of such stimulus. Longer wars produce ever larger combatants, At the climax of Warlord Thogza’s decades-iong Waaaghl into the Duros sector, the Ork veterans were reputed to reach a size almost twice as tal as a man, Wen there are no enemies to fight the Orks wil test their mettle against any native predators they can fin, and if that fils they wil fight amongst themselves simply fr the jy of it. Disputes between Orks become almost hourly occurrences if hey are nat engaged against a common foe, Itis during times such as these a Warboss's authority is olten challenged by a rwval Nob. The outcome of power stuggles such as these are resolved through methods ranging ‘rom low cunning to high explosives, but ritual pt fighting romains a firm favourite. Pit fights are popular since they entertain the whole warband and establish the victor as Warboss Beyond cispute, Rivals are thus dispatched by the incumbent Warboss. or else he is overthrown (and usually kiled into the bargain) Every Ork setloment has a fighting pt for this purpose, whichis also used to Settle other grudges and disputes. Pit fghting thus ‘Serves the Orks as a rough and ready judicial system, ‘Other tess of mettle popular in Ork kultur are ‘squigeating contests, whereby rival Orks attempt to eat a face-biter squig before I eats them, and breakneck races around the settlements perimeter in ramshackle vehicles. itis considered a great breach of protocol to ‘open fre upon a challenger in a race such as tis, ‘though truth be told Orks have never cared that much about protocol{As an Ork matures into aduthood, he will become involved in larger and more violent conflicts ranging from border skirmishes to all-out war. Orks have addictive personalities, and the heightened states of excitement produced by a battle can mean that over the course of a particularly epic conflict an Ork will become Aaddicled to one facet of warfare above all others. (rks have a tendency to seek out like-minded ‘nibemates who shave the same obsessions, and hence form loose groups of specialists. An Ork who has experienced the exutaton of destroying an enemy tank may join the ranks ofthe Tankbustas, whereas an Ork ‘who has become obsessed with battlefield discipline may become one ofthe infamous Stormbayz. Even the brutish Nobs of each warband can specialise in 2 certain role, gathering in mobs of eannon-toting Flash Gitz or steci-armoured Meganobz. There even exist groups of Madboyz, thase Orks who have caught a piece of shrapnel in the brain or have become unhinged ‘due to some horrible accident or unnecessary surgery. Without a doubt, though, the largest and most popular ofthese subcultures is the Kult of Speed, ‘THE KULT OF SPEED (rks love to go fast. Speed tullis some deep need in the Orkish temperament, just ike the thunder of guns, ‘the clank of tacks or the din of battle, They lke to feel ‘the wind whipping into their Taces, to see the dust rising behind them in a great cloud, and to hear the throaty roar of supercharged engines. Itis haraly surprising that bikes and buggies ofall kinds are popular withthe (rks. These up-gunned vehicles may not be as sturdy as those used by the Imperium, but they are cheap, shooly and, most important o al they can achieve truly breakneck speeds, . a ‘eo ORKTETH Reis mrt Bea ay tan ea ee eS Pek eciarcs tan apogee hehe cs Rp Tae eeen fae ef ete it tO end ae as sea oe aa Ee acne rere fetes Baise cg nian =e Per eer Some Orks become addicted tothe sensation of speed and join the Speed Freeks, a Kult whose members rarely i ever leave the saddle. These grinning loons roar ino batle ahead on exhaust-belchingjalopies and crude but effective tying machines, intent on getting into the thick of the fighting before their ground pounding comrades. Due to te large number of Vohicles in each warband, they often have several of the Oddboys known as Meks amongst their number fo keep thelr wagons running smoothly.oppBors I Ores were nothing more than single-minded kiling machines they would be dangerous enough, but they ‘would be unable to sustain a significant level of technology to ply the stars. Gretchin, though obedient t beaton with sufficient regularity, are nother inventive or inteligent enough to maintain the weaponry thatthe (rks possess, nor to patch up casualties when the going gets tough. These highly technical demands are met by a caste of Orks known as Oddboy2 han There are many types of Odaboy in Ork society, but the ‘mast important are Mekboyz, Painboyz, Runtherds and Weircboy2. Mekboyz are responsiole for the creation and maintenance of Ork technology. Painboyz are Ork (Chapter XVI: Genetic predctcrmisition {thas long been known thatthe psychological aspects ofa human ar, i part, determined by der genetic tage Geran geno-ypes are clscosed towards predetermined personaly tarts which, in tm, nform the proces of Teaming ad aptitude In Oks thie genetic eredetermintion ‘sali present though na ciferent and much more pronounced feshion. peers tat not any is aptitude foward certain pect ofthe ctr present nthe genestructre, actual kil and knoniedge are azo encoded Into the genede svar The best analogy ne can think of to compare this Ienaniedge withthe basic motor ils present in 3 human ‘hill A Buran child does nt have tobe taught howto breathe, oF how 10 make its het Be Ina sr way 3 (nk predisposes towards science and mechani ct. Mek) thas a encoded knowledge of basic physics and mechanical ‘ngineeing theory nthe sae way that a hill can etn 10 fer thei breothing, hal Yr Breath or mero the “apacty oftheir ngs and vascular system 0 9 can an Ork ‘ull upon these innate sls tough the normal proces of learing. Te two majo kil groups created inthis fashion are the castes non as ks and Mek Doks are melcal expert, who have 2 rough and ready epouiedige of Oris xerolgial compesiton. Due the /arsines f ther physiognomy, Ok surgical and medal technique are a3 crude a theres of the technoogy macics, though their penchant for bizare and inappropriate surgery can make their ministratons more hazard than help. Runtherds breed the lesser forms of {greenskin and marshal them onto the feld of battle, and Weirdboyz ate potent psykers who can discharge great blasts of Waaagh! energy into the ranks ofthe foe ‘Although it may seem strange to humans, these ‘Odaboyz all possess an innate understanding oftheir fields of expertise as soon as they are bom. A Mekboy knows how to create engines and generators even ‘though he has never been taught f0 do so, and @ Painboy instinctively knows which squiry tube connects to which wrigaly bit when he is delving into some unfortunate patient's abdomen. If asked where this knowledge comes trom an Odaboy might reply that it was in his Bload all along Ina way this is almost iteraly tue, for bound up within an Ork's genetic structure are artificial genetic strands ‘at carry this sort of knowledge. Some believe these strands were implanted ino the Ork’s genetic patter to ‘enable the Orks to survive without ther Brainboy masters. As an Ork matures, any latent knowledge inherent in is genetic structure wil start to make iself apparent, and he assumes the role in Ork sociely for which he is best suited. Should he lack any specialist knowledge, he wil join the vast throng of Boye al the heart of each tribe ang content himself with a Ie of murder and mayhem, Wounds can be exsiy sched tight with staple or bls, ‘ail rokan Bones need tle nthe nay af eng to speed the heingeroces Interna ijn ate sary Wate ad the multiple redundancy of many Ork organs provides pent ‘of transplant donors for those m need of such measures [athough the donation f not aways made voluntary, particu where the casuaty i an important member ofthe fosiej Often Ors undergo harendous and entirely unnecessary surgical procedures to Sts the Dok's Inquistivenec. Such testers ae nat tested in any _cientie manner before the employment and home Injuries offer rest rom such gresome procedires Meks are sma driven 0 experimentation. Much of he weapon apd warger used by the Orks are designed and Dui bythe Meks. As much of ther know i subconscious, the vast majority of Mets neve tuiy understand what they are cresting. This ead 0 same rather nitty conventions, For stance, i widely elven rk soci that machines painted in are colour operate faster 1s dsturbing as it sounds, "acts such as this become tue Mary captures Crk weapons and tems of qujpment do not work unless wielded by an rk thease that many Ork | Inventions werk Because the Orks hemes think they | should werk the strong telkinetc abies of the Ork Subconscious somehow ensure they function as deste. | Gane Heredity sill scqisition wth Lskae Anson the Ork cate. ‘THE ORK RACE‘THE NATURE OF THE BEAST ‘The secret of the Ork’s remarkable physiology is symbiosis. An Ork’s body harbours the genetic traits of both animal and fungal fe forms, and it's ths plant-ike nature that gives the Ork his remarkable constitution. ‘The Ork's green colouration is due to an algae that flows through ther blood, and algo forms part oftheir ‘digestive act. Ths algae breaks down and repairs ‘damaged tissue at an incredible rate, accounting in part {or the Ork’s extremely durable metabolism. An Ork’s head can ive on for some time even when completely severed from the body, and can even be transplanted to another bady altogether before death sets in. ‘The Ork reproduces by the dispersal of spores that settle and mature overtime. An Ork’s demise triggers @ mass release of spores that can develop into dozens of cocoons, Though these cocoons may hatch Gretchin Shotings or just simple fungi depending on conditions, 1 goad number will mature into fuly-grown Orks atter a short gestation period, These spores are dispersed far and wide by the wind, which makes the eracication of the greenskin presence from a contaminated warzone impossible to effect with anything short ofthe cleansing firestorm of Exterminatus ‘AoW Ork spores will come to rest in remote zones ‘where no other Orks dwell: dense jungles ana aid ‘deserts where normal cilisations find it ficult to ‘survive, The spores rapidly infest the area and grow without threat of discovery. Over a relatively short perio of ime, the Ork hatchings band together into loose tribes. Sometimes known as Witdboyz, these ‘g0ups wil seex out and unite with the parent warband, “There they learn about Ork kultur and take their place in the wartior society, exchanging spear and axe for slugga and choppa. However, should the new trbe mature on a world where their Ork ancestors have been driven off or slain, the Wildboyz will instead develop into fa tibe of Feral Orks A fits, Feral Ork tribes form litle threat tothe plane they infest. They are unciviised, even by the low standards of their Ork brethren, Feral Orks lve by the ‘old ways of hunting and exploring. As the tbe increases in size they breed ever-larger varieties of ‘squig iding around upon great tusked beasts that vary in size from a Grox to a Megadon. Exploring the ‘stomping grounds of their predecessors, the Feral Orks ‘soon learn to scavenge weapons and equipment, Fejeicing in the noise and destruction they can cause with their new toys. Shortly after this discovery the tbe Will mobilise for war, whooping and howling as they pour out af the mountains or jungles, finging ‘memselves ino the settlements of tne unsuspecting ‘enemy and stating the cycle of warfare afresh. Once a Worlds infested with Ork spores itis forever locked in an endless cycle of violence and maciness,TRIBES AND CLANS (rks thrive on conflict. The strongest rise to the top while the weak become subservient and benefit from the superior leadership and headkicking skils of thelr conquerors. To an Ork ths tate of afats is perfectly Satisfactory. than Ork tribe is beaten by another, stronger tribe, the defeated Orks welcome the ‘opportunity to beled ino battle by a new Warlord of even greater power Atribe is simply all the Orks in a given location, regardless of what kut ot clan they may belong to because inthe end an Ork is an Ork and they wil always put aside thet diferences if there is an ‘opportunity to beat up a common enemy. Each tribe is led by a Warboss or Warlord whose authority and Power holds this lose confederation in check and prevents civil war between the rival elements of the Itive. Tribes can vary in size from a few thousand Orks ‘0 a few millon, depending on the influence ofthe war leader atthe top ofthe pile. (Chapter XVI: Societal sad Miliary Grouping The bast rk ghang units he warband, an erganzation roughly equivalent t0 a Compary in human mary toms. A orbond is commanded by large and aggresive Orc ‘chieftain, called the Warboss. The Warband is split into 3 numberof mats wth each mab usualy fed by an Grk noble, fered 70353 oss oF Nb Warbands re well not of 2 tbe but canbe independent The trbe i ruled ove by 2 powerul Warlord, the most dangerous and ambitious Warboss vio has fought hi way to dominance ove his kind A tbe can comprise anything from zevers hundred t ovr» milion Oks and wil i contr of an entre contnent or wots. Mare commonly 3 ‘abtableGrk world wl sustain several Or tbs ina more- ‘ores pores tte of ar lh ch other unl they in Ina Woaagh! Cutting across warband and bal Boundaries are the rk ‘ans. The clans embody a phiosopy (or want ofa better term) among Orks, each clon emphasing partcuar elements oF Or cutie above other Far example the Got an tembrace aggression, hardiness and hand-to-hand combat as Inve Ory tues whe the Ei Sun clon sdecated speed, ightning atacand having the sazcest vehicles Because a Warlord cannot be everywhere at once, the trloes are spt into warbands that in urn are led by {actonal leaders called Warbosses. Each Warboss leads a warband of a hundred or so Ores, forming @ rough and ready army that is capable of taking on almost any foe. Most warbands have a hard cove of Ork infantry at their heart, though exceptions include the mechanised warbands of the Speed Frocks, warbands fof Ork waker-dreadnoughs, heaviy-atmoured batlewagon brigades and tne Mek-led warbands that ‘specialise in the use of heavy weapons. ‘Athough all Orcs belong to a tribe, many also belong to clans such as the Gots or Evil Sunz, Tribes are constantly breaking apart and reforming inthe crucible ‘of atte, but the clans are constant and enduring. A large trbe usually contains many different clans, anc ‘each clan has is own distinc: character and identty There are six clans that have spread from one side of tne galaxy tothe other: the Gotts, the Snakebites, the Bad Moons, the Blood Axes, the Deathskulls and the Evil Sunz. Each has distnet cultural preferences and abillies, perhaps engineered into the Orks by the Brainboys of the cistant past in an attempl to ensure a productive society. The Orks, on the other hand, work hard to ensure their society is as violent as possible. “Some Orks become obsessed with clan ileal: Winer this | the caze the Or wil eee out lieing invita Jain with thom te create 2 arband which completely ‘xerplifes the purest tots ofthe clan. However most tnbes ar es dominated by the clan ea and clon values ‘mere serve 9 instil 9 sense of unity and make a commen enemy a bes which are part of other clans. During an ork Waagh! worband are destroyed and reford from whatever sunivore ae aveabe in these times warbards or even wiole tribes may erege vith | compre members of many eierent clans thronn together bythe fortunes of war site ofthe usual antipathy these | ‘ks wil ght alongside each othe forthe duration ofthe Waaagh! a they Become caught up in the tle of Onsh aggresion and conquest {| {At the conclusion of the Waaagh! 2 mixed warband or ibe ‘sl usualy break up unde the pressure a interannual However narbards commanded by an especialy determined leader wil stubborn) hang together, abandoning ther presous clan and trbeafilatons to become Feebooters ‘ts whe ight for pro an lon Gerctoe Laat Anion thoi sociological orionGOFFS "We're da best. Think different do ya? Come and have a go then, ya runty little wimp!” Carga, Goff Nob ‘The Gotts are the biggest, meanest and most brutish of all ther kind, and that's saying something. Of all the flans, the Gots are the most inspired by the tril and ‘thunder of pate, Gots wil ake any excuse to start a brawl even amongst themselves. As a result the Gotts are specialists in hand-te-nand combat who prefer ther battles up close and personal Goff arias are notorious forthe sheer number of Orc infantry they muster in times of war. A Goll Boyz mob 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. ‘The Gotts use a bull's head as their clan emblem, as they feel a kinship with bad-tempered, violent and flaulent beasts. They dress predominant in black, seeing the gaudy colours sported by other clans as inappropriate for a serious Ork warior, Though they sometimes decorate thelr wargear with checks and dage, camouflage is al bul unheard of, being viewed as cowaraly in the extreme by the older and more ‘radtional Gott, After al, what self respecting Ork ‘would want to do himself out of a good figat by hiding my lke a sriveling Get? EVIL SUNZ ‘Evil Sunz like two fings most: Going fast and krumpin’ stuff. Dat’s why we'z so good at it” Lagoa of the Bladed Whee ‘The Evll Suns are iresistbly atracted towards fast Vehicles and loud noise. They have an unquenchable need to careen around the batilefeld at great speed, ploughing into the ranks of the enemy before racing off to cause more carnage elsewhere. Though an Evil Sunz army wil include foot troops, these infantry mobs will usualy save up their teth for when they can atford ‘vehicle of their own, The Evil Sunz never stay in one place for ong, and ar alvays on the lookout for new vicims and settlements to slaughter. The armies of the Imperium find it ‘extremely dificul to engage the Evil Sunz on anything ‘other than the Ork’s terms, forthe clan's super-charges trukks, batlewagons and buggies can outmanoeuvre ‘he heavy vehicles ofthe Imperium with ease, The totem of the Evil Sunz clan is a blood red Ork face Ggrimacing from the heart of a sunburst. They wear red Clothes and often paint their machines red too, firmly believing in the old Ork adage that red ones go fasta Evi Sunz Warbosees wil usually have theit vehicle painted red from grile to exhaust. The habit of painting ‘Vehicles red has its roots inthe ritual covering ofthe ‘Ore’s mounts with the blood ofthe foe, a practice that is sill observed by some of the older Evil Sunz tribes.BAD MOONS “Bought me a deffblasta off Rotskrag carer. Nice little killa. Just ask Rotskrag, hur hus.” Fit Deaths, Flak Git ‘The Bad Moons are the richest of al the Ork clans This is because their teeth grow faster than anyone else's, meaning that even the lowliest Bac Moan has @ steady supply of wealth. This isnt regarded as an Unfair advantage. as any Ork big and nasty enough can simply smash the teeth out of a Bad Moon's head. ‘The Bad Moons full the role of a merchant class in Ork society, and have a reputation for showing of. The vohicles used by the Bad Moons are festooned with ‘decoration. A moe of Bad Moon Nabs an foo! wil bristle with personalised kombi-weapons and goktplated is lng teeth, and onda mighty blow on is ars’: ‘ead wit a siked cub the size ofa comet Mark, the ‘aster of cunning, wats unt his fe ooking before abbering him wth» lw Bow w ‘An ida of the appearance ofthe Ork gods can be goned from looking at Ore Gargants, mighty war machines ‘onsite in the image of Gok (or possibly Mork. The Mekboy2 creat these tonic engines of war 10 reflect the ‘essence of Orkihiessn mechanical form, A Gagan i consequent the utimate var machine and 3 potent religious do, These clanking behemoths behave vey much ke the Or gous, lumbering about and leaving a ailof | ‘evasion in ther ake, They go whee they pense, an ever shun 9 fight. THE ORK RACEGATHERING THE WAAAGH! (rks need battle just as humans need food and drink. Due to thelr warike nature, Orks constantly ight amongst themselves to prove who is the strongest sharpening their innate warrior skils out posing litle threat tothe galaxy at large. However. Ork populations can reach a kind of ertical mass thal leads toa full- scale planetary migration. Tis is known as a Waaagh! 8 crusade of pure agaression that crashes through star systems in an orgy of violence. AWeaagh! usualy starts small, even as small as a single Ork visited by dreams of carnage. He will hammer his dreams of conquest into his subordinates, often imparting his vision to others by building 2 gigantic war machine in the image of his brutal gods, or beating up other Orks until they doit for him. These titanic effigies are known as Gargants, and their construction ignites something primal within the hearts of the Orks that see them. Rumours of the coming ‘Waaagh! spread through their society, and the Ores begin to unite ‘A Wald wil ight his way tothe top ofthis ramshackle horde, subsuming the armies of those he conquers into his own tribe, As news of his status spreads, the trickle of reinforcements becomes a flood. (Otk Meks start to colaborate on more and mare ‘outlandish projects, building even larger war machines and guns tor the Waaagh! Smoke-belching mobile fortresses and titanic engines of batle are cobbled together out of nothing more than scrap metal and heavy-handed enthusiasm. “There is stil much rivalry between the various clans and trbes, and each strives to outdo all he others in the sheer kllyness o its war machines. Those Moks without the resources to construct towering Gargants instead create mobs of clanking Kila Kans and Deft Dreads, or powerful battewagons trom which the Ork warbostes lead theit armies to war. Dozens of other Ork Warbosses add their armies to the ‘cause as the crusade gathers momentum. The Construction of war engines and gigantic walkers builtin ‘he image of the Or« gods reaches fever pitch. ‘Soon, the emergent Waaagh! begins to span worlds instead of continents, Entre native populations are forced into stavery merely to manufacture ammurition for the horde's guns. Crude factory-ships and war hulks are bashed into shape, the better to transpor the Ork armies into bate‘When the lure of imminent bloadshed ean be resisted rho more, the deadly fervour washing through the horde overtiows, Teeming Ork armies mass and swell as tne anticipation ofthe coming war reaches fever pitch, and the skies fil with bulky and erude Ork spaceships. ‘The grand musters that precede a full-scale Ork invasion are an awe-inspiring sight. As the Orks gather {or battle, smoke from thousands of oly engines fils the ar, The ground trembles beneath great wheels, tracks land the thunderous strides of lowering Gargants. Armies of greenskins stretch across the horizon, rasing their banners high to proclaim their reputations and allegiances. their warcries audible for miles around, Batteries of Big Gunz, bizarre energy weapons and force field generators hum, clank and buzz amidst the green throng. Scattering armadas of rusty vehicles raise thunderheags of dust so large they are Visible from space. Speed Freeks rev ther engines, and the Boys fre thei guns into the air while a carpet of Gretchin spreacs out infront of the army. ‘Soon the baltletiold is barely visible beneath the tendless sea of green, each Ork warrior certain that soon the ground willbe stained red, Here the power ot ‘the Waaagh is palpable as a wave of raw aggression and Orkiness. Gork and Mork gaze eagerly down from the warp to see how their wariors wil fare. With an almighty bellow the Orks surge forwards, and another world is plunged inte unending war. ‘Out ofthe gloom itcame, a giant machine west and \S/ eadly Ushbet stared up atthe eight-foot monster in five, raga threw himself on the ground and aimed Ine shoot, sending a ha of sels sparking athe gant’: eg. With 9 creak of meta ipod verter foshole The earth shook a i thundered past The rest ofthe Boye fed across the churned earth ofthe battled The hunched metal giant stooped over them There was a highpched whine flowed by a tremendous ras psa envpted rors ft Ushbok watches ‘entranced tame the remsinng Ex Sune into steam, “0\ Mekboy wot is dt zoggin’ ting? asked Dragntz senling another useless bust ofr aftr ‘Dunno, Boss, but its ded kil’ repled Ushbek Insgraton fared though him. He had a vison the humans cous bul the god a metal boy then maybe he cou build the rk gods meta beds 00. nhs rma’ eye he could picure his ereatons. Huge ang Molen loadsa guns Very shoot Very shoot indeed ‘And hd make them lsgger than anything the humans ould make tt was such a grot idea, he wondered wy he'd never hadi before. Though hee know yet Ushbek was going fo change the history of the gay. The Waaagh! was oni Wy.THE SAVAGE STARS (rks live on innumerable worlds. On some they dominate completely, on others they ive in a state of Perpetual war, ang on others sill ney act as slavemasters, bullying the local populations into ding their bidding. Across the entre galany there are Ork realms, Ork empires, and Ork horces that roam the stars upon gigantic space hulks. Wherever humans have travelled, they have found Orks. It has been tens of thousands of years since humanity encountered the (rks, and in that time mankind has fought courtless bloody wars against these savage aliens. There is no Ikelinoed that tis state of affairs will change. Millennia ago, @ probe was sent out from Terra, ts mmission to reach the utmost It of the universe, The “Techpriests who built it hoped that it would someday return tits place of origin. The probe stil sends back {aint signals after 14,000 years act. To the uter ‘despair of the Imperial Techpriests who monitor the incessant battery of incoming signals, many are identified as Orkish, The depressing conclusion for mankind can only be that wherever they travel in space, ‘there's a good chance thatthe Orks wil either have been there first or won't be long in ariving “The Ork empires spread across the galaxy tke a green stain, No system is entirely devoid of ther touch, Some ‘thearise that the Orks do not use conventional methods of travel because their spores drit trough the cosmos fon etherie winds, but the truth is far simpler. The greenskins have not mastered the art of space travel because they simply do not care where they are going, only that they get to kil something when they get there. Y ORK ROKS (rk ros are essen large asteroids hollowed out ane! fitted with drives guns and crew quarters Though roks {ae incapable of traveling though the war, any system Containing Oks wail quik accumulate a rowing numberof rks. This because the Orks Bul them 9 prodigious ate often by breaking off large chunks of 538 hulk or welding seace debris ont meteors. Orks an use ks as a meas offing tom one wort 0 another within a system, pling ther nan out of eb th simple but povertul wactor Beams thas come as fatal suprise to many an Imperial cain {kirting a astro) bol fr hat sme ofthe asters {are ding nhs direction, guns blazing. Needless f0 sy this is ecremely enetaning fo the Oks invoked, quite ‘making up forthe lack of eed or manouewabilty afforded by such 9 sold chunk of space det, SPACE HULKS ‘The primary mode of interstellar travel for the Ork race is the space hulk. Space hulks are gigantic agglomerations of ancient wrecks, asteroid, ice and interstela flotsam and jetsam, cast together after millenia of criting in ana out of warp space. Some are infested with alien ife forms, Chaos renegades or even Worse horrors, but mast are simaly ghost ships, pling ‘he void for etemit. Tales of greedy scavengers meeting horrible fates aboard space huks are told ‘throughout the Imperium, out there are just as many tales of vast fortunes made from the ancient or alien technologies they cary Wen a space hulk appears in an Ork-held system itis. seized by any possible means, including colossal tractor beam arrays, and converted into a huge invasion craft. Cavernous launch bays are adapted for innumeraole assauk craft and milions of Ork wariors and war machines honeycomb its iregular caves ‘Once completed, the space hulk is sent back out into ‘ne stars with an attendant fleet of attack ships and kroozers as escorts, The space hulk is guided ino a \warp storm or rit through the efforts of its Weirdboyz and Meks. Itis drawn into the warp and, if all goes well, spat out once more at a world re for conquest. Being incredibly random in thei tralectory. space hulks could appear in any place, at any ime. This suits the ‘Orks just fine, as their spit of adventure and aggression owes nothing to organisation or direction, In ‘his manner the Orks travel tothe corners of the galaxy, spreading a plague of warfare across space and time. “Travellin’ through space is boring. Well, boring unless da hulk yer on is full of dem gene-sneakers, or a base fer da Chaos lads wiv da spikes. or already has Boyz on it. Or if fhumic lootas come callin’, that's always good fer a bit 2 sport. Or unless yer have a mutiny for two to pass da time, or unless strange fings start happenin’. which dey usually do when yer cout in da warp. One time we had some bloody great ugly fing come straight out of Weird Lugwort’s ‘ed! It butchered half da lads, that ‘was pretty entertainin., Come ter fink of it, space is a pretty good larf And that’s before yer find yerself a nice new world ta crush! Bignaw, Ork RustherdA GALAXY AT WAR History is spattered with the predations of the Orks just as a Warboss's choppa is spattered with blood. The ruination wreaked upon the galaxy by the Orkoid race is. beyond measure. Not even the Lexmechanics of the Imperium can hope to catalogue the true extent of the camage wrought in the names of Gork anc Mork, for ‘the Orks care itl for the lessons of yesteryear othe promise of tomorrow. All that matters to them isthe Violent present. And yet, inthe closing years of the 4tst Millennium, the menace posed by the Ork race is greater than it has ever been before. There are more (rk empires than ever and many oftheir warlords fight for the same cause, Worse sil hey are led by the Prophet of the Waaaghl, Ghazghkull Thraka, and it anyone can unite the Orks, itis the Beast of ‘Armageddon himselt ‘THE COMING OF THE BEAST Ghazghkull led an unremarkable life upon the backwater planet of Urc unt he sustained massive cranial injury trom a bolter round. His ite was saved by ‘a Painboy called Dok Grotsni, but Ghazghkull was ever the same again, claiming that Gork and Mork spoke to im directly and that he was their prophet. His conviction and brute strength lent credence to his claims, and soon mighty Gargants were being raised all across Urk in the name of Ghazghkul's vision, ‘The following decade saw Ghazghkull ascendant. He grew rapidy in size with every passing year as rival Ork ‘Warbosses challenged his rule and were beaten ito the dit for ther presumption. Ghazghkul gathered a massive number of armies to his banner and gave the greenskins of Urk an utimatum — follow him to glory or ‘ie, As one the Orks chose to follow Ghazghkull becoming the first of several thousand tribes to pledge allegiance to his cause, “The fist act of Waaagh! Ghazghkull was to crush the entire Urk system, The Prophet ofthe Waaagh! brought feven the most fuculent worlds under his rule by attacking them again and again unl they bent to his will Ghazghikull was afire with tne need for conquest. Every Ork who saw the lames of his passion first-hand ‘would follow the Prophet of the Waaagh! into the jaws of hell. Ghazghkull knew wel that he would need every Counce of loyally he could inspire, for his new target was hone other than the Imperial world of Armageddon, ARMAGEDDON ‘The hive world of Armageddon is a vital node at the centre of several Imperial navigational channels. A polluted wasteland of ash and metal, i's innumerable ‘weapons shops supply arms to Imperial Guard regiments several hundred light years away. {Ghazghkul resolved fo crush it without mercy. He knew ‘hat this Iynchpin ofthe Imperium were t fl hundreds of worlds would be robbed of their detence capabilties and whole systems would buckle and collapse under the weight of his onslaught Like many Warlords before him, Ghazghkull intended to bring about an era of war that would never end. In 941.Mé1, Warlord Ghazghiull invaded Armageddon al tne head of a massive Ork Waaagh!. Ghazghkull timed nis incursion perfectly launching his attack just ‘when the Imperial commanders were at their most complacent. When Ghazohkul’s space hulk was ‘sighted in-system, the Overlord of Armageddon, von Strab, did nothing to investigate or report its appearance to other Imperial authorities. The gigantic transport erashed straight onto the western continent known as Armageddon Prime and Ghazgkull started to deploy his armies. In response, von Strab sent out his planetary defence regiments piecemeal, They were {ound into the dust. Wrthin a week the continent of ‘Armageddon Prime was taken by slorm as ‘Ghazgnkulls wartiors rampaged through its hives. The defences of Armageddon Prime fell othe Ork invaders Ike wheat to a scythe. “The Imperial high command was content to withdraw beyond the equatorial jungle into Armageddon Secundus. Uimately it was a Commissar named ‘Yarick who ordered Armageddon's astropatnie choir to ‘Sond a signal for aid, earning him von Sirab’s displeasure and his subsequent exile to the towering metropolis known as Hades Hive Von Strab was not concemed withthe loss of ‘Armageddon Prime. declaring thatthe Orks would never be able o cross the deadly jungles that ‘separated them rom Armageddon Secundus. He was \wrong. Gnazghull forces swept out of he jungle ‘over and embarked on a massive conquest. crossing the Slygies and Diabolus vers and marching on the hives of Armageddon Secundus. Von Strab ordered Princeps Mannheim ofthe Adeptus Titanicus to lead his “Titans into battle to delay the Ork armies, unsupported by other forces. Mannheim obeyed, though he knew ‘at it would lead to the destruction of his beloved god machines. The Titans inflicted heavy casuaies, but Ghazghkulls gargants had them outnumbered and ‘outgunned. The Legio Metalca were all but annihilated Acatane ar wan [21]THE STORM BREAKS Everywhere the Imperial forces were being driven back in disarray. Ghazghkul's armies swept onwards, laying sioge to Infernus Hive as the Season of Storms broke in ful fury. Lightning spit the skies above as columns of refugees numbering in tons of thousands limped across the inhospitable ash dunes, dying trom exposure to the harsh environment or faling prey to the rampaging Speed Freeks that harried them on their long march, ‘As the Orks moved southwards Ghazghkull ordered ‘them to split into two forces. The thunder of battle reached a deafening peak as the massed armies of the greenskins descended on the Hades and Helsreach hives, Just as the Orks looked set lo overrun Hive Helsreach and slaughter its people, von Strab Unleashed a secret weapon ~ a massive stock of virus bombs capable of reducing even tough Orkoid flesh to ‘a bubbling black soup in seconds. Many of the ancient ‘devices malfunctioned and, as their payloads exploded prematurely above refugees and frontline troops alice, ‘thousands of humans gied in agony. In the harbours of Helsreach, desperate men fought with improvised weapons and sheer determination to buy their families time to escape, while the dockside loaders welded themselves into the cabs o! thee freight cranes and engaged the Gargants rampaging across the city na tempest of close-quarter violence, The fighting was biter, but in the end, Helsreach too fell to the Orks. Armageddon was ripe for the taking ‘THE DEFENCE OF HIVE HADES Iwas at Hades Hive that the conflict escalated once more. Inspted by the leadership of Commissar Yaric, the detenders of the Hive fought as men possessed. “The Orks made s0 litle headway that Ghazgh«ull himselt joined the attack. leading his forces trom the front. Ghazghkull fought lke a demon, slaughtering his \way through entire regiments ofthe enemy, out the Imperial defence lines held tue. For weeks Ghazghkull tuied every stratagem taught to him by Gork and Mork: making lightning assaults and feints, attacking in massive waves and trying to reduce the hve fo ruins by orbital bombarament. Yarick countered every poy. ‘As Yartick and Ghazghkull fought over Hades, the remaining Ork columns rumbled southwards towards te only other surviving settlements ~ Acheron and TTartarus. The resultant sieges were bloody and violent in the extreme. With his mary-pronged attack, ‘Ghazgnkul had the planet in his taloned grasp. However, through his stoic resistance and inspired leadership Commissar Yartick had distracted ‘Ghazgnkull long enough for Imperial reinforcements to aie, Outside the Archeron, Hades and Tartarus Hives. ‘Ghazgnkulls armies saw buming stars shooting down ‘through the almasphere. Minutes later the Ork hordes ere thrown into chaos by the thunder of bombs and ‘ne crash of cannons as the sky filled withthe distinctve shapes of Space Marine Thunderhawk ‘gunships. The Adeptus Astartes were making planetfallSALVATION Yarrick’s cal for aid was answered by not one but three Chapters of the Imperium’s finest. With the arrival of ‘Space Marines trom the legendary Ultramarines, Salamanders and Blood Angels Chapters, battle was Joined on a new scale If Ghazghiull had made immediate plans to thwart tis sudden counterattack Armageddon would stil have fallen. However, Yarrck’s uncompromising resistance challenges Ghazghkul's ablity and reputation as a Warlord ~ a challenge trom ‘which he could not back down. The Prophet of the ‘Waaagh! fell upon Hades Hive withthe hatred an Ork reserves only for his greatest enemy. ‘The Space Marines arived too late to save Hades Ghazghkull hunted down Yarrick in person and, ater a ‘dramatic battle, slammed the Commissar to the ground with a devastating headbutt. Only Yarrck’s iron wil stopped him succumbing tothe grievous wound he had suffered. The Commissar, let for dead, swore an oath to hunt and kil Ghazgnkull snould it take his last breath ‘As the Orks assaulted Tartarus Hive, Commander Dante of the Blood Angels made his move. Such was the fury ofthe Blood Angels that they slew nearly half of the Ork army invading Tartarus, and Dante's brothers from the Ultramarines and Salamanders Chapters slowly pushed the Ork forces back. The Orks refused to surrender. Some fought to the death, others sipped into the ash wastes or made thei way tothe equatorial jungles. Uniting the surviving defenders, the Space Marines began a masterful campaign of lightning attacks that eventually broke Ghazghkulls stranglehold One night, without warning, Ghazghkul's forces withdrew trom the battleteld. By the moming the ash ‘wastes held litle more than the corpses ofthe fallen, In the depths of the equatorial jungles and in the ruins of the fallen hives the Orks began to breed, Much of ‘Armageddon lay shattered, and yet the second war was but a prelude to the destruction yet to come. The Or empire of Charadon i the anges and most long standing of kind. Controle by »pyromoniac berserker ‘enon 25 the Arch Arson the empire of Charadon has been the bane of the Ultima Segmentum for countless The Ach Aran i 9 emimythical figure in the empire of Charadon, fr he counts hi wre not a wore ‘conquered but those left blzngin his wake. Hs legendary propensity for reducing ven the mast wl Stent ‘wore nto searing conflagration has gamered him 3 Sraulng empire of oreenctns devoted this destructive Cause Each successive Wario of Charan takes the tle of Arch Arson lending the persona a kind of imataly ‘THE ARCH-ARSONIST OF CHARADON WARLORD NAZDREG AND PISCINA IV Withdrawing to his stronghold in the Golgotha Sector, ‘Ghazgnkull marshalled his strengths once more, and ‘dwelt on what he had learnt trom his fist invasion of ‘Armageddon. The Ork gods had revealed to ‘Ghazghkall that in order to destroy your foe you must {ist know him. For Ghazghkull, the war for Armageddon had been a way to lear how the Imperium would react and deal with a major invasion. ‘Over the next few years, Ghazghkullalied with Warlord Nazdreg Ug Urdgrub, combining forces to make @ devastating assault onthe Imperial planet of Piscina IV ‘This was no normal invasion, however. Nazdreg, a Bad Moon Warboss possessed of incredible wealth and ‘cunning, nad some of the finest Meks in the galaxy in his employ. These Meks had pioneered a type of teleportation device that enabled Nazdreg to manoeuvte his troops direcly onto the planet from his ‘space hulk, even when it was located a massive distance away ftom the planet. ‘Ghazghkull saw the revolutionary potential ofthese “Tellyportas’, and joined forces with Nazaire to test it on the unsuspecting planet of Piscna IV, The imperil forces there were taken completely by surprise. and the planet was brought to Is knees. Only the mysterious presence of Space Marines from the Dark Angels ‘Chapter saved Piscina from being overrun completely by the greonskin armies. The Dark Angels suffered a sting otter defeats al the hands of Ghazghkul’s forces, culminating in a breathtaking duel at Kalidus Haroour between the Ork Watford and the Grand Master of the Deathwing. Though Ghazohkull all but broke Grand Master Belial in twa, the Deathwing forces had bought time for the rest of the Dark Angels to arive, Piscina IV was saved, but Ghazghkull already had his prize. Stiking a deal wth Nazdreg, Ghazghull left the Bad Moon warlord to continue the war for Piscina in return for his best Mek and the secrets o his tellyportas. The Prophet of the Waaagh! had work to do. Una recent the expansion ofthe Charadon emi has ben kept to» minimum by the Space Maries ofthe wamarines Chapter Feces ed bythe Utamarns Lbarian Tours have made surge strikes upon the Arch ‘Arsonists forces, preventing them fram reaching cna ‘mass and launching afl ae Waoagh! into Utama isl ut Tigurs's success is beginning to vane. The Tani ‘manace encroaches eve farther ito Utara and ths the LUipamarines can ne longer spare troops 6 Hols the nearby (rk emirs in check. The Arch sisonst has seed his chance and invaded the Utramar sistem, swearing that he Ua reduce the magnificent ads ofthe Utramarines fo Cinders nd reve i he aes of het demise.‘THE BATTLE OF GOLGOTHA Ghazghkull ef Piscina for the Golgotha system, Unaware that Yarick had located him and was hot on his eels. Golgotha was a mining planet, ich in material wealth, The Ork Warlord intended to seize the planet and convert itinto a giant ammunition factory, fueling a second Waaagh! into the Armageddon sector. Using his Tellyportas to make a series of lightning strikes, Ghazghkull quickly overcame the war engines and batle collossi ofthe planet's abhuman defenders. ‘Within weeks the sheer might of the massed Orks ang Gargants of Ghazghkul's armies had battered the planet’ defences into rubble. Arriving atthe climax of ‘the battle for Golgotha, Commissar Yarick led a squadron of Baneblade super-heavy tanks into the tray, intending to hunt down Gazghkull ana leave the Ork armies leaderless, Even these metal behemoths were not enough to stop the Beast of Armageddon. The tank squadron was overrun and surrounded by Ghazghkuls Evil Sunz alles. Yarick was crushed under the tracks of the Batlle Fortress Ocomolla, and his unconscious body was brought before Ghazghkull himset. After a few weeks of inflicting idle torture, Ghazghaul ‘decided that Commissar Yarrick was to0 good an tenemy to waste, He released him from the sinking ‘dungeons of his space hulk, because he intended to invade Armageddon once more and wanted a good fight wren he got there. A plan fity years in the making ‘was about to reach fulon, War would come once more to Armageddon, and this time i would be there to stay ‘THE RETURN OF THE BEAST Fifty-seven years tothe day after the first Ork invasion, Ghazghkull’s fleet tore back into the Armaggedon sector and the greenskin hordes descended on the industial world tis heat once more. Such were the righty armies that Ghazghkull had mustered thatthe rk fleet outnumbered that of Armageddon si to one. rk Kl Kroozers made suicidal rushes against the Imperial blockades with unbounded feraciy, losing a {dozen of their number for a single Imperial vessel. Despite their skil the Imperial Navy could nat hold back the tide. Worse stil at the height of the engagement ‘the naval commander Admiral Parl received comm bursts trom the nearoy Yarrck and Mannheim monitor stations, waming that three more Orktleets were inbound from the edges ofthe system, ‘The combined fleets of Ghazghiull and his allies numbered over two thousand ships and at least twelve space hulks, the largest number ever to assail a works of the Imperium. The strength of te Ork armadas did not le in numbers alone, however. The Imperial Navy ships encountered dozens of crude asteroid fortresses, OF Rok’, ctfting in the normally vulnerable tail of the (rk flets. These heavily armed weapons platforms ‘were no real threat in long-ranged engagements, but the presence of such unusual numbers of them seemed to ingieate some more sinister design at work. Lite did ‘Admiral Parol realise just wnat fate Ghazghiull had planned for the beleaguered planet of Armageddon [ie] cus an DESCENT ‘On the planet below, the tinal weeks before the Ork fleet's aval were occupied with frenzied preparations. Titan Legions consecrated their ancient plasma reactors, Imperial Guard regiments were mustered and dug in, and Space Marines from over twonty Chapters took up defensive positions. The last anspor to make planetall catia legend. Commissar Yarick, the ‘Old Man’ himsel, set foot on Armageddon for the fst ime in two decades. o the rapturous cheers of the populace. With him was the Fortress of Arrogance, the ‘ery tank from which Yarrick had led the defence of Golgotna many years befor. ‘Six woeks after entering the Armageddon system ‘Ghazgnkulls vast armada descended upon the planet. Hades Hive, stl ruined by the events ofthe frst war but a symbol of Imperial resistance nonetheless, was ‘he frst to de, The entire hive and is inhabitants were ‘obliterated by giant asteroids launched ftom the orbiting ‘space hulks. Megatons of rock hit home like the hammer blows of an angry god. This act of wanton annihilation was Ghazghaull’s vengeance against ‘Yarick wei upon a terrible scale. ‘As the fires of Hades’ destruction lt the eastern horizan, the first Ork warbands clashed with Imperial forces neat Voleanus, Acheron and Death Mire, Ground based defence lasers and missile silos ‘ok a terible tall upon the Orks as they landed, but the survivors regrouped and assailed he defences with such forocity that goon more and more of the horde reached the planets surface unscathed. The sulphut-yllow skies ‘ver Armageddon became interwoven with twisting contrails as thousands of Ork Fighta-bommers ducled with Imperial Thunderbolts and Marauders. Tribe after Iie of Orks bom from spores seeded over tity years ‘ago swept down out of the equatorial jungles to join the ‘growing hordes. Tales of murderous ghosts spread tke \ildfie through the hives. ‘Acheron Hive fel the Orks without waming, captured ty treachery from within. The instigator of this foul ‘rime was soon revealed as none other than the infamous war-riminal von Strab. He took over the rive a its new overlord, announcing tat it was his avine right to rule over Armageddon alongside his ally ‘Ghazghkull, Ork brute squads stood ready to silence ‘any dissenters who doubted von Stabs decision(rk landers fll rom the skis like a relontess storm, and war spread across Armageddon ike a forest fr. In ‘many places, the Ork altacks were beaten back by the resolute Stee! Legion and their Astartes alles, but again and again the Orks would regroup and attack once mare, strotching the defenders to thet iit {As the batlles raged on the planet, Ghazghkull Unleashed another of his eatetuly prepared plan, Dozens of the great asteroid fortresses encountered by ‘Admiral Parol's ships began to descend from orbi. Slowed by powerl force fields, the Ork Roks made landings in the verdant equatorial jungles an across ‘Armageddon Primus and Secundus, Many were lost to ground fire but each one that survived became a bastion for the Orks, a rallying point and a ready-made fortress. As well as their huge guns and missle batteries. the Roks contained giant telyporta arrays. These wore employed to bring down Ork reinforcements, Gargants and heavy artillery in an endless stream, Strangely, the Ork Roks also made landings inthe Fire ‘Wastes and Dead Lands tothe north ane south of the main continent of Armageddon. Even Yarrck was puzzled by this, as these grim, forbidaing lands haa Always been believed to be uninhabitable and tactically valueless. Weeks late thei usefulness to Gnazghkull became apparent when hundreds of tanker-sized Ork submersbles rose from the polluted waters and made landings at Tempestora and Helsreach Hives. Surprise ‘was total as the sea-scarred iron vessels disgorged thousands of Oks. Tempestora fell within days and the dockyards of Helsreach were captured WAR WITHOUT END. ‘The fighting raged on until it seemed the planet itself ‘would fall apart. The Orks had conquered over half of ‘Armageddon in a mater of months, and ever more greenskin reinforcements poured in as word spread of ‘the battles erupting across the plane's blighted surtace. “The concept of a war without end was like a holy grail to the Ork race, and trom every neighbouring system Warlords gathered their armies and made speed for the ‘Armageddlon sector, drawn tothe batle-scarred planet Ike hellsharks tothe scent of hot blood In the howling ash wastes, the Space Marines began to establish batt lines, holding out against even the fiercest onslaughts. More and more troops were committed to the meal grinder as Imperial forces bound {or the war against the Tyranid menace on the Eastern Fringe were diverted to the Armageddon sector. Von Strab was hunted down and killed asa trafor by a unt of Penal Legion troopers known as the Last Chancers, ‘though his death made litle difference. l'seemed as ‘though there was no escape for the Imperial forces. Then, in a tempest of flame, the Season of Fre broke upon Armageddon. Temperatures outside of the Hives soared untl even the greenskins were forced inside. Lava bolled across the landscape in lethal rivers that broke baltle Ines and forced traops on both sides to ‘abandon their posions. An uneasy stalomate was reached as the wartiors upon Armageddon withcrow to lek ther wounds. Unable to take tothe field of battle, Ghazghkull quickly ran out of pationce. He ltt the war-torn planet to his ‘generals and went in search of new vitims. His work had been done ~ Armageddon had been plunged into ‘an eternal state of war, and so many Imperial troops. had been diverted to reinforce Armageddon that there Were many worlds ripe for conquest within easy reach, ‘Commissar Yarick was loath to see the Warlord leave without resolving their oud. and along witha strke force of Black Templars he iaunched a crusade to track down the Ork Warlord and end his reign of terror for ‘good. When Ghazghkul heard news of his old enemy's Dursul, his reaction was a slow and ugly smile In both Ork and Imperial society Armageddon has become a byword for a war to end all wars, More ‘reenskin reinforcements flood in with each passing day so they can get a piace of the Big Scrap. The planet remains besieged by an Ork invasion of unprecedented size, and Gnazghkull has since lid \waste to dozens of planets around Armageddon. Only ‘ime wil fel the defenders of Armageddon can win ‘ner star system back betore itis consumed completely by the Orks' lust for battle. i) Batlewagon Unit Composit Transport Capacity: + 1 Batlewagon +20 models. Models in Mega Armour count as Unit Type: twa models. + Vehicle + ABattewagon with a (Tank, Opentopped) —_—_kilkannon has 2 transport capacty of 12 Example: Gorbag’s Gobsmasha —kikannon, ‘ard case armour plates, kannon, 2 rokitlaunchas ... 210 pomnts Example: Da Gorespeeda red paint job, grot ikkbomb chukka, 4 big shootas ..125 points Example: Da Bonecruncha of Bork —grabbin’ kaw, deff rll, wreckin’ ball, boarding plank ...140 points AW DEFF DREAD 75 .ramts 1A Front Side Rest 22 2 10 ws es s 1 Det Dent «42S 2 Wargear: Unit Composition: + Two dreadnought close 1 Deft Dread combat weapons (each ‘addtional dreadnought Unit Type: Close combat weapon adds + Vehicle (Walker) +10 the Dreads Attacks) AME ILA BANS 35 rors en monet ‘Armour WS BS S 1 A Front Side Rear kita Kan 2 3 522 " 1 10 Unit Composition: Vehicle Squacron of | Wargear: 1-3 Killa Kans. + Dreadnought close ‘combat weapon Unit Type: + Vehicle (Walker) ORKS ARMY LIST Options: + May take any ofthe folowing: ~klkanaon | ard case = deft ralia" + rod paint job + grot riggers + stikoomb chukka + armour plates = boarding plank = wreckin’ ball + grabbin’klaw = feinforced ram" + May take a single big gun (does nat include crew) =kannon = Tobba zap gun + May take up to our ofthe folowing: big shoot * rokkit launchas options: + The Detf Dread must take two ofthe following: big shoota = roxki launcha, ~kustom mogacblasta 1 skoreha, * dreadnought close combat weapon + May take any ofthe following = grat rggere + armour plates Options: + Each Kila Kan must take one ofthe following: big shoota = rokkit launcha’ ~ kustom mega-biasta 1 skoreha, + grotzooka + Any Kila Kan may take any ofthe following = grot riggers + armour plates=5-10 Flash Gitz Infantry Wargear: + Eavy armour + Snazzgun Unit Composition: 1-3 Big Gunz (with 2 Grot krew per Big Gun) = Astllry Looted Wagon 2 Unit Composition: +1 Loated Wagon Unit Type: Vehicle sv a + Painboy replaces ‘eavy ‘armour, snazzgun and aitinda with dok’s tools and ‘uty syringe Special Rules: Furious Charge Mob Rule = Waaagh! Wargear: Special Rules: Gretehin Gretchin None None Funtherds: luther! = Grabba stk Furious Charge + Slugoa SSquig hound ‘Armour Front Side Rear non 10 Special Rules: “Don't Press Dat! Transport Capacity: 12 models. Models in (Tank, Oper-topped) ‘Mega Armour count as two models. + ALooted Wagon with a boomgun loses its transport capacity altogether. Options: +The unit may take any of the folowing: = More dakica = Shooter +5 points per model = Blastas, 45 points per model + Tho unit may include up to three: ammo runts| +5 points per mode! Kaptin Badrukk: One Flash Gitz mob may be led by: - Kaptin Bacrukk (see page 57) +135 points Painboy: + One Flash Git may be a Painboy +30 points. Py may be accompanied by a Grot orderly +5 points. PY ‘All models in the Painooy’s unit may nave + eybork bodies +8 points per model ‘Options: “The Big Gunz must all be the same type of gun, chosen from the fllowing types: kannons. [HoobaS vest seissseeseseee 46 points per gun Pf = zzap guns “+10 points per gun ‘The battery may include ary of the fllowing up to three ammo runs “+3 points per model upto six addtional got krew +3 points per model Character: + The unit may include a Runtherd He may replace his grabba stkk wit + grot prod Options: + May take one ofthe following: ~boomgun * skorcha + May take up to two ofthe following big shoota * rokkit launcha + May take any ofthe following: “ard case + red paint job = grat riggers + stikkbomb chukka + armour plates + boarding plank + wteckin’ bal = reinforced ram + grabbin’klaw