Orks

“An Ork has no fear of pain, is not cowed by doubt or failure, and is single minded in the pursuit of what he wants. That makes him the most dangerous thing I can imagine, and the crudity of their weapons does nothing to dim my own fear of them.”
–Marius Lorrt, captain of the warship Victus Gloriana
The Orks are a barbaric and warlike race that infest large
portions of the galaxy. In unknown corners of space Ork
empires rise and fall, waging war against races unheard of by
the Imperium. The Orks are so violent and numerous that, were
they ever to combine, they could sweep away the defenses
of all the other races, painting the galaxy green. Fortunately,
their propensity for violence is their undoing, for Orks like to
fight amongst themselves as much as against other races, their
would–be empires normally devolving into petty squabbling
and infighting before they can threaten the denizens of the
galaxy. On some occasions, however, a powerful individual
rises from amongst the Orks, possessing the strength and
intelligence to bully the recalcitrant greenskins into line,
concentrating their efforts into attacking other races. On such
occasions, a Waaagh! is raised. A Waaagh! is a great invasion
of Orks that can decimate entire sectors if given the time to
grow in momentum.
==In the Calixis Sector==
Whilst relatively untroubled by the predations of the
Orks, the Calixis Sector is not untouched by their presence,
for no sector of the galaxy is entirely safe from the green
menace. Many worlds, even those thought safe by Imperial
authorities, harbor an Ork presence. Typically, these Orks
are so barbaric, not to mention few in number, that they rarely
come into conflict with the local populace. When detected,
the authorities respond with overwhelming force, deploying
the PDF in great numbers to stamp them out. The Imperium
has learnt to its cost the price of leaving a seemingly harmless
xenos infestation unchecked, for the Orks multiply quickly.
There are other worlds where the Orks thrive in greater
numbers, feral Orks who wage war amongst one another,
riding to battle atop great wild pigs or gigantic, reptilian beasts
known as Squiggoths. Such threats are not taken lightly, for
Orks evolve quickly, developing from possessing rudimentary
technology to a level of crude mastery capable of launching
ramshackle spaceships to invade other worlds, all within
the space of one or two short generations. Where possible,
local Imperial Guard regiments are deployed to cleanse such
worlds. This task is not altogether straightforward, for Ork
spores can lie dormant in the soil for years until they sprout
into new Orks. Ganf Magna is one such world, a densely
jungled planet where, despite the best efforts of the Imperial
Guard, an Ork infestation seems to erupt every few years. For eight decades, the people of Kulth within the Periphery have fought against ork hordes. Vaxanide has been the site of two sieges by the greenskin menace; the second of which saw the planet temporarily harassed by a Kult of Speed before it was cut down by a Sisters of Battle Seraphim squad.
Larger quantities of Ork invaders sometimes cross over
from the neighboring Scarus Sector, an area of space far
more troubled by Orks and a lesson on the folly of letting
an infestation go unchecked. Orks cross into Calixian space
via space hulks or roks. A space hulk is a huge, floating mass
of space debris, typically comprising untold numbers of
wrecked spaceships and other cosmic detritus drifting in and
out of warp space. As a space hulk drifts near an Ork infested
world, crude tractor beams and teleporters are used to seize it
long enough for as many Orks as possible to embark. Once
aboard, Ork Meks (Orks that have an inborn natural knack
for technology) and Weirdboyz---Ork psykers---guide it
back into the warp, navigating it into neighboring systems
ripe for plunder and war. Space hulks are often accompanied
by great swarms of orbiting roks---hollowed out asteroids
hurled across space, acting as makeshift drop pods and assault
shuttles. Also, sometimes such creations enter the sector on
their own, propelled by some great mass catapult deep in
a neighboring area of space. Orks have little control over
where the roks go, but so long as they smash into an inhabited
world (and some Orks survive the impact long enough to
fight), they are happy enough.
The appearance of a rok or space hulk is a cause for great
alarm to Imperial authorities in the Calixis Sector, warranting
the attention of Battlefleet Calixis and the deployment of
countless Imperial Guard regiments.
==In the Koronus Expanse==
“...Ork ships everywhere. Throne, there’s so many. Hundreds, maybe thousands of vessels of all shapes and sizes, just floating around. Emperor’s Teeth, look at the size of that one! It must mass more than a hundred million tonnes... oh no. It’s headed towards us! Evasive Manoeuvres! Full power to the Voids! We’ve got to get out of...”
–Last log entry of the Rhadamanthine, after approaching the Ork-dominated world of Tusk
Mankind has, for an age longer than the
endurance of any one empire, warred
against the Orks. It has been said that the
greenskin menace was the first alien species humans
ever encountered amongst the stars, and that when Man
and Ork first met, war was inevitable. Nobody, except
perhaps the Emperor, knows if this is true, but
few question its veracity, so widespread and
prevalent is conflict between these two
species.
So it is within the Koronus Expanse. Ever since humans first
ventured into the Expanse to
find and exploit what lay within
it, the Orks have been there to assail
the efforts of man. In 108.M41, after the
number of reported encounters had became intolerable,
the Administratum within the neighboring Calixis Sector
commissioned a search of the Koronus Expanse to seek
out and eliminate this Ork threat. The Imperial Navy light
cruiser Rhadamanthine found them, more than a century
later. Its final log entries, sent by the ship’s Astropath with
his last breath, told of a cluster of worlds dominated by the
Greenskins, uncovered at the cost of a vessel that had served
proudly for millennia and had been part of the fleet of the
Angevin Crusade. These Orks were no simple pirate raiders,
but a growing menace that could escalate into a dire threat.
In spite of the successes of a small but growing number
of Rogue Traders traversing the Koronus Passage, the Imperial
Navy could not easily or swiftly muster a force through the Maw sufficient to destroy so large an Ork domain. The Maw
was simply too unstable for so large a fleet to pass through.
Worse, the Imperial Navy could not spare the ships to even
attempt such a thing, as much of Battlefleet Calixis was
embroiled within the Meritech Wars elsewhere in the Sector.
In the early decades of the fifth century M41, a fleet consisting
of hundreds of vessels burst from the Maw, laying siege to Port Wander for two years until Battlefleet Calixis and the Adeptus Mechanicus shattered the Ork forces—later identified as a part
of Waaagh! Gulgrog—and reclaimed the starfortress.
Their forces broken and slaughtered, the Ork survivors
slunk back to their worlds. Most believed that the threat
had now passed, that the remaining greenskins were too
few and too demoralized to pose more than a trivial threat.
For a time, they were correct—Ork raids upon ships in the
Expanse dropped dramatically in the following centuries. The
relative peace, however, could not last, for Orks are not easily
discouraged from acts of brutality and senseless violence. By
the early eighth century M41, the Ork menace had regained
much of its strength and was as great a peril within the
Expanse as they had been more than four centuries before,
drawing in Rogue Traders in greater numbers to combat the
escalating threat with the promise of handsome reward.
Yet still the threat grows, and now the Koronus Expanse
stands on the brink of something terrible—a second invasion
preparing to burst from its depths, just over half a millennium
after the last. The operations of various Ork clans are becoming a larger
problem in the Koronus Expanse. In the past the Orks typically
operated in bands that could fit onto one ship. Filling every
available space on board, Orks would raid unprotected worlds
and outposts. Particularly daring Ork Vessels would go so far as
to attack other star craft in the hopes of taking the entire vessel.
These disparate groups are by no means unified; Orks
often battle each other as much as anyone else. Increasingly,
however, the Kaptin’s operating near Undred-Undred Teef
have begun cramming guns and other starship components
onto asteroids and aiming them towards larger prey. A “Rok”
as the Orks call it, is simply used as a mobile base as well as
a planetary assault vehicle by crashing the Rok into whatever
planet they wish to wage war upon.
Notably Morgaash Kulgraz has called dozens of warships
to his banner, raiding Imperial worlds for the slaves he needs
to salvage the wreckage of other Imperial Navy Vessels. These
vessels are then used to cobble together more Kruzers or
Roks and in turn raid larger Imperial targets. The threat of his
Waaagh is gaining quicker Imperial response in the hopes of
quashing this expansion.
== Ork Physiology ==
“Ork Physiology is fascinating and terrifying in equal measure, demonstrating inhuman degrees of resilience to the point where they can withstand seemingly fatal wounds with little apparent long-term consequence. Indeed, Orks witnessed suffering fatal wounds in the midst of heavy fighting have often been observed again several days later, larger and stronger than they were before their injuries and with no sign of those wounds save for some largely superficial scarring.”
–Genetor Aurelius Thoze, Adeptus Mechanicus Xenobiologist.
“DOK! Me arm got shot off! Gimme a new’un!”
–Wortgrod Mugskab, Ork Boy
Orks are large, broad humanoid creatures, with rough, thick
green flesh and heavy musculature. The average Ork stands
approximately as tall as a human, to the top of the back—an
Ork’s hunched frame means that the head generally sits
level with the shoulders—and weighs roughly 60%
more due to thicker bone and muscle. However,
the nature of Ork physiology means that a
more aggressive, more successful Ork will
grow in size, and some of the largest known examples stand
as much as three metres tall and weigh approximately half a
tonne if some reports can be believed.
The Ork body is thick-set and ape-like, with long, thick
arms, ended in broad, muscular hands with thick fingers
ending in large, tough, sharp fingernails. The head, set in front
of and between the bulky shoulders, is solid and bony, with
a large protruding jaw, great yellowish tusks, a pair of beady,
almost luminescent red eyes and a short, hard forehead. The
mouth of an average Ork is almost big enough to fit an adult
human head entirely inside, and the overall appearance of an
Ork’s face is one of a savage, largely unintelligent animal.
Orks are, physiologically, not entirely animal. In fact, they’re
actually two creatures—the animal body, and the algal/fungal
strain that saturates their blood and flesh. This algal symbiote
provides the Orks with many of their most unusual traits. The
Ork body, for example, is insanely resilient—wounds that
would be instantly and irreversibly fatal to a human being
may only incapacitate an Ork for a matter of hours, and even
the traumatic experience of having a limb stitched back on (it
doesn’t even have to be the Ork’s original limb) will only hinder
an Ork for a day or so. Decapitation isn’t immediately fatal, and
heads can be re-attached up to half an hour after removal with
no lingering side-effects. The rate at which Ork bodies can
heal themselves is quite astounding, and even Orks that seem
dead may simply be rendered unconscious by their wounds,
recuperating until they can awaken and slay the enemy.
More significant still is that this algal component of their
physiology serves as their reproductive system as well. Orks shed
spores as they move, and unleash a great number of these spores
upon death. Given the right conditions, these spores mature into
other Greenskins—Squigs, Snotlings, Gretchin, and eventually
other Orks. Consequently, battlegrounds where Orks have been
encountered must be thoroughly cleansed in order to minimise
the risk of re-infestation at a later date. This is seldom entirely
successful, and many worlds which have never had any recorded
Ork invasion are known to have periodic Ork infestations,
perhaps resulting from conflicts predating the Imperium.
This reproductive system gives rise to another notable
Ork trait: genetic knowledge. The ability to fight, to speak,
and in the cases of the specialist or “Oddboy” castes, an
understanding of science, technology, medicine or any of a
number of other complex skills, are all hard-wired into an
Ork’s genetics, as natural and instinctive as breathing. Orks
emerge from the ground almost entirely mature, with most of
the skills they will ever require already present.
Another disquieting side-effect of their reproductive
system is the effect that the prolonged presence of Orks on
a planet can have. In sufficient quantities, and if left to their
own devices for long enough, Orkoid creatures (the collective
term for Orks, Gretchin, Snotlings and all manner of Squigs)
and assorted species of fungus tend to spread across a
planet’s surface, usurping and overwhelming native flora and
fauna in many cases, and gradually “Orkiforming” a world.
Thankfully, the process has only been observed on worlds
dominated by Orks for long periods of time, but the threat of
such contamination is not to be taken lightly.
Their physical response to violence is also of note. As
touched upon above, an Ork at war will grow larger and
stronger as a matter of course. This is not merely an increase
in physical fitness, but a physiological change—muscle mass
increases, and the skeletal structure grows to accommodate
the enhanced musculature. Even more significantly, Orks
preparing to challenge the leadership of another will undergo
a sudden increase in strength and mass, allowing them to
more effectively challenge their erstwhile leader. As Orks
equate size with authority, this makes a degree of sense, but it
remains unknown exactly how this process happens, though
there is considerable speculation that it may be somehow
psychic in nature. Certainly, Orks possess a strong (if diffuse
and unusual) psychic presence that seems to grow stronger in
the presence of other Orks.
==Ork Psychology==
“Orkses is neva defeated in battle. If we win we win, if we die we die fightin’ so it don’t count. If we runz for it we don’t lose eva, cos we can come back for annuver go, see!”
- Common Ork saying
If Ork physiology makes them brutally efficient survivors,
their psychology makes them extremely dangerous warriors.
As noted previously, much of Ork knowledge is genetic in
nature, the Orks themselves born with an understanding of
how to fight, speak and perform a variety of other tasks useful
to their society. This consequently results in a culture that
needs to spend very little time dealing with the practicalities
of being a culture—everything they need is there for them
naturally—and thus they can focus on what matters most to
them. And an Ork craves three things above all else: speed,
noise, and a good fight.
In particular, their desire for violence is perhaps their
most defining psychological trait—Orks will fight anything,
anywhere, and for the flimsiest of reasons, savouring the
mayhem and thrill of battle and lamenting its end. This is,
actually, one of the more curious things about the Orks. Many
warrior and predator cultures known in the galaxy take pleasure
in the hunt or the kill, and prize the ability to do those things.
Orks are alone in their lust for the fight, not the kill. They
don’t possess a true notion of victory or loss, because such
things are meaningless to a creature whose idea of paradise
is an eternity of battle. Yet, all this focus on warfare does not
mean that Orks are fearless. Indeed, while the Ork mind views
defeat differently than that of a human, it still recognises the
need to flee from battle. The Orks themselves rationalise this by
claiming that running away doesn’t signify defeat, but instead
just means that the Orks can come back later and try again.
Removing the need to consider anything other than the
desire to fight has an interesting effect on Ork culture as well.
With violence so desirable and so easily found—a simple barroom
brawl is a common pastime for Orks, as are a number
of other brutal activities—few Orks ever really want for
anything, save perhaps for an endless supply of foes and an
eternity of battle. This simple sense of fulfilment pervades
most of Ork society, with only those of particular ambition
(who tend to end up as leaders of their species anyway) craving
something more, and as a result, there is little discontent or
strife amongst the Orks. Disputes are settled swiftly and
effectively through bursts of spontaneous violence (the Orks
themselves are sufficiently resilient that injuries are few and
short-lived from such encounters), but broadly speaking Ork
society is lacking in any societal ills. Certainly, Orks appear
almost entirely immune to the corrupting influence of Chaos,
and lack any of the difficulties with sedition or heresy that
must be so brutally crushed in the Imperium.
A strange facet of Ork psychology is their psychic potential.
Largely unconscious, Orks produce a high level of psychic
background noise which increases during periods of excitement.
In the presence of other Orks, this collective noise can have
strange effects. Most obvious is the way an Ork’s confidence
and resolve are bolstered further by the presence of other Orks,
making large groups difficult or even impossible
to rout. A number of other effects have been speculated upon,
some of which seem outlandish and entirely unlikely, but others
are demonstrably true, such as the ability of Ork psykers (known
as “Weirdboyz”) to draw on this powerful mass of psychic
energy and direct it as a weapon in its own right, manifesting the
collective aggression of the Orks as blasts of lurid green energy
or other strange effects.
In sufficiently large numbers, and with a leader of
appropriately grand ambition (called a Warboss or Warlord, an
Ork whose size and confidence in turn
generate a stronger field), Orks can
generate a psychic field so strong
that it compels the Orks to greater
and greater heights, as Oddboyz
(particularly Mekboyz) who
possess scientific and technical
knowledge) are inspired to work
on stranger and greater projects
and the mass of common Orks
puts aside their usual squabbles
in anticipation of battles to
come. The resultant horde of
Orks, and the interstellar rampage
that the horde undertakes, are
both known as a “Waaagh!” and
will typically only end when
defeated (normally by the death
of the Warlord leading it) or
when they simply run out of
enemies to fight, breaking up
and returning to their normal
state of raiding and internecine
warfare between tribes and
“Klans.”
==An Alien Mind==
Just as an Ork body is different in many ways to a human one, so an Ork mind is different to that of humans. Quite aside
from their innate lust for battle, the minds of Orks possess a number of quirks and oddities that make their psychology
quite different to that of humans. The three most significant differences are described below. All other possible issues
that come up should be discussed with the GM.
DA BOYZ
Orks are fundamentally genderless. Their reproductive system is based on the spores they shed from their skins
throughout their lives and at the moment of their deaths, and the notion of gender common to many other species is
of absolutely no concern to Orks, nor is it something they bother to understand. Throughout this section, Orks are
occasionally referred to as “he,” but this is a simple convenience—Orks are not male, nor are they female, because such
things are physiologically and psychologically irrelevant to Orks. This, combined with their warlike outlook and the
fact that they’re not at all human, means that it’s fundamentally impossible to seduce an Ork, even if someone wanted to.
They’re simply not built that way, physically or mentally.
KAOS AN’ KURRUPSHUN
Orks in service to the Chaos Gods, or even succumbing to the corrupting influence of the Warp, are so rare as to be essentially
unheard of. Simply put, Orks aren’t easily tempted to Chaos and they’re far more resistant to the warping influence of Chaos
than humans, for reasons that nobody has been able to accurately define. Consequently, Orks don’t gain Corruption Points.
MADBOYZ
Orks do, however, accrue Insanity Points. Like any other creature, an Ork’s mind can be damaged or broken by
sufficiently traumatic experiences. Initially, the quirks an Ork will pick up as he faces all manner of horrors are of little
concern to other Orks; they might mutter about him behind his back, but so long as an Ork is big and strong enough to
threaten and pummel those who disagree with him, it isn’t a big deal if he’s a little “Eksentrik.” Of course, sufficiently mad
Orks are another matter, which the Orks themselves collectively refer to as Madboyz. These insane Orks tend towards
extremely unpredictable behaviour, particularly when gathered into groups with other Madboyz. Madboyz often take
productive, “Orky” things to their furthest extreme, such as gathering scrap metal to “make sumfing important”— when
they’re not rummaging around dung-heaps pretending to be a Snotling, or engaged in a six-hour shouting match with
their own echo. Therefore, an Ork gains Insanity Points as normal. They do not have any effect on him, however, until
he accrues 100 Insanity. At this point, he becomes a Madboy, and is removed from play.
== Ork Society and Clans ==
For Orks, size equals respect and might makes right. These
two elements are rooted in the Ork’s physiology: natural
leaders among their breed grow larger and stronger,
enforcing their authority with physical abuse and the
volume of his shouting in preference to cunning plans or
charisma. These creatures thrive on conflict, and often gather
into groups intent on finding the biggest and most violent
battle to join in and escalate. These groups centre around a
leader, known as a Nob, who forms a mob of his closest and
most reliable Ork allies (including many Gretchin hangerson
and sycophants). The biggest and most powerful Nob
becomes a Warboss and leads all the mobs in what is known
as a Warband. Warbands are sometimes absorbed into larger
tribes, and many tribes together often form the massive
invasion hosts known as Waaaghs! In addition to this, Orks
also have Clans, which embody a philosophy (for want of a
better term) among Orks, each Clan emphasising particular
elements of Ork culture above others. Orks tend to belong
to one or another Clan no matter what Tribe they are in.
Orks are not all the same and even when considering only
the common mass of “Boyz” that make up the overwhelming
majority of Orks, significant variations exist. These broad
groupings, commonly seen wherever Orks gather, are
collectively known as Klans, each of which has its own
tendencies and predilections. On some level, all Orks possess
an affinity for one or other of these Klans, demonstrating the
common tendencies that define them.
Select a single one of the Klan entries below, and gain the
accompanying benefits.
Bad Moons
These are the richest of the Orks, and tend to be the most inclined
to flaunt their wealth and status. Their great fang-like teeth and
tusks—collectively known as “Teef ” and used as currency by the
Orks—grow faster than those of the Orks of any other Klan,
which means Bad Moons have greater wealth and a greater
inclination to trade and barter than most. Bad Moons gain a
+20 bonus on all Barter tests when dealing with other Orks, and
grant a +10 bonus to any Acquisition Test made to deal with
Ork traders or obtain items of Ork equipment.
Blood Axes
Largely distrusted by other Orks, Blood Axes have adopted
many human ideas and tactics in their way of war, such
as camouflage, and are notable for having traded
with humans at various points in history. Blood
Axes gain Common Lore (Imperium) (Int) or
Concealment (Ag) as a Trained Skill, and +3
Perception or Agility.
Death Skulls
Justifiably considered to be thieves and looters by most other
Orks, Death Skulls are superstitious plunderers, who gleefully
strip the fallen (and anyone else not paying attention) of their
possessions. They’re notable for wearing copious amounts of
blue warpaint, as blue is considered a lucky colour amongst
Orks in general and Death Skulls in particular. Death Skulls gain
Tech-Use (Int) or Sleight of Hand (Ag) as Trained Skills, and
the Runtz Talent. Their blue warpaint and various talismans and
lucky charms collectively count as a Charm.
Evil Suns
Addicted to speed almost as much as they are violence, Evil
Suns love loud, fast-moving vehicles, often saving their Teef
for a bike or another ramshackle vehicle so as to get to grips
with the enemy even faster. Evil Suns gain Drive (Ground
Vehicle) (Ag) or Tech-Use (Int) as Trained Skills.
Goffs
Typically the largest, most aggressive and most violent of
a species renowned for its size, aggression and propensity
for violence, Goffs are intolerant of the other Klans, whose
methods they consider to be entirely Un-Orky. Goffs increase
their Strength by +3.
Snakebites
Tending to be primitive in outlook, Snakebites disdain the
use of technology in favour of what they see as traditional
methods. Their name comes from their initiation rites, in
which a venomous snake is goaded into biting a young Ork
(known as a “Yoof ”). Given the Orks’ natural resilience, this
rarely has a significant effect other than making the Ork
more tolerant of poisons. Snakebites gain the Resistance
(Poison) Talent, and gain either Survival (Int), Tracking (Int)
or Wrangling (Int) as a Trained Skill.
== Teef ==
The basis of Ork economics is teeth (known in the parlance
of the alien as “teef ”). Not any teeth will do—they must be
the sharp tusks grown by Orks and periodically shed by the
creatures as they grow. Teeth can be exchanged for almost
anything in a crude form of market economics, from a choppa
or a shoota to a buggy or bike. And, of course, because Ork
money is grown by Orks, a good spot of fighting is great for
shaking loose a few teeth and earning a bit more wealth for
the victor.
==Orky Know-Wotz==
To some degree, all Orks possess useful genetic knowledge. In
some, this knowledge becomes a driving force in their lives,
resulting in Orks known as “Oddboyz” whose obsessive focus
makes them valuable specialists within Ork society (though they
may be regarded as somewhat crazy by other Orks). In others,
this is simply a specific knack they might have for certain tasks.
Select a single one of the options below, and gain the
accompanying benefits. The options that will classify an Ork as
an Oddboy are indicated as such, although this does nothing
except indicate the Ork may be a bit manic and obsessive.
Driva - Some Orks possess a natural affinity for vehicles, learning
quickly how to get them to go as fast as possible. Drivas gain
Drive (Ground Vehicle) (Ag), or Pilot (Flyer or Space Craft)
(Ag) as a Trained Basic Skill.
Hunta - Essential for survival in the early years of an Ork settlement,
Huntas are skilled at tracking down prey for his tribe, a skill
that remains useful when they start hunting enemies instead
of food. Huntas gain Tracking (Int) as a Trained Skill.
Mekboy (Oddboy) - A common innate skill, some Orks possess a natural knack
for making machines work. Mekboyz gain Tech-Use (Int) as
a Trained Skill.
Painboy (Oddboy) - Invaluable to other Orks, Painboys are Orks with an
understanding of medicine. Painboys gain Medicae (Int) as a
Trained Basic Skill.
Runtherd (Oddboy) - Possessed of a natural inclination to goad slaves and wild
animals into the service of the Orks, Runtherds, also known
as Slavers, gain Wrangling (Int) as a Trained Basic Skill.
Trappa - Aiding the Huntas during an Ork tribe’s formative years,
Trappas are skilled at setting traps and guiding their kin
through the most dangerous environments. Trappas gain
Survival (Int) as a Trained Basic Skill.
== Freebooters ==
Not every Ork belongs to a warband or tribe. Some are
misfits from Ork society, Orks who take more of an interest
in looting and pillaging than in fighting. Outcasts amongst
their own kind, these Flash Gitz and Freebooters are pirates,
bandits, and mercenaries of ill–repute, selling their services
to the highest bidder whether Ork or human (‘umie, to use
the Ork’s parlance). Violence is always a major part of an
Ork’s life, no matter how much he may yearn after booty and
adventure, and a Freebooter’s agreement is fickle, lasting until
the money runs out or he gets a fancy for bashing.
Some of the outermost worlds in the Calixis Sector,
especially those bordering the Scarus Sector, are plagued by
Ork pirates who raid and pillage from time to time, burning
colonies to the ground in search of loot. It is rumoured that
some colonies have come to secret clandestine agreements
with the Freebooters, offering them tribute in return for
being left alone. Some Freebooters have become very wealthy
from such deals.
==Ork Equipment==
“Well, ‘course dis one’s betta! It’s lotz ‘eavier, and gots dem spikey bitz on de ends.”
–Anonymous Ork
†Ork equipment is technically difficult to get hold of---after all, no right–minded Imperial arms trader would sell xenos technology, no matter
how crude. Unofficially, there are parts of the Calixis Sector where it is much more plentiful, especially areas recently attacked by Orks. For
this reason, via legitimate routes it counts as scarce, but via black market channels it is common.
For some unknown reason, which even the Orks are not aware of, these weapons are not Unreliable in the hands of an Ork.
Slugga
The most basic of Ork firearms, the slugga is a short, stubby
solid–shot pistol that would be devastating up–close were it
not for the inaccuracy of the Ork wielding it. Most sluggas
inflict more wounds as crude clubs than they do as ranged
weapons.
Pistol, 20m, S/3/–, 1d10+4, I, PEN 0, Clip 18, RLD Full, Inaccurate, Unreliable, WT 2kg, Cost 100, †Scarce/Common
Shoota
Whilst nothing could take the place in an Ork’s heart of
chopping up an enemy in combat, they do have a great love
for loud, noisy weaponry, and nothing so embodies this type
of weapon than the shoota. “Shoota” is a catch–all term for a
variety of short to mid–range Ork firearms, inevitably capable
of at least burst fire, that are cobbled together to launch of a
hail of bullets when the trigger is pulled with little regard for
accuracy or recoil.
Basic, 60m, S/3/10, 1d10+4, I, PEN 0, Clip 30, RLD Full, Inaccurate, Unreliable, WT 4kg, Cost 200, †Scarce/Common
Snazzgun
The shootiest of shootas are known as snazzguns, weapons
favoured by the most ostentatious and obnoxious of Orks,
known as Flash Gitz. Snazzguns vary as much in design
as shootas, but all are lethal to the extreme. Many Flash
Gitz hard–wire their snazzguns to their primitive bionics,
incorporating a variety of barrels, scopes and targeting arrays
into their gear---not that this necessarily makes them any
better shots, but it does make them feel bigger and cleverer
as they’re shooting.
An individual snazzgun shoots either bolts of energy or
shells, but not both. Snazzguns have a random penetration
value, for the velocity of their shots varies with every shot.
A Snazzgun, just like a Shoota, is inherently Inaccurate.
However, when targeting equipment or bionics are used with
the snazzgun, it loses the Inaccurate weapon quality instead
of gaining any bonuses to hit.
Basic, 100m, S/2/–, 2d10, I or E, PEN 1d10, Clip 20, RLD 2Full, Inaccurate, Overheats, Unreliable, WT 7kg, Cost 1,500, †Rare/Scarce
Choppa
An unarmed Ork is still a dangerous foe, but it is a rare
occasion that an Ork finds himself unarmed. Orks carry a
variety of crude weaponry about with them, all referred to as
choppas, regardless of whether they actually chop or whether
they whir, whiz, crack, slice, smash or crump. Choppas include
short, wicked meat cleavers, large machete–like swords,
whirring chainblades that belch great clouds of smoke, and
rudimentary power weapons comprising little more than
short metal blades wired to battery packs.
Melee, 1d10+1, R, PEN 2, Tearing, Unbalanced, WT 5kg, Cost 600, †Scarce/Common
Mega Armor
Mega armor is the thickest and sturdiest of Ork personal
protection, and is worn only by the richest (and therefore
toughest) Ork Nobz. Its sheer bulk offers a level of protection
in excess of power armor, although its great weight leaves
the wearer with little in the way of mobility. Mega armor
consists of bulky armored plates welded and riveted onto
a hydraulic exoskeleton. The amour is so heavy that great
smoke–belching engines are required to power it. Should
they fail, the wearer would be stuck in one place with no way
of moving! Mork help a Meganob who should topple over in
the heat of battle.
Mega armor adds +30 to the wearer’s Strength
characteristic and increases his size by one step (so, for
example, an average–sized Ork would become hulking).
Mega armour requires a constant power supply, provided by
onboard generators and engines typically powered by solid
fuel of some kind. The armor must be refueled every 1d5
hours. Without power, the armor ceases to be mobile. Mega
Armor is far too bulky to be worn by a human.
Mega-Armor has an AP of 6 for the Head, 10 for the
Arms and Legs, and 14 for the Body. It weighs 60kg, and is
currently completely unavailable for purchase in the Calixis
Sector.
Ork Pulsa-Mine
A pulsa-mine is a large, bulky device that the Orks consider
‘kunning’, using it to disrupt enemy movements long enough
for them to spring their ambush. The spherical device looks
something like a primitive naval mine, complete with spiky
protrusions. Rather than acting as triggers for the device,
these protrusions are transmitter arrays for the powerful force
field emitter of unfathomable design nestled within. When
triggered, the field activates, sending pulses of force radiating
erratically out from the mine, knocking down personnel and
unsecured objects and overturning vehicles.
When triggered, a pulsa-mine initially detonates much like
a grenade, affecting anyone within the blast radius as its force
bubble expands outwards. However, unlike a grenade the
pulsa-mine does not stop there, continuing to pulse every d10
Rounds as though triggered afresh each time. The detonation
of a Pulsa-Mine inflicts 1d10 Energy Damage with the Blast
(10) and Unstable Qualities.
Each time it pulses, roll d100---on a 91 or more, the
pulsa-mine stops abruptly. Each time Damage is rolled, roll
for the unstable property as normal---should a 1 be rolled, the
Damage of the pulsa-mine is permanently reduced by half, as
it gradually loses power. A second roll of a 1 indicates that the
mine has lost power and ceases to function.
Anybody caught within the blast radius must make an
Agility Test or be knocked to the ground. Drivers or pilots of
vehicles within the radius must make a Drive or Pilot Test or
lose control of their vehicle.
Cost 2,000, WT 20kg, Very Rare