vizn3r/warhammer40k-lore huggingface dataset:
Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka - Eternal Enemy: Being somewhat soft, it is extraordinary for 'umies to gain respect from Orks -- especially greenskins led by a stoic and battle-hungry Goff like Ghazghkull. Although Space Marines are regarded with esteem for their skills in battle -- none more so than Commander Dante of the Blood Angels -- it was an Imperial Commissar that drew the most admiration from the Orks. Here was an uncompromising warrior –- as eager to shoot his own ladz as the foe, if that's what it took to gain victory. Commissar Sebastian Yarrick was certainly a thorn in Ghazghkull's side, for the greenskins reckon that it was he alone that willed the defenders of Hades Hive to hold on for so long.The Orks gradually learned from their captives that the defenders of Hades had grown to fear Yarrick as much as they dreaded the fury of Ghazghkull. To the Orks, this was the kind of leader they could respect. The fact that he wore Goff colours -- black with red trim -- boosted his esteem even further. It is said that of all Ghazghkull's foes, Yarrick was the only one that he ever cursed -- high praise indeed. Those Orks that came face-to-face with the infamous "'Umie Boss" often expressed disappointment. In person, Yarrick was only human-sized, although this was lessened somewhat because he did at least wear an Ork Power Klaw and bear an evil eye. Amongst the Boyz, it was said that those Orks that recognised who they were up against were always slain -– for they stood in gape-jawed disbelief at Yarrick's insulting puniness and so left themselves open to a deathblow. The wily Orks acknowledged the value of this tactic, even if it was a sly, sneaky Blood Axe kind of trick.
Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka - Season of Shadows: When Armageddon's Season of Shadows set in -- the cyclical time when the planet's volcanic mountains erupted -- the turbulent skies were permanently crimson-hued. To the Orks, this was another sign of their impending victory. To get to Armageddon Secundus the Orks had to cross a swathe of equatorial jungle considered impenetrable by the humans. The foetid swamp region was a morass of mudpits that could submerge armies at a time, and it was filled with ferocious wild beasts. The greenskins revelled in it, attacking the flora and fauna while the Meks erected pontoon bridges or projected force fields across the sinking bogs. By their drive and cobbled ingenuity, the Ork hordes pressed through faster than Imperial armies could march.Infantry, armoured columns, Stompa Mobs and towering Gargants crossed the crude bridges and emerged on the far side of the jungles. Once again the Orks caught the humans unprepared and smashed through their defensive positions. As the Orks raced across the ash deserts towards the hive cities, the towering god-engines and tank companies of Mankind advanced out into the barrens to meet them. From that point on, the battles were more fiercely fought, and Ork casualties began to mount. First was the clash on the parched desert known as the Death Barrens. While the colossal war engines of the Iron Skulls Titan Legion duelled with the Gargants, the massed enemy tanks began to blow great holes in the Ork hordes. The greenskins did not waver, but continued to advance, albeit more slowly, into that thunderous barrage. The energies of the WAAAGH! might have been drained then and there were it not for the Dread Mobs.Clanking forward, these iron-plated tank-killers strode through the shellstorm. A land armada of Deff Dreads, Killa Kans and hulking Morkanauts lurched into the enemy armour formations. Explosions lit up the plains as Power Klaws wrenched off turrets. Buzzsaw arms reached in to savage the exposed crew, and the screams of the eviscerated victims were music to the Orks' ears. With the foes' tanks reduced to smoking wreckage, the Stompas and Deff Dreads used their firepower to tip the scales on the evenly matched duel between the Gargants and the Titans. Towering mushroom clouds rose from the destroyed Imperial Titans, and the concussive blasts of their detonations slew many Orks, but when the shockwaves ceased, the green tide flowed over the enormous craters.
Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka - Bloodiest of Sieges: The sieges that followed brought the Armageddon War to a new state of savagery. By now the humans knew what lay in store for them, and their resistance stiffened. The Orks sacked Infernus Hive after the Blood Axes struck a deal with its corrupt Governor, but they could not break through the great hive cities of Hades or Helsreach. In desperation, the Imperial side launched virus bombs -- wicked and proscribed technology from their distant past. Hundreds of thousands of Orks died, but still they pressed on, battering themselves against the hive cities for little gain. With his sub-commanders flummoxed on how to break through, Ghazghkull was forced to direct the assaults himself.Ghazghkull tried many ploys: lightning assaults, feints, overwhelming wave attacks and massed bombardments. Air-dropped Stormboyz attacked from the skies while the sewer tunnels were infiltrated by the craftiest Kommandoz. At Helsreach, these stratagems paid off, each offensive advancing more deeply into that seaport hive city. With the streets red with blood, Ghazghkull's final tactic -- to gather the Weirdboyz together so their WAAAGH!-addled minds blasted forth a psychic storm -- worked perfectly. Paralysed by madness, the defenders were overrun. In Hades, each of Ghazghkull's moves was parried. The Stormboyz were ripped from the skies by anti-aircraft fire, the Kommandoz were met by tunnel-fighters in a running battle that stymied the underground advance. Siege engines were sabotaged and human suicide teams took down Gargants. The defence of Hades Hive was masterminded by Commissar Yarrick, who was destined to become the most respected 'umie that WAAAGH! Ghazghkull ever met.
Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka - Unexpected Counterstrike: As Ghazghkull fixated on tearing Hades Hive apart, on his command another Ork army was set to overwhelm the hive city of Acheron. But that was before the sky exploded. Orbital bombardment blasted craters amongst the Ork hordes. Even as they gaped skyward, they saw Thunderhawks peel out of the cloud cover, the roar of their engines audible over the concussive shockwave of their bombing runs. The Space Marines -- the finest warriors in the Emperor's service -- had arrived. The Blood Angels, the Ultramarines and the Salamanders attacked, and the Orks tasted the bitterness of crushing defeat for the first time. At that moment, if Ghazghkull had turned his attention to the deteriorating situation, it is likely he could have rallied his armies and driven off the Space Marine counterattack. Had he done so, Armageddon would likely have fallen. However, the completion of the siege of Hades Hive had become an obsession. Prophet though he was, in the red haze of battle, Ghazghkull no longer heard any calling save to grind his iron boots upon those who had dared defy him. Finally, Ghazghkull's own Bullyboyz broke down the last blast door. With the inner gates now open, Ghazghkull threw everything at the hive city, unleashing his final rampage. The Space Marines arrived too late to save Hades Hive, and those inside were massacred nearly to a man.With his numbers depleted and widely scattered, Ghazghkull commanded the last of his reinforcements to besiege Tartarus Hive. The fate of the planet hung in the balance, but the Space Marines were quick to redeploy. A Drop Pod assault struck the Orks even as Gorkanauts and Stompas smashed down the hive's gates. Blindsided again, the greenskins were pushed back and on the verge of breaking when Ghazghkull arrived. His counterattack was just beginning to wrest the initiative back when Ghazghkull and his bodyguard disappeared altogether. Rumours that their illustrious Warboss had fallen spread like wildfire amongst the Orks, and they wavered and broke. With this, the Imperium thought they had driven the Orks from Armageddon. It was not so. Many fought their way into the ash wastes and escaped, eventually reaching the depths of the equatorial jungles. Moreover, Ghazghkull was not slain. Some say the hand of Gork reached down to extricate his chosen one. Ghazghkull's few Ork detractors claimed he had fled, but however it happened, the Warboss escaped off-planet.
Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka - Visions of the Prophet: After leaving Armageddon, Ghazghkull was not idle. He did not look upon that campaign as a defeat, but more as a necessary stumble that was part of a larger journey, for a master plan had been revealed to Ghazghkull by Gork and Mork. Now, the Warlord saw clearly that Armageddon was not the end, it was only the beginning. If the Imperium made one huge mistake following the Second War for Armageddon, it was in not immediately pursuing Ghazghkull with all their strength and available resources. Yarrick recommended hunting him down, but few heeded the battle-proven Commissar. In truth, the Imperium's High Command on Armageddon presumed that the Ork Warlord that came out of nowhere to ravage their planet either was dead, or, if he had survived the battle, would be a washed-up nothing. He might live for some time as a recluse, but if he attempted to gather more Orks about him he would doubtless be slain as a failure. Nothing could be further from the truth.After losing a major battle, Orks will often depose their failed leader -- the first step on the downward spiral to true anarchy. It is true that, early on after his escape, Ghazghkull did have to remind some tribes of his greatness by defeating his challengers in horrific fashion. However, the Warlord regained his followers' full support not just with his triumphal acts of violence, but through his words. What the Ork gods had revealed to Ghazghkull -- or rather, what Ghazghkull said they revealed to him -- was that in order to destroy your foe, you must first know him. To the Orks, such an idea was both radical and profound. This meant that, for Ghazghkull, the whole invasion of Armageddon was merely a way to test the waters -- an experiment to learn how the Imperium would react against a massive invasion. The swift Space Marine strikes and the grinding attrition of the human warriors had indeed been eye-openers to an Ork from the isolated world of Urk. Now, Ghazghkull had learned what he needed to know about the Imperium's strategies. It was time to regroup -- to gather new armies, to rebuild and restore the WAAAGH! until it had strength enough to menace entire star systems.
Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka - Tellyporta Technology: If the Imperium had collected and analysed their scattered data files, they would have been alarmed by how many recorded attacks Ghazghkull, or armies bearing his insignia, had made. From 945 to 996.M41 there was an escalating pattern of violence, with many thousands of raids. But the Imperium was sprawling, bureaucratic, and beset by more obvious threats. Only the aged Yarrick, who had never ceased in his pursuit of his nemesis, still warned about any impending WAAAGH! directed by Ghazghkull. In the year 997.M41 Ghazghkull allied with the most infamous Bad Moon Warlord in many millennia --  Nazdreg Ug Urdgrub. The two leaders field-tested innovative "Tellyporta" technology -- the ability to send mobs of Boyz, vehicles, and ultimately, even the mountainous Gargants from a far distant space hulk down onto a planet. This was tested on the Imperial planet of Piscina IV. Only the Dark Angels saved that world from being overrun, but victory there was not Ghazghkull's real goal. His preparations were now over -- he was ready to unleash his full force upon the Imperium, exercising a plan fifty standard years in the making.
Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka - Blazing New Trails: Despite more and more Space Marine counterattacks striking deep into the Ork battlefronts, the Roks and the teleported reinforcements had the Imperium once again back on its heels. Ghazghkull still did not relent -– rather, he pressed his advantage. This was the perfect opportunity to unveil another tactic from his long-prepared arsenal of devastation: it was time to cut loose the Speed Freeks. Ork Kults of Speed have been around as long as there have been Orks. These velocity-addicted warriors are extremely mobile -- every trooper mounted on some type of Warbike, Warbuggy, or Trukk. While every klan has its speed-crazed Orks, this tendency is most common amongst the Evil Sunz. By their very nature, all Speed Freeks are fast, impulsive and likely to charge at the first opportunity. Only the commanding presence of Ghazghkull -- a no-nonsense Goff -- had any chance of using such headstrong forces in as controlled a fashion as he did. By Ghazghkull's orders, the Speed Freeks were held in reserve. It nearly killed them not to be first in battle, but instead to sit, doing nothing but revving their engines and waiting. Patience is not a virtue found amongst Speed Freeks. Yet Ghazghkull had been quite adamant in making his case -- making it, in fact, with his adamantium-plated head, by turning the wayward Evil Sunz Warlord, Gurbhag, and his kustom bike into a bloody scrapheap of broken parts. It had been a convincing argument. Only when the special Tellyporta-mobs had been sent to punch holes through the enemy lines were the Speed Freeks set loose.
Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka - Annihilation in the Ash Wastes: Able to exploit the tiniest gaps between battle lines, the Speed Freeks raced off in long columns. Where they needed to widen the path, the Warbikers blazed away with their weaponry -- unloading a storm of shot that scythed down Imperial Guardsmen in wide arcs of red ruin. Speed Freeks are known to sacrifice armour for speed, but, in true Ork fashion, their bikes and light vehicles never skimp on firepower, bearing more weaponry than any sane creature would expect upon such light frames. Across Armageddon Prime and Secundus, roving bands of Speed Freeks tore over the open plains of ash desert. With names like the Red Wheelz, Burning Death, and the Slasherz, each warhorde of Speed Freeks was made up of dozens of smaller warbands. The clouds of dust they kicked up as they accelerated across the barrens rivalled the toxic outflow of the Gargant Big Mobs, which spewed exhaust fumes that could be seen from outer space.Focussed on the myriad battles spread across the sprawling continents, few of the Imperial officers had time, or tactical acumen enough, to contemplate the big picture. Most would have denied that the Orks even had a plan -- pointing to the scores of assaults scattered across the vast planet, they saw the Orks' attack more as an anarchic mess than as a planned battlefront. They were mistaken. Ghazghkull orchestrated the fighting on Armageddon, and it was his tactical genius that designed the deadly combination that was winning the war. The scattered Rok landing sites had created strongpoints from which Ork armies gathered, and they also served as homers on which the Tellyportas could lock and beam down a steady flow of reinforcements. It was necessary for the Imperium to concentrate their attacks upon these sites, leaving them vulnerable to the lightning assaults of the Speed Freeks.Even as the forces of the Imperium moved to eliminate the threat of the Roks, they found themselves being hunted. Fast and hard-hitting Speed Freek columns wreaked havoc upon the Imperial forces in the open plains, weaving in and out of different formations and launching daring hit and run attacks. Zagboss Skargrim, notorious leader of the Burning Death Speed Freeks, encircled and destroyed entire regiments of Imperial Guardsmen. The Burning Death were well known for their love of fire, and the trapped humans were herded into large groups, setting up massed Skorcha runs that lit up the night skies. Streaking above the ash wastes, air wings of Dakkajet and Burna-bommer skwadrons acted as mobile artillery for the Speed Freeks. A fierce competition between the air and ground forces began, with each side striving to kill their target before the other could join the battle. Many friendly fire incidents were not accidental, but the deliberate results of overly frustrated rivals who arrived on the scene to discover their foes already destroyed.
Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka - Assault on the Hives: The Imperium's focus and counterattacks were wholly fixated upon the Ork Roks and the Speed Freeks warbands that wove maddeningly out of their reach. At this stage in the battle, Ghazghkull deemed the time was ripe to attack the hive cities. The Warboss personally led the many hordes on their route to attack Hive Infernus. Even as the few Imperial reserves were committed, word came from the seaport hives of yet more massive Ork attacks there. Mysteriously, Ork Roks had made landings in the Fire Wastes and Dead Lands to the north and south of the main continent of Armageddon. These grim lands had been believed to be uninhabitable, but their value became apparent solar weeks later when hundreds of tanker-sized Ork submersibles rose from the polluted waters and made landings at Hives Tempestora and Helsreach. Surprise was total, and within solar days Tempestora fell, although hive gang militia held out long enough at Helsreach for Tempestus Scions and Space Marines to arrive, preventing the Orks from overrunning the other half of the hive. Besieged and bombarded, Tartarus Hive drove off their greenskin attackers, but the victory was a hollow one. The hive was ruined, its great factories torn apart for scrap by industrious Deathskull Scrapmobs.Just south of the Plains of Anthrand, a vital water processing plant known as Ghattana Bay was the site of a battle that escalated to become the largest Dreadnought conflict of the campaign. Large vehicles could not navigate the maze of pipes that made up the vast refinery, and without armour to oppose them, the Dread Mobs were an unstoppable force, able to gun down or smash aside all the human infantry that dared defend those twisted corridors. The Orks were only checked by the arrival of Space Marine Dreadnoughts from no fewer than five different Chapters. Tankbustas and Space Marine Devastators moved into the tangle of pipelines, hoping to shift the balance upon that deadly battlefield. Although the Orks were ultimately forced to withdraw, the damage wrought upon the facility by the greenskins was irreparable, cutting off water to much of Armageddon Prime.
Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka - Endless War of Attrition: The size of the escalating war on Armageddon was becoming difficult to imagine. Billions of lives had been lost in the unending battle, so that the very world had become a byword for war and destruction on a massive scale. It was a place where the mightiest war machines in the galaxy clashed and heroes died in droves. Orks from across the galaxy felt the vibrations of the WAAAGH!. Like moths to a flame, the most aggressive greenskins were being drawn toward Armageddon, seeking fame and glory. But the Third War for Armageddon had spread beyond the planet, for the whole sub-sector was rife with Ork raiders. Those worlds left vulnerable by the Imperial commitment to the Armageddon War were now burned themselves. Rumours abounded that Ghazghkull had called the Ragnarork, the Great WAAAGH!, the final apocalyptic battle in which the Orks would prove their worth before the eyes of their violent and primitive gods.To counter the Orks, the Imperium had been forced into a total war footing, feeding the meatgrinder with entire planetary populations' worth of troops. A thousand light year recruitment zone was established around Armageddon. Every Imperial world within that area had their tithe of Imperial Guard regiments tripled and their industry turned over solely to armaments production. Even the Imperial logisticians, themselves numbering more than a large army, could only estimate how many Imperial Guard had taken part in the defence of Armageddon, to say nothing of tracking the wealth of other forces. At the last tally, this included elements of at least twenty-five different Chapters of Adeptus Astartes, several Orders of Adepta Sororitas, and six Titan Legions. Within the Armageddon Sector was the better part of seventeen Imperial Navy fleets. Worst still, those figures were outdated by at least a Terran year, a time period in which the war had only grown larger.The Imperium had always dreaded the unification of so many Ork tribes, and now its worst fears were coming true. Already the wisest of the Imperial leaders faced the grim realisation that it was likely that the industry of Armageddon would soon be ruined beyond repair. The war was now less about saving Armageddon and more about preserving its sub-sector and, most sobering of all, preventing the ever-swelling tide of Orks from growing larger. If the great green menace could not be contained upon Armageddon, then it would sweep outwards and threaten the heart of the Imperium itself -– Holy Terra. Although it pained him to leave the largest battle he had ever seen, Ghazghkull knew he had work to do elsewhere.
Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka - A Higher and Louder Calling: Only the pull of destiny could drag the most dangerous Ork Warlord away from the battle that raged across Armageddon. But with the great green visions starting to overwhelm him, Ghazghkull knew it was time to move on. That battle was now self-perpetuating, and he was needed to spread the ripples of WAAAGH! energy until they washed the galaxy in blood. Even as he waded through shellbursts and claimed Space Marine helmets for his trophy rack, Ghazghkull could feel the pressure building behind his adamantium plate. He was about to have another vision and, if the pain in his skull was any indication, it was going to be a monumental one. It was too much to fight. Ghazghkull returned to his orbiting ship, Kill Wrecka, and at last gave in to the green flashes that were filling his patchwork mind.The voices of Gork and Mork had never been so strident, their bellowing still echoing in Ghazghkull's head. Yet, no matter how many times he readjusted his thinking parts by beating them against the bulwark of the ship, Ghazghkull could not clear his head, nor decipher what the guttural voices of the gods were saying to him. The pain of the visions was excruciating, and his good eye bulged as he roared in agony. Any other Ork would consider a good scrap like Armageddon a victory in itself, but they lacked ambition. Ghazghkull, blessed with his conqueror's visions, did not know exactly what he was looking for, and grasped only that he would not find it on Armageddon. Trusting that the voices would become clear in time, he ordered a handful of voidcraft from the fleet that still surrounded Armageddon like vultures to gather around Kill Wrecka. Ghazghkull left the battle for Armageddon knowing his appointed lieutenants would command in his stead as he had ordered. The greatest Ork Warlord of his era looked back upon the rapidly shrinking orb of Armageddon, and his only regret was that he doubted he would be back before his underlings conquered everything in his name.As the fleet gathered speed, Ghazghkull turned from the portal and looked about the bridge. On his orders, a herd of Weirdboy Warpheads had been gathered. It was his hope that the deranged Ork mystics could aid his visions in a way similar to how their strange gifts seemed to help steer the best course once a space hulk entered the Warp. Thus far, however, all the Weirdboyz had done was annoy Ghazghkull. The hulking Warlord watched the drooling Warpheads totter about the bridge, bumping into each other like Boyz in a fungus beer stupor. In truth, such antics angered Ghazghkull -- the old Goff in him resolved troubles or ambiguities with a simple punch to the face. Unbeknownst to Ghazghkull, however, his departure from Armageddon did not go unmarked.
Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka - Pursuit and Evasion: Imperial augur-stations observed the Ork flotilla leaving the system, identifying the vessel known as Kill Wrecka, the capital ship favoured by Ghazghkull. The Armageddon High Command was notified, and within solar days the pursuit was underway. Commissar Yarrick headed one fleet and High Marshal Helbrecht of the Black Templars led the other. They had allowed Ghazghkull to escape once and it cost them dearly; a mistake, Yarrick vowed, that would not be repeated. Using a pincer approach, the faster, more efficient Imperial warships converged upon the Ork fleet several solar weeks after leaving Armageddon. Outnumbered in the midst of a barren space known as the Haunted Gulf, Ghazghkull realised he could not outrun his foes. With nowhere to hide, he ordered the fleet to steer directly into the midst of their enemies. By the weight of their broadsides the Ork flotilla might yet be able to blast a path to freedom.Despite Yarrick's warning that such a desperate manoeuvre was not just possible, but likely, the forces of the Imperium were still surprised by the unorthodox gambit. Several Battle Cruisers were left crippled by the Ork ploy, little more than drifting hulks. However, the return fire ripped the scrapfleet apart, destroying Ork voidships one after another. Kill Wrecka was left listing badly, its steering wrecked. As Yarrick and Helbrecht prepared to board the Ork vessel in order to personally ensure Ghazghkull's demise, Kill Wrecka was wreathed in a blaze of green energy.
Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka - Great Green Beyond: Kill Wrecka rocked back and forth from the Lance strikes that penetrated its lower decks. The resulting explosions blasted concussive forces through the ship, making the entire voidcraft lurch violently and sending everyone on the command deck sprawling. Ghazghkull toppled over hard, his adamantium-clad skull denting the steel deckplates with a clang. Furious, he pushed out of the pile of Weirdboyz that had shifted on top of him and bellowed orders. It was then, his head still ringing from the impact, that an overwhelming force possessed Ghazghkull. An arcing crown of green lightning exploded outward, washing everyone in a strange, green light.The sudden explosion of energies was a spark that set off the Warpheads, each convulsing in rhythmic spasms that grew in intensity. Engulfed in green flames, the crazed Ork psykers howled as their skin sizzled and raw power burst forth from their eyes and gushed forth from their jaws. In voices like rolling thunder, the Warpheads spoke as one, the same almighty roar of Gork and Mork that Ghazghkull had been hearing. Now, at last, he understood what he needed to do. The voice of the gods commanded Ghazghkull to unite the Orks and make the galaxy echo to the sound of the Great WAAAGH!.The powerful voice spoke again, saying that only unending battle would call the final Ragnarork, bringing forth Gork and Mork themselves. With their role in delivering the message done, the Warpheadz exploded in a vast oupouring of energy, drenching all those on the command deck with wet viscera and luminescent green energy. It was this surge of green power that rolled outwards, striking the enemy fleet like a tidal wave. With their ships' systems ensnared by strange energies, Yarrick and Helbrecht could only watch in frustration as Kill Wrecka blinked once and was gone. The only evidence that it had ever been there was a trail of debris floating where the ship had once been. Yarrick slumped, for he knew that Ghazghkull's escape boded ill for the galaxy.
Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka - Path of Conquest: Kill Wrecka was hurled into the Warp, its course and destination unknown. Every greenskin on board endured an unsettling journey in which the echoes of that mighty voice still boomed in their minds. How long they travelled, or where they spun towards, none could say. Then, with a feeling similar to a punch in the gut, they halted, reappearing suddenly in realspace. The Orks staggered to the portholes, looking out and gasping in amazement. They were completely surrounded by voidships of all sizes, but there could be no mistaking the make of such crude, rust-bucket-like craft. Kill Wrecka had materialised precisely in the middle of an Ork fleet.Only recently, Kill Wrecka had been an imposing vessel, its hulls protected by overlapping slabs of iron plate and bristling with turrets, gun decks and all manner of ordnance. However, after the Imperial fleet had punched a number of holes through the voidcraft's belly, internal explosions had done the rest. Ghazghkull's Meks began to swarm over the ship, repairing breaches to the inner hull and patching up the pipes which vented gases into the corridors. The Orks under Warlord Urgok Da Slayer -– for that was whose fleet they had appeared amidst –- doubtless took Kill Wrecka for space junk, thinking that some scrap-mongering Deathskulls or salvage-crazed Meks were simply cutting up pieces of old wreckage.On board, Ghazghkull cared less about the hull repairs, instead ordering his Meks to fix the damaged Tellyporta. While they hustled about their tasks, the Prophet of Gork and Mork prepared his boarding parties. It was easy to pick out where the biggest Ork would be, for just above them in the centre of the fleet was a monstrous space hulk. So much work had gone into that vessel that it now looked like an Ork fortress floating in space. Knowing his advantage was surprise, Ghazghkull trusted to luck and teleported blind. As if guided by the great green hands of Gork and Mork themselves, Ghazghkull and a mob of his baddest Nobz -– his Bullyboyz –- appeared in a green flash in Warlord Urgok's command room. The action that followed was swift and bloody, the deck soon covered with the mangled corpses of the slain. Before they could recover from their shock, most of Urgok's bodyguard were slain and Ghazghkull had pulled Urgok off his throne and beaten him senseless. So started a new WAAAGH!.
Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka - Ghazghkull's New Fleet: Urgok's fleet was substantial in size before Ghazghkull arrived, but it grew exponentially when the Prophet of Gork and Mork took over. Like all Ork-made creations, it was an anarchic jumble. Most of the voidships were wholly built out of cast-off flotsam scavenged from the ends of the galaxy; others had once been the vessels of some other race, but had been salvaged and "upgraded" by the Orks. They came from all corners of the galaxy, some even from distant eras, having been found drifting in the Warp. Even ships of the same type in the same squadron were rarely comparable, for each had gone through many impromptu builds and refits, each using whatever scrap could be found. It was not the greenskin way to repair things either, so much as patch over them. And no Mek was ever fully satisfied, but thought he could add another gun deck, missile silo, torpedo tube or other shooty wotnotz here or there.Within that ramshackle armada was a pair of heavy-prowed Hammer Battlekroozers that had stood keel to keel with Imperial Battleships and come out the victors. Some half dozen Kill Kroozers and Terror Ships rounded out the larger voidcraft. Before them came a tide of lesser vessels, some little more than rustbuckets with thruster engines, yet they were deadly despite their worn and decrepit appearance. The pride of the fleet was Urgok's space hulk -- a colossus of a starcraft, with firepower to almost equal that of an entire Imperial battlefleet.
Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka - Building a New WAAAGH!: Warlord Urgok's empire had grown so large that it took solar weeks for Ghazghkull to work his way through it. Most joined the Prophet of Gork and Mork willingly, but some stubborn cases needed to be shown a few messy examples before they too saw the wisdom of aligning themselves under Ghazghkull. When he regained consciousness, Urgok Da Slayer himself became a leader within Ghazghkull's throng, and this made recruiting the rest of his armies easier. If the galaxy was going to be set ablaze with WAAAGH! energy, many more Orks were needed.Orks are a prolific race and can be found throughout the entire galaxy. It would be the work of a million lifetimes to seek out every greenskin-held territory, to travel to the innumerable places where greenskins gathered in dominating numbers -- countless moons, planets, asteroid fields, or space hulks drifting in the void between the stars. As Ghazghkull knew, such travel was not needed, for all Orks were called by the power of the WAAAGH!. Urgok'swars had been drawing in a steady stream of greenskins, new recruits rising to the call of fighting, space travel and the promise of greater battles. Under Ghazghkull, this rivulet became a cascading downpour as floods of greenskins rushed to join the fleet. Now they needed purpose.With agitated Ork hordes raring for battle, Ghazghkull steered the fleet towards Ork territory. The remnants of his WAAAGH!-tuned brain had felt the distant ripples of green energies that came from distant Octarius. Rumours had come of a new leader of that realm, and it was Ghazghkull's intent to wrest the title "Overfiend of Octarius" for himself. However, what he found when he got there was even better.
Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka - Another Armageddon: Though Ghazghkull had little time to prepare, he made the most of it. Meks welded iron-plated walls back into position, or patched acid-eaten holes. Others sighted new kannons and anti-aircraft weapons, better integrating the Roks into the overall defence.Under the keen eyes of the great Big Mek Orkimedes, a few snazzy upgrades, from Tellyporta pads to Pulsa Rokkits, would give the intergalactic aliens something new to chew on. If anything, this fight looked to be even bigger than the one on Armageddon.Even as the skies began to darken as a huge, brooding shadow covered the stars above, Ghazghkull looked up and bared his fang-like teef in as close to a grin as he could manage. His WAAAGH! was only getting started...
Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka - Further Visions of Greatness: Since leaving Armageddon, the visions that temporarily filled Ghazghkull's surgically repaired brain had become more frequent. Some of these were strong convulsions that toppled the big Ork over, causing him to writhe in howling agony. Other visions were less obtrusive, and these Ghazghkull was slowly gaining control over. They showed him brief snippets of the action back on Armageddon; Ghazghkull saw Zagboss Skargrim tearing it up on his Warbike, or watched Kommandant Klank lead his Boyz to another victory.Even in the dream-like visions, the sight of Orks marching in rows like Human troops was infuriating, but he could not argue with the Blood Axe Warlord's battle record. Ghazghkull knew that these weren't dreams; he knew he was watching real events unfold. Despite the vast distance, sometimes, when he issued commands or tactical advice during particularly gripping visions, Ghazghkull swore his voice carried and his subordinates heard his every bellow.This thought amused him; he heeded the voices in his head, and his lieutenants were likewise tormented. As for Ghazghkull's own voices -- they were already warning him that once the battle on Octaria got going, it would be time to leave. He had a destiny to meet. He only needed three or four more sectors raging with battle to swell the Ork population to critical mass.In his vision, Ghazghkull was stomping across the galaxy. His strides spanned stars beyond count and each of his mighty footprints were swathes of planets aflame with war -- Armageddon, Octaria...he was already anxious for the start of the next great conflict.
Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka - Era Indomitus: After the opening of the Great Rift, Ghazgkhull left the Octarius warzone, and led a fleet of over 5 million Greenskin warships against the forces of the Imperium. He eventually fell into conflict with the Space Wolves Chapter on the world of Krongar.During the Battle of Krongar, Ghazgkhull's head was severed by the Wolf Lord Ragnar Blackmane. Ghazghkull had deliberately separated himself and the Wolf Lord from the other combatants by detonating explosives which blocked the entrance to the Imperial cathedral where they met with debris.The subsequent duel was bitterly contested but the Wolf Lord slowed Ghazghkull by slicing through the hydraulic cabling for his Mega Armour. Though slowed, Ghazghkull was not defeated, and he eventually caught up Blackmane and began to crush him in his Power Klaw.Yet, even while he was being crushed to death, Blackmane summoned the strength to decapitate Ghazghkull with his Frost Blade. Blackmane lifted Ghazghkull's head up high and howled in victory.In the wake of his decapitation, Ghazghkull found his spirit trapped between life and death. In this disembodied state he lamented only that nobody would bring back Makari after his inevitable next death and that his work, the furtherance of the Great WAAAGH!, would remain forever incomplete.Ghazgkhull was resurrected shortly afterwards by the medical skills of Mad Dok Grotsnik when a Grot stumbled upon the fallen warlord's severed head and the Mad Dok performed emergency surgery to reattach it to a new, even bigger Greenskin body.This new body was created by Grotsnik from the few remaining portions of Ghazgkhull's original body, as well as various body parts taken from other Orks, some willingly, including one Greenskin who ripped out his own heart "to give to the boss." Unfortunately, the organ was destroyed in the course of the operations to rebuild Ghazghkull's body.In the place of an organic heart, Grotsnik instead modified the fuel pump of a Trukk and used that as the warlord's new heart.Grotsnik next made use of a power generator placed into orbit of Krongar that existed in both realspace and the Immaterium simultaneously to unleash a beam of green lightning at the place on the surface where Ghazghkull's form lay. The resurrection attempt had an 80% chance of unleashing a blast that might incinerate half of the world, but the viridian beam actually succeeded in bringing Ghazghkull back to life after 10 solar days and nights in which he was technically dead.The warlord had also been brought back in a body that was larger than before and made him even more powerful. Such was now his strength in the WAAAGH! that just his physical presence could serve as a psychic beacon to draw other Greenskins from light years away.
Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka - Makari: Makari was an exceptionally lucky Grot who survived to the ripe old age of nine standard years before finally meeting his accidental end under the posterior of his hulking master.The plucky Gretchin served as self-appointed banner-waver to the mighty Ghazghkull Thraka himself, surviving countless battles in ever more improbable ways.Ghazghkull saw Makari as something of a mascot. Thus, when the Grot's remains were peeled off his boss' rear end, Makari's wavin' stikk was reclaimed, hosed down, and went into service as an impressive Bosspole.Good fortune still surrounds Da Lucky Stikk, though the backlash when things go wrong can be surprisingly brutal.The story of Makari's death after being sat on by Ghazghkull may have been spread by Imperial propagandists seeking to humiliate the great Ork Warlord, as Makari in the Era Indomitus has still been witnessed following Ghazghull into battle.However, it is also possible that Ghazghull may be "volunteering" new Grots for the honour of becoming his standard-bearer, and that each "Makari" has had a life as short as that of any other Grot among the Greenskins, dying in battle or from careless happenstance.One of the reasons that Makari has survived so long is because he is no ordinary Gretchin. He is stronger, tougher and more resilient than the rest of his kin.Unlike the Grot Blasters carried by his Gretchin brethren, Makari carries a Stabba, preferring to do his fighting up close and personal. It's a surprisingly effective weapon, and Makari has even managed to kill a Tempestus Scion with the little blade.
Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka - Mobs of WAAAGH! Ghazghkull: WAAAGH! Ghazghkull had grown impossibly large, but during his first invasion of Armageddon, the greenskins primarily came from Urk and its surroundings. Ghazghkull has bound the varied tribes to his own vision of rampant destruction,and while he can get the most out of any greenskin, there are certain mobs or warbands he prefers over all others.
Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka - Dynamos of the WAAAGH!: Despite what the growing Ork legends said, the true genius of Ghazghkull Thraka had nothing to do with his rock-splitting headbutt. What really set Ghazghkull apart was his leadership. It was his gift to get the best out of every Ork that made him so dangerous. Few Warlords can mesh the different klanz, playing each to its strengths, rather than leaving them to work towards their own narrow-minded proclivities. Though Ghazghkull liked a hardened fighting core of Goff warriors, he always picked the right tool for the task at hand. However, he did not do so alone, for Ghazghkull also had an eye for spotting Orks destined for greatness.Scattered about WAAAGH! Ghazghkull were a range of the most talented Orks to stalk the galaxy. This was not a formal council, but a loose ring of the most powerful and influential Warbosses from the tribes, along with the most over-achieving Oddboyz. Perhaps the most famous amongst this group was Orkimedes, the genius Mek behind such inventions as Tellyporta technology and attack 'ubmersibles. When he remained lucid, Mad Dok Grotsnik was also in this group, as was the Evil Sunz Warlord Zagboss Skargrim, the aged, but still mighty, Snakebite Grand Tusk Chieftain Molok, militant-minded Kommandant Klank of the Blood Axes, Nazdreg of the Bad Moons, and perhaps a dozen others. Even when Ghazghkull was not nearby, these dynamic lieutenants acted in his name, ensuring his plans were carried through. In essence, they became the right hands of WAAAGH! Ghazghkull.
Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka - Green Hordes: To any non-greenskin, Ork armies are barbaric and anarchic hordes -- a ragtag assembly with no rhyme or reason. Orks are extremely hierarchical, however, and though they may appear to be shambolic hordes, any WAAAGH! has a strict ordering and takes on the character of the Ork who leads it.As his WAAAGH! has grown so large, Ghazghkull relies upon a hardened core of mobs and warbands. These forces are organised in the way the Great Prophet of Gork and Mork prefers; their leaders have learned to fight using their own aggressive initiative, but also tactics and cunning instilled by their mastermind leader. These are warriors, mobs and formations that draw the most difficult and brutal of tasks, spearheading key assaults or attacking vital positions.Though Orks rarely go to the trouble of distinguishing between forces of different sizes, the following are common Imperial designations used when estimating the size and relative threat of greenskin incursions:Mob - Ork equivalent of a squad.Warband - Many mobs groups together under the leadership of a Warboss.Warhorde - Many warbands grouped together under the overall leadership of a Warlord.
Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka - Goff Infantry: Orks of the Goff klan are identified by their preference for black and red wargear, and their symbol, the Horned Bull. Goffs are straightforward and grim; they eschew flashy colours, but do go for bold glyphs and check patterns.Unlike other klanz, Goffs take good care of the tools of their trade -- their weapons. Being a Goff himself, Ghazghkull preferred to use battle-hardened mobs of Goffs whenever he could.Goff Infantry includes the following forces:DA GOREBOYZUlk (Nob)20 BoyzBULZAK'S DESROYAZBulzak (Warboss)Bullzeyes (30 Boyz)Hornhelmz (30 Boyz)Furk's Trukk Boyz (10 Boyz in Trukk)Ripkill (Deff Dread)Gitstomp (Gorkanaut)GRAND WARLORD GHULG's WARHORDEGhulg (Warboss)Krim's Krumpaz (200 infantry)Bloody Choppaz (150 infantry)Steelheadz (100 infantry)Durk's Dreads (Dread Mob)Godkrakka (Stompa)
Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka - Goff Blitzboys: Ghazghkull values mobility, so it is no suprise that at the heart of his WAAAGH! can be found many Blitz Brigades –- motorised columns of Trukks and Battlewagons, each carrying a bloodthirsty mob of Orks. While all the klanz are represented, Ghazghkull puts extra stock in those from his own klan, the Goff Blitzboyz.Goff Blitzboyz may not be as fast as the more infamous Speed Freeks of the Evil Sunz, but they pack more of a punch when they hit. Goffs particularly favour Battlewagons with Deff Rollas or reinforced rams -- even more so if those rams are shaped like the classic Goff horn symbol.Their infantry are loaded down with weapons; they have learned to carry extras, as the tuck and roll of rapid deployment and the sheer impetus of their assaults has been known to knock a few loose.GURAT's MOBGurgat (Nob)20 BoyzDa Meatwagon (Battlewagon)BLACK DEFF BLITZ BRIGADEZog Blackclaw (Warboss)5 Battlewagons with deff rollas (each with Boyz mob)KRAGRAK'S BLITZDAKKA WARBANDKragrak (Warboss)2 Trukks (each with Boyz mob)3 Battlewagons with deff rollas (each with Boyz mob)2 Wartrakks10 Nobz with warbike1 DakkajetKROKSNIK'S DEFF TRAKK TRIBEKroksnik (Warboss)4 Warbands32 Battle Fortresses
Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka - Dread Mobz: Like a traditional Goff, Ghazghkull places a greater value on brutal close-range violence than the Warlord of any other Ork klan. This being the case, it is no surprise that WAAAGH! Ghazghkull attracts the "ardest of da 'ard."A profusion of Killa Kanz, Deff Dreads and even larger walkers can be found fighting alongside or amidst the Goff infantry. These metal monstrosities clank along amidst the Boyz mobs, greatly augmenting their striking power.Ghazghkull has learned through experience (if not the whispered leadings of the gods themselves) to mob his Killa Kans and Deff Dreads together into armoured wedges –- smoke-spewing, lurching units that can stomp down enemy hordes or hack through enemy elites.Although Ghazghkull will find a place in his plans for any of these so-called "Dread Mobs", he favours those of his own klan.While it is true that Goffs despise lowly Gretchin, most have learned a grudging respect for those that manage to pilot a Killa Kan. In these hulking metal husks, the Gretchin are not scrawny weaklings, but death-dealing bruisers capable of the Ork ideal: blasting, stomping and mauling foes into an indistinguishable pulpy mass.For this reason, Killa Kanz are readily accepted into Goff warbands as well as the formidable Dread Mobs. Of course, it is possible that many Goff Boyz simply don't know that there is a grot inside such an excellent killing machine.KRUD'S KANS DREAD MOBKrud (Big Mek)Gulgrob (Painboy)3 Deff Dreads3 Killa Kan mobs2 MorkanautsBLACKHORNZ DREAD MOBSnarga Lugnutz (Big Mek)Gragrok (Painboy)3 Deff Dreads3 Killa Kan mobs2 GorkanautsSTOMPY DEFF DREAD MOBGurk (Big Mek)Dok Morgrod (Painboy)3 Deff Dreads3 Killa Kan mobsGorkanautMorkanaut
Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka - Ugrak's Uglies: Ugrak's Uglies are part of a battle-hardened and fighty core of Goffs that form the centre of WAAAGH! Ghazghkull. Ugrak was a Goff champion who led a Nobz mob on Urk.After a thunderous headbutt from Ghazghkull, he saw the light (many lights, actually) and, when he recovered, Ugrak pledged his red Power Klaw to the hardest hitting Warlord he had ever met.It was aboard Wurld Killa, after one of the many battles against daemonic attacks, that Ugrak kitted himself and his Nobz mob with Mega Armour. Having risen in prominence since then, Ugrak now leads an entire Goff warband -- da Uglies.They are relentless footslogging infantry, with Boyz and Nobz in 'eavy armour -- often much scratched and worn by the rigours of close combat.At various times, Ugrak's Uglies have acted as Ghazghkull's personal bodyguard, and they had the honour of leading the spearhead attack that helped break down the final blast door of Hades Hive.