"ERE WE GO! (1991) Chaos Lore

MolotovKraken

Prophet
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Apr 18, 2024
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THE SHARE OUT

The share-out after a battle is one of the Orks’ favourite kustoms. It is presided over by the Warboss himself, aided by his retainers and a corps of Gretchin scribes to see to it that everybody gets a fair share (and that the Warboss gets the best stuff). Death Skull warbands have their own variation of this kustom, which is described later on. The most important items of booty are the really noisy and ‘shooty’ weapons, which the Orks like best.

Generally, Orks only bother with the weapons listed above, but Death Skull warbands can loot any abandoned weapons, however exotic they may be. Any of the weapons known in the 40K universe, and any other equipment including armour, that can be picked up on the battlefield is fair game for serious looters like the Death Skulls Heavy weapons are handed out first. One to each Nob in the warband (highest ranking Nobz get first pick). Any heavy weapons left over after each Nob has ben given one are kept by the Warboss and his retinue. Looted power armour can be handed out to a Nob as his share instead of a heavy weapon. Other weapons are distributed to each mob and korps in the warband (including Stormboyz, and Madboyz, but not Wildboyz or Gretchin entrepreneurs). A mob which sent only the minimum number of boyz gets one weapon. A mob which sent more is allowed two weapons. Any surplus weapons are kept by the Warboss and his retinue. In a Death Skull warband, the weapons are not just handed over to the mobz, they are auctioned for teeth.

Madboyz should not be given heavy weapons just in case they run amok in the camp, and Stormboyz and Goffs prefer close combat weapons, so give them these to keep them happy. Gretchin entrepreneurs are not given anything in the share out, and have to be contented with snatching teeth. Wildboyz who have fought in battle are initiated as proper Orks, so they can be exchanged for Orks Mobs with standard Ork wargear. Ogryns are rewarded with a big feast at the expense of the Warboss, since captured gear is unlikely to be big enough for them to use. If Freebooterz were hired by the Warboss he must pay them with the surplus weapons which he kept back from the share out. The going rate is usually a heavy weapon for da Kaptin and a weapon each for all of the boyz of his krew. Human mercenaries, advisors and other aliens are paid in the same way.

Any weapons left over are handed over to the Mekaniaks for them to kustomise or convert into kombi weapons. Vehicles, artillery, robots, dreadnoughts and other big bits of equipment are also handed over to the Meks for repair or for spare parts. The Warboss can trust them do make something really good for the tribe out of the wreckage, and if so, he will either claim it, buy it or commission some more just like it. So all in all it’s best to leave them alone to get on with it. Painboyz have free rights over all wounded and slain and can claim quite a few teeth from patients and corpses. Runtherdz and Weirdboyz are a bit of an exception in that they are not really bothered about loot. Runtherdz come to look after the runtz for the Warboss. They usually end up adopting the loose runtz found wandering about on the stricken field, who have lost their master, and reiurn home quite contented. They may be compensated for losses from their herds with teeth from the Warboss’s own reserves and are put on the list for any runtbotz commissioned from the Meks at the Warboss's expense.

Weirdboyz didn't want to come anyway, and are happy enough if they survive at all. If the Orks have captured any chaos or psychic weapons these are handed over to the Weirdboyz who will render them ‘safe’. Dangerous powers or even daemons locked in weapons can be syphoned out by the Weirdboyz and absorbed as psychic energy, to be released as a grand pyrotechnic and poltergeist display in celebration of victory. Arcane objects are often melted down to make omaments, bells and talismans for Weirdboys. Copper is extracted to make copper rods. All other gear is considered junk. It is either too damaged, to ‘alien’ or too technologically complicated for the Orks to bother with. Virtually all Eldar equipment falls into this category, since it is beyond the comprehension of Ork intellect, and Orks consider their wargear to be too weedy for proper Orks to use, Only a Death Skulls warband is allowed to use captured Shuriken weapons looted from the Eldar, since they will attempt to use virtually anything that they find on the battlefield.

The remaining pile of junk left for the Mekaniaks, Gretchins and anyone else who feels like it to rummage through. Gretchins take a few shiny bitz, Blood Axes take any medals, monocles and bits of military ephemera to decorate their uniforms and the Meks take most of the rest. They sort out the metals and melt them down in vats to produce raw materials for their projects. A serious problem arises if there are not enough captured items to reward every Nob or mob in the warband, which can result in a household leaving the tribe in disappointment. A wise Warboss will make sure that no Nob or mob who turned up to the battle leaves unrewarded, even if it means giving them one of his own weapons and pretending it was proper booty. Alternatively he can give them some of his own runt servants or a fistful of teeth from his great pay chest. Apart from the gear in the share out, whether it is shooty or junk, there is a lot of looting to be done on the battlefield. Death Skulls are real experts at this: they strip the uniforms off the corpses and snatch a variety of other things, including bones, which other clans would not care about or want. A Death Skull warband does particularly well for itself after a battle, because the Death Skull boyz do a very thorough job of retrieving everything and anything that might be of any possible use to them.
 
WAR TROPHIES AND BATTLE HONOURS

The prestige of a Warboss is measured by the quality of the enemies which he has defeated. Therefore it is the greatest possible achievement of a Warboss’s career to defeat a force of Space Marines. After all, these are the cream of the forces of humanity. If the Warband actually succeeds in defeating Space Marines the Warboss’s personal Gretchin servants will set about scouring the battlefield for abandoned helmets as trophies for their master. According to Ork kustom, a Warboss is allowed to display one space marine helmet of each chapter he has defeated, and one helmet for each time he has defeated them. For example, a Warboss with two Ultramarine helmets and one Space Wolves helmet festooned on his warbanner has defeated the Ultramarines twice and the Space Wolves once. Any Warboss who has won three battles against Space Marines is automatically acclaimed a Warlord.


TINBOYZ

Ork robotz are sometimes called Tinboyz - reflecting the fact that they are designed to look like metal versions of living creatures. It is traditional to make Tinboyz which look something like the Space Marines, Eldar, and Squats, but whose exaggerated features and gawky movements imitate and mock these races. The Orks think this is a particularly good joke and take great pleasure in producing clever parodies of their enemies. Alhough the appearance of individual Tinboyz varies a great deal their internal workings are simple and follow a common pattern. This means that the vast majority of Tinboyz perform in comparable ways on the battlefield. Tinboyz have a profile and armament options as described in the Army List section at the end of this volume.


BOYZ MOBS

Now I want to get a good few reasonably well-armed Boyz Mobs. I take four Boyz Mobs and have two with Heavy Bolters and two with Missile Launchers. To let them deal with well armoured opponents I dish out Krak grenades. This keeps the Mobz nice and cheap but still able to deal with most situations. In battle I'll probably split the Boyz Mobz and send them around the flanks while using my Bigmob as a solid centre. All of the Bayz’ Mobs have been armed with Stikkbomz so that they can duff up those humie Marines wot look dead stoopid in their poncy armour, all covered in humie writin’ and flags and medals and stuff. Don't stop it comin’ apart when a Krak grenade ‘its it! Can't be too cocky though, coz they can sometimes be a bit ‘ard them Marines, even when there's only a few of *em. Still, with one of the Bigboss Nobz making sure that the Boyz don't ‘ang about, we ain't scared.
 
ATTENDANTS:

Weirdboy may have unlimited non-combatant Gretchin and Snotling servants, musicians, scribes, scroll-bearers and banner bearers at no extra points. A Weirdboy may also be accompanied by a Snotling who has been possessed, These are Snotlings which have been possessed by warp daemons while taking part in a Shokk Attack - they are now too crazed to serve any useful function except to a Weirdboy. If a Weirdboy has a possessed Snotling the creature can drain away some of the Weirdboy’s psychic energy - thus possibly saving him from a fatal head explosion. If a Weirdboy’s head explodes roll a D6. On the score of a 4 or more the possessed Snotling absorbs the psychic energy and his head explodes instead - the Snotling is killed but the Weirdboy is saved. A Weirdboy cannot buy a possessed Snotling but he can test at the start of the game to see if a possessed Snotling has joined his attendants. On the D6 roll of a 5 or more he has been joined by one. This test is made every game, so a Weirdboy can acquire several possessed Snotlings eventually.


SURVIVING SNOTLINGS

Snotlings rarely survive their frantic, panic-stricken dash through the warp followed by the few moments of hysterical mayhem which follows when they emerge. Many are so petrified by their experience that their little hearts give out or they withdraw into a state of catatonic shock and eventually die. Others reach their target in a fear-inspired frenzy but are either killed by their victims, squashed in the general confusion, or killed by the explosions and crashes resulting from their appearance. Those that do survive are so affected by. their horrible experiences that they want nothing other than to crawl off and hide somewhere where they can ‘get away from da nasty fingz’ which haunt their tiny imaginations. Eventually the terror fades from their memories but their little minds are never quite the same again. A surprising number manage to make their way back to the Ork encampment where they are often adopted by Madboyz as their pets and help-mates. These cracked Snotlings are often seen capering among the Madboyz around the battlefield and the camp.

On rare occasions Snotlings which survive a Shokk Attack are found to be possessed by minor daemons from the warp. Just as Weirdboyz are too Orky to be possessed by a daemon, even Snotlings cannot be fully dominated by a possessing daemon. The daemon is effectively trapped inside a body he can only partially and occasionally control, causing both parties some distress. These Snotlings behave in a very schizophrenic and peevish manner, muttering little squeaky conversations with themselves, and sometimes (when under the influence of the daemon) picking arguments with faceeater squigs or other deadly opponents. Of course, the frustrated daemon would like nothing better than for the Snotling to be killed and gobbled up so that it can escape back to warp space - unfortunately for the daemons Snotlings have too much good ork-sense to get themselves killed that easily. Possessed Snotlings are sought out and adopted by Weirdboyz who keep them as familiars. The possessed Snotling can help drain off psychic overload causing the Snotling’s head to explode before the Weirdboy’s. Snotlings which emerge inside large constructions or spacecraft may end up in some functional compartment unable to have any serious or immediate effect on the battle, but they can still have a drastic long-term effect. The Snotlings can eventually recover sufficiently to form a breeding colony aboard the vessel. If they find their way into the sewage system, the holds, or the sumps, they will automatically start growing fungus and squigs from spores attached to their own bodies. This is how rogue colonies of Snotlings have spread through the universe, leading to infestations of Imperium foundry worlds and military installations.

Snotling infestations may explain why vessels have mysteriously disappeared or suddenly exploded, or arrived with an empty hold instead of being full of vital food supplies. The hazards include a massive build up of squig gas or fungoid corrosion, or maybe the crew succumbed to a ravenous plague of overgrown and exceptionally hungry face-eater squigs whose ancestors were caught up with a Shokk Attack Team, When a space ship engineer, mystified by the malfunctioning of his ship, reports ‘gremlins’ in the works - this is often literally the case - although its not gremlins, but snotlings and squigs.


THE SHOKK ATTACK GUN IN BATTLE

The Shokk Attack Gun is carried by a Mekboy model accompanied by a Runtherd and a herd of Snotlings consisting of several bases of Snotling models. The Runtherd, Mekboy and Snotling herd form a single unit and normal coherency rules apply - models must be arranged in an interlinking line or mass with gaps of no more than 2" between. The Snotlings will only jump into the warp tunnel entrance if the Runtherd is close by, so the Runtherd and at least 1 Snotling base must be within 2" of the gun when Snotlings are to enter the tunnel. The Shokk Attack Gun can only be fired if the operator remains stationary during the turn (the Runtherd and Snotlings are allowed to move into position as required). During the shooting phase the operator can shoot the first blast, which opens up the tunnel entrance. Place a tunnel entrance template immediately in front of the first awaiting Snotling base (note that the template does not need to be directly in front of the gun and might in fact be slightly behind the operator). As soon as the tunnel opens the Snotling base immediately rushes through - at this point temove it from the tabletop. The player may now allow any number of additional Snotling bases into the tunnel - there is no limit to the number that can enter and the entire herd can leap inside if you want. If several bases are allowed into the tunnel some will have to move quite a long way before they reach the entrance - their burst of speed may be ascribed to their unfettered enthusiasm to reach the inviting dark hole.

Once the player has allowed as many Snotlings as he wants into the tunnel he may elect to either immediately open the exit tunnel or he can wait for another turn before opening it and releasing the Snotlings inside. Should the player decide to delay opening the tunnel exit the Mekboy must remain stationary until he opens the tunnel exit. If the Mekboy moves or if the model is removed then the tunnel collapses and the Snotlings inside are gobbled up by the fearsome warp daemons. A tunnel exit may be opened either as soon as the entrance appears or during the shooting phase of a subsequent tum. When the gun is fired a second time, the tunnel breaks through into the real universe creating an exit hole and releasing the Snotlings inside. To position the exit hole take a tunnel exit template and place it directly over the intended target. Shokk Attack Guns have an unlimited tabletop range, but the exit hole must be aimed at a point that the operator can see and which lies within the normal 90° arc for weapon fire. Once the template has been positioned the Ork player tolls a D6 and refers to the Exit Hole Chart to determine the shot’s accuracy.

Once the exit hole is opened the Snotlings inside shoot out of the tunnel onto the target. Due to an extraordinary (and quite fortuitous) condensing effect the Snotlings will reappear inside vehicles, buildings, Dreadnoughts, and Terminator suits rather that around them, causing the maximum surprise to those affected. In the case of other troops the Snotlings just drop out of the sky, attach themselves to the nearest object, clawing and howling for all their worth. The effect of demented Snotlings suddenly dropping onto their target is represented by the Shokk Attack Charts. Refer to the chart for the target and roll as indicated to determine the effect. Once an exit hole has been established the Mekboy operator can instantly shut off the tunnel forcefield so that both the entrance and the exit hole collapse and the templates are removed from the table leaving the Shokk Attack Gun ready to fire next turn. Alternatively, the Mekboy can keep the Shokk Attack Gun running, in which case the tunnel remains open and the tunnel entrance and exits remain in position. Note that the exit hole remains in position over its target, and will move if the target moves. It is therefore possible to hit a vehicle and to keep sending Snotlings through the tunnel over several turns, even though the vehicle is moving.
 
SHOKK ATTACK GUN

The Ork Shokk Attack Gun must be one of the most bizarre weapons the Mekboyz have ever invented, In appearance, the Shokk Attack Gun is a large, heavy piece of machinery with huge spinning blades at the front and 4) numerous whirring, grinding cogs and chains sticking out from the casing. When used the gun shakes and rattles in an alarming fashion, its cogs whirr furiously and oily smoke pours from inside while the Mekboy operator hangs on as tight as he can. The Shokk Attack Gun is one of the many Ork inventions which usefully combines force field and teleporter technology. The exact origins of these techniques are uncertain, but they were probably invented long ago by the now extinct Brain Boyz. Once Orks understand the basic principles of a technology they find it relatively easy to produce all kinds of weapons and other associated devices. Other races also use similar technology to a certain extent, but their fragile nervous systems and feeble bodies are unable to withstand the stresses generated by these powerful machines. Even with heavy shielding and complex suppressing systems, a human or Eldar can only withstand low levels of exposure. However Orks are remarkably resilient creatures who feel very little pain and whose powers of recuperation are quite phenomenal. They can walk safely into and out of teleporter beams which would tear the nervous system of a human into shreds. Ork civilisation is highly dependent on force field and teleporter technology, without which they would not be able to travel through space. The hulls of their space hulks are leaky, and the Orks retain a breathable atmosphere on the ship by use of massive force fields.

The Shokk Attack Gun projects a force field tunnel through a small portion of the warp - the entrance to this tunnel opens up in front of the gun and the exit point is created wherever the operator directs his aim. Both the entrance and exit look like small spinning black holes in the air. The two holes are connected by a tunnel through warp space, and it is possible for living creatures to travel down the tunnel from the entrance hole and leave it at the exit point. The tunnel is maintained by a force field, so the warp cannot leak out, and the warp creatures are prevented from entering the tunnel or escaping into the real world itself. Curious warp creatures are attracted by the resonance of the force field, and cluster about the tunnel, trying get al anyone foolish enough to be travelling through it. As the force field walls are quite effective, the creatures are not usually able to penetrate them, and have to resort to intimidation: staging mock attacks, pulling horrific faces and making obscene gestures. It is not unknown for the field to fail resulting in the unpleasant death of those inside as the tunnel collapses and the warp rushes in. Orks are not exactly afraid of daemons (at least they wouldn’t admit to it) but find them disgusting, repellent and definitely un-orky in the nastiest possible way. No Ork in his right mind would go into a Shokk Attack Gun tunnel - and even Madboyz instinctively avoid them. Gretchin, being brighter and more interested in their personal safety than Orks, are even less likely to entertain the notion. This only leaves Snotlings who have only an animal level of intelligence and aren’t frightened of anything until they are exposed to it - by which time it is far too late.
 
SNOTLING ATTACK!

The purpose of the Shokk Attack Gun is to project a number of Snotlings through the warp to land right on top of the enemy. By the time the Snotlings reach the tunnel’s exit hole they are so frenzied with terror that they shoot out like a pack of frightened wild-cats, scratching, biting, and clawing at everything around them. They are often so petrified that they go white and begin to defecate uncontrollably, The effect of this sudden rain of maddened Snotlings on the foe is devastating, especially if the Shokk Attack Gun operator manages to aim the exit hole inside a vehicle or into the tiny crew compartment of a Dreadnought or a Terminator suit. Snotlings have no natural inclination to jump into small dark holes, so before they can be used in the Snotling Shokk Attack Teams they have to be specially trained to overcome their natural timidity. This is accomplished by those masters of Snotling training techniques the Runtherdz.

Runtherdz take great pride in their small charges and go to great lengths to breed them for good colour, markings and desirable character traits. A good Runt strain will be carefully developed and jealously guarded by the Runtherd. Only the most aggressive and pushy Snotlings can be used for the Shokk Attack Teams, but before they are ready for battle they have to be painstakingly trained. Initially, the young Snotling pups are encouraged to jump through hoops and rewarded with juicy morsels of fungus and squig for showing the right kind of enthusiasm, obedience and recklessness. This training continues until the Snotlings show a tendency to jump into anything round and tunnel-like, such as barrels, holes in the ground, drainpipes, chimneys (even the drops) as an instinctive reaction. As the Snotlings grow older and more obedient they are encouraged to jump into animal burrows and run along them until they come out on the surface. The burrows are specially seeded with tasty wild squigs and fat insects, and there are usually some other tidbits waiting for the first ones out at the other end. As a result of these techniques, the Snotlings learn to associate round, dark tunnels with food, and think the training is great fun. This process continues until the Snotlings have lost their fear of leaping into dark holes, and even grow to look forward to and enjoy the experience. Some Runtherdz use special herd squigs to chase the Snotlings along the burrow (the same squigs they use to round up the herdz by snapping at the runtz). By this time the Snotlings are willing to jump into tunnels simply to impress the Runtherd, whom they trust implicitly and look up to as a sort of ‘big brother’ who looks after them. The Snotlings are kept blissfully unaware of the true purpose of their training - having to leap into a warp tunnel far worse than any kind of animal burrow (and there’s no tasty squig or toadstool at the other end either).

When a battle begins the Runtherdz marshal their trained Shokk Attack Teams into position behind the Mekboys and their Shokk Attack Guns. They must be careful not to let the Snotlings get too excited as they'll tire themselves out before the attack. The Runtherd’s herd squigs help keep the Snotlings in check, and will retrieve any individuals who impulsively jump down animal burrows, shell holes or into the barrels of large calibre Ork Artillery guns. As the time of the attack approaches the Runtherd begins to energetically stamp his feet and make loud ‘whoop whoop’ calls to work the Snotlings into such a state of anticipation and aggression that they will fling themselves into the mouth of the warp tunnel without hesitation (though they find out their mistake immediately afterwards!). Soon the excited Snotlings are straining to be let loose like enthusiastic dogs, and have to be held back by the Runtherd with the help of his herd squigs While the Runtherd is enthusing his Snotlings the Mekboy fires up the main photon-boiler and eases the trigger on the Shokk Attack Gun. As the mechanisms engage, flywheels and drive belts start to feed power through to the tunnel force field generator, and the Shokk Attack Gun begins to kick and judder, It is very hard to aim a Shokk Attack Gun because even the strongest Orks can hardly hold it still. As soon as the warp tunnel is opened the Snotlings start to pant and yelp excitedly. When the Runtherd is unable to restrain them any longer he releases them and shouts GO! GO! GO! as loudly as he can to make himself heard over the clanking, grinding noise from the Shokk Attack Gun. Free at last the Snotlings dive head first into the warp full of enthusiasm and confidence, their shrill voices squealing and echoing down the tunnel, increasing in pitch as they go further along until they become a distant terrified gibber.

Instead of the familiar dark animal burrow, the poor Snotlings find themselves scurrying along a seemingly transparent tunnel through the horrific landscape of the warp with daemons and other unspeakable terrors leering and pawing at them from the other side of the tunnel wall. Soon they are running as fast as they can towards the exit in terror for their lives, and emerge at their destination in a state of uncontrollable hysteria. The Snotlings are terrified by their experience - some turn white with fear, and others lose control of their bodily functions. A few are reduced to a state of passive catatonia or gibbering lunacy, but most become irrational and savage and will claw and bite at everything in reach. In this state the Snotlings will shred any unfortunate enemy they encounter. If they emerge inside a vehicle, the havoc caused by their demented rampage around the confined crew space will inflict untold damage. Similarly an enemy who suddenly finds himself sharing his Terminator armour with a panic-ridden enmaddened Snotling will be thoroughly disconcerted by the experience.


WIERD BOYZ

Although it may not be immediately apparent all Orks are psychic - their minds constantly bubbling with psychic energy. This innate psychic activity protects them from daemons and other manifestations of the warp. In a minority of Orks this psychic ability is fully developed - Orks possessing this powerful talent are known as Weirdboys. Weirdboys act as a sort of psychic sponge, absorbing the psychic energies emitted by other Orks. They have no control over this process, and the power builds up inside the Weirdboy until he can’t contain it any longer, and it is released in a blast of pure power. Obviously Ork Warlords are keen to exploit this talent and turn this destructive energy against their enemies.