+++ORKOIDS+++

The Orkish race is savage and brutal, and relish in war. Orks themselves are a warrior elite, who lord it over their smaller cousins, Gretchins and Snotlings. Orks dominate their society because they are the biggest, toughest and meanest. Orks are muscular and robust, and a typical specimen stands about man height, but would be taller if he stood up straight. Gretchin are smaller and less developed, but they have alert and cunning minds. By nature they are cheerful, furtive, sneaky and fatalistic. Most Gretchins are owned by Ork masters as personal servants and the Orks depend on them for most of the day-to-day running of their society. The smallest Orkoids, Snotlings, are mischievous and willful but can be trained to do various tasks. Their main role in Ork society is harvesting Squiggly beasts and fungus for food.

ORK REALMS

As a result of the erratic progress of Ork space travel, and their urge to seek adventure wherever it may take them, Ork communities tend to be scattered throughout the universe. They travel in warfleets of hijacked space hulks, patched up and made airtight by simple power-field technology.

Each community considers itself to be either a tribe or a confederation of tribes united temporarily under a great warlord. A tribe may be wandering in space, settled on a planet, isolated from other races or at war. Every tribe will include a motley collection of Ork clans and castes.

Orks are a very successful race, and they seem to be able to survive, expand and prosper almost effortlessly compared to struggling humanity. On the whole, they have a more pragmatic attitude to life than many other races, and seem better able to cope with the realities of a harsh universe. The secret is that they just don't care. Orks simply follow the natural life they were intended for: wild adventure, warfare, raiding and early death. Their remarkable progress has been achieved mostly by trial and error, without pausing to count the cost or question the meaning of it all.

CONQUEST AND TRIBUTE

Orks need a regular supply of armaments and technology if they are to stand up to their enemies. The Meks do a good job, but its not enough on its own. The only solution is to conquer and enslave industrial communities, mount raids or exact tribute. Often this will be an arms-length transaction with Ork space hulks turning up periodically to demand goods. Sometimes a planet will be subjected to occupation, with the Orks ruling it as an uncouth warrior aristocracy and forcing the population to manufacture arms and equipment for them.