I decided to give a few of the other factions some love and bought two Kill Teams and Characters. The first Project is the Ork Kommandos and Ufthak Blackhawk. About time to have a look and why I like the green boyz.
I never really, really loved the Orks in 40k, buuut … I do must admit, that Games Workshop has created something quite unique with them, in setting as well as in science-fiction as well. So let’s take a look what so great about them. Here are my ten reasons I like Orks.
1. Ufthak Blackhawk
Ufthak is the Protagonist of two of the most successful Ork-Novels of all time. I really had a blast listening to his adventures. Novels featuring Orks are quite rare and for a reason: It’s hard enough to come up with a good story set in the grim darkness of the 41st Millenium, that carries for a whole Novel. And it’s twice as hard if all your protagonists are Orks, who sooo constantly fight among each other, that it’s a wonder that they get anythin done. But Mike Brooks and Ufthak really made that work.
2. The Cult of Speed
A few years ago, Games Workshop came up with 6 new Models for Ork vehicles, one more amazing than the other …
They really are a pinnacle of Games Workshops miniature design. But much more than this, they look like sheer fun. And … they had the best commercial, Games Workshop ever made …
We’ve had some … hard times
Watching others take the spotlight
Waiting years for our moment
We know what it’s like to fly too close to the sun
And we know what it’s like to lose our wings
It’s time to dust ourselves off
And get back behind the wheel
It’s time to fall in love again
[…]
Others won’t understand,
But we know …
… when you’re an ork, you don’t need wings to fly …
3. A different perspective on … well … us-
Like all Xenos Races, in Warhammer 40.000 that Orks are just a exaggerated, a focused view on humanity, on being a human, now, today. Actually that’s true for all of Warhammer 40.000 … it is our reality, our daily life. Or as someone on Bolter and Chainsword put it once …
To be honest I never understood why people were making w40k seem so hard to understand or that to understand one would have to go deep in to the setting or invent stuff. To me it looks realy stright forward copy of daily life. Ruler treated like a God, check. Ruling class above all laws other then the ones they make for themselfs. check. Factions within the goverment hating each other and fighting for power [including physical elimination of opponents] chec. Everyone outside the country is an enemy, Everyone inside the country can be a branded a traitor. etc, etc. One could open a news paper, hear 2-3 people talking about something that happened and you could have a ready w40k short story. Build it out and it could end up as a book.
But Orks focus this perspective even more. They are portrayed as savages and a little bit stupid. But … as it always is with savages … the view the civilized society from a distance, and see the barbarism and absurdity that come with it much clearer than we do ourselves.
4. Big bad brutes
I had the joy of playing a Kill Team match a few months ago. We only had two teams there. The Veteran Guardsmen of Krieg and the Orks Kommandos. I played the Orks. I played them as standard Kommando Boys, with a Slugga and a Choppa. I rushed across the battlefield and whiped the floor with the Deathcorps of Krieg. It was then, that I realized the beauty Orks being an unstoppable wave of big bad green brutes, made of muscle and filled up with the joy for a good fight. It’s funny how one won game can change the perspective on a whole faction.
5. The absolut Kitbashing-Slaughterfest
You … can … kitbash … anything … into an Orkthing. Literally anything. And it’s in line with the lore. I wouldn’t be suprised if there were Orks riding on Carnifexes, Orks wearing Boobarmour of Sororitas, Orks flying the jetbikes of Custodes. No other faction is even in the same kitbashing league as Orks. Kitbashing for Orks is a sport, an artform in it own.
6. Everybody loves to play against Orks
The Store Manager of my local Games Workshop once said that to me. Everybody loves to play against Orks. Whenever an Ork Player come to a table or a tournament, people cheer up, because they know they will be having a fun match.
A part of that is one of the reasons I love Skaven so much: Only few expect you to win, least of all you yourself. But if you win, or even if you make a bold move and succeed – then it’s spectacular and fun, even for your opponent. Also as much fun as blowing up yourself with a Rokkit gone wrong.
7. Boss Snikrot and the Ork Kommandos
I sooo love the Idea of Ork Kommandos. Sneaky, stealthy, nasty, backstabbin’ … Orks …
9. Spannerz
The adventures of Deffbad are an amazing webcomic, hosted on the Warhammer Community website. The small four panel format, the style, the characters, the punchlines, the overall that atmosphere … all in all an absolute highlight in Warhammer narrative fiction.
10. Blood Axes Orkommander by Mark Gibbons
I grew up with the 2nd Edition. And it still defines my own view of the hobby. So … I grew up with this image from Mark Gibbson, from 2nd Edition. Whenever I think of Orks, I think of this image. And it makes me smile.
All in all … now that I have been looking at so many aspects of the Orks and scrolled through endless pagesof Ork Miniatures and Artwork, I must correct my inital statement. I do love the Orks. The are the most unique addition to Warhammer 40.000, they are funny, they are scary, they are heroes on the own, but most of all, they have a deep connection to the 70ies counter culture and their view of society, which resonates deep within me …
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