Warboss
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The Warboss is the highest position in a large Ork Waaagh!; he is always the biggest, strongest and most cunning Ork in any given grouping of such creatures, and gets the best armour, weapons, and equipment.[2b]
He is easily distinguishable from his brethren because of his bossy nature and tendency to be over nine feet (3 meters) tall. As a general rule of thumb, the more successful a Warboss is, the larger he is.[2b]
Contents
Role
In battle a Warboss often directly leads his tribe, and is a force to be reckoned with himself. Warbosses commonly keep a group of Nob bodyguards, Gretchin ammo haulers, and a pet Attack Squig around, making them even more formidable in combat.[Needs Citation]
If a Warboss is killed, the largest Nob of the tribe will take the Warboss's place, usually only after brutally restoring order among the tribe and establishing himself as the new Warboss. This works effectively out of combat, as things have time to sort themselves out through duels and challenges by would-be successors, but sometimes Ork Nobs fall upon one another during a battle, effectively destroying any sort of cohesion that the original Warboss had among the tribes under his command. Many an Ork invasion has been repelled due to killing the Warboss combined with a swift counter-attack, but such an action should never be thought of as a perfected method of fighting greenskins.[Needs Citation]
Variations
Warbosses sometimes have a variation of titles depending on their place in Ork society.[2b]
- Speed Freek bosses are known as Speedbosses[2b]
- Mekboy bosses are known as Mekbosses[2b]
- Flyboy bosses are known as Flybosses[2b]
- Painboy bosses are known as Painbosses[5]
- Freebooter bosses are known as Kaptins.[7]
- Boarboss Feral Boarboy bosses, who ride atop Warboars[8]
- Beast Snaggas Warbosses are known as Beastbosses and they are decked in the spoils of their greatest kills. Beastsbosses lead from the front lines and look for the biggest, meanest prey they can find to bring down with their klaws. Rippling with muscle, scar tissue, and bad attitudes, these hulking Warbosses either run or ride Squigosaurs into battle.[4]
Warlords and other titles
Particularly dominant and successful Warbosses are called "Warlords" or "Great Bosses". Tribe after tribe will flock to such a prominent leader, forming a massive Ork horde. The most notorious Warlord is Ghazghkull Thraka, who almost all Orks revere, that is, if they are smart enough to.[Needs Citation]
The most powerful and successful Warbosses may instead refer to themselves by a unique and impressive title of their own devising, such as the "Arch-arsonist" of Charadon.[Needs Citation]
Wargear
Warbosses wield a wide array of wargear, with little variation existing. He will always wield a formidable array of weaponry, a necessity to reinforce his position to other Boyz. As the biggest and meanest Ork, he will always have the best spoils of war and access to the best equipment Mekboyz can provide. Often, Warbosses will ride transports such as Battlewagons or Warbikes to the frontlines.[2a]
Typical weaponry and wargear used by Warbosses include:[2b]
- Kombi-Weapon (often a Shoota-Rokkit or Shoota-Skorcha combination)
- Kustom Shoota
- Twin-linked Shoota
- Slugga
- Stikkbombz
- Choppa
- Big Choppa
- Power Klaw
- Attack Squig
- Mega Armour
- Cybork Body
- Bosspole
Notable Warbosses
- Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka
- Klawjaw, the Mighty Mangler of Bork
- Garaghak, Warlord of Forsarr
- Snagrod the Arch-Arsonist
- Grog Ironteef, Warchief of Alsanta
- Nazdreg Ug Urdgrub
- Tuska - The "Daemon Killa"
- Grukk - Chief of the Red Waaagh!
- Mozgrod Skragbad - Beast Snaggas Beastboss[4]
Notable Past Warbosses
- Gharkul Blackfang - slain by the Emperor himself
- Urlakk Urg - defeated in the Ullanor Crusade
- The Beast - nearly conquered The Galaxy
Gallery
Miniatures
Warboss (3rd Ed.)
Warboss (3rd Ed.)
Warboss (4th Ed.)
Grukk Face-Rippa (7th Ed.)[6]
Mega Armored Warboss (9th Edition)[3]
Beast Snaggas Beastboss (9th Edition)[4]
Beast Snaggas Beastboss riding a Squigosaur (9th Edition)[4]
Sources
- 1: The Art of Warhammer 40,000, pg. 189
- 2: Codex: Orks (8th Edition)
- 3: Warhammer Community: Warhammer Fest Online: Day 5 – Even More Warhammer 40,000 (posted 5/7/2021) (last accessed 5/7/2021)
- 4: Warhammer Community: Warhammer Preview Online – Octarius Mission Briefing (Posted on 10/07/2021) (Last accessed on 10 July 2021)
- 5: Codex: Orks (4th Edition), pg. 38
- 6: Warhammer Community: Greenskins Run Riot in This Week’s Pre-orders (posted 1/1/2022) (last accessed 1/1/2022)
- 7: Freebooterz: Space Ork Army Lists, pg. 9
- 8: Games Workshop: The Dark Crusade is upon us - Agents of Xenos: Orks: Tregz Dag Gutstompa (Saved archive page, dated 14 October 2006, last accessed 13 July 2024)
- 9: Codex: Orks (7th Edition), pg. 64
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- Warhammer 40,000 4th Edition Rulebook, p.153
- Codex: Orks (3rd Edition) pg. 8
- Codex: Orks (4th Edition) pg. 32
| Ork Infantry | |
|---|---|
| Leadership | Warboss • Mekboss • Painboss • Beastboss • Nobz (Beast Snagga Nob) • Flash Gitz |
| Oddboyz | Mekboyz • Painboyz • Weirdboyz (Wurrboyz) • Runtherds • Spanna Boyz • Wrecka Boyz • Bikerboyz • Flyboyz • Madboyz |
| Boyz | Slugga Boyz • Shoota Boyz • Stikk Bommaz • 'Ard Boyz • Skarboyz • Yoofs • Feral Orks • Beast Snagga Boy • Boarboyz • Squighog Boyz |
| Specialists | Kommandos • Burna Boyz • Tankbustas • Lootas • Stormboyz |
| Other | Gretchin • Snotlings • Squigs |
