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Know Your Greenskins!

Warhammer has loads and loads of greenskins. Regardless of setting, they keep popping up like some form of invasive fungus – sometimes literally. Many of the greenskins of Warhammer have a shared heritage and a lot of things in common – allow us to guide you through the wondrous diversity of this proud, ancient and utterly insane race. 

Warhammer Age of Sigmar

Orruks and grots infest every corner of the Mortal Realms save Azyr – even the hellish nexus of Chaos known as the Eightpoints can’t keep them out! There are myriad subtypes of grot and orruk in the worlds of Warhammer Age of Sigmar.

Some of the most pitiful among these are gnoblars, diminutive creatures that fight alongside the Ogor Mawtribes. Gnoblars are creatures of little merit and have largely been spared being eaten by the ogors they fight alongside by tasting disgusting. They love to hoard junk – those fighting gnoblars often find themselves peppered by a hail of assorted “sharp stuff” thrown by the gnoblars themselves or their junk-built war machines

Most grots are cunning, vicious little creatures who love to loot and destroy. Generally, they can be found fighting for some variety of the Gloomspite Gitz, those grots who worship the terrifying phenomenon known as “da Bad Moon”. Gathering together in vast, unruly tribes, they may fall to fanatical worship of spiders or use hallucinogenic fungus to make up for their somewhat lacking martial prowess.

The largest greenskins in the Mortal Realms are orruks. Big, tough and born to fight, orruks of all kinds are exceptionally violent and destructive creatures who instinctively follow their largest kin to battle. The biggest and strongest may become hulking Ironjawz, or some may be taken by a strange madness, eschew armour, and fight as half-naked Bonesplitterz. Whatever the case, these orruks often form roiling Waaaghs! that see entire civilisations flattened beneath the iron-shod (or, in the case of Bonsplitterz, unshod) feet of the orruks, simply because it’s fun for them to do so. 

But what about the 41st Millennium?

Warhammer 40,000

Orks have been a threat to the Imperium as long as any can remember – indeed, there are rumours that they are remnants of a far older race that has waged war for aeons. Loving battle more than life itself, Orks are incredibly numerous, infesting countless worlds and expanding ever outwards, forming Waaaghs! of their own that sweep upon Imperial sectors to drown them in fire, blood and rowdy lads.

Some of the smallest greenskins in the 41st Millennium are Gretchin – cowardly, miserable creatures largely used to reach into small places, hold banners and assist their larger kin. They do the jobs orks don’t want to do, like cleaning out the latrines, looking after squigs or manning field artillery. The very luckiest are occasionally chosen as pilots for ramshackle mechs known as Killa Kans, going on bloody rampages where they behead dozens of Orks in revenge for their mistreatment, which is a great laugh for the grot and, knowing greenskins, the Orks who were beheaded, too. Even more diminutive are Snotlings, who are a triple threat of food, servant and ammunition most frequently seen being catapulted through dimensions via the terrifying shokk attack gun.

“Proper” Orks are hulking green humanoids who are born to fight, instinctively drawn to battle and to follow the biggest of their kind. Growing in size and strength as their lives progress and as they commit more heinous acts of violence, they are simple, brutish creatures.

Some Orks are known as “oddboyz”, and are drawn to more than violence – but make no mistake, they still love a scrap as much as the rest of the lads! Meks are Orks who have a knack for engineering and tinkering, creating insane improvised creations, while Mad Doks stitch together their injured kin – often adding “enhancements’ as they go. Weirdboyz, on the other hand, can tap directly into the vast psychic energy that emanates from gatherings of Orks and use it to smash their enemies – provided they don’t blow up their own heads in the process. 

Blood Bowl

Blood Bowl is its own magical place – an analogue of the world-that-was gone totally bonkers for fantasy football. Here, Snotlings, Gnoblars, Goblins, Orcs and massive Black Orcs have found a new focus for their love of violence – sports! Goblins, Snotlings and Gnoblars are known for their slipperiness on the field, while Orcs’ utter brutality makes them well suited to physical play, but all share a healthy love of fouling the living daylights out of their opposition!

Yep, greenskins are wonderful, and we love them in all their shapes and flavours! Start your greenskin collection here… or here… or here! Do you have a favourite kind of greenskin? Let us know on the Warhammer 40,000, Warhammer Age of Sigmar and Blood Bowl Facebook pages!