Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I decided to slowly build an Ork force based the same as my Nids so I can eventually build a themed board and have a cool set. Went to my LGS and picked up a box of Boyz . . . wow. I was really disappointed with the minis. Detail is great, weapons/bits are cool, heads are cool, legs and body posture . . . wtf happened?!? The legs alone have made hold off on getting anymore. Hopefully new Boyz will arrive with the codex.

Anyone else feel similar?

Hi, 60mm, I think I know what you're talking about. It's like the torso is too long, then it bends at a weird angle at the waist, then short legs?

It looks a lot better when you actually assemble them, IMHO.

And that's the thing. The Ork feels really Orky and their proportions are just different. It's distinct from human proportions.

About 10 years ago, I spoke with the sculptor, Mark Bedford (then at GW, now at FW) about this. He really set the direction for Orks & Tyranids.

Mark Bedford came from like a special effects background in television and film or something. He really based his creations on actual animals.

With Orks, the framework was kind of based on the Gorilla. A Gorilla is really top heavy, lumbering, with short legs and long arms and big hands.

Before that, the Orks looked very different, and even back then I liked his approach. When I heard his explanation, I was like "woah."

So 60mm, I think I actually see your point. The parts look strange in isolation, but together, it fits the Orky look & feel. And there is a reasoning behind it.

I'm interested to see if you feel the same way after you assemble a few Orks. It might not change your mind, but maybe you'll see a method in the madness.

In my experience Orks look only as good as the amount of insanity (conversions) you put into them. If you check out the pictures on this website you can plainly see that although they make look funny on sprue, and I have no doubt they may get some updates come codex time next year, dem Orks are still Orks, and will likely remain that way in the future. I agree with Waaaghrick's comparison to gorillas, which is perfect, because Orks are some sort of giant primeval killing machine. They have giant oddly shaped heads (more teef to spend!), huge muscly torsos (better fer takin bullets!), big beefy arms (theys for smashin!), and tiny legs (dats wot Trukks are for!). I'd say that you will be pleased on how your Orks look once you finish Orking them up. You never notice their bizarre proportions on kickass model, so you just need to make sure you do an awesome job.

The Proportions of orks are part of their character.

@ OP, you are certainly not the first person I've heard remark that they do not like the Ork design.

Personally I do like them. The gorilla-like statue makes them stand out from the other humanoids of the 40K universe.

But if you really don't like them you can always try and pick up some Gorkamorka Boyz off eBay.

I have always thought the gw orks looked a little squattish. I don't care much for them. It makes sense, but if you look at a nob, he just looks too apelike, and top heavy for his own good.

I like their gorilla-ish physique, it's the getto butts popping out on the minis I hate. They sure don't look like that in the art :-/ The huge torso, slumped over gorilla look makes them look brutal but the popped out butts make them look funny.

Orks are stumpy little guys with horizontal necks (like Minotaurs) but are burly and thick. The way their body is carried is normal, but i agree the feet that come in the box are wtf worthy. Some of them dont even sit on a base without some help like a small platform or a rock to stand on (no idea how many times ive had to rebase mine lol).

I doubt inthe new ork codex they'll update the boyz model. Reason being, one of the oldest and most well known strats is the green tide - everyone already has as many boyz as they'd care to own lol why would they buy more? Though they'll probably update the nobz and "special boyz" like lootas/burnas/kommandos.

Nobz, lootaz and burnaz already have pretty new (and good) kits, there is little reason to update them. All the plastic kits are also based on the same sculpts of orks anyways, so unless they toss out their entire line of orks, that's not going to change. If they update anything, it'll be the models still trapped in finecast, like MANz and tankbustaz.

The op is most likely referring to the weird posture orks have, with their buts sticking out. However, after reading the gorilla story it makes perfect sense:



Bend his spine upward a little, add a choppa and green paint, and you've got an ork.

I've never had problems gluing a single ork to a base, so I can't really understand what's the problem there.