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How do!

Not enough Orky Chat going on for my liking, so here’s a personal pet theory/daft claim for your consideration.

We know that due to some feat of genetic engineering in the distant past, the Greenskin race isn’t just capable of self replicating its numbers, but its overall society.

From a single Ork, a whole new Orky tribe can comeforth - though the original Xenology suggests that isolated Orks may sicken quite quickly. Given that’s of dubious canon, and by a single unreliable narrator, I’ll pop that on the shelf for now.

In short, however Orks reproduce (the spore thing only being a hypothesis), once you’ve had Orks once, unless you’re very careful and scrupulous in wrinkling them out and properly disposing of the bodies? It’s only a matter of time until you get Orks again.

We also know (from Waaargh! The Orks and other sources) that there is a distinct pattern to this regenesis. First, you get Squiggly Beasts, then Snots and Grots to herd and ‘domesticate’ them, then come the Ork Boyz. Starting off Feral (note Wildboyz aren’t technically feral Orks), as numbers swell and more fighting is had, Oddboyz begin to manifest - and seemingly always the type of Oddboy most needed at that of their cultural evolution.

Pigdoks and Runtherdz first, to better wrangle the Squigs, Snots and Grots to feed and service the Boyz. Then comes the more technological Oddboyz, the Painboyz and Mekaniaks. With Wyrdboyz popping up throughout. And apparently, that’s it. With specific Oddboyz perhaps further specialising as need demands.

But I don’t think that’s the whole of the thing. Because there’s also the Klan system, which embrace certain methods of war and trade to a greater or lesser extent. That also seems to be an expression of the same genetic tinkering as the main, definitively Oddboyz.

Yet I think it also goes further. Throughout his Yoof, an Ork will be freely exposed to all sorts of amusing things, like setting light to people, blowing up enemy armour, driving really really fast, using a jump pack to get into combat fast, spending loads of teef on really fancy Shootas and so on.

For most, it’ll be a brief flirtation, especially Stormboyz which are young Orks, obsessed with discipline as a sort of adolescent rebellion against Being Allow To Do Whatever You Think You Can Get Way With.

But for others? It becomes an outright obsession. A singular discipline of warfare they’ll follow to the exclusion of all others. From here we get Burnaboyz, Tankbustas, Speed Freeks, Flyboyz, Lootas, Flash Gitz, Kommandos and so on. All seen to some degree or other as a bit daft by other, non-specialising Orks.

And it’s my suggestion that such specialised Mobs should be considered a form of Oddboy. Not necessarily ones as central and essential to Ork Kultur as the main Oddboyz, but Oddboyz nonetheless. And so I’d suggest whilst I don’t think we’ve any direct confirmation, they too will only manifest in an Ork society once it’s reached some currently undefined critical mass or demand.

What do you reckon, Dakka?

Makes sense. You get enough Orks in one place and they'll start naturally gravitating toward their own fighting styles - a natural aptitude for rockets, a natural sense of how to camouflage etc. rather than just waving a bolter around and yelling Waagh. Maybe not Full Oddboy, but perhaps Eksentrik Boy?

I’d definitely class them as Oddboyz, as their defining skills/obsession overrule everything else.

I mean, they’ll gladly and merrily club you to deff with whatever comes to hand, but they’ll eschew all other weapons for those associated with their niche by preference.

There’s just typically more of them than standard Oddboyz, necessary to cover a specific field of warfare specialisation. The key is they’re necessary for the wider Waaaagh! to be truly effective.

I don’t think there is enough evidence either way, and I’m not trying to deflate anyone fun balloons, but some potential counterpoints, if I may.

To me, oddboyz are not just specialists. They rely on receiving specific genetic memories to function. A boy might have aptitudes in specific weapons, but I don’t see a specific genetic heritage coming into play to make them a tankbusta or even a speed freek. All Orks are broadly capable of operating a wide range of weapons, because meks make them with really simple worky bits. The next big boss that comes along might prefer having more burnas around, so tank busts get issued new toys. or maybe all the meks are dead so the flyboyz now all need to hoof it into combat instead.

The out-of-universe army lists provide the player with specialist units to choose from, to provide some degree of game balance and structure to army collections, but I’m not sure there is enough to link the presence of specialist units in the army lists back to nature over nurture (orky style).

Kommandos might be the exception and fit the bill of oddboyz, as they act against well set out norms of orky society and warfare by being particularly kunnin’ and sneeky.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
I might go so far as to say that ork society mirrors Eldar society. Nobz of specialist units probably are hyper specialised with a deeply ingrained preference, and natural aptitude for that combat type, evidenced by the fact that they have survived sufficiently long in the role to get big and mean enough to become a nob. Orky Exarch ahoy, as a nob is probably quite hard to convince or bully into doing something in another way. However, is there any evidence that orks gravitate particularly into specialist combat roles, or do the post-storm boyz just get cuffed around the head and kicked into handy mobs when they lose their taste for camo?

Oh counterpoints are always welcome!

What I don’t think I went into, and probably should have? Is the like of Tankbustas bothering to learn where a Tank’s ‘Urty Bits are.

To continue with that example? Any Ork can see the joy in firing a Rokkit at something ‘ard and seeing it go boom. But, Tankbustas have that extra something which makes them want to be Proper Good At It.

It’s an act of specific attention span we don’t tend to see in other Orks. Just as Lootas don’t exactly want their prey to do a massive explosion, just stop moving and shooting, and so make for far better pickings.

Other Orks might achieve that by accident, sure. But my perspective here is that Oddboyz Mobs go out of their way to learn how to achieve specific things.

All the more so for Kommandos, as whilst sneakin’ around is funny? Not getting over exited and bellowing before you charge is not normal Orky behaviour.

But…..that does leave the possibility I’m partially correct. And perhaps, like the Stormboyz Korp? It’s Just A Phase. Although given a Git with a weather eye might specifically target such mobs, we might never know if it might become a lifelong role, like more traditional and recognised Oddboyz?

If we're arguing Orks with special interests are Oddboyz, then Speedfreekz are Oddboyz, Beastsnaggaz are Oddboyz, heck anything that isn't a bog standard Boy is an Oddboy.

An interest in bombs or fire isn't the same as an obsession with building machines coupled with an inherent understanding of mechanics and quantum physics.

It does depend.

The ones that jump immediately to mind are indeed Speed Freekz, Burnaboyz, Tankbustas and Kommandos.

They each take something of clear amusement to other Orks (going really fast, the burny dance, making big things explode, and being kunnin’ enuff to krump da git before da git knows you is even there) to near Unorky (it’s all so much fun, why limit yourself) levels of obsession.

But, as I said? Given they tend to prominent targets for a wise foe, we can’t for certain say those are, traditionally, lifelong obsessions, just obsession which don’t tend toward a long life.

Where do Freebootas and all the Space Orks fit in?

Freebooterz may represent Pioneer Oddboyz. Like Jack Reacher, those who aren’t content to simply sit around the societal fireplace, instead feeling the need to Get Really ‘Ard, gather the best weapons, and head out into the wilderness/void to ensure Ork Kultur is spread as far and wide as possible.

Ork society is highly hierarchical, based on slavery and violence is the underlying method of persuasion. Of course a boy in a tankbusta mob will learn about their targets, cause otherwise they will get their goohaloog head kicked in.

A basic ability to survive in your society does not suggest some kind of magical capabilities on a par with an ork that one day suddenly knows how to make matter jump really far without going through the intervening space using only scraps he found in a cave.

Nice use of Trollish!

But I only partially agree.

Any Boy could at least Try Out for a specialist Mob. But, Orkdom is an oddly democratic meritocracy.

As in, anyone is welcome to try their hand at anything, with some Clan based frowning.

But, if you prove effective? You’re effective.

This is where the odd subtlety might come into it. And yes I’m shifting goalposts, but only to accept and work in new opinions.

Get enough Boyz in the same place and give them say Rokkit Launchers, and they’ll enjoy it. Of course they will. And getting such a weapon back off them might be risking life and limb.

But for those with a particular affinity for shooting big things in the ‘Urty bits from range? Who then develope a near Exarch obsession for that specific form of warfare?

That’s your Oddboyz.

It would come down to the genetic segregation of these behaviours. How plastic is a boy'z behavioural capacity, are they capable of learning mechanics, or is it entirely restricted to a mekboy?

Can any boy pick up a rokkit launcha, or is the cognitive plasticity to use one restricted to a set of genes that only appears in some boyz?


I get the impression that boyz are relatively flexible, and you don't generate genetic clades of choppa vs shoota boyz vs tankbustas vs buggy boyz.


It seems that there are particular genes coded for specific knowledge or capacities.

I'd see it more like orks have specific genes for genius, than they have genetic clades of different groups like say the way lizardmen are spawned.

They're more like humans than not, if you consider oddboyz to just be genetic savants like humans have, just a bit more deliberate and common.

The regular, canonical Oddboyz just are.

But we also know of Spannerboyz. Depending on point of view, they’re either regular Boyz that have picked up enough Know-Wots to repair say, a Trukk? Or they’re nascent Mekboyz, where only the ‘ardest and most handy will survive front line combat long enough to mature into regular Mekboyz.

Which raises what might be the central unknown here. If you’re destined to be a Proper Oddboy, does that mean that beyond Yoof, you simply are? Or is Orky society so robust that many Yoofs and Boys show such a talent while in the ranks, but get killed to death before their inherent abilities truly mature?

Hellbore's big finking word's are pretty convincing!

But if Orks solve the problems using their mental plasticity like humans, then isn't is a bit weird that the same problems are solved in the same way (i.e. tankbustas to bust tanks) in very disparate Orks populations who have different enemies and resources available?

Or do the pre-programmed Mechboyz just produce piles of the same tools regardless that encourage the same type of solutions?

I would say this is the key difference between “Oddboyz” and specialist in ORK society like tank bustas and Burna boyz.

Oddboyz are genetically coded to be Oddboyz, they aren’t ever going to be anything else. The specialists are just ORKS who like something and become obsessed with it.

Ones nature and ones nurture. Orks aren’t unthinking autonoms, they are culturally sophisticated creatures as much as humans, just with very different moral compasses.

I think the difference between a spanner and a proper mekboy is like the difference in the Imperium between a lay-priest of the Mechanicus (or maybe an enginseer) and a STC machine. The former can fix stuff, and understands how things work sufficiently to manufacture spare parts, but can’t generate new designs or really understand the underlying physics.

But to continue that? A Laypriest of the Mechanicum can still ascend the ranks, in the right circumstances. Why can’t a Spannerboy mature into an outright Mek?

Given the lives of most Orks tend toward nasty, brutish, and short, and Spannerz being frontline troops? I still propose that keeps the number of Meks (and presumably other Oddboyz) in check, as you have to be lucky, kunnin’ and brutal to live long enough for your skills to really come through.

I think this is where genetics vs psychology comes in.

Oddboyz are individuals first, they just *happen* in Ork society. Sometimes they'll band together afterwards but initially they are solo.

The other groups are a Kultural fenomenonenom
Each Klan represents a fundamental aspect of Orkdom, from Lootin' (Deathskulls) to Goin' Fast (Evil Suns) to being Brutal (Goffs) or Kunnin'(Blood Axes)

Every Klan has every type of Ork, and every Ork has all the aspects of Orkydom within them, to varying degrees, but dat's all in yer 'ed

Klan and Kulture is Brain Fings, dey is wot ya Fink and' ow ya Fink it. Oddboyz is wot ya IZ

Meks ain't Meks coz of ow dey fink, dey is born wiv da orky know-wotz in dey'z blud. You can av' Goff Mekboyz an' Deffskull Weirdboyz coz it don't matta who you iz or what you iz, if you fink yer in a Klan, yer in a Klan.

Now, da Obsesshuns iz diffrn't. Cos you can get too inta finkin' 'ow ya fink, and get obsessed. All Orkz wanna go fast, but Evil Sunz even more so, and Speed Freekz even more Dan dat!

Dey ain't Oddboyz cos it ain't ya biolojee wot makes ya obsessed, it's yer finks.

You can be both! Ya can be a Speed Freek Mek like dat zog Wazdakka, but ya can't be two Oddboyz at wunce, cos da biologeez would clash, rite? No Mek Weirdboyz (even tho meks is already plenty weird), no Painboy Runtherdz.

So dats yer line, Oddboyz is Biologee, Obsesshuns iz Sykologee

Splitting a hair here possibly?

It could be that all Meks began as Spannerz, but, not all Spannerz develop into Meks, and for those lads, it is a relatively passing phase.

It would be useful to know if it’s roughly analogous to the Eldar Path system. You might get special warm and fuzzies as a Burnaboy, but over the course of time, you grow bored, and wander off to try something else. With the Nobz and Proper Oddboyz being roughly analogous to Exarchs?

It may not even be entirely universal (see above for all Meks starting as Spannerz, but not all Spannerz becoming Meks). It is an interesting subject though!

I don’t have any of the old background books. What do they say about how oddboyz arise? It’s conceivable that a certain amount of experience in a subject is required for their genetic memories to be unlocked as per your idea of spanner growing into Mek. However, I prefer the idea that random individuals are just spat out magically knowing what to do from the start. Fits my own headcanon better about the capabilities of mystical old ones of effectively infinite power. No logic that can be understood by the likes of us, just effects

I’ll go have a read in a bit. Pretty sure it describes them manifesting as and when a Tribe hits a “milestone” of population density and that.

Can't remember where I read this but since Orks population hits certain milestone oddboy start to pop out here and there. And also IMHO specialistnoys aren't oddboyz cus its like hobby or clan feature.

afaik all equipment is made by mekboys, even the basic stuff (well except for the rock or tree branch for krumping).

So a tankbusta is keen on using the equipment but can't build it. Any more than a trained human soldier can use a rifle and clean it, replace components, but can't make one.

Orks have consciousness and sapience, so they can have opinions and vary in how they approach things.

But the main way that a human learns is through incremental knowledge transfer over generations. Our current knowledge base is only possible due to an unbroken culture of knowledge transfer, each generation adapting and building off the last. Our neural plasticity allows us to keep building and discovering, but we can't discover all modern knowledge in a single generation starting from scratch.


Orks have a shake and bake society. They are a fire and forget colony army, so they need to get to a suitable level of technology quickly, while focusing on hyperviolence as their main societal output.

So they spend 0 time learning, or teaching and all their time krumping each other. They're a colony of gym bros who consider societal success being having killed the weakest and all gotten swole punching each other.

The mekboyz appear to bring them in single leaps from one tech epoch to another, allowing them to level up krump quotient as they go. I would say that even in the oldest ork infested systems where planets are nothing but orks for thousands of years, that society still has little continuity, because each tribe is trying to exterminate every other tribe. THe chance that any one tribe has an unbroken chain of society for very long isn't high.

So the meks appear, compulsively make industry and weapons and the boyz get more sophisticated in their capabilities.


Orks basically speedrun the Civilisation game.


I would say that the triggers for different oddboyz appearing are going to be pheromonal, once the density hits a certain point different genes in spores become active. This happens right from the squigs through to grots and then boys.

Orks are consumers rather than creators, so they happily consume what they have until an oddboy changes what they have then they consume that.

It could be down to their latent psychic potential, and societal stresses.

For Feral Orks? You’re mostly looking at bashing each other around with very basic weapons. Rocks, Clubs, a handy Grot etc.

Orks being Orks, those sorts of injuries are taken care of by their robust physiology. So unless it’s a Proper Fight, and not just “I’m bored, but hitting Daffnatz is always good for a laugh”, you’re probably not going to see many deaths. Net result there is the scrapping is serious enough to get the lads good and ‘ard, without particularly denting the population.

But, once you start getting edged Choppas? Even a relatively friendly punch up will see limbs and bonces being lopped off. Nowt wrong with that in Ork society of course, but when it starts happening on the regular? There’s the risk to the population.

And that, as a societal stressor, may be what triggers the emergence of Painboyz. Those not just handy at sewing/stapling/nailing bits back on, but how to do so effectively, knowing which squirty bit should be attached to which wriggly bit for best results.

And in doing so? You end up with Orks surviving ever bigger punch ups, with everyone getting that bit ‘Arder as a result, again ensuring the health and prosperity of the tribe.

Meks may start to manifest once there’s enough of a population that it needs to migrate, first across a given planet, and then, with enough present to cooperate on such a massive project, from planet to planet.

Vehicles are handy for that, certainly better than walking, and less likely to gore you to death than Squigosaurs.

Hence? You start to see Meks. And if there’s anything to Societal Stressors and the group psychic potential realising a danger? It may happen sooner if another species is attacking the Orks.

I would add a slight qualifier. Meks are the designers, set up the production lines and probably do custom artificer work for important bosses. Slave labour (grots, humans, whatever) do the bulk of creation and assembly. So an unlucky tankbusta who doesn’t bust many tanks might find themselves demoted to the assembly line, maybe as a worker, maybe as an overseer

An unlucky Tankbusta is a good laugh for the rest of the lads, they'll keep him around for kicks.

Or give him the Tank Hammer.