Greenskins

"Let 'em tell da King. Da east belongs to da Orcs. Da east belongs to Morglum. Da east is green."

—Warboss Morglum Necksnapper

An Icon that represent all Greenskins

The Greenskins are a warlike and highly primitive race of barbarians and raiders that occupy much of the Eastern Hemisphere of the Warhammer World. The term "Greenskins" is a common collective description used by many civilized nations to refer to the forces of the Orcs and Goblins and other biologically related races. The broadest division is between the Orcs, who are strong, brutish, and savage warriors, and the Goblins, who are smaller and weaker, but cunning and conniving creatures.

The Greenskin race are considered by many to be the scourge of all civilization. These tribal warriors are war-like in their tendency, raiding ceaselessly, carrying war and barbarism to every corner of the World. Time and again, hordes of Greenskins would arise without warning and lay a great swath of destruction that has no direction or purpose other than simple violence. They have since been the bane of the Dwarfs and teh realms of Mankind for over two millenniums.

However, the Greenskins tendency for warfare has created a division within their society that has ensured their race shall never reach such heights. Each and every Greenskin is a born warrior, and as such they fight each other just as much as any other race within the Warhammer World. Since the dawn of their history, the Greenskins have been plagued by a never-ending series of strife and civil war that has consumed millions of their own kind. Though such a disunion would often spell the doom of their race, such are the Greenskins adept ability to both survive and thrive in the most harshest of environments has ensured the continuation of their species. Without the proper knowledge or unity to progress past even the most basic foundations for a civilization, the Greenskin race cannot amount to anything better than primitive savages living within scattered tribal societies.

History

The Greenskin race arrived in the world at some unknown point in the World's pre-history. The most likely explanations are that their insidious spores were either mistakenly introduced to the world by the Old Ones or that they drifted through space and arrived in the world by some other means. Ever since then, the Greenskins have spread to become an ever present and belligerent enemy of the other races. So primitive and backward were the Greenskins during the earlier years of their existance that the only sensible record of their appearance will always be kept by the very nations that they have attacked and conquered. The first records of their existance was written and kept by the Dwarfs during the Golden Age of their people, around the time of the horrific catastrophe known by their race as the Time of Woes. 

The Great Migration: The Cataclysm of the Time of Woes

At around an unspecific point of time, the Greenskin race have grown considerably in numbers and has since occupied a large region of territory within the Eastern Hemisphere of the World, with little to no records detailing it's exact location. What was certain was that upon the year of -1500 IC, a great cataclysm rippled throughout the very foundations of the World. Great tremors rocked the mountains like the banging of thunder, massive tidal waves rose from the sea and crashed against the coast, and long dormant volcanoes erupted within the East and the lands was scarred for all eternity by geysers, lava, and earthquakes. Dislodged by their original homelands by the volcanic activity, the Greenskin race was forced to migrate towards the west.

As this mighty migration moves out of the East, the petty tribal kingdoms of Man rose up to face their savage assault, but were inevitably driven back. Battered and broken, the tribes of Mankind have also begun a mass exodus to the west, hoping to enter into the safety of the Old World where they hope to evade the clutches of the Greenskins.

Like a green tide, the Greenskin race moved unopposed in their rampage until finally they reached the foothills of the World's Edge Mountain. Upon those distant peaks, the Greenskins fell upon the ancient and once powerful civilization of the Dwarf race. Attacking from above and below, the Greenskins surged through the broken battlements of their once mighty Holds and slay all in their path. Thus began a time of warfare that the Humans and Dwarf have approprately called the Goblin Wars -- for the Goblins were the most numerous of the Greenskin invaders at that point in time.

The Goblin Wars (-1449 to -250 IC)

A Dwarf slayer battling a Orc Warlord during the Goblin Wars

The first attack came just after the last aftershock was finished. Unidentified enemies infiltrated the Dwarfs underground networks in impeccable numbers, and soon outpost and small strongholds became under attack. With the walls and gates of their once formidable fortress now cracked open by the earthquakes, the scattered Dwarfs quickly became outnumbered and surrounded. The first to fall from his massive onslaught was the Dwarf stronghold of Karak Ungor.

Taking advantage of the chaos, a wave of Night Goblin tribes emerged within the very center of the city, taking the Dwarfs of Karak Ungor completely by surprise. Using their speed and overwhelming numbers, the Night Goblins took level after level from the Dwarfs. Defiant to the last, knots of warriors and militia rose up to meet the invaders back to back, attempting to hold the Night Goblins off in key locations until the population could evacuate. The King of Karak Ungor, King Kargsson of the Stonehelm Clan lead a counter-attack that gave enough time for the woman and children to evacuate. With all of the population accounted for, the King ordered to finally abandoned the city and make their journey towards the strongholds of Karak Kadrin and Zhufbar. King Kargsson never made it, for he valiantly closed the tunnels behind him as the enemy began their final decisive attack.

With the enemies controlling both the surface and the underground tunnels, communication between the holds was lost. The next attack upon the Dwarfs came upon the mineral-rich stronghold of Karak Varn. Known famously for the largest deposit of gromril in the world, when the great earthquakes struck, the lower workings of the stronghold became flooded by the nearby lake of Black Water. Without any warning, Skaven armies coming from the city of Skavenblight attacked the lower workings while an army of Orcs besiege the city from above. Caught between two massive armies, the Dwarfs stood little chance. Despite the stout defences erected by the Dwarfs, after nearly a year of fighting, the city of Karak Varn was inevitably taken. Most of the stubborn population fought to the bitter end, with only a handful of clans managing to evacuate and reach the safety of Zhufbar.

After the fall of Karak Varn, a series of defeats were further inflicted upon the Dwarfs at many locations within the World's Edge Mountain. Columns of smoke rose high above the peaks as surface settlements and mines were put to the torch. Refugees that survived the attacks attempts to cross the mountain passes to reach the other holds, but these places were clogged with Greenskin armies streaming into Dwarf territory. As the war escalates, the Underway became a warzone between armies of Night Goblins and Skavens seeking to control the tunnel networks as their own. To the south, the mines of Ekrund was sacked by an army of Orcs, driving the Dwarfs out of the resource-rich Dragonback Mountains. The Gold and Brimstone mines of Gunbad were also taken by a host of Night Goblins of the Red Eye Tribe. After being besieged for several decades, the stronghold of Mount Silverspear was lost to the Orcs as well. In time, the entire eastern edge of the World's Edge Mountain was lost to the Greenskins.

Soon, the Dwarfs eventually lost three more major strongholds in the span of fifty years. Karak Eight Peak, the second strongest mountain Kingdom of the Dwarfs fell to the Greenskins and Ratmen in -513 IC. Karak Azgal was stormed and sacked by an Orc army in -493 IC, only to be forced out as a Dragon delved into the tunnels and claimed the hold as his own in. Karak Drazh was attacked and captured by the Orcs the very same year, eventually becoming the new Greenskin fortress of Black Crag. After nearly a thousand years, the Goblin Wars was nearing its end, and should the Dwarfs not stop the Greenskins soon, nothing would stop them from conquering the whole of the Old World.

War against Humanity (-250 to -1 IC)

A Dwarf Hold under-siege by a Horde of Greenskins

The World's Edge Mountain was considered by many as a large barrier from which contains the horrors of the East at bay. With the Kingdom of the Dwarfs under seiged and overwhelmed, cracks have appeared upon the walls and like a great flood the Greenskins poured out of the mountain passes and spilled towards the lowlands.

It was upon those lands that the Greenskins once more met the tribes of Mankind, and over the next two and a half century, with their superior numbers and Iron crafted weaponry, the Greenskins were slowly but surely conquering the lowlands.  In their most dire of time, the Dwarfs saw within Mankind a common ally from which they could together stop the Greenskin threat. Within time, trade flourished between Man and Dwarf, and soon the Human tribesmen were given access to the secrets of crafting Iron weaponry. However, even with the aid of the Dwarfs, the Human tribes were far to fractions to put of a valiant effort, often fighting against each other just as much as they fight the Greenskins.

However, around this time a mighty warrior-prince has arisen to become the new Cheiftain of the Unberogen tribe, and has since begun a campaign of unification, diplomacy, and warfare that threatens to dislodge the Greenskins from the Old World. This uniter was Sigmar Heldenhammer, a Warrior-King of unparalleled strength and bravery who had a dream of uniting the warring Human tribes together to form a powerful and unified nation that would be a bastion of hope and peace for all Mankind. This all began on a historic day that bound Mankind and the Dwarfs into bonds of friendship.

A trading convoy that included the High King, Kurgan Ironbeard was ambushed on its way from Karaz-a-Karak to the Grey Mountains. The Orc army that attacked them was enormous, and although the Dwarfs slew the Orcs until their bodies lay in heaps, they inevitable failed and their High King taken captive. Luckily for the beleagured Dwarfs, this territory was the domains of the Unberogen tribe, a fierce and war-like tribe of Men who fought relentlessly to clear their lands of Greenskins. Led by the mighty warrior-prince Sigmar Heldenhammer, the chieftain's son, an army of Unberogen warriors fell upon the Orc army with great fury.

This meeting would be a turning point in Mankind's history. In the battle that transpired, Kurgan Ironbeard bore witness to this young, human prince facing down Warlord Vagraz Headstomper. Despite young Sigmar's mighty strength, every killing blow his bronze sword had made was turned aside by the armour of the Orc, and every blow from its flaming axe came all too close to ending his young life. Ironbeard broke free of his bonds and fought his way to Vagraz's tent, where he kept his pick of the Dwarf King's possessions, which includes the mighty hammer Ghal-Maraz, the Splitter of Skulls.

Kurgan threw the hammer towards Sigmar, cursing the Orcs with every curse known to Dwarfkind. Sigmar caught the ancient weapon and the tide turned for the Unberogen. Sigmar assaulted the Orc with mighty strikes of his hammer, the fury of his blows bringing the hulking beast down to a single knee. With the final strike, Sigmar smashed the Orc's skull to bloody shards. A mighty feat, even for a warrior wielding a weapon forged with Dwarfen skill. With the close of the battle, their holdings avenged, Sigmar attempted to return the hammer to the High King. In that moment, a historical act came about, one unheard of in all the annals of both Men and Dwarfs and forever forged an unbreakable bond of friendship between the men of the lands west of the mountains and the Dwarfen kingdom of Karaz Ankor -- King Kurgan Ironbeard gifted the ancient hammer Ghal-Maraz to Sigmar.

It was a unique happening for a unique weapon; for the power of Ghal-Maraz is old, ancient even to the Dwarfs, and it is said that the weapon possesses a will of its own, and it actively chooses those who are to bear it into battle. Indeed, as fate would have it, the hammer was always Sigmar's, and had been waiting for the day the warrior would claim it. The Dwarfen King looked upon Sigmar and saw within him power, honour, courage and nobility without parallel, and knew that Ghal-Maraz was rightfully his, and he also reasoned that an ancient runic weapon was fitting payment for saving the life of a Dwarfen king. From then on, the Dwarfen nations and the Unberogen clans were the most steadfast of allies.

With the mighty warhammer in his possession, Sigmar began his campaign to unite the warring tribes of Men against the unstoppable onslaught of the Greenskin hordes. As Kurgan Ironbeard returned to his seat of power within Karaz-a-Karak, it soon became clear that the Greenskins are growing near unstoppable. In the years that followed Sigmars campaign of unification, the Dwarfs within their mountain kingdoms have felt an invasion unlike anything they have endured before. Holding the Greenskin hordes off as much as they could, after nearly a decade, Sigmar had finally united the Tribes into a single unified force, and it did not come at a better time.

Envoys of King Kurgan Ironbeard arrived with news of an Orc horde of such monumental scale as to eclipse all those before it, marching towards the now-legendary Black Fire Pass, intent on destroying the races of Dwarf and Man forever. This, Sigmar would not allow. He summoned all his brother-kings to the golden halls of King Siggurd for a grand meeting now known in the annals of history as the Council of Eleven. There, the kings conferred of how they would face this apocalyptic threat. Some of the assembled kings realised that the only path was to unite into one great host, placing the overall command of the army under Sigmar. Others, however, would not bring themselves to relinquish command over their own warriors to another king, and remained obstinate. Soon, dissension and argument arose between the assembled warlords. Sigmar saw this and was filled with contempt, silencing the dissent with a word. He denounced the shamefulness of their squabbles while a lesser race stood united and poised to destroy humanity.

Sigmar implored the gathered tribes not to meet the Orcs and Goblins as they had in the past, standing apart from each other, refusing to lend aid and combine their forces when needed--that would only lead to their defeat and deaths. His voice rising with a terrible rage that was felt throughout the gathering, Sigmar called on all the tribes of Man to unite and make their common stand with the Dwarfs, calling it the crucible of a new nation. As recorded in the Book of Origins, Sigmar's final shout of "To war!" was answered with a cheer so loud that the Dwarfs heard it as far away as Black Fire Pass.

King Sigmar and his army of Human warriors fighting off the Greenskins during the Battle of Black Fire Pass.

History records that Sigmar's army arrived just in time, as the Orcs finally breached the wall King Kurgan had built across Black Fire Pass. Leading the charge from the chariot of Siggurd, Chieftain of the Brigundians, Sigmar fell upon the Greenskins as if he were the God Ulric himself. The force of the Human assault stopped the Orc and Goblin advance, then began pushing it back. The Dwarfs saw this as their opportunity and charged from their forts and towers and fell upon the Greenskins' flanks. Fear overcame the Greenskins and they began to break ranks and flee. Their leader, Warlord Urgluk Bloodfang, rallied his forces and made a counter-attack. Charging, he and his warband came face to face with Sigmar and his Knights of the White Wolf.

Sigmar and the Orc warlord entered into single combat, whilst Siggurd and his elite Brigundian warriors battled Bloodfang's Black Orc bodyguards. Hammer clashed with cleaver as the two struggled for advantage. After nearly an hour of fighting, Sigmar killed the Orc warlord with a mighty double blow, first breaking the hand that held the cleaver, then smashing Bloodfang's skull on the return stroke. The death of their leader was also the death of the Orc army, which broke and ran in utter panic. The slaughter that followed was terrible to behold as the armies of Man and Dwarf fell upon their most hated foes. It is said that there has never been a greater concentration of crows in the all the world that which gathered to feast on the stinking and unburied corpses of the Greenskins at Black Fire Pass. So many died that day that it would be over a thousand years before the Orcs and Goblins could again raise such an army, even with their prodigious if unknown reproduction rates.

With the defeat of the Orcs at the Battle of Black Fire Pass, the security of the lands of the Twelve Tribes was assured. King Marbad was afforded the funeral rites of the greatest heroes, for such he deserved, and was carried onto his pyre by his fellow kings and his heir. Not only was the race of Men saved, but so was the Dwarfen domain. In heartfelt gratitude, King Kurgan Ironbeard pledged that he would charge Alaric with the creation of twelve, magnificent blades in thanks to the Empire of Man for their shared brotherhood. These blades would later be known as the original twelve Runefangs, which continue to be wielded by the Counts of the Empire to this day. After the Battle, Sigmar's fame spread wide and far, renowned as a hero of all Mankind. Upon the anvil of war and the fires of battle, at last his dream of a united empire had been realized. For men of all tribes had stood together in the battle-line as brothers, and with the truth of their common enemy now made obvious, the old tribal hatreds had evaporated away, replaced only by iron-hard ties of brotherhood. With the victory, it is said that the kings, and then their tribesmen, all dropped to a knee within the pass before Sigmar, accepting him as their new lord.

Thus, at Reikdorf one year after the Battle of Blackfire Pass, the Ar-Ulric, high priest of the Cult of Ulric, placed a crown of gold and ivory, a gift from the Dwarfs, upon Sigmar's head and proclaimed him the Emperor of Man before the assembled representatives of the Human tribes. Before him knelt the tribal chiefs, who swore brotherhood to each other and fealty to Emperor Sigmar and the newborn Empire of Man.

Warlords of Infamy: The Waaagh! of the Greenskins

After the defeat at Black Fire Pass, the Greenskins population was culled to a manageable level, allowing the kingdoms of Man and Dwarf to reclaim many of its lost territory. Greatly reduced in numbers, the Greenskins were pushed out of many Holds within the World's Edge Mountain, however the major Holds such as Karak Ungor, Karak Varn, Karak Eight Peaks and many more were far to heavily infested with Greenskins to properly dislodge. As such, the Greenskins have been able to gain a firm foothold within the Old World for many centuries to come.

As the years pass on, the Greenskins would eventually regain their once formidable strength and would regularly attack the Kingdoms of Man and Dwarfs relentlessly. However these raids are often small, easily dispatched and often insignificant. It is only when a massive Waaagh! is formed that the Greenskins become once more a major threat. As such, the remaining history of the Greenskins are often divided up between several major Waaagh!, each lead by an equally notorious Warlord.

Biology

A typical Orc in an upright posture

The Greenskins are often divided up into two main species, the Orcs and Goblins. These Greenskins are unique in comparison to other races as they're genetic makeup is quite different than any other race within the World. Theories abound that the Greenskin race harbor genetic traits of both animal and fungal life forms, and that it is this unusual biology that gives a Greenskin his remarkable constitution. The race's green coloration could be explained, Imperial scholars suggest, due to some form of algae or green fungus that permeates their cellular makeup. Such a substance could break down and repair damaged tissue at an incredible rate, accounting in part for the Orks' extremely durable metabolism. Those observers of other races who maintain this theory point to the fact that an Ork's head can live for some time after being completely severed from the body.

These two races are biologically related to each other, however they are noticably different in their appearance and characteristics. For instance, Orcs are naturally large creatures with long arms and short legs, huge slabs of muscle moving under tough green skin, and their jaws are lined with vicious fangs that jut out from their underbite. They have beady red eyes, a generally foul demeanor, and are naturally bald. Normally six feet tall, they can be up to seven feet tall when stretched out of their characteristic stoop. They respect power and strength, and naturally tend towards becoming bigger and stronger as they rise through their society. While they lack even the most basic intelligence like more advanced races, Orcs possess immense cunning and survival instinct, but rarely adopt new tactics to replace their fondness for close quarters brutality.

In comparison, Goblins are diminutive and frail in every sense compared to an Orc. They make up for this by having vast numbers and a cunning demeanor that can usually outsmart an Orc. Often used as slaves, Goblins nonetheless fulfill an important role in Greenskin society. They are intelligent enough to craft crude weapons, gather food and establish the huts and homes of their larger and more dull-witted cousins. Orcs are too thick and lazy to be counted on anything other than fighting, so the relationship between the Orcs and Goblins are essential but not equal. This pairing allows the Orcs to have a stable and reliable workforce whilst the Goblins gain their brutal protection against outside threat.

Their physiology is also quite remarkable, for as the Greenskins grows older and win battles against larger opponents, they are pumped with extreme doses of adrenaline and hormones that helps to increase their natural size and strength. These characteristics are the most common amongst the Orcs rather then the Goblins, as the Goblins are often bullied upon relentless, which would naturally stunt their growth process considerably. These creatures also reproduce by means of fungus spores. A fully-grown Orc or Goblin would release these spores continuously over his lifetime. These spores would then take root underground and grow into a plant-like womb that nourishes the bodies of the various Greenskin species

This is the entire basis of the Orkoid ecosystem, producing first Squigs, then Snotlings who cultivate the Squigs and the fungus they feed on, then Goblins to build the Greenskin settlements, and finally the Orcs themselves. This means the Greenskins, wherever they go, will have an abundance of food, slaves and other resources, a moving ecosystem that supports them as they unleash their WAAAGH! across the known world.

Orc Sub-species

• The Common Orc - is the most broadest sub-groupings of the Orc species. Though the average Orc stands around the height of a man, they would tower over humans if they only stood upright rather than in their stooped posture. They are immensely broad and solid, thick bones, dense muscle, and are almost completely unintelligent beyond their base instincts. To an Orc, there is no joy greater than that of battle, and violence is a daily part of Orcish life. Led by tyrannical leaders called "Warlords" or "Warboss", these Orcs are towering brutes that make their Goblin brethren look like runts by comparison. They are usually armed with a simple Choppa (a catch-all term for any close combat weapon) and some type of crude armor to protect themselves.                                                                                   
• Savage Orc - are a primitive feral off-shoot of the Orcish species known to inhabit the Badlands just south of the Old World. Savage Orcs have degenerated into a stone age society, even in Orc standards and instead of relying on the iron weapons and armor of their more advanced cousins, they make the use of savage tattoos as armor and crudely-crafted weapons made of simple wood, stone and bones.

• Black Orcs - are more a powerful breed of Orcs originally created by the Chaos Dwarfs to be used as slaves, but have since rebelled and found a place in normal Greenskin society. They are naturally bigger, stronger and meaner than regular Orcs. Their name deprives from the darker shade of green or black in their skin; another reason for the title might also be their black-colored armor and their horrendous, foul odor. Though other Orcs tend to look down on Black Orc intelligence, Black Orcs are, if not smarter, at the very least far more organized. They are above the petty infighting that happens in most tribes and settle their differences with other Greenskins with orderly head-butting contests.

Goblin Sub-species

• The Common Goblin - is the most broadest sub-grouping of the Goblin species. Hardly brave and effective warriors, Goblins are cowards and backstabbers by nature, generally relying on their huge numbers to overwhelm their foes. Though they are much shorter then their larger counsins, they are however particularly clever and cunning compared to the Orcs, making them the principle, if not mediocre, craftsmen and builders of a Greenskin tribe.
• Forest Goblins - are a primitive feral off-shoot of the Orcish species known to inhabit large swaths of Forest within the Old World. They possess the same appearance and characteristics as their Savage Orcs cousins, often living in a even more primitive lifestyle than other Greenskins, wearing nothing but loin cloth and war paint, with some even wearing tribal mask heavily adored with feathers. They use simple wood and flint tools and decorate themselves with an assortment of animal bones. Forest Goblins would often worship the giant spiders of the forest, viewing them as gods of the wilds.
• Night Goblins - are a sub-species of subterranean Goblins who dwell within the many caves and tunnels of the World's Edge Mountain. Unlike their other cousins, Night Goblins hate light of any source and would only leave their subterranen homes during the darkest of nights. In order to hide as much of their skin from light source as possible, they have been known to wear very dark or black clothings to better shield their light-sensitive skin from the sun.
• Gnoblars - are an offshoot of the Goblin species and share that race's diminutive size, as well as its cruel and vindictive nature. They also share the Goblin's capacity for, or rather, lack of, valor. They are cowards by nature who only fight in large numbers or when otherwise assured of victory. Unlike the Goblins, the Gnoblars traded their services with the Ogres instead of the Orcs. The most noticably difference between them and the Goblins is their wider fatter nose and their bluish-green skin color. They have been known to populate the foothills of Gnoblor Country just to the south of the Mountains of Mourn.
• Snotlings - are the smallest of the Goblin sub-species, and can be found just as common in every Greenskin society just as much as their Orc and Goblin cousins. They are notoriously unintelligent creatues, and left to their own devices they are known to spend their days scavenging in the rubbish heaps in Greenskin camps, stealing any scraps of food or small trinkets they can get their grubby hands on. They have the temprament of extremely enthusiastic and uncontrollable puppies, and their larger Orc and Goblin cousins usually try to capture them and train them to do tricks or very basic jobs, such as fetching and carrying equipment.
• Hobgoblin - are amongst the most evilest creatures within the World. Hobgoblins are naturally taller and slimmer than their Goblin cousins, with some reaching the height of a full-grown Orc. They are however, extremely evil, cunning, and many times more treacherous in their nature. They have become so treacherous in the eyes of their race that there are no Hobgoblins living within Greenskin society today. They can only within the domains of the Chaos Dwarfs or as members of a tribe living within the Hobgoblin Khanate of the Eastern Steppes.

Hierarchy

"I'm gonna stomp 'em to dust. I'm gonna grind their bones. I'm gonna pile 'em up inna big fire and roast 'em. I'm gonna bash 'eads, break faces and jump up and down on da bits dat are left. An' den I'm gonna get really mean."

—Grimgor Ironhide, Warlord of Red Eye Mountain

The throne room of a very powerful Greenskin Warlord

Greenskin hierarchy is usually dominated by the concept of strength. There is no law, and therefore no crime. If a Greenskin feels wronged, he can challenge the source of his grievance to a pit fight. Once the fight is over, the matter is considered settled. Greenskins have no concept of pity; to any Greenskin, the weak are simply weak, and are beneath them in society. A Greenskins can thus attain a higher social rank by simply fighting and defeating members of a higher rank. Because of their bizarre physiology, Greenskins would receive a steady supply of adrenaline when preparing to challenge a superior, causing him to physically increase in size and muscle-mass. An alert superior will spot this occurring and promptly beat the challenger down before he becomes a threat. If the superior fails to notice this development, then a battle inevitably results. Should the Orc beat his superiors, he would begin to grow considerably until he would finally challenge the leader of the tribe himself.

In this instance, a Warboss of a tribe is usually always on the alert for potential threats against his tyrannical rule. In most cases, a Warboss would usually assert his dominance over his underlings on an almost regular basis, which helps to stunt the growth hormones of many potential candidates as well as a way to discourage their rebellious nature. Should an Orc or Goblin manage to have both the size and courage to challenge his Warboss, a duel would then occur. In the instant that the challenger manages to win the duel, he would instantly become the new leader of a tribe. In the aftermath of the duel, the new Warboss would be noticeably larger and stronger than when he first entered, and will continue to grow until he would find an opponent that is even larger and stronger than him.

On several occasions, if a Warboss manages to subdue and lead several tribes in a Waaagh!, he is called a Warlord. Warlords would be the strongest and most brutal of the Greenskin races, a behemoth that towers over behemoths. Due to the way the hierarchy are formed, it is important for a Warlord to have absolute control over his tribes, or else they would come into infighting. As such, Warlords are often the targets of many assassination attempts by many opponents. Killing a Warlord does not necessarily stop a Waaagh!, it merely causes the Warlord's lieutenants to fight amongst themselves to decide who would be the next Warlord. Should a powerful Warboss step up to take the position as the new Warlord, the Waaagh! would continue on, but these situations are often rare and mostly end in internal fighting. Without a strong Warlord to lead them, the Greenskin tribes would then splinter off and the Waaagh! is promptly abandoned.

Society

An Orc tribe living within the Badlands

Orcs and Goblins live in countless barbaric tribes. There are some tribes which include only Goblins or only Orcs, but the majority include both. In these mixed tribes the Orcs will always dominate the smaller and weaker Goblins. Goblin tribes don't have any Orcs at all, as any self-respecting Orc will quickly become the tribe's Boss. The leadership of the tribe nearly always belongs to the largest and strongest individual who will impose his rule by any mean necessary. Rivals are defeated in savage fights and most fights are not meant to be fair at all.

If an Orc Boss is weakened or wounded his rule will quickly be challenged by an ambitious Big Un'. The Big Un' are veteran Orc warriors and are likely a Warboss' lieutenants, usually leading other smaller warbands or form into their own groups. Nearly all tribes also have Orc and Goblin Shamans, save for Black Orcs, who view Shamans as fools. The shamans are always regarded with respect and fear by most Greenskins. Most of them are quite content to be feared advisors of, and second only in position to the Boss himself, while some rare ambitious shamans manage to usurp this position.

For within a culture dominated by bullies, naturally the biggest and strongest bully will dominate the others. The only way to become Warboss within an Orc is to kill the current Warboss in a straight up fight to the death. Luckily for Orcs they grow constantly through their lives and eventually one will become big and tough enough to challenge the current leader. It is only when the Orc faces an even bigger and stronger Orc does this extreme growth rate begin to slow down.

Greenskin Tribes

Although there are untold numbers of Greenskin tribes living in the Warhammer World, some are more noticable then others, due to pass Battles, notorious Waaggh, or famous Warbosses that once lead these tribes.  

Ork Tribes

• Bloody Sun Boyz
• Iron Claw Tribe
• One Tusk Tribe
• Broketoof Boyz
• Blue Face Orcs
• Broken Tooth Orcs
• Red Fang Orcs

Goblin Tribes

• Broken Axe Goblins
• Broken Nose Goblins
• Black Spider Forest Goblins
• Bloody Spear Night Goblins
• Yellow Eye Goblins
• Moonfang Goblin Tribe

Notable Warboss

There have been many infamous Orc warbosses in the annals of history. Some who have led massive armies of their kind, called WAAAGH's, which are strong enough to have the Empire alarmed. Such legendary individuals include Gorbad Ironhide and Azhag the Slaughterer. Young Orcs are often told mythical tales of these warriors who bloodied the other races in spectacular fights. 

• Gorbad Ironclaw - Atop his vicious boar Gnarla, was the mightiest Warlord that ever lived (in the warhammer fantasy universe). Gorbad Ironclaw and his tribe, the Ironclaw Orcs, absorbed the Broken Tooth tribe along with the local Goblin and Night Goblin tribes, to create a massive force of Greenskin warriors. 

• Azhag the Slaughterer - An already powerful warlord who ruled over a great many tribes in the Badlands, Azhag's tale truly began after he unearthed an ancient magic crown in the ruined city of Todtheim. But this was no simple trinket: this was the Crown of Sorcery, an ancient artifact of the Great Necromancer, Nagash, and the ancient Liche's insidious spirit still clung to the artifact.

• Grimgor Ironhide - is currently the single most violent Black Orc Warboss ever to exist. He leads tribes of vicious Orcs to lay waste all across the Old World. 

• Grom the Pauch - was formally a hugely obese extremely fierce Goblin Warlord who ransacked not only the empire, but the fabled realm of Ulthuan. According to legend he once ate a plate of raw Troll meat, and this continues to regenerate within him, a reason for his such obese  body.

• Skarsnik - is the chieftain of the Crooked Moon tribe and the most powerful Night Goblin Warlord in the whole of the World's  Edge Mountain. Skarsnik is infamous amongst the greenskin race for his astonishing sneakiness and cunning in strategy and subterfuge.

Sources

• Armybook: Orcs and Goblins (8th Edition) -- pg 6 - 20, 32 - 50, 55