SNAKEBITES

'First they lets da snake bite 'em, den dey bites da head orf da snake; say it makes an Ork of ya. Dey is always lookin' fer sumfink. Dese are da Boyz who likes to hop on space hulks and go places and die inna warp.'

The Snakebites rarely settle in one place for long. To the other Orks, the Snake-Bites always seem to be 'lookin' fer somefink' and 'wanderin' orf'. They only stay on a planet long enough to get into a fight and then they're off again.

The clan practices initiation rites which involve being bitten by poisonous snakes and sucking out the venom straight away (hence their name). Few Orks succumb to the poison - most just get tougher the more they are bitten. Snakebite Orks always carry a selection of venomous serpents with them when they migrate to new planets, just in case the indigenous lifeforms prove to be unsuitably inoffensive. They continue to toughen themselves in this way throughout their lives. The sign of this clan is the serpent. The Snakebite Orks are a savage and feral clan who prefer to live in wild and desolate places, and they cultivate Hairy Squigs so they can decorate themselves with extravagant crests and topknots. Their bodies are covered all over in swirling red tattoos, like coiled snakes, while other common features are wolf skin headgear and wolf pelts, which add to their wild and primitive appearance. Clothing can incorporate all kinds of pelts and bits of animal (including dead rats suspended by their tails). Headgear is likely to be adorned with grotesque horns. One of their most distinctive elements of dress is their snake belts, which are fastened with metal buckles in the form of a snake.

Pendants and jewellery are made of stone or ceramic beads, feathers, shells or animal claws. These are hung all over the body, which is pierced specially for this purpose. Painboyz are particularly fond of this task, and take great pains to locate the most painful spots to pierce.

Heavy neck rings and spiky collars are favoured by some Snakebites, who claim this to be a precaution against being throttled by personal enemies who might creep up behind them in the night. This clan is also noted for its grotesque lip-plugs, strange icons, and its highly individualistic backplates and back banners.

The Snakebite Orks like to maintain Boarboyz. This may hark back to Orkish warfare of a former age, which is now revitalised by the advent of Cyboars. These bionically enhanced and extremely savage creatures are an awesome testament to the combined talents of the Meks and Painboyz who engineered them.

GOFFS

'Biggest an' ugliest Orkses, loadsa Stormboyz an' Nobz. Dey fights 'and-to-'and. None of dis sissy-stuff, 'anging back an' sneakin' like grotty Gretchin an' snivlin' Snotlin's. No uvver clan is as 'ard as da Goffs.'

The Goffs are identified by their predominantly black gear and the clan totem, which is a black bull's head. This clan has the reputation of having the biggest, ugliest, meanest, and most ferocious Orks.

Of all the Ork warrior clans, Goffs are the most inspired by the thrill and thunder of battle, and are specialists in hand-to-hand combat. They consider themselves superior to the cowardly Orks from other clans, who hang back to shoot when they could get into the thick of battle. They are particularly fond of the stick grenades, because they're hurled by hand and are good for close combat in trenches, ruins, bunkers and ratholes. Goffs usually carry a brace of hefty stick grenades (known as stikkbombz) stuffed down their black boots.

Black is the preferred colour of the Goffs. Other clans that wear bright colours and patterns are simply mocked as not proper Orks, or as just plain weedy. The most common decoration is a checker pattern of black and white or a contrasting border. Excessive deviation from the way of the clan is met with derision, and the miscreant will certainly get clobbered by any Boss Ork who comes his way. War paint and tattoos are also considered taboo by the Goffs, but skull earrings, death's head pendants, metal studs piercing the flesh, and large nose-rings are favoured. To the Goffs, these are the outward signs of the tough character of the inner Ork.

Headdress is usually a horned helmet, or a coal scuttle-style helmet, either of which offers plenty of protection to the neck. Members of the clan wear a backplate which bears the Orkish rune of their household which is enamelled in colour on a black ground.

The Goffs can boast the greatest numbers of Nobz and Stormboyz. This is because the Goffs are the most militaristic of all the Orks. All Orks love to wage war, and often wage war to live, but of the Goffs it can truly be said that they live only for war.

Goff yoofs indulge in dangerous trials of strength among themselves. For these contests, they don ritual bulls-head helmets with great bull's horns attached to them. They then charge each other in the manner of raging bulls, colliding with a loud crack as the horned headgear makes contact. The yoofs continue to headbutt each other until one has had enough, or until they've headbutted each other to death.

The slave herds of runts and gretchin (Snotz and Grotz) are not permitted to wear black - this privilege is reserved for Goffs alone. However, the Snotz and Grotz are allowed to paint their faces with black paint. The slaves must be content with drab, neutral colours. Any attempt to wear bright colors is met with extreme chastisement at the hands of a disapproving Goff.

Next: Bad Moons and Deathskulls