Ork society and lore question

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

Just curious, but do boss nobz have their own tribe for lack of better term within ork society? Like is each squad of boyz basically a single nobz own tribe or mini waaagh, or do bosses assign boyz to nobz, or how does that work?

[apologist]

Ork society hasn't been delved into much beyond riffing on the original background in Waaagh the Orks. Happily, that source is quite in-depth on how things are organised: 

 

THE HOUSEHOLD

The Ork household is the basic element of the Orks' social organisation and the basic fighting unit of their armies. Every household has its most important or senior members - called Nobz. It also contains many more ordinary Orks - Da Boyz - plus maybe a few of the strange Oddboyz. Households also have plenty of Runtz - Gretchin and Snotling servants.


THE FAMILY
An Ork family is an extended social group that includes many Households. The leader of a family will be the top Nob of all the Households. Each family has a heraldic symbol and a family name. If the family symbol is a totem beast, the name reflects some savage aspect of the animal, such as the Rabid Fangs, Venomous Bites, Raging Beasts, or Snarling Jaws. A few families have adopted or acquired newer names, such as the Blasting Bolters, Melta-Maniaks or Wicked Fire.


THE CLAN
An Ork clan includes many families. Each clan incorporates Nobz, Boyz and Oddboyz, and the Gretchin and Snotling Runtz, but in differing proportions. These reflect the character and traditions of that clan. All of the six principle clans are described on the following pages, though there are undoubtedly more, less well-known ones. Clans are easily distinguished by their traditional styles of clothing, war panoply, adornments, and customs. Most of these are of ancient Orkish origin and may have special ritual significance within the clan. Other, newer customs may spontaneously appear within one clan, but not another, depending upon the clan's outlook and attitudes. Each clan is known by its heraldry, and every member  bears the mark of the clan in some way, although variation due to individual style is common. Clans also vary in their expression of the Ork character and attitudes toward waging war.

 

THE TRlBE
Any large gathering of Orks under the leadership of a single great Warlord is called a tribe. A tribe may be settled or nomadic and may dominate a seulement, or an entire world. It may have an empire of its own, or be just a migrating horde of pirates and raiders whose only home is their fleet of space hulks. A tribe usually· includes Orks belonging to several of the major clans. Of course, the clans are so big and scattered that all its member~ are not included within any one tribe.


Likewise, it is possible that only one or two clans may be represented in a tribe. As a general rule, however, most types of Ork are likely to be present in varying strengths in any tribe. The tribe implies no common link in terms of kinship or descent (as does the clan), nor any common social role or status. A tribe is simply a great horde of Orks, and its composition may include any of the known Ork clans and social types.


Any large Ork army or raiding force could be described as a tribe. Such tribes can come into existence suddenly, welded under the authority of some great warlord. In other instances, they may have grown up over generations of occupation in a particular place. A tribe might exist only temporaply - say, for the duration of a campaign - or it may be permanent, especially if it is the result of a migrating horde of Orks on rampage through the galaxy without encountering any other Orks to merge with.' Whatever the case, the tribe adopts a special name for itself, often incorporating the name of their current leader (such as Waa-Snagrod), or locality (such as Black Rock Raiders).

 

... and on Nobz specifically:

Nobz are Ork nobles.

They belong to noble households, or are Boss Orks of Ork families. Often, they are wealthy toothlords, or just battle-hardened veterans. Nobz are arrogant in the extreme, inflicting punishment on the spot to any lesser Ork, Gretchin, or Snotling who speaks out of tum or annoys them. This punishment usually 1alces the form of a swift and hefty whack on the head. Nobz can be found in positions of command, or organised into their own select bands. They prefer the company of other Orks of equal status and can afford the best armament and war panoply.

 

(My emphases)

 

Ork society is robust and flexible, so much as human society even under the repressive Imperium is hugely varied, so I think it's quite hard to stipulate that all tribes act in the same way. Having said that, I think the following is how things might typically work:

Like is each squad of boyz basically a single nobz own tribe or mini waaagh, or do bosses assign boyz to nobz, or how does that work?

• In game terms, the Household is what we'd call a unit or mob of orks. That's a load of boyz led by a Nob. Within an ork settlement, each Household will live in dwellings near their Family, which is made up of number of Households.
• Most Households will live in what is effectively a cross between a houseshare and a barracks, with the Nob living amongst the Boyz. In-game, these would be Boyz mobs.
• Households are replenished by new Whelps/Wildboyz coming in from outside the settlement. Some Households might be welcoming, others – for one reason or another – more hostile to new members.
• Orks get bigger and stronger as they fight, so without new whelps coming in, over the course of time a Household can gradually be winnowed down to Skarboyz, and then into what amounts to a Nobz mob.
• Some Nobz might simply choose to move in with their mates, forming a new Household within the Family. In-game, these would be Nobz mobs.
• A Household that found itself without a Nob (either due to casualties in war or would find a new Nob from within their ranks, or one might come from elsewhere in the broader Family, or be assigend .
• In a bigger tribe, they might form a new household as part of a Retinue of the Warboss. In-game, these would be Warboss' retinues.

 

So, to address your question directly: 

but do boss nobz have their own tribe for lack of better term within ork society? Like is each squad of boyz basically a single nobz own tribe or mini waaagh, or do bosses assign boyz to nobz, or how does that work?

 

The term would be Household – but that's a term that GW haven't used themselves for ages, so quite understandable that it's not familiar. 'Mob' is probably a better term these days. So the question might be rephrased as 'Do Boss Nobz have their own mobs?', to which the answer is yes, and they can form in a number of different ways as outlined above:

• Organically, as the battle-hardened remnants of a normal boyz mob.
• Through choice, as they move in with other Nobz to form a 'Noble Household'.
• Artificially, as they are ordered to do so by a Warboss.

 

 

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

Awesome, thanks for the info.

 

picked up my first ever ork dex yesterday, and slowly putting the lore together for my free bootaz.

[apologist]

No problem at all – glad it's helpful, and good luck gathering your Waaagh!

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

Do boyz have names? 

[Emperor Ming]

Ork Language - Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum

 

Info inc some info on names

[apologist]

...and as a bit of fun, the original ork name generator from Waaargh the Orks.

 

 

 

More recently, in Ghazghkull Thraka Prophet of the Waaagh, Nate Crowley riffs on ork naming. As it's a very fun standalone book, I'd recommend picking it up – I think it'd be useful for you to develop your forces' background.