Gretchin, or Grotz as they are sometimes referred to, are a species of Orkoid alien which appear prominently in Games Workshop’s Warhammer 40,000 universe.
Description[]
Essentially the setting’s equivalent to goblins, Gretchin are diminutive green humanoids standing no more than around three feet in height. Whilst descended from the same stock as the larger Orks, Gretchin share little in common with their bigger cousins; where Orks are fearless in combat, Gretchin are cowardly in the extreme, and whilst Orks are great slabs of muscle, Gretchin are scrawny, weak creatures with little going for them bar their animalistic cunning.
All of this is not to say that Gretchin cannot be dangerous in their own right: they tend to be more intelligent than their larger relatives, are far more dexterous, have senses and reaction times which would put an average Ork to shame and, when encountered en masse, are capable of ripping most opponents apart through sheer weight of numbers using their sharp teeth and claws.
However, none of this makes much difference when one is at the bottom of the pecking order, and most Gretchin lead short, miserable lives which can be ended at any moment if a passing Ork decides that he is hungry, and said Gretchin are the only edible things in sight . . .
Reproduction[]
Gretchin reproduce in the same manner as others of the Orkoid races, that is to say that they release spores throughout their lives, which then mature beneath the ground in order to spawn Gretchin which then claw their way to the surface as fully-formed members of their species.
Position in Ork Society[]
Gretchin generally fall into two seperate categories in Orkish society: those who have a master, and those who do not.
Gretchin with Ork Owners[]
Many Gretchin survive by being a part of a specific Ork’s household. They function as general dogsbodies, carrying their masters gear around for him, ensuring a plentiful supply of ammunition for his next battle, fixing up his armour, and making sure he has food. Lots of food, in case said Gretchin become the Ork’s next meal.
Those “lucky” Gretchin whose masters are what Orks call Oddboyz (the mechanics and surgeons of Ork society) may find themselves as assistants, reaching the parts that their larger owners can’t get to, and even being trusted to crew weapons themselves during times of battle. On the other hand, it is equally possible that such a Grot will find itself the subject of a new experimental procedure conducted by a particularly inquisitive or deranged Oddboy.
At the top of the Gretchin heap lie those whose masters are what are called Nobz in Ork society: short for ‘nobles,’ Nobz are the leaders of their clans, and as such their Gretchin lord it over those whose owners are not as high in social standing as their own. However, these creatures are every bit as likely to be snacked on by a hungry Ork as their brethren; more so in fact, as the more powerful an Ork is, the more Grotz he has, and the less likely he is to miss the odd one or two.
Independant Gretchin[]
These little critters are the entrepreneurs of Ork society. They are the ones who scavenge the best gear to barter after a battle, are sellers of the tastiest Squigs and Fungus Beer to be found, and the most likely to steal anything which is not nailed down.
This is a double-edged sword however, and they are the Gretchin most likely to be eaten or accidentally sat upon. After all, squashing the Warbosses’ favourite court jester might result in a sound kicking from said Warboss, but no Ork worth the name would think twice about stomping a pushy Grot vendor under his boot.
On the Battlefield[]
As Ork culture revolves around the act of making war, Gretchin function in a number of different roles on the battlefield.
Attendants[]
Most Gretchin who belong to a household spend their time on campaign simply lugging around supplies and ammunition, patching up wounded Orks, or assisting in the repair of damaged or broken-down vehicles.
Weapons Crew and Riggers[]
As stated above, some fortunate Grotz find employ as gunners aboard Ork vehicles, whilst others man the long-range big guns that some Warbosses use to soften up their enemies before getting down to business. These Grots are equally as likely to spend their time fixing the broken parts of their machines as they do actually using them.
Dreadnought Pilots[]
A very few Grotz are given the “gift” of being hardwired into the ramshackle walking war machines that Orks employ known as Dreadnoughts. Most of these poor wretches go a little mad with the power given to them however, and spend much of their time flailing about aimlessly, all the while doing as much damage to their own side as the enemies’, although given how much enjoyment Orks take in the simple act of slaughter, this usually just adds to the fun of the battle.
Bomb Aimers[]
Sometimes Orks will cobble together weapons which fire large missiles. In order to give these weapons a special degree of accuracy, many Ork designers will then strap a particularly dim-witted Gretchin to the weapon along with a joystick allowing the Grot to guide the bomb down onto its target. Most of these creatures are too stupid to realise what will happen to them at the end of the flight to be anything other than excited by the prospect of the destruction they will cause upon landing.
Living Shields[]
During times of war, the most unlucky Grotz in an Ork settlement will simply be herded together and prodded towards the enemy in order to make him expend as much ammunition as possible in an effort to stop the oncoming wall of green flesh. Sometimes, these Gretchin are even lucky enough to be equipped with the weapons that real Orks don’t want, such as blunderbusses, slingshots and rocks to throw. Regardless, the Orks think of them as nothing more than a moving shield, and will simply laugh at the sight of these poor unfortunates being mown down in a hail of enemy fire.
Gretchin Empires[]
It sometimes happens that a group of Gretchin will become separated from Orks altogether. When this occurs, the Gretchin will set themselves up in a manner similar to that of their previous masters, with their own Warbosses, Nobz, and all of the attendant hierarchy. As Gretchin are an innately subservient race however, these mini-Empires usually fall at the first sign of resistance, or collapse and are subsumed as soon as a real Ork shows up.