Greetings, Total War community!
This week da boyz are back in town as we discuss warrin’, Warbosses and WAAAGHS! - please welcome Omens of Destruction’s final Legendary Lord, Gorbad Ironclaw. Packing a terrifying mix of strength and intelligence (for an orc), he’s an Emperor slaying Warboss who burned Solland to the ground and is back to show the rest of the WARHAMMER world how to get ‘invasions done propa’.
As always, if you happen to have missed our previous blogs about Skulltaker, Golgfag or Arbaal, then just click on their respective names to check them out now!
We'll be back tomorrow with Gorbad's gameplay showcase which premieres at 3PM GMT, so remember to check back then to feast yer eyez on 'iz video!
Until then, let's dive in to Gorbad's introduction...
GORBAD IRONCLAW, THE BRUTAL TACTICIAN (LEGENDARY LORD)
Infamous even among other Orc Warbosses, Gorbad Ironclaw, rose to fame leading his tribe on countless successful Waaaghs! It was also he who first built Iron Rock, one of the most redoubtable Orc fortresses in the Old World. Conquering Orcs & Goblins was never a real challenge for him either – it was his many, many horrific deeds in the Empire that saw him elevated to legendary status among his own kind.
Whilst his methods of warfare would be considered archaic by Human, Elf or Dwarven standards, Gorbad is a cold and calculating menace amongst his own kin, going as far as valuing tactics, using formations, archers, cavalry, and artillery to dominate the battlefield. His violent reputation draws the strongest Orcs and Goblins to his banner, making him a living legend.
BATTLE PLAYSTYLE
Riding into battle atop his fierce Warboar, Gnarla, Gorbad charges through enemy lines with devastating impact, then engages in brutal close combat with his mighty axe, Morglor ‘the Mangler.’ As a front-line support specialist, he excels at both fighting and boosting nearby allies. With fast speed and armour-piercing attacks, Gorbad is a deadly anti-infantry specialist, feared by even the toughest armoured foes, like the Dwarfs. He possesses the following abilities:
- Da Great Leader (Passive Ability): Gorbad inspires all nearby friendlies, boosting their melee attack and melee defense.
- Gorbad's Boyz! (Active Ability): Increases the charge bonus and significantly increases the base weapon damage of a targeted unit within range.
- ‘Da Boss 'as a Plan! (Active Ability): Gorbad makes a unit within range unbreakable and increases their melee defence for a short duration, making sure Gorbad's plan holds strong without a key component routing.
- Morglor the Mangler (Active Ability): Gorbad's signature axe greatly boosts his armour piercing damage for a short duration and increases his melee attack turning him into a great dueler and anti-armour killing machine.
CAMPAIGN MECHANIC (DA’ PLAN)
A tenacious tactician, Gorbad experiments with unique battle strategies through ‘Da' Plan,’ a mechanic that lets the player devise new tactics by matching different units within their armies. This unlocks powerful bonuses, such as abilities, attributes, stat boosts, and campaign perks. Lords can activate 1-3 tactics at a time, depending on their rank. Players unlock new tactics by completing objectives related to each tactic, or by Gorbad having a Yooreeka moment after he wins a set number of battles.
SNAGLA, GROBSPIT (LEGENDARY HERO)
Snagla Grobspit is a stealthy and cunning Spider Rider, skilled at using the dense forest and canopy to his advantage. With speed and stealth, he and his band of spider riders slip through cover, launching surprise attacks from unexpected angles, often striking from the shadows where enemies least expect them.
Fearless in battle, Snagla charges head-on, using poisons and debuffs to wear down his foes over time. His ambush tactics and strategic positioning make him a lethal anti-infantry assassin, particularly effective against heroes. His fast, deadly strikes have secured him countless victories.
Inventory of Hatchlings (Active Ability): Snagla summons a unit of Spider Hatchlings to assist him in battle or cover his escape but can only be used once.
Spider Web Attack (Active Ability): Snagla ensnares an enemy Hero or Lord with spider webs, preventing them from moving and allowing Snagla to easily attack them....or run away.
Sting of Snagla (Active Ability): Snagla throws his venom-tipped spear at an enemy Lord or Hero, dealing massive damage and debilitating them, decreasing their melee attack and defense.
Fangspike (Active Ability): Snagla's deadly weapon enhances his charge, melee attack, and base weapon damage, providing a bonus when fighting infantry, ideal for situations requiring multiple assassinations.
SAVAGE ORC GREAT SHAMAN (LORD)
The Savage Orc Great Shaman is the living conduit of Gork and Mork, wielding significant arcane might that they can’t necessarily control, causing them to be a bit mad and prone to spasms of dance. Hailing from savage tribes that fight with primitive stone weapons and shun armour, these shamans are not sophisticated but excel in any form of battle. Their raw strength and brutality make them dangerous foes in both small skirmishes and large wars.
As conduits to the Orc & Goblin gods, Gork and Mork, Savage Orc Great Shamans wield arcane power, though this connection often drives them mad. They enthusiastically bludgeon enemies with crude weapons, quickly dispatching challengers. Despite wearing little armour, their physical resistance makes them fearsome front-line brawlers, especially in duels.
NIGHT GOBLIN BIG BOSS (HERO)
The Night Goblin Big Boss is a cunning and ruthless leader, second only to the Warboss. Smaller and more cowardly than other Goblins, Night Goblins’ natural psychotic tendencies make them fierce and unpredictable in battle, preferring ambush tactics and using darkness to their advantage.
As a lone hero, the Night Goblin Big Boss relies on stealth, striking from the shadows with poison and hexes. Cowardly in direct combat, they are best used as assassins, targeting individual foes with precision and backstabbing skill. In campaigns, they carry out covert agent actions, excelling at sabotage and ambush.
BLACK ORCS (AXE & SHIELD UNIT)
Black Orcs are the largest, toughest, and most fearsome of all Orcs, known for their dark green or black skin and grim temperament. With unmatched strength and resilience, they are the hardest unit to break in battle. Equipped with shields, Black Orcs excel on the front lines, holding their ground against the fiercest enemies.
ARACHNAROK SPIDER FLINGERS (UNIT)
Arachnarok Spider Flingers are massive, nearly unstoppable predators equipped with light catapults that launch rocks at enemies, making them formidable pieces of monstrous artillery. Specializing in crushing infantry, they devastate enemy lines with ease. Even without their artillery, these spiders are lethal single-entity monsters, capable of causing chaos on the battlefield.
MANGLER SQUIGS (UNIT)
Mangler Squigs are a chaotic pair of great cave squigs chained together and driven to recklessly charge into enemy lines. They excel at fighting infantry and are particularly effective against heavily armoured foes due to their armour-piercing attacks. Uncontrollable and wild, they often go berserk, making them difficult to direct in battle.
COLOSSAL SQUIGS (UNIT)
These enormous spherical monsters have insatiable appetites and are essentially massive, fleshy maws lined with scimitar-shaped teeth. As a single-entity unit, they are formidable against infantry. Unpredictable and prone to berserk behavior, they can become uncontrollable at any moment. Additionally, they explode upon death, adding to their destructive nature.
BOLT THROWA (UNIT)
The Bolt Throwa is designed to effectively engage heavily armoured targets due to its significant armour-piercing damage. Primarily functioning as an artillery piece, it excels in targeting large, monstrous foes, particularly those with armour. Although the Bolt Throwa is relatively small compared to other artillery units, it features multiple models, enhancing its overall effectiveness on the battlefield.
ORCS & GOBLINS UPDATES
To conclude our deep dive into Omens of Destruction, let's go over the free legacy updates you can expect to see within patch 6.0 for the Orcs and Goblins.
SKARSNIK
What Has Changed?
Skarsnik now has the same recruitment setup as other Orcs & Goblins factions; however, his Orc recruitment buildings remain locked until his faction takes control of Karak Eight Peaks.
Previously, Skarsnik had unique recruitment buildings without access to Orc units, available only through a landmark chain at Karak Eight Peaks.
How Does This Work?
When Skarsnik captures a settlement, any buildings that would provide Orc recruitment options—restricted by this new condition - will be demolished if he lacks control of Karak Eight Peaks.
Once Skarsnik occupies Karak Eight Peaks, these Orc recruitment buildings become available, allowing him to recruit the associated units. However, if Skarsnik’s faction later loses control of Karak Eight Peaks, all Orc recruitment buildings across his settlements will be demolished.
With control of Karak Eight Peaks, Skarsnik can now construct the Orc recruitment chain in any settlement he owns, enabling local Orc recruitment beyond just Karak Eight Peaks.
Since the Karak Eight Peaks landmark chain no longer provides exclusive recruitment options, its three levels have received a balance pass to enhance their effects.
WURRZAG DA GREAT GREEN PROPHET
The first thing you’ll notice in a Wurrzag campaign is that we’ve moved his starting position to the Southland Jungles.
WURRZAG BUILDINGS
A new tier 2 building, Effigies of Gork and Mork, has been created exclusively for Wurrzag. This chain is available only at the Savage Orc locations of Darkhold, Agrul Mighdal, Ash Ridge Mountains, Ekrund, Galbaraz, Gor Gazan, Jade Wind Mountain, Pahuax Statues of the Gods, Sun-Tree Glades, The Bone Gulchand provides the following effects:
Effects:
- Lore of Big Waaagh spell cooldown: -5% (all characters)
- Diplomacy with Greenskins: +5 (faction-wide)
- Savage Orc recruit rank: +2 (local province)
- Corruption: -3 (local province)
Additional Context Effect (if Wurrzag has the "Da Tru Prophet" effect bundle from his dilemmas chain):
- Winds of Magic capacity: +5 (faction leader)
Garrison Units:
- Savage Orc Big 'Uns x2
- Savage Arrer Boyz x2
In addition to all of this, Wurrzag also has 3 landmark buildings he can claim in his campaign; Bone Nose Idols – Cuexotl, Bonewood Totems - Springs of Eternal Life, Iron Penz – Stormhenge.
SCRAP
All Scrap upgrades have been rebalanced in terms of both gameplay effects and costs. Units can now have multiple Scrap upgrades, though each additional upgrade increases the cost. This introduces a strategic choice: create a super-Scrap army or spread resources across multiple armies for more balanced enhancements.
Additionally, Scrap gains have also been rebalanced to account for the increased number of purchase points, and a full UI overhaul of the system has been made to make it a more player friendly system when selecting armies.
WAAAGH!
Our aim with the WAAAGH! improvements is to empower you with additional choices and rewards for interacting with the feature. Firstly, we’re increasing the number of units you receive from a successful completion. Secondly, after completing WAAAGH! you will receive a dilemma that gives you the option of choosing what units you receive OR to instead to get some other benefits such as treasure or scrap. As always, the stronger the WAAAGH! target the tastier the options will be, and this can be further improved via the tech tree which can allow you to get more elite units even from relatively weak WAAAGH! levels. You’ll also notice WAAAGH! units now have their own dedicated recruitment pool rather than being included alongside Regiments of Renown.
BUILDINGS
We found that the current recruitment tiers for many Orcs & Goblins units didn’t match the actual tier of the unit, so we’ve reworked their recruitment chains and tiers accordingly such as Goblins and Orcs now having separate building chains.
TECHNOLOGY TREE
We found that Orcs & Goblins tech tree had a decent foundation, but its structure was somewhat confusing, with some techs affecting a mixed variety of units instead of maintaining a clear focus. We have made slight redesigns to the structure and conducted a thorough review of each tech to ensure they have a cohesive theme.
UP NEXT
We’re not done with our Omens of Destruction blog series quite yet! Tune in later this week for our final article focused on our 6.0 Patch Notes before the big release on December 12th. We hope you’re excited about what’s to come and can’t wait to hear what you have to say about the content.
For more details on Gorbad Ironclaw and to see how this most infamous of Orc Warbosses wreaks his very own brand of WAAAGH!, keep an eye on Total War’s official channels for his upcoming Gameplay Showcase.
Please let us know how you’re feeling about Gorbad and his boyz by heading over to the CA Community forums or the official Total War Discord server to make your voice heard on all things Total War.
See you on the battlefield!
— The Total War Team
