Specimen: Gretchin

Gretchin or Grotz are basically a smaller subspecies of Orks, who are more cowardly than normal Orks and are usually used as living shields, to clear mine fields, are stepped on to get through difficult terrain, and sometimes even as emergency rations. Gretchins are quite low in the strict hierarchy of Ork society because of their small size (the lowest Orkoids being the Snotlings) and are often used for the dirtiest jobs like scavenging and being used as the football when the bigger Orks get bored.

While they are not as aggressive as standard Orks, they enjoy fighting weaker opponents and are less likely to flee if they comfortably outnumber their opponents. If a Gretchin is particularly wealthy, he may purchase a second-hand, worn-down, low-tech gun. These guns are mainly to reassure the Gretchin that they have a chance of killing something, provided they remember which way to hold the gun. Even so, Gretchin have to be forced into battle by Runtherds who utilise grabba sticks in order to ensure that the Gretchin stay in battle. A skilled Runtherd can grab a fleeing Gretchin and hurl him into a minefield with one smooth motion. The more tech-savvy of the Runtherds use a grot prod which delivers an electric charge to a Gretchin's vulnerable parts. Basically all Gretchin work as slaves for Orks, although there is a faction of revolutionary Rebel Grots that developed in the chaos of the Ork World of Gorkamorka. As they are a bit more organised than the larger Orks, Gretchin are often used to maintain Greenskin war machines and artillery. Such work is considered highly undesirable by most Orks, because it prevents them from being in the heart of the battle. Gretchin also serve as attendants or "ammo runts" to Ork Warbosses, assistants to Ork Mekboyz, and orderlies to Ork Mad Doks.