Ruglud Bonechewer is a powerful and wealthy Orc mercenary who sells his services all across the known world, from the treacherous Badlands in the south up through the realm of the Border Princes and throughout the mountains surrounding the Empire. Rumours suggest that even the Empire itself has hired his services on occasion. Ruthless to the core, Ruglud's only loyalty is to himself and he has been known to change sides during battle if offered more payment and, more importantly, more opportunity to loot and pillage. Over the years the band has equipped itself with a motley assortment of equipment, stripping scraps of armour from countless defeated foes, and always taking the crossbows and bolts that they prize so highly.

Ruglud Bonechewer was once a mighty Orc warlord, leading the Crooked Eye tribe to countless victories. Uniting the local tribes, his army stormed through the Grey Mountains and World's Edge Mountains. He staged numerous successful raids on Dwarf strongholds and Empire towns, as well as upon various Goblin tribes that refused to grovel before him.

Ruglud suffered one devastating defeat, many miles to the east of the Old World, and in that defeat he also lost his position as warlord of the Crooked Eye. Caught in a cunning and well implemented ambush by a powerful Chaos Dwarf force, his tribe were cut down in their hundreds by the withering hail of missile fire that the Chaos Dwarfs sent into their midst. The Orcs return fire was unsurprisingly inaccurate. The heavy armour worn by the Dwarfs deflected the few arrows that found their targets.

As Ruglud fled, many of his tribe turned on him, blaming him in typical Orcish manner for the defeat. Ruglud bullied a small group of the Orcs into staying by his side and fled with them to the south, pursued by the arrows and insults of his former tribe.

They came across an ancient, seemingly impenetrable stronghold built into the mountainside. It appeared to be deserted, and the superstitious Orcs cowered at the sound of the wind howling over its blackened battlements. As they picked their way around the huge boulders at the base of the stronghold walls, the smallest member of the group, the runt known only as 'Maggot', tripped and fell. Ruglud blinked in surprise, for the Goblin had disappeared from sight. Moments later, he stuck his head up through a hole in the ground, exclaiming that he had found a tunnel.

The Orcs refused to enter the tunnel, scared of the 'bad spirits' that inhabited the stronghold. Ruglud pushed the Orcs aside roughly, determined to show them that he was not afraid. Besides, he thought, there might be something worth looting inside. Ruglud grabbed Maggot by the scruff of his neck, forcing him to walk in front of him into the low tunnel.

They came upon a scene of devastation, the aftermath of a titanic battle in the tunnels and grand halls of what must have been a Dwarf stronghold. Dwarf bodies lay strewn across the floors in unbelievable numbers, and at first it looked to Ruglud as if Dwarf had been fighting Dwarf. As he looked closer at the bodies, he saw that some were the Chaos Dwarfs that he had suffered his great defeat against.

Bloodied armour and weapons were scattered across the stone floor. At Ruglud's feet lay a Dwarf crossbow, which he picked up absently in one huge hand. His gaze lingered on the weapon as a sizeable lump of masonry suddenly fell on his thick head, and a moment of inspiration washed over him. The unexpected thought filled his cunning Orcish mind: "If ya can't beat em, join 'em!" He began to strip the armour off the Dwarfs' bodies, haphazardly strapping the plates to his oversized frame. Climbing unsteadily out of the hole, he stood before his Orc followers who fell back before him. With a strange, determined look in his eyes, he growled at the Orcs: "We'll show 'em how it's done."

And so Ruglud's Armoured Orcs were formed, the only known band of Orcs to implement the combination of armour and crossbow. They are still disliked and distrusted by other Orc tribes, but their fighting qualities are grudgingly accepted. Wherever the band travels, it fights for gold and for food, and for the chance to strip the enemy of anything worth taking.

Captain: Ruglud Bonechewer.

Battle-cry: "Gobbos fer dinner! Gobbos fer tea! Gobbos when u want 'em! Gobbos for me!" (Note: the Orcs will substitute the word 'Gobbos' with something appropriate to the occasion, eg, 'Stunties', "Umies' or 'Ratsies'.)

For Hire: Any Warhammer army other than Bretonnians, Dwarfs, High Elves and Wood Elves may hire Ruglud's Armoured Orcs, and they count as a Rare choice. Dogs of War and Orc & Goblin armies may choose Ruglud's Armoured Orcs as a Special choice.

Points: Ruglud, Maggot, a musician and seven armoured Orcs costs a total of 190 points. This is the minimum size regiment you can hire. The size of the regiment may be increased at the cost of 12 points per model.

Weapons: Choppa, crossbow.

Armour: Heavy armour.

Ignore Greenskin Panic: Ruglud and his Armoured Orcs have great disdain for their own kind. When a friendly Greenskin unit is destroyed, breaks or flees past their unit, Ruglud and his Orcs (including Maggot) do not need to test for Panic.

Choppa: Ruglud's Armoured Orcs carry brutal cleavers and clubs, and add +1 to their Strength in the first round of combat if they charge (note that Maggot does NOT carry a choppa, just a normal hand weapon).

Maggot: Maggot the Goblin accompanies Ruglud wherever he goes, acting as his standard bearer. He has survived countless battles and is regarded as a lucky mascot. His presence encourages the Orcs to fight all the more fiercely. The banner that Maggot enthusiastically waves adds + 2 to combat resolution rather than +1.

In addition to this. Maggot seems to lead a charmed life, and as a result has a 3+ Ward save. He may not accept challenges, for he is not in effect a character, just a particularly lucky Goblin. If Maggot dies, the banner is lost with him, and no other Orc can pick it up.

Although Maggot doesn't carry a crossbow, an Orc standing behind him may shoot over his head, as if the Orc were standing in the front rank. The range is measured as normal, from Maggot's base (the Orc behind leans the crossbow on his head).

Animosity: Ruglud's Orcs suffer from Animosity like any other Greenskin unit, and must test each turn so long as the unit is not engaged in hand-to-hand combat, is not fleeing, and numbers at least five models. In the Start of the Turn phase roll a D6 for Ruglud's Armoured Orcs - on a 2+ the unit passes the test and moves/fights normally this turn. On a roll of 1 the unit fails the test. To determine what happens, roll a D6 and consult the table below (note that this table is different from the table of other Greenskin units).

1-2 Let's show 'em what these crossbows can do!

Ruglud's Armoured Orcs shoot at the closest unit, friend or foe. All models in the unit can fire without movement penalty at the nearest target in any direction, ignoring the usual restrictions for line of sight and fire arcs - this is an exception to the normal rules for shooting. The shots are worked out immediately, not in the Shooting Phase, and the models themselves are not moved. The unit cannot do anything else that turn. If there are no units within range, the unit Squabbles instead (see the next entry).

3-6 Squabble

An internal squabble amongst the ranks soon grows into a minor riot with fists and curses flying. This throws the unit into disorder and prevents all moving and shooting this turn. The unit can do nothing this turn while Ruglud cracks heads together to restore order.