Orc Rune Army

List of all playable races in the first SpellForce series

Humans - Elves - Dwarves - Orcs - Trolls - Dark Elves

The orcs are one of the six playable factions in The Order of Dawn, The Breath of Winter and Shadow of the Phoenix. Their benefits, their disadvantages as well as their units and buildings will be shown here.

Table of Contents
Thug	Spearman	Fighter	Veteran
Drummer	Hornblower	Totem	Firemaster
Ragefire	War Boars	Inferno	Buildings

The Monument

The orc monument was created in style of an orcish border fortress with wooden palisades and black ash rubbles all across. On top of it an orc fighter with leather armor was shown wearing two heavy war clubs.

When summoning units the orc statue's eyes will glow in a orange-red light before materializing orcish rune fighters. Like all other Rune Monuments, the orcish monument is indestructible but the connection to a rune can be separated by inflicting damage to the building.

Units

Now following is a list of the units available from this rune army.

	Thug
Even when an orc wins the right to accompany the hordes and kill in Zarach’s name, he still is not eligible to carry a weapon. Armed only with a wooden club, he will be sent into battle as a Thug, usually in the front row. When, or rather if, such an inexperienced and ill-equipped orc survives his first battles, he is awarded the Honor of Iron, allowing him to trade part of his loot for a proper weapon and armor. It is not rare for a thug to take armor or weapons from fallen comrades, however, this is not considered honorable and generally frowned upon.
Unit Category:		Melee Fighter (Basic)
Attack Rating:		5 - 10 at 100% speed
Armor Rating:		100
Abilities:		None
Requirements:		Mace Carver
Upgrades:		None
Recruitment Costs:		40 Wood
	Spearman
The bane of the orcs' enemies are the heavy pikes that are borne with great pride by their carriers. Attackers hardly stand a chance of penetrating the imposing mass of iron spikes, which the horde can also use to drive back their foes and corner their prey. The pike-bearers give the great orcs hordes their devastating destructive power and are often the backbone of an orc army. Bearing weapons, they are entitled to a larger share of the plunder and loot, and when they return victoriously from battle, proudly displaying the skulls of their foes impaled on their weapons, they can be sure of Zarach’s favor. This is the first rank of that a weapon carrying orc can attain. In battle, the number of Spearmen is often decimated quickly, their weak armor offering only minimal protection, but the sheer number minions aspiring to join the horde means their numbers are increased just as rapidly.
Unit Category:		Melee Fighter (Basic)
Attack Rating:		7 - 13 at 85% speed
Armor Rating:		130
Abilities:		None
Requirements:		Forge
Upgrades:		Scythespear - Enables to attack multiple enemy in a small cone.
Recruitment Costs:		50 Iron
	Fighter
Orcs that survive battle as thugs or spearmen are soon promoted to the rank of Fighter. They are now considered true warriors blessed by Zarach, and welcomed as full members of their tribe. From this point on, they are permitted to consult with their leaders and talk to the elders without fear of death. In addition, their share of the plunder increases dramatically. Fighters are well-respected and any fighting orc aspires to attain this rank – so widespread is the belief that only then will they be able to live a life worthy of their forefathers. Fighters have a high level of training and the armor and weapons they are able to afford makes them a match for almost any other races' warriors.
Unit Category:		Melee Fighter (Advanced)
Attack Rating:		6 - 13 at 110% (Sabre), 7 - 15 at 85% (Axe)
Armor Rating:		100
Abilities:		None
Requirements:		Forge, Mace Carver
Upgrades:		None
Recruitment Costs:		30 Wood, 30 Iron
	Veteran
Battle over battle is fought by the hordes as they bring war and destruction wherever they pass. Many orcs fall on the battlefield, and only the few that survive can call themselves a Veteran. These are the most experienced orc warriors, having fought and won many conflicts and killed many a foe. The tradition of these warriors dates back to the Black Legion, the greatest and most powerful army in the War of the Six Races. The blacksmiths of Urgath forged armor, black as the night, for the legion and furnished it with spikes and the symbols of the gods. This armor soon became the mark of the Black Legion, and the mere sight of them could cause entire enemy armies to flee. They were the guards of the Fial Darg, the Princes of Darkness. The Black Legion was the only army ever to dare to climb the Godwall, and only the power of the guardian gods was able to stop and eventually defeat them. Today, a black suit of armor is forged only for the best of best of the orcish horde. They wear this armor with pride, and only a tribe leader or elder would ever dare to speak up to or contradict a Veteran’s orders.
Unit Category:		Melee Fighter (Elite)
Attack Rating:		15 - 26
Armor Rating:		160
Abilities:		None
Requirements:		Forge, Blood Forge
Upgrades:		Thunderstrike - Attacks are able to apply Spark to enemies hit.
Recruitment Costs:		80 Iron
	Totem
The service of their blood god is not the only pursuit of the orcs. They foster a deep respect for the spirits of the earth and the winds; many even go so far as to believe the orcs are of elvish descent. They do not, however, share the elven desire for harmony and peace and fear the spirits, who they believe will judge them and punish the weak. Only the strongest will triumph and only the strongest will be deemed worthy. To strengthen their tribe and increase the tribes victories, many orcs dedicate their existance to serving Zarach and appeasing the spirits. When they have survived the Consecration of the Blood, they are recognised as a Totem. From then on, they learn not only the rituals to placate the spirits, the power of the fire also is bestowed upon them, a power that originates from the ancient bond between the blood god and the Red Horde. In battle, as all orcs, they are possessed by a need to kill, and they destroy their enemies gleefully using the flaming might of Zarach.
Unit Category:		Magic Caster (Basic)
Attack Rating:		2 - 6 at 100% speed
Armor Rating:		90 (120 with upgrade)
Abilities:		Pain - Deals black damage to a targeted enemy
Requirements:		Mace Carver, Shaman's Hut
Upgrades:		Viper Shield - Increases armor, health and mana regeneration. Also enables a poisoning effect on the weapon.
Recruitment Costs:		15 Wood, 30 Lenya
	Firemaster
Only the worthiest of Zarach's followers can master the power of the flames and surpass the community of the Totems. They draw their power from the deepest halls, using it to conjure great fireballs that can incinerate even the most powerful enemy. Their lives are a blaze of fire and annihilation, dedicated only to their destructive powers. Even the hordes fear the few that become one with the flames. Their rabid laughter as they gleefully rain fire down on their foes to please not only the blood god, but their own desire, will drive fear into the heart of the most courageous warrior. Firemasters pursue a long and dangerous path, and many unworthy are consumed by the power of the flames – but at the end of their training, their reward is boundless respect from the horde and endless fear from their foes.
Unit Category:		Magic Caster (Elite)
Attack Rating:		3 - 5 at 100%
Armor Rating:		100
Abilities:		Fireburst, Wave of Fire (with upgrade)
Requirements:		Mace Carver, Shaman's Hut, Blood Shrine
Upgrades:		Firestorm - Increases mana regeneration and unlocks the Wave of Fire spell
Recruitment Costs:		20 Wood, 50 Lenya
	Drummer
Although orcs were created for battle, they are not perfect warriors. The Blood God not only instilled in them the urge to kill, but also reverence to their master, whom they fear. And so orcs gladly kill for their master, offering blood of fallen foes as a sacrifice, but should they lose faith in either victory or leader, their fear is awakened, paralysing and weakening their desire to kill. For this reason, orcs seldom travel alone, and an orc leader must be strict and strong. The traditions of the orcs have handed down a tried and true method to ensure the courage of the hordes in battle: The drum. The orcish war drums sound whenever the hordes go into battle. Their thunder bodes ill to their enemies and promises victory to the orcs, reminding each warrior that the horde is with him. Drummers march into battle alongside the warriors. Even if the battle should turn against them, and no matter how hopeless their situation may become - no orc will lose his courage as long as the drums sound.
Unit Category:		Offensive Support
Attack Rating:		3 - 6 at 120% speed
Armor Rating:		120
Abilities:		War Cry - Increases nearby allied units' melee damage.
Requirements:		Mace Carver, Shaman's Hut, Hall of Glory
Upgrades:		Glory of the Horde - Reduces ability cooldown and increases duration.
Recruitment Costs:		40 Wood, 15 Lenya
	Hornblower
Many years ago, the orcs of the Grarg came down from their mountains and descended into the fertile valleys of the humans to hunt and plunder. They brought with them not only the drums of war, but also orcish horns, whose sound proclaimed the might of the horde to all the land. When the orcs met the armies of the House of Leonidar in battle, the human mages unleashed the full power of their magic on the enemy. As the first waves of orcs fell, the Grarg began to falter, fleeing from the overwhelming power of the mages. Enraged at the cowardice of his troops, the Grarg leader Gor snatched a metal horn from one of his soldiers and blew it with all his might. The thundering tone of the horn shook the very earth and echoed down into the valley where the human army stood. With the sound of the horn, the orcs returned, reclaimed their weapons, and followed their leader back into battle. The magicians in the valley rose to attack the orcs again with fire and storm, but again and again the horn sounded, its power resonating off the valley walls and battering the humans’ senses. Confused and shaken, some even paralysed, the mages were unable to complete even the simplest spells, and the human army was easy prey for the orcs. Since that day, the orc horns sound Gor’s Call in every battle, not only to paralyse and confuse their foes, but also to proclaim the glory of the horde and remind them of their victories.
Unit Category:		Defensive Support
Attack Rating:		2 - 7 at 115 speed
Armor Rating:		150
Abilities:		Patronize - Increases nearby allies' magic resistance.
Requirements:		Forge, Shaman's Hut, Hall of Glory, Dark Forge
Upgrades:		Glory of the Horde - Reduces ability cooldown and increases duration.
Recruitment Costs:		50 Iron, 40 Lenya
	Ragefire
For long centuries the bond has been forgotten, that once bound the red horde of the demons with the people of the orcs. But the remains of this alliance can still be seen to this day. They appear in the connection between the orcs and fire, the control of the powers of elemental fire magic and the ability to summon the Ragefire. The story of the Ragefire has its roots on the burning fields before Skye, as the armies of the orcs, defeated and surrounded by humans, came close to utter extinction. No horns blared to tell of their rescue and it seemed their doom was final. It was then that the shouted all their anger and hatred at the lines of the enemy and with it calling the devourer to their side, to devastate the mighty armies of the humans with their burning hatred and drink their enemy’s blood. And thus it happened, as the anger and ferocity of the orcs in the face of death formed a terrible creature of darkness and fire, which struck fear into the hearts of the humans. Enlivened by the anger of the horde and begotten from the fires of demons, this flame covered devil rose mightily among the lines of the enemy’s armies and let his burning axes sing until there was no soul left alive on the battlefield. As long as the anger of the horde is alive and the flames of their hatred burn high, these Ragefires will once lay waste to any army opposing them.
Unit Category:		Titan
Attack Rating:		5 - 9 at 100% speed
Armor Rating:		250
Abilities:		Aura of Slow Fighting - Decreases nearby enemy units' attack speed.
Requirements:		Great Headquarters
Upgrades:		Powerful Titan - Improves the power and allows recruitment after death again.
Recruitment Costs:		500 Iron, 300 Lenya
	War Boar
The orcs get these animals used to the taste of blood at an early age. The breeders repeatedly ram spears and hot irons into the flesh of the captured animals until they become crazed beasts as a result of their rage and pain. They tear each other apart in mutual battle whilst hordes of orcs cheer them on. Only the strongest survive this gruesome spectacle and are then rewarded the honor of fighting to the death on the battlefield.
Unit Category:		Swarm Unit (SotP)
Attack Rating:		8 - 10 at 100% speed
Armor Rating:		55
Abilities:		None
Requirements:		War Boar Pit
Upgrades:		None
Recruitment Costs:		60 Food (for 10 units)
	Inferno
The most loyal servants of Zarach are trained to become infernos in the temple of fire. They summon up giant balls of demonic fire with which they burn down the villages and settlements of their enemies. They have dedicated themselves completely to fire and they experience their greatest pleasure when the sky turns red in the reflection of a burning light worshippers ceremony, in honor of Zarach.
Unit Category:		Siege Unit (SotP)
Attack Rating:		9 - 23 at 100% speed
Armor Rating:		100
Abilities:		Zarach's Fire - Attacks enemy buildings from distance.
Requirements:		Fire Temple
Upgrades:		None
Recruitment Costs:		120 Iron, 140 Lenya

Buildings

To create a good army, a good base is required first. See below what buildings the orcs have to do so.

Headquarters
	Small Headquarters
	Unlocks some advanced buildings and allows size increase of dark rune armies to 30 units.
	Medium Headquarters
	Unlocks some elite buildings and allows size increase of dark rune armies to 50 units.
	Large Headquarters
	Allows the training of the Ragefire and allows size increase of dark rune armies to 80 units.
Resources
	Woodcutter's Hut
	Gathers wood from nearby forests.
	Croptent
	Gathers Lenya from nearby plants.
	Mine
	Gathers Iron from nearby iron deposits.
	Smelting Works
	Refines iron and doubles the amount of iron gathered.
	Fisher's Hut
	Gathers food from nearby fishes.
	Boar Breeding
	Produces food constantly but slowly.
	Hunting Lodge
	Gathers food from nearby wildlife creatures.
	Food Store
	Refines food and doubles food gained. Unlocks mana and health regeneration for orc units.
Military
	Mace Carver
	Allows training of all wood-based units.
	Forge
	Allows training of all iron-based units. Researches the Scythespear upgrade.
	Shaman's Hut
	Allows training of all magic gifted units. Researches Viper Shield upgrade.
	Hall of Glory
	Unlocks Drummer and Hornblower. Researches the Glory of the Horde upgrade.
	Dark Forge
	Unlocks Veteran and Hornblower. Researches the Thunderstrike upgrade.
	Blood Shrine
	Unlocks Firemaster and researches the Firestorm upgrade.
	Firestarter
	Automatically attacks nearby enemies with Fireburst spells.
	Warboar Pit (SotP)
	Quickly creates War Boar units up to 10 at a time.
	Fire Temple (SotP)
	Produces the Inferno unit.

Passive

If an orc's life drops to a low level, he will try to flee from combat. In this state manually redirecting him back into combat won't always work, he will flee again in most cases until his health regenerates to acceptable levels. This includes the Ragefire Titan.

Stats

The orcish units do have their base stats such as damage and armor. However their attributes are not static but instead scale with the units level.

See below how the attributes are changed for orcs when leveling up:

• Strength: 35 + 1 X lvl
• Stamina: 30 + 1 X lvl
• Dexterity: 20 + 1 X lvl
• Agility: 20 + 1 X lvl
• Intelligence: 15 + 1 X lvl
• Wisdom: 20 + 1 X lvl
• Charisma: 10 + 1/3 X lvl
• Fire Resistance: 40 + 2X lvl
• Ice Resistance: 20 + 1 X lvl
• Black Resistance: 30 + 1 X lvl
• Mind Resistance: 20 + 1 X lvl

Media

Rendered images taken and slightly adapted from the official SpellForce site.

Author's Note

• All entries with (SotP) are only available with the Shadow of the Phoenix installed and while playing in the Shadow of the Phoenix Campaign or the Free Game.

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