Choppa

"Oi! Snebber! Woz you lookin’ at my choppa? Wot? Howzabout you looks at it a bit closer eh? Yeah? Yeah? Eat dis!"

—Gabber, Orc^[3a]

Concept art of an Orc choppa created for Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning

An Orc choppa is a huge, crudely-made heavy blade, in the form of an axe or sword, that is far too ungainly for a typical Human to wield in one hand but capable of inflicting horrendous slashing wounds. Whatever an Orc's other equipment, he will always have a choppa at hand.^[1a]

Role

Orc weapons are considerably more crude and far heftier than those of the other intelligent species of the world of Mallus. The Orcs wield these weapons with such violent joy that they can turn their foes into a fine red mist long before their chopping arms get tired. Orcs call their melee weapons "choppas" -- it doesn't matter what type of weapons they are, they just get called "huge choppas," "pointy choppas," and so on.^[5a]

Orc choppas as rendered for Total War: Warhammer.

Orcish weapons are crudely-manufactured things that rely less on keen edges and more on sheer mass. In the hands of an Orc, such weapons are incredibly deadly, able to bludgeon a foe into a bloody mess in very short order. Such a chunk of metal would be difficult for a Human to wield in one hand, but Orcs are muscle-bound beasts with fists as big as a man's head.^[4a]

These brutal cleavers are nasty weapons indeed. Possessing a longhafted handle and a wide, wedge-like blade, Orc choppas can cut through armour with ease. Only Orcs know how to use these weapons. All of the other intelligent races have difficulty managing their balance and weight.^[2a]

A special breed of berserk Orc warrior has since taken to naming themselves "Orc Choppas" after their infamous weapons.^[6]

Notable Choppas

• Gitsnik - The enchanted axe-like choppa of the great Black Orc warboss, Grimgor Ironhide.

• Ardlad's Axe o' Doom - A powerful axe-like choppa that Borgut Facebeater acquired from Grimgor Ironhide's former lieutenant.

Sources

• 1: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Core Rulebook (RPG)
  • 1a: pg. 230
• 2: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Old World Armoury (RPG)
  • 2a: pg. 36
• 3: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Old World Bestiary (RPG)
  • 3a: pg. 23
• 4: Warhammer Armies: Orcs and Goblins (7th Edition)
  • 4a: pg. 18
• 5: Warhammer Armies: Orcs and Goblins (8th Edition)
  • 5a: pg. 33
• 6: Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning (PC Game)