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Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum β

"Da best shoota I eva made, dat iz. Loadza barrulz, so dat it’s ded shooty. ‘Sept dat wun, ‘cos dat’s da skorcha, dat’s burny insted. Yeah, good an’ propa. An’ da bullitz is ‘splosiv...dey goez boom inna fings wot you’z shootin.’ An’ dat button dere...dat’s da best bit. Wot it duz, see, iz...iz...oh, zog. Nah, its nuffin’ boss. Nah, you’z don’t need ta see wot dat button duz...‘onist. Don’t push it!"
- Last words of Nazdakka Boomsnik, Renowned Mekboy.[Needs Citation]


Bad Moon Big Mek[5]

Mekboyz (also known as 'Mekaniaks' or just 'Meks') are Ork Oddboyz, and are the engineers who build all the gunz, vehicles, and other machinery used by the Orks.[Needs Citation]


Overview

Mekboyz are especially important to Speed Freeks, as they maintain their prodigious amount of bikes and vehicles. Important Mekboyz are known as Big Meks, who lead groups of lesser Mekboyz armed with all variety of kustom equipment and combi-weapons, sometimes even warbands or whole Waaagh!s armed with a better percentage of less than conventional orky weaponry. Mekboyz are an interesting example of the Ork race because their abilities with machinery are not a learned knowledge. It is less intelligence or skill, and more instinct, as their relative wealth of technological know-how is actually genetically engineered into them, and is expressed in their trademark crude and ramshackle style of building. Although incredible as it sounds, this knowledge at its peak actually surpasses the Imperium's technology levels. It should be noted that the bulk of their "technology" is so incredibly crude that its ability to function would apparently contravene not only common sense but the laws of physics as well; a given shoota is, more than likely, literally slapped together out of scrap metal, leaving it by rights incapable of firing. That it works at all is testament to the power of the Ork Waaagh!, as its peculiar psychic field allows them to bypass the physical impossibilities that would ordinarily render their gear useless or broken, simply via belief. Within limits, if an Ork believes a particular gun is working and pulls the trigger, it will fire. Although this doesn't mean that anything will do, and Mekboys create what conceptually might be relatively close to their intended weapon or wargear.[Needs Citation]

The power of the Waaagh! gives the item that extra push it needs to operate. Mekboys are therefore critical to the maintenance of Ork technology not only physically, but psychically as well, as they can instill sufficient credibility in the Waaaagh! regarding a given device to get it actually working. A related version of this system is why "da red wunz go fasta".[Needs Citation]

Variants

Big Mek

Big Meks are stronger, more powerful Mekboys who have, over time, gathered a following of Mekboys and acolytes. Their mastery of technology is unsurpassed and are often seen with forcefields protecting them and their creations.[Needs Citation]

Mek-Boss

Mek-Bosses are the biggest and most powerful Meks, often acting as Warbosses in a Waaagh!.[Needs Citation]

Mek Wargear

Meks have access to the most advanced wargear in any Ork warband, including:[7a][7b][2c]


Meks also oversee the use of various powerful and exotic heavy weapons operated by Grotz, known collectively as Mek Gunz.[9]

Notable Mekboyz

Images

Miniatures

Big Meks

Meks

See also

Sources