Orc Warriors

The orcish stone-thrower.
Not the most advanced machine in the world, but quite effective nonetheless.

This weapon was inspired by the native American Lacrosse stick, and functions as a handheld catapult.

Orcs do not make for remarkable marksmen due to a lack in fine motor skills as well as having poor eyesight. They more than compensate for it with explosive brute force, particularly so with upper body strength. This weapon takes advantage of that characteristic and is capable of hurling quite big stones with extreme force and at an incredible range, under certain circumstances even rivalling the range of bow shots. In situations involving wind or rain the weapon can actually outmatch most bows and crossbows.

The ammunition is usually readily available everywhere, and all the Orc stone-lobber team have to do is carry stones picked for size and shape with them around the battlefield, which is usually done by goblins or smaller orcs that fulfil the roles of both an esquire and a slave to their superiors. Those stone lobbing units usually employ the “pressure volley fire” method by shooting at the general direction of the enemy as much and as fast as possible in order to “soften” the enemy unit before another melee unit crushes them. Much more rarely an orc with exceptional skill and finesse would attempt a targeted shot at a particular enemy or another similarly sized target. A few even develop enough skill as to hit a person quite reliably at a distance of about thirty paces, and those are considered skilled marksmen by their peers.

This scene depicts a small orc raid into an Elven territory.

Small forces of no more than 50 soldiers on each side clash on a valley between two hills while marksmen of both sides shoot from their higher position atop of the hills, both at each other and onto the troops down below.

Orc raids are motivated by a necessity of acquiring resources they cannot manufacture themselves, as well as a simple instinctive lust for violence and war and an appetite for other humanoids' flesh, which is considered a delicacy as well as a source of power by their primitive and brutal religion.

Elf blood and body parts are powerful ingredients in many of their rituals and magic, and live captured elves are extremely valuable loot that can be used as currency inside of their societies to gain favours and status. Elves are a dangerous but worthwhile prey and many young and destitute Orcs often band together and march into Elven territories in the hopes of making a name to themselves and climbing the social ladder within their tribes.