Easily the most populous of all the races of Middle-earth, the orcs formed the backbone of the army of Mordor. Hardy, resilient and intelligent, the Uruks of Mordor made up in numbers what they lacked in discipline.

Well equipped - by orcish standards - by blackened iron weapons from the extensive slave-run armouries of the Black-land, they would even fight in daylight though they hated the direct rays of the sun. Their chief failing, however, was indiscipline, together with a low leavel of morale which would cause them to break and run if a battle appeared to be turning against them, especially during daylight.

Cruel, violent and cannibalistic by nature, and possessing no innate sence of loyalty or duty, they could be driven to obedience only by fear of punishnment and torture.

The result of this was that the orcish armies tended to be unstable hierarchies, with their leaders staying in command only for as long as they were strong and cunning enough to keep any potential rivals in their place. Promotion was usually by assassination and once in power this tool was often used to remove potential rivals; but overall the orcs were so terrified of the power of Lugburz (Barad-dur) that they remained obedient to the will of Mordor.