Orcs – discussion about the race.

Yes, Orcs are generally good, especially in the early game, if your hero is Tilseck or Haggeesh. Tilseck, by level 8-10, can deal significant damage with ballistae, and it's quite challenging to eliminate them early on, both with troops and magic. As for Haggeesh, she has a good specialty, plus there are many centaurs, and (which I really like about her) the "Memory of Blood" skill is included.