tying oneself to the Ogryn,
PlayinG urok Ogryn are stubborn and dim-witted, usually only speaking in broken low-gothic, and Urok is no exception. He is slow to react, but fiercely loyal, always coming to the aid of his comrades, and always willing to follow the orders of his Commissar. However, the recent loss of the “Little ‘Un” Gurion has caused Urok to act uncharacteristically aggressive. He has started acting on his own initiative, doing anything he can to get revenge on the Orks that killed his friend
Forcing a young, green conscript to back down from a fight and doing the same to an Ogryn both require Intimidation Skill Tests, but the latter is clearly harder than the former.
Ogryn-Proof: May be used by Ogryn characters
If an Ogryn happens to be in the group, he might not be able to resist trying to wrestle a Krootox to the ground along the way (a feat that might even impress the Shaper enough to influence his decision)
Among the Ogryn assigned to the Spinward Front, it has become something of a fundamental test of strength to attempt to overpower a Krootox in the heat of combat, a quirk that has cost more than one Ogryn a limb or two.
concerns the regiments of Imperial Guard auxiliary forces. From the Crimson Guard tech-soldiers of the Lathe Worlds to the Ratling scouts of the Cyprian Huntsmen to the Ogryn shock-troopers of the Orcan Stonecrushers, this chapter illuminates the history and the traditions of several regiments seconded to the Imperial Guard.
The Guardsman knows that, without the Enginseer to bless his Chimera, the Confessor to absolve him of his sins, or the Ogryn to lead the assault, he may not long survive the rigours of war.
Alongside Priests and Enginseers, abhumans are the next most common group found fighting alongside the Imperial Guard. The most oft-encountered of these are the diminutive Ratlings and the towering Ogryns. These abhumans are among the few Imperial sanctioned human variants allowed to fight in the Imperial Guard
Ogryns stand in stark contrast to Ratlings. Where the Ratling is small and physically weak, the Ogryn is an unsubtle, towering mountain of muscle. Where the Ratling is careful and cautious, the Ogryn blunders around crushing everything in its path. What they lack in stealth and caution Ogryns more than make up for in size and strength, standing almost twice the height of a man and three times as broad across. Ogryns have found their place upon the battlefield in assaults and close combat actions where their brawn is most useful. Many Ogryns live up to this ideal and, armed with enormous melee weapons and hefting their immense bulk into mobile walls on the battlefield, as strong as many a fortification. Unfortunately, all of an Ogryn’s might comes at the cost of his mind, and they are notoriously dim-witted, requiring close supervision by officers and commissars to complete their tasks. Even the Ogryn Bone ‘eads are only slightly brighter, though enough so to mark them out as officers and leaders among their kind.Ogryn squads are a rare and valued commodity among the Imperial commanders of the Spinward Front, and to have access to them is often the result of earning favour from above, or a measure of the importance of the task at hand. While almost all guardsmen view an Ogryn’s strength and endurance with awe, there are some among these hardy abhumans who have distinguished themselves further.51st aBhuman penalsuppressIon DetaChmentOgryns are not just valued as bodyguards and shock troops but can also be put to use as wardens in rare instances. While lacking the intelligence to be truly effective, their size and strength can compensate as long as they are given clear instructions.
The 51st Abhuman Penal Suppression Detachment is made up of those Ogryns deemed unfit for frontline duty, either due to permanent injury, or exceptionally limited intellect (even for Ogryns) The Administratum within the Spinward Front has put these “damaged” Ogryns to work aboard the prison barge Oath of Judgement as wardens. The vessel routinely travels around the sector taking on military prisoners, guardsmen who have failed to adhere to the strict regulations of their regiment or committed some minor crime that was undeserving of summary execution.The upper decks of the vessel remain sealed at all times and the Ogryns patrol the lower decks with the prisoners, told to keep anyone smaller than themselves from causing trouble. So far this practice has worked, with the prisoners for the most part intimidated by the abhumans and the Ogryns too stupid to fall for any of their tricks. On occasion the Suppression Detachment is also used in a policing role on Imperial Navy vessels or Imperial Guard bases, where their heavy handed tactics can be used to quell riots and round up criminals. However, this is usually a last resort, as the abhumans have trouble telling the real troublemakers from bystanders and more than one Guardsman has been caught up in a disturbance only to get knocked around the back of the head with a meaty fist and wake up in the hold of the Judgement.
636th Ironarm BulWark squaD The Imperial Guard regiments of Cadia constitute a large proportion of those forces fighting in the Spinward Front. Many of these Shock Troop formations arrive with their own abhuman detachments in tow, having served alongside them in other sectors. The 1636th Ironarm Bulwark Squad has fought with the Cadian 818th Shock Troops for at least a decade, the lumbering Ogryn’s of the squad forming fast bonds with the guardsmen. In battle, the Ironarm Bulwark Squad is used for holding actions and shock assaults, their mighty slab shields and mauls smashing into enemy formations or holding them at bay.In the Battle for Bridge 212, the Ironarms proved their worth time and again as they held back the rampaging Ork forces of Waaagh! Grimtoof. Three times the Goff warbands tried to cross the bridge and three times the Ogryns threw them back, the towering abhumans cracking green skulls in a brutally efficient fashion.There are several stories as to how the Ironarms got their designation of 1636th, considering that Ogryn squads are so few in number. One tale has it that the squad was originally destined for the 1636th Cadian Shock Regiment in the Jericho Reach as part of the Achilus Crusade but was diverted at the last minute, perhaps as the result of an Administratum error. Another maintains that it is even simpler than that, and when the squad Bone ’ead learned he was joining a regiment called the 818th he should be the 1636th because he was twice the size of any Guardsman.
oath-BounD BoDyguarD Ogryns make excellent bodyguards for they are loyal, determined, and extremely hard to kill. Among the officer cadres of Lord Marshal Ghanzorik’s regimental commands, it is a great honour to have an oath-bound Ogryn bodyguard. Normally, Ogryns are such a valuable asset that they are formed into squads and used as shock troops or blocking detachments, but sometimes a high-ranking officer manages to requisition one for his own personal retinue. In the same way that officers sometimes have advisors from other arms of a crusade or Imperial force, an Ogryn can end up shadowing a captain, colonel, or general as they take a journey to the front to inspect the war. Imperial officers also take great pleasure in the intimidation factor that an Ogryn brings to any tactical briefing or even social engagement, the towering abhumans making everyone in the room painfully aware of their own insignificance.Rarer still are those instances where an Ogryn will form a bond of fellowship with a low-ranking officer or even regular guardsmen. The simple minds of these hulking abhumans can for reasons unknown become fixated upon a particular human, especially if that human shows them kindness (or just happens to be in the right place at the right time). Once an Ogryn connects with an Imperial soldier in this way, the bond becomes almost unbreakable. Reports from the Spinward Front confirm that this has happened on several occasions, with charismatic and courageous junior officers acquiring for themselves the undying loyalty of one of the abhuman shock troopers.
The Orcan Stonecrushers
n the wake of the Angevin Crusade, the colonists and Administratum tithe assayers swept through the newly conquered worlds of the nascent Calixis Sector, cataloguing planets and determining their usefulness to the Imperium. The world designated Orcus was found to be unsuitable for colonisation due to its high gravity, yet, paradoxically, was already inhabited. Administratum census proctori and Adeptus Mechanicus genetors confirmed within one year that the human-descended denizens of Orcus were stable abhumans, classifying them as Ogryns. The representatives of the Priesthood of Earth began the task of bringing Orcus into the Imperial fold. He classified the planet, its native flora and fauna, and its abhuman inhabitants; but it would be many years before the Administratum found an appropriate purpose for the inhospitable world. Orcus is a largely barren world of rocky crags and plateaus. The native animal life tends toward the large and dangerous, while the flora consists primarily of hardy grasses and mosses. Saltwater oceans cover approximately a quarter of Orcus’s surface, fed by freshwater streams that flow from the craggy mountain peaks. Orcus’ native inhabitants primarily live on the equatorial region’s rocky highlands and lowland planes, although smaller communities can be found in the mountains and even wandering the frozen tundra of its poles. The native Ogryns are hearty enough to survive almost anywhere on the world’s surface. The Ogryn inhabitants of Orcus live a primarily hunter-gatherer lifestyle, following the herds of gonar beasts in their migrations across the plains. The tumbled and ruined remains of ancient colony complexes are largely buried beneath millennia of earth and growth and, though the native Ogryns claim that the ruins have always been there, the clear semblance to STC patterns indicates that these structures were the abodes of the Ogryns forebears. However, by the time of the Angevin Crusade, the Ogryns’ technology level was profoundly primitive, with most groups lacking even the knowledge to forge basic metals. Stone or bone weapons dominated, and what few trees grew on Orcus were made into massive spears for hunting the great beasts of the plains. Even if the Ogryns had the mental capacity to utilise the surviving equipment of their ancestors, their oversized and clumsy fingers could hardly manipulate it.Despite a few initial incidents, the majority of the native Ogryn population welcomed the Imperium, not unlike the way a child might enthusiastically welcome a returning parent. The Missionaria Galaxia introduced the Imperial Creed to the population far more quickly than they expected, as the Ogryns wholeheartedly embraced the worship of the Emperor. It soon became apparent that the Ogryns craved the Emperor’s approval, interpreting his status as the Father of Mankind quite literally. The gargantuan inhabitants of Orcus flocked to hear the word of the Ministorum priests, hanging on their every word, though failing to comprehend many of them. Despite such success, throughout this initial contact the world’s crushing gravity was a constant problem for the Imperium’s agents and Adepts. Consequently, much of the work of assimilation and governing had to be done from orbiting spacecraft, and later from permanent orbital facilities. Those devoted missionaries and priests who proselytised to the Ogryns could endure only brief periods on the surface, returning frequently to the ships and void stations in orbit, much to the Ogryns’ disappointment.In 609.M40, the Adeptus Administratum found a use for Orcus. With its high gravity acting as both a natural form of restraint and unusual punishment, the Adepts decreed that Orcus would serve as a penal world. Immediately, construction began on massive penitarium complexes—much to the bemusement of the natives—and Adepts of the Administratum and Adeptus Arbites began drafting the native Ogryns to work as guards and custodians. The crushing gravity ensures that ordinary humans can tolerate only short spans on the world’s surface, and so the Arbitrators who manage the penal world cycle through brief rotations on-planet, with the rest of their time spent aboard Orcus’ two orbital stations, situated in geosynchronous orbit above each pole. During their terms on-world, the Arbitrators act primarily in a supervisory capacity, leaving the day-to-day guard duties to the Ogryn custodians, whom they often refer to as “guard dogs”, or similar derogatory terms. Yet most insults go unnoticed by the Ogryns, who are happy to serve in any capacity, as long as they believe it is the Emperor’s will.
TRAINING AND EQUIPMENTOrcan regiments have an advantage over many forces raised from other Ogryn worlds due to the training that many of them undergo to serve as guards of the penitarium complexes. These Ogryns have experience following orders, however limited and simplistic they might be, which is valuable to the Imperial Guard. Because of this, Orcan regiments have a reputation for being somewhat easier to work with than other Ogryn forces. With many of them having already reached the limits of their mental capacity, Ogryns raised from Orcus often undergo even less training than other Ogryn regiments, which is to say practically none at all. Orcan regiments are equipped with extremely heavy and thick flak armour incorporating numerous rigid plates. While still basic and simple to produce, this armour provides greater protection than typical models of Imperial Guard flak armour, enhancing the Ogryns’ already considerable resilience. As with nearly all Ogryn regiments, the standard-issue weapon of the Orcan regiments is the ripper gun, a massive automatic combat shotgun, far too large and unwieldy for use by a normal human. While the recoil alone could tear a man’s arms from the sockets, the Ogryns of Orcus seem completely oblivious to the kick, happily blasting away at their foes with burst after burst of fire. Drawing on their primitive instincts and talent for brutal melee combat, the Departmento Munitorum has also seen fit to grant many Orcan regiments with additional melee weapons. While ripper guns are built to withstand use as clubs in hand-to-hand combat, many Orcans prefer weapons with the feel and effect of the crude stone great-axes, hammers, and mauls of their home world. Similarly, simplistic weapons crafted of more advanced materials are significantly more effective in battle, and their shiny surfaces seem to please the Ogryns greatly.In addition to their Munitorum-issue kit, many Orcans bring primitive weapons from their home, or the heavy-duty truncheons issued by the Adeptus Arbites for their gaoler duties. Despite the orders of their superiors in the Imperial Guard and even the Commissars, whom the Ogryns adore, many Orcan regiments practice barbaric rituals that are common in their society, from taking the skulls of their slain enemies or other such grisly trophies, to loud and raucous celebrations featuring their traditional “music.” Such issues are not unique to the Orcan regiments, and are common with regiments raised from feral worlds. Such activities are less common amongst the Ogryns who have served as guards for the penitariums, however—yet another reason the Departmento Munitorum prefers to recruit such individuals to the greatest extent they can negotiate with the Adeptus Arbites.orCan stoneCrushersInthe spInWarD frontThe Orcan regiments have something of a unique position on the Spinward Front, owing to their recent history. Orcus is situated firmly with the Periphery, and was amongst the planets claimed by the Severan Dominate when Duke Severus XIII declared his secession. For many months, this meant little, until the “liberation forces” of the Severan Dominate arrived. The miniscule contingent of Adeptus Arbites stationed on the planet were completely unprepared to hold off the invading force. Their chances might have been better with the native Ogryns’ assistance, but the Ducal Legates reached them first, ensuring such aid would not come. The Duke’s own political officers quickly swayed the loyal Ogryns to their cause, twisting the abhumans’ devotion to the Emperor, just as the forces of the Severan Dominate did on many other worlds. Much to the Severan Dominate’s satisfaction, this act proved much easier with the simple-minded and trusting Ogryns. The Ducal Legates succeeded in convincing a large number of the Ogryns, including chieftains and Bone ‘eads, that they represented the will of the Emperor, and that obedience to Duke Severus would please Him on Earth. Wisely and correctly concluding that the small presence of Ministorum Priests stationed within the penitarium complex would pose the greatest obstacle to the conversion of the Ogryns, the Duke’s forces struck at the representatives of the Ecclesiarchy swiftly, despatching special operations units to silence them. This being done, the Severan Dominate’s wordsmiths continued their mission to recruit the dim-witted Orcans to the Duke’s cause. With the aid of the native Ogryns, the Severan Dominate quickly took control of Orcus.By the time Imperial reinforcements arrived in the form of the Brontian 23rd Light Infantry, with artillery support from the 203rd Krieg, Orcus was firmly in the hands of the Severan Dominate, who had begun recruiting Imperial convicts and recidivists of all stripes to their cause. Many of these individuals, already resentful of theImperium, took little convincing to swear to the Duke’s service. Still more gladly pledged their service in exchange for freedom from the penitariums. Though this caused some concern for the native Ogryns, who had been taught for centuries to despise the prisoners as enemies of the Emperor, it was not enough to sway them from fighting alongside the Duke’s forces to repel the Imperial relief. With the high-gravity conditions of Orcus, both the Severan Dominate and Imperial forces fought at a huge disadvantage, leaving the Ogryns as the deciding factor in battle. With so many Ogryns bolstering their numbers, the Severan Dominate decisively won battle after battle. The turning point came when a number of Adeptus Ministorum priests took to the field, hoping to rally the Brontian forces for a renewed counter attack. Recognising the preachers as representatives of the Emperor’s will, the Ogryn forces faltered when they saw the scions of the emperor’s word about to be slaughtered. Their leader, Brik Agrak, switched sides once more and rushed to the preachers’ aid, barrelling into the Severan Dominate infantry, swiftly followed by his Ogryn warriors. In the confusion, it was only thanks to Brik’s Bone ‘ead surgery, required for his duty as a pen-block supervisor, that a battlefield alliance was possible. Loudly affirming the Ogryns’ loyalty and devotion to the Emperor, Brik parleyed with the Ministorum detachment and quickly rallied the other (rather confused) Ogryns to redirect their attacks against the Severan Dominate forces. With Brik’s assistance, the Imperial Guard soon rallied the rest of the local population to the Imperial cause. As word of the Severan Dominate’s treachery spread throughout the Ogryn population, they rose up and retook their world alongside the Imperial forces. The victory took many months, but with the Ogryns against them, the Severan Dominate lacked the manpower to hold their territory. With previously unseen fury, the Ogryns decimated the Severan Dominate that had deceived them into betraying the Imperium.In the aftermath of the retaking of Orcus, the Departmento Munitorum was understandably wary of the Orcan Ogryns. However, even during the Duke’s control of Orcus and the natives’ misguided allegiance to him, Orcan forces had continued to serve the Imperial Guard loyally in the Jericho Reach, Scarus Sector, and even in the Spinward Front. The Orcan regiments fought valiantly against the forces of the Severan Dominate, even while their brethren at home were swayed to the Duke’s cause. Weighing all factors, the masters of the Departmento Munitorum saw fit to raise several additional regiments from Orcus, once the pacification was all-but-complete. The general staff immediately pit these new regiments against the Severan Dominate on a half-dozen worlds, with Commissars assigned to directly supervise their activities. Surely enough, the newly recruited Orcans fought ferociously against the Severan Dominate forces, driven by rage at the traitors and an overwhelming desire to redeem themselves in the eyes of the Imperium and the Emperor.Recently, officers of the Departmento Munitorum have made the controversial recommendation to raise a penal regiment from amongst Orcus’s imprisoned criminal population. With the ever-increasing need for personnel in the Spinward Front, this action is proceeding, and a new Orcan regiment of a very different kind is soon to be amongst the Imperial Guard forces fighting against the enemies of the Imperium on the Calixis Sector’s border.THE ORCAN 97TH STONECRUSHERSLike nearly all Ogryn regiments, both those raised from Orcus and elsewhere, the Orcan 97th is an infantry regiment that specialises in shock tactics and close-quarters warfare. Clad in heavy-duty flak armour and wielding a combination of robust ripper guns and heavyweight melee weapons machined for the hulking abhumans, the Ogryns of the 97th are a terror to behold in combat. Charging through hails of enemy fire without regard to their safety, the Ogryns close with their enemies in order to annihilate them in the brutal swirl of melee combat. Typically, the warriors begin firing their ripper guns upon sight of the enemy, whether or not they are within effective range, and cease firing only once engaged in melee or they run out of ammunition. Due to Ogryns’ intense fear of enclosed spaces, the squads do without Chimeras or other armoured transport, instead closing on foot. Because of this, the Ogryns are frequently assigned to battle zones with dense terrain and an abundance of close-range engagements. However, out of necessity, arrogance, or incompetence, Orcan 97th squads are not infrequently assigned to warzones where they must cross no-man’s-land or other open terrain in order to engage the enemy up-close. Fortunately, the Ogryns’ robust physiques and heavy armour include that only the most dedicated enemy fire has a chance of stopping them before they charge into the foe’s ranks.On paper, the highest ranked member of the Orcan 97th, and by default its commanding officer, is Bone ’ead 1st class Yurp Clandek. However, even the most intelligent of Ogryns is unfit to lead any organisational unit larger than a single squad. Because the Orcan 97th, as most Ogryn regiments, is divided up and spread across numerous fronts, where individual platoons or squads are seconded to other regiments or formations, the question of commanding officer is a moot point. In practice, the abhumans of the Orcan 97th are at the command of whatever officer leads the force to which they are assigned. Lacking any sort of grasp of strategy above that of an ordinary human child, Clandek is completely incapable of coordinating efforts across the vast distances between squads, even were he to possess an understanding of the logistics of long-range communication. Consequently, once split away, Orcan 97th squads are completely isolated from the rest of their regiment, often permanently.In cases where squads of the 97thserve long-term with a particular regiment, they sometimes adopt certain elements of that regiment. However, adaptation is not a strong point for the Ogryns, and most squads of the Orcan 97th remain unchanged, regardless of the time elapsed since they last saw others of their kind.The Orcan 97th is one of the regiments raised in the aftermath of the Imperium’s retaking of Orcus from the Severan Dominate. Consequently, its squads are almost invariably watched closely by Commissars, who frequently even accompany the squad into battle. These Commissars refrain from integrating too closely with their charges, both due to the unsavoury nature of the Orcans’ personal hygiene and other personal customs, and so as to remain wary for any signs of lingering treachery. For their part, the Orcan 97th crave the approval of the Commissars and other representatives of the Imperium, desiring only to prove their loyalty to the Emperor. To this end, they fight bravely and ferociously against the traitors of the Severan Dominate, and strive to follow orders to the letter—no matter how confusing the instructions might be to the dim-witted, yet well-intentioned Ogryns.
regIment rulesCharacters belonging to the Orcusian 97th gain the following advantages:Characteristic Modifiers: +3 Weapon Skill, +10 Strength, +10 Toughness, –18 Intelligence, –10 Agility, and an additional +3 to either Strength or ToughnessStarting Skills: Intimidate, Survival, Dodge or ParrySt ar t ing Talent s : Die Hard, Iron Jaw, Lightning ReflexesStar t ing Trait s : Auto-Stabilised, Size (5), Sturdy, Unnatural Strength (+2), and Unnatural Toughness (+2) Traits, as well as the Clumsy and But it Dark in Dere! Traits (see page 91 of the Only War Core Rulebook)Fluency: Though they are likely to speak a debased version of their ancestral language, or else learn to upon their induction into the Imperial Guard, Ogryn world characters lack the intellectual capacity to learn how to read or write the universal language of the Imperium. Because of this, Ogryn world characters do not start with the Linguistics (Low Gothic) Skill at creation. They are still capable of engaging in any verbal communication in Low Gothic that does not require a Skill Test. However, even Ogryns who have undergone Bone ’ead surgery still speak and comprehend slowly, and verbal communication with humans who lack experience dealing with Ogryns is prone to some difficulty, at least until they come to an understanding of the Ogryns’ primitive use of the language.Abhumans: While Orcus is home to ordinary humans, these individuals are either members of the Adeptus Arbites, and therefore precluded from service in the Imperial Guard, or the very prisoners to which the native Ogryn population have acted as gaolers for centuries, which would be represented by the Penal Colony origin. While it is common for Ministorum Priests and Commissars to accompany the Orcusian 97th on the field to keep them on-task and directed, such individuals stand distinctly apart from their charges, for obvious reasons. Therefore, Orcusian 97th characters cannot be Support Specialists; they can only choose from the Guardsmen Specialities. To include Support Specialists alongside Guardsmen from the Orcusian 97th, players should use the Mixed Regiment rules found in the Only Warsupplement, hammerOfthe emperOr.Narrow Focus: Due to the restriction on Support Specialists, Orcusian characters have fewer options when selecting a Speciality. However, unlike a lone Ogryn operating with a Squad from another regiment, Ogryns fighting alongside others of their own kind often more quickly adapt to the traditional roles of their culture (such as it is) on Orcus. A Character from this regiment always count as both an Ogryn and a Guardsman for the purposes of prerequisites, regardless of his current Speciality or Advanced Speciality. Wounds : Characters of the Orcusian 97th gain +15 starting Wounds.Standard Regimental Kit: 1 ripper gun and 4 clips, 1 suit of Best Craftsmanship Imperial Guard flak armour,5 frag grenades, 1 mono-great weapon, uniform, poor weather gear, rucksack, basic toolkit, mess kit and water canteen, blanket and sleep bag, rechargeable lamp pack, grooming kit, dog tags, Imperial Infantryman’s Uplifting Primer, and 6 weeks’ rationsFavoured Weapons: Ripper gun, autocannon
CreatIngthe orCusIan97th stoneCrushersThe rules listed for the Orcusian 97th have been created using the Regiment Creation rules included in this chapter and on page 58 of the Only War Core Rulebook.Home World: Ogryn worldCommanding Officer: SanguineRegiment Type: Close Assault RegimentDoctrines: Ogryn Weapons Total Cost: 11 p oi n t
Two new options, Ogryn worlds and Ratling worlds, are radically different from previous Home World options, allowing for Regiments entirely consisting of abhumans. Using these options, players can all take on unique roles in the squad while playing abhuman characters.
While the Adeptus Terra recognises seventy-three stable abhuman strains, the two most common and most visible are Ogryns and Ratlings. This is particularly true in the Imperial Guard, which drafts regiments of Ogryn and Ratling auxilia for their particular capabilities.It is, perhaps, an irony that abhuman regiments must fight and die in the defence of a populace that, by and large, distrusts, looks down on, and even despises them for failing to adhere to the human norm. The Ecclesiarchy preaches that the form of Man is sacred, and that mutation is a blasphemy against that pure form and a reflection of spiritual corruption. While there has been much debate through the millennia over what exactly abhumans are, the official stance is that they are not mutants but, as the word suggests, divergent strains of humanity. However, acceptance of abhumans remains difficult to reconcile with the teachings of the Adeptus Ministorum.Abhumans almost invariably evolved in isolation, resulting in particular abhuman home worlds. In some cases, ordinary humans have since come to populate these worlds alongside the abhumans, while others remain solely the domain of the native abhuman population. Most abhuman strains developed during the long millennia between the Dark Age of Technology, when Humanity spread across the stars and colonised uncounted worlds, and the Age of the Imperium. During the dark years of the Age of Strife, many worlds were completely cut off from other human planets. This isolation bred distinctive traits in those populations. Some worlds, due to a particular environmental quirk, produced radically divergent inhabitants that, while human, are so different from Man’s original form as to present a unique strain. These abhumans have met with a variety of attitudes and persecutions in the millennia since the Great Crusade, and Mankind’s many subsequent crusades, rediscovered their lost worlds.
Ogryn World and Ratling World characters are fundamentally different physiologically and genetically than ordinary humans, and so their differences are much more pronounced than the results of mere cultural or environmental upbringing. Consequently, these origins provide more extensive modifiers, both positive and negative, to characters’ starting Characteristics.
ogryn WorlDOgryn worlds are those planets that are home to the hulking abhumans commonly known as Ogryns. Although the Adeptus Administratum officially classifies seven distinct types of Ogryn, the differences between these strains are minuscule in comparison to those between Ogryns and baseline humanity. Ogryns are massive, and superhumanly strong and resilient. Even the smallest Ogryns tower over the largest and most physically intimidating of normal humans. However, Ogryns are also universally dim-witted. Even those Ogryns displaying exceptional intellect must undergo additional surgical enhancement before they can be trusted to carry out tasks and instructions without direct supervision. Unlike other origins, characters from Ogryn worlds are defined by their physical and genetic traits, rather than by their environment or culture. However, most Ogryn worlds do have certain features in common. Ogryns have evolved primarily on barren, inhospitable worlds with higher gravity than Earth. In order to survive and thrive on such planets, Ogryns require the masses of muscle which lend them such exceptional strength under normal gravity conditions. Because Ogryns are so intellectually stunted, Ogryn worlds tend toward the primitive side. Ogryns are unable to make technological advances on their own, and due to the changes in their morphology, are unable to utilise equipment inherited from their human ancestors, even were they to grasp the basic principles required to do so. In some cases, an Ogryn world might also be home to regular humans. In these cases, it usually means that human colonists have settled the world in the days since the Great Crusade, living alongside the abhumans who are descended from the original colonists. Because Ogryn worlds are so adverse to human life, such human inhabitants are more likely to be members of one or more of the Imperial Adepta, depending on what utility the world has to the Imperium.
Cost: 5 pointsCharacteristic Modifiers: +10 Strength, +10 Toughness, –15 Intelligence, –10 Agility, and an additional +3 to eitherStrength or ToughnessStarting Skills: All Ogryn world characters come from conditions so inhospitable as to be fatal to ordinary humans. Ogryn world characters start with Survival and Intimidate.Toughened: Ogryns are notoriously resilient to injury, fighting on despite their wounds either through determination, sheer toughness, or simple incomprehension of their severity. Ogryn world characters gain the Die Hard or Iron Jaw Talent.Fluency: Though they are likely to speak a debased version of their ancestral language, or else learn to upon their induction into the Imperial Guard, Ogryn world characters lack the intellectual capacity to learn how to read or write the universal language of the Imperium. Because of this, Ogryn world characters do not start with the Linguistics (Low Gothic) Skill at creation. They are still capable of engaging in any verbal communication in Low Gothic that does not require a Skill Test. However, even Ogryns who have undergone Bone ’ead surgery still speak and comprehend slowly, and verbal communication with humans who lack experience dealing with Ogryns is prone to some difficulty, at least until they come to an understanding of the Ogryns’ primitive use of the language.Ogryn: Ogryns are clearly identifiable as abhumans thanks to their massive bulk and monumental strength. Ogryns are capable of flipping a vehicle with their bare hands and all but ignoring wounds that would cripple or kill a normal human. Yet, these fearsome creatures are almost universally scared of dark, enclosed spaces. Ogryn characters gain the Auto-Stabilised, Size (5), Sturdy, Unnatural Strength (+2), and Unnatural Toughness (+2) Traits, as well as the Clumsy and But it Dark in Dere! Traits (see page 91 of the Only WarCore Rulebook).Abhumans: Ogryn world characters have a very specific origin. Unlike hive-worlders or death-worlders, who can pass on some of their skills and abilities, there is just no way for Support Specialists to adapt to be more like Ogryns! Therefore, Ogryn world characters cannot be Support Specialists; they can only choose from the Guardsmen Specialities. To include Support Specialists alongside Guardsmen from an Ogryn world, players should use the rules for Mixed Regiments presented in the Only Warsupplement, hammerOfthe emperOr.Narrow Focus: Due to the restriction on Support Specialists, Ogryn world characters have fewer options when selecting a Speciality. However, unlike a lone Ogryn operating in a Squad from another regiment, Ogryns fighting alongside others of their own kind often more quickly adapt to the traditional roles of their home world. A Character from this regiment always count as both an Ogryn and a Guardsman for the purposes of prerequisites, regardless of his current Speciality or Advanced Speciality.Wounds: Ogryn characters gain +15 starting wounds.
Ogryn WeaponsFor regiments raised from Ogryn home worlds, or regiments that include a sizeable contingent of Ogryn auxilia amongst their number, it is vital that these hulking abhumans have access to appropriate weapons. Such regiments often attempt to reach a special understanding with the Departmento Munitorum so as to assure the availability of weapons suitable for use by Ogryns.Cost: 1 pointStandard Regimental Kit: The regiment gains an additional +10 on all Logistics Tests to obtain items with the Ogryn-Proof Weapon Quality. In addition, Ogryn characters in the regiment may add a Common Craftsmanship ripper gun and two clips (Main Weapon) to their kit, if it does not already include one.
Ogryns, of course, are quite the opposite, being larger even than an Ork Warboss, with immense strength and physical fortitude. And while Ratlings are nimble and swift, Ogryns are slow and plodding, with thick and clumsy fingers suited only for the most basic and sturdy of weapons. Additionally, Ogryns possess an extremely limited intellect, requiring assistance to comply with any but the most basic orders.
Regiment Creation options in this chapter to create an abhuman regiment, Crimson Guard force, Adeptus Ministorum mission, or other body, and the Mixed Regiment rules to introduce characters from that regiment into a more common type of Imperial Guard regiment, in lieu of using the Ogryn, Ratling or other Support Specialist options in the Only War Core Rulebook.
For instance, while the rules for Orcan Stonecrushers regiments do not allow for Support Specialists due to the unique nature of the Ogryns’ physical and mental attributes, it is entirely appropriate for Support Specialists to fight alongside such regiments. In particular, the background of the Orcan Stonecrushers 97th makes it highly likely for a Commissar to work closely with a Squad.
gaInIng aDVanCeD speCIalItIesThe Advanced Specialities in this chapter are designed as optional advances for Support Specialists Characters including: Ministorum Priests, Ogryn, Ratlings, and Tech-Priest Enginseers. Each represents the culmination of years of specialised training with a focus on a specific combat role and every entry clearly designates which Support Specialists is eligible for the Advance within its description. Additional rules for creating these Support Specialist Characters can be found within the Only War Core Rulebook.Characters belonging to the Advanced Specialities presented in this chapter count as members of their prerequisite Speciality for the purposes of fulfilling the prerequisites of other Advanced Specialities, Talents, and Orders. For instance, a Player Character that has entered the Incinerant Priest Advanced Speciality is considered a Ministorum Priest for the purposes of fulfilling Prerequisites for Talents and Orders, while a PC that has entered the Fixer Advanced Speciality is considered a Ratling for the same purposes.During the course of their deployment, Support Specialists are often presented with the ability to further specialise in their chosen form of warfare at certain milestones within their military service. With the GM’s permission, a Player Character may gain the opportunity to take Advanced Specialities upon reaching 2,500 Experience Points as well as every time he earns 2,500 xp thereafter (5,000 xp, 7,500 xp, 10,000 xp, 12,500 xp, etc.) At such times, a Player Character is given a choice as to how he wishes to progress in his chosen role.sWItChtoan aDVanCeD speCIalItyAt each of these Experience Point Milestones, a Player Character may select an Advanced Speciality for which he is eligible (the character requirements for each Speciality are outlined in the entry in question). If he does so, the Advanced Speciality replaces all of his previous Speciality’s Aptitudes and Specialist Equipment. He retains any Advances that he received for entering his old Speciality and any that he purchased while in that Speciality (including Comrade Advances, which he can still use in his new Advanced Speciality). He also retains any Characteristic Bonuses granted him by his original Speciality.sWItChto another elIgIBle speCIalItyAlternatively, Support Specialist Player Characters may opt to switch to another Advanced Speciality for which they are eligible or revert to the original Support Specialist Role outlined in the Only War Core Rulebook. If he does so, his new Speciality replaces all of his previous Speciality’s Aptitudes and Specialist Equipment. He retains any advances that he received for entering his old Speciality and any that he purchased while in that Speciality (including Comrade Advances, which he can still use in his new Speciality). However, he does not apply any of the Characteristic Bonuses from the new Speciality he is entering; instead, he retains the Characteristic Bonuses granted to him by his original Speciality.DeDICatIonto Current speCIalItyFinally, any Player Character (both Guardsman and Support Specialist) can choose to dedicate himself to his current Speciality when he reaches one of these Experience milestones instead of switching to a different Speciality. If he does so, he gains a permanent +5 Bonus to any Characteristic with which he shares an Aptitude, but cannot select a new Speciality or Advanced Speciality at this milestone
Bone ‘ead
Among the dim-witted Ogryn species there exist certain rare individuals who, despite their primitive mind-set, exhibit a rare glimmer of intelligence, problem solving capabilities, memory, or natural drive. Such individuals quickly stand out among their brethren, making them ideal candidates for Biochemical Ogryn Neural Enhancement. Recipients of such procedures generally refer to themselves as Bone ’eads and possess enhanced cognitive capabilities well beyond those of an unaltered specimen. Many are able to remember their own names, count some of their fingers, or even make tactical decisions beyond hitting things—capabilities that quickly mark them as eligible for positions of limited authority.Bone ’eads are often the brains of their units, and other Ogryn look to them for leadership both on and off the battlefield. To other Ogryns, the fact that a Bone ’ead even holds his rank is often reason enough to obey, and most are content to trust that anyone who remembers as much as a Bone ’ead probably knows best anyway. As such, a Bone ’ead’s unit often has few disciplinary problems and a clearly established hierarchy, assuming everyone remembers what they are supposed to be doing at any given time.They are brutal but effective leaders, bellowing orders over the din of combat and punctuating their shouts with vicious blows from their oversized weapons. Where the average Ogryn is clumsy and ungainly, Bone ’eads are much more coordinated than their primitive brethren and able to wield weapons with surprising dexterity, though their inherent clumsiness can never be completely eradicated. Despite their abilities, they are not particularly well equipped compared to other Guard units, often fighting with the same weaponry as their unaugmented brethren. The main difference between a Bone ’ead and his squad mates is the cerebral implants and modifications to their thick skulls. Despite their crude and sturdy appearance, these implants are actually quite sophisticated and capable of withstanding a fairly substantial amount of punishment—particularly useful when such a device is borne by an Ogryn In combat, the procedures enacted upon a Bone ’eads brain are put to the ultimate test as they confront numerous decisions and obstacles of command head on. However, their determination and inhuman stubbornness often see them through such situations, while their unique physiology more than compensates for any lapses in discretion or judgement. As a result, an experienced Bone ’ead is often capable of leading his fellow abhumans more or less where he is told with a little practise.Despite their intelligence, Bone ’eads naturally exhibit many qualities that define a good leader. They tend to be driven individuals, stubborn to a fault and unwilling to back down or admit defeat in even the most hopeless situations. Such dedication is often born of absolute faith in their superiors, whom Bone ’eads trust implicitly and without reservation. They are also not afraid to lead from the front, providing an example to their fellow Ogryn and encouraging them with simple, intuitive commands accompanied by bursts of fire from their ranged weapons. It is debatable whether this is learned behaviour or simple necessity, however, as the stupidity of many Ogryn recruits may render all but the simplest orders incomprehensible.However, despite their training and modifications, no amount of cerebral tinkering can completely eliminate the Bone ’ead’s base instincts, and even the most intelligent individuals suffer from bouts of savagery. Some Bone ’eads are even equipped with implants to magnify or enhance these tendencies, turning them into engines of destruction once certain criteria are met or trigger-phrases uttered via their vox-links. Regardless, a Bone ’ead’s rages are truly terrifying to behold.BONE ‘EAD TRAININGTraining an Ogryn is a difficult and time consuming affair. However, thanks to his implants and numerous enhancements, most Bone ’eads are able to retain at least the rudiments of their training or, at the very minimum, enough information to know which direction in which to advance. Since most Ogryn recruits normally require near constant supervision, many commanders who field these units consider such results a vast improvement and well worth the effort.Bone ‘eads are very eager to please when it comes to their fellow officers, their natural loyalty towards their superiors often expressing itself through crude, child-like mimicry. To some, this means imitating personal qualities that they observe, asking themselves—literally and out loud in many cases—what that person would do in a given situation. Others may take this a step further; deliberately copying dress, habits, unit drills, or mannerisms of speech in order to more closely resemble their idol. Successful or not, these practices often stand a Bone ’ead in good stead, making them much more effective leaders in the midst of battle.Many Bone ’eads are proficient at understanding the basics of Imperial Gothic, meaning they tend to understand more of what they hear than other Ogryn. However, even the simplest exchanges frequently require much practice on the Ogryn’s part before real conversations can take place. Yet, to their credit Bone ’eads are quite willing to learn, frequently questioning their human comrades about anything they don’t understand, a practice that can become quite tortuous Bone ’eads take their rank very seriously and are eager to prove themselves time and again, undertaking even the most dangerous and unpleasant tasks to earn the praise of their superiors. Before deployment, they are frequently heard reciting their orders over and over to themselves to make sure they get them right, or repeating them to anyone who happens to be nearby unless they also remember they are supposed to be discreet. BONE ‘EAD TACTICSAn Ogryn assault is a primal, devastating thing. But when lent a modicum of coordination by a Bone ’ead, it can be a decisive weapon in the Imperial Guard arsenal. Some Bone ’eads are savagely cunning leaders, executing crude but effective manoeuvres in order to enhance their unit’s effectiveness in combat. The various inhibitors and synaptic intensifiers within their augmetics serve to heighten such abilities, allowing the Bone ’ead to better control his rage while directing the fury of his unit against his despicable foes. Other Bone ’eads endure through grim determination and an unshakable loyalty to their superiors. These individuals relentlessly brave enemy fire, tanks, artillery, and other hazards, while venting their frustration against every adversary unfortunate enough to get in their way. They tend to lead by example, preferring a simple, straightforward approach to combat and often going through—as opposed to around—any hindrance or obstacle that happens to be in their path.Those with sufficient experience often display a rudimentary understanding of tactics and strategy, leading simple counter-attacks and even avoiding enemy fire in favour of a safer approach if given time to think. Such individuals are truly unique among their peers, quickly earning a name and reputation for themselves among the brutal warzones of the Spinward Front. My Lord,I send this communique to relay to you the actions that took place during the push into Quadrant Lex 27 in accordancewith your command.The 204th Cadian Artillery Support Regiment, the so-called “Line Breakers”, commenced its preliminary bombardment atprecisely 0700 hours. After approximately 24 minutes of saturation bombing and targeted adamantium-tipped penetratorfire, the combined elements of the 106th Tallarn and Cadian Armoured and light infantry, in conjunction with the [data lost]and Abhuman Auxiliary Support, began their push into Severan Dominate controlled territory.On the second day our forward units encountered heavier and much better organised resistance from enemy armour andsupporting infantry units that had apparently redeployed from an adjacent sector to reinforce the heretic lines. Thoughtechnologically inferior to our own Leman Russ Patterns, the sheer number of enemy armoured units were unfortunatelysufficient to stall our advance. In a rage, Colonel Asad of the Tallarn armoured division swore a blood oath to cut theheart out of the enemy advance, and soon his majestic formations were reaping a terrible toll on the attackers, skilfully enveloping them in a masterful alternating pincer movement that aptly demonstrated the skill of his tank crews.Yet this was merely a diversionary element of a larger counter-attack, and our frontline units soon reported a wave of traitor infantry advancing on their positions. The heretics were poorly equipped and wretched in appearance; nevertheless they posed a serious threat to our units whose extended deployment left them vulnerable to such a massive and concentrated attack. However, by the grace of the Emperor, the bulk of the heretic advance came into contact with regiments supported bytwo units of Ogryns under the command of an individual named Crod who had undergone prescribed neural modifications.According to the reports of Captain Doral, Crod was instrumental in holding the enemy at bay, counter-attacking whereverthe enemy hit and routing them easily. He notes one event in particular where Crod’s unit, either by divine inspiration ordumb luck, attacked with such ferocity that they managed to break through the enemy ranks entirely. The unit, displayinguncharacteristic imagination and tactical acumen, then proceeded to encircle the traitor’s lines, devastating their rear and sowing confusion which allowed our most hard-pressed units to reform and reengage their targets. As a result of this action, as well as the rapid redeployment of a column of Asad’s armoured core, the enemy was repulsed with heavy losses on all fronts.In light of these events, I humbly submit my request for the expertise of the Hospitaller [Data Restricted] in selectingadditional Ogryns from my regiment for neurological enhancement. In my opinion such improvements are vital to thecampaign and every effort should be made to identify suitable candidates.
REGIMENTAL VARIATIONSThe term Bone ’ead is fairly ubiquitous among the Regiments of the Imperial guard, encompassing both the rank and pedigree of these unique specimens. Many Bone ’eads even take the title to heart, frequently using their reinforced skulls as improvised weapons in combat. Most are selected from the units they later come to lead and have little trouble establishing their authority upon their return. Though the newly enhanced capabilities of the Bone ’ead are often sufficient to secure a leadership role, a few may be required to establish their dominance over one or two rival individuals within their squad. However, the cognitive abilities of a Bone ’ead combined with their natural strength and physical prowess often guarantees these individuals have little trouble asserting their authority. Bone ’eads are found among almost every Ogryn unit, the implants and surgical techniques needed to create them readily available to all but the most primitive or poorly equipped regiments. Bone ’eads often make good bodyguards in addition to their role as squad leaders. Besides their remarkable physical stature and instinctive loyalty, their increased cognitive abilities make them less apt to forget the primary elements of guard protocol while adapting to their superior’s eccentricities. Those that serve in such roles are often likened to very large canids; utterly devoted to their superior and unrelentingly savage in their defence. Bone ’ead comrades typically have at least a modicum of command experience or very minor rank within their platoon. These Guardsmen serve to keep their Ogryn companions on task and help keep them focused in battle. Many regiments have also found it helpful to have someone within the Ogryn unit capable of reacting intelligently to enemy tactics and changes in the ebb and flow of battle. As with all Ogryn comrades they tend to be robust and hardy individuals. Most eventually come to appreciate the abilities of their Bone ’ead companion, reinforcing their actions with enthusiastic cries of encouragement as the Bone ’ead crushes all before him.ADVENTURE SEEDSA Bone ’ead character is, at his core, a leader, and Game Masters should always keep this in mind when designing a session involving this surprisingly capable Ogryn. Though a Bone ’ead possesses tremendous physical strength, fighting prowess, and inhuman resistance to damage, it is his leadership qualities that define him, and it only when bellowing orders that he is able to put his abilities to the greatest use. This doesn’t mean the Bone ’ead cannot survive on his own, but rather that a GM should emphasise the team’s performance as a whole during the course of the encounter, thereby allowing the Bone ’ead’s abilities to be brought to the fore.However, the Game Master must also remember that, for all his implants and conditioning, a Bone ’ead is still an Ogryn. He is not capable of the same levels of sophistication and planning as a human commander. Instead a Bone ’ead considers obstacles only when they bar his progress and is more likely to utilise the simplest and most obvious option when deciding how to approach them. The Bone ’ead’s commanders are acutely aware of these and other such limitations and would never assign a Bone ’ead any task that was either beyond his capabilities or exceptionally vital without some form of support. However, the player must not feel eclipsed on account of supporting NPCs or like his decisions do not matter. At the same time, the GM should not put the Bone ’ead in a situation that requires him to think like a human, a feat he simply would not be capable of performing. Instead, Bone ’eads should be given a simple objective and put in a position that provides a challenge and allows the player to accomplish his goal while proving his fundamental abilities as a commander to the rest of the unit.agaInst all oDDsBone ‘eads are often given jobs as guards or escorts, a practice a Game Master may utilise in this sample Adventure Seed. Though these missions are usually simple out of necessity, they are often vital as well, an Ogryn guard detail being too valuable an asset to waste on frivolous duties. Such a mission may involve guarding an officer of particular importance, a shipment of supplies from enemy attack, or a strong point from an enemy assault. The Bone ’ead’s unit should also not be given orders too complicated for the Ogryn to comprehend, as his commanders rely mostly on the Ogryn’s stubbornness and desire to prove himself to complete the mission successfully. So when their foes come pouring over the horizon expecting an easy win, they instead find the Bone ‘ead and his unit doggedly manning their post against everything the enemy throws at them. In fact, the Ogryn’s mission may be of such import, that an enemy officer may wish to oversee the assault personally.ComBat traInIngEvery unit within the Imperial Guard undergoes regular training in order to experience the rigours of combat and ensure they are prepared to withstand the enemy when the time comes. In the same way, this Adventure Seed may be a useful way to introduce a newly improved Bone ‘ead back to his comrades and demonstrate his newfound capacity for leadership. This exercise may take place at any time during a campaign; including while the unit is being resupplied behind lines or in transit to a new warzone. The object is simple: the Bone ’ead must lead his unit through a live fire exercise designed to break-in newly promoted officers and force them to adapt to their new role. The course will take the Bone ’ead and his unit through a series of basic physical obstacles before culminating in an assault on a fixed enemy position manned by modified combat servitors. The nature of the obstacles is up to the Game Master and should require the use of simple tactics to traverse unscathed. However, due to the robust nature of Ogryn, the gun servitors are equipped with combat-grade weapons, making them a far more lethal foe than those used to train newly founded regiments. The Bone ’ead must discover a way to overcome this deadly, prearranged threat and prove that the faith his superiors have in his abilities is not misplaced.
aptItuDesanD equIpmentPrerequisite Speciality: OgrynNew Aptitudes: Ballistic Skill, Leadership, Offence, Strength, Toughness, Weapon SkillNew Talents: Either Ambidextrous and Resistance (Fear) or Loyal DemeanourSpecialist Equipment: Good Craftsmanship cerebral implants, Good Craftsmanship ripper gun or Good Craftsmanship shock maul and Common Craftsmanship bolter, 2 frag grenades, 1 krak grenade
speCIalIst aDVanCesThe Bone ‘ead may purchase the following Advances to enhance their own and the abilities of his Comrade. ImproVeD DexterItyTy p e : PassiveCost: 300 xpEffect: The Bone ‘ead can wield Basic and Thrown ranged weapons and Melee weapons as though he did not have the Clumsy Trait. Further, thanks to his massive size, the Bone ’ead can wield these weapons in one hand without penalty, even if they normally require both hands.enhanCeD IntelleCtTy p e : PassiveCost: 300 xpEffect: Bone ’eads are usually more articulate than their rough brethren, and can thus communicate their needs much more efficiently to non-Ogryns. Further, the Comrades of these warriors frequently grow accustomed to their guttural, simple language. The Bone ‘ead gains a +10 bonus to Tests to activate Orders that he gives to his Comrade. Brutal enCouragementTy p e : Half ActionCost: 400 xpEffect: Ogryns delight in the havoc that a Bone ‘ead can wreak, and the “little ’uns” who accompany them into the field usually take solace in the fact that such a powerful and savage warrior is on their side. The Bone ‘ead’s Comrade lets out an enthusiastic cry as the Ogryn slams into some terrifying foe, encouraging him and the other soldiers nearby to redouble their efforts. Until the end of the Turn, whenever the Bone ‘ead kills an enemy, he may make a Challenging (+0) Intimidate Te s t as a Free Action. If he succeeds, each ally within communication range of the Bone ‘ead’s Comrade gains a +10 bonus to the next Weapon Skill or Ballistic Skill Test he makes before the end of the next Turn. Further, each Ogryn affected by this ability may enter a Frenzy as a Free Action (see the Frenzy Talent on page 144 of the Only War Core Rulebook)
Bulwark
An Ogryn’s primitive nature is the direct result of the harsh environment in which they develop; the cold, feral worlds of ice and death that the Ogryn species calls home providing little incentive for mental development. As such, an Ogryn embodies the most primitive aspects of humanity, though greatly enhanced and exaggerated due to their severe retrogression. Yet, in spite of their dim-wittedness, they possess an underlying savagery and hardy physique that makes them incredibly useful on the battlefields of the 41st Millennium.The Imperium of Man often recruits these massive creatures as shock troops, arming them with crude and simple weapons before pointing them at the enemy and unleashing them on their foes. Ogryn are well suited to such tactics, their underdeveloped brains rarely registering pain and injury as they smash into the enemy’s lines. Though equipped with powerful Ripper Guns, every Ogryn is highly capable in close combat, their primitive brutality and massive physiques allowing them to crush their foes with a savagery few adversaries can match. Yet, despite this universal proficiency, there are individuals to whom the allure of smashing their enemies to a pulp and breaking their bones with blows from their massive fists is particularly appealing. These are the Ogryns who are always near the front of their unit, eagerly wading into combat with whatever weapon happens to be at hand. Some simply enjoy crushing enemy skulls to powder or tearing off limbs with their bare hands, while others may rely on their volatile temperament, flying off into a killing rage at the mere mention of their hated enemy. Some are so stupid they cannot truly comprehend the nature of their situation, delighting in what they consider an enjoyable game as they revel in the shouts of encouragement and support from their comrades. However, many simply resort to close combat because they can, their primitive brains falling back on their natural instincts in the heat of battle.These sorts of Ogryns are always found at the forefront of battle, eagerly overwhelming their opponents with devastating blows from their massive fists and oversized weapons. Many tend to have little understanding of ranged warfare, either having forgone much of the training required to further their combat abilities or simply being too dense to comprehend such tactics. This makes them generally savage even by Ogryn standards, while their size and feral aspect serves only to magnify their combat effectiveness. As with all Ogryns, the line between placid stupidity and mindless rage is a fine one, and easily crossed in the rush of combat. The death of a companion, the harsh words of a commander, wounds inflicted by an enemy, any of these may be enough to drive such an Ogryn into paroxysms of rage at the mere sight of a foe. However, the rages of such a savage individual are a thing to behold as their primitive minds aggressively lash out at the source of their ire. This propensity towards violence often serves to make their legendarily short tempers even shorter, while a Bulwark at the height of his anger is a rampaging whirlwind of destruction that dashes his foes to pieces with the sheer force of his blows.In combat, a Bulwark is the embodiment of primitive savagery and rage, fighting without thought of restraint or self-preservation. They instinctively attack every enemy within range, swinging their weapons with such bone-crunching force that armour buckles and bodies shatter in their wake. So intent are they on crushing their foes, they are immune to pain, injury, and fear, blindly charging through whatever obstacle stands between them and their enemy.The sight of a Bulwark on the battlefield often provides tremendous encouragement and inspiration to his comrades as he smashes through all who stand before him. Some regiments view their Ogryn’s as a sort of champion, sending them forward whenever a particularly vicious adversary appears and looking to him when all seems lost and the unit is on the verge of being overwhelmed. Time and again, as the Bulwark’s mighty blows split his adversaries apart and his massive physique ignores all but the most grievous of injuries his comrades take strength from his steadfast example and push on into the bloody conflict. At other times the Bulwark may instead serve as the rock upon which the unit is grounded; an unbreakable foundation for his comrades to cling to and an endearing example of faith and devotion.BULWARK TRAININGOgryns are dim-witted and slow to learn, the centuries of devolution on their inhospitable home worlds having rid them of many of their advanced reasoning capabilities. What’s more, Ogryns are known for their incredibly short memories, and their inability to retain all but the most basic information makes even the simplest drill an arduous affair. By contrast, an Ogryn’s training is relatively simple, the majority requiring only repeated introductions to the basics of discipline and the names of their superiors. Many Ogryn receive little actual battlefield instruction, their commanders trusting in their savagery and hardy constitution to see him through any dangers he may face. Others instead adopt the role in response to their behaviour during battle, their volatile temperaments and violent tendencies making them particularly suited to the rigours of close combat. This primitive behaviour usually means a Bulwark has a difficult time effectively utilising his Ripper Gun as anything other than an improvised melee weapon, and many find the operation of such weapons frustrating at best. As a result many personally discard their armaments instead improvising melee weapons more suited to their preferred method of killing. Such decisions are left up to the Ogryn himself, however, as many prefer a good sturdy club over a complicated gun and would gladly march into battle wielding little more than their fists if so ordered.BULWARK TACTICSAs with all Ogryns who accompany their human companions into battle, Bulwarks are frontline soldiers entirely unsuited for any combat role involving subtlety or finesse. They are blunt instruments of warfare, at their most useful when applied with the utmost force and directness. As such they are generally herded right into the heart of the enemy where their massive size and resilience allows them to punch through all but the toughest resistance. It is here, surrounded by their foes, that the Bulwark’s abilities come to the fore as he smashes to the ground all who stand before him. Sometimes Ogryns of this type are employed strictly in this manner, serving as living battering rams to force holes in enemy lines or to draw attention from other sections of the enemy defences. Units assigned this task usually contain multiple Ogryn with the Bulwark mentality within their ranks, the added impact of several such adversaries often proving too much for all but the toughest foes. Some are even given amour to supplement their natural toughness and protect them from enemy retaliation as well as powerful weapons capable of smashing through almost any obstacle. Such Ogryn are well suited to such tactics, bellowing fiercely as they eagerly plunge into the enemy formations.Many Ogryns of this type are also trained to respond to enemy aggression, their massive size and unrelenting brutality providing an effective counter to almost any adversary. Many can be seen patrolling the lines in between engagements, waiting for the call to arms that will end their tedious vigil. When battle does come, the Ogryn quickly charges into the thick of the fighting, often because he cannot think to react any other way. Bulwarks perform a great service to their comrades, singling out opponents their human companions would find difficult to overcome. However, this simplistic approach to combat is often the Bulwark’s downfall, as the many insidious weapons and vile monstrosities of the Imperium’s foes occasionally prove too much even for these mighty warriors.REGIMENTAL VARIATIONSBulwarks are useful within a variety of different units both on and off the battlefield, where their size, resilience, and strength may be put to use in the service of the Emperor. Sometimes they are fielded independently alongside a companion or minder, while at other times they fight in units alongside their Ogryn brethren. Some even find themselves consigned as body guards, though generally such a brutal Ogryn is unsuited for a role requiring such restraint, their eagerness to join nearby battles frequently leaving their charges vulnerable to attack.Among the stern regiments of the Mordian Iron Guard and the Cadian Shock Troopers, these Ogryn are viewed more as weapons than soldiers, fighting alongside other Ogryn in strictly controlled units and segregated from the other Guard platoons when not in combat. Within such regiments discipline is paramount, and those Bulwarks who fail to abide by the many regulations of army life often spend hours in “corrective” instruction. By contrast, the more brutally-minded Ogryn within the regiments of the Catachan Jungle Fighters are more likely to receive praise for results than adherence to regulations and orders, and many quickly become valued members of their regiment. A Bulwark takes well to such attentions, accounting these men has his friends and taking a vested interest in their safety. However, the death or injury of one of his comrades is often enough to send a Bulwark into an inconsolable fit of rage, and many enemies have felt the full force of a Bulwark’s anger after harming his squad mates.Regardless of their role, Ogryn are frequently accompanied by a human comrade into battle. These trusty companions serve to keep the Ogryn focused and from forgetting their orders, while the Bulwark’s naturally strong sense of loyalty ensures their protection as the Ogryn goes to great lengths to keep them out of harm’s way. These companions are generally among the hardiest and fittest individuals in the regiment apart from their Ogryn counterparts, often having to survive extreme combat situations just to keep up with a Bulwark’s rampage. ADVENTURE SEEDSA Bulwark is an incredibly useful character for a party that finds themselves facing opponents who specialise in melee combat. A Bulwark’s abilities are very effective at countering enemy charges, slaying particularly tough or vicious opponents, and keeping his allies safe within the chaos of battle. In fact, a Bulwark may be such a potent melee fighter that he can survive encounters which would kill most human soldiers, a fact the other members of the party may quickly realise and exploit. This is perfectly acceptable, as the Bulwark’s ability to wade into extremely hazardous combats and then out again is the main reason these brutes are deployed on the battlefield.However, for all his great strength, a Bulwark is not invulnerable and is at his best when supported by his comrades. Game Masters should keep this in mind when preparing an encounter that focuses on a Bulwark by giving supporting roles or additional objectives to other Player Characters during the encounter. Such tasks may range from keeping the Ogryn’s flanks clear to picking off those enemies who would prefer to just shoot the Ogryn instead of risking a blow from this massive warrior.In the same manner, a Bulwark’s loyalty to his friends can be a very engaging and memorable aspect of his character for the GM to incorporate into a game. Perhaps the Bulwark is cut off from his comrades due to an unforeseen act of chance, or must rescue a squad mate from the cruel designs of enemy captors. Such situations wherein the Bulwark overcomes numerous obstacles by sheer brute force and determination in order to rescue an ally is the stuff of Ogryn legend, and will surely provide a memorable tale for everyone involved.sWIft retrIButIonEnemy raids are common occurrences during the many battles undertaken in the service to the Emperor, and Ogryn characters are quite useful at countering such actions until reinforcements arrive, often serving as a bulwark upon which the enemy attack breaks. During this Adventure seed the Ogryn’s unit is awoken in the middle of the night by the sounds of fighting. After stumbling into their gear and grabbing whatever weapons they can, the unit is able to discern that the cause of the commotion is an enemy raid with the seeming intent of causing havoc within their own lines. Yet, as they engage their attackers, it immediately becomes apparent that the enemy has another goal in mind. The exact nature of this goal—be it assassination, sabotage, or the gathering of vital intelligence—is left to the Game Master’s discretion. If the attack succeeds, the result would be disastrous both for the players and their regiment, and the squad must stop at nothing to foil the enemy attack. What’s more these are no mere soldiers, but an elite unit of infiltrators responsible for numerous raids on Imperial lines and whose leader is well-known for his ferocious skill in close combat. Such an opponent should prove a fitting challenge for the Bulwark, and the slaying of such an adversary may be enough to finally give the Imperium a vital edge in the campaign.maIleD fIstBulwark’s are often used as blunt instruments in combat; weapons to be thrown against the enemy with devastating effect. The Bulwark’s leaders know this and have decided to deploy him in just such a manner, using his unit as part of a diversion to draw enemy troops away from another vital objective. Yet as the battle is joined and the conflict rages about the Bulwark and his comrades, they suddenly find themselves cut off deep behind enemy lines and without support from the bulk of their regiment. As the squad tries to find its way back to its allies, the players begin to discover evidence of previously unknown and disturbing enemy activity that may change the course of the conflict. It is up to the Bulwark and his unit to fight their way back through the enemy rear and save their comrades from the insidious machinations of their most hated enemy. fIghtIng fIreWIth fIreImperial forces on Ganf Magna have long fought a losing battle against the planet’s steadily increasing population of Feral Orks, many within the lord Marshall’s Command even reputedly voicing the opinion that it is only a matter of time before the planet becomes yet one more contested world within the perpetual conflict. This may in fact have already come to pass, if not for the sacrifices of the unnumbered regiments who have fought and died in countless valiant, yet futile, efforts to purify the planet of its Ork taint. These so-called “cleansings” are undertaken with increasing regularity, as every Ork slain in the dusty wastes releases hundreds of microscopic spores and thereby sows the seeds of future conflict. Unfortunately the barbarous Orks are not content to await the coming of the Imperial Guard, and many times the green tide that erupts from the barren wastes is pushed back only with the combined efforts of both the local garrison and any regiments recovering from conflicts elsewhere. Such attacks are usually short lived, the Orks lacking sufficient resources or technology for a protracted campaign; however, the inhuman savagery of these foul xenos has frequently pushed the defenders to breaking point.The rise of Snadgrot Bakbreaka was one such conflict, resulting in a siege that nearly shattered the beleaguered city’s defences, while Snadgrot’s crude and looted artillery fired shell after shell into the densely packed streets beyond the walls. After five days of relentless siege, the Warboss personally lead a massive attack that carved a bloody path right up to the Third Ancillary Archway. There the Orks ran into the tattered remnants of 56th Mordian “Inflexibles” who managed to hold them at bay with highly disciplined volleys of las-fire. However, the Orks’ numbers soon began to tell on the defenders and the Mordians were quickly in danger of being completely overwhelmed. It was then that a throaty bellow sounded from within the Imperial lines and a great scarred Ogryn broke ranks and charged right into the advancing xenos. The Orks, taken aback by this unexpected assailant, paused in their assault while the thunderous strikes of the enraged Ogryn along with the supporting fire of his comrades reaped a devastating toll on the attackers. Finally Snadgrot himself stepped forward to challenge the newcomer, and the bone crunching impacts of their blows could be heard even over the frightful din of battle. Though bruised, battered, and bleeding from scores of wounds, the Ogryn continued his assault, relentlessly attacking the mighty Warboss and wearing him down, until finally snapping the Warboss’s neck with a herculean effort. Their leader dead, the remaining Orks fled in complete disarray, falling in droves to the renewed assault of the Imperial defenders. The Ogryn, Gurn, had to be restrained from following the Orks back into the wilderness in his tireless rage, and many have since speculated exactly what events transpired to cause his murderous and fortuitous tirade.
aptItuDesanD equIpmentPrerequisite Speciality: OgrynNew Aptitudes: Fieldcraft, Offence, Strength, Toughness, Weapon Skill, WillpowerNew Talents: Either Frenzy and Sound Constitution or Vengeful ProtectorSpecialist Equipment: Good Craftsmanship mace-fist or Good Craftsmanship great weapon or Best Craftsmanship warhammer, 2 frag grenades.
speCIalIst aDVanCesThe Bulwark may purchase the following Advances to enhance his own abilities or the abilities of his Comrade. esCalatIng rageTy p e : PassiveCost: 400 xpEffect: While the Bulwark is in a Frenzy, whenever an enemy inflicts Critical Damage upon an ally within 10 metres or hits a Comrade within 10 metres, the Bulwark increases the value of his Unnatural Strength and Unnatural Toughness Traits by +1 until the end of the encounter. These Traits cannot exceed Unnatural Strength (8) and Unnatural Toughness (8) this way.shatterIng BloWTy p e : PassiveCost: 600 xpEffect: While the Bulwark is in a Frenzy, whenever he inflicts Righteous Fury with a Melee Attack, he also inflicts a hit on each other target within a number of metres equal to his Strength Bonus (other than himself ) with the following profile: 1d10+SB I; Pen 0; Concussive
Gun Lugger
An Ogryn’s ranged weapon proficiency may vary greatly from individual to individual; often coming down to the Ogryn’s individual dexterity and whether or not he is able remember how to operate the firearm in combat. Regardless, Ogryns are markedly uncoordinated as a rule, and any attempts at accuracy often produce results that are mixed at best. Even the most skilled Ogryn “marksman” rarely approaches the exacting degree of precision expected of the average Imperial Guardsman. However, there are many Ogryn who derive substantial enjoyment from the mere act of firing their weapon regardless of accuracy, instead revelling in the raw destructive power in their hands as they thoughtlessly expend countless rounds of ammunition downrange.Such Ogryns are usually are truly colossal creatures, whose bulging muscles and gigantic stature allow them to manipulate their oversized weapons as effortlessly as a normal man might wield a Lasgun while relying on their immense bulk to compensate for any recoil. Many are even large enough to fire their weapons on the move, acting like a sort of mobile fire support platform for their fellow soldiers while eagerly charging into the fray.Once they begin firing, Gun Luggers rarely stop until they either run out of either ammo or opponents. Though the weapons they wield in combat often vary, the child-like glee these individuals exhibit for their battlefield roles is unmistakable. They are often seen sweeping their great weapons back and forth in wide arcs during a battle, grinning stupidly as they pulverise their targets with concentrated streams of high calibre fire. Most tend to lag slightly behind the other members of their unit, stopping whenever a shot presents itself and only continuing to advance at the bidding of a superior officer or when they no longer have anything at which to shoot. They are usually eager to come to grips with their foes, habitually disregarding enemy fire or any considerations of personal safety in order to discharge their weapons at their targets. In addition, the expenditure of all their ammo or the occasional weapon jam is a frequent cause of wildly destructive tantrums among these trigger-happy brutes, and many choose to vent their savage rage by charging headlong into the enemy’s ranks and bashing their adversaries to bits with the offending weapon.Other members of these units often rely on the relentless fire of an Gun Lugger, advancing forward while their large comrade empties round after round at every enemy in sight. Gun Luggers are also particularly useful among squads of other Ogryn or similarly equipped assault units, providing crucial fire support until their more “hands on” companions can close the distance to their foe. Even those armed with Ripper Guns tend to wield them to greater effect than other Ogryn, and often the newest and most reliable models within an Ogryn squad are reserved for their use. Due to their constant exposure to enemy fire some Gun Luggers hold reputations for outstanding bravery and stalwart determination among the units they fight beside, serving as mobile rallying points and potent examples of bravery to any faltering allies. They are generally battered in appearance, their thick hides scarred and pitted from countless impacts that would have severely incapacitated an average soldier. Yet their remarkably resilient physiology often allows them to shrug of such blows without difficulty, ignoring small arms fire and shrapnel as a man might ignore the buzzing of corpse flies.Many Gun Luggers carry other items to add to their destructive capabilities in addition to their firearms including: grenades, anti-tank bombs, incendiary devices and other simple explosives which they may hurl at enemy positions. These weapons are often quite effective in the hands of an Gun Lugger, assuming he knows how to properly arm the device or remembers to use it in the frenzy of battle. Some compensate for such errors by hurling multiple charges at once or expending their bandoliers as rapidly as possible, laughing with delight as huge swathes of the battlefield erupt in fire and death. Though rarely landing where the Ogryn intends, the volatile payloads of such weapons frequently remedy any concerns regarding the Ogryn’s accuracy.GUN LUGGER TRAININGGun Luggers are extremely reliant on the training they receive from their regiments, eagerly hanging on their instructors’ every word regardless of whether or not they actually comprehend anything they are told. Many also participate in numerous simplified weapon drills and extensive live fire exercises in the desperate hope of instilling some rudimentary skill into the Ogryn’s thick hide. Such exercises often prove indispensable to the Ogryn on the many battlefields of the Spinward Front, serving as vaguely remembered reminders as to the proper care and handling of their weapons in combat.As a result Gun Luggers tend to be slightly better versed in the use of their weapons than their brethren, though such a distinction may not be saying much. A rare few are even loosely familiar with the operation of a range of heavy and support weapons found within the vast arsenals of the Adeptus Munitorum and can generally even distinguish which end the projectile comes out of without too much help.GUN LUGGER TACTICSIn combat, the Gun Lugger’s immense strength allows him to effortlessly brandish weapons that would prove impossible for an unaugmented man to fire unaided. As a result, Gun Luggers often manage to compensate for any lack of accuracy with greater manoeuvrability and a relentless desire to annihilate their enemy. Some frequently choose to engage their targets at close range, charging right up to whatever they happen to be firing at without thought to the enemy fire whipping past them. Other Gun Luggers tend to believe quantity has a quality all its own, inundating every target with a withering barrage of fire regardless of distance or line of sight. In order to accommodate such tactics, most Gun Luggers frequently take extra-large ammo drums, bulky power packs, or thousands of shells set in bristling ammo belts or stuffed into cavernous, Ogryn-sized backpacks.When more than one such Ogryn is present in the regiment they often become fiercely competitive, each individual striving to outperform his rivals by earning the most destructive reputation or achieving the greatest number of confirmed kills. Among Ogryns tasked with destroying light tanks and other armoured vehicles, such affinities are often even more pronounced, as individual Ogryns waste untold shots in their attempts to bring down the largest and most impressive kill. REGIMENTAL VARIATIONSMany regiments make use of these sorts of Ogryns throughout the numerous warzones within the Spinward Front. However the exact distribution and equipment these individuals may wield varies wildly from individual to individual in accordance with regimental doctrines and the vagrancies of supply within an Gun Lugger’s sector. In units where weapons and equipment are scarce, such Gun Luggers must often make do with a standard Ripper Gun or older, battle-worn versions of heavy weapons no longer fit for regular service. By contrast, regiments founded on worlds rich in industry or that find themselves deployed in a vital warzone may offer weapons more befitting their enormous stature and physiology. Yet, even within well-supplied regiments, a quartermaster may not be willing to supply new or well-maintained weapons to an Ogryn, instead providing unreliable or low-quality equipment with the half-hearted assurance that such items are still combat ready.The Maccabian Janissaries make particular use of these hulking auxiliaries, supplying them with a variety of well-maintained weapons along with a surplus of rounds to pour into their enemy’s ranks. Such regiments often consider the child-like dedication of these individuals to their superiors and the Emperor a laudable trait, going to great lengths to indoctrinate their abhuman allies to their distinct form of worship. These efforts are self-evident, as the Ogryns assigned to these zealous warriors continuously struggle to remember their daily prayers while enthusiastically defending the Emperor’s domains by emptying their weapons into his foes. The regiments of the Tallarn frequently employ Gun Luggers as well, viewing their flexibility and manoeuvrability as a useful asset among their highly mobile formations.Regardless of their unit and designation every Gun Lugger is highly dependent on his human cohort, relying on these valuable companions both in and out of battle. Many are responsible for cleaning and maintaining the Gun Lugger’s weapon, offering its machine spirit the proper rites and observances and fighting a never-ending battle to keep the gun safe from its Ogryn handler. Others guide their towering comrades through countless training sessions and live fire exercises while repeatedly instructing them in the prescribed doctrines of sustainable fire rates. Every companion most also contend with frequent weapon jams, reloads, and enemy counter assaults in the midst of combat as they resolutely follow their massive cohort into the thick of the action. The resulting bond between these steadfast companions is among the strongest of all the human-abhuman relationships within the Guard, as each comes to learn the other’s temperament and the Ogryn comes to rely on his human companion for guidance in battle.ADVENTURE SEEDSDue to the types of weapons and tactics a Gun Lugger often employs, such characters typically play a large part in most combat encounters as the other party members come to rely on them for supporting fire. However, when a Game Master wishes to highlight the Gun Lugger in particular, it may be useful to take the Ogryn out of his support role and instead thrust the bulk of the work onto his massive shoulders. Situations where he is tasked with holding a point while the rest of the unit advances, or becomes separated and must survive unaided until help arrives all fine highlight the Gun Lugger’s resilience and perseverance. Such encounters should play to the character’s strengths while taking into account the weapons and equipment he typically carries and challenging the player to develop new methods of portraying his role within his unit. Another way to highlight the Gun Lugger within a particular encounter is to increase the intensity of his role above and beyond its normal limits, thereby creating opportunities for previously unknown levels of extraordinary destruction. This can be accomplished through limited or one-time access to rare and destructive heavy weapons, stock piles of ammunition, or large amounts of particularly destructive war gear and specialised tools. Such a scenario, when combined with interesting and unique situations or seemingly insurmountable odds, can be a great way to let the Gun Lugger do what he does best in truly spectacular fashion.One thing for the GM to always keep in mind in such situations, however, is balance and moderation. If the enemies are too vulnerable, too numerous, or do not represent a significant threat, the encounter may quickly become boring and repetitive as the Gun Lugger obliterates every enemy before him with contemptuous ease. By contrast, enemies that are too deadly can quickly overwhelm even the strongest defensive position, which can leave the Gun Lugger feeling like he failed his mission or died unnecessarily. The best way to offset these and other such difficulties is to mix things up during the encounter, throwing unexpected enemy tactics, troops, vehicles, or war gear into the mix. Such unforeseen developments often force the Gun Lugger to rely on his comrades and his own quick decisions in order to survive the enemy assault. If done correctly, such dire circumstances can be used to create thrilling and tense encounters that will remain with players long after the last shot is fired and the final combatant falls.BIg gameThe battlefields of the 41st Millennium are host to a wide variety of tanks and assault vehicles with all manner of arcane and deadly armaments, any of which are perfect quarry for an Gun Lugger in this Adventure Seed. In this scenario, the Gun Lugger and his unit are part of an offensive into a dense and trackless forest in order to flush out hostile forces that are using the undergrowth as cover. However, a lone enemy vehicle is launching multiple deadly surprise attacks before disappearing quickly back into the brush, severely hindering the Imperial advance. As a result, the Gun Lugger and his unit have been tasked with hunting down this roving war machine and halting its deadly rampage before any more damage is done. This scenario should play perfectly to the Gun Lugger’s strengths as it both draws inspiration from the Ogryn’s tribal hunting culture and takes advantage of his ability to fight both the vehicle and any supporting units that may accompany it. Whether a crude Ork wagon, a sleek xenos attack craft, a vicious walker, or some other unique and deadly heretic tank, the enemy vehicle will surely sport lethal armaments of its own and should serve as a challenging encounter in return for hours trekking through the thick, jungle vegetation. Perhaps the individual that piloted the vehicle with such cunning and skill could even serve as the encounter’s thrilling climax following the tank’s demise, emerging from the tangled wreckage to reap his terrible vengeance on the party.rearguarDThis Adventure Seed takes advantage of the Gun Lugger’s penchant for unleashing a torrent of fire on his enemies while acting as a mobile support platform. In this scenario the Gun Lugger and his unit must infiltrate a key enemy fortification or stronghold, and destroy it from within by placing demolition charges at key points within the structure. However, the facility is rather large and the unit will need time to identify and place their destructive payloads where they will do the most damage. While the rest of his comrades are so engaged, the Gun Lugger is assigned to cover the squad’s escape route. However, enemy forces within the structure managed to get off a distress signal to a nearby enemy formation, which has mobilised to mount a counter-attack on the Imperial forces and entomb them within their objective. Now the Gun Lugger must hold off increasing numbers of enemy soldiers as his comrades race against time to finish their mission before their window of escape closes for good. To make matters worse, a few enemy defenders have survived the initial onslaught. Confident that friendly units will soon arrive in force, these surviving enemies are committed to ensuring that none of the loyalist soldiers make it out of the structure alive
the oBstInanCeof noDMany of the best-known tales regarding the lumbering Ogryns describe unswerving loyalty and dedication to the Imperial cause in the defence of their comrades. In fact, such qualities are a major factor in the widespread conscription of these abhumans into the Imperial Guard as well as the Imperium’s continued tolerance of these obviously divergent strains of humanity. However, with the exception of a few extraordinary instances, such examples of defiance rarely prove to be more than entertaining anecdotes.One of the most celebrated of these occasions transpired when an Ogryn named Nod managed to rally his fellow soldiers and almost single-handily turn the back the tide of a piratical Eldar raid. The attack occurred before dawn, while the majority of the Platoon was still asleep. The foul xenos had stealthily ambushed and eliminated the numerous sentries stationed at the edges of the camp, leaving only headless corpses behind and the Guardsmen’s billets completely undefended. Their task complete, the raiders then crept silently between the hab-tents, viciously slaying and mutilating every soldier they came across while leaving the remainder to eventually awake to the unexpected horror of their companions’ grisly fate. By the time the alarm was finally raised, a quarter of the platoon’s members were already dead, and the rest had awoken into a nightmare of butchered comrades and a camp in panicked disarray. The Dark Eldar too cast restraint to the wind, manically falling on their victims with savage grace and eagerly taking yet more heads to accompany the fresh trophies that dangled from their gruesome murder-chains.All seemed lost as the defenders succumbed to the furious assault one by one, isolated pockets fighting desperate, losing battles against the vile xenos raiders. Yet, just when the Guardsmen’s fate seemed certain, a roar of defiance echoed from the quartermaster’s tent accompanied by the sound of furious heavy weapons fire. The roar was that of Nod, an Ogryn recently assigned to the platoon. Having been sent on an errand to the Quartermaster, the massive Ogryn had arrived at his destination to find the tent deserted and the weapons awaiting the day’s marshalling in pristine rows. It cannot be doubted that the Emperor was with Nod that day, as he immediately grabbed a weapon and began to fire extended bursts of high-calibre rounds into the startled ranks of the enemy. With grim determination, he continued to pour his righteous vengeance into the raiders until he had expended every round of ammunition, at which point he grabbed another gun and resumed his murderous volley. The Eldar were unprepared for the fury of this unexpected attack, and a great many fell before Nod’s continuous fusillade, their cruelly barbed and bladed armour buckling beneath the relentless hail of fire.Soon the other scattered survivors began to regroup around Nod’s position, quickly arming themselves and adding their considerable fire to his own. Faced with this unexpected development, the Eldar soon retreated, taking to the sky in their sleek raiders and slinking off into the retreating blackness while leaving their numerous dead and wounded behind. Remarkably, almost half of the unit survived the attack, and a mere 27 were deemed missing following the vicious raid. For his service, Nod became a living legend among the surviving defenders, and tales and songs concerning the “Obstinance of Nod” have become common among many units within the Spinward Front.
aptItuDesanD equIpmentPrerequisite Speciality: OgrynNew Aptitudes: Ballistic Skill, Offence, Defence, Perception, Strength, Weapon SkillNew Talents: Either Weapon Training (Bolt) and Weapon Training (Las) or Ripper ChargeSpecialist Equipment: Good Craftsmanship heavy bolter or Good Craftsmanship M41 multi-laser or Best Craftsmanship ripper gun, 5 frag grenades
speCIalIst aDVanCesThe Gun Lugger may purchase the following Advances to enhance his own abilities and the abilities of his Comrade. BallIstIC furyTy p e : PassiveCost: 300 xpEffect: The Gun Lugger can wield Heavy ranged weapons that do not have the Ogryn-Proof Quality as though he did not have the Clumsy Trait. However, whenever a ranged weapon without the Ogryn-Proof Quality the Gun Lugger is wielding Jams, the Gun Lugger breaks the weapon in his exuberance unless his Comrade is within Cohesion to calm him. A broken weapon must be repaired with a Hard (–20) Tech-Use Test that requires at least several minutes before it can be fired again.guIDIng fIreTy p e : Full ActionCost: 500 xpEffect: The Gun Lugger’s Comrade lays down a trail of shots to a chosen target that the Gun Lugger himself can attempt to mimic. Until the end of the Turn, the Gun Lugger doubles his Degrees of Success on any Ballistic Skill Test he makes to hit the target his Comrade marked. The Gun Lugger’s Comrade must be within Cohesion for him to enact this Order.
Bruteof BurDenTier: 1Prerequisites: Strength 45Aptitudes: Strength, GeneralMoving equipment is one of a soldier’s most important jobs on the battlefield, but some soldiers are obviously more adept at such labour than others. Some regiments have even been known to train their Ogryn auxiliaries specifically for this purpose to ease logistical burdens, so that whole encampments can be moved on the backs of loyal soldiers. This character adds an amount equal to the value of his Size Trait to the total of his Strength Bonus and Toughness Bonus for the purposes of lifting, carrying, or pushing heavy loads. In addition, he gains a +20 bonus on Toughness Tests to avoid gaining Fatigue from a forced march.
Desperate strengthTier: 3Prerequisites: Toughness 50, FrenzyAptitudes: Toughness, DefenceMany warriors are capable of calling upon seemingly unnatural power when death looms over them. The rage of a wounded Ogryn is particularly terrible to behold, and never more so when the fear of death manages to enter one’s thick skull. Once driven by such desperation, even the most dull-minded warrior can draw on reserves of terrifying might.While the character is Heavily Damaged, he gains the Unnatural Strength (1) and Unnatural Toughness (1) Traits (or increases the value of each of these Traits by 1 if he already possess them). While the character is suffering from Critical Damage, he increases the value of each of these Traits by an additional 1. The character still determines his threshold for being Heavily Damaged based on his Toughness Bonus before this Trait is applied.
It not so DarkTier: 1Prerequisites: Ogryn, Willpower 40Aptitudes: Willpower, GeneralWhile no Ogryn ever truly feels comfortable confined in small spaces, some of them learn to suppress their fear and act normally once they have been made to enter such areas. Some extraordinary souls even submit themselves to small confines on their own limited initiative, and the rest simply make the best of the situation when necessary.The character no longer suffers a penalty to act in confined spaces from the “But It Dark in Dere!” Trait. In addition, the Ogryn may make a Hard (–20) Willpower Test to enter a confined space of his own accord if his duties demand it. If he fails, he must still be ordered into such a space as normal.
loyal DemeanourTier: 1Prerequisites: OgrynAptitudes: Fellowship, LeadershipThe officers and even common soldiery of the Imperial Guard rarely take the words of Ogryns seriously. Typically this matters very little, with not even Bone ’eads having much to contribute to discussions of any sort. The rare Ogryns entrusted with matters of importance either learn to impress listeners with an obvious display of stern devotion to duty.This character never suffers penalties to Fellowship Tests for not being taken seriously or due to being an Ogryn, and may re-roll one failed Charm Test per game session.
tear ‘em ter BIts!Tier: 3Prerequisites: Ogryn, Strength 50Aptitudes: Strength, OffenceA truly enraged Ogryn is a terrible thing to behold, as childlike glee and enthusiasm gives way to something altogether fiercer and more primal. Enemies that provoke an Ogryn into such a state find only the small mercy that they do not have to endure such a terror for long, although their surviving comrades are likely to remember the grisly scene for the rest of their lives.Once per encounter, when this character inflicts Critical Damage on an enemy by dealing Damage in excess of the enemy’s Wounds, he may spend a Fate Point to instantly slay his foe in an exceptionally gruesome manner. The enemy may be literally pulled apart by the Ogryn’s blows, cleaved into bits, or dismembered in some other terrifying display of might. He gains the Fear (2) Trait against all foes who witnessed this savage display until the end of the encounter.
OGRYN ORDERSThese Orders are derived from the Departmento Munitorum-approved training regimens for Ogryn soldiers of the Imperial Guard. Some of these Orders require the incredible muscle mass and strength of an Ogryn to execute, while others require the support of an Ogryn Comrade, as listed in the Prerequisites. Orders cannot be issued to any Comrade who does not match the type listed in its Prerequisites. Rules for Ogryn Comrades are found on page 119.Cut loose!Type: Order (Half Action)Prerequisites: Strength 35, Ogryn ComradeAptitudes: Ballistic Skill, OffenceEffect: Ogryns are notorious among the quartermasters of the Imperial Guard for their prodigious expenditure of ammunition. They rarely, if ever, seem to grasp such concepts of “burst fire” or “aiming,” and sometimes unload full clips into empty air when startled. The most disciplined among their number (for what such a label is worth), and others who work with these massive warriors, can occasionally manage to convince their Comrades to keep the barrels of their ripper guns pointing directly towards the enemy. Though they cannot curb their Comrades’ tendency to over-expend ammunition, this habit can still be made to serve the Imperium, as the wild hail of bullets makes it difficult to evade any more carefully placed fire.As part of this order, the character’s Comrade wildly unloads as many shots as possible; until the end of the Turn, enemies must re-roll successful Dodge Tests made to avoid attacks by the character. The character’s Comrade must be within Cohesion for him to enact this Order.get BehInD me!Type: Order (Half Action)Prerequisites: Toughness 50, Ogryn, non-Ogryn ComradeAptitudes: Toughness, DefenceEffect: Although Ogryns are famously protective of their brothers-in-arms, they are not similarly renowned for taking initiative in their defence of these wards. It usually falls to an Ogryn’s squad mates to determine how his strength and bulk can best shield them in any given situation. However, there are exceptions—Ogryns with the ability to think on their feet better than most, who have mastered the art of sheltering their smaller and weaker Comrades behind an imposing wall of muscle. The Ogryn’s Comrade moves behind his massive ally. While sheltered in this way, the Comrade is not hit by attacks (and if an attack would hit him, such as on a result of doubles, it hits the Ogryn instead) and immediately recovers from the effects of Fear and Pinning. This effect lasts until the Ogryn or his Comrade moves. The character’s Comrade must be in Cohesion to enact this Order.take ‘em DoWn!Type: Order (Half Action)Prerequisites: Strength 45, OgrynAptitudes: Strength, OffenceEffect: The great strength of an Ogryn’s blows can slay almost any foe, but sometimes particularly nimble foes can still prove difficult to kill as they evade strike after strike. An Ogryn frustrated in this way can call upon the aid of his Comrade to help pin down a mobile foe or bowl the enemy over. Once put on the ground and slammed by the full weight of an Ogryn moments later, the enemy rarely gets back up.As part of this Order, the character’s Comrade moves to engage one foe within his Charge Move distance. The target must make a Challenging (+0) Dodge Test or be knocked Prone. This character’s Comrade must be in Cohesion to enact this Order.thump ‘em!Type: Order (Half Action)Prerequisites: Ogryn, Ogryn Comrade, FrenzyAptitudes: Weapon Skill, OffenceEffect: If the power of one Ogryn striking a target is deadly, then surely any two Ogryns that manage to coordinate their blows are a force to be reckoned with. Although no Ogryn tolerates long hours of combat drills with anything resembling good grace, sometimes the basic concepts nevertheless sink into their thick skulls with startling effect.The next melee attack Action the character undertake inflicts an additional +4 Damage and gains the Concussive (0) Quality. The character’s Comrade must be in Cohesion to enact this Order
OGRYN COMRADESOgryn Comrades are typically only available if the Player Characters selects the Unusual Companion Talent, as detailed on page 108. In such a regiment, all standard Comrades are replaced with Ogryn Comrades, both at character creation and when replacing casualties in the squad. Ogryn Comrades follow all normal rules for Comrades except where listed below.•Ogryn Comrades are extremely robust, and have anadditional Wound State. They can be Healthy, Lightly Wounded, Heavily Wounded, or Dead. Furthermore, they suffer no penalties for being Lightly Wounded, although they suffer the effects of being Heavily Wounded as normal.•Ogryn Comrades grant their controlling Player Character an additional +10 bonus to Weapon Skill Tests when using the Close Quarters Generic Order.•Player Characters with Ogryn Comrades must pass anOrdinary (+10) Command Test to use the Take Cover! Generic Order. While such Comrades are typically willing to carry out the order, Ogryns are not very good at hiding!•Ogryn Comrades have the But It Dark In Dere Trait, asdetailed on page 91 of the Only War Core Rulebook. Player Characters who have already entered an enclosed location receive a +20 bonus to the Command Test to order their Comrades in after them, instead of the normal penalty, as the Comrade is more likely to trust the judgment of his own kind on whether he fits inside.•If anything ever happens to an Ogryn Comrade thatrequires information from a profile, refer to the Ogryn Profile on page 373 of the Only War Core Rulebook.•Ogryn Comrades roll for their Demeanour on Table3–10: Ogryn Demeanours. At the GM’s discretion, a player may pick any Demeanour for his Comrade except for “He’s a Clever ‘un!” instead of rolling on the table.
ranged positive pattern
Brutal Construction: This weapon gains the Ogryn-Proof Quality. If used as an Improvised Weapon, it has the following profile: Melee; 1d10 I; Ogryn-Proof, Primitive (8)
melee positive pattern
Incredibly Dense: This weapon is never destroyed when used to Parry a weapon with the Power Field Quality. It gains the Ogryn-Proof Quality.
Ucernox are notable for being one of the few mounts capable of carrying an Ogryn into battle without cybernetic augmentation.
Not all mutants are so scorned or oppressed by the Imperium, and some kinds have even reached a point of sanctioning and induction to the Imperial Guard. These are stable strains of mutants known as abhumans, and primarily comprised of Ogryns and Ratlings. Ogryns are large, bulky humanoids, standing seven or eight feet tall and wrapped in massive slabs of muscle. Despite limited imagination, they make excellent shock troops, where their size and ability to ignore all but the most grievous of wounds allows them to plough into the enemy, leading the way for their comrades. Ogryns are also fantastically loyal and make excellent bodyguards, fighting to the death or standing resolutely over the body of their fallen master like a faithful dog (granted, a seven foot dog armed with a shotcannon). For their strengths, though, Ogryns do have their weaknesses. In addition to their limited intelligence, which, without proper leadership, can leave them confused or dithering in the midst of battle, they are also adverse to confined spaces, especially dark ones. An understandable trait in such a large creature, the Imperial Guard nevertheless has to transport the abhumans to the battlefield, and it will fall to some unlucky Guardsman to lure the Ogryns into a transport or ship hold (often with the promise of food) and then babysit them through a long and miserable journey.Ogryn: These immense abhumans tend to be a bit dim-witted, but act as some of the Imperial Guard’s most effective shock troops.
Ogryn
ogryns are huge, powerful abhumans fielded by the Imperial Guard as shock troops. Standing heads taller than an average man, these savage, simple-minded creatures are thick with bulk and muscle, and are descended from humans who were stranded on cold, high-gravity from humans who were stranded on cold, high-gravity worlds in a time long forgotten. Their thick frames worlds in a time long forgotten. Their thick frames are capable of lifting immense weight and are capable of lifting immense weight and protecting them from most small weapons fire, protecting them from most small weapons fire, and their great strength is invaluable for fighting and their great strength is invaluable for fighting on the front lines. Once the Ogryns were rediscovered, the Once the Ogryns were rediscovered, the leadership of the Departmento Munitorum was leadership of the Departmento Munitorum was able to find appropriate uses for the big, dim able to find appropriate uses for the big, dim abhumans. Carrying special, sturdily built, abhumans. Carrying special, sturdily built, Ogryn-specific equipment like the brutal Ogryn-specific equipment like the brutal ripper gun and ripper saw, they are ripper gun and ripper saw, they are still utilised as shock troops, deployed still utilised as shock troops, deployed on the front lines to smash enemy on the front lines to smash enemy units and cause as much damage units and cause as much damage and havoc as possible in as short and havoc as possible in as short a time as possible. While not as a time as possible. While not as common as they once were, common as they once were, there are many regiments there are many regiments who still field Ogryns, who still field Ogryns, either in dedicated Ogryn squads, or mixed in with other Guardsmen, who can help guide them and keep an eye on them, to prevent them from hurting prevent them from hurting themselves and their comrades.themselves and their comrades.Conveniently for the Imperial Guard, Conveniently for the Imperial Guard, Ogryn are incredibly loyal once Ogryn are incredibly loyal once befriended, and will go to any ends befriended, and will go to any ends to fulfil the commands of someone to fulfil the commands of someone they trust. They worship the they trust. They worship the God-Emperor with a child-like God-Emperor with a child-like devotion, and are more than devotion, and are more than happy to charge into battle to happy to charge into battle to keep the Imperium safe.New Players: Rules on Aptitudes Rules on Aptitudes and spending experience to advance and spending experience to advance your character are provided on your character are provided on page 100 later in this chapter. To page 100 later in this chapter. To help you along, Table 3–8: Ogryn Table 3–8: Ogryn Recommended AdvancesRecommended Advances offers some suggestions on which Advances to initially suggestions on which Advances to initially work towards as you start your tour of work towards as you start your tour of duty in the 41st Millennium. duty in the 41st Millennium.
BUT IT DARKIN DERE!Despite their fearsome and fearless nature, Ogryns are extremely claustrophobic. They will not enter caves, basements, ruins, infantry fighting vehicles like the Chimera, or even smaller than average buildings, of their own free will. Officers and Commissars can order them into such places, but suffer a –10 penalty to any Command Skill Tests to do so, and Ogryns suffer a –10 to all Skill Tests when so confined.CLUMSYOgryn’s hands are not only much larger than those of a normal human, but also far stronger, and most Ogryn have a hard time using them to perform delicate, or even normal, tasks. Because of this, Ogryn cannot use most weapons made for humans, as they tend to break them when they try. Any weapon which doesn’t have the Ogryn-Proof Trait cannot be used by a character with the Clumsy Trait.COMRADE ADVANCESThese are Advances that may be purchased by the Ogryn to enhance the abilities of his Comrade.LITTLE ‘UNTy p e : PassiveCost: 250 xpEffect: Those Guardsmen that choose to tolerate the presence of the Ogryn tend to be the ones of similar build. However, even the largest Guardsman is tiny in the eyes of an Ogryn, and gain the affectionate name “little ‘uns.” The Ogryn’s Comrade gains an extra Wound State. He can now be either Healthy, Lightly Wounded, Heavily Wounded, or Dead.FIERCE LOYALTYTy p e : PassiveCost: 300 xpEffect: Ogryns become very attached to those around them, and can gain strong connections to their Comrades. If the Ogryn’s Comrade is not in Cohesion with the Ogryn, or is within 10 metres of another Player Character and engaged in melee with an enemy, the Ogryn becomes Frenzied (see page 144) and gains an additional +10 Strength and +10 Toughness until his Comrade is either safe or dead. If the Comrade dies, the Ogryn becomes inconsolable for hours.
Characteristic Bonus: +10 Strength, +10 Toughness, –15 Intelligence, and –10 Agility.Starting Aptitudes: Ballistic Skill, Defence, Offence, Strength, Toughness, Weapon Skill.
Starting Skills: Intimidate or Survival.or Survival.orStarting Talents: Die Hard or Iron Jaw, Weapon or Iron Jaw, Weapon orTraining (Heavy, Solid Projectile).Training (Heavy, Solid Projectile).Star t ing Trait s : Auto-Stabilised, But It Dark in Dere!, Clumsy, Size (Hulking), Sturdy, Unnatural Strength (+2), Unnatural Toughness (+2).Specialist Equipment: Common Craftsmanship ripper gun, 1d5 frag grenades.Wounds : 25 + 1d5
The few abhumans among the ranks of the Imperial Guard, the tiny Ratlings and hulking Ogryn, have different physiologies, and therefore, different averages of height and weight. Ogryns are massive, brutish abhumans who range between 2.5 and 3 metres in height and weigh, on average, 250 kilograms.
OGRYN-PROOFThe bestial Ogryn that serve amongst the ranks of the Imperial Guard have hands that are not only much larger than those of a normal human, but also far stronger. Most Ogryn have a hard time using them to perform delicate, or even normal, tasks. There are many weapons, however, that are perfect for use by these cumbersome creatures. Characters with the Clumsy Trait can use any weapon with the Ogryn-Proof Quality with no penalty.
HULKING CHAOS MUTANTThe classification of mutation within the Imperium is quite simple. Either one is a mutant, or one is not. Any sign of mutation, from a single twisted limb to a third eye, is a death sentence for the one who has been so tainted. But there are those who bear more than a little physical corruption. It has been known for the mutating winds of Chaos to heap their malevolent gifts atop the shoulders of men until they are little more than a slavering, mindless engine of destruction in the service of the Chaos gods. Likewise, it is not unknown for the mighty Ogryn to bear the marks of the Dark Powers, their enormous bodies and simple minds capable of withstanding far more corruption than those of a regular man. In either case, the result is a towering hulk of flesh and bone, home to all manner of mutation, from lashing tentacles to a snapping maw protruding from its flesh; from a thick armoured carapace to a blazing aura of Warp-fire. Such abominations are terrifying opponents, combining the strength to rip a man limb from limb, with the supernatural resilience to take several las-rounds to the chest before even slowing to consider its injuries. These creatures live a life of pain and death; ever wracked with the agony of their mutations. These Mutants rarely wield sophisticated weaponry or armour, preferring instead to pummel their victims to death or, at the very least, to rely on the gifts given to them by the dark beings of Warp space. When they do feel the urge to carry more advanced weaponry, however, they tend toward loud, vulgar displays of violent power, wielding enormous weapons usually reserved for teams of soldiers or mounted on vehicles.
OGRYN The Imperial Guard makes use of whatever resources are available to it, be that manpower, technology, or sheer Imperial fervour. As such, it is to be expected that the Departmento Munitorum would make use of any and all members of the Imperium who were available for conscription, enlistment, or tithe. Dim-witted, strong as a Space Marine, and ponderous as a Leman Russ battle tank, Ogryns were once thought of as a dangerous strain of human mutation. After rigorous Inquisitorial interrogation and testing, it was deemed that Ogryns were a true-bred subspecies of abhuman. With that decision, the Departmento Munitorum acquired a new and fearsome weapon.Ogryns are put to work by the Imperial Guard as front-line shock troopers; brutal close-combat specialists capable tearing a man limb from limb or even pummelling a small tank to scrap with their bare hands. Standing between two and three metres tall and thickly-muscled, Ogryns are capable of withstanding huge amounts of punishment. Their natural strength and vigour makes them ideal for any engagement where the fighting is sure to be bloody and Ogryns are often deployed in first-wave assaults. Given their size and ferocity, it is not uncommon for Ogryns to break the morale of their foes before they even come to grips with one another. This is not to say that the Imperial Guard doesn’t utilize the Ogryns’ strength for other things as well. Traditionally equipped with enormous Ripper Guns, the huge abhumans wade into combat behind a storm of heavy-calibre shells, only to arrive swinging the weapons hard enough to buckle a plasteel bulkhead. What Ogryns lack in intellect, they more than make up for in fervour and faith in the Emperor. They will go to any length given to them by a trusted figure such as their commander or Commissar; and there are few things harder to stop than a determined Ogryn