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Hey all, so i am new to this forum, i do however have a question in regards to background. Is it possible for Imperial Guard armies to have beastman regiments? I have an army that is from a feudal world, and i was leaning towards having beastman levies as part of my force (probably around a platoons worth) Would this work background wise with a loyalist guard regiment? or would it be better served in armies of traitor guard. Thoughts?

I'm sure one of the planets in the 40k Universe has creatures that would equate to WH:FB beastmen. That being said, I'm pretty sure The Imperium wouldn't allow Xenos within their military. You might be able to explain it away as a human mutation/evolution (similar to Ogryn) but that is stretching it in my opinion.

In rogue trader-era there was beastmen guardsmen nut in the current fluff there's not much room. But you could come up with fluff of a feudal world where beastmen are too common to not use, or a rogue trader's personnel force

I'd be inclined to think that any genetic deviants such as beastmen are surely touched by Chaos, and as such would be on the receiving end of a imperial purge rather than doing the purging. I'd say go Chaos, and convert a traitor guard regiment.

Cheers for that guys. Im starting to like the sound of using them as traitor guard. thanks to allies, they will make a great addition to my chaos marines

Hmm, lexicanums Abhuan article and both mention loyalist beastmen. So its obvious that the Imperium can be fine with them even if highly distrustful. Evil allies would certainly work easier, but there is precedent for good ones as well..

Beastmen aren't mutants (geneticly unstable) or xenos (aliens). They breed true (beastman + beastwoman = beastbaby) and can't cross breed so they are classified as Abhumans (similar to Ogryns or Ratlings albeit with a much lower status).

In early editions they were in the Guard codex, in later editions they have at least been in the Guard fluff.

This edition we learn that they'e no longer on the approved list but we got catgirls (Felinids) and mermen (Pelagers).

Catgirls. Real grimdark there, GW.

Beastmen still exist in fluff, but they're no longer classified as an "accepted" Abhuman species like Ogryns or Ratlings as of 6th Edition, which states that the Arbites hunt down/gather and slaughter them. Rather they're considered corrupted by Chaos and often accompany the armies of the Lost and the Damned.

My guess is GW wanted to keep the status of "Beastmen = bad" for comparisons to WHFB sake so simplified them a bit.

They used to believe in the old fluff that the emperor was a vengeful god and that only through the blood of his enemies could they atone for the sin of being born a beastman......I think I have a quote made by one of their pack masters somewhere

The Imperium is so huge that you could certainly have some beastmen serving somewhere and include them in a regiment.

Alongside the more normal human stock, the Imperium of Man also tolerates a range of humanoid creatures that have been changed by their environment or which although mutated are able to breed true. Some, like Beastmen are regarded as little better than true mutants - whilst others such as Ogryns and Ratlings have established a tenuous place in Imperial Society.

Beastmen (homo sapiens variatus)
As feared and distrusted by many inhabitants of the Imperium as the mutant, some frontier worlds still recruit these beings – humans malformed with the head and instincts of a beast. Preachers moving amongst them find them beings who lack intelligence but who can be fired with a simple but fierce devotion to the Imperial cult as they attempt to atone for their obvious sin.

“Beastman Bad. Bad Beastman. Dirty. Emperor no like. Beastman love Emperor. Give blood to Emperor. Give heads to Emperor. Say sorry.”
Packmaster Grasht, attached to the 7th Company, 14th Gratanor Regiment.

Depends how bestial they are, the 3rd edition Abhuman doctrines article did include a Beastman doctrine but the modelling section said it came down to feet, if the goat headed & legged guy had feet he was in, if he had cloven hooves he was out.

There was one in White Dwarf and it's in the 6th ed rulebook, so its possible, but very, very unlikley. But hell, this is 40k were talking about. There's everything from steel trees to hyper intelegent space monkeys to a map that you can extinguish stars on.

All that said, I'd still do a guard regiment.

Ogryn=spawn/big beasts
Lots of conscripts, drown them under a tide of lesser beasts, and a totally corrupted regiment.

Would look ace.

Okay so the majority are leaning towards chaos. Cool, works for me, i can use them as conscripts in my traitor guard army. Meatshields are awesome.

"Beastman bad. Bad Beastman. Dirty. Emperor no like. Beastman love Emperor. Give blood to Emperor, Give heads to Emperor. Say sorry."

- Packmaster Grasht,
attached to 7th Company,
14th Gratanor Regiment

Rogue Trader era...

There's an awesome PM thread about beastmen as Mercenaries.




Need i say more?

But I agree, unless you're completely dying to be part of the IoM, you'd simply be better off as traitor guard. (Which is basically exactly the same thing anyway.)

Edit: Here it is http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/446424.page

Like all the suggestions here. Im now leaning towards beastman mercenaries to fight alongside Huron Blackhearts forces.

Or field an entire army of Penal Legion squads

 Mr Morden wrote:
“Beastman Bad. Bad Beastman. Dirty. Emperor no like. Beastman love Emperor. Give blood to Emperor. Give heads to Emperor. Say sorry.”
Packmaster Grasht, attached to the 7th Company, 14th Gratanor Regiment.

Excellent work!

I think they could be used with either IoM or Chaos equally well. The 40K Universe is a very big place.

Classic Paul Bonner picture from WD109/110 of Imperial Guard Beastmen and Ogryns.

http://www.dakkadakka.com/gallery/1118-Imperial%20Beastmen.html

As I recall there was a fluff box quote about a Space Marine captain saying he'd fight alongside the abhumans and then cleanse his men in the sternest possible way to remove the taint.

I think once upon a time in the background The Emperor was accepting of Beastmen and allowed Beastmen regiments but I would think that's pretty retconned now.

Sure you can have Beastmen in your IG regiment. Until Segmentum Command, the Sisters and/or the Inquisition hear from it. :3

"Witch Hunters would fight Imperial Guard because:
[...] * Though it is common for Imperial Guard regiments to employ such abhuman soldiers as Ogryns and Ratlings, this particular regiment is recruiting from amongst the indentured mutant workforce of an industrial slave-world. The Ordo Hereticus plans to put an end to this immediately."
- 3E C:WH Battle Narratives

 Lynata wrote:
Sure you can have Beastmen in your IG regiment. Until Segmentum Command, the Sisters and/or the Inquisition hear from it. :3

"Witch Hunters would fight Imperial Guard because:
[...] * Though it is common for Imperial Guard regiments to employ such abhuman soldiers as Ogryns and Ratlings, this particular regiment is recruiting from amongst the indentured mutant workforce of an industrial slave-world. The Ordo Hereticus plans to put an end to this immediately."
- 3E C:WH Battle Narratives

And then you wonder why nobody wants to be Battle Brothers with them on the Ally Chart.

Cheers guys, this is all really helpful. really appreciate it

 Harriticus wrote:
Beastmen still exist in fluff, but they're no longer classified as an "accepted" Abhuman species like Ogryns or Ratlings as of 6th Edition, which states that the Arbites hunt down/gather and slaughter them. Rather they're considered corrupted by Chaos and often accompany the armies of the Lost and the Damned.

My guess is GW wanted to keep the status of "Beastmen = bad" for comparisons to WHFB sake so simplified them a bit.

This is exactly what was the case in 5th edition as well. The Beastmen actually have a unit and rules for it in the Servants of Slaughter army list from Imperial Armour volume 6 (Siege of Vraks part II). They are now mostly known as mutants and followers of Khorne, which makes the arch enemies of the Imperium.