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Fluff: Though the use of Beastmen has fallen out of favor in the general Imperium there are still some that deem them worthy of dying in the Emperor's name. These abhumans are not the product of warp taint but rather of alien environments. They come in many forms whether they resemble foxes, wolves, lizards or, in some cases, insects.

Their native homeworlds are typically run by the Ecclesiarchy though there are some independent of the Church. However, the method by which they pay their tithes is near universal: Masses and masses of zealous abhumans. On each world, even those not offically run by the church, is a grand Mission the size of a city. Every year the Beastmen converge on this church in a great pilgrimage. Their intent is to be absolved of their original sin of being born a abhuman. The most pious and physically capable of their number are selected to die off world for to die in the Emperor's name is a most holy of sacrifice indeed. Those still filled with zeal but whose bodies are too lame for the rigors of combat instead throw themselves into the great fire pits built for this purpose. The Emperor's flames is a cleansing tool even fit for those as unworthy as they.

Once off world these selected warriors are stripped of their clothing, identity and most unsightly features. Those resembling a wolf, for example, would find themselves shaven, their ears and tail removed and their muzzles mutilated to an unrecognizable state. All of this is done while fully awake and aware. Some, such as those covered in scales, wear robes to cover up their unsightly features. These zealots are then inscribed with holy words that declare that only in death shall they find their redemption.

When deployed they are used en masse to cover up their lack of any formal training. Though their religious fury may be great their skill at arms isn't. Typically each Beastman is given is a close combat weapon that are humble to say the least. A beastman should find himself lucky to have a functioning chainsword. They are then herded into the most dangerous of situations. Their already burning furies are stoked by the inspiring rhetoric of the Ministorum priests that accompany them. Most of them will die on their first charge having finally found their peace. Those who do find their way to the enemy will drown them in both corpses and holy wrath. Those who survive will be thrown into the next charge, their experience being of some use to the newer Beastmen. It is extremely rare to find a Beastman that survives an entire a campaign. Those that do are grizzled warriors who have managed to survive countless suicidal charges. Their fervor is only greater for they believe that the Emperor is "saving" them for some greater purpose and he shall guide them to whatever fate he intends for them.

Beastmen Horde: 115 pts

Unit composition:
1 Beastman Packmaster
19 Beastman Zealots

Beastman Zealot:

WS: 2 BS: 2 S: 3 T: 3 W: 1 A: 2 I: 2 LD: 6 6+

Wargear:
CCW
Improvised Armor
Special Rules:



Beastman Veteran:

WS: 3 BS: 3 S: 3 T: 3 W: 1 A: 2 I: 3 LD: 7 5+

Wargear:
CCW
Laspistol
Flak Armor
Frag Grenades

Beastman Packmaster:
WS: 3 BS: 3 S: 3 T: 3 W: 1 A: 3 I: 3 LD: 8 5+

Wargear:
CCW
Laspistol
Flak Armor

Special Rules:
I shall fight in your stead!
Character


Options:
The Beastman Horde may take:
Up to 30 additional Beastman Zealots: 5 pts/model.
Up to 10 Beastman Veterans: 6 pts/model
For every 20 models, one Beastman Packmaster: 8 pts
The entire Horde may take frag grenades: 1 pt/model
Each Beastman Veteran may take a Laspistol: 1 pts/model

For every five Beastman Veterans, one may take...
Heavy Stubber: 5pts/model
Flamer: 5 pts/model
Shotgun: 5 pts/model

Special Rules:
Furious Charge

Beneath Contempt: This unit cannot be joined by another other independent characters besides a Ministorum Priest. In addition, friendly units may not cast Psychic powers on the Beastman Horde.

Unorganized Rabble: Though pious of heart the Beastman Horde lacks any formal education and military training. Without guidance they are no better than a pack of wild animals. Unless joined by a Ministorum Priest the Beastman Horde must move towards the closest enemy unit unless falling back and do not count as scoring. In addition, any order tests this unit conducts automatically fail unless you had rolled the "Inspired Tactics" result when issuing a previous order with the same officer. . Only the most charismatic of officers may direct these poor souls.

I shall fight in your stead!: Beastmen look up the agents of the Ecclesiarchy as a child would look up to their parents. They do not want to see them harmed as they are the only ones who will direct them to the Emperor's light. At the beginning of your movement phase, after issuing orders, you may elect to activate this special rule. Nominate one Beastman Packmaster per group as the beneficiary of this rule. Until the beginning of your next turn the nominated Packmaster may accept challenges issued to the Ministorum Priest. The Ministorum priest may then continue the fight as normal. If the nominated Packmaster is slain the Ministorum Priest must accept or deny challenges as normal.

2pts? Seriously? For 100pts you get 50 scoring bodies with fearless, who also happen to hit really hard on the charge (50 bodies=150 attacks, 110 hit with re-rolls, 55 wound at strength 4. You just killed 18 Marines...). Even if all 50 don't make it, that is just to much damage potential. No, just no.

Good idea, very bad pointing. First off, lose Zealot. Having fearless alone makes them an excellent unit, but Hatred as well as FC? This also gives you a reason to put priests in there, as of now there is no incentive to do so as your fluff suggests. Next i suggest swapping 5+ save into a 6+ and go up to Ws 3 otherwise they will cost to much, as now you can cost them similar to Orks. Also lose Frag grenades, it makes little sense to have them base for such unprepared troops.

5 pts, Ws 3 Bs 2 S 3 T 3 W 1 A 2 I 2 Ld 7 6+

CCW
Improvised Armour.
Furious Charge
Holy Fevor ( This unit must move towards and charge the enemy if possible unless they are accompanied by a priest)
Below Contempt ( Independent Characters other then priests may not join this unit). No Inquisitor grenades for you!

May take frag grenades for 1pt per model. All models must be equip with them.

How does that look for the basic Wargor?

I like both concepts here, but I think it would be best to use Conscripts as the starting point. Conscripts are 3 PPM and they come with a Lasgun, Flak Armor and Frag Grenades. Now, if we add +1 WS and Furious Charge at 1 PPM each, and then swap the Lasgun for a Close Combat Weapon, we can say the base Beastman is 5 PPM. The Ministorum Priest in this example will make the unit Fearless and also make the unit Scoring, but once the Priest dies the unit's low Leadership will see them running for the hills.

Abhuman Warpack

Beastman: WS 3 BS 2 S 3 T 3 W 1 A 1 I 3 LD 5 5+
Infantry

Pack Leader: WS 3 BS 2 S 3 T 3 W: 1 A 2 I 3 LD 6 5+
Infantry (character)

Points: 100

Unit Composition:
20 Beastmen

Wargear:
Close combat weapon
Flak armor
Frag grenades

Special Rules:
Furious Charge
Supervised Savages - An Abhuman Warpack unit counts as Scoring as long as the unit is accompanied by a Ministorum Priest.
Below Contempt - Only a single Ministorum Priest model may join this unit. No other Independent Character may join an Abhuman Warpack.

Options:
May include up to 20 additional Beastman... 5 PPM
For every ten Beastmen in the unit, one Beastman may exchange his Close combat weapon for: Flamer or Heavy Stubber... 5 PPM
For every ten Beastmen in the unit, one Beastman may be upgraded to a Pack Leader... 10 PPM
A Pack Leader may take items from the Melee Weapons list.
The entire squad may take Laspistols... 1 PPM

 Smashotron wrote:
I like both concepts here, but I think it would be best to use Conscripts as the starting point. Conscripts are 3 PPM and they come with a Lasgun, Flak Armor and Frag Grenades. Now, if we add +1 WS and Furious Charge at 1 PPM each, and then swap the Lasgun for a Close Combat Weapon, we can say the base Beastman is 5 PPM. The Ministorum Priest in this example will make the unit Fearless and also make the unit Scoring, but once the Priest dies the unit's low Leadership will see them running for the hills.

Abhuman Warpack

Beastman: WS 3 BS 2 S 3 T 3 W 1 A 1 I 3 LD 5 5+
Infantry

Pack Leader: WS 3 BS 2 S 3 T 3 W: 1 A 2 I 3 LD 6 5+
Infantry (character)

Points: 100

Unit Composition:
20 Beastmen

Wargear:
Close combat weapon
Flak armor
Frag grenades

Special Rules:
Furious Charge
Supervised Savages - An Abhuman Warpack unit counts as Scoring as long as the unit is accompanied by a Ministorum Priest.
Below Contempt - Only a single Ministorum Priest model may join this unit. No other Independent Character may join an Abhuman Warpack.

Options:
May include up to 20 additional Beastman... 5 PPM
For every ten Beastmen in the unit, one Beastman may exchange his Close combat weapon for: Flamer or Heavy Stubber... 5 PPM
For every ten Beastmen in the unit, one Beastman may be upgraded to a Pack Leader... 10 PPM
A Pack Leader may take items from the Melee Weapons list.
The entire squad may take Laspistols... 1 PPM

My initial idea was to make them worse melee oriented conscripts that you just throw at the enemy as a suicide unit but this is a lot better. Do you think they should be able to take Gorgons/Crassus Armored Assault Transports?

No I think that when there is a need for a Gorgon, it will always be the humans that are permitted to embark. The abhumans would be expected to march along the convoy, so Beastmen should have no Transport options, in my opinion. I think from a wargear perspective they are do not have access to better armor like carapace or many other special weapons. Honestly, to be fluffy with the rules, you could say "The entire squad may take Autopistols... 1 PPM" instead of Laspistols to show that they have to rely on the most basic weapons from the armory.

Good idea, but way to cheap. I'd go 4 points a pop, 6 for the veteran. Their basically conscripts with one extra attack. Personally, I would also drop the priest requirement or give em a rule where if the priest dies, the take a morale check or flee off the board or somesuch. Or make the special character be a lesser priest who gives them hatred and stubborn- I dunno, fearless seems like a bit much to me.


[i]These priests have, through sin or cowardice, fallen from the light of the emperor. Now, they charge headlong into the fray alongside other damned souls, guiding them into the fires of battle.

Shepard Priest- 15 pts.
WS- 3 BS-2 S-3 T-3 W-1 A-2 I-3 LD-7 5+
Autogun, close combat weapon, autopistol
Furious Charge, Stubborn
Coward's shame- Unlike a normal priest, a Shepard Priest does not come with a rosarius.
Hymns of repentance- At the beginning of every fight sub-phase in which the priest is locked in combat, he may attempt to cast a hymn. To cast, he must take a leadership test- if successful, he may pick one of 2 hymns to cast. If he is unsuccessful, there is no effect.
For the emperor!- the priest and his unit re-roll all failed to hit rolls for the remainder of the turn.
Zealot's Wrath- the priest, and his unit, are fearless for the remainder of the turn.

Grots are ws2, t2, s2, i2, a1, ld5, without armor. For 3 pts per model.

You really think that adding +1S, +1A, +1Ini, +2 LD, 5+ armor save, Furious charge and frag grenades...and making them 33% cheaper is a good thing? They should cost 5 pts as a bare minimum considering there's a chapo priest with zealot in there.

I've updated the original post with the suggested rules and price bumps. Added a few twists of my own. What do you think?