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Given the recent GW focus on Octarius, and the previous Octarius background (of a ongoing, cataclysmic conflict between Orks and Tyranids, engineered by an Inquisitor), it seems like GW really missed/avoided an obvious opportunity to take established lore and represent it with the models.

The Kryptmann strategy (of getting the Tyranids and the Orks to fight each other) seemed to work, but then resulted, among other things, the ramped up size and aggression typical of Orks getting regular fightin' in.

Given that the Snaggas are larger (model-wise), stronger (S5), and Tougher (their special rules)--why not explain that the sudden influx of Beast Snaggas was due to the ongoing and incessant conflict with the Tyranids? They are bigger, tougher orks because they have been fighting the Tyranids non-stop. They go after big monsters because that is the strategy that works with the Tyranids (disrupting Hive Nodes and the like). Their reliance on squigs is because of the breakdown in supply chains and manufacturing during all-out war with the Tyranids. Your trukk might run out of gas or spare parts, but your squig just needs to eat the enemy!

The Snaggas obviously aren't technologically stunted. They have chain-choppas (which not all boys even have). They have sluggas, and other projectile weapons. They have bionics.

It would make them more obviously suited to be part of any Klan (because, despite all the verbiage about them being part of every clan, even GW says that Snakebites are the 'natural fit' for them).

It would seem to localize them to the Octarius sector, but given that Ghaz has been yoinking all around the galaxy recruiting lads, that isn't much of an actual issue. It doesn't seem to stop the Tau much.

Heck, GW could even hearken back to the background of Orks having genetic predispositions that emerge in specific situations (featured by the Ork ambassadors in War of the Beast) by noting that Beast Snaggas, while becoming increasingly present in the Octarius region, are not dissimilar to the subkulturs observed on many ork-infested worlds that contain megafauna.

It just seems like a completely missed opportunity to introduce new models by referring to (relatively) new developments in the backstory, rather than just, once again, saying "Oh, they have always been there all along and nobody ever happened to mention them." Instead, you could have something that plausibly WAS there all along (a subkultur that was largely limited to ork-held megafauna worlds) that, quite reasonably became waaaaay more common when ALL of the worlds in an entire sub-sector became infested with very aggressive mega-fauna (aka Tyranids).

This makes a lot of sense but I’m guessing the mentality at GW was that Kommandos are really on the nose for Kill Team, which they are, so that’s what they went with. I agree it would’ve been cooler though

Beast Snaggaz bug me so much! Your idea would've been much more true to the fluff! Alternatively you could just have released 'ard boyz, which hav existed since almost forever.

It's not as missed as you might think, Da Butcha. There was a blurb in one of the Psychic Awakening books where a group of Space Wolves found the tracks/trail of Orks that they didn't recognize...which is kinda saying something.

Wow. I didnt even think of this but it's such a simple idea that doesnt butcher Beast Snaggas the moment they're born. GWs take on Beast Snaggas makes me overlook them as feral orks. That's litteraly what GW was trying to make them sound like. It's such a pathetic attempt as making new orks that I pay bo attention to them at all.

Your fluff actually makes them makes sense and fits into the story fluidly. Its not crammed in out of nowhere and makes Beast Snaggas a type of ork that is a consequence of the story itself and would be the first time since primaris marines (which was also super gakky) that a faction has actually evolved due to the story.

It's a shame that a perfectly simple idea has to be dismissed or made as headcanon in favour of the crappy, uninspired official version of the lore

I like your version a lot better than the official "explanation" behind Beast Snaggas, as it makes a lot more sense with the Octarious backstory as cause for the rise in a new Beast Snakka subkultur with Orks fighting Tyranids.

I'm honestly surprised we didn't see a Beast Snagga army of renown.

Da Butcha wrote:

It just seems like a completely missed opportunity to introduce new models by referring to (relatively) new developments in the backstory, rather than just, once again, saying "Oh, they have always been there all along and nobody ever happened to mention them." Instead, you could have something that plausibly WAS there all along (a subkultur that was largely limited to ork-held megafauna worlds) that, quite reasonably became waaaaay more common when ALL of the worlds in an entire sub-sector became infested with very aggressive mega-fauna (aka Tyranids).

As far as I am concerned, that above should be the official explanation: Previously relatively minor subkultur that has now become much more frequent due to the scale and duration of the conflict with the Tyranids.