We have two Abhumans in Only War, I was wondering what the chance of getting more is?

Honestly I would like to see Beastmen make a return from the old school lore into Only War. I think it might just be the setting they have been waiting for. Adding a Beastman would fit well along side an Ogryn IMHO, and you could have them fit with an Explosive Collar reguardless of regiment to show they are still suspect. They'd fit almost perfect in a Penal Regiment. Also since they used to be allowed on the TT as IG troops there could still be "regiments out there" with the way communication is and since they are "still loyal" when they were found they were used and not purged.

Just seeing where everyone else is on the idea? Any thoughts?

I have some rules writen up that I used in Dark Heresy, Rogue Trader and Black Crusade (moded for each system) that I could convert to Only War, but it's on my house desktop and I'm on the road using my laptop for 2 weeks.

Honestly I kind of like the idea of incorporating other abhumans into the setting but I'm not sure how well they could be implemented. I'd also like to see penal legion use mutant conscripts as fodder but now I'm just wishlisting.

Yes, why not. If you read the information about mutants and abhumans in correlation with the Guardsman, you come across Homo sapiens variatus, Nightsiders and *cough* squats. I can see the appeal of having a penal legion with mutants and abhumans - doing the most dangerous and ungrateful jobs. Only to have a shot on "being" something other than vermin in the eye of the imperium.

Sym

I love the Penal Legionnaire mutant. Maybe they are so hated that sometimes they draw party agro from followers who call them out as thieves, traitors, and heretics. Like anytime someone rolls and fails on a Command test while rolling doubles, Followers blame the Mutant for something, maybe even act on their suspicions.

Beastmen won't be getting added - the new 40k rulebook states that whilst they're technically accepted abhumans, it is likely to be changed, and they are already limited in moving from their planet of origin, and are banned from being given as a tithe to the Imperial Guard.

That pretty much makes them a no-go abhuman right there.

As for squats - just because they're an accepted abhuman, doesn't mean there are enough around to join the Imperial Guard. Fluff has it that they were wiped out as a civilisation when the Tyranids invaded and destroyed their homeworlds.

I would not mind having a make your own abhuman ruleset just like they did with the regiments. With all those billions of worlds one would imagine that there will be many more abhumans. Then again getting access to xeno mercenaries would be nice too.

Snowman0147 said:

There's actually not that many abhuman species. To quote from the recent TT Rulebook:

"The Adeptus Terra officially recognises seventy-three stable abhuman strains within the Imperium. Of these, forty-six types are now listed as extinct, and no records have been received of a further twelve strains for over a generation, suggesting that they too have died out or been assimilated back into the general population. The status of the remaining fifteen abhuman races is quite varied and there is permanent disagreement about their specific classification

[book lists the 7 types of Ogryns, and then:]

Ratlings (Homo sapiens minimus), Squats (Homo sapiens rotundus), Beastmen (Homo sapiens variatus), Troths (Homo sapiens verdantus), Longshanks (Homo sapiens elongatus),Pelagers (Homosapiensoceanus), Felinids(Homosapienshirsutus) and Neandors (Homo sapiens hyannothus) comprise the remaining classified, and officially recognised, abhuman races. Ofthese, Beastmen aresubject to severe persecution and have been placed on the Register of Proscribed Citizens (Class A-G worlds) by the Adeptus Arbites. This effectively precludes them from settlement on, or transportation to or from, more than three hundredthousandworlds ofthe Imperiumand forbids their conscription as an Imperial Tithe obligation."

So according to official lore, technically 8 out of the 15 official subtypes have already been covered (the "7" Ogryn types and Ratling) whereas lore-wise Beastmen aren't allowed, leaving only 6 abhumans not used. Maybe we'll get Squats or Longfangs in a future supplement (although I doubt it) but I don't think there's any need for a full-fledged create-an-abhuman rule, since it doesn't fit within lore.

Also, according to official Imperial Law xeno mercenaries aren't allowed, and while there's definitely precedent for allying (even in the new TT Rulebook, since IG can ally with practically everyone) I doubt that will make it into the core rulebook; if anything it'll be like Rogue Trader where we got some playable xenos in Into The Storm.

As far as fluff goes it's worth remembering that the core book for the tabletop is set after the fluff for Fantasy Flight's RPGs. So the Badab war is still an upcoming event, as are the third war for armageddon, and Abaddon's 13th black crusade. Unless they decided to set Only War further along in the 'official' timeline.

This means we're a few generations away from where the tabletop is. So it's easy enough to finaggle the abhuman situation that way. Also mutants might still be used as throw away fodder on some planets, though I doubt they'd be official members of the imperial guard. And of course we also have the Skitarii and all the freaky stuff the adeptus mechanicus does to them. Again, probably not actual guardsfolk but they'd be workable as auxilaries in the same way that psykers, and techpriests are.

So adding in near human or even inhuman elements to the game is entirely possible, and could likely be seen in whatever add on book they'll do after the traditional book of adventures and GM screen. I personally wouldn't mind seeing the abhuman situation touched upon, even if we only get stats for using them as NPCs to ally with, and or kill horribly.

Of course the killing horribly option is the one we'll most likely see as many of the opponents the IG face are not warp spawned horros, and xenos monsters but other 'human' foes. Good example of this is the war on Tranch mentioned in Dark Heresy where a mutant uprising is still drawing in guard assets many years after its onset.

And of course in one or two years we may see splat books for organizations similar but seperate to the guard, similar to the Arbites, Ecclesiarch, and Malleus books for Dark Heresy. I imagine that a adeptus mechanisu themed one would be incredibly popular and would include things like Gene altered experiements, the cyborg killers of the Skitarii, and maybe even epic things like Knight suits and titans. But that's a seperate topic.

if you want a squat, 2nd edition WFRP has a perfectly serviceable dwarf template which (with some gentle modding) will give you your space miner.

Dwarf: +10WS, +10T, -10Ag, -10 Fel, +1W

skills: common knowledge (dwarfs), speak language (khazalid), speak language (Reikspiel), Trade (miner, smith or stoneworker)
talents: dwarfcraft (+10 to dwarfy trades), grudge-born fury (+5ws vs greenskins), night vision, resistance to magic, stout-hearted (+10 vs fear and intimidate), sturdy (no heavy armour Move penalties)

based on this and 1st ed. statlines, i give a template to alter other specialisations (probably weapon specialist or operator):

+++Homo Sapiens Rotundus+++

+10WS, +10T, -10Ag, +1 Wound

born to tech: squats are raised in and around all kinds of technology, and its said they almost run on electricity. this character may re-roll any failed tech-use test when operating machinery.

alone in the universe: the squats are all but extinct, and are practically xenos to most inhabitants of the imperium. they get -10 Fel when dealing with humans outside the adeptus. (ie. not space marines, imperial guard, navy, mechanicus or inquisition)

talents and traits: Darksight, Sturdy, resistance (psychic powers), hatred (orks), nerves of steel, resistance (fear)

+++

also consider adding iron jaw, removing +10 WS in favour of WS aptitude. maybe change hatred of orks to tyranids, considering more recent fluff. maybe a few more wounds, or add unnatural toughness 2. as for size, they make up for lack of height with excess width, and their lack of mobility is represented by agility malus.

**** HTMC… Well there goes my sweet ideas. Though I would imagine if you do xenos you have to do it like a career, or a specialist in the case of Only War.

The 6e book has me curious about Felinids.

Plushy said:

You mean the catgirls/catboys?

40k is one of the few settings i love that isn't full of furries - if anything GW have taken massive efforts to remove furries from the setting over the years to the point where the only furry things are Space Wolves and… that's it actually.
We have a tonne of options for playing humanoid beings, scaly, slithery, flying, incorporeal, mechanical, daemonic, pustulent, slender, even plenty of beardines but fortunately nothing completely furry and i'd like it to stay that way!

Kasatka said:

Bah, if you're calling Space Wolves furry than you're just throwing the word around.

This is 40k! They wouldn't give us sexy cat people. If anything, they'd probably look like werewolves or daemonettes in terms of attractiveness.

Plushy said:

Actually my point was more that Space Wolves are the only thing you can call furry in the setting… which is a good thing.

Kasatka said:

I think the issue is you're trying to say walking creatures that are animal like, but you're using the words "furry" and "furries," which on the internet have a rather different meaning if you weren't aware… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Furry_fandom

HTMC said:

No i am quite aware of the meaning of furry, and have seen enough horrific Space Wolf fan art to know they are the closest thing 40k has to a furry army

Vikings wearing fur pelts is not furry.

Sexy catgirls would be furry, but I don't expect to get those in the setting.

maybe in Rouge trader (uhh baaad idea )

boooh said:

Technically already possible.

There was a horror story that ran around about a Rogue Trader who had obscenely high Fellowship, was mutated to look like a cat, and was a psyker. All legal and possible within the system. I wept.

Plushy said:

Well i had an RT who had something horrific like 67 fellowship, with +20 in all applicable social skills, Peer and Good Reputation for everyone i was dealing with and Renowned Warrant to boot - i regularly had to roll under 57 to pass a HELLISH -60 test, which was nice.

I was a weedy little human man however, untill i went from 6 wounds and TB of 2 to 15 wounds and a TB of 4 though some very dramatic mutation which involved no fur or large ears or tails or anything else horrific…

(IRL) Furry fandom is a generic interest in media regarding anthropomorphic animals.

Thus, a furry fan interested in 40k would likely be interested in a story about a guardsman regiment that contains Beastmen, Felinids, Scalies, and other similar abhuman breeds. A story about such a regiment where, due to politics, registered and sanctioned abhumans are dumped would be very intriguing to your average furry fan. Also, the various ways that they interact with one another and the other humans in the setting. There are a lot of interesting and unique stories that one could tell about such an Imperial Guard regiment, don't you think?

Gavinfoxx said:

I think Felinids are stuck on their weird Caesar Chavez planet, and Scalies are from Necromunda.

However, I would love to see Beastmen get thrown into the mix. They're hated by all devout Imperials - including themselves - and so seek to redeem themselves before the Big E himself by dying in battle. A Beastman spec would be all about fear and faith and being pretty **** handy in a firefight. It doesn't help that I have a soft spot for horrific minotaurs, either. They'd be an okay addition by me, though I know one bloke who would immediately try to make some kind of cute goat girl.