Space Marines are often seen as the shining example for a perfect soldier in Warhammer 40,000: genetically modified, loyal, and with superhuman strength. What many do not know is the “human counterpart” to this: Ogryns, possibly the most loyal companions one can have.
Imagine an ogre, but in science fiction. That is an Ogryn, at least sort of. They are large, strong, and have an unwavering loyalty to their beliefs, which usually means they serve the Emperor of Mankind until death.
Essentially, Ogryns – unlike Space Marines – are still somewhat human, but, just like Psykers and other humans with an “allowed” mutation, or “Abhuman”. Their scientific designation is homo sapiens gigantus, and at least the relation to humans is still recognizable in the name.
Ogryns originated on harsh worlds with high gravity, leading to a natural adaptation with more body mass and denser bones. Usually, these are penal worlds.
Physically, Ogryns even surpass a Space Marine: The Astartes are on average about 2.5 meters tall, which is already absurd. A fan once demonstrated how large a Space Marine weapon really is.
Ogryns, on the other hand, reach heights of up to 3 meters or more, which even surpasses the life-sized statue of the Traitor Primarch Horus. And not only that: They are even more loyal than Space Marines!
The ideal vanguard and the best bodyguard you could wish for
While Ogryns on most of their home worlds have little contact with the imperial faith, they are easily convinced by missionaries and their stories due to their low intelligence.
Basically, once an Ogryn believes in something, they cannot be swayed. So of course, they serve in the Astra Militarum as ideal soldiers. They follow every order as if it came from the Emperor himself, and they are absolutely loyal to their superiors, usually the Commissar.
However, this comes with a downside, as Ogryns are generally rather… primitive, or perhaps better: rough. In battle, they simply smash, which can make it difficult to control them.
However, this does not apply to all Ogryns, as there are indeed intelligent specimens among them, even if many of them are artificially created.
Not all stupid: smart Ogryns are important parts of the army
Ogryns are typically not the smartest. The Imperium addresses this with implants and the process of “Biochemical Ogryn Neural Enhancement,” or BONE for short. These “Bone’eads” understand complex relationships and can grasp military tactics.
Accordingly, they are used as officers in Ogryn squads. However, if the process fails, the Ogryn often ends up with even less intelligence than before, which results in him simply going back to his old tasks, either as a soldier or as a labor slave. If in doubt, he will simply be reworked into a Servitor.
There are even reports that among Ogryns Psykers exist, magically gifted beings connected to the Warp. In at least one of these cases, a female Ogryn (yes, they exist too) taught herself to read and write.
On Necromunda, one of the most well-known Hive Worlds, Ogryn Psykers are even artificially created. Due to their lack of imagination, they almost never succumb to the horrors of the Warp and are the ideal spellcasters who are also physically resilient.
Large and uncorruptible, yet part of Chaos
Yes, you read that right: Ogryns are essentially immune to Chaos, similar to Orks. They simply lack the understanding of the Chaos Gods and do not know the principle of betrayal. Nevertheless, there are Ogryns who serve on the side of Chaos and do so voluntarily, though not necessarily consciously:
- If the regiment or even the commissar falls to Chaos, the Ogryn will still follow any of his orders. The commissar must know best.
- Chaos forces often seize Ogryns through dark rituals or other means to simply use them as tools.
- In the Horus Heresy, Ogryns are said to have fought on both sides by being convinced that they themselves are loyal while the others are the traitors.
However, it is virtually impossible for an Ogryn to decide of their own accord to renounce the Emperor and join the Dark Gods. Their limited mental abilities make them absolutely loyal … with all the pros and cons
By the way, Ogryns are not the only ones who can stand up to Space Marines – at least in some respects. While the Astartes are considered perfect fighters, at least one (almost) all-female army comes close: Forget Space Marines: A female chapter in Warhammer 40,000 is much more impressive, as they are “just humans”
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