The Ogryn (Homo sapiens gigantus, Second Human Empire name Hamo Kili'zizi Dis'loo) are large and physically powerful, subspecies of Humans, descendants of the colonists stranded on high-gravity planets, adapting to these conditions over enough time that they have exaggerated physical characteristics, but diminished higher functions to favor survival instincts. They are often employed by the Imperium of Man as shock troopers in the Astra Militarum's Militarum Auxilla.
They are tolerated by the xenophobic Imperium of Man by virtue of Ogryns possessing many traits prized by the Imperium; they are brutally strong and completely loyal, although extremely limited intellectually. They are limited to simple labor or as bodyguards within civilian society, but they are much more often seen in a military role, often employed as shock troopers in the Astra Militarum's Militarum Auxilla. Their diminished intellect restricts their battlefield role to simple positions, typically as bodyguards for officers and direct assaults.
Ogryns compensate for their mental deficiencies with overwhelming physicality -- the brutish creatures stand around ten Terran feet tall and can shrug off wounds that would kill an Imperial Guardsman several times over. These qualities mean that Ogryns make exceptional shock troops, and are often deployed on the front lines of battle by Imperial commanders.
It is fair to say that Ogryns do have their limitations. Their equipment must be simple and exceptionally rugged, as anything within arm's reach is likely to see brief and violent service as an improvised club. Their heavily built Ripper Guns must also be fitted with burst limiters to stop the Ogryns from firing ceaselessly -- thirty solar seconds of noisy enjoyment can easily leave these Abhumans short of ammunition before a battle has even begun.
Ogryns are easily confused, meaning they work best when given simple, straightforward missions, and their lack of personal hygiene borders on the criminal. However, once indoctrinated into the Imperial Creed they are doggedly loyal, and their strength and resilience make them a potent weapon.
Biology[]
Ogryns have thick skin, powerfully muscular build and resulting monstrous size, as they stand between 2.5 to 3 metres (approximately 10 feet) tall as a result of adaptating to a high-gravity planetary environment. Though their adaptations led them to increase in physical size and strength, the Ogryns' intelligence declined to below average Human levels.
As the planetary conditions - barren environments, cold climates, little food and long periods of starvation -- that caused their mutation required only primitive survival instincts, part of their adaptation involved the loss of the ability for more complex intellectual thought since philosophical matters were unnecessary in an environment marked by starvation and a constant fight for life.
Ogryns are said to be even less intelligent than some Orks. However, the truth is that their intellects did not actually atrophy, but became much more focused on matters such as survival. The genes that enable psychic abilities are unknown among Ogryn as a result.
Ogryns are claustrophobic, which means that they can only be loaded into armoured carrier vehicles with great difficulty to be transported to the battlefield, and can only ride in vehicles if a commanding officer is present. As many as half a squad may be mounted on a Chimera. This slightly slows their deployment speed.
An Ogryn's speech patterns in Low Gothic have been noted to be much the same as those observed in Orks.
The Tithes Chamber Notaries, sub. Planetary Census (Abhuman) is a sub-division of the Adeptus Administratum that oversees the classification and recognition of 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 of Mankind.
The status of the remaining fifteen Abhuman races is quite varied and there is permanent disagreement about their specific classification amongst the adepts of the Tithes Chamber Notaries. The most noteworthy and contentious matter concerning the adepts is the Ogryn matrix of Abhuman strains.
This complex group is currently officially listed as seven distinct types -- Alpha, Theta, Type IV, Type VIIA, H.S. gigantus gigantus, H.S. gigantus cranopus and the mysterious Grey Ogryns -- but many in the Chamber doubt that these are all separate subspecies of Humanity, and yet another official revision of the classification is therefore pending -- in a few solar decades.
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