Games Workshop Beastman

I’ve always loved the concept of the Beastman. Historically it’s been a part of mankind’s mythology since prehistory of course and as a result features in many fantasy game settings. Runequest Broo are the earliest gaming interpretation that I know of but I’m sure there were others prior to that, especially if creatures like the ‘Pig Faced Orcs’ from early D&D are included as contenders.

For me the Beastman made his first real presence in the dark and sinister forests of 1st Edition Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay. PCs staying in Coaching Inns on forest roads or passing through small Hamlets in the woods could easily be unsettled by stories told by the locals. Bellowing horned beasts that come from the trees after darkness, wild creatures running on two legs but with cloven hooves instead of feet, clawing and goring anyone foolish enough not to barricade themselves in at night. These same beastmen are murdering and eating people in the Forests of the Empire right now as you read this…

What I’ve not been so keen on since returning to gaming is reading about the division of GW Beastmen into the whole ‘Gor’ thing – Bestigor, Ungor, Bray, etc purely based on horns. Now I’m pretty sure this all started in the ‘Lost and the Damned’ book back in 1990 but it just doesn’t fit with me. I don’t understand all that regimented separation based solely on horns in a chaotic transient warband of animalistic killers.

Anyway, here’s a GW Beastman from the mid 90s recently purchased off eBay. I’ve painted it up with a cut down chaos warrior shield as it didn’t come with it’s original.