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Ogryns are among the largest and most powerful of the Abhuman breeds yet discovered - only the Minotaurs, a strain of giant Beastman, can match them for sheer destructive power. The bulk of Ogryn worlds were originally prison planets, and when these worlds were brought back within the Imperium after the Age of Strife, the harsh planetary conditions were found to have wrought a particular pattern of changes upon the inhabitants.

Obviously, those planets which are selected for use as prison worlds have no better use to the Imperium; they are generally barren, and lacking in native food species. They are harsh environments, and those who survive there must be unusually resilient.

Ogryns evolved on planets with harsh environments, little food, and some hostile life-forms of animal and lower intelligence. The physical traits displayed by Ogryns are a direct response to environmental demands.

Firstly, their size and strength. Ogryns are generally half as tall again as the average Human. They are more heavily built, even in proportional terms, with a muscle mass to height ratio almost twice that of a Human. Their bones are heavy, and their skin is thick, with few sensory nerves.

This build is largely a response to hostile native life-forms; the Ogryn has become large enough to fight most native predators and win, using the improvised and primitive weapons which are the only defence available on a prison planet. It also suits the Ogryn for a predatory role, relying on size and strength to overcome prey.

Secondly, their digestive system. In response to the generally barren nature of their home planets, Ogryns have developed a digestive system which is capable of deriving nutrition from almost any organic substance. Their capacity for eating - far in excess of that of a normal Human - derives from the need to eat everything available when food is found, and store it against the long fast until more food is discovered.

Finally, their intelligence. On their home planets, the constant struggle to survive and find food leaves no time for any other activity, and the Ogryn brain has undergone a degree of atrophy. They are often thought of as stupid by normal Humans, and indeed their intelligence and reasoning capacity is lower. However, their brains are attuned to survival - fighting and eating - to such a perfect degree that, on their own terms, there are few races in the known galaxy that can match them.

The basic appearance of an Ogryn is that of an oversized and coarsely-formed Human. They stand 2.5-3 metres tall, and are very heavily built by Human standards. Limbs are short and heavy, and hands are large and clumsy-looking.
Ogryns have large heads - the thick bone of the skull often makes them look disproportionately large by Human standards - with heavy, prominent jaws. It is common for the lower canine teeth to grow into protruding tusks. Fighting is natural to Ogryns, and even the friendly altercations they have among themselves can lead to minor injuries. Ogryns are almost always heavily scarred, and broken teeth are common.

There is some variation on the basic Ogryn physique, according to homeworld. Ogryns from the planet Skraag (Imperial designation Beta-Entebes III) tend to be taller and rangier than other Ogryns, with a distinct yellow-brown tinge to their skin owing to the high concentration of volcanic sulphur dust in the atmosphere; they are also renowned for their highly distinctive smell. On the other hand, Ogryns from Ugglob (Imperial designation Dranno IV) are shorter and stockier, with larger heads. The high humidity of this planet's atmosphere has led to Ugglob Ogryns developing an astonishing range of warts and other fungal disorders.

The majority of Ogryns cultivate an appearance which is in keeping with the mediaeval level of technology of their homeworlds; skins, coarse cloth and chain mail armour are common, as is the practice of body-painting, tattooing, and ritual scarring. Hair varies in coarseness and colour, and many Ogryns are completely bald. Those who are chosen to lead Ogryn squads in the Imperial Guard often adopt military styles, with short hair, heavy boots and fatigue-style trousers. Some will have their unit badge tattooed onto their chests, along with victory and devotional symbols, such as Imperial eagles, skulls and crude copies of other Imperial insignia. Like other Imperial Guard troops, Ogryns are enthusiastic collectors of battle badges, but lacking helmets they often attach them directly to the thick bone of their skulls.

Ogryns have scant regard for hygiene by normal Human standards, and the phrase 'downwind of an Ogryn' is widely used to describe atmospheric contamination and other malodours. Most Ogryns are infested with parasites of various types and sizes, and certain species are actively cultivated as pets and emergency food stores. Some of these parasites are very large - the Scorathian Armpit Louse, for example, is the size of a Terran rat, and is bred and traded among the Ugglob Ogryns and others with whom they come into contact. Races and fights involving these creatures are a common off-duty pursuit, with up to a day's rations being bet on the outcome.

The Ogryns have been known to produce mutants - although some argue that they are mutants to begin with. On the basis of Imperial studies to date, the probability and extent of mutation appears to be almost exactly the same as that for normal Humans. It is rare in the extreme for an Ogryn to develop psychic powers.

While the finer points of the Imperial cult probably escape most Ogryns, their devotion to the Emperor is beyond question. Ogryns in the Imperial Guard, in particular, have an almost childlike faith in the Emperor, perceiving him as an all-knowing, omnipresent force who watches their every move on the battlefield, handing down orders personally through the chain of command. The highest praise to an Ogryn is to tell him that the Emperor is pleased with him. Coupled with their natural love of fighting and contempt for pain and danger, this faith in the Emperor makes Imperial Guard Ogryns capable of apparently insane acts of bravery.

During the wars of the Horns Heresy, Ogryns served to great effect in the Imperial Guard forces of both sides. From the records that are still available, it seems that those who fought for Horus had been told that they were fighting for the Emperor, and that the Loyalists were in fact traitors.

Ogryns are particularly impressed by the Commissars of the Imperial Guard, whom they regard as being in constant touch with the Emperor himself. An Ogryn will always show a Commissar the utmost respect, enquiring endlessly about what the Emperor thought of various things the Ogryn has done and even offering the Commissar his own ration to gain favour.

While the Commissars normally confine their attention to the Human officers of an imperial Guard force, there have been occasions, in forces with a particularly strong Ogryn presence, when an Ogryn platoon has had a Commissar of its own. The presence of a Commissar will inspire Ogryns to outstanding acts of reckless courage and self-sacrifice - after all, as they reason, if they have a Commissar with them, then the Emperor must be watching them even harder than usual.

Some Imperial Guard Commissars have made a speciality of dealing with Ogryns, and have come to understand their psychology and motivations as much as any normal Human ever can. These so-called Ogryn Commissars' are sometimes regarded with disdain and suspicion by their fellows, who are suspicious of the Ogryn outlooks and mannerisms that they have acquired from their close contact with these huge Abhumans.

Like other Abhuman breeds, Ogryns have been taken into the service of the Imperium, finding niches where their natural talents and tendencies may be put to the best use. In the case of Ogryns, this is almost exclusively in the Imperial Guard.

Every inhabited world in the Imperium has to provide troops for the Imperial Guard, and the Ogryn homeworlds are no exception. Indeed, the lure of regular rations and adventure on worlds whose climates are seldom harsher than home is enough to keep millions of Ogryns flocking to join the Guard.

Ogryns generally prove to have an ideal temperament for service in the Imperial Guard. They keep to themselves for the most part, although they have a great respect for officers - and particularly Commissars - whom they see as close to the beloved Emperor. Ogryns have little in common with the other strains of Abhuman, but will co-operate with all other parts of the Imperial Guard. They can respect Beastmen for their ferocity and Squats for their hardiness, although they are never shy to point out their own superiority in both departments. Ogryns have mixed feelings about Ratlings; sniping is the lowest and most worthless form of warfare to the Ogryn mind, but on the other hand it can pay to keep on good terms with the supply and quartermaster staff, where many Ratlings serve.

Ogryns do not follow the usual Imperial Guard practice of raising a whole Regiment from a single homeworld. Instead, they are attached to Guard Regiments of normal Humans, according to Administratum instructions. Imperial Guard Ogryn troops are invariably organised into squads of five, and all the Ogryn squads in an Imperial Guard Company are put in the field together, in the same way as a platoon of normal Human troops.

Each Ogryn squad has a Sergeant-Ogryn leader, who has been subjected to Adeptus Mechanicus brain-enhancement biochem, or BONE treatment (Biochemical Ogryn Neural Enhancement). Ogryn leaders are known as BONEheads, a title which they bear with considerable pride. BONEheads are able to be educated to a limited degree in small-unit tactics and the operation of equipment such as communicators and weapons like the ripper gun.

Within the Guard, Ogryns are restricted to their own squads, and do not normally rise above the rank of Sergeant. Even with BONE treatment, their minds are not suited to command of a force larger than a squad. Ogryns are sometimes modified into Servitors by the Adeptus Mechanicus, for tasks where their size is an advantage.

Ogryns in the Imperial Guard are normally armed with the same primitive weapons that they use on their homeworlds. Large crushing and cleaving weapons such as maces, axes and even tree-trunk clubs are common.

They are trained in the use of grenades, but the normal grenade types are too small for their large, clumsy hands. Instead, they are issued with a specially-designed Ogryn frag grenade, which takes the form of a metal cylinder six to eight inchзs long and two to three inches in diameter, with a ring-pull arming mechanism at one end.

BONEheads may be issued with the Fragmentation Autogun (Ogryn), universally known as the Ripper Gun. This is a drum-fed, large-bore automatic shotgun firing heavy shot. Its limited range is no great disadvantage given the Ogryn preference for close assaults, and at short ranges its effects are devastating.

Armour varies widely. In general, the supply of advanced armour types in Ogryn sizes is limited, and most Imperial Guard Ogryns wear primitive armour brought with them from their homeworld. This is a mixture of chain, plate, and the hides of exceptionally resilient homeworld creatures, such as the Armidiliian Plate Lizard. Limited supplies of Ogryn-sized flak and mesh armour are available to some Imperial Guard Regiments, and this is generally issued only to BONEheads.

On the whole, Ogryns show a preference for armour which leaves the arms free to deliver 'a good, solid belt'.

For the most part, Ogryn platoons do not use vehicles, owing to their large size and incomplete grasp of technology. However, BONEheads do have the degree of intelligence required to drive a Rhino APC, and some units of the Imperial Guard have specially converted open-top Rhinos for transporting Ogryn squads.

Although they do not have Command Sections like other Guard troops, Ogryns often adopt unofficial standards of their own. These are usually carried by the Sergeant-Ogryn leading the platoon - and sometimes all the Ogryns in the platoon are fitted with back-banners. Banner designs vary widely. As well as copies of regimental standards, Ogryn banners may feature an image of the Emperor, portrayed as an Imperial Guard Commissar - a natural symbol of authority to the Ogryn mind. They also use tribal designs from their homeworlds.

In addition to their standards, Ogryns often mark successful battles or individual kills with tattoos, usually based on the symbols of their homeworld tribe. These may be simple stripes of colour, or small skulls, usually on the face or arms.

The vast bulk of Ogryns in Imperial service belong to the Imperial Guard, but it is not unknown for them to serve in other capacities. Like other Imperial Guard troops, Ogryns can be seconded to the entourage of a Rogue Trader, wearing a tabard bearing the Rogue Trader's colours and emblem in addition to their normal clothing and armour.

On some Imperial worlds, Ogryns are drafted into the Adeptus Arbites, since their strength, ferocity and imposing bulk make them effective on a psychological level as well as in actual conflict. Often in such cases the mere presence of Ogryns can prevent trouble or bring it swiftly to an end.

Planetary governors and other dignitaries sometimes employ Ogryns as bodyguards, having found that a squad of these huge Abhumans at one's shoulder can add a certain amount of authority to one's commands. Certain Inquisitors, too, will travel with Ogryn servants; these individuals will normally have received BONE treatment.

It is known, but rare, for Ogryns to take the field against the Imperium. The use of Ogryns by Imperial Guard units serving Horns has already been mentioned, and on rare occasions Ogryns will serve with pirate or rebel forces. Once Ogryns have been recruited into the Imperial Guard, however, their basic training and indoctrination fills them with a simple but unshakeable faith in the Emperor, and revolt is practically unknown.