Necromunda: Are The Ash Waste Nomads Ambulls In Disguise?
It’s about to get weird. The Ash Waste Nomads of Necromunda might be Ambull-Human Hybrids — and here’s the evidence.
I want to start this off by saying that I hope I’m wrong about this one. However, the more I did into this situation the less I can “unsee” here. So you read the title and you clicked it. So let’s get into the evidence of why I think the Ash Waste Nomads might be Ambulls or at least Ambull-Human cultists.
What The Heck Is An Ambull?
According to the Lexicanum:
Ambulls are subterranean xenos creatures native to the desert death world of Luther McIntyre IX, in the Segmentum Solar, but which have since been spread to multiple worlds.
Ambulls are four-limbed insectoid creatures with thick carapaces. They have huge barrel-chested bodies and an ape-like stance, their arms reaching almost to the ground, while their legs are crooked and short. The Ambull’s most characteristic feature are their huge expandable jaws. Their eyes are able to sense heat. Their hunched stance disguises their true size, but an upright Ambull with its arms stretched overhead would reach four meters in height.
But that’s the lore answer. They started out as a creature in the early Rogue Trader days. GW has brought them back in a few different iterations with the most recent being from the Blackstone Fortress.
The Blackstone Fortress version also came with those Borewyrm Miniatures you see above. Remember those for later.
Let’s also remember that the Ambull inspired Ambots are also featured on Necromunda as well. So the “legend” of the Ambull is well known to the folks of Necromunda.
So, What Does This Have To Do With The Ash Waste Nomads?
The Ash Waste Nomads are still quite the mystery on Necromunda. From what we’ve learned about them, they attack out in the wastes and if any of their members fall, they take the bodies. Being mostly covered it’s really hard to tell what’s under those cloaks. But at the recent LVO preview we got more looks at them.
Maybe that’s “just a glove” but I’m seeing three fingers/talons. Yeah. It’s just a glove. Sure. Also notice the new “armor” plates they are wearing.
But isn’t it curious the arm blade looks very similar to the tusk of the Ambull, too? And hey, what about those weird Arthormite Spinewyrms?
Eh, those are TOTALLY different wyrms. So yeah…but it’s still a little odd they both have those following them around, right? But here’s the final thing I’ve noticed…
That’s the OG Ambull. Notice the color of the creature. Notice the desert-themed yellow. The Ambull burrows so that checks out. But those chitin plates sure look familiar. Now, what paint palette did GW use for the new Ash Waste Nomad Sha’dar Hunters
Notice those same yellow-ish armor plates? That’s just a coincidence, right? RIGHT?!
Ambulls? Maybe. Maybe Not.
Look, I don’t know for sure if the Ash Waste Nomads are just insect-humanoids or some sort of mutant or whatever. Heck, they might just be a cult that worships the Ambull! But regardless I think this is at minimum a fun connection to make. The best case scenario is that they ARE Ambull-Human Hybrids and are about to attack Necromunda and take over. Either way, this is a fun mystery and I hope we get to learn more about them when we get their new book later this year.
The Nomads might be Ambulls! Or at least a cult of Ambull-worshiping weirdos. Whatever, we’re just having fun with this one.
