Age of Sigmar: A Beast Snagga By Any Other Name
Just because it’s 40k doesn’t mean you can’t join the fun!
September is officially here, and the big to-do around the Warhammer fandom is the brand new Orks codex for 40k, specifically the brand new Beast Snaggas subfaction. I can definitely understand the hype, Snakebites players have been looking for Feral Orks like this for quite some time, and they do have some incredible models (the Great White Squig in particular almost drew me back to the 41st millennium). However, as a primarily Fantasy and Age of Sigmar player, I have to admit my jealousy at being unable to play these awesome new models, so I did a little digging and found 3 armies that ALMOST let me play Beast Snaggas in the Mortal Realms.
Orruk Warclans
The first and most obvious choice to play Orks in the Mortal Realms is…orcs, or Orruks as they are now called, so this one should have been an easy pick. However, with the recent addition of the Kruleboyz and their swamp magic, it’s never been easier to make the transition from Shootas and Squigs to Pig Iron Choppas and Gore Gruntas. Alongside the old Bonesplitterz, the Feral Boyz of the Realms, it wouldn’t be hard to drum up some solid comparisons to the wild attraction of the Beast Snaggas, combining the big monsters and sneaky tactics of the Kruleboyz with the wild abandon of the feral Bonesplitterz. Plus, with a little bit of conversion work, you could transform the Beastboss and the Squighog Boys into a Megaboss and some Goregruntas (the Beastboss would look phenomenal on the back of a Maw-Krusha).
Gloomspite Gitz
One of the big things about the Beast Snaggas seems to be their proclivity for hunting down massive and deadly squigs and bending them to their will, which is EXACTLY what the Gloomspite Gitz do. Considering that you can have an entire army of squigs or squig-riding Gobbos, the similarities are all there, and while yes you will be playing weedy gitz instead of proppa boyz, you’ll be unleashing a squig tide to wipe away anyone who looks at you sideways. While it might take more work than it’s worth, converting a Squigosaur or two into a Mangler Squig to prop your Loonboss on would probably look incredible.
Beastclaw Raiders
Technically just half of a larger army, the Ogor Mawtribes, the Beastclaw Raiders are the northern barbarians of Realms, and as such, have bonded with the various mountain beasties that call the mountains home. They ride massive goat-beasts or tusked predators and have tamed leonine hunters to fight alongside them, similar to how the Beast Snaggas tamed the violent squigbeasts of the 41st millennium. While you won’t get the same inane joy out of bringing the Beastie Boys, you’ll still get to stomp your foe into a hoof-shaped hole with your massive critters, and that’s almost as good.
