Using Grymn in Warhammer 40k

The easiest way of using Grymn in any existing game is to simply count them as an existing army. Since I first decided to tie my Grymn into the one game I had any rules for; Warhammer 40k, I have been basing them around the Imperial Guard. I know that some people use other races for them (namely Space Marines or the Inquisition) but I thought the Grymn suited the Imperial Guard but with a few alterations.

Troop availability.

If you are wanting to keep the Grymn to the original ideas, then there are a few things that I feel would need to be sacrificed in order to induct them into the Imperial Guard Codex.

There are some components of an Imperial Guard army that DON'T suit the Grymn. I would strongly suggest against any Psykers or Commissars because Grymn don't have psychic powers and the concept of a Commissar executing his comrades doesn't fit with the idea that Grymn are excellent team players. I also doubt that the Grymn would have Penal Legion squads or Ministers / Preachers / Priests. The Grymn do make use of conscripts but they are more willing volunteers rather than press-ganged troops. I wouldn't use Astropaths or Master of the Fleet as advisors for the Company Command squad either.

So, what can the Grymn have?

Company Command / Command Squads
Infantry Platoons
Veteran Squads
Stormtroopers
Ogryn Squads
Ratling Squads
Rough Rider Squads
All of the vehicles

Counts-As Equipment.

As I have said before, the armour that a Grymn wears looks a lot more like Carapace Armour than Flak armour so I would try to work that into the cost of the troops. In the previous version of Codex Imperial Guard, there was a system which enabled you to add Carapace armour to a squad for 20 points (irrespective of its size). I suggest that you get together with your playing partners and agree that this is fair, otherwaise you can either restrict yourself to units that are allowed to have Carapace Armour (Company Command, Veterans and Stormtroopers) or simply count Grymn armour as Flak Armour and have done with it (whilst kicking your 'so-called' gaming mates under the table for being beards).

Grymn weapons will need to be counted as WH40k weapons and I thought I'd get the ball rolling with the proxies that I have chosen for my armies:

Grymn Weapon / WH40k Weapon

Grymn SMG – Autogun / Lasgun
Twin SMG – Twin Linked Autogun / Lasgun
Pulsegun – Hellgun / Hot-shot Lasgun
Pulse Carbine - Hellgun / Hot-shot Lasgun
Heavy Pulsegun – Plasmagun
HMG – Heavy Stubber
Minigun – Heavy Bolter
Railgun – Missile Launcher
Grenade Launcher – Grenade Launcher
Flame Thrower – Flamer
Sniper Rifle – Sniper Rifle
Grymn Machine Pistol – Laspistol / Autopistol
Grymn Naval Pistol - Laspistol / Autopistol
Knife – Close Combat Weapon
Powered Axe / Sword – Power Weapon
Grenades – Frag / Krak Grenades
Mortar – Mortar
Converted Railrifle - Meltagun
OGrymn Chaingun – Ogryn Rippergun

As you will see, there are a few missing weapons (Plasma-Cannon, Las-Cannon, Auto-Cannon etc...) but that is mostly because there are no Grymn weapons available to proxy for them. That means that if you chose to use any of the missed out weapons, you can either use the WH40k weapons or find some proxies and convert them to fit in with the system (I have done this with a converted Railrifle that I use as a Meltagun)...just remember that you will have to make all of the converted weapons look the same and also tell your gaming buddies what they represent.

And Finally...

If you are a tournament player, these counts-as options will not work for you if you go to official events. So they will only be usable at events that allow proxy forces or for friendly games. What you can see from my work here is that it is very easy to fit a Grymn army into Warhammer 40k just by using a small amount of imagination and hoping that the people you game against will allow you to field them!