Hi, I’m interested in people’s thoughts on the difference in styling for the Lammasu and Taurus. What are your thoughts on whether they should look like variations on a theme or whether they should be clearly distinct from one another? As I understand it from one of the guys at GW the original reason for them being similar was to save time and money producing the casts for a tier B army; but do we think it’s a good or bad thing?
I’d be very interested to hear from anyone and would also like it if anyone could post pictures of their own Taurus and Lammasu pairings (conversions especially appreciated) and say why they did what they did with them.
I know there are pictures of both monsters on the site, but I’m really after people’s concepts here.
I think the Lammasu was a mutation of the Taurus anyway wasn’t it? In the original fluff I mean.
I’m kind unsure about the Lammasu myself; you’ve got to admit it tends to look a bit silly…
Regarding the Taurus, I’m torn between a Balrog-style, molten flesh creature of magma and fire, and a mechanical, Juggernaut-type hybrid thing. Both could work nicely (and indeed have, in people’s armies on this site).
What I was really asking is for how you WOULD make them look, if you had the choice of (say) rewriting the Chaos Dwarfs book for GW. What would your ideas be about the two monsters. Do you favour two “breeds” of one type of mount or would you redo them as very different beasts?
Great Taurus(p 48 of White Dwarf presents: Warhammer Chaos Dwarfs)
The Chaos Dwarfs believe that he Great Tauruses were once Chaos Dwarfs, and that they were mutated by the warping power of Chaos into living bull-furnaces like the statue of the god Hashut himself.
Lammasu(p 49 of White Dwarf presents: Warhammer Chaos Dwarfs)
The Lammasu is a rare mutation of the Great Taurus, a creature whose forebears were once CHaos Dwarfs, but which has become twisted by the powers of Chaos into a huge bull-shaped monsters. The Lammasu’s ancestry is evident in its tusked head, its thickly curled beard, and its considerable intelligence.
and as an aside:
What we need is one of our artistically-minded members to draw up a descent of Dawi’Zharr, right from the time before entering the Dark Lands through to Dawi’Zharr, Bull Centaurs, Great Tauruses, Lammasu ;) Although it’s not explicitly stated that’s the route I envision… A Chaos Dwarf who has been deemed worthy by Hashut is granted characteristics of his god, such as tusks (and now with Forge World’s new route, horns as well). Those who have received these boons and continue to stand far above the rest in their devotion to Hashut are transformed into Bull Centaurs and as we know are often chosen as Temple Guard for the Temple of Hashut ;) Only in rare instances of great deeds and devotion to Hashut would a Bull Centaur be chosen to undertake the great transformation into a Great Taurus, embodying the essence of Hashut’s flame. And rarer still are those unique among Great Tauruses who are transformed into Lammasu, bridging the divide between the material world and the realm of Chaos.
OK so back to other mounts. The mechanical mount is under subscribed for individual models in the CD army, I think. Juggernauts are one that I’ve harped on before as they’ve forged by the Dawi’Zharr. Sadly we somehow miss out on having them in our armies unless with ally ourselves with Daemons (I’d cut off my beard before I called a stinking Daemonic beast an ally!!). So I’d swing down a different route I think. I’d pick something like a Juggernaut as a slightly more common mount and reserve Great Tauruses and Lammasu for only unique Lords, maybe.
I'm torn between a Balrog-style, molten flesh creature of magma and fire, and a mechanical, Juggernaut-type hybrid thing. Both could work nicely (and indeed have, in people's armies on this site).
Those who have received these boons and continue to stand far above the rest in their devotion to Hashut are transformed into Bull Centaurs and as we know are often chosen as Temple Guard for the Temple of Hashut Wink Only in rare instances of great deeds and devotion to Hashut would a Bull Centaur be chosen to undertake the great transformation into a Great Taurus, embodying the essence of Hashut's flame.
It doesn't work that way. All the mutations occurred during the Time of Chaos: Chaos Dwarfs don't turn into the larger forms these days. It's just that the Bull Centaurs, Great Tauruses and Lammassu are descended from Chaos Dwarfs.
