Ogre Lifespan

Does anyone happen to know what the lifespan of an average Ogre is? After scouring the Army book, I can't find it anywhere. I have a 'gut' feeling that they would live for longer than humans, but I don't know by how much. Or if they do at all. Has GW neglected to cover this, or am I truly Blind?

I've never read anything about an offical GW-thumbs'd up lifespan for the Ogres.  I think the answer would depend on how long it took a juvenile Ogre to mature- the longer Ogre "infancy" was, the longer their lifespans would likely be.  And the books are pretty mute about anything Ogreish besides killing and eating.

I'd say they live about 50 years longer than humans. The Tyrant who choked on his grandson's skull was Tyrant for 90 years, and it would take a while for him to get to Tyrant. So he had 120 years of life minimum, and was quite old by his death. I'd say 100 on average (barring disease or killing), keeping in mind that 50-60 is really quite old in the Empire.

I don't really know, but if this guy was a tyrant for 90 years, I agree he would have had to have been at least 120, and probably more, I doubt it would only take 30 years (starting as a calf) to become a tyrant, it would probably take more like 40-50, thus making the natural lifespan of an ogre at least 150 (the tyrant did die to unnatural causes), provided that the ogre dies of natural causes. The true lifespan is probably much shorter, due to conflict within, and wars without.

Based on their size, it would make sense if their lifespan was around 45-50 years old. Of course the quotes from the book blow that theory out of the water.


It could be inferred that Ogres have a powerful resistance to disease, and even the corrupting nature of chaos. The resistance could even be along the same lines as the resistance posessed by dwarves.

I would say that 120 sounds about right but that would be the max of there life span. But I don't think any have lived that long.Most probly die around 40 or 50 they live very violent lifes. They Women probly live longer but we don't know much about them so who knows.

I agree, based on size they would live 40 years, if even. A real cow's life span is only 20-25 years. And an ogre is probably bigger so... but I have to say based on the reading and the one time span that is in there 90 years as tyrants make that ogre extremely lucky or makes ogres have a long lifespan. I dont think that a 30 yo ogre could become a tyrant, that's just too young based on their lifespan. Heck our leaders today onlycome into power at like 35-40+ an equilivalent age would be 50+ ogre time. Meaning that 90 year tyrant span was cut short between 130-160 years of age. Meaning it is in all likely hood that tehy live much longer, I mean, he ate is GRANDSON, so he's still strong enough to best a prime ogre.... yea... Think about it.

I would think that without any kind of early demise, not getting eaten by your son for one, an ogre could possibly live to about 200.  Now, I would hazard a guess that due to the lifestyle of the ogres, the average lifespan would be around 50-70.

Maybe no-one really knows what the natural lifespan is, because it's never been relevant. Everyone is eaten first. Based on that tiny shred of evidence, it does indeed look like Ogres would live for 150-200 years if not killed sooner through violent means.

So here's another question: at what age do you think Ogres would breed? I think a bull would reach maturity and start breeding at about 30. I say this based on humans beginning to breed at roughly a fifth of the way through their lives.

Meanwhile the lack of mention of female ogres in the book really cheeses me off. It's SO politically incorrect. At the skaven book tells us they lock up their women to await conjugal visits. The ogre book ignores their existence whatsoever. I mean, I know it's a male dominated hobby, but sheesh!

i'm going to propose a theory.

ogres have no natural lifespan...given the correct environment, they will not die of "natural causes"(like tortoises or whatever that specific species is called), but because their lifespans are so violent and risky, no one was able to figure that out because they all die from "unnatural causes" at a relatively "early"(for an ogre) age.

i know, i know, it sounds farfetched, and i don't think i actually believe it, but it is a possibility(and would be kinda cool, fluffwise).

I think it is very cool. It also plays up the idea that they are an old, old, old race (like the Slann, Elves, and Giants, for example).

Is that potential interview still coming up with Phil Kelly? Perhaps we can ask him about some fluff-related things, too.

Ogres live about 100 years or so. Says so in one of the WD before their release. I forget where.

In response to Gorghog's last post, In one of those WD it mentions why ogres tend to like small things like gnoblars. They like them because the Old Ones created them and the halflings from the same... Creature I guess. Hence the appitite thing. So ogres tend to befriend halflings rather than eat them. I thought it was funny because it said that if a particualarly disturbed ogre started glueing fur to his gnoblars feet, the toehr ogres would see it as strange, but in some way, right. It relates because If you consider the Old Ones to have made eveything, they are a very old race. Unlike the "newer" races such as Skaven and Orcs.

Good idea. If you haven't done it yet I'll post the idea and give you credit.

I could've sworn that the Ogres were one of the youngest races in warhammer lore. I read the same WD as Kergut and got out of it that Ogres were made after humans, Elves, Dwarfs, Lizardmen, and others.

I think they live as long as an elephant.

Well, Skaven apperently developed after the old ones left, so if were talking youth, I belive Skaven are the youngest. If you read the Lizardmen book, its almost the the genisis book for the other races. Like Orcs just developed without the Old Ones knowledge, and they tried to kill them off but couldnt. So I guess you could say their slightly younger as well.

The Old Ones apperently created the Lizardmen, then Men Dwarves and Elves and what not. I guess afte that, they just started experimenting, creating different humanoid creatures like ogres and Giants and stuff.

Agian, The Lizardmen book has a lot of info on the begining of the various warhammer races.

If anyone has access of a copy of the 2nd edition rules of Warhammer, there is a page detailing the life expectantcy of all Warhammer lifeforms. They range from about 6 months (skaven slaves really are expendable) to 1000+ years (damned slann!) and ogres are right about in the middle, as they live anywhere from 200-350 years, barring accidents/death/war/famine and other such things that impede the ability to live. So, that'll give a an idea of how long a ogre lives for.

Kewl. Thanks Lorg!

That seems weird with the skaven slaves, though, as they are presumably taking into account the fact that most die of causes other than old age to produce this life-expectancy.

Okay, so lets call it 200-350 years, then.

Something I might knock up over the next day or two is a generational timeline based on the Imperial calendar.