Griffon
A griffon (also spelled griffin and gryphon) is a half eagle, half lion mythological creature that echoes immense amounts of cool and which many on /tg/ would sell their own mother to have (seriously why haven't they cloned one of these yet??).
Griffins are from old European and eastern myths and were so cool they have been adopted into practically every fantasy game out there. What is so cool about them? They have the strength of lions and the ability to fly like eagles! You think knights on horses were cool? Griffon-mounted knights are even better. If there was any monster you could describe as noble, it would be the griffin.
Warhammer Fantasy Battle
The Empire of Warhammer Fantasy Battle fields griffons, which scores them strong awesome points. Mount an Empire Elector Count on him, give him a runefang and you have one of the hardest hitting characters the empire can provide (just be warned not to allow those pesky mage or artillery to hit them).
They also added in recent editions 'demigryphs' as monsters to ride as a cavalry option, essentially griffins without the wings and not as tough. They still look pretty cool and they do add a much needed extra mythological element to the human empire army.
Warhammer 40,000
Warhammer 40,000 does not have griffons as creatures, per se, but there are several things that are named after the griffon:
- The Griffon Heavy Mortar Carrier, a self-propelled artillery piece used by the Imperial Guard.
- The Griffon heavy mortar is the gun carried by the Griffon Heavy Mortar Carrier. Unsurprisingly.
- There is a Forge World called Gryphonne IV, which made artillery until it was eaten by Tyranids.
- There's a Space Marine Chapter named the Howling Griffons.
HORDES
The Circle Orboros uses Griffins as sneaky fast attack warbeasts to tear into the enemy's troops.