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Hello everyone! So I have been lurking here for sometime, rarely posting anything. I visit B&C mostly for HH fluff and to see some magnificent work of many of you! Finally I have decided to start my own plog. Its main goal is to force me into somewhat regular painting and to get some C&C from you guys! For start I have some WiPs of my first space marine ever painted and some early conversions of my gorgon terminators: For the Iron Tenth! (If anyone likes to follow people on instagram feel free to follow https://www.instagram.com/companyofthebitteriron )

Clan Atraxii – Iron Hands circa M.41/42. Aka, “just how many techmarines do you need?” In an attempt to get more involved in the forum and stop lurking I’ve decided to make a bit of an army blog. I’m also hoping it’ll help me focus on a project, as for the past few years I’ve been easily distracted with ‘one offs’ and ‘side projects’. So here we are: 40K era Iron Hands, largely Primaris based - my attempt to get a functional tabletop army finished. Background: I started playing 40K in 2004, and Iron Hands were my first army. Index Astartes III, the original metal Iron Father model – for many IH fans, the ‘golden era’ of fluff. I collected Clan Sorrgol, and for the best part of a decade had a lovingly, if rather poorly, painted army. Proof *Shudders* Urgh... In 2014, I jumped on board the Heresy Train ™. Unfortunately, the 30K scene in my area has pretty much died off, so I’ve gone back to 40K-proper and ‘side projects’. I bought Dark Imperium on release in 2017, and immediately got to work ‘Iron Handsoning’ (it’s a verb, honest) the minis (pretty sure I've posted these somewhere on the forum before) Iron Father (Gravis Captain with Boltstorm Gauntlet) Squad One (well, the first half) Sergeant's chainsword and arm came from the multipart captain model. But after that, didn’t really do anything. Back to side projects. With the release of the new Marine codex and IH supplement, I’ve decided its time for me to properly get back to my army – and the purpose of this thread. The Fluff For anyone reading with a basic knowledge and understanding of the recent (7th-8th edition) lore, I apologise in advance – due to having spent the past 5 years exclusively in the Heresy/30k timeline, my knowledge of the current stuff (Cawl, Primaris, Cadia…) is a bit vague. Is the following ‘pure’ fluff? No. But, it helps me explain the existence of my army, design elements and explain away any inconsistencies. What follows below is my spin on the fluff, merging the classic IA-3 era lore with the FW-30K era. I specifically chose an 'extinct' Heresy clan so that I didn't have to be constrained by the current GW written fluff. Clan Atraxii is one of the original Clans of the Iron Hands legion, which did not survive the Heresy. Though not actually wiped out in the Isstvan V massacre, following the end of the Heresy the clan was one of many which, to make up for legion losses, would be merged and amalgamated – their brothers and wargear folded into other clans, their battle honours lost to history. This would change by the close of the 41st millennium, thanks to Archmagos Dominus Belisarius Cawl and the Primaris project. Remembering the tensions between original Terran legionaries and their ‘true’ Medusan successors within the Iron Hands legion during the crusades, Cawl realised that merely dropping several hundred new, Terran and Martian born ‘Iron Hands’ into the chapter would likely create intense suspicion, if not outright hostility. What better way to convince the Iron Hands chapter of the success of the Primaris project, than by sending an entire clan-company, equipped and ready for war? Thus, Clan Atraxxi was reborn. Unfortunately, Cawl’s relationship with the present has been tenuous at best: as the millennia passed the Iron Hands chapter had evolved considerably, almost beyond recognition from the former Xth Legion days. The most obvious change being the chapter colours, the Iron Hands having formally adopted the plain black livery at some point around M.33. By the time anyone noticed this minor inconvenience it was too late to change, the newly formed clan having already been sent on their long voyage towards the Medusa system. By the time Clan Atraxxi arrived at Medusa, they had seen a century in combat, which explains the above average percentage of augmetics, and the appearance of non-standard Mk X wargear; such as helmets designed to imitate those of MK III, IV and VII armours. Much like the original legion, Clan Atraxii maintain their wargear in a functional, albeit well-worn state; designed for war rather than the parade ground, each scar and dent on a frater's power armour demonstrates their success on the battlefield. Though technically this 11th clan places the Iron Hands above Codex Astartes numbers, few outside of Medusa appear to have noticed; certainly the Iron Council has better things to be concerned about than having more brethren than a text they largely ignore says they can have. Painting I decided to stick with FW’s heresy-era burnt metal scheme. In part because I like it, but largely because after 10-ish years of painting black armour, I never, ever want to paint and highlight black armour again. Ever. I'm using the original method from 2014, although I must admit I'm rather tempted by Greenstuff World's rather snazzy chameleon colour-shift paints. Characters / Specialists – apothecaries, librarians, techmarines – for these, rather than painting the armour in the colour of the respective specialisations, my plan is to paint only helmets, cloth (tabards/loin cloths) and occasionally select armour panels in the appropriate colours. One thing I learnt early on with my 30K era force was that the burnt metallic scheme looked odd with random characters/specialists wearing non-metallic armour, this way seems ‘better’ to me. For non-specialists with fabric components, I’m intending to go with dark grey. Apothecary Gaumech - currently a WIP, as I'm unsure how to finish him off. The robe looks a little empty. Techmarine Name Not Found (in-game he's run as either a generic techmarine or a primaris capt / LT with various relics) Yes, the heads are magnetised, and yes, I know *insert Ferrus Manus head joke* Throwback to RT-era days with the mighty power spanner Clave Prime - the Hellblaster Squad Clave Prime are seen here deployed in the fire support role, with medium weight plasma blastguns. The meaning behind the unique black chapter and clan icons on the squad's unusual white and black shoulder pads is currently unknown, but is suspected to be a mark of status within the clan. Given that Clave Prime are the first squad of the clan, it is possible that this is a method of identifying the clan's veterans when they are deployed in a non-standard role. And wasn't at all because at the time I'd run out of the correct white transfers... Intercessor combat squad Seen here is the first half of an unknown tactical squad. The single silver shoulder pad is believed identify this particular battle brother as a veteran sergeant. Also seen here is what happens when someone tries to paint white over a black undercoat - won't be making that mistake again. That's all for this post - thanks for looking! Congratulations to those of you who made it through to the end without falling asleep C&C is always appreciated! Next up - Iron Father Huw Feirros, the Repulsor Executioner and my future plans for the army.

Hello! I have been asked few times about my black armor recipe so I have made that quick step by step tutorial on how I do it. I hope it will be useful to someone :)

This will be a 2000pt 30k force when complete. Praetor image by Sigismund's Ghost, on Flickr Forge Lord image by Sigismund's Ghost, on Flickr Command Squad image by Sigismund's Ghost, on Flickr Tactical Squad Sergeant image by Sigismund's Ghost, on Flickr Tactical Squad image by Sigismund's Ghost, on Flickr Tactical Squad Sergeant image by Sigismund's Ghost, on Flickr Tactical Squad image by Sigismund's Ghost, on Flickr Contemptor image by Sigismund's Ghost, on Flickr Contemptor image by Sigismund's Ghost, on Flickr Castellax Maniple image by Sigismund's Ghost, on Flickr

This isn't supposed to be a super effective detachment, just a thematic allied force that could be pretty fun - the only slight issue is whether Techmarine Covenants are counted as "squads" under the requirement for you to not have more Battle-automata units than "squads" with Legiones Astartes - there are plenty of non-Independent Character Legion infantry units that have some other collective noun than "squad", and I'm not sure if this should exclude them? If the answer is no, I guess I could just grab a minimal Command Squad for the Iron Father but I don't really wanna add more points into this Detachment given it's already over the 1,500 mark.