IHF's HH Designs [08/04 Ironwrought/Praevian Consul]

[Sulemain]

That's one scary space marine.

[GrandMagnus]

Now that is what I call an Iron Hand, a grim human war machine.

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

Looking at it, I get the feeling I'll have to update Llythe in the near future - he's not quite at the standard I'd like & I'm sure I can up the brutality a bit.

 

Also, considering how significant the red colouration is, I wanted to alter its meaning away from an honourific originating from extended service alongside the Machanicum into something which would have more prominant meaning within the Clan.

 

My new thinking is that it's an award that can only be bestowed by Iron Fathers - which tend to operate outside each Clan's normal hierachy as representatives of the Legion as a whole, sort of 'discipline officers' intended to balance the antagonism that tends to exist between the Clans. This means it is a high honour, but also has deeper connotations within the Clan's own culture - suggesting units marked with the insignia may fall within the Iron Fathers' influence, rather than the Clan's direct chain of command - a factor only really significant within fringe Clans, which are less trusted by the Gorgon.

 

This becomes more important for Brannsar after the Dropsite, when the Clan's premier Iron Father attempts to instigate a Coup D'etat within the Clan, due to Iron Lord Volos Phrixus' refusal to return to Medusa alongside a number of other Clans to combine forces & form an 'Iron Council' to command the shattered Legion. This forces Phrixus to order & participate in the summary execution of the Iron Father & his co-conspirators, almost all of whom bear the crimson arm shown above - in addition, one of the Clan's Warleaders goes into self-imposed exile alongside most of his Company (he was mentored by the aforementioned Iron Father), determined to retrieve one of the sinister 'Keys of Hel'.

 

So the crimson arm of the Exemplum Omnus becomes somewhat more significant than simple livery, and can have subtle political connotations within the Legion.

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

It's been a while since I posted anything on here, so here's a design I made in advance of a Clan Brannsar Praevian Consul ('Iron Wrought') - Hardened Mk IV armour (as seen on the FW Destroyers).

The helmet is different from the Destroyers', because I'd imagine their helmets' enhanced breather apparatus is primarily due to their equipment, so I went with the style of helmet seen in Extermination's Exodus illustration instead:

[1ncarnadine]

It's been a while since I posted anything on here, so here's a design I made in advance of a Clan Brannsar Praevian Consul ('Iron Wrought') - Hardened Mk IV armour (as seen on the FW Destroyers).

 

The helmet is different from the Destroyers', because I'd imagine their helmets' enhanced breather apparatus is primarily due to their equipment, so I went with the style of helmet seen in Extermination's Exodus illustration instead:

 

I think the Phalanx Warders show FW's take on MkIV Breachers, but they basically just have Destroyer helmets with an extra upper frontal plate. This route is definitely more interesting, that helmet looks great! I'm kind of hoping FW does some Exodus-style helmets along these lines when they release an Alpha Legion head set. I would use them all over the place. That and spiky MkII shoulder pads... some day :(

 

This also reminds me that I need to find a way to make Clan Morragul decals too. For... things.

[Millicant]

Cool!  I've often longed for a proper "Void Hardened" MkIV armour.  I like your style - I hope Forgeworld does a kit like this some day.  

[infyrana]

You sir, have my attention once more.

 

I would say for practicality and because it has been mentioned before elsewhere, that midriff drop part to the chest armour needs to be an overlapping or sectioned piece so that it shifts about in the event the marine wants to bend over and checkout his toes :)

 

As for Phalanx Warders, the helms remind me more of something badly space-age made in the 70's via the back end of a pilots helmet that's supposed to resemble some snout nosed animal.

[chaplain mortis]

Just so frikkin cool!

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

 

This also reminds me that I need to find a way to make Clan Morragul decals too. For... things.

 

 

That better not be corpsy things :P

[Raktra]

Hot damn, I need at least a hundred of those as official models. That's EXACTLY how I pictured the Berserkers.

[Marshal Rohr]

Oh my god. I need those. 

[Kizzdougs]

Beautiful! I love the added layers on the armour and the modified helmet. If only FW would bring out kits like these...

 

 

Edit: just realised the destroyers have the layered armour.

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

Thanks for the feedback, good to know it's in the right direction - here's the profile I made it in anticipation of:

Ironwrought Thorak (Praevian Consul)

And a brief explanation of the different insignia:

* The jagged helmet stripe is a variant of the cog-toothed helmet stripe which identifies Ironwrought (Praevian) Consuls

* The feline skull within a cog identifies the Ironwrought as a member of a Seeker-killer Cohort - the IV identifies it as belonging to the 4^th Order, and the I refers to it being the 1st Cohort

* The lightning bolt within the cog identifies the Ironwrought's Automata Maniples as being fast attack units - Vorax Maniples

I made a concerted effort to keep him very monotone because I'm planning a painting based around him for which I've already planned the lighting

Anyway, I'll be working on doing his full page soonish

[Xin Ceithan]

FW needs to make this helmet. I need that helmet.

And I am really liking your insignia designs and fluff here! That half Mechanicum cog / animal skull thing is particularly nice.

[Tyrannicide]

Holy , you actually improved on the first go.

As an aside, I find your design and placement of all the personalized markings and heraldry to be really clever. A very underrated quality in your fine work, sir.

[infyrana]

Got this down to an art form - be mindful he doesn't get too "busy" in the amount of stuff on his armour (though in real terms it'd probably be even busier as there's enough room to scribble all sorts of stuff and apply lots of funky things), just that too busy distracts from his awesomeness.

 

Great stuff, can't wait to see if you do their full plaque of info.

[AfroCampbell]

Thanks for the feedback, good to know it's in the right direction - here's the profile I made it in anticipation of:

Ironwrought Thorak (Praevian Consul)

And a brief explanation of the different insignia:

* The jagged helmet stripe is a variant of the cog-toothed helmet stripe which identifies Ironwrought (Praevian) Consuls

* The feline skull within a cog identifies the Ironwrought as a member of a Seeker-killer Cohort - the IV identifies it as belonging to the 4^th Order, and the I refers to it being the 1st Cohort

* The lightning bolt within the cog identifies the Ironwrought's Automata Maniples as being fast attack units - Vorax Maniples

I made a concerted effort to keep him very monotone because I'm planning a painting based around him for which I've already planned the lighting

Anyway, I'll be working on doing his full page soonish

Do you think at any point you could do just even one Imperial Fists I would love you forever!!!!!

Like maybe a defenders of Terra marine who has been fighting atop walls and in trenches or something?! would be so so epic with your talents

[Millicant]

Very cool. I really like how much thought you've put into all the markings. It's one of my favorite things about the heresy era stuff and you are expanding on it brilliantly.

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

FW needs to make this helmet. I need that helmet.

And I am really liking your insignia designs and fluff here! That half Mechanicum cog / animal skull thing is particularly nice.

Holy , you actually improved on the first go.

As an aside, I find your design and placement of all the personalized markings and heraldry to be really clever. A very underrated quality in your fine work, sir.

Very cool. I really like how much thought you've put into all the markings. It's one of my favorite things about the heresy era stuff and you are expanding on it brilliantly.

Cheers guys - for the insignias, I obviously drew heavily on the existing IH designs from FW - especially the battered MkII Legionary from Conquest , which is where I took the feline skull symbol from for the Seeker-killer Cohort. I'm actually planning on doing an iconography page as featured in Extermination & Conquest for the Clan, but that might be a way off.

Got this down to an art form - be mindful he doesn't get too "busy" in the amount of stuff on his armour (though in real terms it'd probably be even busier as there's enough room to scribble all sorts of stuff and apply lots of funky things), just that too busy distracts from his awesomeness.

Great stuff, can't wait to see if you do their full plaque of info.

Yeah, I do try and keep a handle on the amount of negative space in the designs - for this guy, I think it helps that the image is pretty monotone - a limited colour palette helps prevent it from getting too busy. Another factor that helps is source material - getting images that have the right tones, lighting and contrast (basically designs that have already been done for the relevant Legion) add a considerable challenge whenever I want to add something.

Thanks for the feedback, good to know it's in the right direction - here's the profile I made it in anticipation of:

Ironwrought Thorak (Praevian Consul)

And a brief explanation of the different insignia:

* The jagged helmet stripe is a variant of the cog-toothed helmet stripe which identifies Ironwrought (Praevian) Consuls

* The feline skull within a cog identifies the Ironwrought as a member of a Seeker-killer Cohort - the IV identifies it as belonging to the 4^th Order, and the I refers to it being the 1st Cohort

* The lightning bolt within the cog identifies the Ironwrought's Automata Maniples as being fast attack units - Vorax Maniples

I made a concerted effort to keep him very monotone because I'm planning a painting based around him for which I've already planned the lighting

Anyway, I'll be working on doing his full page soonish

Do you think at any point you could do just even one Imperial Fists I would love you forever!!!!!

Like maybe a defenders of Terra marine who has been fighting atop walls and in trenches or something?! would be so so epic with your talents

There will be Imperial Fists which turn up at Clan Brannsar's muster within the Cymaera Verge - my Sicaran Lanius design page has a blurb which mentions Captain Vostler's VII^th Legion garrison on the Imperial world of Endoq, which escapes to the Clan's muster after invading Iron Warriors forces unleash Exterminatus upon the planet. However, I'm not making any promises about a timescale for when any IF design(s) might appear :P

[AlphariusOmegon108]

Warning: do not cuddle:

So there you go, a Brannsar Moritat - with the Iron Hands once again opposing the idea of the Loyalists as 'good guys'

WOW... Now I need to make a model of this...

[jokaero weaponsmith]

Man I love your work it's so inspiring, I always thought iron hands were devoid of decoration but you've shown me that it's just understated.

[Daemon2027]

Tha guy is brutal. I like. I like a lot. I need to think about making some spike shoulder pads.

[Hyaenidae]

Dang, man. That armored Mk IV concept is on point.

 

Beautiful job, as always.

[chaplain mortis]

Extremely fighting the urge to find and get bitz to build and paint a model based on that Ironwrought..

 

Great stuff again as always

 

Looking forward to the next one :-)

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

Just a quick update to keep the thread rolling over:

At the moment I'm getting used to using my new wacom tablet, while figuring out the best way to emulate the style of the FW HH books' sketches, so here's some prep work I've been doing based around the SoH Lycus Seekers on my 30k rules thread: