Officia Monstrosa – Iron Warriors

[lokkorex]

amazing.

[Olis]

Have you had one of these yet?

Tough, you're getting one anyway. :D

[Andvarr A]

Have you had one of these yet?

Tough, you're getting one anyway. :D

What the hell is that?

[Olis]

What the hell is that?

 

That, my friend, is the official Martian Death Ray Club seal of approval. ;)

[apologist]

The air is hazy with fallout. When his autosenses kick back in, his hood fizzes and pops with white dots. For a moment, he has the clearest memory of his childhood; snowfall on Olympia.

 

He shakes his head. The killsight is simply picking up irradiated dust kicked up by the explosion.

 

The explosion. It has killed him. There is no pain, but his organs – birth-organs and gift-organs alike – have been flash-cooked.

 

He reaches out hesitantly with his unpinned hand. Both he and the other Astartes, prone beside him, are corpse-white with marble dust; identical in hue. The remaining fingertips of his de-powered gauntlet tremble. They touch the other's plate, the textured nub-ends of his fingers haltingly clearing rivulets of dust.

 

It reveals both his dark iron colours and the rich yellow heraldry of his companion. The other shudders, like an engine turning over. There is a bitter edge to the action. With his fingers touching the others' plate, the micro-vibrations of his voice will be transmitted even through depowered armour. It is the only way he can get the other to hear.

 

Is his reaching out an act of solidarity in death? Surely he cannot expect forgiveness, no plea could stand.

 

Will he offer a benediction? A eulogy? An attempt to explain? 

 

No.

 

'You and I are earth.'

 

+++

More grist to the Officia Monstrosa.

 

Tactical Legionaries.

 

Spiky treacherous Astartes.

 

Siegebreaker and stabby friends.

 

An eagle through a glass, darkly. What better symbol for the Iron Warriors than a vulture? 

[Brother Aiwass]

Happy to see the best IW making a return.

[Xin Ceithan]

I have missed these! Love the Vulture!

[Luna707]

Happy to see the legend return!

[AndyNoMore]

A vulture fits well for the "Corpse Grinders", good idea!

[apologist]

 

Discourse on Legion nomenclature, Vol V Book V Chapter V, Verses CV–XVI

 

CV – Of the others, some sought their names; others had names attributed to them. Two took their numinous self-image to heart; taking the vainglorious name of mythological beings. Others chased more temporal images for nomenclature – totemic animals, symbolic celestial bodies and the like. Others still looked to more earthy origins, grubbing around after their prison-sink cots and cradles of war-torn ruins. 

 

CVI – To Unfortunus Veck is attributed: 'Guard your name well. Names grant power. This is for two reasons. Mundanely, knowledge is itself a synonym for power. Secondly, resonance. Your name is a label indelibly etched to your animus - your Emperor-warded soul. Your name can be an anchor for your safety, or it can be a pinion; reducing you to a butterfly in a lepidopterist's case.'

 

CVII–CVII – [REDACTED]

 

CVIII – The Fourth's primarch was famously uncommunicative and inward-looking, so his motivations and desires are as hard to fathom as the bottomless black seas of Kafkan. We can infer only from the statements, instructions and dictates handed down to the forces under his command. In choosing the name 'Iron Warriors', he was creating a self-fulfilling prophecy; both openly dictating its use and relying on his forces' underlying cultural bias and human psychology to embody the thing after which they name themselves. As with all decisions made by the Primarchs, the result was simultaneously straightforward (some would say almost blindingly obvious) and multi-faceted; fully understandable only by the genius, the child and other lunatics. 

 

CVIX and additional remarks – [REDACTED]

 

CX – The Wormwood King sought no advice. He looked inwards. He was uncharacteristically phlegmatic when his choice matched two of his brethren. Of these, he more begrudged Manus the title of 'Iron'. To Perturabo, his 'elder brother' had childish reasons for choosing iron – seeing only its surface qualities, its application and use; and missing the mathemystical associations of the element.

 

CXI – To Perturabo is attributed: 'Iron is the most stable element in the physical universe. All other elements strive to attain its purity; shedding or gaining extraneous parts of their physical structure to alter its state to that of iron. The universe is thus refined. Eventually, inevitably, if will become an ever-expanding pattern of stillness, studded throughout with cold stars, infinitely distant from one another. This is the perfection of the future; to which all – willingly or not – may be shepherded and hurried.'

 

CXII – To Perturabo is attributed '[There is] little beyond a shell of iron around the Tenth Legion, whose humours are hot, dry and unsettled. For the Fourth, iron is within them. My Legion is to become saturnine, considered, and uncompromising; and whether that is an easy or difficult summit for their individual characters to attain, it shall be so. All refinement implies exclusion of impure constituents.' 

 

CXIII – To Perturabo is also attributed: 'Iron is the fourth most prominent component of Old Earth; and it is this that dictates its suitability. Though the truths of alchemistry and physic override superstition; the alignment with the numerific designate assigned to me, and to the Legion I head, demonstrates a certain symmetry – if not outright foresight on the part of Him-on-Earth. Ah, but he is cunning. Ah, but he marks each of his creations with its own diacritic; its own self-fulfilling prophecy.

 

[N.B. Original text for CXIV Apocryphal appendations; orig. ref. REDACTED] To Perturabo is attributed: 'This is beyond pageantry and classification. Naming oneself is power; it is also slavery to admit that one's existence requires others. It is thus in sufferance, but not in defiance, that I accede to this name; but in sufferance I will make it worthwhile.'

 

CXIV – To Perturabo is attributed: 'Once a star begins to synthesise iron, it is an admission of completion. The credulous may call this death; but in truth the star simply alters state – becoming what it was always meant to be. Sloughing off its needless blanket of more nebulous, transitory elements; alone a measurable enthalpic scale, it becomes darker, harder. This completion marks a cosmic refinement, a cessation of effort to reveal a result. If this bears any resemblance to the human condition, it is less death than birth.'

 

CXV – [REDACTED]

 

CXVI – To Perturabo is attributed: 'No crown but iron; and that worn not as a bauble or diadem to be worn and discarded, but as a crown in your core. Indeed; the man who becomes as iron comes to see the fundamental truth of humanity; that his flesh and mind and desires are as temporary and effervescent as the atmosphere of a star; and that his true state, and only lasting proof, is that black core.

 

– Antiquarian Macron; Remembrancer contingent – IV^th Legion Assumpt

 

 

+++

That's a very kind welcome back; thanks. It's been a fallow period of painting and building for me as I concentrate on a spot of DIY on the homeforge, but I've now got a triskaideka of new Iron Warriors on the blocks, plus a couple of Dreadnoughts and one or two other bits and bobs like Aquarion Trinculo Setebos. I've got a game next week where the warriors of Perturabo will find themselves up against Bob Hunk's prideful (and awesome) Imperial Fists, so if you fancy I'll do a battle report.

 

But stories aren't everyone's cup of tea, so here're some models to look at :)

If you'd like a closer look at the Remembrancer at the top, here she is:

 

...and just so you don't feel cheated for looking at an Iron Warriors blog and finding no painted Iron Warriors , here's an older Phalangite of which I'm proud:

+++

Edited February 10, 2017 by Apologist

[Gorgoff]

Ouh yeah. It's still rollin'. :)

[Bob Hunk]

An excellent return Apologist, I particularly enjoyed the nomenclature discussion. 

 

 

 

 

I've got a game next week where the warriors of Perturabo will find themselves up against Bob Hunk's prideful (and awesome) Imperial Fists, so if you fancy I'll do a battle report.

 

 

An eagle through a glass, darkly. What better symbol for the Iron Warriors than a vulture? 

 

I particularly like the vulture.  He's soon going to have his fill of iron corpses to feast on. 

[Xin Ceithan]

The pics are great, but I like the philosophical insight into Perturabo's mind and your take on the Iron within referencing the life cycle of stars. An inspiring work indeed.

[apologist]

 

Today we extended our foothold in the Kamassian District, finally ousting the Fists from the Ay Dede Wall complex. Losses were heavy, but sustainable. The bastard VII^th opened a sub-gate, and when we didn't take the bait, they resealed the complex. Of course, we had ensconced infiltraitors relay us passcodes and cipher-encrypts the moment the lore-circuits were down; but these proved to be counterfiltrating inloads: turncoat phrases that detonated sub-magazines dotted behind us.

The result? A series of impromptu mines collapsed; trapping four dozen or so of the company. I cannot imagine what it must be like to be buried underground.

Still. The Fists are dead. The Eye flies over Ay Dede. The advance continues.

Data-incept: Terra, Fourteenth Secundus. Lion's Gate Spaceport

 

 

+++

 

Cheers all. The army grinds on – more painting last night.

 

[apologist]

Work-in-progress IVth Legion warriors. Clean, crisp, smooth; all fantastic qualities of the plastic kits, but I want my Iron Warriors to look like they're going through hell. I've tried to add a lot of suggested texture through paint application and variety of metallic tones. These really are fun, rewarding and quick to paint.

 

These are at an early stage of painting – stage 3, in fact (if you want the process, it's on page 1 of this blog :))

 

The combination and variety of plastics, FW resin and sculpted parts really opens up the possibilities of this army. Nevertheless, I'm trying to keep them relatively reined-in – it's variation I'm after, not ornamentation.

 

... well, except for the great big vulture!

[montambro]

They look fantastic!

[lionofjudah]

Wow!! Your warriors using the plastic parts are upping the game heavily!!

Are you using your airbrush on these guys??

[apologist]

Ta! I don't have an airbrush – nothing against 'em, just never invested. My style, such as it is, has evolved from brushwork and playing around with different traditional (and not-so-traditional) media. :)

[Isengrin]

Grimy, just how I like them. It's great to see you coming back with new Iron Warriors, since they are such an invaluable source of inspiration. Reading the accompanying text to the remembrancer was quite enjoyable, too. 

 

However, I think I remember a hefty cliffhanger dangling from your IH thread. What are the chances of getting an update over there? 

[apologist]

Cheers! The nature of that blog makes it a lot more time-consuming than this one, and I don't want to continually update without progress, so while I do have plans for May You Live Forever – oh, some lovely plans :) – it's on the slow burn. 

[apologist]

 

+ Prelude to Conflict +

Tick-tick-tick. An internal chromometer marks another phase of the interminable bombardment.

 

Exhausted, moving by rote, he retrieves his helm from inside the turret, and fixes it in place even as the white streaks – some arcane alchemical propellant, perhaps? – describe the ballistics' elegant arc towards the palace walls.

 

For a moment, they seem to give the red sky white ribs.

 

Like the machinery of a clock, the Iron Warriors are already in motion. Even as the wave of displaced dust barrels towards them, the infantry are stepping out of cover and stalking forward warily. Auspex tracking, weapons lit, his predator's heavy tracks greedily bite into the dead ground, and it lurches forward alongside its companions.

 

Instinctively, he closes an eye, to preserve his sight as the missiles impact. The distant white flashes burn black in his autosenses, and he re-opens his eye, shaking his head with fatigue.

 

The Emperor's forces were throwing everything at the Warmaster-loyalists, and in turn the rebels were pummelling and punishing the very earth itself to make it turn over the Legionaries of the VIIth Legion.

Not enough dead. The Imperial Fists had winnowed and defiladed and undermined and bombarded the Iron Warriors – and still the advance continued. Steady as an atomic clock, their lock-step an interminable, inevitable tick-tick-tick. Soon. Soon there would be a reckoning. No ambushes and outflanking; a pure battle. Blade against blade. Arm against arm.

 

"Episcopi?"

 

Not enough dead. Not nearly enough.

 

"My lord Artabas?" The voice registers. He grunts in response to the Legionary, jogging alongside to match the tank's pace, and waves a distracted hand. The Legionary wordlessly reaches up to the cupola and hands the slate over before slowing his pace, dropping back as the predator continues its greedy advance.

 

The wave of hot dust and ash envelops the column of cold-eyed Legionaries, washing over and around them, cloaking their advance. It is as hot and dull and painful as his exhaustion.

 

The atomics set off a warning count in his armour; tick-tick-tick, but he remains scanning the horizon from the open hatch. As the count slows, he removes his helm once again and looks down at the slate as the tank prowls forward. Munition expenditure, casualty predictions, advance demands, requests for support. Niceties. Irrelevancies.

 

The inside of his mouth tastes of tin and copper and smoke. As the column passes another shelled-out slum, he sneers at his reflection in an incongruously intact window. Red-eyed and smeared with black dirt, his teeth are limned with blood. The air is hot, greasy with rad-wash. He spits, and looks forward.

 

Himalasia. The Inner Walls. A muscle spasms in his eye – a tic of fatigue – as he spies a distant golden arrow descend and disappear behind an intervening curtain wall. Artabas' bloody teeth break into a grin. If the Custodes are present, the Fists are nearly at bay. His hands twitch furiously.

 

"Full advance!"

+++

 

+ Painting for gaming +

I've got an Age of Darkness game scheduled with Bob Hunk next week, and it's kicked me back into action on the painting front. It's funny – I think of myself more as a painter than a gamer, but the prospect of a game is often the thing that gets me most productive in painting terms. Perhaps it's a desire for innovation, perhaps simply not wanting to let the other person down?

 

Anyway, another thirteen Iron Warriors are approaching completion:

 

The scheme – detailed earlier in the blog (page 1) s quick and effective, so I've been able to crack through these chaps fairly quickly. They need detailing, weathering and some more attention to the bases, but are almost there.

 

One thing I find interesting about the Space Marine Legions is how numerous they are – there's something visually striking about a horde of marines on the table. This can lead to things becoming a bit dull as you churn through your fortieth 'bloke with boltgun', but I find a lot of enjoyment in tiny variations – whether in pose, armour detailing or painting. Finding the balance between keeping things interesting but not compromising the overall effect is important.

 

The chaps above are all armed with chainswords – representing a 'Despoiler' Tactical squad – but a closer look will reveal they're all quite different. Tiny things, like chainsword casings, different helm types, and sparing use of hazard striping marks them out as individuals; but importantly, at first glance they're very similar.

 

Having everyone in a dynamic action pose sounds cool, but gives a disorganised overall result. Great for orks and so forth, not so fitting for more disciplined forces. For that reason, I always aim to balance more dynamic poses with an equal amount of more conservative postures – like the ones above. Note that these still have variation in the components used: it's counter-productive to the overall effect if some models are marked out by posture and unique components, while others are literally uniform.

 

A few more. Inevitably, you'll find some postures or combinations of bits just appeal more to you for one reason or another. The chap on the left just seemed to work particularly well for me. I keep such models as markers when I'm batch painting – working on a favourite helps punctuate things and stops things being boring.

 

Another advantage of painting en masse is not having to think particularly hard – you can just lose yourself in the flow of the work, enjoy some music and generally relax. For non-standard models, like the character in the centre here, I had to keep stopping and working out how I would tackle his (unique) markings and odd component parts.

Edited February 16, 2017 by Apologist

[bluntblade]

Oooh, that's good

[Commissar Molotov]

I've particularly enjoyed this upsurge in activity from you. Your Iron Warriors are really nice, and are making me want to create a Heresy force of my own! I recently considered making a few truescale Sons of Horus... (but then White Scars would be cool!) 

 

More to the point, I hadn't ever seen your Iron Hands, and I thought I was on top of all of your projects! Very cool stuff, and particularly enjoyed the narrative. 

[Tyrannicide]

I'm always learning from you, man. Your commentary on your work is always appreciated, much like listening to any great artist speak about their work. I've been stumbling recently with my own projects and might have just come across one of the reasons why. You make an excellent point about finding balance across a squad's posing. I was aiming for too much motion with my own work and it really has created a disharmonious group. Fine for individual characters, but across a squad it's too overwhelming and it does the exact opposite of the intended effect.

 

Also, I really enjoy how your Iron Warriors emanate a more grounded politically-motivated/civil war side of the coin and less "False Emperor!!!" side. It shines not only in their aesthetic, but the writing where you mention things like 'Warmaster-loyalists', rather than 'traitors'. Really thoughtful and executed perfectly as always!

[depthcharge12]

Looking awesome as usual dude!

 

Your IVth legionaries look like something straight out of the old BL HH covers.