Where are the Iron Hands?

[Brother Eleysium]

A good friend of mine, fellow long time hobbyist and I have returned to the 40K universe after a few years of absence. This is mainly due to a much more balance rules system(in our opinions)and a seemingly better direction for GW as a whole.(in or opinions)

 

I just started a Dark Hunters(White Scars successors)army and he recently got back into the Iron Hands. While thumbing through the Indexes a few weeks ago, we both noticed there was barely a mention of them, and they were the only first founding Legion/Chapter without a named character. He of course took slight offense to it, and we both found ourselves wondering why. 

 

Could this be an oversight on GW's part? Or Due to a lack of popularity as I never really known them to have much of a Cult following. Will we see them in this month's Codex release?

 

I am personally really happy to be back, and look forward to being a part of the B&C community once again.

Edited July 5, 2017 by Brother Eleysium

[RandomMarine]

GW tends to overlook us IH because we are basically arsehole marines we do stuff that makes even csm balk.

 

Fluff wise the HH black books 2,4 and 6 all have good fluff but aren't 8th compatible , and various BL books.

I imangine we will get atleast 1 named character edition probably stronos. And when the codex drops we well have chapter tactics again

[Walter Payton]

The Iron Hands have drawn the short end of the straw for as long as I've been in the hobby.  

 

Even back in 3rd Edition they were lucky to get a look-in, and its gone downhill from there.  I wouldn't be surprised if they are the least-played 1st Founding chapter - but, of course, that leaves you with the "chicken or egg" question of whether the Iron Hands are unpopular because they are underpromoted or if they are underpromoted because they are unpopular.  Personally I find their lore and colour scheme fairly dull, but perhaps that would be different if they had the benefit of a William King or Graham McNeil novel series to help sell them.

 

 

The lack of an Iron Hands special character has long been a staple of GW codexes.  Even when the 5th Edition Codex: Space Marines introduced Kor'sarro Khan, Vulkan He'stan, and Pedro Kantor (not to mention Chronus and Telion), the Iron Hands didn't get a special character of their own.  Their lack of exposure is - sadly - nothing new.

 

However, first of the new Codexes will be Codex: Space Marines, and hopefully there will be more Iron Hands-specific lore and rules in that.  Perhaps GW might even bestir themselves to release a new special character for them, but I wouldn't hold your breath.

[the jeske]

It is realy hard to make an IH character that won't look like a fancy techmarine. So this is one limitation. The other one is that GW does not like[after learning it in 4th ed] to invest in stuff they are not sure will sell for their marines. So the IH are left in a forever limbo, same as chaos legion characters.

[RandomMarine]

A helfather terminator character like the ones in eye of medusa

 

Almost pure bionic terminator with heavy flamer,assault cannon and cyclone launcher with reanimation ability

[Kristoff]

It is realy hard to make an IH character that won't look like a fancy techmarine. So this is one limitation. The other one is that GW does not like[after learning it in 4th ed] to invest in stuff they are not sure will sell for their marines. So the IH are left in a forever limbo, same as chaos legion characters.

 

Considering there isn't much in the way of any Unique Techmarines, I would think that would be a welcome difference.  But first, someone must be willing to take up the keyboard or stylus and actually design the cyborg first.  Why they haven't over the last 25 years, I don't know.  I have always considered it sad that the Iron Hands haven't been properly supported in this manner.  The Templars have 3, and they are a Second Founding.

[bluntblade]

I've heard good things about some IH books, Wrath of Iron in particular, but I guess it was never a big hit.

[helterskelter]

It is realy hard to make an IH character that won't look like a fancy techmarine.

Shadrak 'bloody' meduson

[Iron Father Ferrum]

As an Iron Hand, I don't mind not having a named character. Allows me to -- what's the term? -- forge my own narrative.

[bluntblade]

 

It is realy hard to make an IH character that won't look like a fancy techmarine.

Shadrak 'bloody' meduson

Autek "a moon is a viable weapon" Mor.

 

If you want aesthetic inspiration, there are several really good WiPs in Age of Darkness.

[Brother_Dan'l]

Hey, at least they still sell the IH upgrade set. So you can get parts from GW and FW.

 

But yeah, I wish there was some real rules and special characters.

[Luna707]

Forgeworld more than makes up for GW's lack of support for the chapter/legion. The Iron Hands have some awesome 30k rules and characters and their era independent models are gorgeous. Additionally, Autek Mor is one of the most badass warhammer characters Ever

[Morovir]

A helfather terminator character like the ones in eye of medusa

 

Almost pure bionic terminator with heavy flamer,assault cannon and cyclone launcher with reanimation ability

I don't think a Helfather would be good as a character, rather a form of one-man bodyguard unit with masses of wounds that can take hits like Company Veterans and can absolutely decimate all enemies of the Iron Council.

[Veteran Sergeant]

It's their whole obsession with the flesh being weak. 

See, Guilliman woke up and was like "Dubbleyoo tee eff mate? Have you seen Imperial technology?  All this effort put into making you bigger, stronger and faster, and you're replacing all of it with slow, inefficient rudimentary hydraulics and unarmored components. No Primaris soup for you."

[Ironwrought Huw]

I feel I should point out that the IH haven't always been ignored by GW. 3rd edition gave us the Index Astartes 3 fluff and rules, the conversion kits and the (limited edition?) Iron Father model. I'd say that the 4th edition Chapter Traits rules were very generous to us (Scions of Mars), even if the fluff was largely missing. For me, 5th edition is where the rot set in. 

 

I could be persuaded to believe that GW have decided to leave the Iron Hands alone this edition, given how elements of the Iron Hands community reacted to the 6th/7th edition fluff changes and the Clan supplement. I don't know how many of the forum posts from the 6th edition launch in 2013 still exist, but I remember a fair number of us (at the time) regretted ever having wanted attention from GW, due to the contradictory fluff we were suddenly lumped with, that ran roughshod over everything we'd had before. However I'll admit that I've spent most of the past 2-ish years hiding in the 30K forums, so if things have improved, I'm unaware  of it(I've not read the new BL novel about Stronos)

 

I'll echo Luna707's comments. FW have done excellent work with the 30K-era Iron Hands, however their Sons of Medusa fluff and rules (Badab War book 2) are also pretty good for any Iron Hands players not wanting to jump on the Heresy train. For me, Vaylund Cal more than makes up for the lack of a 40K-era IH character. 

 

I find the comment about a potential IH character looking like a 'fancy techmarine' a little strange - what exactly is wrong with that? Seeing as how so many existing Marine characters are a simple variation on the 'space marine + *sword + cape' theme, I'd have thought that a little variety would be a good thing. That said, I may be a little biased on the subject 

 

* - Other weapons available, subject to demand

[bluntblade]

It's their whole obsession with the flesh being weak. 

See, Guilliman woke up and was like "Dubbleyoo tee eff mate? Have you seen Imperial technology?  All this effort put into making you bigger, stronger and faster, and you're replacing all of it with slow, inefficient rudimentary hydraulics and unarmored components. No Primaris soup for you."

I haven't seen any evidence that Iron Hands are any less capable in combat because of their bionics.

[Urriak Urruk]

Of the nine original legion/chapters, Iron Hands definitely got it the worst.

 

Ultramarines are obviously the go-to, poster-boy of Space Marines in general (which at the same time makes them incredibly boring to me).

 

Space Wolves, Blood Angels, and Dark Angels all behave independently and will surely get codexes in the future.

 

Imperial Fists are the back-up Space Marines when Ultramarines have been over-used (in art at least).

 

White Scars do ok, with their biker aesthetic.

 

The 3 "Istvaan Legions" (those nearly eliminated in Drop Site Massacre) do pretty terrible, with the Samanders and Raven Guard get only a unique character model each, Iron Hands getting nothing.

[Urriak Urruk]

So... go to Forgeworld sadly. Pricier, but your friend can at least get the aesthetic of the legion.

 

https://www.forgeworld.co.uk/en-GB/The-Horus-Heresy?Nu=product.repositoryId&Nao=0&N=102581+3128365225&qty=8&sorting=rec&view=table&categoryId=cat2210033

 

IN FACT, if you play with cool people, try this;

 

Using Space Marine (Ultramarine) rules, with Iron Hands 30k models...

 

Ferrus Manus = Roboute Guilliman

Gorgon Terminators = Space Marine Terminator Command

Medusan Immortals = Sternguard Veteran Squad

Iron Father = Space Marine Commander

[roryokane]

Kardan Stronos should get a look-in - hell even the Iron hands Successors have more luck what with the Sons of Medusa getting a special character in the Imperial Armour books on the Badab war (His name is Vaylund Cal and he's a sortof Master of the Forge/Force Commander hybrid with T6. He's described as a Master of the Forge and yet they never specified if he ever counted towards the Relics of the Armoury special rule, though)... Still.
Kardan Stronos would be a badass character to have.

[Vel'Cona]

Really, Iron Hands are in many ways defined (at least up to this point) by their Chapter Tactics.  Since those won't hit until the release of C: SM this month, it's really just a matter of being patient, though I'm willing to gamble that what we'll get when the codex lands will make everyone happy.  My bet is on a universal 6+ save-after-save (a la Venerable Dreadnought) for everything with the Iron Hands <Chapter> keyword (meaning vehicles, infantry, characters, what have you) with the aforementioned Venerable getting a 5+ to represent the IH chapter ancients.

 

OFC, this is all conjecture at this point.  For me, the special character ramble was never a huge issue since I far more enjoy creating my own heroes, such as my take on Smashfather from the last edition:

[Iron Father Ferrum]

On the whole "Techmarine character" thing, I just want to point out that Techmarines are wildly underestimated.  They're a 2+ save, 2+ BS, multiple-gun-having model.  Back in 5th, the heyday of my Iron Hands army, I'd take a Master of the Forge with servo harness and combi-plasma: three plasma shots out of a single model, all hitting on a 2+ and one with rerolls.  With the edition changes on plasma and firing all weapons, this kind of loadout got even better!  He makes a fantastic model to attach to Tactical Squads since he ups their firepower AND their melee potential.

[Machine God]

At the end of their Iron Arms!

 

We are the are the Iron Hands and no-one loves us, ha, ha, except ourselves!

[Helias_Tancred]

The Iron Hand that is close pals with Raven Guard Nykona Sharrowkin, something Weyland? He's pretty darn cool in my book!

 

GW definitely should have made sure each chapter had at least one character/miniature in 40k! Stronos would have been a great 40k character!

Also Captain Atticus from the Horus Heresy was cool!

By the way I own and read Wrath of Iron and I thought it was pretty good. It did your chapter justice, and the cover is one of my favorites!

[Teun135]

It is realy hard to make an IH character that won't look like a fancy techmarine. So this is one limitation. The other one is that GW does not like[after learning it in 4th ed] to invest in stuff they are not sure will sell for their marines. So the IH are left in a forever limbo, same as chaos legion characters.

 

This is a rather asinine comment, really. What are special characters, if not fancy versions of their contemporaries? Calgar is just a fancy Chapter Master, Belilal is just a fancy Terminator Captain, and Mephiston is just a fancy Librarian... so what is your point?

 

Your second point is just as invalid. Forgeworld proves that IH can be popular if given some attention. Look at how many Xth legion players there are in HH.