The Iron Taurans, Updated 31/07 Indomnitus models

[TrawlingCleaner]

The Iron Taurans were an idea I've had for quite a while now and something I haven't really actioned outside of a small killteam. The colour scheme isn't original and the concept definitely isn't.
 
General idea:
The Iron Taurans are Siege/Trench warfare specialists and have a high level of techmarines/tech adepts. You can probably guess what their progenitors are: Iron Hands and Iron Warriors, what happens when you combine these two? Stubborn, paranoid siege specialists. Not 100% on their background but due to their paranoia they are first to volunteer to throw themselves at the difficult deployments to prove themselves to "more worthy" chapters.
After learning of their mixed loyalist and traitor geneseed, the chapter master (yet to be named) constantly tries to prove himself to Guilliman and the Ultras by essentially taking the chapter on a "penance crusade".
As they're trench warfare/siege specialists they've modified their armour to have the older mark 3 armour on their left shoulder so they can advance down corridors with extra armour protecting the majority of their chest and face. They use older Mark 3 bolters as A) Rule of cool running a penance crusade means resources are tight, older marks can come in handy. 
 
Until I have more lore ready to go I'll be updating this with hobby updates. C&C is very welcome.
 
Intercessor Sergeant 
 
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Anniversary Lieutenant 
 
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IMG_20181020_172013
 
Captain, still very WIP
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Edited July 31, 2020 by TrawlingCleaner

[Dracos]

Some spectacular conversion and paint work there :) Bet you’re loving the new Forge Father.

[Ryltar Thamior]

Always keen to see HH etc. bitz on Primaris - for some reason they go together very well a lot of the time. Interesting and very worthwhile choices with the helmet [that's on], the bayonet attachment ... and i can't quite work out where that sword-blade's from, but it looks familiar - FW tartaros praetor? 

Meanwhile, i noticed with the helmet [that's off] with the plume, due to the lack of visor [plus plume], it seems almost to recall a Unification-era aesthetic - adding to the cool and barbaric vibe. Keep it up! 

[Marshal Vespasian]

Cool conversions and paint work. Really love the theme of trench fighting loyalists

[Doghouse]

Very nice start :tu:

[TrawlingCleaner]

Some spectacular conversion and paint work there Bet you’re loving the new Forge Father.

 

 

Thanks man! I really am, between the forgefather and helping my friend figure out how to play the vanguard primaris I really got the urge to come back and do more on this project.

 

Always keen to see HH etc. bitz on Primaris - for some reason they go together very well a lot of the time. Interesting and very worthwhile choices with the helmet [that's on], the bayonet attachment ... and i can't quite work out where that sword-blade's from, but it looks familiar - FW tartaros praetor? 

 

Meanwhile, i noticed with the helmet [that's off] with the plume, due to the lack of visor [plus plume], it seems almost to recall a Unification-era aesthetic - adding to the cool and barbaric vibe. Keep it up! 

 

The Bayonet is a sons of Horus axe without the handle and power pack. Bingo on the sword blade, I cut it down a bit and put a new hilt on it too. It was an unintentional Unification aesthetic but now I've seen it I can't unsee it! I like it...

 

Cool conversions and paint work. Really love the theme of trench fighting loyalists

 

Thank you dude!

 

Very nice start

 Cheers pal 

 

 

Plenty of pictures of the stuff I have built so far:

 

Here's a lot of pictures of where I've gotten so far with everything, lots to do and tidy up still. C&C very welcome on anything you see.

 

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Chapter Master, Roorland Taurí "The Iron Bull":

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The lieutenant needs a little bit of work I think, not too sure what it is about the pose but it doesn't look right to me.

 

 

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And also a little bit of lore written so far:

 

 

He checked the map on his heads up display one last time. They were initiating a decapitation strike on the traitor guardsmen who’s command structure were holled up in a well hidden set of bunkers and trenches built into the side of an enormous cliffside. The majority of the Iron Taurans forces were to assault the frontlines of the rest of the traitor’s trenches and emplacements hitting them hard in five different places at the same time. Meanwhile a small strike team would make their way to the command centre. Roorland looked over at the Chief Librarian as he was floating inside the red lit interior of the Thunderhawk with his arms outstretched and eyes closed. He had been told that it took a great amount of effort to be able to hide the heat signatures and sound from a Thunderhawk moving faster than the speed of sound. He wasn’t sure it was even possible but he had been assured that it was, with the smell of burning ozone filling his nostrils the Chapter Master checked his weapons for the final time as the counter on his HUD ticked down to the 30 seconds until touch down. The other marines in the gunship all performed their personal pre battle rituals and 10 green lights flicked on on Roorland’s HUD. 5 Intercessors and 5 Reivers all readied their weapons as the ramp was lowered and the darkness and howling wind rose to meet them.

 

 

Moving over the ridge that the Thunderhawk had landed behind the marines were met with a wall of mist, instinctively they formed a protective circle around the Chapter Master and Librarian. Roorland could feel something wasn’t right with the mist and Chief Librarian Pelagon confirmed that.

++ This mist is not natural, vox is jammed but will warn the others ++

The mist was getting thicker and Roorland was struggling to be able to see the Marine in front of him. His armour was seizing up making it difficult to breathe and keep moving forward. He could hear whispering that was getting louder and  louder until it was deafening. “Brother, Brother, BROTHER” on and on they chanted in voices he had never heard before. He stumbled and the marine in front of him disappeared, as he raised his head back up he was out of the mist and into the traitor’s trenches by himself. At the end of the trenchline an Astarte in silver power armour with yellow hazard stripes turned to face him and smiled.

 

“Greetings Brother”

[TrawlingCleaner]

Got a little bit of work done on the Primaris Captain, so far this is only the main colours blocked in a little wash. I still need to come up with a name for this guy. C&C is very welcome.

 

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[Shadow Captain Vyper]

You really have a great balance here. You have changed enough to give your chapter their own identity, but not so much that it breaks away from the core Primaris design style. Good work!

[TrawlingCleaner]

You really have a great balance here. You have changed enough to give your chapter their own identity, but not so much that it breaks away from the core Primaris design style. Good work!

Thanks man! That is much appreciated 

Edited May 14, 2019 by TrawlingCleaner

[Ryltar Thamior]

Nice! Phobos bolters plus Primaris is an interesting combination - and is certainly one way to avoid the potential for more 'regular' sized Godwyn pattern etc. looking a little more like SMGs or machine pistols than, well, a main weapon. 

The Mk.III helms on the gravis-plate aggressors are a very cool choice, as well. I'm presuming that a certain amount of cutting was required to get them in there. [i've held off on doing anything with the aggressor kit for any of my primaris-parts-using projects [Haunting Harii of Hvergelmir, and Adamanticores logs], thus far, because i) i'm still not quite keen on the aesthetic, ii) I haven't worked out how to 'personalize' and alter them to improve things just yet ... but the Mk.III helms do actually go some ways in this regard, as it's a nice 'continuity' with the far older armour once employed for a not entirely dissimilar role. I might also, ifi get around to it, take a look at various Heresy-era terminator heads as an alternative; or the interesting possibility of some of the Iron Warriors upgrade heads [like the Mk.II with targeter, or the 'iron mask' ones]] 

Is that a White Scars blade on the Lieutenant? Whose posing , i can see why you might think it doesn't look quite right, but especially from the front, he looks very cool I reckon. If you're going for an 'about to grasp/draw sword' vibe, then it might be a matter of repositioning the right hand by a few degrees so that it's more parallel to the blade. But personally, I think he's well more than fine as is! 

Also, as a point of interest, something that's been .. minorly infuriating me with my own efforts at combining Primaris/Mk.X armour with parts from elsewhere in the Marine/HH ranges, is that there appears to be a rather noticeable size differential between the wrists of Mk.X forearms, and the hands/gauntlets [i.e.'wrists'wrist-mountings] of 'regular' Astartes . I noticed this when going to put a rather cool sternguard veteran bolter+hand onto a Mk.X arm; and while it's not necessarily always glaring [for some reason, i've managed to mount 'regular' Marine hands on some Mk.X arms without the 'gap' of exposed wrist-ring looking *too* jarring, here and there - particularly if covered by a purity seal, say], thus far i've basically just had to avoid it through - as you've done, going for non-Primaris arms [in particular, Mk.III because it's bigger/bulkier/more heavily armoured, so doesn't look 'out of scale' with the rest of the Mk.X suit] , and in at least one case making a stab at using a terminator gauntlet. 

Basically, I'm wondering if you've encountered anything similar - hence why you've potentially made some of the choices you have in order to get the phobos bolters etc. on there , or whether I'm noticing an issue that isn't necessarily there and which is therefore easily circumvented, as applies my own efforts, if you get what i mean. 

[golfdeltafoxtrot]

That captain is looking great. The sword swap is very evocative, that’s a blade made for brutal hacking swings in the close quarters of trench warfare.

 

Keep it up.

[TrawlingCleaner]

Nice! Phobos bolters plus Primaris is an interesting combination - and is certainly one way to avoid the potential for more 'regular' sized Godwyn pattern etc. looking a little more like SMGs or machine pistols than, well, a main weapon. 

 

The Mk.III helms on the gravis-plate aggressors are a very cool choice, as well. I'm presuming that a certain amount of cutting was required to get them in there. [i've held off on doing anything with the aggressor kit for any of my primaris-parts-using projects [Haunting Harii of Hvergelmir, and Adamanticores logs], thus far, because i) i'm still not quite keen on the aesthetic, ii) I haven't worked out how to 'personalize' and alter them to improve things just yet ... but the Mk.III helms do actually go some ways in this regard, as it's a nice 'continuity' with the far older armour once employed for a not entirely dissimilar role. I might also, ifi get around to it, take a look at various Heresy-era terminator heads as an alternative; or the interesting possibility of some of the Iron Warriors upgrade heads [like the Mk.II with targeter, or the 'iron mask' ones]] 

 

Is that a White Scars blade on the Lieutenant? Whose posing , i can see why you might think it doesn't look quite right, but especially from the front, he looks very cool I reckon. If you're going for an 'about to grasp/draw sword' vibe, then it might be a matter of repositioning the right hand by a few degrees so that it's more parallel to the blade. But personally, I think he's well more than fine as is! 

 

Also, as a point of interest, something that's been .. minorly infuriating me with my own efforts at combining Primaris/Mk.X armour with parts from elsewhere in the Marine/HH ranges, is that there appears to be a rather noticeable size differential between the wrists of Mk.X forearms, and the hands/gauntlets [i.e.'wrists'wrist-mountings] of 'regular' Astartes . I noticed this when going to put a rather cool sternguard veteran bolter+hand onto a Mk.X arm; and while it's not necessarily always glaring [for some reason, i've managed to mount 'regular' Marine hands on some Mk.X arms without the 'gap' of exposed wrist-ring looking *too* jarring, here and there - particularly if covered by a purity seal, say], thus far i've basically just had to avoid it through - as you've done, going for non-Primaris arms [in particular, Mk.III because it's bigger/bulkier/more heavily armoured, so doesn't look 'out of scale' with the rest of the Mk.X suit] , and in at least one case making a stab at using a terminator gauntlet. 

 

Basically, I'm wondering if you've encountered anything similar - hence why you've potentially made some of the choices you have in order to get the phobos bolters etc. on there , or whether I'm noticing an issue that isn't necessarily there and which is therefore easily circumvented, as applies my own efforts, if you get what i mean. 

 

Thanks man! I figured theme wise you'd want a shorter profiled gun for close quarters combat so the Phobos pattern seemed like a good choice. They look brutal, fit my theme and they scale well with the primaris arms and wrists. I've yet to have an issue with the hand size and the wrist size but generally they are interchangeable, I've used several MK3 arms on these models too and again, they scale well and look good. I haven't used other Marks of armour with primaris parts just yet but I have a feeling that they probably would cause a bit of a problem as most are a little smaller than MK3.

 

The Agressors were really easy to do to be honest. I trimmed the Gravis hood back so that it is only one little sticky-out bit and the MK3 helmets fit in there well.

 

The sword is from the new WS praetor and th more I look at the lieutenant the more I like it honestly.

 

Thank you for a detailed comment too dude! 

 

That captain is looking great. The sword swap is very evocative, that’s a blade made for brutal hacking swings in the close quarters of trench warfare.

 

Keep it up.

 

Thanks Golf!

[ranulf the revenant]

How about Thanatos (Greek good/ daimon of gentle death) as a name for the captain? I don't know...He seems to philosophise about the lives he took the way he looks upon his blade (I think it's the 'expression' of the helmet...)

 

Nice scheme and minis...

Edited June 13, 2019 by ranulf the revenant

[Ryltar Thamior]

lol, I go overboard with depth/detail on replies sometimes; but it's just really cool seeing somebody else doing this sort of thing and 'comparing notes'. Churr for clarificationpoints. 

You're dead on about the additional maneuverability of a conventional bolter as compared to the far longer bolt-rifles. It's part of the reason I haven't been too bothered about the very 'compact' size of the Deathwatch boltguns i've used on some of  the Harii - I mean, they're almost *too* small to look like nominally two-handed weapons in the first instance, so seem ideal for 'true grit' single-handed firing and working in much more tight areas than something which'd require a full shift of arms and torso to 'sweep' with like a bolt-rifle. 

Speaking of the brutality of the phobos pattern [and i see what you did there with the phobos bolters on phobos armour :P ], the hard-wearing aesthetic of the far more 'boxy' design seems very appropriate. I mean, even without a specialist close-combat attachment [and those chain-bayonet things are similarly on-point], a Marine should be able to club a foe repeatedly over/through the head with their main weapon, and still have it firing afterwards. So definitely a good choice, there - particularly with the slings and chains attached.

Speaking of close combat weapons, I just noticed the cawdor blade on the chapter master. Nice touch. 

[TrawlingCleaner]

How about Thanatos (Greek good/ daimon of gentle death) as a name for the captain? I don't know...He seems to philosophise about the lives he took the way he looks upon his blade (I think it's the 'expression' of the helmet...)

 

Nice scheme and minis...

 

Thanks Ranulf! While it is a cool idea, I'm not a huge fan of naming characters after gods, not sure what it is but it just puts me off. I've named by Chapter Master: Roorland Tauri which is suitably gaelic/latin, not sure where I'll go with the next naming

 

lol, I go overboard with depth/detail on replies sometimes; but it's just really cool seeing somebody else doing this sort of thing and 'comparing notes'. Churr for clarificationpoints. 

 

You're dead on about the additional maneuverability of a conventional bolter as compared to the far longer bolt-rifles. It's part of the reason I haven't been too bothered about the very 'compact' size of the Deathwatch boltguns i've used on some of  the Harii - I mean, they're almost *too* small to look like nominally two-handed weapons in the first instance, so seem ideal for 'true grit' single-handed firing and working in much more tight areas than something which'd require a full shift of arms and torso to 'sweep' with like a bolt-rifle. 

 

Speaking of the brutality of the phobos pattern [and i see what you did there with the phobos bolters on phobos armour ], the hard-wearing aesthetic of the far more 'boxy' design seems very appropriate. I mean, even without a specialist close-combat attachment [and those chain-bayonet things are similarly on-point], a Marine should be able to club a foe repeatedly over/through the head with their main weapon, and still have it firing afterwards. So definitely a good choice, there - particularly with the slings and chains attached.

 

Speaking of close combat weapons, I just noticed the cawdor blade on the chapter master. Nice touch. 

 

Absolutely, I imagine bolt rifles would have a tendancy to get stuck on things repeatedly not to mention you wouldn't be able to push an enemy to full arms length and still fire.

I think the deathwatch bolt guns would fit well too, which is something I thought of doing for stalker bolt rifles if I ever wanted to build some (Not that I would I don't think).

 

Thanks man! I actually use a lot of cawdor bits here and there like on the first painted lieutenant and the chapter master I also have the little shield and gubbins attached to the pauldron.

I thought the bone knife could be like a blood pact/oath knife.

 

 

Another small update, I've gotten some suppressors done without the dumb moonboots. The worst part about the primaris range (there aren't many bad things about the range imo) are the damn moon boots on the jump infantry. I had a go at converting some suppressors and I think they came out pretty well. They need some work where the legs join as there are currently huge gaps but I'm definitely pleased with how they've come out. C&C very welcome.

 

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[Ryltar Thamior]

Legit concept with the suppressors - it's surprising how much the removal of grav-plate boots or whatever they are actually makes them look more 'plausible'. 

I've been slightly miffed about the Suppressors all up, as it happens, on grounds that i'd had a few concepts for Astartes jump-infantry with heavy weapons, in some cases partially based around Coalition SAMAS from RIFTS as modifications to regular Inceptors ; and in others, an experimental effort utilizing old-school 4th ed CSM raptor packs [they're .. noticeably larger than regular Astartes jump-packs - so look like they could handle the enhanced weight of heavy weapons bearing payload] plus Mk.X armour. 

GW beat me to the punch in actually getting something even vaguely like either done ... and it's a little hard to avoid the feeling of it being a bit of a 'missed opportunity' for a number of reasons. 

But what you've done - probably in large part because they both conceptually and er .. *literally* to be more "grounded" if they're standing and advancing, makes the whole thing seem less 'gangly' and otherwise malproportioned/conceptualized than the stock designs.

I also note the torsos lack the high collar of other Mk.X - which is handy, because it can get in the way of utilizing plastic Mk.III heads with them, like you've done [and i've been holding off on doing in many cases] 

oh, and the sense of 'motion' of the purity seal on shoulderpad blowing backwards parallel to the direction the weapon's firing is a cool compositional touch, as well. 

[Doghouse]

Fantastic use of parts here mate topped off with some really nice painting. They have a really nice overall individual feel that works well and that cape is looking really nice on the captain.

[TrawlingCleaner]

Legit concept with the suppressors - it's surprising how much the removal of grav-plate boots or whatever they are actually makes them look more 'plausible'. 

 

I've been slightly miffed about the Suppressors all up, as it happens, on grounds that i'd had a few concepts for Astartes jump-infantry with heavy weapons, in some cases partially based around Coalition SAMAS from RIFTS as modifications to regular Inceptors ; and in others, an experimental effort utilizing old-school 4th ed CSM raptor packs [they're .. noticeably larger than regular Astartes jump-packs - so look like they could handle the enhanced weight of heavy weapons bearing payload] plus Mk.X armour. 

 

GW beat me to the punch in actually getting something even vaguely like either done ... and it's a little hard to avoid the feeling of it being a bit of a 'missed opportunity' for a number of reasons. 

 

But what you've done - probably in large part because they both conceptually and er .. *literally* to be more "grounded" if they're standing and advancing, makes the whole thing seem less 'gangly' and otherwise malproportioned/conceptualized than the stock designs.

 

I also note the torsos lack the high collar of other Mk.X - which is handy, because it can get in the way of utilizing plastic Mk.III heads with them, like you've done [and i've been holding off on doing in many cases] 

 

oh, and the sense of 'motion' of the purity seal on shoulderpad blowing backwards parallel to the direction the weapon's firing is a cool compositional touch, as well. 

 

Thanks man! I much prefer the look of guys advancing rather "flying" (falling with horrible style)

I can't take credit for the purity seal unfortunately it's built onto the model 

 

Fantastic use of parts here mate topped off with some really nice painting. They have a really nice overall individual feel that works well and that cape is looking really nice on the captain.

 

Thanks a lot Doghouse! As with all of these comments, they really mean a lot 

[TrawlingCleaner]

A small bit of lore so far:

 

Roorland Taurí quickly rose through the ranks of the Unnumbered Sons during the Indominitus Crusade. His quick thinking and ability to adapt garnered him the repsect of his fellow Captains and peers. Always leading from the front and storming trenches, tunnels and hive cities alike he gained the nickname “The Iron Bull”. He took wounds few others could and still moved onwards as only a son of the Lord of Iron could. As the crusade drew to a close Guilliman split his forces to create chapters in areas where they were needed most. The Iron Taurans were created and named after their First Chapter Master, before moving his forces to their first assignment he was gifted a relic axe recovered from a time long lost by Guilliman himself. Since then the Chapter has waged war against traitor and xenos ceaselessly specialising in siege and trench warfare. The more the specialised in fighting in tight spaces the more that they augmented their armour and equipment. Large amounts of Mark 3 armour was employed on their arms and shoulder plating allowing them to advance through a trench with thicker armour on their shoulder and arm to take the brunt of the damage. The large rim around the pauldron allows the marine to protect their lungs, neck and majority of their head. They traded out their Cawl pattern bolt rifles with heavily modified Phobos pattern boltguns. Although they lose some of the range of the Cawl pattern, they gain the maneuverability and ruggedness of the Phobos. Having such a short rifle allows them to fire into their foe in tight spaces and easily fire one handed if needed.
 

[TrawlingCleaner]

I'm calling the captain done, really happy with how he's come out so far. C&C very welcome 

 

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[Joukernaut]

Very good looking

[TrawlingCleaner]

Very good looking

Thanks man, much appreciated

[TrawlingCleaner]

Just a small update, I have the rest of my intercessors built now with a few minor changes to grenade launchers. Instead of snipping out the middle of the rifle and the middle of a phobos bolter and sicking them together, I'm cutting the grenade launcher down on the rifle and sticking it on the bottom of a Phobos bolter which imo looks way better. C&C very welcome.

 

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[Ishagu]

Wow that captain looks really good. The whole project is excellent. I love how you've customised each of the units.

 

This will be a glorious army.

[TrawlingCleaner]

Wow that captain looks really good. The whole project is excellent. I love how you've customised each of the units.

 

This will be a glorious army.

Thanks mate!