++ Everything Remains as It Never Was - A Truescale Iron Hands Project ++

[Monstra Sumus]

I remember what my father said to me

We stood upon the Soulsburg Hill watching the great tribes

The Avernii, the Pictii, the Helvetics, and us, the Brytannic

 

I remember his words 

"We have become dominion. Trust no stranger. Their blades cut deep"

I spoke these words to my son. I spoke them because of great fear that coiled inside my stomach

I had no idea how true my father's warning was

My son paid the price

More than I

 

 

 

I was a proud and mighty warrior when the Imperator united Terra

Yet my body was too old to be reborn anew 

My son was elevated into the stars and although my heart was soiled with envy

I was respected

And so I too was born unto the stars, metal encasing my bone, science a furnace of my soul

I carried our tribe's sigil across countless worlds, following my son, a giant of legend, into battle

I was so proud

I was respected

Yet not worthy to be Astartes

 

 

My son was fierce in his power and he never forgot the creed of our People

My pride began to smother my envy 

The serpent in my belly slumbered

Across time we built the foundations of the Imperium of Terra

We brought courage and unity to the stars

The bond of brotherhood I saw bloom through my son was of an intensity I had never witnessed before 

So alike to my own peoples' bond of blood, yet so mythical as to set my son a demi-god before me

Our line-fathers would be so very proud 

 

 

My son carried my soul-forged blade into combat. My legacy made manifest destiny wielded the very soul of his father into battle

It is said Albian blades are crafted with sorcery and sacrifice

This is true

What is also true

Is that the serpent in my belly was not slumbering

It was waiting

 

As we roared down unto the swollen skies of the realm below like tuthaan howlers unleashed from Noden's gate , I remembered my father's words

 

"We have become dominion. Trust no stranger. Their blades cut deep"

 

I mourn for the loss of love my son has endured

I have known betrayal in my years but to be betrayed by your fellow gods?

I do not know this betrayal and I never will

 

I saw my son die on the broken shale dunes before that accursed black fortress

His body continued to massacre 

Yet I watched his soul die as he slew his brothers

I watched betrayal drown all that was noble of my child

I watched it slither up from my belly and strike him in the aether

I watched it coil into his heart 

I watched the birth of true malevolence

With it, it carried the legacy of my people, it carried my soul

 

I watched my son do things that made the truth of my fathers words burn into my mind

I saw my son die

I saw a stranger

 

++

 

Welcome to my work in progress journal for a true scale force of Iron Hands set during the Drop Site Massacre of Istvaan V. I decided that there is character to the Iron Tenth, there isn't enough for me. I am drawing on my own peoples varied histories and giving it a big mix up to paint a little bit of mysticism and legend on the Iron Hands. I'll be diving deep into fleshing out my vision of the Clans. 

Here are some WIP shots of the force, there are about 20 ready for basing and painting now. I am planning on doing a full truescale force of these guys, roughly 2500 points. It will be an armored cavalry force. Expect lots of Land Raiders. 

 

Tap Tap - This guy has become a favorite on Instagram and my other hobby groups already. 

 

The two squads are made of Mk2 and Mk3 pattern with Umbra and Tigris pattern bolters respectively. As with all my projects there will be lots of pouches and gubbins adorning the models because one magazine and no grenades just doesn't cut it for me. 

 

 

As mentioned in the little excerpt above, I'm leaning into the mysticism of ancient Europe and some legends are blended for that lovely Warhammer feel of there being no one true real life source. The Terran born peoples that make up the Iron Hands were the clansmen of Albia, which is roughly where Britain and a chunk of Europe would have been on Earth back in the day. A fair amount of my force will have those pseudo-cultural links in either markings and tattoos, or modeling choices and war-gear. I'm using a lot of Storm Cast bits for the weaponry as they fit perfectly with my idea of far-future Celtic berserkers. You'll see no cogs and clock parts here I'm afraid, the whole vibe is too steam punk for my tastes. Instead I'll be leaning more into the Techno-Barbarian and Ancient Warrior Culture vibe. 

 

 

If you have any comments or critiques of posted work, I invite you to share below and encourage discussion as we build this narrative. 

 

Thank  you 

 

-MS-

Edited April 5, 2023 by Monstra Sumus

[space wolf]

Really liking these guys! They have a certain "weight." Can't wait to see them with paint!

[Pearson73]

Love the colour shift and weathering on the painted chap. Big fan of the melee weapons you've given these guys too, are they mostly Stormcast? The intro fluff is excellent too, reveals a new side to the legion and I look forward to seeing you explore the clan relationships.

[Firedrake Cordova]

I like the painted mini ... it has a rather "John Blanche feel", without being (in my mind) "Blanchitsu"  

[Monstra Sumus]

On 2/19/2023 at 7:16 PM, space wolf said:

Really liking these guys! They have a certain "weight." Can't wait to see them with paint!

 

Thank you space wolf! I am definitely trying to convey a sense of 'power' or just an air of imposing presence with them. I want them to feel like they fill the room when they are placed down on the table top (it'll help make up for my lack of tactical acumen haha). 

 

On 2/19/2023 at 10:41 PM, Pearson73 said:

Love the colour shift and weathering on the painted chap. Big fan of the melee weapons you've given these guys too, are they mostly Stormcast? The intro fluff is excellent too, reveals a new side to the legion and I look forward to seeing you explore the clan relationships.

 

Thank you Pearson73. The melee weapons are indeed mostly Stormcast, there will be a few traditional power weapons littered throughout the force but the SC weapons really lend to the theme I'm going for. I can't wait to work on the Cataphracti Praetor I have planned but I'm pacing myself. 

 

On 2/20/2023 at 12:18 PM, Firedrake Cordova said:

I like the painted mini ... it has a rather "John Blanche feel", without being (in my mind) "Blanchitsu"  

 

Thank you Firedrake, I fell in love with JB's art work and it is what really drew me into the Heresy back in the day so I feel its somewhat of a homage. 

 

++

 

Some work on a Gallican born squad Sergeant. I'm currently basing all 20 tactical's today and will be prepping them for primer and color shift coat tomorrow if the weather holds up. 

 

 

Thank you 

 

-MS-

 

[Mr. Oddity]

This is an amazing start to the project, and I'm eagerly looking forward to your future progress. Both your modeling and storytelling are superb.

[Monstra Sumus]

17 hours ago, Mr. Oddity said:

This is an amazing start to the project, and I'm eagerly looking forward to your future progress. Both your modeling and storytelling are superb.

 

Thank you, Mr Oddity! I should have another update lined up for the weekend. I'm about half way through basing the Tactical's thanks to power outages but we are getting there! 

Edited February 22, 2023 by Monstra Sumus

[Monstra Sumus]

The Banshee wailed her defiance

 

There she stood upon a mound of hewn foemen

Heads and limbs held her bare blood soaked feet aloft

Her fire red hair alive like serpents lashing

Her eyes ablaze with the fire of the gods themselves

Scathaa clove her enemies down as they came upon her in droves

Her clansmen grappled with the golden thunder men 

In one hand she struck with the Gaetha Bolga, the symbol of the Setantii

In the other she carried her son, fresh born amidst the carnage and calamity

Her lord-husband's blood bathing the both of them

 

She held him still as the Imperator struck her head from her shoulders

Her banshees wail filling the air with death and terror

Warriors of both the Setantii and the men of storms collapsed 

Skulls exploded in puffs of pink mist and the air was heavy with foul 

The battle-born child did not wail, it did not die

It watched

It was taken 

 

 

The thing that was born during the folding of the Setantii into Imperial rule was known as Cuhlaan

Cuhlaan, who grew to become the Scourge-King of his conquered people

 

 

Cuhlaan, who grew to become the Hound of the Gorgon

A thing possessed by the ancestor rage

Clad in the skin cloak of a Tuthaan Howler 

 

 

Cuhlaan, who carried his mothers Gaetha, naming it in her blood honor 

 

 

Scathaa, warrior queen of the Setantii, Banshee of the Alba Crevasse 

Slain by the Emperor of Mankind at the dawn of the Folding of the Albian Tribes

Her death knell keened across the land and felled many warriors with its power 

It was recorded and trapped within the annals of Imperial Conquest

Cuhlaan had the war banner of his peoples affixed to the top of his battle plate

For many days and nights he wrestled with the ancestor spirits and the magics of the Mechanicus 

Enshrined within the war banner for all time is the power of the Banshee's wail, the soul of Scathaa

She continues to kill with her voice from within the polished skull of Cuhlaan's most cherished conquest

She sings death

 

 

 

The monster that is the Scourge-King knows its purpose on the black sands of Istvaan V 

It knows why its journey from the death-birth has led to the betrayal 

It is for vengeance

It is for blood

 

Death to the Children of the Emperor 

 

 

 

For the Gorgon

 

~~~~~~~

 

WIP of my true scale Cataphractii Praetor. Going with Thunder Hammer, Volkite Charger, and Cyber Familiar 

 

He'll be leading a squad of Morlocks with Power Mauls and Volkite Chargers. 

 

+MS+

Edited April 5, 2023 by Monstra Sumus

[Mr. Oddity]

Your blending of background and modeling continue to amaze, sir. Beautifully written and well done.

[Boc]

Ironic that an iron hand is essentially using a mounted sonic weapon to hunt the III Legion 

 

Incredible model with a great backstory 

[BadgersinHills]

Amazing backstory for a great mini. So brutal! 

Edited April 2, 2023 by BadgersinHills

[Monstra Sumus]

On 4/1/2023 at 4:25 PM, Mr. Oddity said:

Your blending of background and modeling continue to amaze, sir. Beautifully written and well done.

 

Thank you, Mr Oddity. I hope that my odd little project continues to provide entertainment! 

 

On 4/1/2023 at 6:16 PM, Boc said:

Ironic that an iron hand is essentially using a mounted sonic weapon to hunt the III Legion 

 

Incredible model with a great backstory 

 

I felt that it had a certain deliciousness to it! 

 

On 4/1/2023 at 7:07 PM, BadgersinHills said:

Amazing backstory for a great mini. So brutal! 

 

Thank you, BadgersinHills. I'm always honored when you stop by my work.

 

 

 

Hounds

Beasts

Monsters

They came in a pack, following in the red wake of their liege 

Spitting red death and slamming their foes with mauls

A brutal visage of the Gorgon's legacy

A stark portrayal of Old Albian war

 

 

The pack master was named Nuadan and it followed Cuhlaan 

It followed its master to the very edge of death

Trained by the right hand of the Gorgon itself 

It mirrored its master in all aspects

 

 

The rest of the pack would circle 

Smashing and crushing, screaming death calls across the vox channels

Where other Chosen warriors were silent or disciplined 

The Hounds of Cuhlaan were not

They were frenzied and insane with blood lust despite their conditioning

There was something demonstrably wrong within their souls

 

 

They reveled at the chance to spill the blood their one time brethren

Why? 

For vengeance

For the Gorgon 

 

~~~~~

 

Morlock Command Squad with Volkite Chargers and Power Mauls 

 

+MS+ 

[Lord_Ikka]

Love it, very cool stuff!

Edited April 5, 2023 by Lord_Ikka

[Pearson73]

Digging the Gallican sergeant, he really echoes the art of the Crusade era.

 

The Terminators are fabulously brutish.

[Monstra Sumus]

On 4/5/2023 at 2:53 PM, Lord_Ikka said:

Love it, very cool stuff!

 

Thank you! 

 

On 4/5/2023 at 10:51 PM, Pearson73 said:

Digging the Gallican sergeant, he really echoes the art of the Crusade era.

 

The Terminators are fabulously brutish.

 

Thank you, Pearson73. I definitely am trying to envision these brutes as gilded barbarians. 

 

 

~~~~~

 

Boudanica

A storied name of a ill fated heroine from Old Alba

She stood against the golden raptor with her wytch daughters and perished

Yet her sacrifice galvanized the tribes to unite against the Imperator 

She lives on, her imprint melded into the war-spirit of this mighty machine 

She carries her sons into the fray, horns blasting, weapons killing 

 

Boudanica's Vengeance; Command Carrier of the Hound; Proteus Designation

 

 

Land Raider Dedicated Transport for the Morlocks is coming together nicely. The tracks are arriving this week for assembly and I am having sponsons made. Definitely trying to evoke a little of the WW1 feel to how I am planning on doing my Land Raiders. I'm also tempted to do something similar for my Predators using Leman Russ chassis. I put the Heavy Bolter and Heavy Flamers on the front so I can switch between them as the list dictates, but I also think it looks really cool from a lore perspective to have the flamers hissing above the assault ramp. 

 

Cheers! 

+MS+ 

[Torbenos]

A project full of character, your style and presentation is compelling and of course the miniatures are striking! The amount of detail added on is lovely, and makes them feel distinct.

[Monstra Sumus]

23 hours ago, Torbenos said:

A project full of character, your style and presentation is compelling and of course the miniatures are striking! The amount of detail added on is lovely, and makes them feel distinct.

 

Thank you for the kind words, Torbenos. I have a odd little movie reel playing in my head when I think about my miniatures and I try to emulate what I see in the models themselves. 

 

~~~

 

Lughaan

The Bale King of Old Tuatha

He forged the mighty arms of the Albian Tribes

He killed the Balord of the Scourging Eye

His legacy lives on within the sacred war machines his future grand-scions bare into battle

Upon a thousand battle fields, the savage roar of its war horns herald its coming

The Spear of Lughaan takes pride in its red work

 

 

Land Raiders are coming together quite well! 

 

+MS+

[Boc]

Really liking the front mounted heavy flamers. Are you still planning on sponson weapons or are those front mounted in lieu of side mounted?

[Monstra Sumus]

2 hours ago, Boc said:

Really liking the front mounted heavy flamers. Are you still planning on sponson weapons or are those front mounted in lieu of side mounted?

 

Thank you for the kind comment, Boc. I will indeed be using sponsons! I'm having some MK2b style armored sponsons with lascannon printed to put on the Land Raiders sides. The Flamers were more of an aesthetic choice to give the command transport a little bit more presence but I figure I can always opt to use them as the hull mounted weapon over the Heavy Bolter if needed. 

[Monstra Sumus]

Balar

The Bale-King 

 

 

An ancient foe turned oath bound slayer 

Once the Bale-King was a ferocious foeman of the Old Albian tribes

Then it stood towering above the massed tribes who stood against the Emperator

 

 

Balar hew many Men of Thunder

 

 

Balar again would hew many foe on the black sands of Istvaan

 

 

Its war horns bleat a dirge as the Legions marched into betrayal 

 

~~~

Knight Questoris with Avenger Gatling, Thunderstrike Gauntlet, Heavy Stubber & Flamer, and Ironstorm Missile Pod. I'm calling this one done and ready to the painting table. I'll likely make some kind of scenic base for him at some point but its not a priority right now. I put some Star Drake armor plates on the hips to bulk out the rather tiny waist and I think its definitely improved the models silhouette.  The tracks for my command Land Raider came in the mail so that's the next project whilst I wait to put in an order for the Sponsons and two squads of true scale Breachers to use as Medusans. 

 

Cheers! 

 

+MS+

 

Edited April 30, 2023 by Monstra Sumus

[Pearson73]

Those Raiders are rather cool!

 

I think the extra hip armour really improves the Knight's appearance, what colours will it be painted up in?

[Firedrake Cordova]

That's an interesting conversion, @Monstra Sumus.  I think I can ID a few of the donor kits, but what is the head from?

[Monstra Sumus]

14 hours ago, Pearson73 said:

Those Raiders are rather cool!

 

I think the extra hip armour really improves the Knight's appearance, what colours will it be painted up in?

 

Thanks, Pearson73. I actually have no idea how I'll paint the Knight. Definitely open to ideas! Not sure what would compliment the metallic green/black. 

 

13 hours ago, Firedrake Cordova said:

That's an interesting conversion, @Monstra Sumus.  I think I can ID a few of the donor kits, but what is the head from?

 

Thanks, Firedrake. I believe its from the Lord Aquilor, its the chest plate for the gryph charger that he rides. 

[Pearson73]

I guess a pale colour would off-set the dark green/black? A cream could work, though that strays close to House Malinax...

[Monstra Sumus]

On 5/1/2023 at 1:04 AM, Pearson73 said:

I guess a pale colour would off-set the dark green/black? A cream could work, though that strays close to House Malinax...

 

I mean, who doesn't love a bit of genocide? 

 

~~~~~

 

To reach the foe

Shrouded in adamantine and fury the Hound shall be

To crash like wave upon the sea wall

To break it

To deliver the vengeance of the Gorgon 

To cut out the heart of the traitor

Born upon War Chariots shall they be

Boudanica's Vengeance

Spear of Lughaan 

 

 

 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Got the two Land Raider's ready to scrape and prime. I think they turned out really cool and I'm looking forward to using them. I have another one or two planned for future builds when I inevitably add more to this force. Only thing to grab now is a Squad of Immortals and 2 Rhinos to round of my current force. 

 

Cheers! 

 

+MS+