Questions on the Iron Hands space marine chapter

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**SirRouga**

I been looking into starting a space marine army soon (since out of two gaming clubs we have 1 Space Marine, 1 Space Wolf, 1 Black Templar, and 3 Grey Knight players) and I been reading into what chapter I would like to play as. I been reading up on the Iron Hands and enjoy their background and history and their methods sounds great.

Now I been reading and found that terminators and dreadnoughts are in limited supply due to the Isstvan Drop Site Massacre, however when I read battle reports including Iron Hands I always see 5 or 6 dreadnoughts. Is there something I'm missing where dreadnought go from limited supply to common place? (My source for that is mainly from the Index Astartes)

**Evil Eli**

The Iron Hands have close relationship with the Adeptus Mechanicus. Instead of Chaplains they have Iron Fathers which is a cross between Techmarine and a Chaplin.

The Iron Hands specialize in Bionics and Dreadnoughts. They used to be able to take Dreadnoughts as a HQ, Elite and a Heavy Choice. In addition they used to be able to upgrade there tactical squads Sgts to wear termie armour.

**ph34r**

Unfortunately the new space marine codex can't represent Iron Hands well at all. They don't even get a special character.

**extermikator**

Iron Hands can still be effective, if you take a MOTF, therefore getting the max 6 dreadnoughts in your army. Also, are Iron Lords a break off of the Iron Hands?

MC

**1hadhq**

ph34r wrote:Unfortunately the new space marine codex can't represent Iron Hands well at all. They don't even get a special character.

If the IH wouldn't be on the chart of 20/18 legions and successors and didn't have one painted model, you could claim
they didn't exist.

GW should slap the Ad mech and the IH into a codex.

So where does this "lack of termies" come from? Old fluff?
Since GW's HH books, the IH had lost their 1st company elite ( Morlocks ) alongside their primarch.
But must this mean IH can't replace losses (with support of Ad mech ?) or does it imply the IH lost ferrus bodyguard but those company
termies and dreads are still there.

IH may get represented with an MotF, multiple dreads, some techmarines.
The IH upgrade bitz are available from GW, so bionics shouldn't be a problem.
Maybe do not take a chapter master, cause i heard they have a war-council but no single boss.

**Evil Eli**

1hadhq wrote:
ph34r wrote:Unfortunately the new space marine codex can't represent Iron Hands well at all. They don't even get a special character.

If the IH wouldn't be on the chart of 20/18 legions and successors and didn't have one painted model, you could claim
they didn't exist.

GW should slap the Ad mech and the IH into a codex.

So where does this "lack of termies" come from? Old fluff?
Since GW's HH books, the IH had lost their 1st company elite ( Morlocks ) alongside their primarch.
But must this mean IH can't replace losses (with support of Ad mech ?) or does it imply the IH lost ferrus bodyguard but those company
termies and dreads are still there.

IH may get represented with an MotF, multiple dreads, some techmarines.
The IH upgrade bitz are available from GW, so bionics shouldn't be a problem.
Maybe do not take a chapter master, cause i heard they have a war-council but no single boss.

You have to remember how the Iron Hands are organized and some of there history. They are more like Space Wolves then Ultra Marines.

From http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Iron_Hands

Organization
The Great Clan Council

The chapter does not possess a chapter master, but is instead led by the Great Clan Council, which itself is made up of revered representatives from each of the ten Clans; this is seen as a precaution against future Horus Heresies and a reflection of Ferrus Manus' teachings. The Clan Council's membership can vary according to what sort of presence each Clan maintains on Medusa, meaning that, despite the chapter's predeliction towards reverence for their Venerable Dreadnoughts, it is equally likely that other Marines of varying rank or speciality will be in attendance. An Inquisitorial official as of Abaddon the Despoiler's Thirteenth Black Crusade made mention of petitioning the chapter master of the Iron Hands for assistance, although whether this means the agent lacked in knowledge or that the Iron Hands can elect temporary chapter masters in times of great strife is unknown.
Clan Resources

Each Clan is a roughly a self-contained unit not dissimilar to a Codex Astartes Battle Company; however, each Clan is responsible for its own recruiting and maintenance of its motorpool. Each Clan, in addition, possesses a roaming fortress monastery on Medusa which they consider their base of operations. Some materials do pass between the Clans, but even still they are often in open competition with one another. The Chapter's fleet disposition is unknown.
Known Clans

* Raukaan Clan, led by Iron-Commander Dozeph Imanol
* Vurgaan Clan, led by Iron-Commander Pelles
* Sorrgol Clan, led by Unknown
* Kaargul Clan, led by Warleader Bannus
* Garrsak Clan, led by Unknown

Notable Iron Hands

* Ferrus Manus - Primarch of the Iron Hands
* Known Venerable Dreadnoughts - Warleader Bannus, Talumech, Venerated Axagoras
* Iron-Father Paullian Blantar - Iron Father
* Iron-Father Gdolkin - main character of the novel Iron Hands
* First Captain Gabriel Santar-First captain of the Iron Hands during the Crusade and the Horus Heresy. KIlled on Istavaan V.

They Don't Have a 1st Company like other Chapters, Terminator armor is only worn by Special Individuals

Here is the Old Force Org for a Iron Hands Clan Company:

HQ: Space Marine Heroes, Librarian, Iron-Father , Command squad, Venerable Dreadnought

ELITES: Dreadnought, Space Marine Veteran squad

TROOPS: Space Marine Tactical squad, Scout squad

FAST ATTACK: Assault squad, Bike Squadron, Attack Bike squadron, Scout Bike squadron, Land Speeder squadron, Land Speeder Tornado, Land Speeder Typhoon

HEAVY SUPPORT: Devastator squad, Predator Annihilator, Predator Destructor, Vindicator, Land Raider, Whirlwind

All Iron Hand Characters use to get Bionics at half price

All Vet Sgt could could purchase Terminator Armor

The Iron Father could get Servators

So You Could Field 7 Dreadnoughts and Tact Squads with Terminator Vt Sgts

It was a very cool list

**SirRouga**

I'm starting to think that the Iron Hands chapter might be better off being represented by the Space Wolves codex. They have a similar structure and share some common ideas in how they wage war. Not everything fits correctly but a great deal does.

Wolf Guard could work as the Veterans in terminator armor
Ven Dreads are a HQ choice
Wolf Priests as Iron Fathers

Grey Hunters could be worked as having bionics (explaining their True Grit) while Blood Claws could be ones that have not received bionics yet. The only problem I would see is the "lack" of dreadnoughts as heavy support choices.

**dietrich**

I think the Codex Marines works better. SW codex is coming out this fall, and they'll be more hth oriented than a Codex list. IH should be about the shooting. Also, iirc, Iron Hands have Codex-style Scouts vs. the veteran Wolf Scouts of SW. Plus, SW may lose some SM standard kit.

GW has revised their fluff a few times. Originally, most of the chapter was lost at Istvaan, now it's just the Morlocks and Ferrus Manus. At one point, you could buy Terminator Armor for all characters (which, at the time, did nothing, since it was majority armor, now that it does something - wound allocation - you can't do it). I don't see any problem having a Terminator unit in an IH armor even if it's not totally fluffy.

Iron Hands have their left hand removed and replaced with a bionic hand once they're full marines. IH believe that the flesh is weak and replacing it with bionics is the way to make themselves stronger.

If you use a Codex SM list, I'd have a Command Squad with a lot of bionics, since they have FNP.

Also, you could pick one of their successor chapters (Brazen Claws and Red Talons), and have them be more (or even less) compliant with the Codex.

**extermikator**

Hope they do an Iron Hands codex, I'll be able to link it to Iron Lords!

MC