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I was looking at GW's site, window shopping for some HQ units and realized that there are no characters for the Iron Hands. In fact they are the only first founding chapter with no character. In fact, they basically have no support from GW at all. There is a metal squad box in the collectors section and I think a small conversion pack. But both are old pieces. In fact, I can't even recall the last time I have even read their name in fluff. Did I miss something? Did GW destroy the whole chapter in some half-baked story that I missed? Where the love for Ferrus' boyz?

As frustrating as it is not having a decent written character that you can use for your army, i think the beauty with the iron hands is that they give you such wonderful scope for creating and converting your own hero of the chapter using the myriad of bionic parts available from various conversion companies on the net, if you want him in terminator armour, you can do it, if you want him in PA with every bionic limb imaginable then you can, and then there's no problems still running the rules set for Lysander or Vulkan if you want with him, so yes, as annoying as the no love for the chapter goes, we need to grit our teeth and just damn well do it ourselves! bigger and better and more bionic than anyone else!


Nerdfest09

I don't play IH, but I do like them. Ferrus was a great primarch, and I do like the theme of the army. It just surprised me when I realized how little support there is for a first founding chapter that is arguably more unique than some of the more popular chapters. I mean when I really think about it, I think the IH are would probably make for a stronger case for their own codex than a second founding chapter like BT. I mean c'mon! They would have more dreads, and armor than any other chapter on the field. And probably even some unique war machines as well.

I am NOT making an argument for ANOTHER IoM codex. I am just really surprised at the severe lack of love for a very unique first founding chapter, compared even to second founding chapters.

SickSix wrote:In fact they are the only first founding chapter with no character. In fact, they basically have no support from GW at all.

And the Alpha Legion special character is...?

I'm not saying that they shouldn't have more stuff. In fact, I'm all about inclusion. The more, the merrier.

Here is some Iron Hand stuff:

GW conversion pack

Shoulder Pads

FW Iron Warrior Land raider doors

FW Iron Warrior Rhino doors

FW Iron Warrior Dreadnought

And that's all I can find. Perhaps the next Chaos Codex will make sure that all of the Major Chaos factions are represented.

kronk wrote:Here is some Iron Hand stuff:

m'afraid you're mistaking Iron Warriors (Traitors) for Iron Hands (Loyalists)!

Pshaw. Hands down, Iron Warriors are much cooler then Iron Hands.

Maybe they are there as a 'project' chapter for people who like conversions and such?


Character: Fair enough but do you really want them to get the GW treatment?:

SUPAR KOOLS IRN HANDS MODELS ONLY £44949!!!!

Who doesn't like the Iron Hands? I like the Iron Hands!

In the current codex the Master of the Forge is really meant to be their "character" despite being available to everyone. For a while it was rumored that Forge World was planning something for them and Adeptus Mechanicus, then GW got angry at 3rd party bits companies like Chapterhouse and had FW do the whole Badab War to cover their bases.

I think the reason GW hasn't done more with Iron Hands is because in all practicality the basic Iron Hand marine really should have different rules from other chapters basic marines. While the Index Astartes articles and previous editions codex portrayed a list of differences between chapters those differences were largely subjective. If you follow the most basic aspect of their fluff, they have a physical difference. They all have bionic hands and thus should either have 5+ invulnerable saves or feel no pain... or something similar. Their more veteran units are also supposed to be even more bionic than just that. This is a compounded issue that is too much of an advantage for a special character to convey as a special rule for free.

As a long time Iron Hands collector, I agree with what aka_mythos said above about how their bionic fluff gives their standard marine an unstandard physical augmentation that would really need its own set of rules (or codex) to be faithfully in line with the fluff.
I always thought using a squad of Legion of the Damned as Iron Hands veterans was a kind of cool idea.
Also, Iron Hands' fluff says that the Chapter is made up of 10 independant clans, the possiblity for expanding this is great, and leaves open the possiblity for clan specific special characters, as one could assume that each clan may have their own ethos concerning the Admech, the Machine God, specific roles for weapons, etc. As such, for GW and FW, there are probably bigger fish to fry and more money making ideas to expand on then just another SM chapter.

coolyo294 wrote:Pshaw. Hands down, Iron Warriors are much cooler then Iron Hands.

Rimshot!

Yes we need more space marines...

Leaves you open for conversions and the like, so be grateful!

I was considering them, but their scheme is boring, and the conversion pack is too expensive. Oh, and they're kind of holes, from what I've been told.

Incidentally, Space Wolves make the best Iron Hands.

Super Dreadnought HQ.
Terminator sergeants.
Extra heavy weapon Devastators.

Samus_aran115 wrote:I was considering them, but their scheme is boring, and the conversion pack is too expensive. Oh, and they're kind of holes, from what I've been told.

Who wants to play the good guys?
the Iron Hands represent the true side of the Imperium.
We save you then we kill half of you for being too weak to protect yourselves in the first place.
That's grimdark, just like the rest of 40k.

I would love to see Ferrus's boys get some more love from gw or even fw. he was one of my favorite primarch's from the black library books.

Agent_Tremolo wrote:

kronk wrote:Here is some Iron Hand stuff:

m'afraid you're mistaking Iron Warriors (Traitors) for Iron Hands (Loyalists)!

Doh!

At the risk of being repetative.....


Here is some Iron Hands stuff

http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Home/Search-Results.html?filter_type=6&filter_Action=0&filter_name=SearchTerm&submit=Go&filter_value=iron+hands



Admittedly nto much. If you're looking for cheaper bionics have a loko at the stuff on MaxMini.

I used to have a Iron Hands army when you were able to buy the boxed set, and the pit slaves weapon set (which I sincerely regret not being able to purchase anymore). I have yet to run into another person at a game that plays them. There is something about the Iron Hands that is wholly unique to them.

tgf wrote:Yes we need more space marines...

No ones say that. The question is why there isn't much more for the Iron Hands... not that we need them. I think the other reason GW hasn't done Iron Hands is that it gives them a potential for new direction in future Codex: Space Marines... where others are focused on less.

DarknessEternal wrote:Incidentally, Space Wolves make the best Iron Hands.
Super Dreadnought HQ.
Terminator sergeants.
Extra heavy weapon Devastators.

Only to the same degree blood angels work for Raven Guard... or others... you can force them into the mold but its a very much compromised concept that promotes little or no distinction for them. A few commonalities does not a proper codex make.

I think if FW ever does return to its plans to pursue Iron Hands it'd be similar to their Raven Guard treatment, though maybe a bit more extensive. We'd likely see more Techmarines... so I could easily imagine a modified version of the techmarine unit moved into the "troop" category... and variants of the Thunderfire cannon. They'd probably have their own specific version of an Ironclad/Venerable representing an interred Iron Father. Probably see an updated and better version of the Dread-drop pod rules. Just as the RG got the large Caestus kit, the Iron Hands would likely get a similarly large kit.

Please understand, as has been stated, I nor anyone else wants another SM codex. I started the thread because I honestly was wondering why second founding chapters get loads more love than a first founding chapter that is probably the most unique chapter of all.

kronk wrote:And the Alpha Legion special character is...?

What do you mean? There's tons. Marneus Calgar, Commander Chenkov, Commander Shadowsun, Mephiston, Inquisitor Karamazov, Old One Eye....

Ohhh. You meant an OPENLY Alpha Legion character. Well if he was honest about who he was, he wouldn't be very Alpha Legion, now would he?

Bludbaff wrote:

kronk wrote:And the Alpha Legion special character is...?

What do you mean? There's tons. Marneus Calgar, Commander Chenkov, Commander Shadowsun, Mephiston, Inquisitor Karamazov, Old One Eye....

Ohhh. You meant an OPENLY Alpha Legion character. Well if he was honest about who he was, he wouldn't be very Alpha Legion, now would he?

Arkos weeps at your ignorance.

coolyo294 wrote:Pshaw. Hands down, Iron Warriors are much cooler then Iron Hands.

Hell yeah.

coolyo294 wrote:Pshaw. Hands down, Iron Warriors are much cooler then Iron Hands.

/thread.