What codex best represents Iron Hands?

Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:

No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
Times and dates in your local timezone.
Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.

If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

**cbosw5**

I have been considered starting a Iron Hands army.
I have also been wondering what codex best represent them?

So far I have think it would be space wolves because the background on the gw site says the use terminaters as sergeants.

**Coolyo294**

Codex: Space Marines.

**AustonT**

Technically IH are a codex army. However it's not like GW has gone out of thier way to make a fluffy representation. You may be right about using the SW codex to represent IH because of the Termie bit. I've always been a little sketch about how IH are "ironically" short of Dreaddies since Istvaan V. Dreadnoughts are not beyond the capability of SM artificers to manufacture so the IH should have a plethora of them. so you could also use C:SM and the master of the forge.
Also worthwhile to mention that if you have designs of using chaplains to outfit them as techmarines with some kinds of noticeable difference from actual techmarines. If you leave a servo arm or harness on them describe it as a 4++ for bionics in place of the Rosarius.

**SirRouga**

It depends what your want your version of the Iron Hands to be like. While it is true that they have Terminators act as sergeants, they also have additional access to high tech weaponry (aka dreadnoughts) due to their connections with the Adeptius Mechanius. Bionics and TechMarines are other hallmarks of the Iron Hands chapter. Finally Terminator armour is limited in suppley for the chapter so it is used only by sergeants for squads.

For a "fluffy" Iron Hands force you are looking for the following
- No Terminator squads, only using Terminators for sergeants and maybe HQs
- Dreadnoughts, more the better
- TechMarines (or at least something to count as one)
- Something to represent Bionics

Basically what it comes down to is if you have to represent your Iron Hands chapter through Terminators leading squads then run Codex Space Wolves. If you want to represent Iron Hands through Dreadnoughts then run Codex Space Marines.

Through I will also mention that I have seen Blood angels used as well with Priests in Terminator armor leading squads (A TechMarine repairing th bionics of nearby Marines) supported by Dreadnoughts and Storm Ravens (Adeptus Mechanius connection?). Not really THAT fluffy in my opinion just something to throw out there for the sake of throwing out there.

**AustonT**

BA sounds like a stretch for a FoTM army when SW have a much easier system in place to provide TDA squad leaders to every squad.

**$pider**

I would go with Codex:Space Marines. The previous codex did a much better job of explaining the chapters lack of terminator armor as a result of the massacre at Istvaan. Things have changed though as the Iron Hands have been lumped into the "codex chapters" in the new book.

In the end I think it comes down to how you want to play your Iron Hands. I think SirRouga covers the different codex options pretty well.

**CalgarsPimpHand**

I would actually suggest Codex: SM with Lysander and a Master of the Forge. Using SW buffs your line troops in close combat unnecessarily. You want a stalwart, tech-and-bolter-heavy army in my opinion.

**Shrike325**

I would have to say SW. Dread leading the army with Bjorn, termies as sergeants, and (IMO) the best Techmarine in the game. I made a 2000 point list awhile ago, it's as follows (if you're interested):

HQ: 390
Bjorn
Rune Priest w/ Terminator Armor (either in a Hunter squad or hiding... not sure which yet)

Elite: 439
3x Wolf Guard - Terminator Armor & Power Fist (1 in each Hunter squad)
2x Iron Priests - 4x Cyberwolves each, Thunderwolf mount

Troops: 585
3x - 10x Grey Hunters, power fist, mark of the wulfen, 2x meltaguns

Fast Attack: 0

Heavy Support: 585
3x - 6x Long fangs, 2x Lascannons, 3x Missile launchers

Total points: 1999

A few points concerning fluff:
1: Dreads are rare and generally lead companies, hence Bjorn leading the army.
2: The Iron Priests are there to represent the Iron Fathers, and I have ideas for conversions for the Thunderwolves and Cyberwolves (potentially using the mastiff from http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?catId=cat490043a&prodId=prod1110231).
3: Wolf Guard are there to represent their low number of Terminators and their use as squad leaders.
4: Long Fangs are to be used, again, because of a lack of vehicles for the Iron Hands due to Istvaan.
5: I'll admit, the Rune Priest is just there for psychic defense.
6: I really wanted to do this with the base SM book so I could use the MotF and potentially Techmarines, but the rest of the army just falls apart and doesn't even look like it would work on paper.

**AustonT**

At 4. There's no lack of VEHICLES in IH forces. Istvaan lost them TDA and Dreadnoughts. There's fluff of them using masses of Predators so I'm thinking Vehicles are a go. Plus they are capable of producing them.

**Brother SRM**

Space Marines. Take a Master of the Forge and take a bunch of dreadnoughts.

**juraigamer**

The iron hands are a very aggressive chapter, play them accordingly.

In a previous space marine codex they had rules around something like 0-1 terminators and that they could only take a few dreadnoughts (I think?)

**Asherian Command**

juraigamer wrote:The iron hands are a very aggressive chapter, play them accordingly.

In a previous space marine codex they had rules around something like 0-1 terminators and that they could only take a few dreadnoughts (I think?)

yeah but their artifcer armor for units cost 1/2 less and they had better techmarines.

**cbosw5**

I am not planning on using much dreadnoughts so I think the space wolves would be better because they have better iron priest/tech marine.I will also be able to have terminater sergeants thanks to wolf guard.

**Heliodore**

Yeah, I think Space Wolves are a good bet for what you want, hope it works out!
As I recall, since I just recently flipped through it, the 4th edition codex suggested for Iron Hands the traits that limited their amount of fast attack choices, but gave them more dreadnoughts by letting them field them as elites in addition to Heavy, much like the MotF does today in the 5th edition codex.
I tend to follow IH threads since thats the army I paint, and I hear the idea that IHs lack dreadnoughts and terminators spoken about alot. I certainly now and recall the fluff for the lack of terminator armor, but could someone give me a source for the fluff that mentions their lack of dreadnoughts? Just curious really.

**AustonT**

Index Astartes 1 pg 48 bottom left corner

**Deadshot**

Maybe if we all email GW thet will give the IH their own 6th ed codex?

**Heliodore**

Awesome, thanks AustonT!

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Best shot is an Imperial Armour book from Forge World, I'd say!

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Hmm, Index Astartes I pg 48 is the article on Flesh Tearers, I believe the article on the IHs was in volume III, unless you mean different source than the Index Astartes books?

**SagesStone**

It's a mix up between SW and the normal SM codex for the Iron Hands if you want to go with normal 40k codices as they kind of diverge a little from the codex. Sm would best fit most of their forces, however SW will help you represent the Kaargul Clan due to Bjorn representing Bannus.

Deadshot wrote:Maybe if we all email GW thet will give the IH their own 6th ed codex?

There are already too many codices in development for this to be anything but negative for the game's production overall.

**AustonT**

Deadshot wrote:Maybe if we all email GW thet will give the IH their own 6th ed codex?

Any time you have an idea like this I want you to have yourself waterboarded.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
My bad its in IA 3 and I was looking at a PDF of a WD. Oops.
Its in the Bottom left corner of the 4th page in the IH entry under combat doctrine