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So, after much deliberation over which Legion to collect - I've decided to collect Iron Hands. I've started by ordering the Betrayal at Calth Box set that contains:

1 Terminator Captain

1 Chaplain

5 Cataphracti Terminators

30 Tactical Marines

Contemptor Dreadnought

My first question is how should I equip them? I'll be mostly facing my brothers Emperors Children, so I've decided that a short range firefight is the best way to play to my strengths with Inviolate Armour (-1S to shooting) and the 6+FNP. But what special weapons should they have? Also, should the contemptor have a Multi Melta or AutoCannon? My next question is what to buy next? I like the idea of having 2 squads of bikes on either flank as they would effectively be T6 against shooting, but I have absolutely no clue about 30K tactics so I'd appreciate any input? Thanks in advance

I would equip the sergeants with power swords and plasma guns. Equip one marine in each with a missile launcher. You can pick which special weapon you want. Personally, I would equip the terminators with chain fists to give some extra tank hunting, gut rippers. The contemptor doesn't really matter what loadout but you should give it the assault cannon. Next purchase should either be gorgon terminators, leviathan dreadnought, or a rapier quad mortar.

The best next step is to take a look at the Rites of War to figure out what kind of army you want to run. There are a ton of options, including legion specific ones, that fit the IH style of war. I can post my list of the ones I run/think are fluffy later today. But that is the most important step because it will help you understand how to build your army.

That would be really helpful thank you, from what I've read so far I really like the primarchs chosen, but I don't remember any of the others.

I've been debating the power sword for awhile now, as good as it is for MEQ munching, idk if its worth it because all seargeanta wear artificer don't they? Have you ran power swords with any success?

Primarch 's chosen is only really good on an allied detachment. You could ally with Raven Guard for example, using Corax to ignore the 25% rule, and then use Ferrus Manus with paladin of glory and your primary detachment to kick some Isstvan butt

Funnily enough thats my next move xD Raven Guard and then Salamanders. Love the Istaavan trio

You can't take two primarchs in a list unless its apocalypse, unless Primarchs chosen has a way around it I missed.

Forgeworld has a new FAQ rhat allows allied detachments to use A RoW. That said, you could take 2 primarchs, but one in you primary detachment (with 25% rule) as a LoW, and one in your allied detachment as an HQ with Primarchs chosen. This way, no matter which Primarch dies, your units still score

Would it be possible for me to field 3 primarchs?

Probably not

I might be a few days late ( ) But here are the RoW I will be running that are fluffy for IH, IMO.
Iron Hands Rights of War
The Head of the Gorgon
• Infantry units gain Stubborn while within their own deployment zone.
• Any infantry model equipped with a flamer may upgrade this to a graviton gun for 10 points, and all vehicles gain the Blessed Autosimulacra upgrade for free.
• Any infantry unit with 10 models or less that is eligible to take a Rhino as a Dedicated Transport may instead take a Land Raider Proteus or a Land Raider Phobos as a Dedicated Transport.
• Vehicles with the Tank type (including Dedicated Transports containing troops) placed in reserve gain Outflank.
• Can only take 1 Fast Attack slot.
• Except the Forge Lord type, can only take a single Consul.
• Cannot take an allied Space Marine detachment.

Company of Bitter Iron
• Immortals are troops
• All units with LA(IH) gain Hatred (Traitors).
• Immortals are Stubborn when the majority of the unit is in the enemy’s deployment zone.
• Can only be used by Loyalists and cannot be used with a Shattered Legions army.
• Cannot take an Allied detachment.
• Cannot include Ferrus Manus.

General Rights of War
Armored Spearhead
• All units eligible to take a Rhino as a Dedicated Transport may instead take a Land Raider Proteus or a Land Raider Phobos as a Dedicated Transport if they number 10 models or less.
• Tank Shocks impose an additional -1 Ld penalty.
• All units with the Infantry type must either purchase a Dedicated Transport and start the game inside it or begin play transported inside another vehicle in the army.

Pride of the Legion
• Veteran and Terminator squads are Troops, and units of either type must be selected as the compulsory Troop choices. This also includes any Legion specific Terminator squads which are also Elite choices.
• Command Squads may take a Land Raider Proteus or a Land Raider Phobos as a Dedicated Transport.
• Should all the Veteran and Terminator squads be destroyed, then the enemy counts as having scored an additional secondary objective.
• Cannot take an Allied detachment.

Primarch’s Chosen
• A Primarch is counted as an HQ choice instead of a LoW choice, and must be both the compulsory HQ choice and the army’s Warlord. A Primarch may be taken in any size of army.
• Veteran squads or Terminator squads must be taken as the compulsory Troop choices.
• In addition to the Price of Failure rule in play when a Primarch is fielded, if the Primarch is slain, all other units in the detachment cease to count as scoring (but may still count as denial units).
• The number of units with the Legion Astartes rule must be greater than the number of units without the Legion Astartes rule in total.
• No LoW choices may be taken.

Fury of the Ancients
• Dreadnought Talons and Contemptor Dreadnought Talons may be taken as Troop choices and must be taken as Compulsory Troop choices, but may no longer be taken as Elite choices.
• Must contain a Forge Lord and a Primus Medicae.
• The army automatically loses any Seize the Initiative roll.
• Cannot include an Allied detachment or any Fortifications.
• For each Dreadnought destroyed, the opposing player gains an additional VP.

Hope this is helpful!

The only one I don't really like the look of there is the armoured spearhead, the rest look awesome
Thanks!

Head of the Gorgon gives essentially all of the bonuses of armored spearhead, with additional bonuses and less drawbacks, Armored spearhead should never be considered for iron hands. The Heresy 30k tactica for Iron hands is fairly comprehensive, and definitely worth a look. Iron hands tactica

Keep in mind I usually play at 2500pts+. Lets you really fill out the AoD chart.

Now with the bonuses to vehicles it is tempting to load up on them. I have found that in general (taking 2 sicarans, 2 contemptors, and various transports) the bonuses offered to tanks are not enough to do well against other legions. At some point I will attempt to field more bodies, which takes advantage of the -1S to shooting (which also gives more mileage to FNP), whereas armor below 13/14 is very easy to blow away, and SoH/NL further maul you in CC when having large squad sizes. For a legion which essentially wants to win a war of attrition, trying to load up on firepower from vehicles makes you much more fragile and waters down your strengths.

I very much enjoy IH jetbikes. T6 and massed heavy bolters/culverins is a good time.

One rite that was not mentioned was Armored breakthrough, which makes predators w/sponsons as compulsory troops, makes all tanks w/3hp or less fast. IH can probably do this formation better than anyone, although it is exceptionally Mono-build and would have very few bodies.

You stated you are playing against EC. They are completely sweep oriented. Giving your sergeants armor and CC uprgrades will go a long way towards making their bonuses much less reliable. If you go in with the attitude that you are average at CC and should ignore it, then regular sweeps of your squads will kill you much faster than your slight shooting toughness bonus.

Thanks for the advice and the link, it's actually much more helpful than you realise lol, I'm abit of a noob when it comes to tactics as demonstrated my usual approach of trying to hit the enemy with a really bit stick lol.

Idk about HH units or tactics or points prices, but so far I'm hoping to build an army that is very infantry and short ranged firefight based. I'm thinking a Head of the Gorgon type list with 3 20 man tactical squads (stop NL outnumbering me) with all the sergeants having power fists to discourage the mentality of "they're just iron hands, I'll slay them in close combat" that alot of armies seem to have. I want to equip 2 of these squads with a "Master of Signals" and either hide behind a fortification (which one tho) in my own deployment zone (to take advantage of stubborn in my deployment zone and stop EC sweeping me so much) and spamming fury of the legion. Aso calling down s8 ap3 barrage is pretty nice lol. I want to also play Ferrus Manus with some Cataphracti (all with combi plasma) in some sort of scary tank for him (would really appreciate some advice on this) and loads of contemptors and predators. Also would like to include either outriders or jetbikes to effectively be t6 against shooting. (advice on which unit once again appreciated lol) I could also just slowly move this army forward shooting as I go and then stop 24" from the enemy and just lay down mass bolter fire. Any advice would be really appreciated again

Celestialpainting wrote:
Forgeworld has a new FAQ rhat allows allied detachments to use A RoW. That said, you could take 2 primarchs, but one in you primary detachment (with 25% rule) as a LoW, and one in your allied detachment as an HQ with Primarchs chosen. This way, no matter which Primarch dies, your units still score

Page 122 of the Legion army list book, under the Primarch special rule states, that unless you are playing apocalypse, no force can have more than one Primarch.

I want to equip 2 of these squads with a "Master of Signals"

Also would like to include either outriders or jetbikes to effectively be t6 against shooting.

Head of the Gorgon allows only a single Consul other than Forge Lords. It also limits you to a single fast, which hurts your plan to use many bikes. However there is a new Jetbike unit called sky slayers which is basically Jetbike devastators, where you have all MM, volkite, or plasma cannons in the heavy support slot. In general, outriders are more choppy and jetbikes are more shooty.

I want to also play Ferrus Manus with some Cataphracti (all with combi plasma) in some sort of scary tank for him

When it comes to Primarch deathstar transports, you really only have 2 practical options. Either Spartan Assault Tank or Karibdys Assault Claw. (The Mastodon and Stormbird also work but $$$$)
The spartan is the scary tank. Its 14/14/14, 5HP, carries 25 bodies, and has double the TL LC shots of a standard land raider. You can additionally give it Armored ceramite to make melta useless and a Flare shield which basically makes it 15/14/14. Nothing short of strength D (very rare and expensive in 30k) has a realistic chance of preventing the spartan from delivering its initial payload.

I could also just slowly move this army forward shooting as I go and then stop 24" from the enemy and just lay down mass bolter fire.

Realistically you have to be able to deal with a fairly diverse set of strategies. The Legion variations on army builds really change what is practical. My regular opponents are EC, IW, and NL. Iron warriors will demolish you if you simply push forward. NL and EC often do not start most of their army on the board, and come in with pods and flyers. Pods of your own with dreads and/or support squads could help neuter the ranged dakka of the enemy or react to enemy drops.

Thanks for the advice, so would it be a good idea to advance up the field in tanks shooting as I go and then disembark 24" away and pod contemptors in as I please/see a threat?

Well if you still intend to use the HotG rite, then also remember all tanks have outflank. This can give you extra mobility to attempt to encircle your opponent, giving units such as support tacs in rhinos the ability to get close without losing their wheels early, although I have lost games from trying to outflank too many units.

As for moving up in tanks, are we talking rhinos or land raiders? To me, equipping your tacs boils down 2 ways.

15-20 men footslogging with apoth. Requires a fairly large amount of effort to kill especially at range. Takes advantage most of iron hand durability, but completely removes mobility. Serves as area denial.
10 men in rhino. Gives them outflank and extra mobility, but can't fit in ICs. Basically zero offensive threat on its own. Serves as support to other units, and gives your opponent something else to shoot at.

Now you can put them in LRs, but while you're impossible to kill, you're dropping 800pts on 20 tacs and 2 LRs, which pose no offensive threat on their own.
Some CC oriented legions will put 20 tacs in a spartan with an IC or 2 and make a deathstar-lite.

As far as actual game tactics, your opponent will probably determine how aggressive or passive you should be. Against gun line IW or IF, you will be much more aggressive to close, since they probably have more firepower than you, and other than spartans other tanks and dreads will die quickly. Against drop pod EC or NL I will castle up in my deployment zone and force them to show their hand before making my approach.