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Hey. I'm pretty sure this belongs here, since I'm under the impression the "fluff" section is for existing fluff that GW writes.
Please move it if I'm mistaken, thanks!

My chapter is an Iron Hands successor of sorts. I haven't written much fluff, but they're not xenophobic and will work with a xeno if they're willing to listen (obviously not the Tyranids- Sorry guys, we can't give you the hugs you want), and refuse to work with Chaos, unless it's the apocalypse/some other, greater threat (for obvious reasons).
Is there a way, for reasons of looking awesome and my unwillingness to pay £20 for 3 bikes, for me to fluff in why my chapter would be riding beasts into battle? (Namely the Chaos War Hounds from Fantasy, I'll fluff them as wilder-beasts of sorts.)

As for their mounts, if anyone can suggest better than War Hounds, while keeping relatively cheap and (hopefully) a way to fluff them in? 10 War Hounds for £15.50 is pretty nice, and I do like the models, but I'm open to other suggestions, even if it's a bit more pricey.

Thanks Dakka.

Space Marines riding animals is an idea that I've seen done to death. Space Marines wired into the animals is new and exciting.

 Jimsolo wrote:
Space Marines riding animals is an idea that I've seen done to death. Space Marines wired into the animals is new and exciting.

What could be my "fluffy" reason for doing it, though?
I know I'll get questioned about it and I'd rather have a fluff reason instead of "Oh, it's because it looks cool."

Centaurs ftw!

 Ond Angel wrote:

 Jimsolo wrote:
Space Marines riding animals is an idea that I've seen done to death. Space Marines wired into the animals is new and exciting.

What could be my "fluffy" reason for doing it, though?
I know I'll get questioned about it and I'd rather have a fluff reason instead of "Oh, it's because it looks cool."

What if the animals are the heraldric animal of the chapter? Some kind of animal associated with a saint or patron from their homeworld? The animal bodies are really just complex machines to which the marines are interfaced. (There's even precedent for this: a rogue trader in the Eisenhorn trilogy has a slew of servitors made to look like griffons, dragons, and other fantastical beasts.) By linking themselves with the heraldric beast of their culture, they are showing the people of their homeworld that they have not forsaken them to become genetic monster-warriors of the Imperium; in a very literal sense they are still connected with their past.

 Jimsolo wrote:

 Ond Angel wrote:

 Jimsolo wrote:
Space Marines riding animals is an idea that I've seen done to death. Space Marines wired into the animals is new and exciting.

What could be my "fluffy" reason for doing it, though?
I know I'll get questioned about it and I'd rather have a fluff reason instead of "Oh, it's because it looks cool."

What if the animals are the heraldric animal of the chapter? Some kind of animal associated with a saint or patron from their homeworld? The animal bodies are really just complex machines to which the marines are interfaced. (There's even precedent for this: a rogue trader in the Eisenhorn trilogy has a slew of servitors made to look like griffons, dragons, and other fantastical beasts.) By linking themselves with the heraldric beast of their culture, they are showing the people of their homeworld that they have not forsaken them to become genetic monster-warriors of the Imperium; in a very literal sense they are still connected with their past.

Y'know, that could work really well, thank you.

Fantasy has lots of monsters that can make good beasts. I'd also recommend checking out Reaper minis for individual models. Finally, there are some Utahraptor-ish lizards in the fantasy line (Cold Ones?) that people love to use as mounts for Space Marines, since they already have indentations to accept a rider.

Also, if you're going to wire them into the beasts, then your local hardware store or craft shop (probably in the jewelry section on the latter) might have some good selections for augmetics for your beasts. In addition, guitar string makes good cabling/conduit, as do pipe cleaners (just burn the fuzz off with a lighter and they look just like twisted cables).

Because is Iron Hands the whole idea seems a bit dubious. If you want beast mounts, why not take a suitable chapter?

 Dakkamite wrote:
Because is Iron Hands the whole idea seems a bit dubious. If you want beast mounts, why not take a suitable chapter?

That's exactly the issue. He wants to still be an Iron Hands successor, but likes the beast aesthetic (and possibly lower price). Beasts might make less sense, but robo-beasts? Makes perfect sense.

(Well, you know, perfect 40k sense at any rate...)

 Ond Angel wrote:

 Jimsolo wrote:
Space Marines riding animals is an idea that I've seen done to death. Space Marines wired into the animals is new and exciting.

What could be my "fluffy" reason for doing it, though?
I know I'll get questioned about it and I'd rather have a fluff reason instead of "Oh, it's because it looks cool."

I was going to do some Dark Angels on Fantasy Dark Elves mounts. To me, for fluff reasons, is that is what the Calabin Knights rode into the jungle/forests of Calabin while on their "hunts" (sorry forgot what the great hunts were called. Didn't have any bikes to make a Raven Wing squad at the time and wanted to do something different so I bought the Dark Elves on mounts since I didn't want to spend $100 for Raven Wing.

Never started it yet since I basically quit the hobby at the time and just never got around to finish off my DA force. Now you remind me I have to do it, and make a Calabin Ravenwing.

 Jimsolo wrote:

 Dakkamite wrote:
Because is Iron Hands the whole idea seems a bit dubious. If you want beast mounts, why not take a suitable chapter?

That's exactly the issue. He wants to still be an Iron Hands successor, but likes the beast aesthetic (and possibly lower price). Beasts might make less sense, but robo-beasts? Makes perfect sense.

(Well, you know, perfect 40k sense at any rate...)

Yea first thing I thought was Iron hands? taking something thats not a machine. I can't see that chapter substituting good ol cold machinery for anything beast or animal like. If he was going down that route perhaps choosing a different chapter or finding some robot beasts to ride into battle, although im sure they would still prefer their bikes.

 Jimsolo wrote:
Space Marines riding animals is an idea that I've seen done to death. Space Marines wired into the animals is new and exciting.

What about animals riding Space Marines? Not like horses or wolves... that would be silly... but like... genetically engineered monkeys or something.

 Jimsolo wrote:

 Dakkamite wrote:
Because is Iron Hands the whole idea seems a bit dubious. If you want beast mounts, why not take a suitable chapter?

That's exactly the issue. He wants to still be an Iron Hands successor, but likes the beast aesthetic (and possibly lower price). Beasts might make less sense, but robo-beasts? Makes perfect sense.

(Well, you know, perfect 40k sense at any rate...)

the "iron legs", a successor chapter of the iron hands. When they become a full Space Marine their legs are amputated and replaced with a mechanical socket that allows them to swap forms depending on combat need.

Tac marines = robot legs
Assault marines = jet pack instead of legs
Bikes = robot centaur legs (or just wired into a bike if you want)
devastators = low to the ground tracks to contain the recoil of their massive weapons
centurions = giant robot body with a space marine torso sticking out the top

The possibilities are endless!

Marines riding Chaos Warhounds look AMAZINGLY.... DERPY! Don't do it... it's laughable. It's like a grown man riding a German Shephard. Ugh,... BAD!

Finding some mechanical warhorses would be more fitting, but probably wouldn't save any money. You're better off just getting DV bikes and cutting off all the DA bits. Conversions rarely save money, in my experience. Proxies, yes, but not conversions. It has to look plausable as Space Marines weigh about 1000lbs if I recall my fluff correctly. It has to be Thunderwolf size to support them.

Otherwise, you're going straight to "derpsville" on look.

 TheKbob wrote:
Marines riding Chaos Warhounds look AMAZINGLY.... DERPY! Don't do it... it's laughable. It's like a grown man riding a German Shephard. Ugh,... BAD!

Finding some mechanical warhorses would be more fitting, but probably wouldn't save any money. You're better off just getting DV bikes and cutting off all the DA bits. Conversions rarely save money, in my experience. Proxies, yes, but not conversions. It has to look plausable as Space Marines weigh about 1000lbs if I recall my fluff correctly. It has to be Thunderwolf size to support them.

Otherwise, you're going straight to "derpsville" on look.

Not necessarily, I was thinking of going with Jimsolo's idea of them not being actual animals, but just machines that they ride in to battle.

 Ond Angel wrote:

Not necessarily, I was thinking of going with Jimsolo's idea of them not being actual animals, but just machines that they ride in to battle.

As someone who has owned said "conversion" through a trade, Chaos Warhounds are FAR too small for scale purpose. Visually, it just doesn't make sense.

I highly encourage you to research it more and compare. Remember, Fantasy stuff is just a wee bit smaller, usually, than 40k stuff; GW taking liberties with their heroic scale and what not.

You can do as you please, but any "bike" or mounted conversion will be costly. If you watn to do something dollar saving, you're better off doing as I recommend. Otherwise, there are plenty of third party resources like Scibor, Puppet Wars, etc. that produce third party space marine bikes and mounts that go above and beyond the boring GW models.

DirtyDeeds wrote:
Centaurs ftw!

Cyborg centaurs! They are ironhands afterall.

 TheKbob wrote:

 Ond Angel wrote:

Not necessarily, I was thinking of going with Jimsolo's idea of them not being actual animals, but just machines that they ride in to battle.

As someone who has owned said "conversion" through a trade, Chaos Warhounds are FAR too small for scale purpose. Visually, it just doesn't make sense.

I highly encourage you to research it more and compare. Remember, Fantasy stuff is just a wee bit smaller, usually, than 40k stuff; GW taking liberties with their heroic scale and what not.

You can do as you please, but any "bike" or mounted conversion will be costly. If you watn to do something dollar saving, you're better off doing as I recommend. Otherwise, there are plenty of third party resources like Scibor, Puppet Wars, etc. that produce third party space marine bikes and mounts that go above and beyond the boring GW models.

Ah, I would have checked the scale of a Warhound with a Space Marine anyway. (My brother has some laying around).
If it really doesn't seem right to me, I'll consider your suggestion.
Thanks, though.