Battle Bunnies 20 Legions of Xmas: Iron Hands

On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me;

Ten Ma-chine addicts
9 Angels weeping
Psy-chos a' skin-in'
Seven breachers breaching
Russ-is-a-slaying
Sa-vage laugh-ing kill-ers!
Dirty ditch diggers
Per-fect-ion
+++Records Expunged+++
And a Legion full of mys-ter-y

Legion: X
Name: The Iron Hands
Former Names: The Storm Walkers
Primarch: Ferrus Manus
First Captain at the outbreak of the heresy: Gabriel Santar

Forgeworld Colour scheme: (by Matt Murphy-kane)

- Airbrush the model with Tamiya Gun Metal
- Airbrush Tamiya Flat Aluminium from the top of the model in a zenith highlight
- Mix Tamiya Smoke and Tamiya Clear Yellow (90/10 ratio) and thin with Tamiya thinners. Then airbrush onto the model in about 3 layers.
- Airbrush on Drucci Violet in random areas.
- Airbrush on Tamiya Clear Green in random layers, going over both the golden colour and the purple.
- Re airbrush the purple to strength then colour. Again going over the different colours on the model.
- Then apply thinned layers of Tamiya Smoke until the colour is dark enough.
- Finally apply Purity Seal over the models as it will make them darker.

Aveinus Kaane's paint scheme:

- Chaos black spray undercoat.
- Apply Leadbelcher to the silver parts of the model and the armours rivets.
- Next is a medium wash of Nuln oil all over the model and into the recesses.
- Once dry I apply multiple thin layers of Ceramite white onto one of the embossed cogs on the legs or free hand the cog onto the chest plate.
- Ceramite white is also used neatly for the eyes.
- I then use Abaddon black to clean up any mistakes.
- Runefang Steel is then used as both a highlight and for battle damage around the edges of the silver and black armour.
- It is important not to make it too uniform or it will be too overpowering.
- Finally I use Guilliman Blue Glaze in the recesses of the eyes to give a blue glow.

There is a full painting tutorial on the blog, under Pre-heresy Iron Hands.

So with my 2500 point list, I have tried to tick all the boxes in terms of the fluff as well as Iron Hands strategy.

"The Iron Hands are masters of the engines of war, wielding weapons and armoured tanks with the skill a master swordsman might a blade."

- Spear-head centurion Castraman Orth     80pts

• Legion predator tank: Magna melta cannon; Lascannon sponsons; Dozer blade (Dedicated Transport)

- 9 Legion tactical marines: bolters; legion vexilla + Sergeant (Powerfist)  175pts

- 9 Legion tactical marines: bolters; legion vexilla + Sergeant (Lightning Claw)  175pts

- 4 Legion tactical support marines; plasma guns + Sergeant (Plasma gun) 175pts

- 4 Legion tactical support marines; volkite calivers + Sergeant (Volkite caliver) 125pts



- Contemptor dreadnought talon: Contemptor with close combat weapon; Twin bolter + Heavy conversion beamer.     210pts

- Contemptor-mortis dreadnought: x2 Twin linked lascannons + Havoc launcher.     200 pts

- 4 Gorgon terminators: Combi-bolters; Power axes + Gorgon hammerbearer (Combi-bolter; Thunder hammer)       200 pts

• Legion spartan assault tank; Dozer blade (Dedicated Transport)

- Legion spartan assault tank; Dozer blade.     300 pts

- Legion predator sqaudron; Lead legion predator; Magna melta cannon; Lascannon sponsons; Dozer blade.

- Legion predator; Autocannon; Lascannon sponsons: Dozer blade.

- Legion predator; Autocannon; Lascannon sponsons; Dozer blade.      405pts

Ferrus Manus; Forgebreaker.        455pts

Total: 2500 pts. 

The main idea behind this list is that it includes some esoteric weaponry like the heavy conversion beamer, volkites and plasma but also includes the war machines the legion is so renowned for fielding. The Iron hands are also known for their vast amounts of resources and war gear so I'm planning on having a lot of options for them as the legion grows. My list also makes use of their rite of war and the legion specific traits. The idea is to make use of the rules inviolate armour and chosen ground to deploy the troops and dreadnoughts in my deployment zone as the anvil and fire base. Ferrus Manus and the Gorgon terminators will deploy inside the Spartan on a flank to swing into the side of the enemies advancing forces, whilst the predator squadron uses the armoured encirclement rule to outflank and hit the enemies vehicles or artillery. Castraman Orth is also quite useful as he gives his predator BS 5 and tank hunter. Also the two dreadnoughts are in separate units to make use of fleet and then the helical targeting array for the contemptor-mortis dreadnought.

So there it is, just a quick look at what I am planning for the future. Other units such as the heavy conversion beamer predator and close combat units will be used to change the tactics depending on what the legions scouts report of the enemy!


Thanks again for reading!


Aveinus Kaane