Iron Hands Clan Atraxii - 40K-era Primaris Iron Hands

[Ironwrought Huw]

Clan Atraxii – Iron Hands circa M.41/42. Aka, “just how many techmarines do you need?” 

 

 

In an attempt to get more involved in the forum and stop lurking I’ve decided to make a bit of an army blog. I’m also hoping it’ll help me focus on a project, as for the past few years I’ve been easily distracted with ‘one offs’ and ‘side projects’. So here we are: 40K era Iron Hands, largely Primaris based - my attempt to get a functional tabletop army finished. 

 

 

 

Background:

I started playing 40K in 2004, and Iron Hands were my first army. Index Astartes III, the original metal Iron Father model – for many IH fans, the ‘golden era’ of fluff. I collected Clan Sorrgol, and for the best part of a decade had a lovingly, if rather poorly, painted army. 

 

Proof

 

 

*Shudders* Urgh... 

 

In 2014, I jumped on board the Heresy Train ™. Unfortunately, the 30K scene in my area has pretty much died off, so I’ve gone back to 40K-proper and ‘side projects’. I bought Dark Imperium on release in 2017, and immediately got to work ‘Iron Handsoning’ (it’s a verb, honest) the minis (pretty sure I've posted these somewhere on the forum before)

 

Iron Father (Gravis Captain with Boltstorm Gauntlet) 

 

Squad One (well, the first half)

 

Sergeant's chainsword and arm came from the multipart captain model. 

 

But after that, didn’t really do anything. Back to side projects.

With the release of the new Marine codex and IH supplement, I’ve decided its time for me to properly get back to my army – and the purpose of this thread.

 

 

The Fluff 

 

For anyone reading with a basic knowledge and understanding of the recent (7th-8th edition) lore, I apologise in advance – due to having spent the past 5 years exclusively in the Heresy/30k timeline, my knowledge of the current stuff (Cawl, Primaris, Cadia…) is a bit vague. Is the following ‘pure’ fluff? No. But, it helps me explain the existence of my army, design elements and explain away any inconsistencies. What follows below is my spin on the fluff, merging the classic IA-3 era lore with the FW-30K era. I specifically chose an 'extinct' Heresy clan so that I didn't have to be constrained by the current GW written fluff. 

 

Clan Atraxii is one of the original Clans of the Iron Hands legion, which did not survive the Heresy. Though not actually wiped out in the Isstvan V massacre, following the end of the Heresy the clan was one of many which, to make up for legion losses, would be merged and amalgamated – their brothers and wargear folded into other clans, their battle honours lost to history.

 

This would change by the close of the 41st millennium, thanks to Archmagos Dominus Belisarius Cawl and the Primaris project. Remembering the tensions between original Terran legionaries and their ‘true’ Medusan successors within the Iron Hands legion during the crusades, Cawl realised that merely dropping several hundred new, Terran and Martian born ‘Iron Hands’ into the chapter would likely create intense suspicion, if not outright hostility. What better way to convince the Iron Hands chapter of the success of the Primaris project, than by sending an entire clan-company, equipped and ready for war?

 

Thus, Clan Atraxxi was reborn.

 

Unfortunately, Cawl’s relationship with the present has been tenuous at best: as the millennia passed the Iron Hands chapter had evolved considerably, almost beyond recognition from the former Xth Legion days. The most obvious change being the chapter colours, the Iron Hands having formally adopted the plain black livery at some point around M.33. By the time anyone noticed this minor inconvenience it was too late to change, the newly formed clan having already been sent on their long voyage towards the Medusa system.  

 

By the time Clan Atraxxi arrived at Medusa, they had seen a century in combat, which explains the above average percentage of augmetics, and the appearance of non-standard Mk X wargear; such as helmets designed to imitate those of MK III, IV and VII armours. Much like the original legion, Clan Atraxii maintain their wargear in a functional, albeit well-worn state; designed for war rather than the parade ground, each scar and dent on a frater's power armour demonstrates their success on the battlefield.  

 

Though technically this 11th clan places the Iron Hands above Codex Astartes numbers, few outside of Medusa appear to have noticed; certainly the Iron Council has better things to be concerned about than having more brethren than a text they largely ignore says they can have.

 

 

 

Painting

 

I decided to stick with FW’s heresy-era burnt metal scheme. In part because I like it, but largely because after 10-ish years of painting black armour, I never, ever want to paint and highlight black armour again. Ever. I'm using the original method from 2014, although I must admit I'm rather tempted by Greenstuff World's rather snazzy chameleon colour-shift paints. 

 

Characters / Specialists – apothecaries, librarians, techmarines – for these, rather than painting the armour in the colour of the respective specialisations, my plan is to paint only helmets, cloth (tabards/loin cloths) and occasionally select armour panels in the appropriate colours. One thing I learnt early on with my 30K era force was that the burnt metallic scheme looked odd with random characters/specialists wearing non-metallic armour, this way seems ‘better’ to me. For non-specialists with fabric components, I’m intending to go with dark grey.

 

Apothecary Gaumech - currently a WIP, as I'm unsure how to finish him off. The robe looks a little empty. 

 

 

Techmarine Name Not Found (in-game he's run as either a generic techmarine or a primaris capt / LT with various relics) 

 

 

Yes, the heads are magnetised, and yes, I know *insert Ferrus Manus head joke*

 

 

Throwback to RT-era days with the mighty power spanner

 

Clave Prime - the Hellblaster Squad 

Clave Prime are seen here deployed in the fire support role, with medium weight plasma blastguns. The meaning behind the unique black chapter and clan icons on the squad's unusual white and black shoulder pads is currently unknown, but is suspected to be a mark of status within the clan. Given that Clave Prime are the first squad of the clan, it is possible that this is a method of identifying the clan's veterans when they are deployed in a non-standard role.

And wasn't at all because at the time I'd run out of the correct white transfers...

 

 

Intercessor combat squad

Seen here is the first half of an unknown tactical squad. The single silver shoulder pad is believed identify this particular battle brother as a veteran sergeant. 

 

Also seen here is what happens when someone tries to paint white over a black undercoat - won't be making that mistake again. 

 

 

That's all for this post - thanks for looking! Congratulations to those of you who made it through to the end without falling asleep C&C is always appreciated! 

 

 

Next up - Iron Father Huw Feirros, the Repulsor Executioner and my future plans for the army. 

 

 

 

[Kolgrim DeathHowl]

Nice work, love the old school picture of where you started. Keep up the good work :)

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Excellent work on the new models. The backstory is acceptable.

[PowerHungryMonkey]

MOAR IRON HANDS! WOOOO! This definatly seems to be our time to shine. Great work on the army so far. The techmarine looks great, love the use of the Apothecary legs. Where is the head from? Is that off the Iron Priest? I may have to scrounge one of those now

[Ironwrought Huw]

Note to self-1: Don’t start a thread before having to move across the country, a new job, and losing your internet connection for the best part of a week.
Note to self-2: Make sure forum notifications are turned on.

 

Sorry for the late replies, things have been a tad hectic for the past week or so! Thank you for the comments and likes, very much appreciated! 

 

MOAR IRON HANDS! WOOOO! This definatly seems to be our time to shine. Great work on the army so far. The techmarine looks great, love the use of the Apothecary legs. Where is the head from? Is that off the Iron Priest? I may have to scrounge one of those now

 

Cheers! Yeah, I have to admit I've been a little surprised at the number of Iron Hands armies I've seen appearing locally and online recently. Both heads came from the Repulsor Executioner kit. Sadly they seem to sell out on bits websites almost instantly, I've been trying to find more for months now. 

 

 

And now, on with the pictures! 

 

Mars pattern Repulsor Executioner, 'Defiant'

 

 

I don't normally paint vehicles (especially of this size) so this was an interesting change. 

 

 

Defiant is currently armed in with a heavy laser destroyer and is operated in the long-range anti-armour role

 

 

Note the Fire Support role icons on the side hatches, denoting Defiant's battlefield role. 

 

 

The meaning of the numerical code, 1169, is currently unknown, but given its location and use on other clan vehicles, it is assumed to be some kind of campaign identifier or possibly internal armoury transit/shipping code. 

 

 

Note the Ironhail stubber mounted in an Arbites pattern remote weapon station, a system which allows the weapon to be fired without the vehicle commander (Sergeant Baird) need to leave the turret. 

 

 

 

Gun barrels on the heavy laser destroyer are rated for 600 firings before requiring replacement to avoid loss of accuracy, roughly 900 before the barrel is a complete write-off; the excessive thermal damage viewed on the muzzle here suggests that Defiant has seen extensive operations and is well beyond the acceptable 600 firings. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thoughts - 

 

I’m pretty conflicted when it comes to the Repulsor design, I can’t settle on whether I like it or not. On the one hand, it does look like it belongs in the space marine range, with its overlapping armour panels, slab sides and angles.

 

On the otherhand, I think it’s an overdesigned, cluttered mess; a prime example of “just because you can [add several hundred weapons] doesn’t mean you should”. I know that this is all fictional and I shouldn’t try and bring real-world logic/designs into this, but I can’t help it. In my opinion there’s just too much going on – the rear storm bolter turrets, the Icarus Ironhail turret on the back, the grenade launchers… [i'll stop now before this turns into another episode of 'old Iron Father shouts at cloud'] 

 

That, and I just really don't like anti-grav vehicles

 

Conversions:

 

The main gun is magnetised, although I haven’t finished painting the plasma incinerator. 

 

The twin Ironhail turret had the gun barrels shortened, but after a change of heart I’ve now removed the turret completely, I’ll be plating over the gap with something – possibly a sensor unit.

 

The pintle mounted stubber. I found it quite odd that the Repulsor retains the old-fashioned pintle mounted MG, rather than a more modern remote weapon station (RWS), much like the Enforcer system as used by the Challenger 2 – allowing the crew to remain under armour at (almost) all times. Simple conversion – it uses the mounting bracket for the wrench (part 184) slightly trimmed down and the lamp from an apothecary. It’s magnetised for storage.

 

 

I'm still not satisfied with all the grenade and rocket pods on the turret sides, or the icarus stubbers - should I ever get a second Executioner, I may well 'borrow' the idea forum user McGibs had with his brilliant conversion using the weapons from a Dunecrawler (seen here - http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/333987-showcase-post-your-tanks/?p=5368835 )

 

 

And that's all for now - thanks again! 

 

 

[Bjorn Firewalker]

Great job on the Repulsor Executioner!

[Kolgrim DeathHowl]

It came out really well great paint job!