Reinforcements from Prospero: How I am Planning my HH Iron Hands 3k

With the Burning of Prospero already on preorder and presumably on its way to my greedy mitts, I have started planning my Iron Hands force. I think I have put together a pretty solid (if somewhat generic) 30k Iron Hands list. I like mechanized warfare, so I tried to keep that theme here. The only quibbly bits are the Dreadnought (sadly hoofing it) and the Tartaros terminators that have no ride... :(

+++ Sorrgol Head of the Gorgon 3k (2994pts) +++

++ Legiones Astartes: Age of Darkness Army List (Age of Darkness) (2994pts) ++

+ HQ (732pts) +

Legion Praetor (732pts) [Cataphractii Terminator Armour with Combi-bolter and Power Weapon, Chainfist, Combi-Weapon, Cyber-familiar, Digital Lasers, Iron Father]

····Legion Terminator Command Squad [Cataphractii Terminator Armour with Combi-bolter and Power Weapon, 4x Legion Space Marine Chosen, 4x Pair of Lightning Claws]

········Legion Land Raider Phobos [Armoured Ceramite, Armoured Encirclement, Auxiliary Drive, Blessed Autosimulacra, Heavy Bolter, 2x Twin-linked Lascannon]

········Legiones Astartes [Legion Specific Rules]

····Legiones Astartes [Legion Specific Rules]

····Master of the Legion [The Head of the Gorgon]

+ Troops (970pts) +

Legion Tactical Squad (275pts) [19x Legion Tactical Space Marines, Legion Vexilla]

····Legion Tactical Sergeant [Artificer Armour, Cyber-familiar, Melta Bombs, Power Weapon]

····Legiones Astartes [Legion Specific Rules]

Legion Tactical Squad (275pts) [19x Legion Tactical Space Marines, Legion Vexilla]

····Legion Tactical Sergeant [Artificer Armour, Cyber-familiar, Melta Bombs, Power Weapon]

····Legiones Astartes [Legion Specific Rules]

Legion Tactical Support Squad (210pts) [4x Legion Space Marines, Melta Guns]

····Legion Rhino Armoured Carrier [Armoured Encirclement, Auxiliary Drive, Blessed Autosimulacra]

····Legion Sergeant [Combi-weapon, Melta Bombs, Power Armour]

····Legiones Astartes [Legion Specific Rules]

Legion Tactical Support Squad (210pts) [4x Legion Space Marines, Plasma Guns]

····Legion Rhino Armoured Carrier [Armoured Encirclement, Auxiliary Drive, Blessed Autosimulacra]

····Legion Sergeant [Combi-weapon, Melta Bombs, Power Armour]

····Legiones Astartes [Legion Specific Rules]

+ Elites (612pts) +

Apothecarion Detachment (195pts)

····Legion Apothecary [Augury Scanner, Cyber-familiar]

········Legiones Astartes [Legion Specific Rules]

····Legion Apothecary [Augury Scanner, Cyber-familiar]

········Legiones Astartes [Legion Specific Rules]

····Legion Apothecary [Augury Scanner, Cyber-familiar]

········Legiones Astartes [Legion Specific Rules]

Contemptor Dreadnought Talon (190pts)

····Legion Contemptor Dreadnought [Blessed Autosimulacra, Kheres Pattern Assault Cannon]

Legion Terminator Squad (227pts) [4x Legion Terminators, 4x Power Fist, Reaper Autocannon, Tartaros Terminator Armour with Combi-bolter and Power Weapon]

····Legion Terminator Sergeant [Chainfist, Volkite Charger]

····Legiones Astartes [Legion Specific Rules]

+ Heavy Support (265pts) +

Legion Heavy Support Squad (265pts) [Flak Missiles, 4x Legion Space Marines, Missile Launchers]

····Legion Rhino Armoured Carrier [Armoured Encirclement, Auxiliary Drive, Blessed Autosimulacra]

····Legion Sergeant [Augury Scanner, Melta Bombs, Power Armour]

····Legiones Astartes [Legion Specific Rules]

+ Legion +

Legion Astartes [Loyalist, X: Iron Hands]

+ Lord of War (415pts) +

Legion Cerberus Heavy Tank Destroyer (415pts) [Armoured Encirclement]

····Legion Cerberus Heavy Tank Destroyer [Armoured Ceramite, Blessed Autosimulacra]

Created with BattleScribe (http://www.battlescribe.net)

THE PLAN:

The idea here is for the Praetor to ride along with the cataphractii bros in their Land Raider, keeping them well rested before they disembark and muderkill a particularly annoying squad (such as a support weapon squad, robots, etc). I can do this in one of a few ways... I can either wait and outflank them thanks to my Legion Rite of War, or I can ramrod them up the middle somewhere and draw lots of fire, allowing my other units to do their work.

The Cerberus is either a honeytrap, drawing lots of fire because it is a big scary tank with a big scary gun, or it is a heavy vehicle killer like it's supposed to be. I can bubble-wrap it with a footslogger tactical squad and park it in a good firing lane if that's the case.

The Tartaros are just gonna have to make do with hitchhiking. Putting them with the Contemptor would look cool on the table though!

I have a few options with my Apothecaries. I can either give them to the tactical squads for some serious staying power on objectives, or I can sprinkle them in my weapon squads to give them some durability.

I think my biggest problem right now is going to be Primarchs. I have no unit suitable for going toe-to-toe with them, since mine lost his head :(  Instead, I think I am going to have to resort to massed bolter fire to bring them down, and drive-by attacks from my weapon squads. My Praetor would probably not last very long in combat with one.

What do you guys think? Can you give me any pointers?

Fluff Piece: Meduson's Mauraders

"No sightings of Meduson can currently be confirmed after the Battle of Dwell and the launching of Marr's hunter-killer force. The 'shadow network' that the scattered elements of the still-fighting legion survivors from Istvaan used became filled with conflicting tales, either that he fought on still, or that he had died either on Dwell or someplace else, caught by the Sons of Horus.

Shadrak Meduson's ultimate fate is currently in question, as his identity was at some point taken by none other than Alpharius, Primarch of the Alpha Legion himself. Assuming the mantle of Meduson and garbing a unit of his own marines in Iron Hand battlegear, Alpharius' disguise was completely undetectable by the members of the Iron Hands legion he met. Travelling in a vessel that appeared to be the Iron Heart, Meduson's own flagship, Alpharius fell in with a seperate unit of mixed Istvaan survivor marines under the command of Cadmus Tyro and convinced them, in his guise as Meduson, to aid him in an action against other members of the Alpha Legion. His deception was revealed towards the end of the affair, and the survivors of Tyro's force escaped with the knowledge that Alpharius had been impersonating Meduson.

As to whether Shadrak Meduson still lives, or whether he was killed by Alpharius, or Tybalt Marr, or any other hazard to a loyalist marine operating behind enemy lines during the Horus Heresy...that is currently not yet known."

-via Lexicanum (http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Shadrak_Meduson)


"Following the Drop Site Massacre, a mentally volatile Fulgrim would have Fabius Bile clone Ferrus. However these clones proved unstable and each refused to turn against the Emperor, forcing Fulgrim to once again kill his brother and driving him even madder."

-via Lexicanum (http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Ferrus_Manus)



Shadrak Meduson's amalgamation of Iron Hands, Salamanders, and Raven Guard continued their campaigns against the Traitors for long into the Horus Heresy, until he disappeared. His preferred targets were those legions who's betrayal stung the most: Emperor's Children, Sons of Horus, and Alpha Legion. Utilizing new tactics learned from collected survivors of the Raven Guard and Salamanders Legions, Meduson staged multiple raids and lightning offensives, aimed at severing the leadership of the Traitor legions.

However, after the Battle of Dwell, sightings of the Shattered Legions Warleader became sparse, conflicting, and sometimes outright contradictory. Who is to say what really happened to Meduson? I imagine we will find out in upcoming publications from the Black Library.

In the meantime, I propose this alternate backstory. Mostly it is to support my vision of my 30k forces. I hope you enjoy it...

*   *   *

After the failure of the assassination attempt on the Sons of Horus leadership, the decision was made to split the fleet into smaller raiding parties. "We present an easier target, the larger our force collected under this banner," Meduson is quoted to have said. Taking to heart the new tactics he had learned from his Salamander and Raven Guard advisors, the decision was made to split the might of the Shattered Legions, to detract attention and give credibility to the rumors that the Warleader was indeed slain.

An assassination attempt would not be successful at this point. The failure of the previous attempt meant that the guard against such a coup d'etat would be vigilant, indeed. So secondary targets were assessed, and the Shattered Legions waited, and watched.

Their careful observation was shattered when Raven Guard observers discovered a horrifying realization. They had discovered that the genetic material of the fallen Primarch Ferrus Manus was being transported by the Emperor's Children, presumably so their foremost apothecary (Fabius Bile) could begin his foul experimentation on it.

Coupled with the secret information stolen at the Battle of Dwell, this genetic material could give the Traitors the means to create their own Primarchs.

Disregarding earlier agreements to disperse the collected Loyalist forces, Meduson rapidly assembled a strike force and set off after the Emperor's Children fleet, intent on securing the genetic material of his Legion's sire. This was both an emotional and logical goal. Letting the Traitors to profane the corpse of his sire was a personal insult. Furthermore, allowing the Traitors to unlock the process behind the creation of the Primarchs would be disastrous for the Loyalists arrayed against them.

The speed in which Meduson made his decision, collected his forces, and departed did not allow for tactical data to be forwarded to his field commanders. Alone, save for the forces accompanying him, he made the utmost speed for the last known location of the Traitor fleet bearing the remains of the Gorgon.

Iron in the 31st Millennium: Heavy Handed

I finally did it. I did not have the Stubborn USR to save me. I broke down and relented...

I am now into Horus Heresy gaming!

The more I learn about Iron Hands, especially in Pre-Heresy times, the more I like them. Cold, ruthless, efficient... everything a space marine should aspire to be. Their affinity with technology and their fraternity with the Mechanicus is yet another selling point for me.

The Ferrus Manus model is yet another. That model is absolutely beautiful.

So, when I picked up a Betrayal at Calth box set, I decided to make them all the 10th Legion. With some extra bits left over in my personal collection, plus a few vehicles, I can easily create a 2000 point list. When I can afford Ferrus Manus, that will bring me closer to 2500. Not a bad value.

So, to track my progress, I am bringing back a Paint Progress Tracker. I aim to have the entire contents completed in several weeks in order to start participating in local games.