So it has been quite some time since I have posted, but I can say that I think there is plenty to write about now that the SM codex is out. Now something has stood out to me as being really cool about this codex that others are not really talking about right now is the Iron Hands. With all the new miniatures out to discuss and with the fact the next supplement will White Scars and how cool Legion of the Damned are now with their new improvements; "what about the Iron Hands" I say....
There is an entire chapter of the new codex that gives some good backgroung on these guys. some of it is repeated as usual to let the new players understand what they are about, and then there is some new stuff that lets us know what they have beeb up to for 10,000 years. The one thing that really pushed my buttons on this section is the mention of Iron Father Stronos which has a really cool story to him in the book, but we have no model for him! WTF GW why is there no Iron Hands special character with this book. This is the only Founding Chapter without one. They could of given us this instead of the partially rehashed SM Captain we got in plastic!!!!!
So the Iron Hands chapter tactics allow for all models with the chapter tactics special rule to gain FNP 6+ and for characters and vehicles to have it will not die. I thought that this was a really fluffy and interesting way to build an army with these guys and here is the reason.
1. Master of the Forge allows for Dreadnaughts, Ven Dreadnaughts and IronClads to be taken as Elites and Heavy Support (Blood Angels are losing their grip on this Dreadnaught mastery ). This can give you some serious threats to throw in an opponents face with drop pods on turn one. Also, the Master of the Forge can help keep them repaired along with the It will not die rule.
2. Techmarines are free FOC slots now (can take one for every HQ in the army) I can see an army of Dreads behind some bolstered defenses due to the MoTF and the Techmarines for long range support and super cover saves while the Iron Clads mop up the the enemy in the front. If you want to lose one Dread you can also take another Techmarine with Thunderfire Cannon and have with that.
3. Scouts are super cheap. can equip them with a teleprt homer to get the drop pods in close and they can then do some covering fire with snipers to take care of characters or keep units pinned down, or you can go the other way with them and make them run to claim objectives.... The Flesh is weak so make this army all about the Dreads and keep the flesh ridden out of the fight!
4. Since I am mostly a Blood Angels player at heart I cant help put to think about combining this with my BA army. Blood Angels are the only army that can take more Dreadnaughts than the idea listed above and they can be Librarians! Use a detachment of MotF and Techmarine with two Iron Clads in Dreadnaughts and you got some serious extra power to assist with the formidable BA Dreads and help keep them alive. Thank you for Allies!
Tell me what you guys think in the comments.
Iam going to say, that this is a very deadly combination indeed especially when you add techmarines in land raiders and Stormravens. Feel no pain for BA and IH, just being able to save one marine that would have normally died is amazing in itself, even for a 6+ or 5+ with and attached Sang Priest. LOL. Great Article.
ReplyDeleteYean, having a Techmarine in the StormRaven would really help to keep it alive... Note to be added here is that the Sang Priest cannot give the 5+ FNP to the IH models since it only works for Codex: BA.
DeleteSo as a BA player what is your take on how your army will far up against the new space marines?
ReplyDeleteI think that we still have advantages as a BA player. The first one is that our StormRaven is a little bit better.. We can take Librarians in the elite slot as Furioso Dreads which keeps our Chaplains available for the HQ slot... Mephiston will likely kill any SM HQ that is not in 2+ armor no problem and put up a great fight against the rest.... taking Assualt squads as troops is also good to get more units into CC as that is where BA needs to be to win this duel. Furious Charge and FNP from the priests and possibly fearless from the Red Thirst and we can eat through SM units. The one disadvantage right now is that all of out stuff costs more points than the SM right now as we have not been brought down to the 6th ed pt costs. This means that BA will be outnumbered and having to fight an uphill battle. Most make sure more than ever to get the right units in the right fight.
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