created : about 4 years ago

Hello everyone !!

Today on pre-orders are 2 new codex supplements for Warhammer 40000 Space Marines Armies. Raven Guard and Iron Hands, this post is about the Iron Hands, aka the Big Indestructible Gun Line ^^

Introduction

This codex is a thin(80 pages) hardcover book. It's standard GW quality so there is nothing wrong about it.
The 3 main parts of the book are The fluff, the model's pics and the rules!

fluff

The first 40 pages of the book are dedicated to the Chapter presentation. It's quite complete with a lot of details on the different companies and units. There are also details on the demise of Mannus, His friendship with Fulgrim...To be honest I learned a lot of stuff on the sons of the Gorgon in this book. Interesting!

An army of Heroes !

In this section we are shown different Space Marines Models Painted in black ^^ This part was better than the rest of the codex because of all the cyber hands that are looking so nice on these Primaris Marines !!

Rules

The codex have , One new general ability, a few warlords traits, some relics, more stratagems, and 6 psychics powers.

Calculated Fury

This on is Powerfull and was revealed in the Iron hands preview.

Reroll 1 and ignore move penalty for Heavy weapons when the Devastator Doctrine is active!

Rerolling one is already good when you hit on 4+ but the combination of both bonuses allow to move forward a still get a 3+ with reroll 1, it's an incredible safety net!

Remember that it stacks with the Iron hands Chapter Tactics from the Space Marines Codex, so each unit in the army have

• Fnp 6+


• Overwatch on 5+


• Vehicle count double life for wounds chart


• Ignore malus from moving for Heavy weapons during Devastator Doctrine


• Reroll 1 with Heavy Weapons with Devastator Doctrine

Wow ! what a list ^^

Warlord Traits

There are 6 extra Traits that you can choose from.

1) repair 1 dmg each turn on a vehicle or buff your repair to 1d3+1
2) Deny the Witch 24"
3) Fnp 5+
4) Consolidate 6'' (Feirros have this one)
5) 6 give extra attack on the same target with the same weapon
6)Target Protocol: One friendly unit can: reroll 1 hit, 1 wound and 1 damage roll.

Warlord trait are ok for the most part.

The last one is very strong if you are shooting with one super big gun like a Repulsor Executioner with a Heavy Laser. ie : 4 Shots, rerolling 1, and one free reroll, Strength 10 rerolling one wound roll and Ap -5 ,rerolling one damage roll (D6). It feels this warlord trait was written for this tank lol.

Relics

2 list here, one for Iron Hands: Relics of Medusas and one for Successors & Iron Hands: Special Issue Wargear.

Relics Of Medusas

• Axe :Replace a power axe : S+3 ap -3 D3


• Primaris only: +1T, reduce wound by 1 to a minimum of 1 (stack nicely with the warlord trait granting fnp on a 5+ for some super tanking ^^)


• Mind forge : Replace a force weaopn : S*2, ap-3, d3


• Combi Melta with assault 2 melta


• Ironstone : Already leaked, reduce dmg by 1 (minimum 1) targeting vehicle in a 3" bubble


• Gorgon chain : 4+ inv and -1 to wound rolls


• Helm : 5+ cashback on command point

The ironstone is bonker is you want to play the tank bubble! and you want, but more on this later ^^

Special Issue Wargears

Mantle : 5+ FNP
Artificer armour : 2+/5++
MCW : +1dmg to one weapon
Digital weapon: one extra attack dealing 1mw if hit
Teeth of Mars : Chainsword with S*2 against vehicle (ap -2 dmg2)
Haywire bolt : mortal wound when shooting
Data Spike : Techmarines only, Roll 2 when repairing keep best

Yea better ignore these for the moment ^^

Stratagems

2 pages of them like in any other codex , Lot of good choice here most interesting are :

• 1cp Double hit on a 6 to wounds


• 1cp Fnp goes to 5+ on one infantry unit. Choose , when the unit is targeted


• Machine Empaty 1cp : use it after repairing, you can repair again even the same vehicle (WTF)


• Overwatch on 4+, and you still reroll 1 ^^ with heavy weapons

So using the Named Forge Father Techmarines you can heal 6 wounds on a Repulsor each turn, interesting ^^

let check the Technomancy Psychic table now

Technomancy Discipline

Maybe my favourite Psychic table of the Different Marines Codex !
The 3 super good one are :

1) Blessing: until the next psychic phase target vehicle model get +1 to hit. Last the opponent turn so bring overwatch to 4+ or 3+ rr1 with the Stratagem (Do you see where this is going ?)
2) Psy Armor: Select one unit, +1 armour save (doesn't work on invulnerable save) but stack with cover
3) Reforge: Charge value 5, heal d3 dmg on a vehicle ^^

One tank can be repaired 3 times? ho and he get fnp 6+, and can reduce damage by 1 with the relic and he counts double life for the damage chart. I hope that is all ? (this isn't ^^)

lets check the one unit in the book !

Unit : Iron Father Feirros

Ok there is only one unit, this is not the Chapter Master or a Primaris Techmarines, all this sucks :/

Good news Iron Father Feirros is completely BONKERS !

A bit more than hundred points, decent stats, sturdy enough with a 2+/5+ T5 7wounds and fnp 5+ & 6+ (i guess both doesn't stack ?). The buff he grant are very good :

• Signum array : BS 2+ to one friendly unit


• Repair at 3wounds


• 5+ invulnerable at 6''

What happen if Feirros and a Techmarines are hiding behind 2 Repulsor :

• 5++


• Reduce dmg by 1 with the stone relic


• 2 repairs, +1 extra repairs with stratagem


• 6+ fnp


• Count double wounds


• reroll 1


• overwatch on 5+


• one of them can get BS 2+


• Warlord trait granting 1 hit/wound/dmg reroll

Already Impressive but maybe add a Psyker for funsy ^^

• One extra Repair spell


• +1 save spell


• +1 to hit spell ! Also not it's also working with melee attack ^^ Hello DREADNOUGHT !

Honestly, i'll also park nearby a Devastator or Primaris with Heavy Plasma to benefit from the 5+inv getting a BS2+ and reroll 1 for extra fun. Also there is a stratagem that allow nearby infantry unit to shield Charaters that take damage so it's good to have Bodies around.

Don't forget to mix a Chaplain even if it's already overkill ^^ check the Space Marines Codex review for what Chaplain can now do.

Conclusion

It's a strong codex!
Stack buff on tanks, heavy weapons infantry, snipers, Intercessor with Stalkers bolters and watch the enemy Melt ^^
Also from a Meta point of view, if your opponents are preparing for killing Primaris infantry (so good ap and Dmg2) and you spam tanks, yours are nearly invulnerable thanks to the Stone Relic droping Plasma damage from 2 to 1 ^^

Also maybe having 1 or 2 drop pods with Multi Melta devastator inside for removing the biggest threat for your tank is good too ^^

I know I only talked about the Tank Bubble, but there is a lot of room for refining. This is a very strong codex granting a very effective firebase, a lot of tanking and even some melee power-ups.

As usual, any question ? ask away !

Space Marines Review Navigation
Warhammer 40000 Space Marines Codex 2019 Review
Warhammer 40000 Ultramarines Codex review

Warhammer 40000 White Scars supplement codex review

Warhammer 40000 Iron Hands Codex Review

Starting on the Raven Guards review right now !

/Cheers.
Bob.