Iron Hands Effective & Fluffy

[Gryphon]

Hey All,
I'm an Iron Hands player, and been playing a relatively short time. I have trouble constructing effective army lists. Has anyone found an effective list for Iron Hands that didn't use a different codex, or rely solely on bikes? Has anyone found an effective use for all their techmarines & the MotF? It seems to me that I can't run a melee army, but I am forced to try and construct a shooting list. I'm not sure this is entirely within the prescribed tactics of the chapter (mainly from reading the fluff) that the Iron Hands are suppose to employ. I guess, since they are Astartes compliant, they technically have those options, but nowhere have I ever read about them such as the use of bikes, speeders, devastators, or armored vehicles. Terminators yes, tact squads yes, precision strike forces yes, techmarines (iron father's) yes. Anyone have any thoughts in this regard? Am I forced to run a shooting army and throw as much shooting on the table that I can? I also feel that GW is forceing me to employ allies just to get the versatility I need to make an effective list. Otherwise, except for a few particular list such as Salamander Droppod assault with meltas/flamers, Imperial Fists w/lots of bolters and a White Scar bikes list, C:SM is pretty mediocre. Let me know what you all have come up with, and any tips you might have for solid list building, especially if your Iron Hands players. Thanks everyone!

[ShadowcatX]

I believe the average Iron Hand list is just a chaptermaster (preferably from the clan rokugaan or whatever that is) on a bike with a squad of scouts on bikes (to give him a 12 inch scout move) and a bunch of armor to back him up. The average iron hand bike isn't as good as the average white scar bike, but their average armor value item is better than any other chapter's armor value thing.

[Gryphon]

Thanks Shadowcat. I hadn't thought about putting him with the scouts, but that certainly works, I suppose. Unfortunately, the Iron Hands, at least in all the stories I've read never use bikes. Not enough armor. It's just irksome that I have to rely on certain lists, or allies for effectiveness. I did discover, that if I use master Harath Shen, Master Apothecary of the Salamanders Chapter from the Badab War, I can make my captain or chapter master FNP 2+ with the Gorgon's Chain and the warlord train The Flesh is Weak. Otherwise, it will always sit at a 3+ at the very least. Then the surrounding terminators (with t-hammers and s-shiles are all 2+/3++ w/FNP 4+. A definitely sick combination for my warlord, but I have t use allies to do it. Thanks for responding.

[ShadowcatX]

I just came across a youtube video by tabletop tactics, he does a list analysis for a 1500 point clan list and takes it up to 1850. Not sure how good he is, it was the first video of his I've seen, but 6 razorbacks, 2 dreadnoughts, 2 tri-las preds and centurions soinds pretty dang good to me.

[Paul David Luke]

Full on Mechanised Infantry. Lots of Razorbacks and Rhinos with tactical squads. Add in some heavier armour. Perhaps a landraider with Terminators.

Then box in your opponent by getting into close range, with a lot of Objective Secured units. Against armies that rely on gun lines, disrupt them with tank shock, against combat specialists, use the armour to keep them away from squishy marines while using the big guns on the worst of it.

Have terminators/veterans/command squads for counter attacks/supporting attacks with tactical squads.

[Gryphon]

Shadowcat, thanks again. Thanks also to you Paul. I'll have to try them out. How did you find the you tube vid Shadowcat? I'll go take a look.

[ShadowcatX]

Turned out I'd seen the guy's battle report before, and the video showed up as a recommended video. If you just search for tabletop tactics his channel will come up and he doesn't have more than 10 videos, finding it will be easy. It is named "clan raukaan space marines list analysis".

[Gryphon]

Thanks Shadowcat,
I'll go check it out.

[Dave Mcturk]

not exactly ethical [or even permitted] try some nurgle csm allies ? just keep 6" away at all times.

our house rules allow any allied combos - but have banned 'battle brothers' - so its either allies of convenience or desperate allies - makes for some interesting games !

[energongoodie]

I've had a lot of success and fun with a MOF with the iron stone in a landraider with a 6 man tac squad grav gunned up. I keep a Mortis Contemptor and a vindicator close by backed up by a techmarine and it's a great fire base that draws a lot of fire. It has a good chance of healing hull points which frustrates opponents no end and it allows the rest of my army to scoot about doing stuff while the focus is on the lump of death dealing vehicles. I usually have another tac squad, a bike squad and an assault squad. I use the assault squad as a counter attack unit to the drop podding salamanders and deep striking blood angels that i face at my club on a regular basis.