Fantomex's IRON HANDS

[Fantomex]

Finally, after insisting for so long that I'd get around to it, I'm doing a hobby thread..

Essentially, I've always been a massive fan of all things mechanical, so I came to the logical conclusion of taking on the Iron Hands ..

I was drawn more this way than any others, mainly because they really are some of the angriest loyalists around (even more than the Angry Marines..) and also because theres so much richness to them as a Founding Legion.

Heck, replacing the already stunning Astartes' flesh with even more powerful machinery? Killing citizens for not fighting back against weakness? And the unexplored link between the Legion and the Adeptus Mechanicus..

It's a strange and colourful mash when it comes to the Iron Hands, who'd want it any different?

I'll probably flit back and forth between several different bits on here, but try and keep some semblance of sanity going..

So, I'll start off with my current project-on-the-go, my Doomwheel conversion.

I've been long wanting to make some different conversions for a Master of The Forge on bike, with either full Servoharness or Conversion Beamer.

This is the main MOTF w/Bike conversion on the go at the moment, once the plastic Bloodcrusher of Khorne comes out it'll be fully repurposed as well, but for the meantime this is the main project on the table..



Obviously this is the Doomwheel quickly stuck together for the moment, just to show the main things going on inside..

The seat-block has been filed down into one singular corner to shortly fit in the leather cushioning from a regular bike, the top of the cockpit is also gone, since a Space Marine is probably significantly taller than a Skaven..

All spikes are gone from inside and on top of the wheel, the foot-plates from the scout bike are just underneath the cockpit, and the boiler from the back is gone too..

I'll likely keep the back wheel as part of the model, but widen the brace that holds the wooden wheel, and instead use, simply, a bike wheel..

The front parts that would normally have the warpstone guns on the front will *probably* be removed and I'll sculpt some armoured vanes.

At first I just wanted to make something overpowered and insane, and did consider lascannons, though having thought more I may end up getting another Doomwheel and using assault cannons from the Ravenwing boxset that I've been liberally demolishing and making a second one into a Land Speeder..



On the front here you can see the ForgeWorld plaque added now I've gotten rid of the Skaven glyphs, and of course the newer pintle-mounted twin-linked bolter.

Simple, effective, all good!



Here, as is plain to see, are the handlebars from the Scout Bike, utilised in the most sensible way thinkable.

Now, a question posed itself to me whilst going on at this, and that question was mainly "How the hell will I fit the Master of The Forge into here, Servoharness and all?"

Heck, I'd assumed that, being Iron Hands, and practically being AdMech-endorsed, we'd have some stunning and magical servo-arms that could fold up and compress really neatly..

Of course, for modelling purposes, this would be somewhat insane to attempt, since it would take me AGES to do, and make it look all too clean and clinical, given that I'm making a big rolling death machine.

As such, I figured what will be needed is a touch of action about the model, cue my currently proxied Master of The Forge:



Not any of the parts I'll likely use in the final model, but a good experiment to see how it could lend a bit of dynamism to the model rather than the regular staid marines-on-bikes you get, all looking the same..

Parts used there are the Iron Hands Thunderhammer, left Ravenwing leg, and the right crouching leg from the Missile Launcher Marine.
He's standing on the disembodied bike seat, just to show where my idea is roughly going..

Essentially the idea is to have the MOTF holding onto the left handlebar with his right hand, whilst stepping on the seat, leaning out, preparing to quite likely kill something, though be it with a gun or power weapon I'm not sure yet..

Continued below..

[Fantomex]

Now, some of you may be asking yourselves why I've not worried about the wooden tracks..
Well, I most certainly have, and it's certainly taken me to the edge of annoyance and back..

Sculpting over the current track would be an exercise in futility if I didn't want smooth tracks, since it would take forever to make each one the same.
I looked at using rhino or chimera tracks, but they're all a fair bit thinner and shallower than these ones.
I looked at using land raider tracks, but they were far too wide..
Baneblade tracks are as wide as the Doomwheel, so in theory could be cut in half, but I'm not gonna pay £50 just to get at the tracks, I'm already converting one far too slowly already..

Instead, I borrowed some medical calipers from the missus, and set about creating my own tracks..

The rough dimensions of a single Doomwheel track measure from letterbox above view are 6.3mm high, 13.0mm wide, and 2.1mm deep.
The depth, so long as roughly accurate, wasn't too important, as I was going to use some spare bits of brass etch to make a suitable tread..




What else could I do?! It's Iron Hands!

It's exactly the same size, depth, etc as a single wooden tread, looks a little mucky in the picture but its all nice and cleaned up now, excess glue etc gone..

At the moment the second half of a 50:50 greenstuff/fine white milliput mould is drying around it, and I'll be able to start casting enough to do the whole wheel..

Phew, that's the first project post done!

Its certainly taken an age, but hopefully the thread'll be worth it and you'll enjoy it!

Any comments, criticisms, suggestions, etc, please feel free, I'd love to have some input as I go along through the various projects of the X Legion..

The flesh is weak!

[Faultie]

More Doomwheel conversions are always great. I'm glad to see where you'd headed with yours. They just seem so perfect for a lot of 40k stuff.

[OCdt Mephiston]

Im looking forward to seeing how this comes toghether!

[windspear]

very creative. Love the concept.

[MarneusCalgar]

So seems you want to readapt to Space Marines the Darth Grievous´s wheel that also Warhammer adapted some time ago with the Skaven wheel...

Seems interesting, I´ll be with an eye on it

[miteyheroes]

What's the head on that Master of the Forge?