The Iron Hands are the spotlight in today’s new Codex Space Marine rules & tactics preview. Try not to lose your head over the latest teaser from Games Workshop.
GW dropped a big teaser today on how the new Space Marine Salamanders will play and feel on their big daily ramp up to the release of the new codex book.
Among the Space Marines, few are as relentless or as ruthless as the Iron Hands. Where others see gene-crafted physical perfection, the Iron Hands see only the weakness of the flesh, augmenting their bodies with cybernetics and making heavy use of tanks. The ultimate fate for an Iron Hand is interment in a Dreadnought and an eternity of war as a living machine.
The Iron Hands Chapter Tactic, The Flesh Is Weak, reflects both the relentless spirit and augmented bodies of these hardy warriors, allowing them to shrug off wounds and making them exceptionally difficult to kill. Multi-wound models like Terminators are going to be nigh-impossible to shift, while, appropriate to their background, Iron Hands Dreadnoughts of all types are going to be unstoppable. One of the deadliest units available to the Iron Hands is the Venerable Dreadnought, who can combine The Flesh Is Weak with Unyielding Ancient to wade through even the heaviest of fire.
Suitability is going to be a huge advantage to the Iron Hands. Their Chapter Tactic: The Flesh Is Weak is letting any unit with this ability roll a dice anytime they lose a wound, and on a 6 the wound is ignored.
But does it really help that much in an era of multiple damage weapons?
While Chapter Tactics don’t usually apply to Vehicles, Iron Hands armies will be able to take full advantage of their chapter armoury thanks to Stratagems. As well as stratagems available to all Space Marine armies like Killshot and Armour of Contempt, the Iron Hands’ Machine Empathy lets vehicles move and shoot without penalties to hit on their Heavy weapons and even advance and shoot without penalties for their Assault weapons. Even the humble Razorback can be transformed into a deadly forward assault tank, although the biggest beneficiary of this tactic will again likely be Dreadnoughts. An Iron Hands Redemptor Dreadnought armed with a heavy onslaught gatling cannon will be able to move on the foe with terrifying speed while maintaining a steady rate of accurate fire – a perfect demonstration of the weakness of flesh!
The Iron Hands are getting a new Stratagem called Machine Empathy, which lets vehicles move and shoot without penalties to hit on their Heavy weapons. They will also be able to advance and shoot without penalties on their Assault weapons.
This is going to be a great offensive strategy for Iron Hand players to take advantage of when the time is right.
It’s not all about machines though. In the last edition, melee Iron Hands characters were some of the best in the game, and that’s still true, as their Warlord Trait and Relic allow you to make some really lethal combatants, gaining extra attacks from Merciless Logic and cutting down the foe with The Axe of Medusa.
The Axe of Medusa is going to be great for those melee units that have access to a power axe. This optional replacement weapon gives a +2 to strength, an AP -3, and does 2 Damage. Why wouldn’t you want to take that instead of a normal power axe?
What are your favorite rules previews from the latest round of teasers?
GW Previews New Codex: Space Marines
Games Workshop just gave us a first look into the new Codex: Space Marines. Let’s take a look at what they had to say about the first Codex of 8th edition.
This is the complete guide to your army, with 104 pages of background, covering the long and storied history of the Adeptus Astartes and the distinct traditions of the First Founding Chapters and their Successors. There’s also new background focused on the Primaris Marines and the Ultima Founding, from Chapters brought back from the brink of destruction like the Crimson Fists to new heroes like the Rift Stalkers. There’s detailed livery to inspire your own paint schemes, as well as a breakdown of squad and company markings, from those of the more Codex compliant Chapters like the Ultramarines to the unique battle-iconography of the Black Templars.
New Models Ahoy! Checkout our breakdown of all these new units picture above!
The new Codex: Space Marine is looking very promising. You’re going to be getting 26 new Stratagems, 14 new Warlord Traits, and 85 datasheets in this 104 page book.
We are anxiously looking forward to what Games Workshop has to reveal over the next week, leading up to the pre-order next Saturday.
What do you think about the new Codex: Space Marines? Let us know in the comments below.
