Astral Claws 2k “Iron Wing” (Iron Hands Space Marines)

Its been about a month since the new Space Marine Codex dropped, and I've been excitedly kicking around ideas ever since. Thankfully, the book is largely unchanged, so my lists should remain about as effective, just with a few points drops here or there.


I've been playing around my Master of the Forge list for awhile, so the first list I developed revolves around Valthex. Since the list features the Master of the Forge, I tend to take dreadnoughts with it, and I obviously am now interested in the noble Techmarine considering its recent move to the world of not taking up a slot (Can I just mention how badly I'd like something of this sort for CSM? Being able to take little upgrade IC options is really cool, and now most marines have access to it, but not traitors, grrr.), so the plan is to take 2. Of course a 2nd techmarine means another HQ, so I'll take a librarian.

The Master of the Forge takes his conversion beamer and a power axe, and each of the Techmarines take a servo-harness. Honestly for 25 points its a steal, as it gives your 2+ IC a plasma pistol and flamer to use, while also granting them a second specialist weapon. The Librarian takes a 2nd mastery level and will run with a Power Axe. My 3 Dreadnoughts will take a pair of autocannons each, making them flexible for targetting ground or air.


The list obviously needs some troops, so I'll start with 4 tactical squads minimum size, in razorbacks. Give them plasma guns, combi plasmas, and give the razorback the las/plas weapon configuration. I could be talked into one or two taking assault cannons. I'll put the Librarian and 2 techmarines in razorbacks, and we have a decently irritating lineup. 4 razorbacks with IWND, 2 with 3+ repair rolling techmarines inside, and behind them 3 rifleman, also with IWND. For my last troop (#5, yes, this list is light on troops due to all the characters), I will be taking 5 scouts with cloaks and sniper rifles, who will sit in back and bodyguard my Master of the Forge, slash score.


Next up, air defense, I like the Storm Talon, so I'll take 2 of those with the Skyhammer Missiles. I've thought about taking one or two with lascannons, but honestly that was the old setup I ran and one lascannon shot plus an assault cannon just isn't enough dakka. I'm not content with just these guys though, so I'll throw in a Stalker to sit in back behind the dreadnoughts. Not an overwhelming flyer defense, but enough shooting to harass and force jinks etc.


Last up, I'd like to finish up the heavy slot and take 2 thunderfire cannons. These chaps will sit in back in bolstered terrain, likely near the Master of the Forge. Yes, the list has 5 Techmarines in it, I'm overboard here. But its a pretty cool list, because the IWND and Omnisiah rolls together give the backfield the opportunity to recover from a turn of serious shooting, depending on how I deploy etc. Also, this does mean I'll probably be able to bolster most if not all of the terrain in my deployment zone, which is fun.

This is basically an adapted version of my previous list that I ran last fall. I do wish I could fit some more things in (specifically a LS storm and close combat scout squad), but the whole element of stacking the list with independent characters ate up too many points, and frankly the list is a little troop light for me. That said, I'm excited to get to work making the techmarines, as you can see from the pictures above I have 2 already, but they need to have their equpiment adjusted, adding full harness features to their servo backpack. I also need an additional thunderfire cannon,

 I am torn on whether I will be buying the official one, or buying a second of the mantic thunderfire-esqe cannon. Lastly, I've got 1-2 techmarines to kitbash, and depending on how I decide to deal with servo arms, I may need to make a mold of one servo arm so that I can make the 2 I need to add to the existing techmarines. I'm excited for the modeling project, as I've wanted to add additional staff from the Apothecarium, Reclusiam, and Forge to my Astral Claws, in my long running goal of building all 10 Captains to represent the leadership of the entire chapter. Anyhow, here's the list in a more presentable format:


Please note that the Battlescribe file doesn't let you give the sergeant of the scout squad a sniper rifle, so its actually 2000 on the nose.