Iron Hands

The Iron Hands are one of the original First Founding Space Marine Legions and their Primarch was Ferrus Manus. Like the other Loyalist Legions, much of the Iron Hands would later be re-organized into other Chapters, as required by the Codex Astartes, although one Chapter remained known as the Iron Hands and is described below. Although unwavering in their faith in the Emperor of Mankind, the Iron Hands also believe that human flesh is weak and easily corruptible, and strive to replace their organic bodies with more "pure" cybernetic substitutes, thus closely emulating the faith of the Adeptus Mechanicus' Cult of the Machine.

Ferrus Manus
The Iron Hands were the X Legion of Space Marines, created from the gene-seed of the Primarch Ferrus Manus. At the dawn of the Imperium of Man, before the Great Crusade had begun, the twenty gene-children of the Emperor of Mankind were scattered across the known galaxy in a mysterious accident in which the developing Primarchs were scattered from Terra across the galaxy through the Warp, due to the intervention of the Ruinous Powers of Chaos. One of these infant Primarchs turned up on the Feral World of Medusa (not to be confused with Medusa V), his gestation capsule burning a trail through the cloud-dominated sky as it impacted the planet with such ferocity that the Medusans later said that many mountains shook themselves to pieces.

Years later that special infant, now named Ferrus Manus (High Gothic for "Iron Hands") by the Medusans, came to be regarded as a great warrior amongst the nomadic clans of Medusa. He never interfered in the various clans' conflicts, believing that such competition was healthy for his people and should be allowed to thrive. Because of this impartiality, Ferrus Manus was accepted universally as an honorary member of every Medusan clan, and great (often exaggerated) legends were told of his deeds.

One such legend was of the titanic battle between the Primarch and Asirnoth, the Great Silver Wyrm. The Wyrm was said to possess a skin of living metal that was stronger than any armour. It was said that after many days spent tracking the beast, Ferrus was unable to defeat it with raw strength alone, his punches and blows having no discernible effect. Ferrus was eventually able to slay the creature, drowning it in a river of molten lava. When Ferrus removed his hands from the lava, the Wyrm completely destroyed, he discovered that his hands were covered in the same living metal as the Wyrm's skin, which had flowed across his own flesh. The metal also altered his own physiology, for following the battle his eyes turned silver and seemed to lose their pupils.

Increasingly it is implied in Games Workshop material that Asirnorth was a C'tan construct, some kind of guardian creature placed on the planet to protect a possible Necron Tomb or even the resting place of a true C'tan, made of the "living metal" alloy the Necrons called necrodermis. It is possible that Ferrus was in some way polluted or corrupted in the process of slaying the Wyrm.

Ferrus returned to the Medusan clans, teaching all he had learned during his travels to anyone willing to learn. He was able to craft strange and powerful tools and objects out of metal, shaping them with his metal hands. Under his tutelage, the clans of Medusa became much stronger than they had been before his arrival.

The Coming of the Emperor
When the sky was split for a second time in the history of Medusa, the clans were confused, unsure of what this sign might represent. Without a word, Ferrus left the clans immediately and traveled to the landing site of the phenomenon. Weeks passed with no news of Ferrus, but before the clans decided what they should do in regard to discovering the fate of their saviour, the sky erupted with titanic electrical storms and the ground shook to savage earthquakes, terrifying everyone. These events lasted for eight days, after which the entire world was said to have fallen unnaturally silent.

A single day later, Ferrus returned to the site of the clans' great meeting, escorting an awe-inspiring figure. Stories concerning what acts the two great men performed vary, but most revolve around the common theme of a battle or trial of powers, responsible for the unnatural storms. Whatever had happened up in the mountains, it was clear to everybody present that there was now a close bond of mutual respect between Ferrus and the Emperor, who had arrived in search of his son.

The Great Crusade
Although torn between the people of Medusa and the greater Imperium, Ferrus eventually accepted command of the X Space Marine Legion, who were named the Iron Hands to honor the Primarch's cybernetic hands. The Legion quickly added their efforts to the Great Crusade, becoming the heart of the 52nd Expeditionary Fleet. They were said to fight with valour across the galaxy, cutting a swathe through any that opposed the Emperor's word. Recruits for the Legion were drawn from Medusa, Ferrus' early beliefs about healthy competition meaning that the tribesmen were more than capable of adapting to the rigours of life as Space Marines. The Legion believed deeply in the Emperor's efforts to reunite all of Humanity after the Age of Strife, believing that the greatest danger to the human race was itself, if it stood divided. The Legion also believed that any weakness in humanity should be stamped out, which resulted in many culls of those who were unwilling to accept the Emperor's rulership and teachings.

The Horus Heresy
As Horus made the opening moves of his rebellion on Istvaan III, Ferrus Manus's old friend Fulgrim of the Emperor's Children attempted to sway the Iron Hands' Primarch into joining the rebellion. The attempt failed and Fulgrim barely escaped with his life. Overcome with mind-numbing rage at such treachery, Ferrus and his warriors gratefully received Rogal Dorn's orders. Together with the Raven Guard and Salamanders legions, were to confront Horus and his lieutenants, and crush them utterly. A second wave, comprising the Night Lords, Iron Warriors, Alpha Legion and a contingent of Word Bearers, would follow them and support their attack.

The Iron Hands, Raven Guard and Salamanders made a full combat drop on Istvaan V and secured the drop site, but at a heavy cost. Overwhelmed with rage, Ferrus Manus disregarded the counsel of Corax and Vulkan and hurled himself against the fleeing rebels, seeking to bring Fulgrim to personal combat. His veteran troops - comprising the majority of the Legion's Terminators and Dreadnoughts - followed. Ferrus found Fulgrim, and the two former close friends dueled. It was then that Horus closed his trap. The Warmaster committed his reserves, and ordered the 'fleeing' troops to cease their feint and attack. Ferrus' force was outnumbered, cut off, and surrounded. Fulgrim defeated Ferrus in single combat but could not bring himself to slay his old friend. A daemon of Slaanesh within Fulgrim's weapon, that had been twisting his mind and perceptions, persuaded Fulgrim to decapitate Ferrus. In the following bloodbath the Iron Hands were massacred, the daemon possessed Fulgrim completely, and Ferrus' severed head was presented to Horus as a confirmation of Fulgrim's loyalty.

Soon after, the Horus Heresy ran to its inevitable conclusion. Horus's forces attacked Terra, failed, Horus was killed and the Emperor was interred within the Golden Throne. These events drove the Iron Hands to despair as they returned to Medusa. This soon turned to anger against the Chaos Space Marines and other traitors, an anger which the Iron Hands began to use as a driving force. They started destroying any perceived weaknesses in themselves and others, believing they were performing a beneficial act to Humanity. They raged at themselves for not being on Terra in its darkest hour, believing that, had they been there, Horus would have been defeated without the Emperor's sacrifice. After this, they isolated themselves from the other Legions, leaving them to their own business and holding minimal contact with their successor chapters.

Notable Campaigns

 * Drop Site Massacre of Istvaan V (Cira 200.M31) - The early battle of the Horus Heresy that would become known as the Drop Site Massacre of Istvaan V was a disaster of unimaginable proportions. Fueled by anger and betrayal Ferrus Manus urged Corax of the Raven Guard Legion and Vulkan of the Salamanders Legion to launch the attack on the traitors at Istvaan V before the other four Legions assigned to the assault had arrived. So it was that the Raven Guard and Salamanders along with the Iron Hands Morlock Terminators assaulted the bloodied and diminished World Eaters, Emperor’s Children, Sons of Horus and Death Guard on the desolate plains of Istvaan V. The traitors had been greatly reduced in strength due to the fighting on Istvaan III but it would still be a tough and grueling battle, with less than three Legions pitted against four. The attack relied on the reinforcements of the second wave of Loyalist Legions assigned to bring the Warmaster to heel, the Night Lords, Word Bearers, Iron Warriors and the Alpha Legion. The Iron Hands Morlocks led by Ferrus Manus formed the center of the loyalists assault as the Primarch of the X Legion sought out his fallen brother Fulgrim. Finally the forces of the Emperor’s Children and the Morlocks came together in a riot of bloodshed and death. The Morlocks superior armor and experience gave them an advantage over the rank and file of the Emperor’s Children but they were greatly outnumbered. While Ferrus Manus and Fulgrim clashed in a final confrontation, the Morlocks were slowly cut down, one by one. In the end Fulgrim lost his soul to a powerful daemon of Slaanesh when he beheaded his former brother Ferrus Manus. The daemon took possession of Fulgrims body, defiling the head of his fallen brother and delivering it to the Warmaster Horus in a box - a symbol of where his allegiance lay.
 * Horus Heresy, Battle of Tallarn (Circa 200.M31) - To this day the largest tank battle ever conducted in Imperial history remains the Battle of Tallarn. During the Horus Heresy the Iron Warriors Traitor Legion launched a massive assault on the world of Tallarn. To soften up the Loyalist resistance, the Iron Warriors virus-bombed the former agri-world, the life-eater virus turning the once lush and productive breadbasket world into a wasteland of endless desert in short order. The few surviving Imperial citizens emerged from underground shelters to oppose the Iron Warriors attack and soon reinforcements poured in from both sides. The Iron Hands and Imperial Fists Legions arrived to oppose the invasion, the hazardous environment forcing both sides to fight within the environment sealed confines of battle tanks. Both the Loyalists and Traitors committed armored fighting vehicles of all sizes and configurations in numbers never before seen in a single battle. The resulting fighting was fierce and merciless with both sides taking horrendous casualties but eventually the Iron Warriors were forced from the planet. In the aftermath of the fighting over a million wrecked tanks littered the surface of Tallarn, rusting in the endless dunes and wasting sands of the devastated planet. The ruination of Tallarn is a slight against the Imperium the Iron Hands and Imperial Fists have never forgotten.
 * The Damocles Gulf Crusade (742.M41) - n 742.M41 the Imperium launched a Crusade against the newly arisen xenos threat of the Tau race. Targeted on the Lithesh Sector that stretched between the Damocles Gulf and the Perdus Rift Anomaly, the Crusade was tasked with repulsing a number of xenos incursions into the sub-sectors of the area, push the xenos back to their homeworlds and purge them from existence. To accomplish this the vanguard of the Crusade was formed around twelve Capitol ships of the Imperial Navy and five Crusade Companies of the Adeptus Astartes including elements from the Ultramarines, Scythes of the Emperor, White Scars and Iron Hands Chapters. Bulking out the Crusade’s fighting strength were nineteen Regiments of Imperial Guard, seven of which were from the Ecclesiarchy world of Brimlock. The Crusade was to receive significant reinforcements after establishing a foothold in Tau space. The conflict essentially ended in a stalemate, as the Imperium was forced to conclude its military offensive early to deal with the encroaching Tyranids threat while the Tau sought to begin diplomatic negotiations with the Imperium. The Tau forces sensibly realized that getting in the way would serve no purpose and allowed the Crusade forces to withdraw unopposed. The first major engagement between the Tau xenos and the Imperium came to its conclusion. Though failed, the Astartes learned valuable lessons from this Crusade that would latter see use in conflicts like Nimbosa and Medusa V.
 * The Retaking of the Contaqual Sub-Sector (Unknown Date-M41) - The Iron Hands have long been renowned and feared as a wrathful and merciless Chapter, many would-be heretics and traitors have thrown down their arms and renewed their faith in the Emperor rather than face the fury of the Iron Hands. The Retaking of the Contqual Sub-Sector was a sterling example of the consequences of inciting the retribution of the Sons of Medusa the campaign concluded with the swiftness and fury that has long been the hallmark of the Iron Hands. As far as Imperial Scholars could discern, the taint of the Contqual Sub-Sector began late in the year 812.M41 when the High Governor fell to the corruption of the Chaos God of Excess, Slaanesh. From there the taint spread quickly and within a single month the entire Sub-Sector seethed with the taint of Chaos. The cleansing of Contqual was tasked to the Iron Hands, who burned with hatred for Chaos in all its myriad forms. The Chapter stormed into the Sub-Sector with a speed akin to chained lightning, seizing several planets before resistance could even be organized. In short order the Iron Hands fell on the focal point of the chaos taint, the Hive World of Shardenus, where the chaos cultists had torn a hole in reality straight into the warp and from which streamed all manner of daemonic monsters to pollute the realm of the Emperor. Though massively outnumbered and sustaining significant losses the Iron Hands cut through the heretics like a storm. The world was brought to heel in short order with the rest of the Sub-Sector falling to the fury of the Iron Hands with equal speed, the citizens of many worlds turning on their tainted masters and pleading with the Iron Hands for mercy. But the Sons of Medusa are not known for their forgiveness and the Chapter fell on the worlds of the Sub-Sector with a cleansing wrath, executing one in every three civilians in a great and bloody purge, punishment for allowing the taint of chaos to sweep over their worlds. Just a few weeks after their arrival the Iron Hands departed, leaving a Sub-Sector that would become one of the most devoted of all those in the Imperium in their wake. For none of the survivors of the Iron Hands purge doubted the cold retribution they would face should their faith waver again.
 * Thirteenth Black Crusade (999.M41) - When the forces of Abaddon the Despoiler spilled forth from the Cadian Gate the Iron Hands knew that Medusa faced imminent invasion and the Chapter scrambled to prepare their defenses. While it is known that two of the Clan Companies were deployed elsewhere, the greater strength of the Chapter was deployed in the defense of its homeworld. The largest battle in the defense of Medusa came when all 10 of the gargantuan tracked fortresses of the Clan Companies faced the invading traitors of the Haradni 13th Heavy Armored Regiment. The plains of Medusa played host to one of the largest armored clashes the galaxy has seen since the infamous battle for Tallarn during the Horus Heresy as ten-thousand traitor tanks stormed towards the waiting Iron Hands. The battle that ensued lasted for five days and five nights, as the traitors closed within firing range the Iron Hands opened fire, reportedly destroying over a hundred tanks in the first volley, for each Clan Company commanded firepower equal to a Centurio Ordinatus of the Adeptus Mechanicus. On the fifth day the traitors broke through the Iron Hands lines, an armored company getting behind one of the mobile fortresses and firing shell after shell at nearly point blank range. The Iron Hands responded by launching a furious counter-attack spearheaded by Assault Squads armed with Melta Bombs leaping from the crenelated towers of the mobile fortress to land atop the enemy tanks. Though many marines lost their lives in the attack, shot down by pintle-mounted weapons or ground beneath armored tracks, the attack was successful in destroying the majority of the enemy armor and sending the rest into a disorderly retreat. It was then that the Iron Hands launched an armored assault of their own, whole formations of Predator Annihilator tanks disgorging from the mobile fortress to run down and destroy the heretic tanks with ravening beams of lascannon fire. The Iron Hands managed to secure Medusa by the midpoint of the war and were able to deploy several Clan Companies to the defense of the Cadian system and a task force was dispatched to reinforce the naval world of Vigilatum.

Chapter Organisation
During the Second Founding that took place in 021.M31 the Iron Hands Legion split into three separate Chapters. Two new Chapters named the Red Talons and Brazen Claws departed Medusa forever and went to establish their own homeworlds and fortress-monasteries. In time both Successor Chapters became increasingly reclusive. One of the three Chapters retained the name and heraldry of the X Legion and remained on Medusa. Since its inception the Iron Hands Chapter increasingly diverged from standard codex organization, changing to reflect the native nomadic clans of Medusa. Slowly contact between the three Chapters deteriorated as all three became increasingly insular in nature, while simultaneously contact with other Chapters virtually ceased entirely.

The Chapter drew much of its organization from the clans of Medusa. Each of the ten Clan Companies is a single entity, possessing its own command hierarchy, veterans, beliefs and traditions. One warrior of each Clan Company is nominated to represent their peers at the Great Council of the Iron Hands. The Iron Hands have no Chapter Master and are instead led by the Great Council of the most senior and respected members of each Clan Company. The Iron Hands view the council as a strength, for no individual can lead the Chapter astray like they have seen happen all too often. It is common for members of the council to be ancient and revered Dreadnaughts who have long been free of their frail mortal flesh. This precaution was implemented so that no one man could ever lead the entire Chapter astray, as happened during the Horus Heresy.

A further departure from the doctrines of the Codex Astartes is the lack of Chaplains. This position is instead filled by a Marine known as the Iron Father, who combines the roles of Chaplain and Techmarine. The Iron Father is considered the religious representative of both the Emperor and the Adeptus Mechanicus. Unlike the Chaplains of other Chapters however the Iron Fathers do not receive a Rosarius from the Ecclesiarchy.

The disastrous battle for Istvaan V cost the Iron Hands many, if not most of their Dreadnaughts and suits of Terminator Armour. The limited number that remained became important relics to the Chapter, particularly the mighty Dreadnaughts who symbolize the epitome of the symbiosis of man and machine. Because of this the Iron Hands rarely field squads of Terminators, preferring instead to equip senior officers and sergeants with the armor to spread its inspirational and uplifting influence to the Marines of the Chapter. It is also rumored that there may be as few as eight Dreadnaughts in the entire Chapter, but it is unknown if this is actually true or merely myth.



Known Clan Companies

 * Garrsak Clan Company
 * Kaargul Clan Company - Led by the Venerable Dreadnaught Warleader Bannus.
 * Raukaan Clan Company - Captain Dozeph Imanol is the current commander.
 * Sorrgol Clan Company
 * Vurgaan Clan Company - Based out of Land Behemoth Weyland and led by Captain Pelles. The Clan Symbol is a lightning strike within a cog.

Chapter Fortress-Monastery
As the geology of Medusa is too unstable to support and maintain a structure the size of a fortress-monastery, the Chapter has been forced to create nomadic bases for each Clan Company. These mobile behemoths continually traverse the surface of the planet, and are fully automatic, allowing the base to stay on the move while the occupying Clan Company is off on one of their many crusades against weakness and corruption.

Chapter Recruitment
There is no Scout Company for new recruits, instead each Clan Company must recruit its own Neophytes from the Medusan clans linked to the Company to remain at strength. Upon indoctrination, the left hand of each Neophyte is replaced with a cybernetic replacement, the beginning of a mechanisation process that will continue for the rest of their lives.

Chapter Combat Doctrine
The hatred the Iron Hands feel towards weakness and corruption has an effect on the Chapter's doctrine and operations, a belief that even extends to their own bodies. As a body can be injured, broken, or led into temptations of the flesh, the Iron Hands seek to eliminate any perceived fault within themselves through any means possible, usually cybernetic replacement of the body part. In the minds of many Iron Hands, the machine is the ideal. The hatred of all weaknesses is harnessed and focused by the Iron Fathers for use in battle, where the Chapter will fight with renowned intensity and determination, regardless of the opponent. The bitter Marines will advance in a machine-like and relentless fashion, throwing themselves violently at the enemy. Dreadnoughts and Terminators are rarely used by the Iron Hands because many of these Veteran cyborgs and the ancient suits of Tactical Dreadnought Armour used by Terminators were lost in the Drop Site Massacre of Istvaan V at the start of the Horus Heresy. Due to their combination of the organic and mechanic, the ones that remain are treated with great respect. Entire squads of Terminators will rarely be fielded, but the inspirational feeling they create among the rank and file is harnessed by allowing veterans equipped with Terminator armour to lead squads of Tactical Marines. For similar reasons, Dreadnoughts will lead forces when the occasion demands, and several of the Clan Companies Leaders are contained within the armoured sarcophagus of a Dreadnought.

Chapter Beliefs
The reverence the Iron Hands hold for mechanical replacements for their frail flesh has led to another divergence from standard codex organization. Upon induction to the Chapter and promotion to the rank of battle-brother the left hand of the recruit is removed and replaced with an augmetic. This “iron hand” symbolizes the marines’ link with their Primarch and is the start of the long and slow process by which Iron Hands marines eventually replace as much of their frail physical bodies with superior machine components as possible, ultimately leading to internment within the shell of a mighty Dreadnaught, the perfect blend of organic and machine though few ever make it to that lofty height.

Gene-seed
The extreme hatred the Iron Hands hold for weaknesses of the flesh is believed to gloss over an underlying fear of their physical form. As an Iron Hands marine matures that hatred and fear grows ever stronger resulting in ever increasing and more extreme mechanizations of the Astartes body. It is unclear from where this fear may originate though many believe that the source is a flaw in the genetic makeup of the Chapter. This flaw seems to be controlled or at the very least covered up by the increasing mechanical augmentations the Iron Hands marines undergo.

The Iron Hands Chapter has become increasingly reclusive and hostile towards outside interference. Though the Inquisition continually investigates the Iron Hands, they bear it with unconcealed disdain. Strangely, the Inquisition does not appear very concerned with the Iron Hands Chapter. Despite having apparently identified some aberrations within the Iron Hands, the Inquisition has chosen not to act on those aberrations, seeing them as a useful form of enforcement, at least at present. The Inquisition seems to have decided the flaws within the Iron Hands are not particularly dangerous to the Imperium and the effectiveness of the Iron Hands cannot be questioned. The Iron Hands formed two Successor Chapters during the Second Founding, the Red Talons and the Brazen Claws. The peculiar traits of the Chapter have precluded only a few other successors from being founded in the centuries since the Horus Heresy.

Notable Iron Hands

 * Veteran Brother Avidan - A respected and legendary warrior within the Iron Hands Chapter, Brother Avidan wears one of the Chapter’s revered suits of Terminator Armor and holds a seat on the Clan Council.
 * Venerable Dreadnaught Axagoras - The third Dreadnaught serving on the Clan Council. Axagoras is a legendary figure in the Chapter whose most notable accomplishments include his battles against the Kartha and Sheed xenos of the Durian subsector and his command of the Xerxes Campaign. The tactics Axagoras developed in the Xerxes Campaign are now mandatory study for new initiates to the Chapter. Axagoras favors a Plasma Cannon weapon mount.
 * Captain Balhaan - Captain of the Iron Hands during the Great Crusade and commander of the Strike Cruiser the Ferrum.
 * Venerable Dreadnaught Bannus - Bannus served his Chapter as a Captain of a Clan Company for many centuries, nearly losing his life on the industrial world of Kaladrone, he was saved by the legendary Iron Father Paullian Blantar. Eventually Bannus was interred within an ancient Dreadnaught Sarcophagus and now serves as one of the most respected figures in the Iron Hands Chapter, a voice of great wisdom on the Great Council and a war leader of supreme skill.
 * Iron Father Paullian Blantar - Blantar is an Iron Father from the Kaargul Clan Company. His knowledge of bionic enhancement is unparalleled, and his refinements of the augmentation process distinctly affected the direction of the Chapter. He led the dramatic counter-attack against the insidious Dark Eldar on the industrial world of Kaladrone, rescuing the badly wounded Warleader Bannus. Blanter personally performed the augmetic surgeries and augmentations that enabled the crippled form of Bannus to survive and go on to lead his Company for many centuries to come and in fact Bannus still leads his Clan Company as an ancient Venerable Dreadnaught and is an integral part of the Great Council. Bannus’ wisdom and experience continue to serve the Chapter to this day. Of equal legendary status was Paullian’s disdain for his own organic body. Blantar constantly enhanced and augmented his body and towards the end of his extremely long and successful life-span there was very little of his organic body remaining. Only his brain and a few patches of exposed flesh remained and what little flesh could still be seen was regularly scarred and punished by the extremely zealous Iron Father. To this day Iron Fathers ritually scar their flesh in honor of one of the Chapters most renowned Iron Fathers of all time.
 * Dreadnaught Comech - Dreadnaught of the Iron Hands Legion during the Horus Heresy.
 * Iron Father Gebren - Ever since the dawn of the Great Crusade the most technically adept members of the Astartes Legions have been sent to Mars to be trained as adepts in the Cult Mechanicus and Iron Father Gebren was one of the first and best. Gebren served during the Great Crusade and on through the dark days of the Horus Heresy, one of the best of his age Gebren was trained by none other than Fabricator Locum Kane, who would later become the Fabricator General of Mars with the betrayal of Kelbor-Hal.
 * Iron Father Anatolus Gdolkin - Iron Father Gdolkin was given command of the Strike Team sent to aid Magos Omega Thule during the 13th Black Crusade. Gdolkin was accompanied on the mission by his blessed combat servitors Gibeon XII, Joab XIII, Gibal 674, and Ishmael 192. While critically wounded in combat against the Word Bearers Dark Apostle Iscariot Gdolkin survived his mission and was interred within a venerable and sacred Dreadnaught of the Chapter.
 * Venerable Dreadnaught Talumech - A member of the Chapter Council and a revered Dreadnaught Brother of the Chapter, Talumech goes to war armed with a mighty twin-linked lascannon in addition to the Close Combat weapon born as the left arm of all the Chapter’s Dreadnaughts.
 * Captain Dozeph Imanol - Commander of the Raukaan Clan Company.
 * Librarian Madeus - A member of the Clan Council, Madeus has the honor of wearing a suit of modified Terminator Armor.
 * Librarian Melchor - Librarian attached to Iron Father Gdolkin’s Strike Team during the Thirteenth Black Crusade. Melchor sacrificed himself to teleport the survivors of the Strike Team to the bridge of the Ajax. Melchor had the honor of wearing a suit of revered Terminator Armor.
 * Captain Pelles - Commander of the Vurgaan Clan Company. Pelles was recruited at the same time as Gdolkin and sports two service studs denoting over two hundred years of service to the Chapter. Where his fellow recruit showed an aptitude for machines, Pelles showed an innate understanding for tactics and command, leading to his rise to Captaincy of the Vurgaan Clan Company.
 * Captain Rumann - Given overall command of the Astartes elements of the Damocles Gulf Crusade.
 * Captain Sien - Captain Sien commanded the small Iron Hands force during the largest armoured battle in Imperial history at the Battle for Thranx in M36.
 * Iron-Captain Strake - Captain of the Ajax since the Grailsword Campaign. Captain Strake lost his legs three years ago during a battle with a Tyranid Hive Fleet when the Ajax was crippled and nearly destroyed. Strake survived but instead of having his legs replaced with augmetics he requested he be fitted to an anti-grav platform with technology based on that used in servo-skulls.

Chapter Fleet

 * Ajax - Strike cruiser attached to Iron Father Gdolkin’s Strike Team during the 13th Black Crusade.
 * Armourum Ferrus - Strike Cruiser that participated in the engagement with the Diasporex.
 * Ferrum - Strike Cruiser that participated in the engagement with the Diasporex.
 * Fist of Iron - Battle Barge, former flagship of Ferrus Manus himself
 * Heart of Gold - Strike Cruiser destroyed during an engagement with the Diasporex xenos.
 * Iron Dream - Strike Cruiser destroyed during an engagement with the Diasporex xenos.
 * Medusa’s Glory - Strike Cruiser crippled during an engagement with the Diasporex xenos.
 * Metallus - Battle-Barge destroyed during an engagement with the Diasporex xenos.
 * Omnissiah’s Might -Strike Cruiser of the Iron Hands.

Chapter Colours
The appearance of the Iron Hands has remained constant since the Legion's foundation. Their Power Armour is painted black, with white insignia and squad markings. Each Clan Company has an individual symbol, which is worn on the shoulder plate opposite the Chapter's badge, while squad markings are placed on the lower left leg. Apothecaries of the Iron Hands have the entire right arm including the shoulder guard painted white as well as the backpack. A white stripe is also painted vertically down the helmet.

Chapter Badge
The badge of the Chapter is an iron gauntlet, symbolic of Ferrus Manus' metal-covered hands.

Chapter Notes
Strong links are suggested between the Iron Hands and the C'tan and their Necron servants, largely because Ferrus Manus' hands may have been covered in the same necrodermis living metal that makes up the C'tan's physical bodies and the armoured shells of the Necrons. Their close links with the Adeptus Mechanicus and their devotion to cybernetic and mechanical augmentation possibly link them with the Void Dragon, a C'tan (that may or may not be the true Machine God of the Adeptus Mechanicus) who is believed to lie dormant beneath Mars. Some within the Imperium believe that Ferrus Manus is not only still alive, but resting deep within the Red Planet himself. This belief is violently refuted by the Iron Hands themselves as Ferrus Manus is known to have been beheaded by his brother Primarch Fulgrim during the Drop Site Massacre on Istvaan V at the start of the Horus Heresy.