The Iron Fathers of the Iron Hands don’t just maintain equipment. They also reinforce the soul of the Chapter.
Iron Father is a rank within the Iron Hands Chapter combining those of Chaplain and Techmarine. They are also members of the chapter’s Iron Council, where precisely forty-one Iron Fathers sit.
The Iron Fathers
The Iron Fathers are known to fuel the hatred and anger of the Iron Hands through the use of rousing speeches and oratories, which encourages their growth and intensity. Originally during the Great Crusade they were not members of the Legion at all, but rather engineer-mystics who maintained Dark Age-provenance machinery on Medusa. When Ferrus Manus took command of the Iron Hands the Iron Fathers were assimilated into the Legion and the rank was bestowed to Battle-Brothers. Since the Heresy, the Iron Fathers form the guiding voice of the Iron Hands and oversee both Battle-Brothers and the Chapter Armoury. They are usually heavily modified with Bionics, and are known for their stern resolve and disdain for weakness.
Many Iron Fathers have once been Techmarines, but neither rank nor duty is a barrier to receiving this honour. The current Iron Council draws upon Chaplains, Librarians, Apothecaries, Techmarines, Veteran Sergeants, and even low-level Battle-Brothers to join the rank of the Iron Fathers. Every Clan Company must always have at least one Iron Father amongst its numbers, while most have more.
Iron Father Feirros of the Iron Hands
During the Great Crusade, the Iron Hands were engaging a war of extermination against the Diasporex. One Iron Hand captain known as Balhaan failed in his duty in destroying a small fleet of theirs due to treachery on their path. Though Ferrus Manus was tempted to take Balhaan’s head off for his failure, his Equerry advised him to instead place an Iron Father in joint command of the Ferrum as punishment.
Famous Iron Father From The Horus Heresy Era
Autek Mor, known as the Maimed and the Blood-wrought, was the Iron Father and Iron Lord of the Morragul Clan of the Iron Hands Legion during the Horus Heresy, and later became the first Chapter Master of the Red Talons.
Kardozia was a Dreadnought Iron Father in the Iron Hands Legion during the Horus Heresy. He was not with his Legion when they were decimated during the Dropsite Massacre. When he learned of what had befallen the Iron Hands, and his Primarch Ferrus Manus‘ death, Kardozia took his Patrol Cruiser Light of Battle, as well as the three squads he had under his command, and began targeting the supply convoys of Horus‘ forces and any warships they would be able to destroy.
Kastigan Ulok was an Iron Father of the Iron Hands during the Horus Heresy. After the death of Ferrus Manus, he turned the Keys of Hel to resurrect hundreds of his fallen brothers, keeping them in a cryo-stasis vault on the Obstinate.
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Writer, Editor, Texas Native, and now Tex-Pat, Adam covers all things Tabletop Gaming. Which includes Warhammer 40,000, Age of Sigmar, D&D, Board Games and everything else that involves dice, boards, cards and a table.
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