The Iron Warriors project...

Well, I have finally got some real work done on the Iron Warriors project.  I have always liked the Iron Warriors, and in fact this is the 3rd Iron Warriors army that I have painted.

The trick this time around was that I really wanted to try and do them justice, but how do you make dry-brushed bolt-gun metal, with yellow and black stripes, stand out and "pop" on the table top?  

Don't get me wrong, I have seen some very good Iron Warriors armies over the years.  Unfortunately I have also seen a lot of crap...

I did a lot of research, and talked to a few of my friends to try and come up with a solution to my problem, How do I paint an Iron Warriors army to my Tournament Standard?  To be honest, I didn't like what I was hearing, the most immediate answer was usually to do the entire army in a NMM scheme.  Ouch, that wasn't going to happen.  For a couple of reasons.  1. I like the look of metal paints.  2. I have never attempted NMM before and to attempt it on a whole army seemed a fools errand for me.  3. If it is not done well, it will just look like a "Grey colored Chaos Marine army"

Then it dawned on me as I was trying to figure it out and was looking at a test model I had done for the Grey Knights I was so intent on painting.  I just need to add a little more color.  I have done this in 2 ways throughout this first squad.

1st. I used a blue wash on some of the creases of the armor, this was to give the armor a highly polished look and a bit of a color tint.

2nd. I decided on using Red for my banding instead of gold.  The gold while a nice color blends to much with the yellow and black banding that is so common in most Iron Warriors armies.  Red I feel adds a nice contrast, and is the Color of the Mechanicus, and of US army Combat Engineers.  All of which fit in with the theme of the Iron Warriors.

Below we have the first five of these Warriors...

First up a standard Bolter Marine, no real conversion work here, just what I hope is going to be the "standard" for paint across this army

Next we have a Melta-gun armed Marine, one of two for this squad.  Note the old metal Legion of the Damned back pack with skulls, it was sitting in my bits box and I thought it too cool not to use.

Next we have the Squads Aspiring Champion, armed with a Combi-Melta and a Power Fist.  He wears Red Robes (as will all of my squad leaders) has the Warsmiths right arm, a Terminator Fist arm, a helmet from the possessed.  I really think that this model well represents the look and feel that I am going for through the entire army.

Next we have another Bolter Marine, this model was just assembled on a whim when I was bored one night, and he was elected to be the test bed for the paint scheme.

Yet another Bolter armed Marine

 
And above we have the whole squad formed up and ready for battle, well I guess I shouldn't say the whole squad, as I have the other 5 men assembled and in various stages of finish.  I expect they will be done by the end of the week.

Then its on to the first of the Rhino Transports.
I know that this paint scheme may not be to everyone's taste, but I really think that it accomplishes what I am setting out to do.
Of course all comments are welcome, and thanks everyone for reading.