The current state of my Warhammer 40k Adeptus Astartes army the Iron Serpents. This was the first army I built and painted when returning to 40k in late 8th edition.

About the army

The Iron Serpents are a chapter of Loyalist Space Marines from the 25th founding. Though originally a first born Chapter, they are, to a man all Primaris now.

The Chapter was all wiped out, when cut off from the Imperium at large after the great rift tore through the Galaxy whilst defending a Epta Secundus for over a century from an Ork Waaagh! It was only the arrival of the Indomitus Crusade fleets and reenforcement from the Ultima founding that prevented the loss of the Chapter in its entirety.

The force is heavily Phobos due to the Chapters reliance on Guerrilla warfare and precision strikes.

Battle for Epta Secundus

The Battle for Epta Secundus began just days before the Opening of the Great Rift, set in the path of an Ork Waaagh! The Iron Vipers were deployed ahead of the Waaagh! to break the spearhead of the Ork Invasion.

However the Orks in their madness crashed a huge Rok straight into the Forge World, anyone not deployed below ground or sealed inside Astartes power armour was instantly killed as the atmosphere boiled and hurricane winds tore across the planet and tectonic plates smashed together.

Cut off from reinforcements and few supplies the Chapter was slowly worn down by the Orks, who despite also being cut off themselves thrived in the Hostile environment, roaming the surface of the planet cracking open rescue vaults and murdering any surviving populace. Defending these safe-holds scattered around the planet the Marines would lose nearly 6 full companies.

After 2 decades of attrition and head to head fighting the Iron Serpents, now depleted to barley 120 marines, needed change tactics and resort to Guerrilla warfare and precision strikes. Ditching their orange livery for the ashey grey of the now dead world.

The Astartes managed to stem the tide of the Orks and hold the world for nearly two centuries until finally the warp storm surrounding the planet broke enough that a distress call could be heard and the Indominatus Crusade led by Roboute Guilliman sent a Grey Shields force to break the siege of the world and relieve the Iron Serpents.

The Iron Serpents would choose to retain their new ash grey livery and the tactics that kept them alive for two centuries even after being reenforced by Primaris recruits and the world reconquered. The surviving marines all opted to pass through the rubicon and become Primaris marines, some were lost, but many would survive and form the bulk of the 1st company. Claiming Epta Secundus, the now all but dead and inoperable Forge World, as their chapter homeworld and recruiting grounds.