Editing Warhammer 40,000/8th Edition Tactics/Space Marines (section)

====Stratagems====

Iron Hand Stratagems can be divided into four categories; offense, defense, utility, and universal

*'''Offense:''' Iron hands have stratagems that improve accuracy and create bonus attacks or AP on rolls of 6.
**'''Engine Purge (2 CP):''' Use at the start of your movement phase if the devastator doctrine is active.  Until the start of the next battle round, when resolving an attack made with heavy or grenade weapon by an {{W40Kkeyword|Iron Hands}} model in your ''army'', an unmodified 6+ to wound increases the AP of that attack by 1. 
**'''Mercy is Weakness (1 CP):''' Choose after a unit decides to shoot or fight. Select an enemy unit, and until the end of that phase, every {{W40Kkeyword|Iron Hands}} model that attacks this unit wounds twice on unmodified wound rolls of 6. Enjoy. 
**'''Methodical Firepower (1 CP):''' If the devastator doctrine isn't active, pick a unit. Now it is for this unit. no need to say how good this is on units with heavy weapons.
**'''The Gorgon's Rage (1 CP):''' Use in the Fight phase, when choosing an {{W40Kkeyword|Iron Hands}} unit to fight. Until the end of the phase, that unit adds +1 to melee hit rolls. If the target is {{W40Kkeyword|emperor's children}}, enjoy an additional +1 to wound. 
**'''Vengeance for Istvaan V (1 CP):''' Use in the Fight phase, when choosing an {{W40Kkeyword|Iron Hands}} unit to fight.  Re-roll hit rolls vs {{W40Kkeyword|Alpha Legion}}, {{W40Kkeyword|Iron Warriors}}, {{W40Kkeyword|Night Lords}}, and {{W40Kkeyword|Word Bearers}}.
**'''Wrathful Machine Spirit (2 CP):''' Used in the shooting or fight phase when a {{W40Kkeyword|vehicle}} is chosen to shoot or fight; it can re-roll hit rolls for that phase. 
***Not bad, but for those same 2 CP you could upgrade a captain to a chapter master and get the same buff in an aura, all game. Situational, if you've got, say, lots of fliers a captain can't keep up with, or if you're not taking a captain and need the buff, but if you're taking a captain and don't have too many vehicles that he can't keep up with, it might be better to just take a chapter master instead. Besides, you can always pay cps during the game to get this strat if you need it for whatever reason. 
*'''Defense:''' Iron Hands have an impressive number of defensive related stratagems to keep your important characters, vehicles, and units alive.
**'''Cogitated Martyrdom (1 CP):''' Use at the start of an enemy shooting phase. An {{W40Kkeyword|Iron Hands infantry}} unit can intercept attacks before rolling FNP for non-vehicle {{W40Kkeyword|Iron Hands characters}} within 3". On a 2+, take a MW on the infantry unit. 
***Enjoy treating Intercessors as drones. Particularly useful as your characters will be high priority targets for your opponent like the new iron father or anyone with the ironstone. Maybe use it for servitors. This lets you shove some poor sod in front of the Sniper-lascannon aiming for your characters.
**'''Machine Empathy (1 CP):''' After a Techmarine heals a vehicle, that model can use that ability again. Remember, our vehicles' wounds count as double for the purposes of their bracket, so even a single repaired wound can bump up a damaged vehicle.<s>Now, imagine the potential to heal 6 damage on a tank. Yes, please!</s> (Due to ERRATA you can now use second repair only on different (non-repaired) vehicle)
**'''Optimal Repulsion Doctrines (2 CP):''' A unit during your opponents charge phase enjoys 5+ overwatch. If you're Iron Hands and not a successor, enjoy 4+. If you use this on a unit next to a chapter master then you'll have 3/4 shots hitting in overwatch, brutal.
**'''Reject the Flesh, Embrace the Machine (1 CP):''' Use in any phase when an {{W40Kkeyword|Iron Hands infantry}} unit in your army is chosen as a target for an attack. FNP on 5+++.  If it's a Warlord with All Flesh is Weakness, he gets a 4+++. 
*'''Utility:''' While most Chapters have narrowly focused utility Stratagems, the Iron Hands have the advantage of having some of the most generally useful options. 
**'''March of the Ancients (1  CP):''' once per battle, After nominating a warlord, select a single Dreadnought in your army. That Dreadnought gains the {{W40Kkeyword|Character}} keyword and adds 1 to its attack and Leadership characteristics. Beware that Dreadnoughts with 10 or more wounds can still be targeted, and Cogitated Martyrdom now doesn't protect vehicles. Still enjoy having a Venerable Dreadnought Rifleman who has the protection of being a character! Or, finally be able to screen that Ironclad Dreadnought as it runs up with the Seismic Hammer and Chainfist, appreciating the extra attack!
**'''Mnemonic Auto-Savant (2 CP):''' If your WL is on the battlefield upon completing a tactical objective, do not discard it. You can use it again in the subsequent round. Nice.
**'''Souls of Iron (2 CP):''' Deny on 4+ within 24" of an Iron Hands unit. 
*'''Universal:''' All Chapter Supplements get some variation of the following three stratagems.
**'''Bequeathed by the Iron Council (1 CP):''' Iron Hands relics for successors. Yay!!!
**'''Paragon of Iron (1 CP):''' Bonus warlord trait for your non-named character warlord. Must be from Iron Hands. The usual supplement special.
**'''Scions of the Forge (1 CP):''' Your sergeant gets toys! Yay! Special issue wargear to sergeants (chosen from m-c weapon, digital weapons, Teeth of Mars, and Haywire Bolts).