Yeah I used smooth, as well as insert edge ring, the sculpt polygon tools, merge vertices, collapse edge, the whole gambit. it's poly count is just under 3910.

Really 45 degrees upward? My thumb points either forward or maybe 20-30 degrees downward when I'm at rest. Could you post a picture of what you mean?

The lighting in these samples is pretty wierd, this is what it actually looks like.



And here is how it initially fits into the armor. It is a heavily gloved hand, and I havent plated it with armor yet, so that's why It looks bare right now.









I kno the arms aren't in proportion, I was going to fix that by scaling up everything else.