Switch Theme:

Which is the most powerful or most accomplished of the traitor legions?  [RSS] Share on facebook Share on Twitter Submit to Reddit
»
Author Message
Advert


Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:
  • No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
  • Times and dates in your local timezone.
  • Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
  • Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
  • Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.
If you are already a member then feel free to login now.




Made in us
Fresh-Faced New User





Hi guys me and my friend are trying to create chaos armies and we wanted you guys opinion on which legion to theme it after, and we wanted to theme based on the most powerful actual gameplay wise and flluff wise as well.

IMHO i feel that gameplay wise it i think that the Thousand sons is are pretty decent, but haven't seemed to do much fluff wise, so if if could get as many outside opinons as possible i would really appreciate it

Don't you see? My Master Tzeentch cares not which of the Great Powers of Chaos you serve. In the end, aren't the followers of the Blood God changing valiant warriors into headless corpses? Aren't the worshippers of the Lord of Flies changing strong, healthy bodies into rotting, diseased carcasses? Aren't the disciples of the Dark Prince changing stern, steadfast heroes into slaves to their own senses? Accept that Tzeentch has a place for all of us in his grand scheme, and be happy in the part you have to play.
Deathskulls the inventors of the original 5 finger discount  
   
Made in de
Longtime Dakkanaut




The Black Legion is, thanks to their massive recruitment, the largest and most powerful Legion.
1k sons have always been small but have, at least in the fluff, mighty sorcerors. Of course, on the tabletop they suck badly.
   
Made in se
Ferocious Black Templar Castellan






Sweden

KingDeath wrote:The Black Legion is, thanks to their massive recruitment, the largest and most powerful Legion.
1k sons have always been small but have, at least in the fluff, mighty sorcerors. Of course, on the tabletop they suck badly.


+1

For thirteen years I had a dog with fur the darkest black. For thirteen years he was my friend, oh how I want him back. 
   
Made in us
Hellish Haemonculus






Boskydell, IL

The Black Legion is probably the most powerful, but they usually get their fannies handed to them once real warfare starts. Most successful? Probably the Alpha Legion, in my opinion. If you want a successful Chaos Marine group that is a bit more Chaos-y than the Alpha Legion, I suggest checking out the Red Corsairs. (Granted, a warband rather than a Legion, but still fits the other criteria.)

Welcome to the Freakshow!

(Leadership-shenanigans for Eldar of all types.) 
   
Made in fi
Despised Traitorous Cultist





I'd say fluff wise the black legion is indeed the most powerfull and has probably done the most damage to the Imperium as a whole. I think the second place goes to either the Word Bearers or the Iron Warriors, Word Bearers having more cannon fodder while the Iron Warriors has better equipment. World Eaters have also done a lot of damage to the Imperials, but they only operate as a large group when led by Angron and that makes large attacks by them rather rare. Death Guard has also managed to infect a large number of Imperial planets when led by Typhus the Traveller, last I heard he is turning a few worlds near the Cadian gate into daemon worlds.
   
Made in us
Imperial Admiral




It's important to remember that Legions don't really exist any more as organizations; warbands are the way Chaos operates. The Black Legion is the closest to retaining its pre-Heresy cohesiveness, but even it's nowhere near the regimented, organized entity it once was.

The Black Legion's definitely both the most powerful and most accomplished, however. People like to give Abaddon guff because of his perceived failures, but bear in mind he assaulted and successfully took 60% of the most heavily defended planet outside of Terra itself. If Cadia falls, Chaos can beeline right for Terra unimpeded. If Cadia falls, Chaos wins. And Abaddon's got over half the planet.
   
Made in ie
Pyromaniac Hellhound Pilot





Imagination land

Black legion by far.

Then the following:
Alpha legion, Word Bearers, Iron warriors


Thousand Sons, Emperors Children, Death guard, World Eaters (They act more like independent factions, rather than their former coherent legions)


Night Lords and other recent renegades
   
Made in gb
Longtime Dakkanaut





Despite his failures in the past, it can't be argued that Abbaddon isn't the most successful Chaos Warlord, especially from the state the Legion was in after the Heresy. The Black Legion is the most successful, if not always favored and they are sure giving The Imperium a run for its money.
   
Made in gb
Decrepit Dakkanaut






UK

Were it not for the fact that GW portrays Abaddon and his Black Legion as the Dastardly and Mutley of W40K, i've no doubt that they'd easily be the most powerful and accomplished of the legions in their current states.

As it stands, some people may disagree due to the fact that Abaddon seems to be going nowhere with his crusades, but that's only because GW are reluctant to advance the storyline and/or let Chaos appear to actually be winning something.

My vote goes to the Black Legion.

Mandorallen turned back toward the insolently sneering baron. 'My Lord,' The great knight said distantly, 'I find thy face apelike and thy form misshapen. Thy beard, moreover, is an offence against decency, resembling more closely the scabrous fur which doth decorate the hinder portion of a mongrel dog than a proper adornment for a human face. Is it possibly that thy mother, seized by some wild lechery, did dally at some time past with a randy goat?' - Mimbrate Knight Protector Mandorallen.

Excerpt from "Seeress of Kell", Book Five of The Malloreon series by David Eddings.

My deviantART Profile - Pay No Attention To The Man Behind The Madness

"You need not fear us, unless you are a dark heart, a vile one who preys on the innocent; I promise, you can’t hide forever in the empty darkness, for we will hunt you down like the animals you are, and pull you into the very bowels of hell." Iron - Within Temptation 
   
Made in gb
Longtime Dakkanaut





I mean, another Legion could have easily dominated the the others when the Black Legion was low in strength, but Abbaddon has clawed his way back to supremacy, and certainly deserves it more than any other random Daemon Primarch or Chaos Lord, except for maybe DOOOMBREEED and his deliciously ruinous snack friend DOOOOMBREEAAD.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2011/06/27 20:50:42


 
   
Made in us
Decrepit Dakkanaut






Mesopotamia. The Kingdom Where we Secretly Reign.

Word Bearers.

There wouldn't be any Chaos Legions without them.

Drink deeply and lustily from the foamy draught of evil.
W: 1.756 Quadrillion L: 0 D: 2
Haters gon' hate. 
   
Made in ca
Stone Bonkers Fabricator General






The Luna Wolves were the greatest Legion of the day of course.

 
   
Made in us
Stone Bonkers Fabricator General






A garden grove on Citadel Station

Probably Black Legion, and then Word Bearers and Iron Warriors.

BL have big recruitment and crusade everywhere, WB have tons of cultists and daemons for manpower, and IW have big recruitment and technology.

ph34r's Forgeworld Phobos blog, current WIP: Iron Warriors and Skaven Tau
+From Iron Cometh Strength+ +From Strength Cometh Will+ +From Will Cometh Faith+ +From Faith Cometh Honor+ +From Honor Cometh Iron+
The Polito form is dead, insect. Are you afraid? What is it you fear? The end of your trivial existence?
When the history of my glory is written, your species shall only be a footnote to my magnificence.
 
   
Made in us
Hellish Haemonculus






Boskydell, IL

I wouldn't really give Word Bearers most powerful, but most successful certainly. They are also (along with the Alpha Legion) the most cohesive.

Welcome to the Freakshow!

(Leadership-shenanigans for Eldar of all types.) 
   
Made in us
Ancient Ultramarine Venerable Dreadnought






Iron Warriors all the way.

Iron Warriors 442nd Grand Battalion: 10k points  
   
Made in us
Mutated Chosen Chaos Marine







Here's me ranking them in order of how successful they've been since the Horus Heresy IMO.

1. Black Legion
They're the largest. They control two Blackstone Fortresses and the Planet Killer. They tax other Legions for Marines. Of course they're the strongest.
2. Alpha Legion
They're sneaky, they've remained united, and they are outside the Eye of Terror.
3. Death Guard
The Death Guard has remained united and strong. In addition they are close allies of the Black Legion.
4. Iron Warriors
They've had very few failures since the Horus Heresy and still manage to recruit.
5. Thousand Sons
Though they've accomplished some significant things since the Heresy they've been weakened over time, primarily due to their inability to recruit.
6. World Eaters
They've accomplished a lot, but they are also splintered badly and will probably never unite again.
7. Night Lords
The Night Lords have been splintered like the World Eaters and this is their main downfall. Nevertheless, they're sneaky like the Alpha Legion and thus have avoided demise.
8. Emperor's Children
They used to be one of the strongest Legions, but after stealing Horus' body from the Black Legion Abaddon got pissed and splintered and ruined them.
9. Word Bearers
They were one of the biggest players during the Horus Heresy and have remained united, but are also stagnant and generally don't have much influence. A lot of people will disagree with me on this, but it's hard to list any accomplishments they've had since the Heresy.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2011/06/28 02:32:57


 
   
Made in us
Legendary Master of the Chapter





Chicago, Illinois

^ agreed.
except word bearers should be number 5.

From whom are unforgiven we bring the mercy of war. 
   
Made in us
Longtime Dakkanaut





Black Legion, Word Bearers, and Iron Warriors have retained some semblance of unity and cohesiveness, the other major Legions are all splintered into various factions. Thus they should be the top 3. Alpha Legion is a bit of both as while it's still presumably a unified force, its various cells scattered across the galaxy are acting independently towards the same goal.

My Armies:
5,500pts
2,700pts
2,000pts


 
   
Made in us
Beast of Nurgle




LoneLictor wrote:
3. Death Guard
The Death Guard has remained united and strong. In addition they are close allies of the Black Legion.
.


This is incorrect, they are not united. After Mortarion created the plague planet and fashioned it in the likeness of his homeworld, Typhus and a few other captains along with their men left the legion. This is why Typhus bears the mark of nurgle only and not that of the death guard.

As far as power, black legion is the most powerful after that, there is really no point in arguing the other legions. Only abbadon realizes they must unite to take Terra. The other legions simply follow their own ambitions. Don't get me wrong word bearers are my favorite but they do not have the same vision as abbadon. They certainly are more powerful than the thousand sons tho, the thousand suns are almost as dissolved as the world eaters, small warbands just roaming the galaxy with the exception of ahriman





 
   
Made in us
Mutated Chosen Chaos Marine







Eliliketheanchor wrote:
LoneLictor wrote:
3. Death Guard
The Death Guard has remained united and strong. In addition they are close allies of the Black Legion.
.


This is incorrect, they are not united. After Mortarion created the plague planet and fashioned it in the likeness of his homeworld, Typhus and a few other captains along with their men left the legion. This is why Typhus bears the mark of nurgle only and not that of the death guard.

As far as power, black legion is the most powerful after that, there is really no point in arguing the other legions. Only abbadon realizes they must unite to take Terra. The other legions simply follow their own ambitions. Don't get me wrong word bearers are my favorite but they do not have the same vision as abbadon. They certainly are more powerful than the thousand sons tho, the thousand suns are almost as dissolved as the world eaters, small warbands just roaming the galaxy with the exception of ahriman



The Word Bearers definitely are strong, but they're also stagnant. The Thousand Sons are weaker than the Word Bearers but they continue to fight.
   
Made in gb
Monstrously Massive Big Mutant






Actually it's probably the Word Bearers. They haven't launched any big crusades but they are a constant pain to the imperium. The casulties from all the wars caused by heresys influenced by the WB could be more than the damage caused by the BL.



For The Greater Good

Taking painting commisions, PM or email me at 4m2armageddon@googlemail.com
For any requests. 
   
Made in gb
Longtime Dakkanaut





I don't understand how the Word Bearers are "stagnant". Stagnant as is, they aren't splintered into warbands like six of the other Legions? Word Bearers haven't been the most successful, but saying they are the least is a little bit of an over-exaggeration. What have the Emperors Children done?
   
Made in sg
Angry Blood Angel Assault marine




Rooted to the Chair

The Alpha Legion, they are arguably the most successful because we still know so little about them even after 10000 years. If they can hide thier strength, they are the strongest.
However, based on what we know, the Black Legion has the greatest number of marines and followers, you can try to be like them, or create your army after them.
   
Made in us
Grisly Ghost Ark Driver





Bay Area CA

Monster Rain wrote:Word Bearers.

There wouldn't be any Chaos Legions without them.

+1


Word bearers, the most sucsessfull, bases in the mealstrom and the eye, still at legion strength.

oh yes, they are the ones.

Lorgar needs to get off his medetating ass, kill Failadon the despoiler, and take charge.

   
Made in us
Lone Wolf Sentinel Pilot





San Diego, California

iproxtaco wrote:What have the Emperors Children done?
A lot of cocaine

Anyway, my vote goes to the Black Legion, they actually are assaulting Cadia and it seems like they've done quite a bit there. On the second-most heavily fortified planet in the Imperium (barring Terra).

2000 pts 
   
Made in us
Fixture of Dakka





Gavo wrote:. On the second-most heavily fortified planet in the Imperium (barring Terra).

Mars?

"'players must agree how they are going to select their armies, and if any restrictions apply to the number and type of models they can use."

This is an actual rule in the actual rulebook. Quit whining about how you can imagine someone's army touching you in a bad place and play by the actual rules.


Freelance Ontologist

When people ask, "What's the point in understanding everything?" they've just disqualified themselves from using questions and should disappear in a puff of paradox. But they don't understand and just continue existing, which are also their only two strategies for life. 
   
Made in us
Mutated Chosen Chaos Marine







iproxtaco wrote:I don't understand how the Word Bearers are "stagnant". Stagnant as is, they aren't splintered into warbands like six of the other Legions? Word Bearers haven't been the most successful, but saying they are the least is a little bit of an over-exaggeration. What have the Emperors Children done?


They killed Reboute Gulliman. Actually, wait, they didn't. They just mortally wounded him and doomed him to a paralyzed fate worse than death.

Also, if we count in the Word Bearer's actions during the Horus Heresy, then I'd rate them as Number 5 or higher. I was just rating their accomplishments after the Heresy. They haven't done much beyond set up cults and take place in the Black Crusades, which almost every other Legion has down since then.
   
Made in ca
Stone Bonkers Fabricator General






Alpha Legion is at the bottom. They're so inactive they've been declared extinct several times.

 
   
Made in gb
Longtime Dakkanaut





So, because they haven't killed or mortally wounded a Primarch, they are lowest on the scale, despite doing more than any other Legion to further their goals bar The Black Legion and possibly the Alpha Legion. Setting up countless cults across the Imperium is a lot better than performing one act and then splintering into hundreds of individual bands. Them, the Iron Warriors and The Black Legion are the only remotely unified force, each having a central command, the same goals throughout the Legion, and coordination.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2011/06/28 19:58:15


 
   
Made in gb
Monstrously Massive Big Mutant






Also, if we count in the Word Bearer's actions during the Horus Heresy, then I'd rate them as Number 5 or higher. I was just rating their accomplishments after the Heresy. They haven't done much beyond set up cults and take place in the Black Crusades, which almost every other Legion has down since then.


Huh?

If we rate them including actions during the heresy then it is definately the Word bearers are easily number 1 seeing that they started the heresy.



For The Greater Good

Taking painting commisions, PM or email me at 4m2armageddon@googlemail.com
For any requests. 
   
 
Forum Index » 40K Background
Go to: