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Excuse me for my Alpha threads almost literally one straight after the other, I got a reward for being inquisitive once..... this kind of shows it

Well, just as scythewing's '1k sons fluffy army' thread also here on 40K Background, what would constitute for a fluffy Alpha Legion army using the new Chaos Space Marines codex. Obviously some standard chaos marines with the Veterans of the Long War upgrade and then Cultists are a must-have for the Legionnaires, what else would be suitable for a fluffy army? Would Raptors be fine? Those new models make me nerdgasm sooooo much. I don't have the new 'dex yet, waiting on some 'teef' from selling my PSP and some other old stuff I have lying around so all possible help would be appreciated.

Lots of Cultists as your troops. All your Marines should be either VotLW Troop Marines or Chosen. But I'd avoid taking too many Troop marines to be fluffy.

Don't take any marked troops or cult units besides Raptors and Oblits/Maulers.

 Grey Templar wrote:
Lots of Cultists as your troops. All your Marines should be either VotLW Troop Marines or Chosen. But I'd avoid taking too many Troop marines to be fluffy.

Don't take any marked troops or cult units besides Raptors and Oblits/Maulers.

Ok thanks. I've saw the effects VotLW has on chaos marines from the battle report in the new White Dwarf so I'd always use it, but, it also adds a fluffy feel to them which I find as a plus. Chaos marines and Chosen? That's all? So it wouldn't be suitable to field Terminators, or Havocs, or other such power-armoured fellows. Would Obliterators and Maulers really fit the whole aesthetic and feel of an Alpha army? I didn't think the Alphas were entirely contaminated by the Warp in the fact that their base or bases that is, are outside of the Warp dotted about the galaxy.

EDIT: Would any armour within the new 'dex be suitable? Land Raiders, Vindicators, Predators, Rhinos? Any of it?

 Grey Templar wrote:
Lots of Cultists as your troops. All your Marines should be either VotLW Troop Marines or Chosen. But I'd avoid taking too many Troop marines to be fluffy.

Cultists as troops isn't even necessarily fluffy.

Truth be told, taking an "Alpha Legion Force" in and of itself goes against the fluff of the force. They're operators behind the scenes, pulling the strings to engineer the situations to happen. They might step in with their own assets or manipulate forces into operating on their behalf to push those situations along...but if they take the field, they have to be getting something huge in return for it.

That said if you want to do a purely Alpha Legion force and disregard the fluff aspect...
What Grey Templar said.

 Kanluwen wrote:

 Grey Templar wrote:
Lots of Cultists as your troops. All your Marines should be either VotLW Troop Marines or Chosen. But I'd avoid taking too many Troop marines to be fluffy.

Cultists as troops isn't even necessarily fluffy.

Truth be told, taking an "Alpha Legion Force" in and of itself goes against the fluff of the force. They're operators behind the scenes, pulling the strings to engineer the situations to happen. They might step in with their own assets or manipulate forces into operating on their behalf to push those situations along...but if they take the field, they have to be getting something huge in return for it.

That said if you want to do a purely Alpha Legion force and disregard the fluff aspect...
What Grey Templar said.

Okay then Kanluwen, what would your suggestion be? Offer up your two cents?

I would suggest to make a fluffy alpha legion force, play on their anonymity. Id have a base of chaos marine squads, all identically equipped, a very basic lord, some cultists, predators and havocs(all with same weapon). I would also try and make each model look similar with matching helmets and no horns/spiky bits(alpha legion not being chaosy, just very sneaky). Make them all legion, also I suspect a horde of chaos marines, with dual plasma guns would be a good and lethal core to a list. Thats just my idea though, and how I see the alpha legion.

 crimsonfist832 wrote:

 Kanluwen wrote:

 Grey Templar wrote:
Lots of Cultists as your troops. All your Marines should be either VotLW Troop Marines or Chosen. But I'd avoid taking too many Troop marines to be fluffy.

Cultists as troops isn't even necessarily fluffy.

Truth be told, taking an "Alpha Legion Force" in and of itself goes against the fluff of the force. They're operators behind the scenes, pulling the strings to engineer the situations to happen. They might step in with their own assets or manipulate forces into operating on their behalf to push those situations along...but if they take the field, they have to be getting something huge in return for it.

That said if you want to do a purely Alpha Legion force and disregard the fluff aspect...
What Grey Templar said.

Okay then Kanluwen, what would your suggestion be? Offer up your two cents?

Well, if it were me...

I would do a Black Legion or Night Lords force as the "primary" aspect of it. I would then have a single squad all fully kitted out to represent them being "a cut above" the rest so to speak.

Bear in mind though, I'm a bit of a fluffer nutter. I'm of the opinion that certain forces (or subfactions within those forces even) do not actually have a presence on the tabletop. Sometimes though I just realize that people are going to do what they want to do.


One potential thing as well to note is that there are, much like the Night Lords, fractured warbands which hail from the Legion proper and have discarded the techniques/methodology of the Legion at large. With the Alpha Legion we have an example of this from the "Siege at Vraks" books from Forge World, in the form of Arkos the Faithless and his Alpha Legion compatriots who came planetside wearing 'clean' armor and helping the rebels/heretics overthrow the Imperial infrastructure.

 ASWright wrote:
I would suggest to make a fluffy alpha legion force, play on their anonymity. Id have a base of chaos marine squads, all identically equipped, a very basic lord, some cultists, predators and havocs(all with same weapon). I would also try and make each model look similar with matching helmets and no horns/spiky bits(alpha legion not being chaosy, just very sneaky). Make them all legion, also I suspect a horde of chaos marines, with dual plasma guns would be a good and lethal core to a list. Thats just my idea though, and how I see the alpha legion.

I never thought of that That's actually an amazing idea ASWright. Make them identical to reinforce the 'Legion' and 'I Am Alpharius' aspect of the lot. The problem with that is it conflicts with those few Chosen in Dark Vengeance (which I bought for the pure epicness of those Chosen, and that Lord). What about slight variation however? Like half boltguns, half CCW? Maybe that will show off the more Alpharius/Omegon aspect, and maybe even do the same for appearances. Have half rather plain and the other half a little more 'chaotic'.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Kanluwen wrote:

 crimsonfist832 wrote:

 Kanluwen wrote:

 Grey Templar wrote:
Lots of Cultists as your troops. All your Marines should be either VotLW Troop Marines or Chosen. But I'd avoid taking too many Troop marines to be fluffy.

Cultists as troops isn't even necessarily fluffy.

Truth be told, taking an "Alpha Legion Force" in and of itself goes against the fluff of the force. They're operators behind the scenes, pulling the strings to engineer the situations to happen. They might step in with their own assets or manipulate forces into operating on their behalf to push those situations along...but if they take the field, they have to be getting something huge in return for it.

That said if you want to do a purely Alpha Legion force and disregard the fluff aspect...
What Grey Templar said.

Okay then Kanluwen, what would your suggestion be? Offer up your two cents?

Well, if it were me...

I would do a Black Legion or Night Lords force as the "primary" aspect of it. I would then have a single squad all fully kitted out to represent them being "a cut above" the rest so to speak.

Bear in mind though, I'm a bit of a fluffer nutter. I'm of the opinion that certain forces (or subfactions within those forces even) do not actually have a presence on the tabletop. Sometimes though I just realize that people are going to do what they want to do.


One potential thing as well to note is that there are, much like the Night Lords, fractured warbands which hail from the Legion proper and have discarded the techniques/methodology of the Legion at large. With the Alpha Legion we have an example of this from the "Siege at Vraks" books from Forge World, in the form of Arkos the Faithless and his Alpha Legion compatriots who came planetside wearing 'clean' armor and helping the rebels/heretics overthrow the Imperial infrastructure.

However much I enjoy and actively seek opinions I'm afraid the Black Legion/Night Lords idea won't be used, sorry. I have too large a love for the Alpha Legion to go painting them in the colours of a legion/warband or legions/warbands that I really don't like. Black Legion are just bland and bleh to me, too much like the Ultrasmurfs of the traitors, and while the Night Lords are better I just don't have the same love for them. But, I do see what you mean by the 'cut above the rest elitist' thing

That thing on fractured warbands and splinters of the original Legions is what I'm doing. My force is the post-Heresy version of my pre-Heresy 14th Company and they function individually, but, due to their master's obedience and unquestionable loyalty they have kept on the abilties and ways of the Alpha Legion.

Using regular Marine models as a base might be a decent idea; in the fluff, the Alpha Legion has disguised itself as loyal chapters before, and there aren't really any benefits to anonymity by adding a bunch of distinctive spikes and trophies to your armor. It'd also make your Chaos army very distinctive.

 Kanluwen wrote:
Cultists as troops isn't even necessarily fluffy.

Truth be told, taking an "Alpha Legion Force" in and of itself goes against the fluff of the force. They're operators behind the scenes, pulling the strings to engineer the situations to happen. They might step in with their own assets or manipulate forces into operating on their behalf to push those situations along...but if they take the field, they have to be getting something huge in return for it.

That said if you want to do a purely Alpha Legion force and disregard the fluff aspect...
What Grey Templar said.

A Warhammer 40,000 battle is a small skirmish that lasts only for approximately fifteen minutes. I think it could easily work with the fluff if you think of it as the ending stage of an Alpha Legion plan, or a contingency option for when the main plan goes sour. The Alpha Legion are still space marines made for fighting; they don't avoid it all the time.

It was just an idea I had, your idea sounds good as well and the new chosen models are fantastic and need to be used. I only don't believe alpha legion should look chaotic because if my faulty memory serves me correctly, the alpha legion warbands, don't make a base in the eye of terror but are hidden through the imperium in asteroid fields and the like (Though, the imperium believe they've wiped them out a few times). The issue with my idea is I think the army would look striking together, but models would be bland on there own, and be confused for loyalist marines.

1068SCP wrote:
Using regular Marine models as a base might be a decent idea; in the fluff, the Alpha Legion has disguised itself as loyal chapters before, and there aren't really any benefits to anonymity by adding a bunch of distinctive spikes and trophies to your armor. It'd also make your Chaos army very distinctive.

 Kanluwen wrote:
Cultists as troops isn't even necessarily fluffy.

Truth be told, taking an "Alpha Legion Force" in and of itself goes against the fluff of the force. They're operators behind the scenes, pulling the strings to engineer the situations to happen. They might step in with their own assets or manipulate forces into operating on their behalf to push those situations along...but if they take the field, they have to be getting something huge in return for it.

That said if you want to do a purely Alpha Legion force and disregard the fluff aspect...
What Grey Templar said.

A Warhammer 40,000 battle is a small skirmish that lasts only for approximately fifteen minutes. I think it could easily work with the fluff if you think of it as the ending stage of an Alpha Legion plan, or a contingency option for when the main plan goes sour. The Alpha Legion are still space marines made for fighting; they don't avoid it all the time.

I like this idea, like ASWrights idea. Don't know about using just normal space marine models however because they still are chaos so I believe when in their true identity and skin they would look a little baroque in a dark sense, to represent their descent into darkness even though not as much as the other Legions. I could use chaos marine pieces and remove all spikes and such perhaps, but that really does rule out the DV chosen and the new raptors so I'm a little uneasy


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 ASWright wrote:
It was just an idea I had, your idea sounds good as well and the new chosen models are fantastic and need to be used. I only don't believe alpha legion should look chaotic because if my faulty memory serves me correctly, the alpha legion warbands, don't make a base in the eye of terror but are hidden through the imperium in asteroid fields and the like (Though, the imperium believe they've wiped them out a few times). The issue with my idea is I think the army would look striking together, but models would be bland on there own, and be confused for loyalist marines.

Your idea is great to such an extent I may employ it. I could always attempt to de-spike my chosen and make them look slightly less chaotic, despite the leering daemonic faces and whatnot; although those faces could represent brutal and terror inspiring artwork engraved into the armour so when the manipulation is done and dusted and they reveal themselves, they exude an aura of evil. They may not be as evil as others like the World Eaters, Word Bearers, or Night Lords but I still suggest they are evil. And yes you are correct. They have their bases in asteroid fields, asteroids, moons, and abandoned and scattered bases and such rather than in the Eye of Terror.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also could somebody with access to the new codex please confirm this or at least inform me. I heard something about Huron, something to do with Infiltrate? or Infiltrate being gave out? Anybody clear the air on this one???

The fluffiest possible Alpha Legion force would include no one identifiable as Alpha Legion. If no one is in power armor, that throws off suspicion more. If no one is even human, that throws off suspicion EVEN more.

So clearly what you want is a Fire Warrior horde led by an Ethereal. Then when you lose, you steeple your fingers and say "Just as planned...."

Bludbaff wrote:
The fluffiest possible Alpha Legion force would include no one identifiable as Alpha Legion. If no one is in power armor, that throws off suspicion more. If no one is even human, that throws off suspicion EVEN more.

So clearly what you want is a Fire Warrior horde led by an Ethereal. Then when you lose, you steeple your fingers and say "Just as planned...."

You, sir, made my day

Said Tau force must also have Allied Squats that count as IG. And lots of Drones. Double FoC, 6 squads of Gundrones and as many drones as their other units can legally purchase.

Actually you CAN take cult marines. Just in a different form...

The Alpha Legion likes to use whatever method necessary to get the job done, right?

This opens up a plethora of options. Khorne beserkers could be hyper drugged up cultists/servitors or even xenos.

Plague Marines could be slow moving sentient (OMG evil!) robots.

I don't know about the other options.

Bludbaff wrote:
The fluffiest possible Alpha Legion force would include no one identifiable as Alpha Legion. If no one is in power armor, that throws off suspicion more. If no one is even human, that throws off suspicion EVEN more.

So clearly what you want is a Fire Warrior horde led by an Ethereal. Then when you lose, you steeple your fingers and say "Just as planned...."

Take an exalt for that!

My favorite Alpha Legion army I've seen was actually all standard Space Marines, with the appropriate conversion kits applied to use MkIII armor patterns and the like, with any Imperial Eagles removed.

Since the Alpha Legion is, just like most other chaos legions, heavily fractured. You can pretty much take whatever you want.
An Alpha Legion warband with lots of cult marines is not necessarily less fluffy than one which relies on cultists.
At the end of the day all that matters is what benefits your Champion's goals ( if he has any ).

Also could somebody with access to the new codex please confirm this or at least inform me. I heard something about Huron, something to do with Infiltrate? or Infiltrate being gave out? Anybody clear the air on this one???

Huron has a locked in Warlord trait, Master of Deception. It allows you to Infiltrate up to D3 units in your army. I'd suggest doing a "counts as" Huron for your Alpha Legion force, it seems to be what all the Night Lords and Alpha Legion players are doing right now to reinforce their fluff.

Ahriman actually has the same locked in warlord trait, so if you wanted a Night Lords/Alpha Legion Sorceror lord, do a "counts as" Ahriman, it would work just as well.

The Alpha Legion are the master manipulators of 40K. I'd suggest taking a a force of IG/ Orks / Necrons / Tau and then a couple of squads of Chaos Space Marines or Chosen plus a lord to observe/ coerce the helpless patsies as they work to the greater schemes of Alpharius.

If I am not using your reply as a quote I mean no offence I'm just choosing the ones I can relate to more. Sorry but in no way shape or form am I having Tau in a CSM army, I don't even like the models so I see no use for that.... just my opinion, so all you Tau players out there don't be getting a Hulk rage on.

Far Seer wrote:Actually you CAN take cult marines. Just in a different form...

The Alpha Legion likes to use whatever method necessary to get the job done, right?

This opens up a plethora of options. Khorne beserkers could be hyper drugged up cultists/servitors or even xenos.

Plague Marines could be slow moving sentient (OMG evil!) robots.

I don't know about the other options.

Hmm yeh. I always liked Nurgle, so much so I have the Nurgle Daemon Prince. Might do that actually but I'll lessen the cultish look on them to make them more Alpha less, well, cult.

KalashnikovMarine wrote:

Bludbaff wrote:
The fluffiest possible Alpha Legion force would include no one identifiable as Alpha Legion. If no one is in power armor, that throws off suspicion more. If no one is even human, that throws off suspicion EVEN more.

So clearly what you want is a Fire Warrior horde led by an Ethereal. Then when you lose, you steeple your fingers and say "Just as planned...."

Take an exalt for that!

My favorite Alpha Legion army I've seen was actually all standard Space Marines, with the appropriate conversion kits applied to use MkIII armor patterns and the like, with any Imperial Eagles removed.

Noooooo! No Fire Warriors! No Ethereals! No Tau AT ALL!

As for your favourite Alpha army thing, I am tossing the idea about but the problem is that it would look disparate amongst my Alphas as they stand because I have the DV CSM's and the CSM termies complete with spikey adornments. You all see, I built them just prior to posting this thread, the thought never occured to me

KingDeath wrote:Since the Alpha Legion is, just like most other chaos legions, heavily fractured. You can pretty much take whatever you want.
An Alpha Legion warband with lots of cult marines is not necessarily less fluffy than one which relies on cultists.
At the end of the day all that matters is what benefits your Champion's goals ( if he has any ).

Yeh I am thinking of making them a darker more twisted parody. They adhere to all the old techniques and procedures of warfare but they are more brash and arrogant. They still infiltrate the upper echelons of society(ies) but they relish showing their true colours and harming Mankind and the xenos. I am still going to be using plenty of cultists however, they just seem so obviously Alpha and I have a fond attachment to the guys'.

UberhAxTHC wrote:Also could somebody with access to the new codex please confirm this or at least inform me. I heard something about Huron, something to do with Infiltrate? or Infiltrate being gave out? Anybody clear the air on this one???

Huron has a locked in Warlord trait, Master of Deception. It allows you to Infiltrate up to D3 units in your army. I'd suggest doing a "counts as" Huron for your Alpha Legion force, it seems to be what all the Night Lords and Alpha Legion players are doing right now to reinforce their fluff.

Ahriman actually has the same locked in warlord trait, so if you wanted a Night Lords/Alpha Legion Sorceror lord, do a "counts as" Ahriman, it would work just as well.

Well why thank you for this. I had an inkling of that but required a true answer. Well, it seems my Alphas will be seeing an awful lot more of Huron. Ahriman? That's a maybe.....