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So I'm currently working on my Horus Heresy Alpha Legion. While Horus Heresy is by far the game I play, 40k is also nice for some fast and simple "in-between" games.

My question is this; what's the consensus on using some legions from the Horus Heresy range, modeled and painted according to the 30k era, in games of 40k? Myself I think it's justified, especially when it comes to the Alpha Legion. First of all they (as far as we know..) did not really succumb to Chaos in any major way, having few mutations and changes to their bodies. One could also argue that since the Alpha Legion are the masters of deceit and sneaky tactics, it wouldn't be too far fetched to see them using "loyalist" gear still, to confuse their enemies.

So, if using my Alpha Legion in 40k, would an acceptable explanation for my warband be just that? Be played as Chaos Space Marines (because the Imperium is kinda.. you know), but still using their original designs and colour schemes, both to sort of reject Chaos and deceive any Imperium enemies at the same time.

I think it's very much in the character of the Alpha Legion in my opinion, but what's your take on it? Would you buy it, or do you think it's kind of a stretch?

Who cares. They're power armored marines with bolters, play them as 40k ultramarines if you want as long as their gear is WYSIWYG.

I mix parts from 30k marines and 40k chaos marines in my squads to give them the Veterans of the Long War feel, I say go for it.

I think you answered your question already .
It's totally possible to have a rather unchanged Alpha Legion warband in 40K.
If I recall correctly the Alpha Legion didn't even flee into the Eye of Terror so it's okay for them to be not touched by the warp. The Alpha Legion also didn't change their color or heraldry unlike other Chaos marines.

Yeah, I kinda did answer my own question. Just wanted to know what other people think :-)

Thanks for the replies!

I'd love to play a 30k era CSM. Could have a bit of fun with the narrative elements

Alpha Legion is the chaos legion for which doing this makes most sense. (Not that you couldn't play with 30K models for any legion if you wanted, but here there isn't really even any fluff weirdness involved.)

 Peregrine wrote:
Who cares. They're power armored marines with bolters, play them as 40k ultramarines if you want as long as their gear is WYSIWYG.

He can use them even if they aren't WYSIWYG. WYSIWYG hasn't been a rule for nearly a decade IIRC?

There are far worse offenders out there than those who use 30k armies in 40k, you'll be absolutely fine.

The only story incongruity I could think of is if you had a lot of Mk.IV Armour which is complicated to maintain and therefore might not be your first choice when you are a guerrilla fighter.

WYSIWYG is just good practice on all occasions

Yeah hell you can use most of the 30k stuff in 40k. and let me tell you, rapier batteries with the quad bolter, bane of necron warriors right there.

 Kroem wrote:
There are far worse offenders out there than those who use 30k armies in 40k, you'll be absolutely fine.

The only story incongruity I could think of is if you had a lot of Mk.IV Armour which is complicated to maintain and therefore might not be your first choice when you are a guerrilla fighter.

WYSIWYG is just good practice on all occasions

True although 40k will always fall apart when you try and think bout the logistical side of things.

There's a lot of great opportunities for using 30k models. Maybe it's only been 100 years since the heresy for that warband thanks to the warp. Or they could have their own dark mechanicus world that still produces Mk IV for them in return for spoils from their actions.

30k models or 30k rules?

If your army is rules-legal, there's no rules problem.

From a narrative standpoint, it might be the year 40k, but your force might be only days or years removed from 30k due to Warp or stasis. Or maybe isolation. Or maybe your warband leader is an ancient traditionalist.

You could even, in theory, be a Loyalist warband that didn't join your legion in the Heresey if you wanted.

I want my opponents to be consistent in their fluff, but there is no requirement for it.

Also, for items that are not rules-legal, I'm sure you could find counts-as for most of it. Failing that, you could proxy, but you shouldn't need to.

Not sure if this matters but keep in mind that the AL are not loyalists in any capacity according to recent fluff. No covert war against chaos, none of the internet head canon is supported anymore. That being said, I am sure there could be a warband split from the legion proper that rejects chaos, but I'm not sure most people would be up to role playing that since it means to stick to lore you would not have access to imperial goodies and also not have access to chaos goodies (demon princes, hel drakes ect). That is pretty rough on the table top. Of course you are free to use one codex or the other. Or make a whole new one. But if I was at the other end of the table id be most comfortable in you using the marine codex in full. The fact this warband rejects chaos invalidates pretty much all of the CSM codex.

Edit. Not sure if the raven guard chapter tactic is a photocopy of chaos AL or not. But it should be a good fit.

The Alpha Legion pointedly isn't very Chaotic and has many different philosophies and ways of warfare in its ranks.

Use the chaos codex and go very light on the more "possessed" equipment that you can't refluff.Bolter shells make sense, possessed don't.

Clearly your 30k-vintage Alpha Legion models in 40k are a 40k Alpha Legion army who's got some kind of sneaky plan that hinges on making other people think there's been some kind of Warp-related time travel involved.