Alpha Legion

The Alpha Legion are the Chaos Space Marines Traitor Legion about whom the least is known. They are experts in infiltration and their armies contain many Chaos Cultists in addition to regular Chaos Space Marines. The Alpha Legion's Primarch was named Alpharius, who was actually one of the identical twin Primarchs Alpharius Omegon, brilliant and secretive Primarchs, one of whom was reportedly later killed by Roboute Guilliman, the Primarch of the Ultramarines.

Pre-Heresy
Alpharius and Omegon were the final Primarchs to be found, just prior to the end of the Great Crusade and the beginning of the Horus Heresy. Horus, Primarch of the Sons of Horus, followed an escaping group of pirate spacecraft into an asteroid field where they were set upon by multiple smaller craft. Despite being overpowered and outnumbered, Horus' opponents managed to flank him at almost every turn and eventually his own command craft was boarded. A group of five men, the fifth much larger than the rest, burst onto Horus' bridge, and Horus promptly slew four of them. The fifth managed to dodge Horus' shot and the two nearly came to blows before Horus recognized that the enemy warrior could only be a fellow Primarch.

Alpharius, unlike the other Primarchs, was introduced to the Emperor in only a casual way before being given command of the XX Legion, ironically dubbed the Alpha Legion(whether this was out of irony for being the last Legion created or was based on Alpharius' name is not known). Horus took Alpharius under his wing, and even gave overall command authority to Alpharius in later campaigns. In a bizarre turn, Alpharius refused to reveal the location of his homeworld, normally the site of much of an Astartes Legion's recruitment, to the budding Imperium. It is unknown whether Alpharius even had a homeworld or where he matured following his removal through the Warp from the Emperor's gene-labs on Terra.

The last Astartes Legion created during the First Founding, work on the XXth Legion was begun only a few decades before the discovery of their Primarch, Alpharius Omegon. As a result, when Alpharius took command of the Legion, it was young, zealous and completely committed to embracing the Primarch's command and combat philosophy.

In the Horus Heresy novel Legion, it is mentioned that Alpharius and Omegon share the same physical appearance but only together serve as the full Primarch of the Alpha Legion. It is also stated that the Emperor knows Alpharius Omegon's secret; but whether the creation of twin Primarchs was intentional or not remains a mystery. The two Primarchs supposedly share one soul, and Omegon acted as Alpharius' second-in-command of the Legion. The existence of the two Primarchs of the Alpha Legion is known only to the members of the Legion itself, and was a well-kept secret even from the other Legions.

Alpharius believed that secrecy, adaptability and fluidity brought military success, and taught his Legion to apply all such military techniques to both their training and their operations. The Legion's victories in the Great Crusade all feature some form of subterfuge, misdirection or rapid, unexpected movement. Such victories required great skill and dedication to achieve, and the Alpha Legion quickly became an insular and proud military organization. It was this martial pride and unusual philosophy that led to a number of clashes and fights with members of the other Space Marine Legions, particularly against their rivals the Imperial Fists on several instances.

After Alpharius' disagreements with Roboute Guilliman over the honourableness of the Alpha Legion's chosen methods of warfare, the Alpha Legion threw themselves even further into their preferred method of operations, largely cutting themselves off from standard Imperial military practices and orchestrating greater and greater victorious examples of their approach to the Great Crusade, even when more conventional attacks would have been more efficient. The most notorious example of this took place on the world of Tesstra Prime, where the Alpha Legion, instead of taking the opportunity to capture the planetary capital city and thus force the world's surrender, allowed the enemy to dig in and defend it so that they could then expertly take the defending forces apart in a number of different ways. After a week of suffering seemingly random mishaps and deadly sabotage as well as brutal ambushes, the defenders were forced to capitulate, having taken 90% casualties. When asked why the Legion had not taken the simpler strategy, Alpharius is reported to have replied that they avoided it as "it would have been too easy." This campaign brought Alpharius censure from almost all of his brother Primarchs; only the Warmaster Horus, always impressed by Alpharius and his work, praised the Alpha Legion's skill.

With such examples existing in the Imperial records, it is perhaps easy to see why the Alpha Legion sided with Horus when the Warmaster made his pact with Chaos and rebelled against the Emperor; their martial pride and Alpharius' avoidance of all his Primarch brothers apart from Horus seemingly led to their downfall. However, another given reason is that, a scant two years before the Horus Heresy began, Alpharius Omegon was contacted by a human agent of the mysterious xenos organisation known as the Cabal named John Grammaticus, who presented the Primarch with visions of the Horus Heresy to come and other predictions of the future, as well as knowledge about the true nature of Chaos. The Alpha Legion's turn to Chaos was, oddly, something they chose for the Imperium's sake. While undertaking a war of Imperial Compliance on the planet of Nurth, they were approached by a man named John Grammaticus, an agent of an alien organisation known as the Cabal. The Cabal revealed to Alpharius Omegon, as well as two other men, Peto Soneka and a psyker by the name of Shere, the outcome of Horus being named Imperial Warmaster of the Great Crusade--the onset of the terrible civil war called the Horus Heresy. They then presented two psychically foreseen possibilities to the twin Primarchs: If the Emperor won the impending civil war, the Imperium of Man would slowly decay over the next ten to twenty millennia until it and trillions of souls were ultimately consumed by Chaos. If Horus won the war, however, after "two to three generations" Horus would be wracked with guilt for slaying his father the Emperor and would ultimately obliterate all Chaos-tainted factions in the galaxy and humanity itself in constant warfare. Humanity would be destroyed in the process, but the Emperor's greatest foes, the Chaos Gods, would be all but eliminated because so much of their power derived from the inherent psychic flaws of humanity itself. At this point, both Primarchs staggered back and screamed at the vision. “The Alpha Legion has always, always, been for the Emperor,” Alpharius stated. The Primarchs ultimately chose to follow Horus in their belief that the ultimate destruction of Chaos was the choice the Emperor himself would have made, yet their loyalties remained with the Emperor even as they swore their souls to Chaos Undivided.

The Cabal clearly misled the Primarch, as the support of a Loyalist Alpha Legion might have changed the course of the campaign in ways that would have precluded Horus from reaching the Emperor and mortally wounding him. Instead, by supporting Horus, the Alpha Legion actually implemented the future for humanity they had sought to prevent. It is unclear whether the Cabal misunderstood their psychic visions, or whether they were actually agents of Chaos attempting to subvert an otherwise loyal Legion.

The Alpha Legion's battle cry of "For the Emperor!," when viewed in this light, is not the mocking insult of a Traitor Legion it was once thought to be. Rather, it is a testament to the Legion's devotion that they have stayed true to their cause for so long. It is thought that the Alpha Legion's true goal is to release the Emperor from his "prison" of the Golden Throne so the revelation made to them by the Cabal is fulfilled.

The Horus Heresy
After the virus-bombing of Isstvan III, the presumed Loyalist Alpha Legion was one of the Space Marine Legions sent by the Emperor to destroy Horus and the Traitor Legions at their base on Isstvan V. Assigned to the second wave, the Legion instead turned on the loyalist first wave. It is thought by many that much of the traitors' Isstvan V strategy was planned by Alpharius and the Alpha Legion. During the Heresy, the Alpha Legion split off from the main body of Horus' forces early and did not attack Terra with the majority of the Traitor Legions, instead embarking upon a series of delaying actions in an attempt to hold potential Imperial reinforcements for the defence of Terra in place. They also engaged in smaller actions, defeating a White Scars force on Tallarn and a Space Wolves unit at Yarant. Despite their contributions, however, Horus was ultimately defeated by the Emperor aboard his battle barge at the end of the Siege of the Imperial Palace on Terra.

Post-Heresy
In the aftermath of the Horus Heresy, the Alpha Legion did not retreat to the Eye of Terror like the other Traitor Legions; instead they moved on into the galactic East, following new objectives of their own devising. Whether or not being brought to battle with the Ultramarines was one of these objectives is unknown, but it occurred all the same.

On the world of Eskrador, the Alpha Legion was assaulted by Ultramarine forces. Alpharius was reportedly happy with such a development, as it allowed him to demonstrate the superiority of his flexible, multitudinous and unexpected military strategies over the notoriously precise, methodical and perhaps even tactically moribund Ultramarines. However, the Alpha Legion Primarch was apparently taken by surprise when Roboute Guilliman departed from his own strictures and led a surprise assault by his elite units on the Alpha Legion's headquarters. In the resultant personal combat between Alpharius and Guilliman, it is believed that Alpharius was killed. The Alpha Legion responded, not by breaking and fleeing as Guilliman expected, but by turning on the Ultramarine detachment and harrying them so mercilessly that by the time they had returned to the main body of the Ultramarine force their casualties were almost total. The Ultramarines were driven from the planet in the subsequent battle.

Unlike the other Traitor Legions, most of the Alpha Legion does not reside in the Warp, but rather roams the galaxy in warbands of warriors, trained to act independently of each other toward their greater cause. In this way they are by and large the only Traitor Legion not to succumb to the mutations of Chaos, an outcome that may also have been dictated by their continued secret loyalty to the Emperor of Mankind.

Following the battle on Eskrador, the Alpha Legion fractured in order to hide from the Imperium. Small, autonomous warbands were left in imperial space where they set up secret bases in asteroid fields, space hulks and barren worlds. These units launched frequent attacks against military targets that were weakened by the Heresy and still pose a threat to ships, settlements and garrisons. They further spread and coordinate Chaos Cults throughout the galaxy in order to instigate massive revolts against imperial rule. These insurrections are often used to lure imperial forces away from worlds they want to attack, paving the way for large-scale assault from the Eye of Terror.

Their role in spreading heretical cults has earned them the loathing of the Inquisition, which has devoted considerable resources in finding and destroying their secret bases. So far, the Alpha Legion has been declared wiped out by the High Lords of Terra no less than three times, in M31, M32 and M39. These claims have always been disproved by the continued assaults of the Legion.

Pre-Heresy
All Space Marine legions set arduous tasks and trials for potential recruits, but prior to the Horus Heresy the Alpha Legion set these initiation tests for squads, not individuals. Squads succeeded as a group or not at all - foolhardy heroics were frowned upon. The overall plan was paramount and more valuable than any one Space Marine.

The first batch of Alpha Legionaries were notably tall and strong even for members of the Astartes, physical attributes which suited Alpharius' focus on misdirection. For the Primarch put into place a directive that, as far as possible, all Alpha Legion marines had to attempt to look alike; and the visage they patterned themselves on was that of Alpharius and Omegon. As a result, all Alpha Legionaries were at the very least shaven headed, with many going so far as to have cosmetic surgical alteration. Their height also made it easier for them to be confused with the Primarch, although the twins were still the tallest in the Legion. When asked by non-Legion members, all Legionaries gave their names as "Alpharius", even when more than one was present.

This was an extension of the Legion's philosophy that they were a body of one that could strike in many places at once. This complete solidarity with each other expressed itself in other ways. Decisions within the Legion were made in a fairly open and reasonably democratic way, with all ranks - including the Alpha Legions' non-Astartes operatives - allowed to interject and comment freely during planning sessions. This freedom was allowed not just on military matters - the Alpha Legion internally discussed matters of philosophy and galactic policy that would have been forbidden or frowned upon in other Imperial institutions. Later recruits for the Legion were selected by the Primarch primarily based on high intelligence and personal initiative.

The Legion also made a habit of recruiting non-Astartes specialists in every theatre and campaign they entered, commonly members of the Imperial armed forces, though almost any human could be approached by the Legion for his knowledge or skills. These operatives often remained in their original position, ready to respond to Alpha Legion commands. Compromised operatives were not discarded if it could be avoided, and Alpha Legionaries would go to great lengths to retain them or hide their existence, lengths that included the fatal silencing of other Imperials. Operatives were tattooed with a small hydra symbol.

Whilst known to have possessed Terminator and "stealth" squads (who appear to have worn blackened or dulled armour), the majority of the Legion appears to have armed and equipped themselves in a similar fashion unless tactically imprudent. The Alpha Legion were known to operate behind enemy lines and even mingle with enemy civilian populations. In such situations they were apparently able to pass unnoticed with a combination of appropriate dress and psyker mind-clouding.

Post-Heresy
Even less is known about the internal organisation of the Alpha Legion since the Heresy than was known before. On occasions there have been successful assassinations of members of the Legion thought to be high-ranking officers, but their removal has had little visible effect on Alpha Legion operations.

The Legion's symbol, the hydra, is a multi-headed mythical beast which could keep fighting even if one of its heads was cut off. This legend seems to reflect the Alpha Legion's command structure, as well as echoing its doctrine of multiple attacks.

Alpharius believed in planning and co-ordination, he always sought alternatives and multiple solutions to any given problem, with different elements working together for the end result. These doctrines, thoroughly embraced by the Legion as a whole, have apparently been continued by the traitors and have proved effective, especially in the disparate and secretive way they now operate.Extensive preparations are made before actually attacking an imperial target, including using spies and corruption to weaken an enemy's resolve. Not only is an enemy attacked from every angle, but every attack is often coordinated to achieve the most destructive results. Many actions are planned to utilise and support local cultist activity. These cults go to considerable effort to spread propaganda, perform sabotage, and carry out acts of unrest and rebellion, providing a distraction and weakening the enemy before the Alpha Legion strikes. Furthermore, the Legion has been known to ally themselves with anti-imperial forces including other Traitor Legions and xenos. On worlds far away from the Eye of Terror, daemons are less relied upon since they cannot remain stable for long enough to be useful. If the Alpha Legion succeeds in securing the belief of a local Chaos Cult they are summoned to add to the variety of their attacks.

Notable Members

 * Alpharius - Primarch
 * Omegon - Primarch\Leader of the Effrit Stealth Squad
 * Ingo Pech - First Captain of the Legion, Captain of the 1st Company
 * Mathias Herzog - Captain of the 2nd Company
 * Sheed Ranko - Captain of the Lernaean Terminator Squad
 * Arkos - Chaos Lord
 * Bale - Chaos Lord (deceased)
 * Firaeveus Carron - Lord (deceased)
 * Sindri Myr - Chaos Sorcerer, Daemon Prince (deceased)
 * Kernax Voldorius - Daemon Prince (deceased)

Fleet
The Alpha Legion are known to have possessed the following vessels:
 * The Alpha - Battle Barge
 * The Beta - Battle Barge