Legion

[Angels_Blade]

Well i'm only up to chapter 3 so far but i have to say that this is scraping up to be the best in the series so far!!

Alpharius, if that is him, is so cool and very very mysterius but i have to say, i love the idea of marines fighting without power armour

 

I have nothing too great to give away yet but if anyone has questions i'd be happy to answer them.

 

p.s. Dan Abnett F.T.W.!!!

[Morkhai]

I didn't even know that is was released yet...

[Angels_Blade]

Its not, but i mangaed to get a copy early.

The Cabel are intereseting but i have no idea who they are. Anyone heard of them before?

[Weiss]

It is out in England, just go down to Waterstone's or you GW store...

[Angels_Blade]

Not yet, It's released on Sat in the UK

[Cry Wolf]

Its a really good book, i read it all last night. if you do not like it i fear for your sanity.

As i would do if you completely understood it on the first time through!

 

Cry Wolf

[Ju'kosian]

Ordered mine today !! (actually yesterday, but there some credit card issues apperently)

[Guest pandion40]

Below is a review of Legion by Mechanicus off Warseer.

 

I have just finished Legion, one of Abnett's best works in my opinion. If you don't want to know any spoilers or any of the secrets listed ahead, don't read any further.

 

 

 

So - I'll start with the story itself; I liked it. It kept me interested and, well, the subtitle isn't secrets and lies for nothing. I felt that although some outlandish claims were thrown around, but they were done in a good way. Nice ending, and enjoyable. It takes place around two years before Isstvan V, and ends just about during the beginning of Horus Rising.

 

 

 

You barely see the Alpha Legion itself at work. You see it from the perspective of the Imperial Army, but little to nothing is from the Legion's perspective.

 

 

 

Also, it's much more... flavoursome and different, I suppose, than the others, though that might be more to do with the few astartes viewpoints in it. It felt more sci-fi to me than the rest of the series so far. It seemed a bit fresher rather than the well-trodden warporn you get from some BL books, though I don't object to those books on the principal of them being so - I'm entertained easily.

 

 

 

Now onto those secrets that were rumoured. I would like to just disabuse some of you as to the nature of them. There is no word of the missing Legions - well, a possibility as you'll see. Nothing on Alpharius' homeworld either. A few things of note:

 

 

 

1. The Cabal is a sort of council of the 'old kinds' - essentially, it seems to be a few of the remaining Old One races that survived to the present, much like what Gav Thorpe suggested on these forums so long ago, but on a lesser scale. They, it seems, took notice of mankind and recruited humans to their cause 'as long as there had been humans to recruit', because their farsight caused them to see that they would pay a pitiful part in the galaxy. They sought the Alpha Legion out to persuade them to join their cause, which I'll elaborate on later, because they were not blinded by the Imperial dogma like the other Legions, being the last founded.

 

 

 

2. Alpharius, primarch of the Alpha Legion has two bodies. One soul, two bodies, according to the Cabal. The other is named Omegon, rather unimaginatively. What this precisely means, I don't know. I presume that they were in the same pod; if they weren't then we have a missing primarch, but I doubt it. However, this does hint that Alpharius didn't die over at Eskrador. Not all of him, at least...

 

 

 

3. The Alpha Legion was loyal to the Emperor. Or to his ideals, at least. Due to circumstances which I will elaborate on below, Alpharius/Omegon decided the best way to remain loyal to his ideals was to join the traitors. See below.

 

 

 

4. The Cabal saw that the one way to defeat the Chaos gods (Primordial Annihilator, as the Cabal say) is to sacrifice humanity. The precise nature of why wasn't elaborated on, but a short vision of a galaxy with Horus ruling was shown. Horus, riven with self loathing and anger because he still had honour in the end. He felt guilt at his actions, and began to take out that guilt on others. Even his closest friends war with him. The human race will die within two or three generations. Chaos will burn brighter than ever in the final armageddon, before being extinguished as humanity brings the Chaos Gods down with them, and bringing down the Chaos Gods is the Emperor's highest priority. Humanity's sacrifice, in other words, saves the rest of the galaxy. We don't precisely know why that would happen, but perhaps it has something to do with 'overdosing' on humanity, neglecting other possible subjects, and not being able to sustain themselves afterwards, with the bulk of the emotional vibrancy in the galaxy gone; or perhaps Horus finds a way to take out vengeance on the gods - who knows? Just my thoughts. Of course, there's no way of verifying that would happen, or if the Cabal were just trying to manipulate Alpharius/Omegon into doing their bidding.

 

 

 

5. It also gives a view into the galaxy if Horus loses. Humanity stagnating, dying a slow death, with 'ten, twenty thousand years of misery and rot' to follow, until Chaos achieves ascendency. So that's the Cabal's prediction of the end of 40K within ten millennia - unless they found another plan, of course.

 

 

 

I don't know if Abnett thought one or two of these was meant to be one secret, or if I included two secrets in one, or perhaps I missed one in my enthralment, but that's what I got out of it.

 

 

 

So there you go - enjoy.

 

 

Original thread = http://warseer.com/forums/40k-background/1...sy-loyalty.html

 

Black Library Legion Page with free extract = http://www.blacklibrary.com/product.asp?pr...0&type=Book

 

 

 

I also really enjoyed the book like Mechanicus said it focuses on 2 members of the Imperial Army and a human servant of the cabal as they come into contact with the Alpha Legion.

 

 

The Alpha Legion are described as extreamly pragmatic and willing to be uterly ruthless when needed. Alot of there original background seems to be untrue. They dont have a little Brother complex and are uterly loyal to the emperor, not Horus.

 

 

 

As has been said they are Shown 2 futures one were the Emp wins this is the present timline, a slow desent to superstition and ignorunce followed by the total and eternal Victory of Chaos, Or a future where Horus wins and then cosumed by self loathing turns on everyone else, the human Race is consumed in a massive war taking the Chaos gods down with them and leaving a free galaxy for the other Races.

 

They appear to take the second option as they believe the end of the Chaos gods to be the Emps main goal, but i would not be surprised if they are persuing a third option that the Cabel either didn't know about or tried to hide.

 

 

 

Anyway at least at the start of the Hersey The Alpha Legion have sided with Horus But have not Fallen to Chaos, they also have alot of knowledge of Chaos and are still loyal to the goals of the Emp. So it's left open if the Alpha legion of the present has fallen to Chaos or if they are still loyal to the Emp.

 

[Espada Azul]

Interesting information there, certainly, but I think that by and large, the contemporary Alpha Legionnaire has turned to Chaos, or at the very least use as a means to whatever ends that particular warband work towards. For example, Arkos (from the Siege of Vraks) was definitely a Chaos worshipper.

[Weiss]

Not yet, It's released on Sat in the UK

Go look in your GW... It's in mine anyway...

[Warrior Of Ultramar]

Below is a review of Legion by Mechanicus off Warseer.

 

I have just finished Legion, one of Abnett's best works in my opinion. If you don't want to know any spoilers or any of the secrets listed ahead, don't read any further.

 

 

 

So - I'll start with the story itself; I liked it. It kept me interested and, well, the subtitle isn't secrets and lies for nothing. I felt that although some outlandish claims were thrown around, but they were done in a good way. Nice ending, and enjoyable. It takes place around two years before Isstvan V, and ends just about during the beginning of Horus Rising.

 

 

 

You barely see the Alpha Legion itself at work. You see it from the perspective of the Imperial Army, but little to nothing is from the Legion's perspective.

 

 

 

Also, it's much more... flavoursome and different, I suppose, than the others, though that might be more to do with the few astartes viewpoints in it. It felt more sci-fi to me than the rest of the series so far. It seemed a bit fresher rather than the well-trodden warporn you get from some BL books, though I don't object to those books on the principal of them being so - I'm entertained easily.

 

 

 

Now onto those secrets that were rumoured. I would like to just disabuse some of you as to the nature of them. There is no word of the missing Legions - well, a possibility as you'll see. Nothing on Alpharius' homeworld either. A few things of note:

 

 

 

1. The Cabal is a sort of council of the 'old kinds' - essentially, it seems to be a few of the remaining Old One races that survived to the present, much like what Gav Thorpe suggested on these forums so long ago, but on a lesser scale. They, it seems, took notice of mankind and recruited humans to their cause 'as long as there had been humans to recruit', because their farsight caused them to see that they would pay a pitiful part in the galaxy. They sought the Alpha Legion out to persuade them to join their cause, which I'll elaborate on later, because they were not blinded by the Imperial dogma like the other Legions, being the last founded.

 

 

 

2. Alpharius, primarch of the Alpha Legion has two bodies. One soul, two bodies, according to the Cabal. The other is named Omegon, rather unimaginatively. What this precisely means, I don't know. I presume that they were in the same pod; if they weren't then we have a missing primarch, but I doubt it. However, this does hint that Alpharius didn't die over at Eskrador. Not all of him, at least...

 

 

 

3. The Alpha Legion was loyal to the Emperor. Or to his ideals, at least. Due to circumstances which I will elaborate on below, Alpharius/Omegon decided the best way to remain loyal to his ideals was to join the traitors. See below.

 

 

 

4. The Cabal saw that the one way to defeat the Chaos gods (Primordial Annihilator, as the Cabal say) is to sacrifice humanity. The precise nature of why wasn't elaborated on, but a short vision of a galaxy with Horus ruling was shown. Horus, riven with self loathing and anger because he still had honour in the end. He felt guilt at his actions, and began to take out that guilt on others. Even his closest friends war with him. The human race will die within two or three generations. Chaos will burn brighter than ever in the final armageddon, before being extinguished as humanity brings the Chaos Gods down with them, and bringing down the Chaos Gods is the Emperor's highest priority. Humanity's sacrifice, in other words, saves the rest of the galaxy. We don't precisely know why that would happen, but perhaps it has something to do with 'overdosing' on humanity, neglecting other possible subjects, and not being able to sustain themselves afterwards, with the bulk of the emotional vibrancy in the galaxy gone; or perhaps Horus finds a way to take out vengeance on the gods - who knows? Just my thoughts. Of course, there's no way of verifying that would happen, or if the Cabal were just trying to manipulate Alpharius/Omegon into doing their bidding.

 

 

 

5. It also gives a view into the galaxy if Horus loses. Humanity stagnating, dying a slow death, with 'ten, twenty thousand years of misery and rot' to follow, until Chaos achieves ascendency. So that's the Cabal's prediction of the end of 40K within ten millennia - unless they found another plan, of course.

 

 

 

I don't know if Abnett thought one or two of these was meant to be one secret, or if I included two secrets in one, or perhaps I missed one in my enthralment, but that's what I got out of it.

 

 

 

So there you go - enjoy.

 

 

Anyway at least at the start of the Hersey The Alpha Legion have sided with Horus But have not Fallen to Chaos, they also have alot of knowledge of Chaos and are still loyal to the goals of the Emp. So it's left open if the Alpha legion of the present has fallen to Chaos or if they are still loyal to the Emp.

 

 

The only other other thing i'd add to these...

 

 

Your first point, about being recruited by the cabal because of not being 'blinded by imperial dogma' isn't quite true. The Alpha legion were/still are?... as loyal as any legion, its just that being the last founded legion, there gene-seed is still 'fresh' - that is to say, is not as re-used as the other legions, who by doing so have slightly weakened their gene-seed, and so the Alpha legionaires are effectively stronger than any marine from the other legions, at the point of this book.

 

To answer your second point most directly, Alpharius doesn't have 'two bodies, one soul,' but rather, he has a twin. Yes, Alpharius is a twin Primarch, indeed the only twin space marines in the galaxy. His full name is Alpharius Omegon, but the Alpha legion just call one Alpharius and one Omegon. This effectively means that technically, there were 21 Primarchs created. It also means that Guilliman did indeed kill Alpharius, its just the alpha legion are still led by a primarch ^^

 

The rest of your points about joining the losing side in order to destroy Chaos, are correct, but i'll just elaborate. Basically, Alpharius and Omegon were shown by the Cabal two choices. Either, Horus wins, in which case, for the reasons above, the galaxy will tear itself apart within 2-3 generations, and mankind will be destroyed utterly. This will destroy the Chaos gods in the process, because the Chaos gods are essentially raw human emotions given form. so, when the last human dies, the Chaos gods will have no way to exist, as they are not the result of the galaxies alien races emotions.

The second option was that the Emperor wins, in which case, he will end up on the Golden Throne, and the imperium will stagnate, and Chaos will slowly, in 20-30 thousand years, seep back into the galaxy and destroy everything utterly, and triumph. To stop this happening, the Alpha Legion decided to go through with the Emperor's ultimate plan to destroy chaos, even though it will be at the cost of Mankind.

 

 

The most amazing connection i have made, however, is that in the Alpha Legion's Index Astartes article (WD 277) their battlecry is written down (by the victors, of course) as being 'For the Emperor!' - which is described as a way of insulting and infruriating any enemy who recognises them as traitors. Wrong. When an Alpha Legionaire yells his battlecry, he actually means it... ^^ :P

 

This is truly an awsome book! Very well done Mr. Abnett!!!!

[Guest pandion40]

Interesting information there, certainly, but I think that by and large, the contemporary Alpha Legionnaire has turned to Chaos, or at the very least use as a means to whatever ends that particular warband work towards. For example, Arkos (from the Siege of Vraks) was definitely a Chaos worshipper.

 

 

This is certainly one possibility but you have to remember GW change the background all the time. New Info is replacing the old all the time. So GW could change the background of the 40K Alpha Legion just like they have just changed the Background of the 30K Alpha Legion.

 

 

I don’t believe they will however it will be too big a risk. Allot will depend on how the book is received if it’s very successful they may do it, but they would have to be very certain before they risk alienating Alpha Legion Players.

 

 

That’s what it comes down to if GW believes it would be a popular move and sell more models they will change the Background and the old stories will just be explained as acting or they will say they do recruit a few real Chaos worshipers to make the illusion more convincing.

 

 

Personally I hope they do it but all the recent summer campaigns where GW starts loads of rumours before hand of how this campaign could change 40K, and then things go on as normal have convinced me they aren’t brave enough to do this even if they want to

[Perry]

in the IA articles on Alpha Legion their battle cry was "For the Emperor"? i could be wrong i havnt read it for a long while

 

I liked the John Grammaticus character, his memories of ancient terra and his meeting with the emperor i enjoyed.

[The Iterator]

Got my copy from GW Manchester on Monday and Im just sitting down to read it now, I hope its good!

[Admiral Dick]

Thanks Angel's Blade et al for the info, certainly sounds like an interesting read.

 

is anyone else getting a little tired of all the Chaos Space Marines who aren't Chaos Space Marines though? not only are basic Renegade Chapters like the Soul Drinkers not actually Chaotic, but even the 9 Traitor Legions (who are supposed to be the poster boys for Chaos) seem to be becoming less and less to do with Chaos eith every publication. Flugrim wasn't, the IWs aren't, the NL aren't and now the AL aren't. how long before we find out that the WB aren't and the BL were only pretending.

 

pretty soon the daemons and Chaos gods won't be either.

 

don't get me wrong, i'm sure its an enjoyable read, but i'm starting to get quite bored of the seemingly overt removal of actual Chaos from the background. everyone's just generically evil now, and that's really not the same thingl.

[Jiri the Corrupted]

Well after finishing my cope, only took me five hours (do I read too fast?), I have some questions.

 

Note that from this point on there will be SPOILERS but then again, this thread is filled with those.

 

First one: were all Alpha Legionaires aware of the reason for their 'betrayal'?

Second: after campaining in the name of Chaos, are they still actually fighting in the name of the Emperor or have they since been corrupted?

Third: Now that Horus failed, is a 'victory' for the Alpha Legion still possible or has the second option of the Cabal become the reality that can't be changed.

Fourth and last: where have all those true Chaotic evil downright nasty and horrible Chaos Space Marines gone? Where are the Arch Heretics that slay in the name of the True Powers just for the sake of it? Really, I need to know. The WB, BL and WE spring to mind but the other members of the 'great nine' seem to get less evil by the book...

 

Great read though! If you haven't got it yet, then what are you reading this for!? Go get yours! NOW!

[Cry Wolf]

yes Its a really good book. And Yay GW Manchester!!

 

Cry Wolf

[moranimal]

You know, it really is messed up that we have to wait an extra month here across the pond to get our copies. Either that or pay outrageous shipping fees. I mean really, what's up with that!?!?!?! Or well, I'll just wait my extra month here in sunny Southern California. :D

[Rain]

I don't know, the Iron Warriors were actually portrayed as a lot more chaotic in Storm of Iron than their 3.5 codex article made them out to be. Strom of Iron included berzerkers, demon engines, sacrifices of prisoners to the Chaos Gods, and just plain ol' debauchery on the part of my favorite boltgun bedecked baddies. That being said, I agree with the overall idea that chaos should remain chaos and the "kind of chaos but without the chaos" bit should be left to the Flesh Tearers, Relictors, etc.

[Weiss]

You know, it really is messed up that we have to wait an extra month here across the pond to get our copies. Either that or pay outrageous shipping fees. I mean really, what's up with that!?!?!?! Or well, I'll just wait my extra month here in sunny Southern California.

 

Come on man, you get practically everything else before we do, I think we deserve at least something... :D

 

With the Chaos but not really chaos thing: I think that as you get to know a legion/bad guy better, you come to understand their motivations and therefore can empathise. Any previous descriptions could be seen as taken from an Imperial point of view, and therefore will inevitably be biased. My two cents...

[brother Hastatus]

Sounds really good! I've been reading up on the Alpha Legion as they're one of the legions I know least about, but I've already decided they are one of the coolest! All this secrecy, secret twins, etc, makes them very interesting...

 

I don't think anyone knows when its going to be/meant to be released really! All the websites, including black library, say that its sometime in March (the thid I think) but I went into my local GW the other day, and saw it in there. But I didn't have any money on me, so I haven't got it yet.

 

At the moment all the different "the alpha legion were supporting the Emperor but not" sort of things getting confusing. You say that they chose to support the Emperor, but then why didn't they fight against the traitors? I'm a bit confused... I think reading it might help!

[Warrior Of Ultramar]

Thanks Angel's Blade et al for the info, certainly sounds like an interesting read.

 

is anyone else getting a little tired of all the Chaos Space Marines who aren't Chaos Space Marines though? not only are basic Renegade Chapters like the Soul Drinkers not actually Chaotic, but even the 9 Traitor Legions (who are supposed to be the poster boys for Chaos) seem to be becoming less and less to do with Chaos eith every publication. Flugrim wasn't, the IWs aren't, the NL aren't and now the AL aren't. how long before we find out that the WB aren't and the BL were only pretending.

 

pretty soon the daemons and Chaos gods won't be either.

 

don't get me wrong, i'm sure its an enjoyable read, but i'm starting to get quite bored of the seemingly overt removal of actual Chaos from the background. everyone's just generically evil now, and that's really not the same thingl.

 

Such is the seductive nature of Chaos. Most people who turn to Chaos do so for a short term gain, or make a pact with the Chaos gods yet still believe themselves to be in control, but such is the corrputing nature of Chaos that eventually they will become corrupted themselves.

For instance, you say the NL and AL are no longer portrayed as Chaotic and/or evil. Not entirely true, they are NOW, (41st mil.), the point is they WEREN'T when they turned against the Emperor and the Imperium, but they have been drawn to the gods over the years to help in accomplishing their aims, and have been corrupted in that process.

[Lay]

For instance, you say the NL and AL are no longer portrayed as Chaotic and/or evil. Not entirely true, they are NOW, (41st mil.), the point is they WEREN'T when they turned against the Emperor and the Imperium, but they have been drawn to the gods over the years to help in accomplishing their aims, and have been corrupted in that process.

This point applies to almost all Chaos followers.

What Admiral Dick means is that recently more and more CSM are portrayed to have that "chaos is a tool"attitude - because they have just recently switched sides or because they somehow manage to stick to their original beliefs.

 

"Lord Of The Night" inspired many NL players to theme their armies after pre-heresy beliefs, though it showed how deep the legion has fallen since the heresy.

"Legion" might have the same effect on some AL players.

Both are good reads and consequetly players get inspired by them.

However the classic "Slaves To Darkness" theme loses same flavor by sheding light on the background and carrying it to the current depiction of an army.

[Warrior Of Ultramar]

This point applies to almost all Chaos followers.

What Admiral Dick means is that recently more and more CSM are portrayed to have that "chaos is a tool"attitude - because they have just recently switched sides or because they somehow manage to stick to their original beliefs.

 

Well, maybe not even that many. I mean, when the Death Guard for example, decided to head to Terra to help out, they entered the warp pure and emerged entirely corrupted from that point onwards, and that was before Horus and the Emperor had even fought.

The Thousand Sons had been dabbling in the warp for a long time before that too, as had the Word Bearers. So these three legions were always evil from the start, and have never really been the whole 'Chaos is a tool' kind of attitude. at least to me anyway.

[The Iterator]

*Spoiler Alert*

 

 

 

 

Just finished reading it about 2 mins ago, if im honest i didnt like the first 3 quarters of the book, but the ending OH MY GOD fab!! Loved it, and I never knew that the primarchs were twins! Is this a new revelation or have I previously missed that. Also this Cabal thing are they straight up and telling the truth or is it a Chaos trick. because if they are telling the truth that is just messed up!