Expanding my Alpha Legion, where to go?

[Warp]

Alright so I have an Alpha Legion army that's grown to a respectable size. AL is really my favourite Chaos legion and when I started out I didn't really know if I wanted it to be fully "daemonized", however I can safely say I have completely fallen to/for Chaos :)

So far I have focused on regular CSM troops, termies with termie lords, but I have extended with a couple of Obliterators and a Defiler. My dilemma is where to go from here. I really love the fluff of AL, however, reading it literally and reading into it that all AL are really loyalists (doubtful imo) it sort of makes it hard to justify all the additions I want to make. For example, I am becoming a huge fan of Khorne Berzerkers as they would fit my list and the way I play it, the regular CSM kind of lacks that CC punch. Now, the problem is how to paint them.

I am looking for some opinions on where to proceed, should I go the Black Legion route and paint them in Alpha Legion colours but with red shoulder pad/helm? Should I paint them fully red or AL and have them more as a "Counts as and looks as Berzerkers but are really Legionaires worshipping Khorne"? Or should I paint them as Word Eaters and have them as allies?

Imo, the last of the options is not the one I want to do, I would prefer a "clean" AL force. In my head I can surely make the fluff fit, but .. I don't know yet :) Even though I am a fluff fan, I find it hard to say to myself I can't really use half the units in the C:CSM book (granted, Posessed and Spawns etc suck hehe) because the background of the Legion does not explicitly state the units are not available to them.

[Grailkeeper]

In ther index astartes article about them it mentioned that they hide mutations, not out of shame but to use as a shock weapon when they to reveal them to the enemy. You could definately use possed this way. I've heard of people useing cultists as counts as daemons which ties into their fluff.

If it was up to me I'd use the Khorne beserkers in world eaters colours and use the basing scheme to tie them into your theme. That seems to me to be the fluffiest way, but they're your models so do what ever you like. Maybe one shoulder pad your colours?

[Warp]

In ther index astartes article about them it mentioned that they hide mutations, not out of shame but to use as a shock weapon when they to reveal them to the enemy. You could definately use possed this way. I've heard of people useing cultists as counts as daemons which ties into their fluff.

If it was up to me I'd use the Khorne beserkers in world eaters colours and use the basing scheme to tie them into your theme. That seems to me to be the fluffiest way, but they're your models so do what ever you like. Maybe one shoulder pad your colours?

Exactly, I actually read through the IA article just yesterday, but haven't thought about the posessed like you said or the cultists. I like that. Probably won't used Posessed yet, haven't really found a use for them in my army anyway, but I am definitely looking at those deepstriking Lesser Daemons to hold on to an objective or two.

One shoulderpad (the left one most likely) to show the dedication to the Legion, means the force will look coherent yet will display some uniqueness in the specialist troops. It's a very good suggestion, thank you :)

[Drew da Destroya]

Also, who says they need to actually be Khorne Berserkers? Why not the Alpha Legion unleashing a group of killbots they lifted from the Legio Cybernetica? Or drugged-up madmen, pumped full of adrenaline, testosterone, and whatever else, handed a chainaxe, and unleashed?

They're the Alpha Legion, but they aren't tied to just using Marines. In fact, they use any available resource.

Plus, it makes for a cool modelling project!

[Warpwhisperer]

When I saw this thread title, and then your username, I just had to register here!:D

There's always a market in the Alpha Legion army for some good counts as choices.

For some more ideas, I might just point you towards a discussion (and the forum it's on) here: http://z15.invisionfree.com/Alpha_Legion_Forums/index.php?showtopic=1063

Hydra Dominatus.

[Duke]

I like the idea of keeping the AL as one... Perhaps painting the helms red and the hands red. I know it isn't as "fluffy" as other options, but it will look cool.

Duke

[Warp]

When I saw this thread title, and then your username, I just had to register here!:D

There's always a market in the Alpha Legion army for some good counts as choices.

For some more ideas, I might just point you towards a discussion (and the forum it's on) here: http://z15.invisionfree.com/Alpha_Legion_Forums/index.php?showtopic=1063

Hydra Dominatus.

Nice, wonder if BOLS hands out rewards for recruitment, this counts as recruitment right? ;)

Anyway, thanks for that link, I like some of those suggestion and it's good to see that there are others thinking about cult troops. It's kind of cool, the reasoning RapatoR provided for 'zerkers is almost the exact same as I had (without the WE surgeon hehe) in mind. I will definitely argue that a tactically minded Legion such as AL would allow specialists to form, such as having H2H experts in the form of 'zerkers.

I am still not convinced on 1K Sons though .. they are almost "too" specialised. Berzerkers are the raging killers, Plague Marines are inflicted by something that could potentially threaten everyone, while Noise Marines fall into the "operated to be like that similar to 'zerkers", the 1K Sons ... I don't know..

Hydra Dominatus indeed.

[Shadow Queen]

Have some renegade guard and marines that they recruited.

[Warpwhisperer]

I am still not convinced on 1K Sons though .. they are almost "too" specialised. Berzerkers are the raging killers, Plague Marines are inflicted by something that could potentially threaten everyone, while Noise Marines fall into the "operated to be like that similar to 'zerkers", the 1K Sons ... I don't know..


I'll admit that they've got a bunch of specialised rules, but with mine for example, the addition of forcefiled technology (so recreated/stolen iron haloes), with the addition of a sorceror lead a crack team, all having had their bolter consecrated to fire inferno bolts (surely being a spell, it can be learnt/stolen/reproduced by non TS magik users), it makes it sound less drastic than surgical alteration?

If you don't like the iron halo part, maybe the sorceror just casts a protective psychic spell, like a shield, or maybe even a semi-stasis field that slows down time within in, and the slow and purposeful movement is the result of that?

[Warp]

Also, who says they need to actually be Khorne Berserkers? Why not the Alpha Legion unleashing a group of killbots they lifted from the Legio Cybernetica? Or drugged-up madmen, pumped full of adrenaline, testosterone, and whatever else, handed a chainaxe, and unleashed?

They're the Alpha Legion, but they aren't tied to just using Marines. In fact, they use any available resource.

Plus, it makes for a cool modelling project!

(Emphasis mine)

This is my thinking as well, they're known for using what works in any given situation. I'll definitely add some 'zerkers, I'm convinced I can make it work, just need to finalise the painting scheme.


Have some renegade guard and marines that they recruited.

This is indeed something I've planned to do. Not sure how yet, but maybe convert some Fantasy Flagellants or Chaos Marauders or something? Certainly some Imperial Guardsmen will be used.


I'll admit that they've got a bunch of specialised rules, but with mine for example, the addition of forcefiled technology (so recreated/stolen iron haloes), with the addition of a sorceror lead a crack team, all having had their bolter consecrated to fire inferno bolts (surely being a spell, it can be learnt/stolen/reproduced by non TS magik users), it makes it sound less drastic than surgical alteration?

If you don't like the iron halo part, maybe the sorceror just casts a protective psychic spell, like a shield, or maybe even a semi-stasis field that slows down time within in, and the slow and purposeful movement is the result of that?

Well, that's certainly not the worst "counts-as" I've heard :) However, I still can't shake the feeling of 1K Sons, and especially the Ahriman crew are simply their own legion.. Point taken though, you can make it fit if you really just bother to come up with valid reasons.

[shadowvast]

Go with a no termie chosen unit kitted for combat. While point expensive, they can be a true deathstar if given the right gear, and it avoids your whole modeling problem with cult troops....