# Ye Olde Versus Thread: Black Legion V Alpha Legion



## Angelus Censura (Oct 11, 2010)

Thought I'd hop on that VS bandwagon and make my first VS thread: Black Legion VS Alpha Legion. I've made a fairly rough list of pros and cons or strengths and weaknesses, but I've obviously left things out that I couldn't find, and I may have got some stuff wrong. Feel free to add to it.

I thought I'd take two extremely large Chaos legions to go toe to toe. One hated by other traitor legions, the other that seems to ally itself with other legions and xenos alike. Here are the pros and cons I've got so far:

*The Alpha Legion:*

Pros:
1. Strength in numbers through the use of cultist, other traitor legions, and xenos allies (anyone anti-Imperium basically)

2. Being spread througout the Imperium as well as the Eye of Terror gives them the element of surprise, and multiple bases of operation

3. Extremely strong and successful use of tactics, including covert ops and specializng in the attack from all sides approach

4. The phrase "Know Thy Enemy" doesn't work with the Alpha Legion. Being so secretive gives them the upper hand, as the Black Legion won't know what to plan or prepare for when attacking

Cons:
1. While the Inquisiton hates just about everyone, the Alpha Legion has become public enemy #1 due to their cultist following and intrusion into Imperial space. If the Balck Legion and Alpha Legion were to duke it out, the Inquisition may see it as an opening to purge the Imperium of the Alpha Legion's cultist scum, giving the Black Legion and unexpected ally. (Not a literal ally of course, but it would definitely sway the success in battle towards the Black Legion)

2. While the Alpha Legion does possess Chaos Lords, they lack a strong central leader comparable to Abaddon. While this may not be a huge downfall to the Alpha Legion, it is a lack in strength of morale that shouldn't be overlooked. The Alpha Legion hasn't been known to crumble under the pressure of defeat, have a leader comparable to Abaddon would most certainly help.

*The Black Legion:*

Pros:
1. Tactical versatility - the Black Legion has felt the need to establish themselves as the most ferocious and cunning of the traitor legions, having much to prove after the retreat from Terra. This drive to prove their worth adds to their strength in battle

2. Abaddon acts as a strong figurehead for the legion, boosting morale and giving the legion a sense of purpose and direction. This can prove quite essential when it comes to success or defeat.

3. Daemonic gifts are extremely common, adding to individual strength and an obvious favor of the gods.

Cons:
1. Different Chaos god dedications leads to internal struggles and conflicts, making it hard to rally together as a whole. The Alpha Legion seem much more organized, working together to acheive a common goal aside from differences. This could prove fatal to the Black Legion.

2. Inconsistencies in the strengths of the various warbands, making overall strength difficult to gauge.

3. Hated by all other Traitor Legions due to their retreat from Terra during the Heresy. However, it is not uncommon for small traitor warbands to join in Abbadons Crusades, but the general feeling of hate towards the Black Legion from the other main legions can add to the difficulty of success.



There it is, thats what I've got so far. Post who you think would win in an all out war, and provide reasonings if you can that I can throw up into the "Pros" and "Cons" section. It would be cooler to get the strengths and weaknesses of each army rather than just have this be a popularity contest.

Cheers 


EDIT: To be more specific, I'm talking Legion Vs Legion, not single warbands. And to go even farther, say they all waged war on the ground of a single planet (or Planetary System) - makes it a bit simpler.


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## Iron Angel (Aug 2, 2009)

The Alpha and BLack legions made landfall on a world that is uninhabitable by normal standards. The colossal forces of the Black Legion advance on the forces of the Alpha legion only to find themselves suddenly surrounded by the Alpha Legion. They begin to wage bloody war, both sides taking casualties but neither gaining ground, All of a sudden they realize why the world was uninhabited as thousands of gleaming skeletal figures extract themselves from the ground and green flashes that blast all near them backwards heark the appearance of massive monoliths. The Necron forces wipe both out, then the =][= forces in orbit lol briefly before ordering the exterminatus.

Then a Cairn uncloaks and blows up their ship.


Barring outside interference I would say Alpha legion. Surrounding everything ever seems to work well on everything they meet.


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## Hammer49 (Feb 12, 2011)

I would go with the alpha legion as I think the BL would be outsmarted at every turn with ambushes, bobby traps etc, and the alpha legion would try not to get into a normal battle as they would not have the numbers to compete (marine v marine).


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## Angelus Censura (Oct 11, 2010)

Yeah, as much as I like the Black Legion, the Alpha Legion definitely seems to have the upper hand. I keep trying to find something that would give the Black Legion the upper hand, but have so far been unsuccessful in my search aside from Abaddon


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## Bane_of_Kings (Oct 28, 2009)

For various reasons stated above, the Alpha Legion. Added to the fact that they're awesome .


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## Cruor99 (Mar 11, 2009)

The Black Legion, assuming it is in fact the Legion and not a warband. 

Warband vs Operative Cell? The Alpha Legion Operative Cell, probably - because they only fight on their terms.

However, the Black Legion proper has the full force of Chaos Undivided behind it. A ravening horde of madmen to sacrifice before any CSM takes to the field that could easily spring every trap before the true target for the traps even make planetfall.


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## Hammer49 (Feb 12, 2011)

Cruor99 said:


> However, the Black Legion proper has the full force of Chaos Undivided behind it. A ravening horde of madmen to sacrifice before any CSM takes to the field that could easily spring every trap before the true target for the traps even make planetfall.


The alpha legion also have there own sacrificial troops with the members of multiple cults that they organise.


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## Angelus Censura (Oct 11, 2010)

The cults of the Alpha Legion, while weak, can at the least act as a meat sheild or diversion while the Alpha Legion rolls in attacking at the rear of the Black Legion's forces.


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## Angel of Blood (Aug 18, 2010)

Angelus Censura said:


> 2. While the Alpha Legion does possess Chaos Lords, they lack a strong central leader comparable to Abaddon.


You say this, yet Alpharius and/or Omegon could both easily still be alive manipulating things behind the scenes.


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## Cruor99 (Mar 11, 2009)

Hammer49 said:


> The alpha legion also have there own sacrificial troops with the members of multiple cults that they organise.


Yes. I'm pretty sure that's already aknowledged. 
The point is, the Black Legion has such an incredibly humongous mass of various mutants and heretics to throw away before regular marines hit planetfall that the cultists will already be spent dealing with that.


And in regards to the lack of central leadership - the alpha legion never truly had 'central leadership' 

That's kind of their whole spiel.


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## locustgate (Dec 6, 2009)

The Alpha legion are ninja SMs the Black legion lost before they even picked up their weapons...they just don't know it.
You can't exactly bring # into this discussion considering we have NO idea of how many Alpha members there are.


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## OIIIIIIO (Dec 16, 2009)

The Black Legion is going down faster than my sister on her first date ... and I ain't talkin about prom night.


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## ckcrawford (Feb 4, 2009)

Black Legion. It would be unwise for Alpha Legion to mess with Abaddon who is chosen by the Chaos Gods. Including Tzeentch who is probably a truer shemer than the Alpha Legion.


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## Malus Darkblade (Jan 8, 2010)

Black Legion is composed of several legions and successor chapters turned traitor.

Alpha Legion is one legion.


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## Warlock in Training (Jun 10, 2008)

Black Legion. We dont know how many AL there is but we do know they were a small Legion. Add in the casualties they took from SWs (Who beat them, SWs!) and Ultras bashing on them, I say their numbers are low. Also WBs has many confratations with AL cause both end up using the same cultist operitives. Guess what WBs are still around and hinted as the second baddest Legion in EoT. So AL is great on small scale, in a huge war scenarion their numbers and resources hinders any chance of winning.

Also is Alpharious or Omegon was still around, Im confidant that Abby could take them 1 on 1 and win.


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## Angelus Censura (Oct 11, 2010)

Abaddon is definitely not a character to overlook. He is rumoured to be a clone of Horus himself, and is one badass motherfucker. He has all 4 of the gods marks formed into one mark of crazy shit haha.


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## MontytheMighty (Jul 21, 2009)

I'm going with the Black Legion, and not only because I hate the Alpha Legion
...OK fine, mainly because I hate how the Alpha Legion is portrayed as these mastermind-geniuses who make other marines look like bumbling dimwits *END RANT*

I'd say the Black Legion, because regardless of all the Jason Bourne/Dr. Moriarty shenanigans the Alpha Legion will try to pull, the Black Legion has more Chaos power, numbers, resources, and the chosen of Chaos as its leader. If the Chaos gods could make Horus a threat to the Emperor, and give Luther enough power to beat the Lion, I'm guessing Abbadon would be more than a match for Alpharius if Alpharius were still alive.


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## Hammer49 (Feb 12, 2011)

Im not so sure that Abaddon could take on one the primarchs of the alpha legion that easy, as I doubt he a perfect copy of Horus, or had the same abilities. Surely if it was that easy they would have made more copies, and not only of horus, but some of the other traitors primarchs.
I would say it would probably be an equal fight, with the different chaos marks making for even fight.


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## Angelus Censura (Oct 11, 2010)

Why was Abaddon the only one of Fabius Bile's clones that the Black Legion didn't kill? I'm not too familiar with the back story, I just know the basic facts. If Abaddon was the only one not killed, he is obviously someone important, and of great power in comparison to the other clones.

And making clones of the Primarchs i far from easy I'm sure, but the reason clones were made of Horus was becuase the Emperor's Children stole the Horus' corpse from the Black Legion's fortress.


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## XxZZEROxX (Jul 5, 2010)

I have never really liked Alpha legion. I have always looked to them as the weakest legion compared to the others(Black Legion,1k Sons, Death Guard...etc):biggrin:


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## Malus Darkblade (Jan 8, 2010)

And yet they take over worlds without firing a bolter and destroy chapters by uttering a mere word.


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## Hammer49 (Feb 12, 2011)

XxZZEROxX said:


> I have never really liked Alpha legion. I have always looked to them as the weakest legion compared to the others(Black Legion,1k Sons, Death Guard...etc):biggrin:


I wouldnt say they are the weakest legion, they are just more flexible and dont need to rely soley on strength of arms to achieve their aims.


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## Warlock in Training (Jun 10, 2008)

Hammer49 said:


> Im not so sure that Abaddon could take on one the primarchs of the alpha legion that easy, as I doubt he a perfect copy of Horus, or had the same abilities. Surely if it was that easy they would have made more copies, and not only of horus, but some of the other traitors primarchs.
> I would say it would probably be an equal fight, with the different chaos marks making for even fight.


Abbys genetic make up and Mark of Awsomeness is not what will determin if Abby can beat a Primarch, its his Daemon Weapon that smashes reality that will allow Abby to Pawn any Primarch. One hit and by the fluff your dead.


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## Serpion5 (Mar 19, 2010)

I`d back the Alpha Legion.


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