Which Chaos Legion will win/live the longest

[minigun762]

So based on what we know of the nine traitor legions, which one do you believe is most likely to win the long war or atleast survive the longest fighting it. Assuming the timeline progress, what do you believe the fate of the legions will be?

 

Here are my thoughts to start things off

 

World Eaters = Since they're already destroyed as a legion, its hard to say how they will do as a whole, but I see World Eaters of some sorts continuing to lead warbands for a good long time. I think the nature of the followers of Khorne is one of highs and lows because its rare to find one who lives long in the service of the blood god.

 

Thousand Sons = Considering how few actual "living" members of the legion they have left and the fact that their greatest rival, the Space Wolves, probably outnumber them, I see it being fairly likely that they are killed off. Their Rubric Marines might be basically immortal but the Sorcerers who guide them and the legion seem to be the weak link in the chain. Having said that, those who reach daemonhood will be incredibly powerful.

 

Death Guard = No surprise here, I expect them to be there at the end. The one reason I can see that they would be killed off would be as part of some massive plague or disease, where they convert their own bodies into a pestilence so grand it cleanses entire sections of the Imperium. Thats unlikely, atleast for the entire legion to do that.

 

Emperor's Children = If you take their fractured nature, losses in the time after the Horus Heresy and their "life style", I wouldn't be surprised to see the legion burn itself out. Of course it would be doing something amazingly horrible that would leave the rest of the galaxy a much worse place.

 

Word Bearers = I believe they have one of the best chances to win the long war. They are one of the most organized and structured legions still around and have a considerable amount of resources thanks to 2 home worlds. Their biggest potential failing is getting drawn into a war with the Ultramarines and all their successors which might just end up being a sideshow to the main event.

 

Black Legion = The obvious choice for the overall winner but I think thats mainly because Abaddon is one of the few leaders actively trying and they seem to have the respect/clout to get other legions to do what they want. Backed up by the Blackstone Fortresses and the Planetkiller (which always seems to get reborn) I think they got a good chance at it. How well the Black Legion does has alot to do with whether or not the Daemon Primarchs support Abaddon or compete with him for leadership.

 

Iron Warriors = I don't know if they'll be the winner but I think they'll be a survivor. Their greatest use will either be in drawing away a disproportionate amount of troops and ships as they defend a number of fortress worlds they've created or in leading the assault on Mars in a joint operation with the dark mechanium.

 

Night Lords = If its true that their numbers weren't decimated too much in the Horus Heresy, then it stands to reason that they might still have one of the larger legions, especially since their assault methods don't rely on large amounts of dead/wounded on their part. I could even see them taking up a leadership position amongst the traitors if they wanted to but I think it suits their purposes to play their game on the side and let the center of attention rest elsewhere.

 

Alpha Legion = Of course they are going to win, they've already had the entire final battle setup for 10,000 years. ;) .

[Tfcdogbert]

The 4 most likely are Death Guard, Iron Warriors, Black Legion and Night lords i think.

 

Death guard are just pestilential and tough, Iron warriors have their massive fortress worlds, Black Legion have the largest amount of resources and the Night Lords dont get drawn into stupid fights.

[satanaka]

The 4 most likely are Death Guard, Iron Warriors, Black Legion and Night lords i think.

 

Death guard are just pestilential and tough, Iron warriors have their massive fortress worlds, Black Legion have the largest amount of resources and the Night Lords don't get drawn into stupid fights.

 

 

I see more Death Guard, IW, Night Lords and Alpha Legion.

 

BL will fracture like a calcium devoid bone the minute Abby is either killed or elevated to daemonhood. The ones I named seem to be holding out well.

[DuskRaider]

It would probably be the Legions whom still have the strongest ties to one another, which leaves out World Eaters and Emperor's Children.

 

Alpha Legion will most likely be around forever, they're so deep in the Imperium that to uproot them would consume so much of the Imperium's resources (if they could even find all of those in their various cells).

 

Night Lords I could see sticking around for a while, IF Zhso Sahaal can take control. They're becoming more and more debased and losing their tactics in favor of pure mayhem, which could be their downfall. However, if the Talonmaster took up the reigns from Krieg Acerbus, I think we'd see a much more methodical, calculating, and successful Night Lords Legion.

 

Death Guard have been successful in seeing only one major rift in their Legion: That of Mortarion and Typhus. The vast majority still rally to Mortarion's banner, and due to their seeming immortality thanks to Nurgle, I think they're in it for the long haul. That and the fact that they're a lot more calculating about their targets and motives, they seem to be just as careful as they are resistant.

 

Iron Warriors have a couple things going for them. Active geneseed banks are a major plus, which means if their original Legion members are lost in battle, they can simply start anew. I don't doubt the other Legions have the same, but it should also be noted that Iron Warriors geneseed seems more resistant to mutation and corruption then the other Fallen Legions. They don't have to worry about the same risks those who have fallen to the gods. They're also a lot more tight knit then a lot of the other Legions, relying on one another more then the others do. It also helps they have close ties with the Dark Mechanicus, Titan Legios, and Obliterator Cult. Their careful planning and scheming makes them a lot more resilient in the long haul. I see Iron Warriors being around for the End Time.

 

Thousand Sons will probably be around for the end. Think about it... Yes, the Sorcerers are their weak link, but their Legionnaires are, for the most part, automatons. Souls trapped in air tight armor, which if said armor is breached, they can be bound to another suit. In the end, I don't see them falling easily (or at all). Remember, they're the chosen of Tzeentch, I don't think he'd throw his entire devoted Legion away on a whim.

 

Black Legion will be around for quite some time. While a good number of those in it's rank and file aren't original Sons of Horus, they still have an immense following (far larger then most other Legions). Most Renegades who have no other warband to follow cast their lot in with Abbadon and Co. so I see black Legion sticking it out for the long haul.

 

Word Bearers... hmm... Yeah, they could probably stick it out until the end if they're smart about it, but if they continue to go off on their own Dark Crusades then they'll extinguish themselves quickly. I honestly don't see Word Bearers doing much active recruiting, perhaps from their Cultists but even then they see themselves better then humans. Only time will tell in their case, as they are exactly what they worship... Chaotic.

 

This brings me to the two I feel are doomed more and more. World Eaters and Emperor's Children.

 

World Eaters... Ahh, my second favorite Legion. It pains me to say that they probably won't be around for the End Time, but I think it to be true. At least if GW keeps them as a one dimensional completely unbelievable force. For World Eaters to make it through the Long War, they're going to need more then just a bunch of blood-crazed, gun shunning psychopaths. They'll need actual tacticians, tactical squads, long range, and a strong leader to enforce it all (not Khârn). If they do this, they'll survive, or at least have a better chance of survival.

 

Emperor's Children are in the same boat as World Eaters. One dimensional extremely unbelievable psychopaths who have disdain for actual tactics. Their need to experience a better high made them forsake their Legion's trait, which was perfection in all forms. They've now all become debased and one minded, forgetting their origins to take up their new ideas. For this Legion to make it, they're going to have to gain their cohesion again and get their minds back on the main goal. If this can't be done, I see them going the way of the Squat soon.

 

I think that just about covers it. So for me, my definites are Alpha Legion, Death Guard, Iron Warriors, Thousand Sons, and Black Legion. Word Bearers are probable, Night Lords are as well but both need to make some changes soon. World Eaters and Emperor's Children are in dire need of re-organization otherwise they'll be eradicated in the near future.

[Dammeron]

The Black Legion:

 

- Coherent, organised, militaristic; enjoys a constant and concerted influx of new troops from inducted Renegade bands, also likely has the capacity to produce new space marines in limited numbers. Has a wealth of support from tertiary allies in the form of renegade guard regiments, space fleets, daemonic forces, mutant warbands and so on and so forth. Oh yeah, if ever there was a legion that could potentially bring about the final conflict and see it through, this is it.

 

The Iron Warriors:

 

- Again, one of the more coherent and organised legions within the Great Eye. Enjoys certain benefits over the Black Legion in that there seems to be less in the way of in-fighting owing to competing religious loyalties. The Iron Warriors are dedicated exclusively to their primarch Perturabo and the eventual overthrow of the Imperium. Ontop of this, they have mechanical and technological benefits that far outstrip the other legions; their own natural expertise in such matters notwithstanding, they have links to the Dark Mechanicum, the Obliterators and, like the Black Legion, have an organised space fleet. Their unity of purpose, militaristic cohesion and general organisation make them a real contender in my eyes for the top slot, though i doubt they can command the sheer numbers of Abaddon's forces.

 

The Alpha Legion:

 

- It's somewhat difficult to say with these guys without more information. They're so good at sewing propoganda, rumour, myth etc that it's difficult to be clear precisely what their goals are and how they operate. However, from what little we can be certain of, The Alpha Legion are certainly one of the more organised forces of Traitor Marines (let's put off calling them "Chaos Marines" for now...), and owing to the clandestine nature of their operations, are all but impossible to eradicate entirely. If some sort of final confrontation ever occurs, I have no doubt they'll be there in force. the question will be: what will they be fighting for?

 

The Word Bearers:

 

- Though they lack the strict militarism of the Iron Warriors or the cohesiveness of Abaddon's forces, the Word Bearers largely remain a united and organised legion, drawn together by common religious ideology and purpose. This is arguably also a source of weakness, as I have no doubt that conflicting interpretations of dogma, visions etc leads to internal schism, and the superstitious manner in which they conduct their military escapades means that their performance is sometimes suspect. However, owing to their close ties to the Gods of Chaos themselves, and their willingness to act as their instruments, I foresee the Word Bearers playing abig part in any and all future events, and certainly in the End Game.

 

The Death Guard:

 

- Unlike most of the other "cult" legions, the Death Guard seem to haver maintained some measure of unity and common purpose (despite the one significant schism that has afflicted the legion). Their dedication to Nurgle makes them incredibly resilient, able to withstand hurt that would fell a normal space marine, meaning that the principle cause of death amongst the species (i.e. they end up being slaughtered in battle) is somewhat ameliorated. Furthermore, the legion has a definite base of operations, strong and unified leadership, a binding ideology in the form of Nurgle Worship, and also a vast space fleet. The only problem I can foresee concerning the Death Guard is that their activities are tied to the whims and influence of Pappa Nurgle, meaning that their conduct is not entirely reliable. Still, again, I have no doubt that they will be present come the final conflict in one shape or form.

 

The Night Lords:

 

- A tricky one, this. The background of the Night Lords up to the release of Lord of the Night suggests that they are quite a fractured legion, consisting of piratical warbands of varying size and composition that operate without any over-arching authority or common purpose. This would lead one to believe that there would only be rag tag warbands of them fighting in "The Last Battle." However, the aforementioned novel suggests that the legion is still somewhat coherent, though its clarity of purpose has become somewhat muddle dover the aeons. It all seems to depend on what particular fluff you take, and who ultimately ends up guiding the Night Lords as to how many of them will survive and what part they will ultimately play.

 

The Thousand Sons:

 

- Again, tricky. Barring the obvious rift caused by Ahriman and his cabal, the Thousand Sons seem to be quite coherent overall, though their activities are routinely bizarre, seemingly contradictory or counter productive as they operate with regards to the whims of Tzeentch, to whom they are little more than his primary agents and puppets in the material universe. It is entirely plausible that whatever goal(s) he intended them for will be over and done with before any "final conflict" comes about, in which instance they will undoubtedly be allowed to degrade or die out. Magnus himself has always struck me as something of a reluctant servant to Chaos too; it seems that he was pushed into embracing Tzeentch by circumstance, leaving me to wonder if he could ever pull himself away from it (even in his current state as a daemon prince), in which instance he would surely cease to be. Lots of variables involved with this legion; definitely a "wait and see" situation.

 

The World Eaters:

 

- By rights, there should be none of these guys left by now. they should have all butchered one another or fallen on their own blades as sacrifice to Great khorne. That is if you buy into the modern, diluted representation of their background and essential nature. Even if you don't, the war-like nature of Khorne's servants will likely mean that there will be very few "pure" World Eaters left by the end, though there will undoubtedly be more Renegade warbands dedicated to khorne than any other god.

 

The Emperor's Children:

 

- My favourites, and also the legion, I am sad to say, that is least likely to have significant representation come the final conflict. The legion is not only already fragmented across the Eye of Terror and the material universe, it is also the least numerous of ALL the Traitor Legions owing to the internecene wars it involved itself in following the Traitor Legion's original flight to the Eye of Terror. As with the followers of Khorne, I have no doubt that there will be hundreds of Slaaneshi warbands present at the end, but the Emperor's Children? I highly doubt it (with the possible exception of Fabius Bile).

[Lord_Caerolion]

I don't doubt the other Legions have the same, but it should also be noted that Iron Warriors geneseed seems more resistant to mutation and corruption then the other Fallen Legions. They don't have to worry about the same risks those who have fallen to the gods.

 

Just to point out, but its the Night Lords who have the purest geneseed of the traitor Legions, according to the IA's, and the Fabius Bile article. The Night Lords display no geneseed mutation, while the Iron Warriors show a tendancy to have limbs malform, requiring bionic replacement.

 

Other than that, I largely agree with the others. The Night Lords will probably survive, depending on who gets control of the Legion. If it's left in the hands of Acerbus or one of his followers, the Legion will decline into obscurity. It needs some focus back.

[Purge The Weak]

Night Lords I could see sticking around for a while, IF Zhso Sahaal can take control. They're becoming more and more debased and losing their tactics in favor of pure mayhem, which could be their downfall. However, if the Talonmaster took up the reigns from Krieg Acerbus, I think we'd see a much more methodical, calculating, and successful Night Lords Legion.

 

If it's not to late, there are still other like minded individuals in the legion who will support him, just getting further and fewer between...

 

They could be a major threat as they have the ideals of a grander scheme, upsurp of the emperor and such like. Just depends how it goes.

 

How does a normal night lord kill a Deamon Prince to regain control of his rightful legion, hmmm!

[Corpse.]

Thousand Sons will be the final ones to be around.

 

They are guided by the one god that see's the future and weaves fate.

[Lord_Caerolion]

Thousand Sons will be the final ones to be around.

 

They are guided by the one god that see's the future and weaves fate.

 

That doesn't mean they'll continue to be useful though. Who says Tzeentch doesn't think the best end-use for the Thousand Sons is to destroy them against something? Sacrifices need to be made in the Great Game, and the only piece Tzeentch wants to keep in the game is his own. All his pawns are there to be used and abused as circumstances dictate.

[Corpse.]

The only reason Tzeentch keeps his followers going is that they in the end, will do his bidding. Sorcerers are rivals, and their minions are immortal who only need recalling to a suit of modified armor.

 

Tzeentch needs pawn pushers to actually have pawns. He can't act like "Final Destination" evil ghost that makes things happen by pushing something here, or opening something there. No power where there are no psykers to manipulate and show his hand.

 

Thousand Sons will never truly die off because of Tzeentchs iron grasp on them. Even they are low in number, they are more then a difficult match knowing events far ahead of even the eldar can surmount. Tzeentch is a better future grasper being a god guiding his flock rather then a mortal looking at grains of sand among a beach.

[Lord_Caerolion]

One, Tzeentch has other pawns than the Thousand Sons, they are in no way irreplaceable. The only one he might have the slightest pause in permanently sacrificing is Magnus.

Two, Tzeentch is the pawn pusher. He gives orders and messages to his Champions and priests, and they act on them. They're the pawns. Tzeentch wants Ahriman to attack a world, he sends him a message in his dreams or whatever, and Ahriman does it.

Three, you still don't grasp the fact that sometimes a pawn can be of more use being sacrificed for a larger gain than to keep it alive. Who says Tzeentch doesn't plan to sacrifice the Thousand Sons Legion to achieve some massive goal later, a goal that can only be achieved by sacrificing them. They aren't irreplaceable, noone is in Tzeentchs Great Game, with the exception of Tzeentch himself. What you can be assured of is that the Thousand Sons will walk into whatever ploy Tzeentch has planned for them.

 

The survival of the Thousand Sons is by no means assured. If Tzeentch finds more use for them continuing to live, they'll do so. If Tzeentch finds that they can provide more benefit by being sacrificed in the means of winning a larger battle, then they'll do so.

Don't presume that Tzeentch cares for his pawns, and that he'll always seek to get them out alive. He does what is necessary to spin the threads of fate in his favour, not that of his pawns.

It's like a game of Chess. Every piece is of varying use, from the weak little Pawns to the Queen, but each of those must be readily sacrificed in order to protect the King. The Thousand Sons rank higher than a Pawn, but they're by no means the King. That means they must be ready to be sacrificed for the larger game as and when necessary. Sometimes a feint can't be pulled off by a Pawn or a Rook, and requires a sacrificial Queen to ensure victory. The Thousand Sons could be that Queen.

[Corpse.]

Tzeentch wouldn't invest in framing an entire legion to his bidding without a far fetched plan.

 

It's like turning half of the current orks against each other, then letting them chop each other to pieces after they called their loyalty to you. There is a much longer term plan going on for the Thousand Sons. So far in fact that they've seen their own destiny outlasting most others. (Otherwise they would betray their god)

[Lord_Caerolion]

Well, Tzeentch has already shown he doesn't care much for his most loyal followers, for example where he threw Kairos into the Well of Eternity to test if things could escape from it. If something is of benefit to Tzeentch, he'll do it, no matter the cost, as long as the cost is less than the benefits.

[Dammeron]

Tzeentch wouldn't invest in framing an entire legion to his bidding without a far fetched plan.

 

It's like turning half of the current orks against each other, then letting them chop each other to pieces after they called their loyalty to you. There is a much longer term plan going on for the Thousand Sons. So far in fact that they've seen their own destiny outlasting most others. (Otherwise they would betray their god)

 

 

It ultimately depends on how far reaching his plans concerning the Thousand Sons are. you have to bear in mind that Tzeentch sees all of eternity; every thread of possiblity of circumstance from the first event to all potentialities; the Thousand Sons may well be his primary pawns for centuries, but their survival in his service or their primacy is by no means assured. Once their part in his grand schemes is complete, I have no doubt that they will be summarily abandoned/swept from the board. It may well be that they do have some part to play in whatever "end game" comes about, it may not. It all ultimately depends on the whims and fancies of their patron.

[Vissah]

Black Legion hands down ^_^

[Corpse.]

Tzeentch wouldn't invest in framing an entire legion to his bidding without a far fetched plan.

 

It's like turning half of the current orks against each other, then letting them chop each other to pieces after they called their loyalty to you. There is a much longer term plan going on for the Thousand Sons. So far in fact that they've seen their own destiny outlasting most others. (Otherwise they would betray their god)

 

 

It ultimately depends on how far reaching his plans concerning the Thousand Sons are. you have to bear in mind that Tzeentch sees all of eternity; every thread of possiblity of circumstance from the first event to all potentialities; the Thousand Sons may well be his primary pawns for centuries, but their survival in his service or their primacy is by no means assured. Once their part in his grand schemes is complete, I have no doubt that they will be summarily abandoned/swept from the board. It may well be that they do have some part to play in whatever "end game" comes about, it may not. It all ultimately depends on the whims and fancies of their patron.

 

Tzeentch doesn't know everything.

That's why he pushed the fateweaver into the well of knowledge, fearing if he went in that he would go mad. The fateweaver speaks the truth with one head, and lies with the other with no clue which head is correct.

[Dammeron]

Tzeentch wouldn't invest in framing an entire legion to his bidding without a far fetched plan.

 

It's like turning half of the current orks against each other, then letting them chop each other to pieces after they called their loyalty to you. There is a much longer term plan going on for the Thousand Sons. So far in fact that they've seen their own destiny outlasting most others. (Otherwise they would betray their god)

 

 

It ultimately depends on how far reaching his plans concerning the Thousand Sons are. you have to bear in mind that Tzeentch sees all of eternity; every thread of possiblity of circumstance from the first event to all potentialities; the Thousand Sons may well be his primary pawns for centuries, but their survival in his service or their primacy is by no means assured. Once their part in his grand schemes is complete, I have no doubt that they will be summarily abandoned/swept from the board. It may well be that they do have some part to play in whatever "end game" comes about, it may not. It all ultimately depends on the whims and fancies of their patron.

 

Tzeentch doesn't know everything.

That's why he pushed the fateweaver into the well of knowledge, fearing if he went in that he would go mad. The fateweaver speaks the truth with one head, and lies with the other with no clue which head is correct.

 

Actually, Tzeentch does know everything, or did up until the rather ridiculous Kairos Fateweaver story. He is described in quite vivid detail in the RoC books, the second ed chaos codex, the 3.5 codex and the Liber Chaotica Tzeentch as being able to perceive all potentials and possibilities; every way in which reality might conform. His only limitation is that he cannot control these permutations directly; he needs to manipulate subtly via the movements of his agents in the material realm, most of which usually end up cast aside when they have done what they need to do.

[Lord_Caerolion]

Tzeentch doesn't know everything.

That's why he pushed the fateweaver into the well of knowledge, fearing if he went in that he would go mad. The fateweaver speaks the truth with one head, and lies with the other with no clue which head is correct.

 

And Kairos is a Greater Daemon of Tzeentch, therefore a part of Tzeentch, and Tzeentch knows everything Kairos does. Kairos is simply the manifestation of the "allknowing" part of Tzeentch. He's always been described as knowing everything, as Dammeron said, Kairos doesn't change that. It simply gives a metaphor explaining it.

[Atheist]

We , Iron Warriors , will triumph .

 

We will unleash upon the universe Legions of Iron Warriors , and the galaxy will know fear .

 

We will annihilate all opposition , and the galaxy will know hopelessness .

 

We will break the back of any and all counter-offensive and the galaxy will know despair .

 

We will rise once more in glory and the universe will know defeat .

 

We will bring a new age of knowledge and discipline upon a decadent galaxy , and beyond .

 

Thus we will honor our Primarch , Perturabo .

 

Iron Within , Iron Without .

[Askari]

I'd say either black legion or word bearers. They're the mst organized and the most driven. My money is on the word bearers becuase they have a primarch on their side and have the least amount of in fighting (maybe after the AL). Plus they actually believe in chaos rather than fighting out of spite.

[Yogi]

I would say World Bearers. They are the most cohesive, they still have a great many true vets, they have Primarch leadership, they are undivided and will not likely be consumed in inter god wars. They rate overthrowing the Imperium as an objective by their novels, and not just for revenge but because they believe it is right.

 

Thats my pick.

 

Shortlist DG, AL, IW. (I really think Black Legion will be destroyed in one of their crusades, Abadabbadon is a muppet)

[WarSmith_Uruk]

I would just like to say over all the most likely army to win the great war is Chaos, but if it wins, it loses(refered from "Legion")

But of the Legions I have to choose Iron Warriors, Word Bearers, Black Legion, Word Bearers, and posibly World Eaters.

The only problem with the WE is that they are not and will never realy be more than warbands, so they will continue to live(for anger is everywhere and always) but not as a full legion.

thats just me though im still reading tons of books.

(got 3 horus heresy books left, read all ultramarines, storm of iron, all in dark apostle series, and heros of the space marines)

 

IRON WITHIN, IRON WITHOUT!

[Sawtooth]

My money would go on the Alpha Legion. They're the sneakiest and possibly the most organized. And with so much misinformation and trickery, it's almost impossible to totally stamp them out. I seem to remember Sun Tzu saying something along the lines of the pinnacle of military deployment appearing formless, if it has no form then even the deepest spy cannot discern it, nor the wise make plans against it. The Alpha Legion is as close to formless as one can get, with each individual capable of independent action if need be, as was Alpharius' style.

 

I would also like to make some points for the Emperor's Children. They do have two factors which could come into play. First, Fabius Bile is the finest geneticist in the Eye of Terror. Though what we now know as the Emperor's Children will probably dissipate at some point, Bile could bring about a renewed legion of his own making. Bile, though probably psychotically insane, is also quite close to Fulgrim's own original beliefs in perfection, if in his own twisted form. And while he does have many failures, he also does have some frightening successes.

 

The other X-factor is Fulgrim. We don't actually know where he is. The rumor is he exists on a planet of pain/pleasure, a sort of ultimate Slaanesh world, and many Slaaneshi warbands search for him. If, for whatever reason or whim, he decided to take renewed interest in his legion, the resulting organization could be quite potent.

 

I know these are not the strongest Emperor's Children arguments, but I thought I'd play devil's advocate as best I can.

[minigun762]

I still believe that alot of how well the Chaos Legions will fare rests on their Primarchs.

Unlike the Loyalists, Chaos has a majority of theirs still alive (6 out of 9). If they ever decide to get off their daemonic butts, they could do some real significant damage.

 

Of course the 2 who are most likely to lead are going to be either Lorgar or Perturbo as they are not bound to fight the endless game for their master's bidding.

[Sawtooth]

I still believe that alot of how well the Chaos Legions will fare rests on their Primarchs.

Unlike the Loyalists, Chaos has a majority of theirs still alive (6 out of 9). If they ever decide to get off their daemonic butts, they could do some real significant damage.

 

Of course the 2 who are most likely to lead are going to be either Lorgar or Perturbo as they are not bound to fight the endless game for their master's bidding.

 

There could be even more than that alive. Night Haunter's death was never actually recorded, just heavily implied. And Alpharius has all kinds of wierdness surrounding him (I don't care for this Omegon stuff, but there's that, and there's the fact that Gulliman may have just killed an Alpha Legionaire impersonating Alpharius).