A what if

[AGPO]

I was pondering earlier today, the heresy only reached the dramatic conclusion that it did because of a few key turning points, notably the Drop Site Massacres and the events which led to the corruption of fully half the legions. But what if Horus had failed to even the odds in this way? What if he had corrupted only a handful of his brothers and been unable to plunge the glaxy into civil war? Horus would still be a formidable foe, but no match for the whole Imperium. What ould the fallout be from a Heresy that left the Imperium more or less intact?

 

- With knowlegde of Chaos now out in the open, would the Emperor bring his Primarchs into the loop with his plan for mankind or would he push them further away, unable to trust them?

 

- Would the Emperor have to return and take direct charge of the crusade, or would he promote another Warmaster, such as Fulgrim, Dorn or Sanguinius?

 

- What route would the Emperor have taken to protect mankind gainst Chaos? Would he ultimately have accepted his role as a figure of Worship?

[Blood Angel Scout]

Awareness of Chaos and potential threat may lead to an alliance with Eldar in a quest to vanquish the Ruinous Powers

[Legionator]

If only Word Bearers and Sons of Horus had been traitor, they would not have declared an open war against the Imperium. They would try to undermine Imperium from within. They could support riots, assasinate powerful Imperials, preaching Chaos but they would be seen as good guys, just like Pre Heresy Word Bearers Heretics.

[ICHD?]

- With knowlegde of Chaos now out in the open, would the Emperor bring his Primarchs into the loop with his plan for mankind or would he push them further away, unable to trust them?

If people knew of Chaos, more would have turned eventually IMO. The Heresy would have played out as it did, but it just would have taken a lot longer.

 

Would the Emperor have to return and take direct charge of the crusade, or would he promote another Warmaster, such as Fulgrim, Dorn or Sanguinius?

I think he would have just taken over The Crusades himself if The Heresy didn't result in his slow painful death. The Emperors stance on the Primarches was "I love you all equally, like any good parent, but like any good parent I have a favourite and that's Horus."

 

- What route would the Emperor have taken to protect mankind gainst Chaos? Would he ultimately have accepted his role as a figure of Worship?

Probably the "Ok, yeah, Chaos exists, but its evil and can't be trusted for anything but Warp Travel" Route.

[AGPO]

If only Word Bearers and Sons of Horus had been traitor, they would not have declared an open war against the Imperium. They would try to undermine Imperium from within. They could support riots, assasinate powerful Imperials, preaching Chaos but they would be seen as good guys, just like Pre Heresy Word Bearers Heretics.

 

But in such a scenario Horus would have tried and failed to corrupt the other Primarchs, so his heresy would be known. Also sooner or later someone was bound to notice Lorgar's actions