Most regimented traitor legions

[Bloody Legionnaire]

Were any of the traitor legions known for being regimented and uniform with particular emphasis on their martial prowess who maintained that after becoming a traitor? I appreciate a good falling to the ruinous powers to the point divulging into madness (mmm love me some Word Bearers), but I'd also be interested in having a traitor legion that was incredibly disciplined and regimented how placed emphasis on proficiency and competence to overcome the imperium. Does that fit any of the traitor legions? 

Edited June 13, 2021 by Bloody Legionnaire

[SkimaskMohawk]

The death guard and iron warriors are both very regimented and kept their cohesion. The word bearers too for the most part, but definitely spiralled towards zealotry over proficiency.

[Marshal Vespasian]

Some parts of the SoH, mostly centered around Abaddon, tried to keep away from chaos and wanted to win as warriors, as did many an Iron Warrior (Perturabo amongst them)

[Bloody Legionnaire]

The death guard and iron warriors are both very regimented and kept their cohesion. The word bearers too for the most part, but definitely spiralled towards zealotry over proficiency.

 

I have a collection going on with both Death Guard and Word Bearers, but I'm utilizing 40k models with 30k bits as they are both modelled as their late-heresy corrupted-counterparts. Death Guard is probably closer to what I'm describing because they're more well rounded late heresy in organization vs the Word Bearers divulging to brutal close combat. Did Mortarion place emphasis on uniformity within his ranks? 

Some parts of the SoH, mostly centered around Abaddon, tried to keep away from chaos and wanted to win as warriors, as did many an Iron Warrior (Perturabo amongst them)

 

SoH are at the top of what I've been considering particularly those centered around Abaddon, so I'm glad to hear that. I'm excited about the new box that was leaked and I think those would be perfect a for a new SoH Army. Similar to my question for SkimaskMohawk, did Abaddon/Horus place any emphasis on uniformity? 

[Lucerne]

Alpha Legion explicitly have discipline as one of their core values, and that was kept post heresy. As for uniformity, that's practically memetic in just how much that's associated with the AL.

 

Which isn't quite the same thing as "regimented", but if you want disciplined martial prowess, that's an AL "selling point".

 

"The Alpha Legion was the twentieth and last Legion created during the First Founding. Under the critical eye of their twin Primarchs, Alpharius and Omegon, the Legion became renowned for its discipline and strict organisation during the Great Crusade. Though the youngest Legion, the Alpha Legion sought to outshine their brethren in all things, as if to prove their worthiness amidst the older Legions."

 

"The pre-Heresy colours of the Alpha Legion are not markedly different from their latter-day incarnations, an outward testament to the fact the Alpha Legion has – in spirit if not in body – remained much the same since its creation."

 

"On the battlefield, the terrifying coordination of the Alpha Legion is their hallmark, as their multi-pronged attacks apply relentless pressure while they search for weak points in their enemy’s defences."

" The military actions of the Alpha Legion are so artfully swathed in misdirection, so efficiently planned and prosecuted, that barely one in a hundred has been correctly attributed to them. Nonetheless, as Chaos Space Marines they strike with terrifying force, and the worlds which they attack are scarred by the violence they unleash for the rest of their days."

Edited June 13, 2021 by Lucerne

[Bung]

SoH werent much uniform as Horus erased nearly all of the command structure above company level.

 

Some legions kept it together after the Siege.

EC and WE for example lost alot and degraded after the Battle of Skalathrax.

 

I think TS and IW would be the most regimented and uniform after the Siege.

Edited June 13, 2021 by Bung

[Bloody Legionnaire]

SoH werent much uniform as Horus erased nearly all of the command structure above company level.

 

Some legions kept it together after the Siege.

EC and WE for example lost alot and degraded after the Battle of Skalathrax.

 

I think TS and IW would be the most regimented and uniform after the Siege.

 

By uniformity I mean outward appearance. So standards in armor look and badges, lack of personal equipment modification/adornment.. not necessarily uniformity of organization. 

[UtariOnzo]

Iron warriors. A sea of gunmetal. Very little personalisation, line members that stood out got squished down as potential rivals of the already paranoid officer class.

 

Deathguard I believe also kept a pretty regimented look, more out of their infamous stoic and hardy culture

[Marshal Loss]

 

SoH werent much uniform as Horus erased nearly all of the command structure above company level.

 

Some legions kept it together after the Siege.

EC and WE for example lost alot and degraded after the Battle of Skalathrax.

 

I think TS and IW would be the most regimented and uniform after the Siege.

 

By uniformity I mean outward appearance. So standards in armor look and badges, lack of personal equipment modification/adornment.. not necessarily uniformity of organization. 

 

In terms of appearance: by that metric the Sons of Horus were arguably the least uniform of all the traitors as they were relentlessly individualistic, with the possible exception of the Emperor's Children once they went completely nuts. Night Lords adorned themselves with trophies and images of death/disaster so I tend to think they aren't particularly uniform either.

 

Iron Warriors, World Eaters and Death Guard, being the meatgrinder Legions, erred towards uniformity in terms of their appearance far more than the other traitors. Of the three, I'd say the World Eaters were slightly more divergent than the other two. The Alpha Legion of course also appeared completely uniform at times.

 

With the Word Bearers you can make a convincing case for them being both uniform and idiosyncratic. A sea of mass-produced warriors created on an accelerated timeframe in mass-produced armour? Works fine. Or they could be twisting their armour into forms that better suit their own worship. Also works. Could probably apply this logic to the Sons of Horus as well, per Solar War.

 

Thousand Sons, again, I think you could go either way.

[Lucien Eilam]

By uniformity I mean outward appearance. So standards in armor look and badges, lack of personal equipment modification/adornment.. not necessarily uniformity of organization. 

 

Alpha Legion are known to have taken this to the ultimate extreme:

 

 

 

It has also gone into battle without emblems or markings of any kind; a faceless, anonymous army of killers without distinction or division in its ranks.

[LameBeard]

Yes indeed. We present one face to the enemy. We are all Alpharius.

 

(But my initial reaction was Iron Warriors - really not the kind of legion into personal heraldry, adornment, decoration, honour marking etc - theirs is the unglamorous way of war, and baubles and trinkets are despised.)

[Excessus]

Also, I don't think World Eaters would care enough out of combat to paint actual squad markings on their armours. 

[Corswain]

I have to throw my support behind Iron Warriors. In my head (and on my table) they will always be an engine of destruction. A single mass of ceramite and death.

[Marshal Vespasian]

Yeah I would envision SoH more as tribal warriors with a strong personal and individualistic streak.

Iron Warriors are a good legion as 'foot soldier' types. AL of course are extremely regimented, didnt care about chaos and did all of it on orders. But in my mind they also arent 'line infantry' types if thats what you are going for but specops soldiers.

[Marshal Rohr]

Death Guard and Iron Warriors are up there for sure

[jeremy1391]

Iron warriors hands down. They are still regimented to this day and because of their cohesion they are probably the strongest of the original traitor legions

[Gorgoff]

From iron cometh strength! From strength cometh will! From will cometh faith! From faith cometh honour! From honour cometh iron

 

So Iron Warriors it is and always will be.

[Bung]

Iron warriors hands down. They are still regimented to this day and because of their cohesion they are probably the strongest of the original traitor legions

You should read:

The Siege of Castellax before we Talk about cohesion and strenght of the Iron Warriors.

 

But they are still better than others.

[The Scorpion]

Iron warriors hands down. They are still regimented to this day and because of their cohesion they are probably the strongest of the original traitor legions

The strongest original traitor legion speaking in purely technical terms (aka: from a Loyalist's perspective) is the Word Bearers, because their legion structure remains mostly intact from the days of the Heresy.

 

That being said, their warhosts (which are formations halfway between a chapter and a warband) lean towards being 'pro Erebus' or 'pro Kor Phaeorn', which creates lots of internal dispute because those two are at odds with each other.

 

The strongest legion from a traitor's POV are then the two most cohesive: Death Guard and Iron Warriors. Of those two, I believe Iron Warriors got the greatest numbers, making them the winners by default, but I might be wrong.

[Lucien Eilam]

The Alpha Legion have maintained their structure since before the Great Crusade even started.
 
It’s just that their “structure” is composed of uncountable, independent cells whose true objectives are often secret even from themselves, never mind the wider legion or anyone else. 

[Gorgoff]

The Alpha Legion have maintained their structure since before the Great Crusade even started.

 

It’s just that their “structure” is composed of uncountable, independent cells whose true objectives are often secret even from themselves, never mind the wider legion or anyone else.

The AL Fluff is beyond stupid which makes the legion basically a meme.

Would have been way better if they had restrained themselves a little here.

Edited June 17, 2021 by Gorgoff

[Brother Sutek]

 

The Alpha Legion have maintained their structure since before the Great Crusade even started.

 

It’s just that their “structure” is composed of uncountable, independent cells whose true objectives are often secret even from themselves, never mind the wider legion or anyone else.

The AL Fluff is beyond stupid which makes the legion basically a meme.

Would have been way better if they had restrained themselves a little here.

If they had followed the fluff with solid stories and examples of this style of operation in action it would have been better received. The AL is my favorite but far too often IMO they are treated like Stormtroopers in Star Wars. No Legion is as clever and tactical as the AL...end of story they are fighting themselves.

[Lucerne]

 

The Alpha Legion have maintained their structure since before the Great Crusade even started.

 

It’s just that their “structure” is composed of uncountable, independent cells whose true objectives are often secret even from themselves, never mind the wider legion or anyone else.

The AL Fluff is beyond stupid which makes the legion basically a meme.

Would have been way better if they had restrained themselves a little here.

 

Maybe you just haven't read enough of it instead of, as you say, regurgitating memes.

 

The AL are organized in a way to minimize the usual problems with Astartes being glory hounds and going off-mission, and apply themselves efficiently. They have their share of limitations and setbacks, but a disregard for Imperial norms and prep time, as well as decentralized set ups have advantages...if you want to set up a self-perpetuating terrorist organization that has its own existence as proliferation as a priority.

Edited June 18, 2021 by Lucerne

[MegaVolt87]

I always liked the WB that put up a uniform front but plauged with petty drama internally (Erebus, Agral' Tal etc). We all waiting also for which loyalist primarch is going to give Lorgar his "think, Lorgar think!" moment on Terra lol.

[Gorgoff]

 

 

The Alpha Legion have maintained their structure since before the Great Crusade even started.

 

It’s just that their “structure” is composed of uncountable, independent cells whose true objectives are often secret even from themselves, never mind the wider legion or anyone else.

The AL Fluff is beyond stupid which makes the legion basically a meme.

Would have been way better if they had restrained themselves a little here.

 

Maybe you just haven't read enough of it instead of, as you say, regurgitating memes.

 

The AL are organized in a way to minimize the usual problems with Astartes being glory hounds and going off-mission, and apply themselves efficiently. They have their share of limitations and setbacks, but a disregard for Imperial norms and prep time, as well as decentralized set ups have advantages...if you want to set up a self-perpetuating terrorist organization that has its own existence as proliferation as a priority.

 

That part of their fluff I love as well, but in the novels it often goes of the rail.

For me only the stories which I find in the black books is canon and the novels are just stories which may be true or more often than not are just nonsense.

That way all of the legions have a strong theme and are all equally awesome.