Age of Darkness Starter Series Pt 18: Alpha Legion

In this ongoing series we present an accessible and thematic starting list for each of the 18 Space Marine Legions. Each list utilizes the Age of Darkness starter set as a foundation from which to build a 2,000 point list using as few additional components as possible from readily available official plastic kits.

To build this force yourself you’ll need:
1 Age of Darkness Starter Set
1 Legion Sky-Hunter Squadron

Well, after a bit over a year and seventeen other blogs, we have finally arrived at the end of our starter series. Or is it the beginning? That’s right, they’re here to put the beginning in your end, the Omega in your Alpha, it’s the nefarious XX Legion! The final word in traitorous machinations, the Alpha Legion are, one of the more complex armies both to play and collect but there is still a fun way to get started using the Age of Darkness box as a foundation.

As is so often the case, the Alpha Legion’s unique rites of war require very specific models that have little overlap with the Age of Darkness box contents, so I’ve once again chosen Pride of the Legion for this forces rite of war. As well, the Alpha Legion’s signature Rewards of Treachery ability letting them use unique units from other legions is outside the scope of this box set’s contents. What follows is a focus on basic units you may well use in the more specialized Alpha Legion lists but given the complexity of these choices I recommend you look for more expert advice on the matter when building out from this army list.

With that all said, let’s look at what we’ve got! Pride of the Legion grants your terminator units the highly valuable Line ability, allowing them to hold objectives. This list maximises your already powerful terminators by attaching your praetor to that unit. The praetor has the Hydran Excursor warlord trait, granting him and his attached unit +1 to hit against an enemy space marine legion of your choice at the beginning of the game. This means your versatile and hard hitting terminators are almost never going to miss their targets, and the addition of a power dagger to your praetor also means he’s likely attacking even enemy praetors first thanks to the initiative bonus. Note that I’ve scattered power daggers (and venom spheres) around wherever possible to give even your tactical sergeants an edge in close combat. A contemptor dreadnought with lascannon adds some additional ranged punch alongside the spartan which will be carrying your terminators and praetor.

A pair of ten-man tactical squads grant you great flexibility when playing to scenario, backed up by a larger, twenty-man squad. Multiple squads, some of them on the smaller side play well with the Alpha Legion’s innate Lies and Obfuscation trait (add 2″ to ranges when measuring shooting attacks) and their once per game Smoke and Mirrors reaction allow you to move a unit when they’ve been targeted by a shooting attack, potentially totally out of range or line of sight of that attack!

Unlike many other legions, the XX don’t have too many upgrades for their basic troops meaning the Age of Darkness box is a little low on points necessitating the purchase of an additional squad or vehicle to get to a basic 2,000 point army. There are lots of great options for them but I chose to add a unit of Sky-hunter scimitar jet bikes mostly because I think they look great in Alpha Legion livery but the ability to deliver heavy weapons quickly across the board and attack from a surprise vector suits the army’s playstyle in general.

For the Emperor!

++ 1. Crusade Force Organisation Chart (LA – XX: Alpha Legion) [1,997Pts] ++

+ Allegiance: +

Allegiance: Traitor

XX: Alpha Legion

+ Rite of War: +

Rite of War: Pride Of The Legion

+ The Rewards Of Treachery +

The Rewards of Treachery: No Legion Chosen

+ HQ: [287Pts] +

Centurion [122Pts]
. Champion [87Pts]: Artificer Armour, Charnabal Tabar [10Pts], Frag Grenades, Krak Grenades, Power Dagger [5Pts], Refractor Field, Venom Spheres [10Pts], Volkite Serpenta [2Pts]
. Champion [35Pts]: Paragon Blade

Praetor [165Pts]: Hydran Excursor, Warlord
. Legion Praetor [165Pts]: Artificer Armour, Frag Grenades, Iron Halo, Krak Grenades, Master of the Legion, Power Dagger [5Pts], Venom Spheres [10Pts]
. . Archaeotech Pistol [15Pts]
. . Power Weapon [15Pts]: Power Axe

+ Elites: [1,020Pts] +

Contemptor Dreadnought Talon [205Pts]
. Contemptor Dreadnought [205Pts]: Atomantic Deflector, Combi-Bolter, Gravis Lascannon [20Pts], Gravis Power Fist with in-built ranged weapon, Havoc Launcher [10Pts]

Terminator Cataphractii Squad [815Pts]: Cataphractii Terminator Armour
. Cataphractii [45Pts]: Chainfist [15Pts], Combi-Bolter
. Cataphractii [40Pts]: Combi-Bolter, Power Fist [10Pts]
. Cataphractii Sergeant w/TLC [30Pts]: Grenade Harness [5Pts], Pair of Lightning Claws [10Pts], Power Dagger [5Pts], Venom Spheres [10Pts]
. Cataphractii w/Heavy Weapon (1 in 5) [50Pts]: Chainfist [15Pts], Heavy Flamer [5Pts]
. Cataphractii w/Heavy Weapon (1 in 5) [45Pts]: Heavy Flamer [5Pts], Power Fist [10Pts]
. 5x Cataphractii w/Lightning Claws [200Pts]: 5x Pair of Lightning Claws
. Land Raider Spartan [350Pts]
. . Land Raider Spartan [350Pts]: 2x Lascannon Destroyer, Hull (Front) Mounted Twin-linked Heavy Bolter, Legiones Astartes (X), Smoke Launchers

+ Troops: [565Pts] +

Tactical Squad [155Pts]: Frag Grenades, Krak Grenades, Power Armour
. Legion Tactical Sergeant [25Pts]: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Lightning Claw [10Pts], Power Armour, Power Dagger [5Pts], Venom Spheres [10Pts]
. 6x Legionary [60Pts]: 6x Bolt Pistol, 6x Bolter
. Legionary w/ Options: [20Pts]: Augury Scanner [10Pts], Bolt Pistol, Bolter
. Legionary w/ Options: [20Pts]: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Legion Vexilla [10Pts]
. Legionary w/ Options: [20Pts]: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Nuncio-Vox [10Pts]

Tactical Squad [255Pts]: Frag Grenades, Krak Grenades, Power Armour
. Legion Tactical Sergeant [25Pts]: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Lightning Claw [10Pts], Power Armour, Power Dagger [5Pts], Venom Spheres [10Pts]
. 16x Legionary [160Pts]: 16x Bolt Pistol, 16x Bolter
. Legionary w/ Options: [20Pts]: Augury Scanner [10Pts], Bolt Pistol, Bolter
. Legionary w/ Options: [20Pts]: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Legion Vexilla [10Pts]
. Legionary w/ Options: [20Pts]: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Nuncio-Vox [10Pts]

+ Fast Attack: [125Pts] +

Sky-Hunter Squadron [125Pts]: Legiones Astartes (X), Power Armour
. Legion Sky-Hunter [40Pts]: Bolt Pistol, Chainsword, Plasma Cannon [10Pts]
. Legion Sky-Hunter [30Pts]: Bolt Pistol, Chainsword, Heavy Bolter
. Legion Sky-Hunter Sergeant [10Pts]: Bolt Pistol, Plasma Cannon [10Pts]
. . Chainsword: Chainsword
. Scimitar Jetbike: Heavy Bolter

++ Total: [1,997Pts] ++

PS An index of all 18 starter series blogs is coming soon!