My personal view is they have fallen

The alpha legion has been declared destroyed in several occassions, which suggest they would nned to replace loses with less than ideal candidates. A bit like the night lords. Theres no evidence that they are fighting a noble war for humanity, but more a selffish struggle against those who have wronged them in the past

I don't think the cabal itself was chaotic, but i don't think they thought the idea through. Afterall the alpha legion was never actually involved in the fighting for terra but more delaying actions. They went freelance as soon as they fell

 

SPOILERS FROM LEGION!!!



Pesonally I believe the AL wished to save humanity, but believed that the Sacrifice of the Imperium would be needed. The AL have already stated they believe the Emperors ideal of a Utopia to be flawed and ultimately doomed to failure, this is realy just confirms the Alphas viewpoint that Chaos would rule. The qestion they have to ask themselves would they allow it to humanity with it.

If they allow Horus to win then humanity would be obliterated, if they allow the Imperium to win then the Imperium survives but humanity is saved under the thrall of Chaos.

So from this we can assume and assume 2 things.

Horus fails- thus humanity survives
The Alpha Legion fought on the side of Horus it should be that he won... So given the Cabals warnings 1 of 2 things occured 1) The AL were manipulating and Horus and hindering rather than helping. 2) The Acuity was wrong.

So given this my assumtion is as follows....

The AL wished to save humanity and would see the Imperium sacrificed to do it, even sacrificing themselves to attain it, branded as traitors despite working for the good of humanity.
They may have been working the long game to try and avoid both outcomes of the acuity by joining Horus yet hindering him also, this seems to be supported with the short stories in age of darkness. As for them saving Salamanders and Raven Guard in the book, they were out of the war, yet could stil play a part in protecting humanity in the aftermath, thus saving them from a pointless death.
Now we have the situation where they are still chaos working towards the dooming of Humanity according to humanity.

I believe they were trying to save humanity initially, but due to whatever manipulations failed in Horus's sucess, realising the acuity could be flawed, when Horus failed despite their help, they are now trying to manipulate the future and prevent humanities destruction.
Maybe even trying to prolong the war idefinately.

My personal view is they have fallen

The alpha legion has been declared destroyed in several occassions, which suggest they would nned to replace loses with less than ideal candidates. A bit like the night lords. Theres no evidence that they are fighting a noble war for humanity, but more a selffish struggle against those who have wronged them in the past

Keep in mind there is a great deal of difference as declared destryed and actually being so. The high Lords dont have exactly much info to make educated decisions when it comes to sweeping statements like that.
Bases everywhere its perfectly possible they have access to acceptable, and sophisticated facilitie hidden since the heresy.

 

The impression I got was that humanity had to die to save the galaxy, that was the only way the Emperor could attain His dream of order. There are a couple of conversations in the book (Legion) where Alpharius questions whether or not the Emperors plans for the galaxy are realistic or attainable and he comes to the conclusion that they are impossible.
Then the Cabal tell him about Chaos and what could happen should they win or lose in the coming Heresy, Alpharius sees an opportunity to bring about the Emperor's dream of order, by destroying the Emperor and humanity.

Maybe I read too much into it?

 

Your right. It is confusing. Whichever way you look at it there is another potential answer.
The problem lies in yes they may save humanity in the heresy, but what are they doing now?

I supose this fits my view
"I believe they were trying to save humanity initially, but due to whatever manipulations failed in Horus's sucess, realising the acuity could be flawed, when Horus failed despite their help, they are now trying to manipulate the future and prevent humanities destruction.
Maybe even trying to prolong the war idefinately."

Yes they threw their lot in with Chaos but did so to save humanity rather than destroy the Imperium. Now they are still alligned with Chaos, but still desire to save humanity.

 

I'd like to believe in #3 but I'm afraid #1 is (also) true.

There might well be groups of Alpha Legion that never even entered the Eye and are just roaming the galaxy, pulling off their grazy guerrilla maneuvres and once in a while picking up potential candidates for adoption

Members of the Legion that entered the Eye would hardly be able to resist the mutating, warping and corrupting influence of Chaos. Even the mightiest of the Primarchs (so Horus is often referred to) fell when he became in touch with Chaos' raw power. This is IMO reflected in the outlook of the Alpha Legionnaires models that represent 41st millenium members - they do look quite Chaosy

But still, the fluff on my warband (they call themselves Unit, not warband) states that they have never even been close to the eye and instead use Tyranids as unwilling allies in order to bring down the Imperium. So they have not fallen

 

We know that at least some of the the Legion have fallen (Voldorius anyone?) but I like to believe that teh yare just going around doing their own thing. For the most part they are out for their own goals or maybe they just like having a lot of cool summer homes on all their planets they keep raising cults on. We can never guess with these guys

 

I always hope that there will eventually be some fluff to back up a case for a space marine chapter legion to be against the imperium without being overtaken by chaos. However, almost every book or story shows that any time a space marine chapter turns from the Emperor's light, that they also lose the protection of the Emperor fom the warp and eventually fall to chaos. I think this points to the mysterious purpose of the astronomicon and the beacon that the blood ravens carry. It not only guides wayward vessels, but also provides protection from the warp for those loyal to the imperium.

The huge flaw with that, is that there are many planets that have no problem with chaos, but yet are not allied with the Emperor. Hmmm...

 

Similar to the mystery of the missing primarchs and the Blood Ravens true history, the Alpha Legion are deliberately wrapped in secrets.

The were one of the "little legions" before the HH series began, hardly ever appearing or being talked about.

They do have some interesting aspects that are coming to light, the romantic "hope" that somewhere deep down inside we believe the Alphas' are still loyal to the Emperor.

Whether they are loyal or not they still are the only SM force in the galaxy with one or possibley two functioning Primarchs, that makes them very unique and special.

I believe also that the Twins were found by Horus when they were leading a pirate band of space ships, and it may be that their home planet was not found or ever found and may be to this day still a secret planet from which they may still operate from and possibly recruit.

Also because the Primarch(s) have not taken Deamonic Assension they still have access to pure untainted uncorrupt geneseed fresh from the Primarch. Possibley the only Space Marines on either side with access to First Gen unmutated Primarch geneseed.

In some recent short stories the Alphas' have been portrayed as most definate enemies of the Imperium, with brilliant levels of stealth and secrecy, what their agenda is noone knows. I dont believe they are loyal at all to the Imperium, but having at least one Primarch, they certainly dont need chaos as a lord and master to give them purpose.

 

Whatever the AL were, I think that now they have become so lost inside their plans and plots that even they don't know what they want or stand for anymore.
I believe that AlphariusOmegon had some idea of what they might have to do to help the Emperor, but even Primarchs aren't infallible; isn't that what the HH is all about? Maybe without asking for guidance from his father, the XXth Primarchs' plans were overtaken by exposure to Chaos, Tzeentch playing them from the shadows. If they work in small groups, widely scattered, it would only take a single Astartes to be corrupted (maybe unknowingly) to start making their complex plans more and more complicated, seemingly with a goal but more commonly for the sake of complexity.
Maybe the Legion is at war with itself, half fallen, half loyal; both sides think they're right, but fight a hidden war with the Imperium caught in the middle.

GFP

 

As I see it, when regarding the Alpha Legion and their allegiances, one has to realize that you cannot speak for the legion as a whole. The AL is much too fragmented for such sweeping, broad conclusions to be accurate. In all likelihood, the answer to this question is multifaceted. It is clear that some war bands have fallen fully to chaos, becoming lost in their hatred for the Imperium. On the other hand, as both primarchs could potentially be alive, I am sure there are cells that hold true to their initial cause. This conclusion is reinforced by the fact that most accounts contend that the Alpha Legion distances itself from chaos but still employs it as a tool. What it all boils down to is a general lack of information. This, while adding to their aura of deception, makes any of our thought no more than conjecture.

 

Well done sir. very well put.
You put into word what I was trying to. In that no matter what perspective you look at it, there is always more than one explanation leading to very different conclusions.