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From Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum
→The Horus Heresy: Infiltration of the Raven Guard
[[Image:Heresy Era Alpha Legion by James Brady.JPG|thumb|right|180px|Legionnaires during the Heresy]]After the virus-bombing of [[Isstvan III]], the presumed loyal Alpha Legion was one of the legions sent by the Emperor to destroy Horus at his base on [[Isstvan V]]. Assigned to the second wave, the Legion instead turned on the loyalist first wave. It is thought by many that much of the traitors' Isstvan V strategy was planned by Alpharius and the Alpha Legion.
When Raven Guard Commander Branne arrived at Istvaan V to retrieve several of what remained of the Loyalist forces including his Primarch - Corax - the Alpha Legion played a pivotal part in letting tried to help Corax escape, going as far as killing the commander of a World Eaters battle barge which could have delayed the superior Raven Guard fleet.{{Fn|11}} The Alpha Legion had Apothecarii that were master of face transplantation. The took the faces of fallen [[Raven Guard]] to prevent it from destroying Branne's vesseltransplant them on their own Astartes. Together with the knowledge gained by digesting the brains of the dead Raven Guard, three Alpha Legion Astartes were able to infiltrate the Raven Guard Legion{{Fn|21a}}. Later about 50 Alpha Legion Astartes in the colours of the Raven Guard were sent as reinforcments for this agents{{Fn|21b}}.While [[Omegon]] could retrieve the data this infiltrators could optaion, all of them were killed by the Raven Guard{{Fn|1121b}}. Learning of the Infiltration of the Raven Guard, [[Horus]] ordered [[Abbadon]] to find Alpha Legion agents in his legion at all costs{{Fn|21a}}.
During the Heresy, the Alpha Legion split off from the main body of Horus's forces early and did not attack [[Terra]], instead embarking upon a series of delaying actions in an attempt to hold Imperial reinforcements in place. They also engaged in smaller actions, defeating a [[White Scars]] force on [[Tallarn]] and a [[Space Wolves]] unit at Yarant. Despite their contributions, however, Horus was defeated.{{Fn|1a}}
