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From Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum
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All [[Space Marine Legion]]s set arduous tasks and trials for potential recruits, but prior to the [[Horus Heresy]] the ''Alpha Legion'' set these initiation tests for squads, not individuals. Squads succeeded as a group or not at all - foolhardy heroics were frowned upon. The overall plan was paramount and more valuable than any one [[Space Marine]].{{Fn|1a}} This was an extension of the Legion's philosophy that they were a body of one that could strike in many places at once. This complete solidarity with each other expressed itself in other ways. Decisions within the Legion were made in a fairly open and reasonably democratic way, with all ranks - including the Alpha Legions' non-Astartes Operatives - allowed to interject and comment freely during planning sessions. This freedom was allowed not just on military matters - the Alpha Legion internally discussed matters of philosophy and galactic policy that would have been forbidden or frowned upon in other Imperial institutions. Later recruits for the Legion were selected by the Primarch primarily based on high intelligence and personal initiative.{{Fn|2c}}{{Fn|2e}}
''Alpha Legion'' equivalents of companies, battalions and chapters were known as "Harrows", "Cohorts", "Hosts" and "Instruments". However, those structures have never stayed permanent and were formulated and broken down on an as-needed basis.{{Fn|17}}
The [[Space Marine Legion|Legion]] also made a habit of recruiting non-[[Space Marines|Astartes]] specialists in every theatre and campaign they entered, commonly members of the [[Imperium|Imperial]] armed forces.{{Fn|2c}} These operatives often remained in their original position, ready to respond to ''Alpha Legion'' commands.{{Fn|2f}} Compromised operatives were not discarded if it could be avoided, and Alpha Legionaries would go to great lengths to retain them or hide their existence, lengths that included the fatal silencing of other Imperials. Operatives were tattooed with a small hydra symbol.{{Fn|2c}}
===Known Chaos Cults===
*[[Brotherhood of the Serpent's Eye]]{{Fn|57a}}
==Gene-Seed and Appearance==
Alongside the [[Space Wolves]] and [[Salamanders]], Alpha Legion were one of the original "Trefoil" Legions which highly distinct and isolated Gene-Seed that was highly classified by the [[Emperor]] Himself. The exact details of what this entails is not known, though it is known that the Alpha Legion Gene-Seed was the last strain created for the [[Legiones Astartes]] at the end of the [[Unification Wars]].{{Fn|23a}}
One of the most notable anomalies of the Alpha Legion was the near-identical appearances of its members. During the the Great Crusade most if not all Alpha Legionnaires possessed white skin, a bald head, and similar facial features to their Primarch Alpharius.{{Fn|2d}}
During the [[Great Crusade]]-era some Alpha Legionaries were notably tall even for members of the [[Space Marines|Astartes]], physical attributes which suited [[Alpharius]]' focus on misdirection. For the [[Primarch]] put into place a directive that, as far as possible, all ''Alpha Legion'' Marines had to attempt to look alike; and the face they patterned themselves on was that of Alpharius and [[Omegon]].{{Fn|2d}}
Today, the Gene-Seed of the Alpha Legion is thought to be largely uncorrupted by the [[Warp]] due to their operations mainly residing outside of the [[Eye of Terror]]. However some Alpha Legionnaires still display outward mutations and warped body parts, but if this is the result of a original flaw or something that has come about during the ten thousand years of the [[Long War]] is unknown.{{Fn|1g}}
==Noted Elements of the Alpha Legion==
**{{Endn|1e}}: pg. 59
**{{Endn|1f}}: pg. 61
**{{Endn|1g}}: ''Gene-Seed''
*2: [[Legion (Novel)|Legion]]:
**{{Endn|2a}}: ''Dramatis personae''
**{{Endn|31c}}: ‘’Epilogue’’
**{{Endn|31d}}: Part 3, Chapters 4-5
**{{Endn|31e}}: Part 4, Chapter 6
*{{Endn|32}}: [[The Seventh Serpent (Novella)]] - Chapters 9-10
*33: [[Sons of the Hydra (Novel)]]:
