Alpha Legion: Models 1 - Headhunters

Alpha Legion Headhunters are just the coolest. During the Great Crusade, the Alpha Legion pioneered the use of Seeker Squads, whose role was close-in assassination and that would pop up in the middle of a battle to kill enemy leadership targets. They were equipped with specialist ammunition and were chosen based on their skill as marksmen, not rank. The Alpha Legion took this concept a step further, naturally, and developed Headhunters who used even more extreme infiltration methods and whose targets were not limited to leadership, but included just about any actions that would cause chaotic conditions (or whatever furthered the Alpha Legion's goals), and who attempted all this without the enemy even knowing of their presence (at least not until it was too late). 

Alpha Legion Seeker Marines go to work.

To represent Headhunters visually, I have started with Mk IV power armor marines, which are plentifully available thanks to the Betrayal at Calth box. From there, I have added a bunch of non-GW bits. The models in Figures 1-3 show some of these additions. The goal here is to make these models look specialized (scopes, suppressor) and ready for a long-term infiltration missions where they must bring all supplies with them (equipment belts and harnesses). Most of the models will also have knives on them since the 30k Headhunters all carry power knives and knives are more a covert operative's tool than a sword or axe.

Figure 1: Headhunter; 1) holographic sight, 2) laser designator, 3) suppressor, 4) equipment belt, 5) extra grenade.

These bits are all from Anvil Industries and also add a little bit of a modern-day flair to the models (e.g. the holographic sight). Fortunately, they are all appropriately scaled to Space Marines.

Figure 2: Headhunter comms specialist; 1) extra combat knife, 2) long-range vox (from Adeptus Mechanicus Rangers/Vanguard box).

Finally, these extra bits also represent what unit they actually are in-game and what the unit is equipped with. For example, the modifications to the bolters and the extra magazines hanging from belts can represent (spoiler alert) the Special Issue Boltguns of Sternguard Veterans, or the Sonic Blasters of Noise Marines. 

Figure 3. Headhunter Prime (sergeant); 1) helm with special optics (trimmed-down plague marine helmet from the CSM box), 2) extra grenade bandolier, 3) extra equipment bandolier, 4) meltabomb, 5) power knife (power sword), 6) extra magazines for extended deployment.

Next time: units of interest from Codex: Space Marines and Codex: Chaos Space Marines!