Alpha Legion: Models 4 - Details

"Modeling" with regard to miniatures encompasses the building, modification, and detailing of miniatures, and it is a key part of building an army for me. Modeling is how I attempt to convey details (or mystery) about the forces I use and the character of those forces. Modeling is how you make your army stand out from others. 

An early source of modeling inspiration for me were two White Dwarf articles: one about Dave Taylor's Adeptus Mechanicus army (back in 3rd edition, before there was such a thing, or models for them) and one about his Adeptus Custodes army (also back in 3rd edition, before there was such a thing or models for them). The creativity that went into kitbashing each model to not only represent the unit it was actually using rules for but making the units look different and feel right for the rest of the army still inspires me. Pictures below, and a link to Dave's blog.

Adeptus Mechanicus tank (I believe this counted as a Leman Russ).

Custodes (I believe these counted as Grey Knights at the time).

I've already conveyed the main methods I'm using to give my Alpha Legionaries a unique look, namely all the modern-day scopes, packs, and other tactical bits, but there are some others that are more subtle, as well.

First, I am adding icons to the shoulder guards of my Legionaries. On one side will be the icon of the alpha-omega. This symbol will be painted the same shade as the armor underneath it, and then drybrushed with Warpstone Glow and Moot Green to give it an eerie effect. The main reason it is not in full color is that this army is meant to represent an operative cell infiltrating deep behind enemy lines, so their Alpha Legion iconography is small or less pronounced so they can try to pass for loyalist marines. I could, of course, just not have put any Alpha Legion iconography on them at all, but I feel like the army will lose the common theme if I don't. I was putting decals from the Alpha Legion transfer sheet from Forge World on this side, but I just can't get them to conform to the curve correctly, so I'm going this route instead. These icons can be found here.

To further emphasize the idea of these Legionaries conducting false flag operations or infiltrating other Astartes groups, an icon will be added to the right shoulder, as well. This icon will come from a loyalist chapter, specifically those I am planning to use for their rules from Codex: Adeptus Astartes (though that may change to Codex: Deathwatch now): Salamanders and Raven Guard (Raven Guard version not shown). Icons here and here, respectively.

All this said, I did want them to have a somewhat unified iconography set, too, so they do have some Alpha Legion decals on their legs, and I may add "XX" decals to some knee pads.

Finally, Alpha Legion iconography (at least, pre-heresy) often involved chains, which comes from one of the names they were referred to by: "The Unbroken Chain". It seems like this was meant to represent the idea that every legionary had their place in the overall plan, a link in the greater chain. Or maybe it was something completely different.

+++ HYDRA DOMINATUS +++