Pimp my Templars?

[Nightwing]

So I'm looking for some hints and inspiration for making my Black Templars look unique.

I have a sizable army, but my Crusader squads were some of the first things I bought. As such, they're not the best put together, best painted, etc. I'm going to buy atleast 20 new marines, and try to make them look as Templar-esque as I can.

I'm thinking, for a start, to buy some Grey Knights helmet bits, and use those in combination with the Templar heads from the upgrade sprues.

Any other suggestions to make my crusaders look pimp?

[Peredyne]

The upgrade sprues are your best bet to give your BT some individuality. Also heads from other kits do a wonderful job of individualizing the models. Death Company, Sanguinary Guard, Space Wolves, Grey Knights all have some great head bits for that purpose. The Sanguinary Guard come with at least 15 different heads: 5 death masks, 5 Helmets, and 5 unhelmeted. For my Minotaurs, I've used GK parts, SG parts, DC parts and loads of regular marines. For your tabard wearing models, you can also use the Dark Angels heads with the hoods. You also have all the fun little accessories you can use from the BT, DA, BA, GK. Just avoid using anything with the chapter-specific iconography. I would recommend investing in the Forgeworld etched brass BT sheet.

 

In the realm of after-market upgrades, Anvil Industries has some great heads that fit onto the SM bodies perfectly.

[Xenith]

The upgrade sprues are your best bet to give your BT some individuality.

Shame every Templar player thinks that, though. They all end up with the same bits, and every army ends up looking the same.

 

I would consider practising your freehand skills, nicely painted templar crosses are easy, and look awesome, and are cheaper than bits.

 

Buy a couple of box sets, Wolves are pretty good for this (just shave down the silly hair). Make up the squad with blu tac first and pose them awesomely, then glue them together, paint them well (grey highlights are pretty easy) and some freehand and well done eye lenses will make them cool. Dark Angels are robey and monastic, so fit the templar aesthetic well.

 

A spot colour across the army (not templar red) or good basing will also make them individual.

[reckoning]

Create your own Crusade Livery and paint it onto your miniatures.

 

I disagree with giving your initiates robes from the DA Vet Box as thats something the DA are known for. BT are known more for tabards than flowing robes.

 

Thats just my opinion though. Its your army, make it look how you want it to look.

[Nightwing]

Thanks for the help guys.

SW and DA are great ideas, and I wouldnt have thought to look on Forge World :lol:

I have my own crusade icons, and I'm working on the freehand painting. Its getting there. Thinking of buying a stack of just spacemarine banners and throwing them to random crusaders, just to spice it up.

 

I'll post some WIP photos when I get going.

[The_Chaplain]

Just a thought, but one thing you can do is get some grey knight chest pieces and, very carefully, file and cut off all of the grey knight and inquisitorial ornaments; leaving you with a bunch of plain mk. 8 looking power armor chests with gorget pieces. From there, it's just a matter of applying detailing- purity seals, maybe some press molded BT iconography, skulls, etc.

 

Another treasure trove of bits is in the Sevrin Loth & honor guard retinue from forgeworld. Go halfsies with a buddy who wants a kick butt looking librarian, and use those sweet looking chests and shoulderpads for yourself and your templars. Yes, some filing/cutting will be required to remove the red scorpion details, and you may want to get rid of the studded leather loincloths but those torsos look amazing. Heck, they even have some cool heads and power axes to go with it!

[Brother_Fatiswon]

buy one each of the following

 

ba sang guard box

ba death company box

sw pack box

da vet box

sm command squad

gk pa box

gk tda box

sm tda tactical box

sm tda assault box

 

buy two each of the following

bt upgrade pack

sm scout box

 

done.

 

gives you: 10 jump packs, you can use the wings as storm shields (x10). 15 tda models + 2 tda assualt cannons (1 from da vets, 1 from tda box). 10 scouts and 35 PA marine bodies... kit bash your Templar heart out and paint it all black with white shoulders... oh and you'll have lots of bits to learn how to shave and file on. maybe about 3-5 packs or green stuff :)

[KhorneHunter57x]

Were I to do my Templars again, one of the things I would do is make them true-scaled using the Doghouse-pattern tutorial in the Librarium (here on the B&C). It requires a bit of GS work to make them look great, but it's somewhat more unique than simple kit-bashing with other Marine bitz.