The Ecclesiarchy before the Reign of Blood

[Plaguecaster]

Hey everyone I am generally quite very curious about the Ecclesiarchy and I was wondering before the Reign of Blood who were the major fighting force of the Ecclesiarchy, I know that after the Reign of Blood the Sisters of Battle were formed to fight for the Ecclesiarchy but before all that was there a certain force that fought for the Ecclesiarchy or was it just any fanatic who could wield a weapon.

Cheers

[ChaosLord Leon Enaek]

They had a dedicated and trained army with attached fleet elements - the Frateris Templar. They were the holy version of the Inperial Guard and the main fighting force of the Ecclesiarchy. They were the reason that the Ecclessiarchy was forbade men-at-arms and, like sisters 'today', could be supplemented by Frateris Militia volunteers - the 'fanatic with a weapon' you describe.

[Plaguecaster]

Is there by any chance any where I can find more about the Frateris Templar they sound interesting 

[Hanska]

Is there by any chance any where I can find more about the Frateris Templar they sound interesting 

Lexicanum has very little about them. I can't recall any source I've read that had any more detail on them than that.

If there is one I bet Miko can tell you.

[*Furyou Miko]

Sadly, the Frateris Templar only exist to be destroyed and disbanded.

 

The only mentions of them that I've seen are in the Sisters' backstory, where they were all destroyed in the Storm of the Emperor's Wrath except for a handful of regiments who were then killed during the Second Siege of the Emperor's Palace, and any survivors were broken up and presumably absorbed into the Terran PDF.

[ChaosLord Leon Enaek]

Yeah not much on them - I'd assume they are Guard without abhumans but with Crusader squads, Militia mobs, etc as support. A lot of freedom if you want to represent them.

[Plaguecaster]

I see that the info on Lexicanum says they were founded 300 years before Vandire went mad with power , does that mean before the Templar were founded the Ecclesiarchy solely used the Frateris Militia. I'm just wondering as I am really interested in the Ecclesiarchy especially after the Horus heresy but before the Reign of Blood with the rise of the Ecclesiarchy attacking any who disagreed with them as it does sound pretty interesting but finding info is really hard, I hope they do a Ecclesiarchy/ sisters of battle codex soon then it would have more info hopefully.

Cheers

[*Furyou Miko]

Hopefully, forge world will do an aftermath book in the Horus Heresy series to cover the founding of the Ecclesiarchy. Or even maybe an Age of Apostasy book. That would be awesome.

[ChaosLord Leon Enaek]

I don't think that they would be limited to just Militia/Crusaders etc - remember that many worlds would have immediately supported the Ecclessiarchy and so would have sent their Guard to aid any War of Faith.