Black Templar- Flavor Names and Tactic

[Schlitzaf]

As I was working through my lists and several homebrew units, with Black Templar naming schemes, I got to thinking the recording of BT Terminology on forum for new Crusaders. And I had a couple hours, to write so I decided to added the tactica section.

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This list is meant for flavor and nothing more. Certain units will be noted when most comparable to lost UU in name and function. And in the future I might add some tactica based on my own experiences and have a section homebrew Units (such as my Conquistador Squad (Biker Crusaders)).

 

​Chapter Organization ​(to help DIY Crusaders)

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Battle Company > Crusade. A Black Templar Crusade is the closest thematic equivalent, Black Templars have to a Space Marine Battle Company. They are not parallel truly, a Black Templar Crusade led by a Marshall can be composed of several company worthy of Marines or as few as fifty or sixty. Some crusades are as small as ten to twelve. Larger Crusades, will then be divided into organizations known a Fighting Companies with a lesser Marshall I.e. a Castellan, being put in charge. The reason for this is the Black Templars eschew the teaching of Roboute Gulliman, for their own founder Sigismund. A foundation based on brotherhood and comradery. That sign is shown in the Black Templars extensive use of chains originally meant to represents their bonds with the World Eater. The second foundation is refusing to accept the slow annihilation of Mankind. The Black Templar chapter is constantly on Crusade and fighting to restore to the Emperor's light to outer reaches of the cosmos.

 

​Non-Unique Unit, Black Templar Terminology

HQ:

Captain > Marshall. Our equivalent to the Captain Rank, they will overall Commanders of Black Templar Crusade. These Crusades can be several times smaller than a Company or twice even thrice the size of Battle Company from Codex Chapters.

 

Lieutenant > Castellan. A Castellan is in the new lore an advisor to their respective Marshall. However a Castellan was first used for a term denoting Marshall leading a smaller element of a larger Crusade. These smaller elements are referred to as a Fighting Company.

 

Librarian > Bonfire. ZEAL​. Black Templars do not have nor do we have an equivalent sounding name for them. They are witches and heretics, must be burnt. However Good Neophyte's mustn't forget, you know that mutant with the 3rd Eye to cross the warp. We aren't mindless Berzerkers. That said, always get a keep close eye, on that mutant and any other mutant who have been cursed with such a trait.

 

Techmarines > Forgemasters. In Helsreach the BT Techmarine, was noted as being a Forgemaster. The term presumably comes from the idea of maintenance and control of the forge itself.

 

Elites

We don’t have a First Company. Instead each Crusade has its own mini-First Company, these are called a Marshall’s Household. Hand Selected Initiates to be inducted by a Marshall to serve as his personal bodyguards or their own Squads.

 

Company Veterans > Sword Brethren. The original Sword Brethren from C: BT, had a versatile loadout and options. Being essentially a Crusader Squad with Veteran Skills. While our Stern/Vang Vets are still Sword Brothern, Company Veterans have the most similarity to the original Sword Brethren Unit.

 

Company Ancient > Household Ancient. Black Templars First Company are on a Crusade by Crusade Basis. And these the First Company equivalent organizations are referred to as the Marshal’s Household. As such it makes sense for our Company Ancients carried by a member of the Marshal’s Household to bear his colours and be termed as such.

 

Chapter Ancient > Crusade Ancient. Honor Gaurd have no functional equivalent within the Black Templars. Instead I imagine they represent upper echelon of a Crusade Marshall Household.

 

Chapter Champion > Emperor’s Champion. For practical purposes I would not call these units Emperor’s Champion. But flavorfully every Black Templar Fighting Company would have one. Per original flavor they are given the best options in the armory. If you do use this term as an equivalent make sure to explain the flavor. That said an actual Emperor’s Champion not too many points more.

 

Company Champion > See Chapter Champion. Similar reasons and explanation above as always I’d fork over the couple extra points for the actual Chanpion. But flavorfully these units we would likely refer to as Emperor’s Champion’s

 

Ironclad > Durandal Dreadnought. The Durandal was first printed in a French White Dwarf, and was meant to enable us to emulate the Dreadnought with Double CCW featured in our Codex. While a Durandal could be Venerable and take Hellfire loadout, Ironclad best represents the rules of the Durandal. In particular the additional armor penetration of the Durandal.

 

Troop

Sergeant > Sword Brother. A Sword Brother as Sergeant only existed in flavor but not real for our non-Command Squads until we got rolled into C:SM. Then it was the idea while a member of the Marshall Household Or Sword Brother graduated, they might return to the Crusader Squad as teacher. In Helsreach notes that among the Sword Brothren themselves their might be a hierarchy.

 

NonVetPowerArmor > Initiate. An Initiate is I believe drawn from the idea now he is a Black Templar who is in the ‘know’ or accepted by his brothers. Practical concern he is standard battle brother.

 

Scout > Neophyte. A core concept of the Black Templar, is we teach the future of the chapter or our scouts by first hand experience. And by watching first hands to see the growth of our future and train them. As such we don’t have a traditional 10th Company Equivalent. Even so per new lore, an Initiate will sometimes let their Neophytes form their own Squads to do recon and learn on their own.

 

Fast

N/A (see Troop)

 

Heavy

N/A (see Troop)

 

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Anyone else want to add or make an addition? Correct my flavor? (I hope I wasn’t out of line to make this thread. I didn’t see one and felt this could be a simple way to preserves our non-salient flavor for names, like Ironclad > Durandal).

 

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Tactica (for more in depth and competitively based see Implausible Nature by Marshall Laeroth)

 

Key Terms:

Black Tide - a Black Templar Force defined by being a Horde. The extreme version of this as 3-4 20 Man Crusaders.

Archer - ShootyCrusaders. I have seen this term used on the forum, in years gone by its refers to a Crusader Squad armed for shooting.

MSU - Minimum Size Unit. Normally the smallest squad size

(x)/(x) or (x)-(x) - If you see this below, this is referring to Crusader Squad Ratios. First Number is always the Initiate Count and second number is the Neophyte Count.

 

A Black Templar based Detachment, has several aspects going for us.

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​Crusader Squad Three Setups

1. The 5 Man MSU with Heavy/Special/Special. That unit has the equivalent firepower to a Two Heavy Devastator Squad, and if using Plasma while in rapid, equivalent to Three Heavy Devastator Squad. This is one of our most common and most competitive units setup. Its solid for fulfilling a Battalion requirements for those juicy command points.

 

2. The 6-4 Squad or your fire support. The unit here is meant to be kept relatively cheap but has a higher body count to help endure attrition. This unit is a classic for Rhino builds, 6-4 ratio was born during our 4th Ed Book and Neophyte interaction with our various vows. Today the ratio endured because of wording during the 6th-7th book, that did not count a SB for allowed number of Neophytes. In 8th Edition, while still retains a purpose, if you want cheap fire support in a troop unit, that doesn't die to a stiff breeze, Intercessors are better. Unless you really really want that double or single special. You should not include heavy in this squad as you are wasting the points spent on squad to effectively fire fight or support.

 

3. The Tide Squad. Modern Tide squads should number between 13-15 and try to have equal Initiates to Neophytes whenever able. I personally do 14 Man. A tide squad should be thought of something like squad of Plague Marines. It lacks far ranged weaponry (Heavy Weapons for similar reason to fire support squads should not be in this unit), and has an incredible amount of durability. A tide squad isn't a hammer but by raw attacks it puts the same attacks as Vanguard with Jetpack. (18 Points for 3 Attacks, 24 points for 4 attacks). A tide list should include 2-3

 

​Crusader's Helm

The Crusader Helm, allows us to turn any character with an aura, to have the same coverage as the equivalent of two characters. Our army which wants to spam cheap Crusader Squads, or arrival from deep strike (discussed at the end), loves this relic. It allows us to save points on a second Marshall or Castallen and spend more on boys. This edition its all about the boys. The second is that it increase the range of Warlord Traits. So the while they are not BT Specific, Rites of War, Storm of Fire (I think?), and Angel of Death, as well the generic trait for +1 LD, are also buffed by this. Making it a solid pick for our Warlord.

 

​Cenobytes

​​Cenobytes are 6 points for 24" Diameter of Moral Immunity. Hide them behind LoS or otherwise. Keeps your tide squads nice and healthy. Also enables easy Vanguard if have a 3rd HQ and two elites already in use. Even in a MSU List, they are cheap objective holders, with a 3+ Sv (in cover). And per point an incredible durable unit. Its 6 Points for 3 wounds, with Carapace. Folks considered (pre-FAQ) an Inquisitorial Acolyte for 8 Points and 3 wounds overpowered. When all it had was flak armor. Every Black Templar list should include Cenobytes.

 

​Emperor's Champion

​He is a Cheap Character and easy way to unlock a specialty detachment. In terms of role, he is similar to the lost bonfires, being a cheap character who doesn't have any issues of overlapping auras. His stats are solid, for 75 points and able to take other combat characters with D3 damage, rerolling everything, and Str 7. Artificer Armor means he can go killing MSU squads and not worry too much about bolter fire. I'd always take a Castellan, but an Emperor's Champion, in a BT list opting not to use a Castellan or taking a 2nd Detachment he'd be my first pick.

 

​Grimaldus and Helbrecht

I won't spend too much time as these two have their traits praised better and their strengths are clearly seen. Even of them as their own advantages and disadvantage. The most important part is these two benefit two very different lists and any lists utilizing them should try to utilize that to the best extent.

 

Grimaldus

Grimaldus provides a very nice buff to a Tide, but is almost the price of a Marshall + Castellan. If you can afford to spend the points upgrading from Marshall to Grimaldus, a 14 man crusader squad will make around 27-29 attacks depending on outfit (reduce if shotgun taking and PowWeapons etc). At 27, you hit 18 times. Getting around 4.25 additional attack (or 24 points). Post reroll, you have 24 hits. And net 6 Additional Attacks (or 36 points). You then make 6 more attacks, hitting 4 times, rerolling bringing you 5.32. For a total hit count of 29. Long story short, Grimaldus with a proper tide squad, will break even after 2 rounds of combat.

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​​Helbrecht

​Helbrecht is more complicated at Str 5, he increases final output by 7-8%. (Eg. 24 > 16 > 8 vs 24 > 16 > 11ish). So where Grimaldus wants raw attacks, Helbrect wants quality attacks. Helbrecht furthermore has Artificer Armor and Combi-Melta, as a very very nice sword. It does D3 additional attacks and makes him Str6. Able to effectively wound a whole host of monsters. He is such better used with Vangaurd and similar blocks.

 

​Abhor the Witch

​A reliable way to deny, key powers like Warp Time. It does cost a stratagem but a 50/50 is better than trying to straight deny, any results power greater than a 6. It isn't the best, but its something at least. Won't stop Smite Spam, but at least give us a the chance to counter powers as noted like Warp Time, Doom, Fortune etc. Given that it requires a CP each time, this one of the reason we want battalions.

 

​Righteous Zeal

​Moaning and griping aside, this tactic saves us from spending command points once and awhile. It makes a deep strike charge almost twice as reliable, and for whenever you fail the 5 in charge by rolling a 1 and 3. Combined with the Helm giving 9" buff range, makes Templars Charges off deep strike more reliable and less likely to strand their buffers.

 

​The Duelist

.....except not. The Intervention triggers at end of the opponent charge phase if an enemy in range. And if someone flees they cannot advance either. So must enemies after you charge even if they flee, will be within intervention still. It better understood as a way to deny overwatch. Its is mandatory on named BT characters if their your warlord. Its a really really good thing, two of our characters have 2+ armor, so they are less likely to die from chaff.

 

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So I got bored and wrote the tactic section and added some other things. Laeroth will presumably go into more indepth once his blog gets updated for 8th. I am not a competitive player persay, just a very mechanical one. Take all the advice above with that in mind. I might add flavorful UU or two but unlikely.

Edited November 19, 2017 by Schlitzaf

[Brother Tyler]

I would add "crusade" to the list.

 

A Black Templars Crusade is actually comparable to two organizations in a standard Adeptus Astartes Chapter.

 

The first, of course, is a company, which is the standard organizational (but not operational) construct of "normal" Adeptus Astartes Chapter. A Crusade Company isn't necessarily equivalent to a Codex Astartes company.

 

The second, and more relevant in terms of the size of a Black Templars Crusade, is a Detachment (or Task Force, or Strike Force, or any other variation in nomenclature). In a standard Chapter, this is a task-organized force ranging in size from something smaller than a company up to multiple companies in size. This is the standard operational construct of a "normal" Adeptus Astartes Chapter, and is commanded by a captain; and may include additional captains if of sufficient size (and usually because two or more companies are aggregated to form the detachment).

 

It is this latter that is more accurate in terms of the Black Templars Chapter, with the Black Templars really ignoring the standard paper company organization and skipping straight to the detachment organization.

[Schlitzaf]

Will do! I was thinking of sticking to Units only but having aside to Crusade v Company duality, will be noted

[Sword Brother Adelard]

Some of the fluff does have Sergeants as well. Looking at Helsreach they may be ranking Sword Brethren.

 

We also have Forgemasters as Techmarines.