Templar Lexicon Crusade

[Sword Brother Adelard]

I raised this question a while back and have been putting it off, but there are a lot of terms we have kicking about, a lot of them with a lot of history, which just don't apply to other chapters. We then throw these words about and potentially confuse new brethren who don't yet speak the language of the Eternal Crusade.

 

A useful example occurred today with Schlitzaf's term 'faux-devi squad' which (I think) means a MSU Crusader Squad tooled up for ranged dakka.

 

With this problem in mind, I will therefore declare a crusade to create a sort of Templar Dictionary post and add it to the Resources Thread. I would like all of the terms to be in one post, not hidden in a long discussion, therefore, if we have the discussion in this thread, once it reaches critical mass I can create one post and future words can be added to that one post for ease of finding.

 

I have also created a style guide:

 

• Templar Word in Italics - Definition

 

If you create a bullet point definition for your phrase it makes it really easy for me to copy and paste it. Keep the definitions pretty simple please!

 

For example:

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/style_images/BCBlack/folder_post_icons/icon4.gif The Language of the Black Templars

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/style_images/BCBlack/folder_post_icons/icon4.gif Ranks and Orders:

• High Marshal - The Black Templars equivalent of a Space Marine Chapter Master. Current encumbent: High Marshall Helbrecht. Due to the fleet-based and independent nature of the Black Templars, the High Marshal is one of the most autonomous commanders in the Imperium.
• Marshal - The Black Templars equivalent of a Space Marine Captain. The leader of a Crusade of Templar brethren. Marshals are chosen from a pool of volunteer Sword Brethren by trials of ritual combat before being approved by the High Marshal.
• Castellan -  The Black Templars equivalent of a Lieutenant. Either the leader of a small independent crusade, or the deputy to a Marshal leading a Fighting Company. Castellans are nominated by the Marshal from the ranks of the Sword Brethren.
• The Sword Brethren - The Veterans of the Black Templars Chapter, Sword Brothren operate either jointly in Veteran or Terminator Squads and also as individual leaders of Crusader Squads, (in the place of Sergeants in Codex Chapters.) Castellans and Marshals are recruited from the ranks of the Sword Brethren. Entry into the Sword Brethren is a ritualised process which features many challenges of arms, body and soul.
• Sergeants - Black Templars do not have Sergeants attached to Squads in the same way other Chapters do. Once a Marine is accepted into a Fighting Company he retains the rank of Initiate unless and until he is accepted into the Sword Brethren. Crusader Squads are then led by individual Sword Brothers attached to the Squad. That is not to say that the Black Templars do not have Sergeants, it is a rank maintained within the Sword Brethren themselves, Sergeants are either tasked with leading squads of their fellow brethren, or attached to a Command Squad.
• Initiates - The fighting battle brothers of the Black Templars. Most Initiates bear the responsibility of training Neophytes, unless they are attached to an Assault Squad. Assault Squads often are in the thickest fighting and suffer the heviest losses, too great a risk for the Chapter's future.
• Neophytes - The Black Templars do not maintain a Scout Company as other chapters do. Instead, aspirants taken from the Chapter Keeps to the fleets are put through trials by the Initiates who each then select an individual aspirant to be their Neophyte. Neophytes fight alongside their masters receiving training. In return Neophytes serve their Initiate Masters when not in combat, such as by attending to their day-to-day needs and waiting on them at Chapter feasts.
• The Emperor's Champion - On the eve of battle Black Templars enter holy prayer. During prayers one brother may receive visions of the Emperor that speaks of the past, the future and the great deeds he will perform on the path to his death. The Warrior is then taken away by the Chaplains and given the relic artificer armour and one of the Chapter's 10 Black Swords. The Warrior becomes the Emperor's Champion.
• (Note, the Fluff on the Emperor's Champion has varied widely from edition to edition. A full discussion on the nature of the Champion can be found here: http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/342127-adb-on-the-new-black-templar-fluff/)

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/style_images/BCBlack/folder_post_icons/icon4.gif Units & Formations:

• Crusade - The Black Templars do not have companies in the same way as Codex Astartes compliant chapters. Instead the Chapter is divided into individual Cruades. There are typically no more than three Crusades at any time, but occasionally there are many more. The size of a Crusade can vary widely from as few as fifty to up to several hundred warriors. Each Crusade is effectively an autonomous fighting force.
• Fighting Companies - Larger Crusades are broken down by their Marshal into smaller Fighting Companies led by a Castellan.
• Crusader Squad - A Crusader squad is a more informal fighting unit than a Codex Combat or Tactical Squad. Instead individual Initiates band together in an ad-hoc fashion alongside their Neophytes. The Squad will be armed either for close-combat with Chainswords and Pistols or for longer ranged fighting with Holy Bolter, Special and Heavy Weapons. Mixed Squads are not uncommon depending upon each Initiates' preference. The size of a Crusader Squad can vary from between 5 initiates, to up to 20 marines.
• Assault Squads - Initates who excel at close combat fighting are often organised into Assault Squads and equiped with Jump Packs. Such Initiates are excused the task of training Neophytes.
• Veteran Squads - In addition to individual Sword Brethren being attached to Crusader Squads, groups of Sword Brethren will fight together as squads, either armoured in Tactical Dreadnought Armour, (Terminator Squads) or equipped with Special Issue Boltguns (Sternguard Veterans) or Jump Packs and other close-combat relics (Vanguard Veterans) Each Veteran Squad is led by a Sergeant.

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/style_images/BCBlack/folder_post_icons/icon4.gif 'Unofficial' Definitions: [These are unofficial definitions often employed by Black Templars players in the forum.]

• Longbow Brethren - Initiates who choose to specialise in long-ranged weaponry in the Nihilus Crusade may petition to be inducted into the Crusade's order of Longbow Brethren. If successful they leave their former squads and receive further specialised training in raining death upon the enemies of the Emperor from afar. In battle the Longbow Brethren are either individually attached to Crusader Squads to bolster their firepower, or band together to form squads of their own. They wear crimson helmets as a sign of their bloody order. (My fluffy way of not having Devastators!)
• Archer Squads - Crusader Squads equipeed with range weaponry such as Bolters, Special Weapons and Heavy Weapons.
• Knight Squads - Crusader Squads armed with close combat weapons and pistols.
• Black Tide Squads - Colloquial term applied to larger Crusader Squads, over ten models in strength and usually armed for close combat.
• Faux-Devi Squads - Traditionally Black Templars did not have Devastator Squads (See Codex: Armageddon and the Holy Codex: Black Templars) This tradition has largely continued and many players employ MSU Crusader Squads armed with Combi-Weapon, Special Weapon and Heavy Weapon for mid-long range fire support instead. Making them faux (false) Devastator Squads.
• Filthy Witches/Warlocks - Enemy Psykers, (and even some allied ones too!)

[Schlitzaf]

Aye! Great idea!

FauxDevi is exactly that, a 5 MSU Crusader of Heavy/Special/Special (or Heavy/Special/StormBolter). As I said i use the term because the firepower put out by the Squad is equivalent to 2 HvyWeapon Devi or 3 HvyWeapon Devi if in Rapid.

 

Other ones I use;

Tide Squads - 13+ (14+ more accurate honestly) of Crusaders

 

Generic NonTemplar

Fire Support Cheap Squads - meant to add a little fire Support to soften the enemy or run the flanks against deep strikers. Sometimes anchor backfield

Line Squads - larger Squads 10+ wounds meant to carry the day and take blows and dish them back out

Center - What your forced is ‘built’ around normally meant to secure a position or push, serve as an anchor etc

Anchor - What makes your force have longevity and provides you the means to not die

 

On mobile so cannot italic very well atm

[Sword Brother Adelard]

I'll tidy that up later.

[Honda]

I really like this idea Adelard. :)

 

Something we used back in 6th-7th that might make a comeback is the Agincourt defense.

 

This consisted of a number of Longbow units (which appears to be a different application to above), 20 strong, with a heavy weapon, a special weapon, and the rest equipped with bolters. Back then, if you thought you might be more aggressive with your line, then you would drop the heavy weapon and take a bolter.

 

The Longbow units were supported by "Knight" units, which could vary from termies with TH/SS or some other preferred CC unit (e.g. Ironclads).

 

The idea behind the Agincourt defense is that, much like the historical model, the Longbow units would kick out as much firepower as they could, preferably behind cover. Intermingled with  the Longbow units were  your knights  that were back  a bit so they could counter-charge any unit that got  into contact with a Longbow unit, with the goal of successfully defeating the attacker, thus freeing up the Longbow unit for more shooting.

 

I'm assuming you'll keep an evergreen collection of terms  in the first post? Not exactly sure how you'd document the above. I could probably scare  up an image if you thought it appropriate.

 

Cheers,

[Sword Brother Adelard]

That was my intention yes. I can work with the definitions and add them to post 1 as I go to avoid repetition.

 

My longbow 'units' would be pure devastators (heavy weapons only) really. I'd probably define a unit armed with bolters and mixed special/heavy as an archer unit.

The non-fluff purpose of the longbow Brethren was to make my models more interchangeable while maintaining an army theme. So all heavy weapons marines are painted the same across the army, therefore I can just swap them between devvy and crusader squads.

[Honda]

My longbow 'units' would be pure devastators (heavy weapons only) really. I'd probably define a unit armed with bolters and mixed special/heavy as an archer unit.

 

 

Now that you mention that, I think that's what we ended up  calling them. There were knights  and archer units and maybe when I got sloppy I called them longbow. But that'll work (i.e. archers).

[Shamansky]

• Witch – psyker of any kind

[Sword Brother Adelard]

I'm not sure thats really accurate, after all we have a deep respect for Navigators and Astropaths.

[Shamansky]

• Witch – not a Navigator, or an Astropath, or a Grey Knight psyker

Is that good?

[Sword Brother Adelard]

Probably closer to it. But we should probably reflect the heresy and blasphemy of Warlocks too. It would be discriminatory to only focus on filthy psykers who solely identify as female.

 

By the way, I have incorporated many new definitions into the original post after having sat down with the two Codices that matter. (Black Templars and Armageddon)

[Shamansky]

Probably closer to it. But we should probably reflect the heresy and blasphemy of Warlocks too. It would be discriminatory to only focus on filthy psykers who solely identify as female.

 

Let their false xeno-gods sort them out by gender in their xeno-hell

[Marshal Wolfhart]

I think the entirety of the sword brethren of a crusade were called the marshal's household, but can't find the reference now.

On another note, if a crusade consisted of multiple (ad hoc) battle companies, would the leader of companies 2-X be a castellan?

[Sword Brother Adelard]

I got the impression from the codex that each battle company would be led by a Castellan with a Marshal sitting above that. That would be the usual way in modern forces.

[Brother Christopher]

I think the entirety of the sword brethren of a crusade were called the marshal's household, but can't find the reference now.

 

I'm not sure about Codex: Black Templars or other sources, but a reference to the Marshal's Household may be found in How To Paint Space Marines (2004) in a box showing an example of the organisation of a crusade. Accordingly, the Marshal's Household consisted of not only HQs (Marshal, Emperor's Champion, Standard Bearers, Techmarines, Apothecaries), Sword Brethren and Dreadnoughts, but also vehicles (Rhino and LR chassis).

[Marshal Reinhard]

Codex Black Templar does list a fairly large example crusade in detail. I''m going strictly by memory here, but;

 

It's made up of 3 fighting Companies all named after the Castellan who leads each company. The entire crusade is lead by a marshal who also heads the "marshals household" which is where all the swordbrethren are gathered. It doesn't list squad make up, but rather the total head count of neophytes, initiates (and swordbrethren) as well a total run down of each companies other assets, like number of apothecaries, techmarines and vehicles such as tanks, transports, dreads, bikes as well as assault jump packs (or suits of terminator armor in the household).

 

Each company has a named banner bearer as well and the household has the emperor's champion as well as all the chaplains who are also named.