Looking to maybe start Templars, New Player

[gmaleron]

Hello everyone, I have just wrapped up my 7500pts of Death Korps of Krieg and with their recent Price Shenaningans it has unfotunately deterred me from completing my 10k points of them. With that in mind I have decided to look at other options in completing my last 2.5k of Imperial and I have narrowed it down to Imperial Knights, Adeptus Custodes and Space Marines, primarily Black Templars or Red Scorpions. If I were do to Black Templars I have a few questions and would love some ffedback from veteran players. 

 

-Would a Landraider list with Vanguard Vets work especially when supported by the BT Characters? 

 

-What is the best way to load out Vanguard Vets or "Sword Brethren"

 

-Better to take Crusader Squads instead of Vanguard vets for # of bodies? 

 

This and any recommendations on how to best play the BT in a decently competitive way would be very much appreiciative, thanks for your feedback!

[Medjugorje]

A bunch of Vanguards would be nice to see, but you dont need them with a LRC... but if you mean Land Raider as a shooty list and a few Vanguards with Characters with Jumppacks - i think this could work.

 

Sword Brethren are a Melee-unit - so you should keep them big (always 10 man squad)  if you go into a melee, you need lots of attacks that your enemy cant hit back very hard and you need them to surround your enemies. And you need Thunderhammer for quaity and chainswords for quantity...

so the best loadout ( I tested them in tournaments... they performing well but are toooo expensive for being tournament-competitive):

2 double Chainsword

4 chainsword and Stormshield

3 (incl. Swordbrother) Stormshield and Chainsword.

 

Crusaders would be the better option but then you need always the specialweapons and combiweapons.

and clearly it depends on your list and tactic...

 

In my opinion mechanized Templars are the strongest way to go.

[Sword Brother Adelard]

Welcome to the Eternal Crusade Brother. Praise be!

 

Much of what you seek has been discussed intensely on the forum. The question of Vanguard load out has its own topic on the front page at the moment.

 

The question of Crusaders v 'naked' Vanguard has also been mooted often. The short answer is this: If you have just power armoured models armed with just bolt pistol and chainswords, they are slightly more cost efficient as Vanguard damage output wise. However, once you add Neophytes into the mix, the cost efficiency swings in the favour of Crusaders as long as you take them on a 1:1 ratio.

 

Quick Maths:

- 10 power armoured crusaders = 130 points. [10 bolt pistol attacks, 21 Chainsword attacks]

- 8 Naked Vanguard = 128 points. [8 bolt pistol attacks, 25 Chainsword attacks

- 5 power armoured crusaders + 5 combat knife Neophytes = 120 points. [10 bolt pistol attacks, 21 Chainsword attacks]

 

The more complicated question is of course attrition, the last option may be cheapest, but you lose the Initiate's armour save bonus. Also, while Vanguard are more cost efficient than Initiates alone in terms of damage output, you lose two wounds.

 

It kind of comes down to preference, but the current view on this forum is that bodies are the key to having a chance at a successful melee. So if I wanted to be able to deliver as many S4 AP0 attacks as possibe, I would take a 20 man crusader squad.

 

Finally, Land Raiders. I have two. I love them to bits, but I don't play them anymore. Simply because Land Raiders suck.

Key reasons:

1) They are far too expensive for what you get.

2) Crusaders are forced to get within 12 inches to unleash their full dakka. They then will get charged in the next turn and once charged, they are essentially out of the game.

 

I prefer Rhinos for transport and predators for Heavy Weapons.