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What goes into a Black Templars list?

Fluff and effectiveness seems to call for:

Marshal, Emperor's Champion, Reclusiarch

Then I have the option of building:

Troops
Footies: Walking Crusader squads with 10 meat shields, I mean neophytes.
Rhino-y: How do you balance out the numbers of Initiates and Neophytes?
Razorbacked: I'm guessing squads in these will have heavy weapons and the Razor will have TL-LC.
Crusaders go in, what else, Crusaders: Full 20 squads?

Elites:
Sword Brethren at all? Or do you need the numbers provided by the Crusaders?
Termies and Land Raider Crusaders?
Do Dreadnoughts have a role? How are they equipped? Just standard?

Fast Attack:
Assault Marines? How many?

Thanks for any answers you might have.

Fluff wise I'd agree with your ideas on HQ Malfred.

Reality is different though and I can't always afford the points for all three.

The first I'll usually sacrifice is the marshall as I prefer, from a fluff point of view, to have a Chaplain leading an Assault squad and Emperors champ leading a large crusader squad.

I usually don't run Rhino's in my lists as I prefer Razorbacks for the added Fire support. There for I usually max out with the footsloggers 10 initiates and 10 neo's. Add a chaplain (if he's not in the assault squad) and some cenobyte servitors and you have a very quick CC squad. When I fancy a change I'll run 14 of them in a LRC with the EC.

You're bang on the money when it comes to my Razorbacks though. TL LC and 6 initiates with Plasma cannon and plasma gun. This squad can pretty much deal with all comers.

Although I have the power armoured SB the only way I run SB is as a 5 man Termi unit with 2 assault cannons - simply cause we still can.

I still run with a dread and it's config can change depending on what I want it to do however it's always venerable and usually has TL LC and missile Launcher as BT lack in the long range shooting game.

When it comes to assault marines I prefer to run them in squad sizes of 7 or more. Eight if the chaplain is absent.

Hope this helps.

Helps a ton, thanks!

Trying to figure out my purchasing strategy.

Quick note: Assault Terminators are just begging for LCs and Furious Charge. Str 5 rerolls to wound are insane.

Chaplains are a must for such an assault oriented army.
I don't see a point to power armored sword brethren unless you really really really want infiltrators

As far as balances for rhino units, if I use a rhino, I'll do 10 initiates. I don't think there's a point to putting neophytes in small units. It's the huge squads that you want though, and what Bartius said about the unit in the LRC with the EC. Yum.

Our vindicators get machine spirit. Which is nice, even if its BS 2.

Bartius was correct as well about the need for long range dreadnoughts. We really do need that ranged support and you're wasting a dreadnought if it's not firing and advancing pretty much every turn.

Okay. So when you do the Rhino thing, you fill up on the big dudes. And when you do the
LRC thing, you want to put the Assaulty Terms in with Furious Charge.

Thank you much.

I'm guessing that Bart runs the mixed mechanized version (since he has Razorbacks) and
you tend to run the full mechanized version of the list, Mad Rabbit? How does the Rhino escorting
the Land Raider Crusaders work out?

I also run fully mechanised on occasions.

Another great tip is to put your Vindi in between 2 LRC's.

This protects it weaker side armour and poses the opponent a solid armour wall and a hard decision on what needs to die!

If you don't kill the vindi or blow its gun off it can always fire.

If they decide to kill the vindi then their chances of stopping either of the LRCs will be reduced (less anti tank shots).

Another tip for the assault squad is to use the LRC as mobile cover. You'd be surprised at how many guys can hide beh..... er, astutely advance with it.

Plus it has the added bonus of a tactic that is/has been actually used in the real world.

Brother Bartius wrote:

Another great tip is to put your Vindi in between 2 LRC's.
.

I'd hate to drive the Vindicator! Turn Signals on a Land Raider suddenly seems like
a fantastic idea.