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I have a friend who is into the knighty SM and is torn between Black Templars and Dark Angels. Any suggestions? BTW this will be his first WH40k army as well as his first tabletop strategy army, so keep that in mind.

Depends. What type of marines does he like? I would say BT because they are awesome, cool, and pretty good stats.

Black Templars all the way. Their fluff is better, the models cooler, the rules stronger. Terminators are even better, only they can't mix and match shooty/CC. Can't go wrong with BT, but the prices for items and units can be wildly different, in both positive and negative ways. Check out FAQs too, fixing SSs and LRs and other stuff.

I'm hearing you guys on the BT, they definitely look badass although I'm more a fan of the DA lore, as well as their versatility (from my experience seeing them in action) as opposed to that of the BT.

Is your buddy looking for an army rules-wise or just a paint scheme? If he's looking for a paint scheme, I'd say go BT, all the way, and do 'em right. All those BT bits are boss with a good paint job.

Rules-wise, I don't think anyone would fault him for running "Sword Brethren Wing" out of the DA 'dex or a regular BT army out of the 5e SM 'dex. The updated BT 'dex is pretty good once you get used to it, as far as I'm aware.

Black Templars.

Personally i would go with Black Templars, cool fluff good stats, sweet paint scheme

BT have amazing fluff: 3e Armageddon was great, then Graham McNeill wrote an amazing codex, Hellsreach was a solid novel, Damnation Crusade and Exterminatus were hilarious yet relevant comics.


In all honestly though the armies play completely differently. Read both codices before making your choice.

Movac wrote:In all honestly though the armies play completely differently. Read both codices before making your choice.

Movac is absolutely right both armies do play differently and your going to have to sit down and read the codices. Like everyone else my pick is BT for many of the same reasons, great fluff and awesome paint scheme, however I always did like the DA models, I guess it's something about Space Marines in robes, that just look cool to me.

Templars! Once you go Black, you never go b... IS THAT A PSYKER?!

Thanks for the help, anyone care to give me a brief pro's and con's list for each? Exempting the color schemes, BT obviously look badass as feth. But any likes and dislikes about lore and play style are very welcome

was always a fan of the dark angels robes

I am a bigger fan of DA Deathwing army, all termies + deathwing assault rule + bikes with scout and teleport homers=good times. Also DA can take Mortis pattern Dreads. DA all the way. I am just speaking form my experience, never really been a big fan of BT, but I have seen people use them well too.

Dark Angels, their bitz are awesome and versital

I will be honest with you though, there is really no point in playing DA if you just want power armour marines. Their skills are in the death wing or raven wing. For power armour guy stick with codex SM. Some of the other guys might be able to tell you what BT do in that respect, but if your into termies and bikes DA is the way to go.

The results are in, he just bought a pack of DA veterans, after those are finished steering into the direction of termies and bikes.

Tengri wrote:was always a fan of the dark angels robes

I converted a few over to BT. They look amazing with a black, white, and brown scheme.

BLOODCLAWallday wrote:The results are in, he just bought a pack of DA veterans, after those are finished steering into the direction of termies and bikes.

Heretic.

Nice move. I will make room for him at the inner circle table. Saturday nights are pot luck night.

BLOODCLAWallday wrote:I have a friend who is into the knighty SM and is torn between Black Templars and Dark Angels. Any suggestions? BTW this will be his first WH40k army as well as his first tabletop strategy army, so keep that in mind.

Which would he have more fun painting?

Black Templars

kronk wrote:

BLOODCLAWallday wrote:I have a friend who is into the knighty SM and is torn between Black Templars and Dark Angels. Any suggestions? BTW this will be his first WH40k army as well as his first tabletop strategy army, so keep that in mind.

Which would he have more fun painting?

On the note of painting, does anyone have a good remedy for madness contracted by having to paint so much stuff a perfect crisp white?

SW 4 lyfe though, just sayin...

Black Templars all the way

Mr. S Baldrick wrote:

AlmightyWalrus wrote:On the note of painting, does anyone have a good remedy for madness contracted by having to paint so much stuff a perfect crisp white?

Try doing a successor chapter and doing an easier color scheme. I made mine disiples of calaban, much esier.

As for the painting, do not worry about it being crisp white.

Just say the off white is because of the dirt and blood of enemies.

I use bits from both BT and DA to make my own DIY. I can keep all the goodies and have neither the boring colour scheme of the BT nor the annoyingly inflexible codex of the DA. Yay!

Beastmaster wrote:Personally i would go with Black Templars, cool fluff good stats, sweet paint scheme

and holy hand grenades of Antioch

Do they still have the Champion, by the way? I always thought that was quite an awesome idea.

Lynata wrote:Do they still have the Champion, by the way? I always thought that was quite an awesome idea.

Aye, we do.

Mr. S Baldrick wrote:

On the note of painting, does anyone have a good remedy for madness contracted by having to paint so much stuff a perfect crisp white?