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I was wondering which I would choose, I am most likely getting a new dark vengeance set, and was wondering if it would be worth it to convert them to Black Templars, many factors, which is easiest to paint/convert, which is more fun to play and several other factors, if enough people suggest another chapter, I will consider it too and add it to the poll.

I would recommend playing one of the lesser known ones, simply because that would make your army more unique. We just had a thread that listed an interesting array of "minor" Astartes Chapters, my own preference being torn between the Celestian Lions and the Mentor Legion.

If it's BT or DA, however, I will vote Black Templars. I'm biased for their semi-religious-crusaderish trappings / colour scheme and their Chapter organisation. Also, their Primarch said some smart things.

Black templar.

Frothing at the mouth zealots that can be as crazy as khorne berzerkers? Yes please.

Scratch that, they're crazier. Someone shoots at them? They have to resist the urge to RUN AT THEM.

I only voted DA because Plasma is cool.

I voted for Templars because I happen to be biased in my opinion, I have em, why not vote for em? Plus millennia long crusades are far cooler than plasma.

 Tyranid Horde wrote:
Plus millennia long crusades are far cooler than plasma.

Plasma is in the millions of degrees so yes, technically, crusades are much cooler!

Templars are great. One of the oldest, if not the oldest codex out right now, but still has a cutting edge with new armies. Great looking models as well. Also possibly one of the biggest space marine chapters out there... no one really knows that tho. Theres a lot of fluff behind them.

BT all day, but I wouldnt convert them from DA. BT upgrade sprue will get you WAY better results than how DA is done up. The DV Chaplain however is another story in awesome sauce.

DA all the way Socing terminators, beautiful color schemes Fearless all over the place.

Howvere i will agree with demo the BT upgrade sprue is better. But Robed marines are awesome if you doubt it go look at a well painted one you will agree

 captain collius wrote:
DA all the way Socing terminators, beautiful color schemes Fearless all over the place.

Howvere i will agree with demo the BT upgrade sprue is better. But Robed marines are awesome if you doubt it go look at a well painted one you will agree

The robes look good but DA has that look all to themselves. I even considered picking up the hooded heads to go with my tabards but that just seems like stealing from DA

Plus, I cannot stand their helmets.

 d3m01iti0n wrote:
BT all day, but I wouldnt convert them from DA. BT upgrade sprue will get you WAY better results than how DA is done up. The DV Chaplain however is another story in awesome sauce.

I meant just converting the set of Dark Angels from DV to get me started off with the army, due to the value. But if that is what you meant, good point.

Lawlet wrote:

 d3m01iti0n wrote:
BT all day, but I wouldnt convert them from DA. BT upgrade sprue will get you WAY better results than how DA is done up. The DV Chaplain however is another story in awesome sauce.

I meant just converting the set of Dark Angels from DV to get me started off with the army, due to the value. But if that is what you meant, good point.

If youre buying the DV/DA set and its a good deal, I cant fault you there. But you would have to take the amount of customization into account. However if you want to start BT exclusively I would suggest getting cheap SM armies of Craigslist or EBay and adding the BT bits. Then sell what BT cant use.

I would have to take another look at the DV/DA guys for thoughts on customization but I did back when it was released and I didnt see much going on so I never bothered. I really want the Chaplain though (and would probably scoop some CSM for my fledgling Iron Warrior army).

Please, look at my rank. Now, look at my picture. Finally, look at my signature. Dark Angels are unequivocally the best

Are you starting the army up now/in a few months? You can play BT, and when the new codex comes out you'll be a codex hipster cuz you were playing them when nobody else was. Or you can play DA, and you'll be jumping on the bandwagon. That's my professional opinion.

 ArmageddonBorn wrote:
You can play BT, and when the new codex comes out you'll be a codex hipster cuz you were playing them when nobody else was.

In tight Power Bitch Pants? GrimDarkMaus? Volkwagen Raider Crusader? Oh the humanity and poor fashion decisions......

BT have a badass quality to them that the DA replace with whiney backstabness. If you know your history, and think French Templars are cooler than Teutonic Knights, then play DA. Otherwise, go BT.

 riverhawks32 wrote:
Please, look at my rank. Now, look at my picture. Finally, look at my signature. Dark Angels are unequivocally the second best Right after the Black Templars

Why, of course they are. I agree wholeheartedly.

 CuddlySquig wrote:

 riverhawks32 wrote:
Please, look at my rank. Now, look at my picture. Finally, look at my signature. Dark Angels are unequivocally the second best Right after the Black Templars

Why, of course they are. I agree wholeheartedly.

Shenanigans! You agree wholeheartedly with the heresy you added into my original statement perhaps!
Altering my words pfffttt

The Black Templars fight like Doritos. Crunch all you want, we'll make more. While their fanaticism is commendable, their combat tactics, and training doctrines are ludicrous, lol. The Templars need 5000+ Marines because otherwise the turnover that their casualty rates would surely cause would have wiped them out millenia ago.

On the other hand, the Dark Angels wear emo hoodie bathrobes that would get caught on everything and hinder them in battle. But, they fight relatively smart, like good Space Marines.


As such, the answer is to play a Dark Angels successor chapter that is notably bathrobe-free.


Edit: I will add that DVDA is still an unfortunate, but endlessly amusing acronym.

 Veteran Sergeant wrote:
The Black Templars fight like Doritos. Crunch all you want, we'll make more. While their fanaticism is commendable, their combat tactics, and training doctrines are ludicrous, lol. The Templars need 5000+ Marines because otherwise the turnover that their casualty rates would surely cause would have wiped them out millenia ago.

I sorta thought it was because they liked to think big. Individual deployments of lil' companies to help out a world? Nonsense! They need a whole crusade. They do have a silly codex, I'll give you that.

CuddlySquig wrote:I sorta thought it was because they liked to think big. Individual deployments of lil' companies to help out a world? Nonsense! They need a whole crusade.

My interpretation as well. Unlike a "normal" Chapter that (mostly) limits itself to a specific area and then sends out small task forces or the full might of their entire order, the Black Templars basically try to be everywhere at once, at times pulling off a dozen crusades simultaneously, of a size that would normally be a 1/4 of a full Codex Chapter.

If DA ran into a a Killer Rabbit it would be Game Over. Fortunately the Black Templars have a weapon specifically designed for such a threat and will not hesitate to use it.

 Lynata wrote:

CuddlySquig wrote:I sorta thought it was because they liked to think big. Individual deployments of lil' companies to help out a world? Nonsense! They need a whole crusade.

My interpretation as well. Unlike a "normal" Chapter that (mostly) limits itself to a specific area and then sends out small task forces or the full might of their entire order, the Black Templars basically try to be everywhere at once, at times pulling off a dozen crusades simultaneously, of a size that would normally be a 1/4 of a full Codex Chapter.

This. Contrary to popular belief the Templars aren't ever described as rushing mindlessly into combat. The Codex explicitly says that they prefer Drop Pod Assaults and Armoured Spearheads. I thus agree with you that the size of the Templars is due to the many Crusades, not due to some unsubstantiated lack of tactics.

 Veteran Sergeant wrote:
The Black Templars fight like Doritos. Crunch all you want, we'll make more. While their fanaticism is commendable, their combat tactics, and training doctrines are ludicrous, lol. The Templars need 5000+ Marines because otherwise the turnover that their casualty rates would surely cause would have wiped them out millenia ago.

Fluff wise they're 11,000 strong. did you mean they die all the time game wise?


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 d3m01iti0n wrote:
If DA ran into a a Killer Rabbit it would be Game Over. Fortunately the Black Templars have a weapon specifically designed for such a threat and will not hesitate to use it.

The Holy Orb of Antioch is without fail the only device usable to save all BT kind from the terror of the Greater Demon Prince Fluffers

I love the Black Templars fluff and models, even over my Dark Angels. But I just could not play them, they're so not my style.

 Big Mek Wurrzog wrote:

 Veteran Sergeant wrote:
The Black Templars fight like Doritos. Crunch all you want, we'll make more. While their fanaticism is commendable, their combat tactics, and training doctrines are ludicrous, lol. The Templars need 5000+ Marines because otherwise the turnover that their casualty rates would surely cause would have wiped them out millenia ago.

Fluff wise they're 11,000 strong.

Source?

 Tyranid Horde wrote:
I voted for Templars because I happen to be biased in my opinion, I have em, why not vote for em? Plus millennia long crusades are far cooler than plasma.

Millennia Long crusades just means it takes them forever to get the job done

BT because they rare But DA are more flexible ( list wise )

 Big Mek Wurrzog wrote:

The Holy Orb of Antioch is without fail the only device usable to save all BT kind from the terror of the Greater Demon Prince Fluffers

I never use the holy orb. I just dont see a need to...

I think Templars are winning this battle.

 Big Mek Wurrzog wrote:

 Veteran Sergeant wrote:
The Black Templars fight like Doritos. Crunch all you want, we'll make more. While their fanaticism is commendable, their combat tactics, and training doctrines are ludicrous, lol. The Templars need 5000+ Marines because otherwise the turnover that their casualty rates would surely cause would have wiped them out millenia ago.

Fluff wise they're 11,000 strong. did you mean they die all the time game wise?

It's a joke. Mostly referencing their very unrealistic combat tactics and organization. In a real war, the Black Templars would be slaughtered constantly, and their recruits would rarely live to Initiate rank, lol. They have no artillery, virtually no reconnaissance, almost no fire support. They eschew ranged combat in almost every measure, in an era of las cannons and shoulder fired rocket rifles. They intermingle lightly armored recruits in with heavily armored, firepower attracting assault troops to just hope they don't get hit in the crossfire, but almost always do. Everything about the way Black Templars fight makes almost no sense, and gets explained away in these hand-waves of "Armored Spearhead!" (Supported by what? Nobody knows! Who cares? Forward!) and "Drop Pod Assault!" (Supported by what? Nobody knows!...)

The idea behind the Space Marines is a highly trained, highly diversified combined arms force. In fact, it's really the only thing about Space Marines that allows them to make sense in the setting. The Black Templars throw all of that out the window, hoping for thick plot armor to save them. And it works, because GW writes them as successful. But hey, it would be hard to sell models if the Black Templars were the universe's least glamorous army ever, dying in the droves they most assuredly would, and only ever winning by virtue of throwing as much power armor as possible at the enemy. They are the Tyranids of Space Marines.

Black Templars are a bit of a one-trick army, Dark Angels have a much larger back of useful tricks on hand. They also look way cooler, at least in my opinion.