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Hello DakkaDakka,

I have recently have been eyeing a Black Templar army (love the scheme and easy to paint for someone who painting isn't very enjoyable). I have been really confused with the troop squad names and such please help me with what I have gathered (without the SM Codex, just from YouTube and Wiki pages) so please correct me if I'm wrong with the following.

Neophytes = Standard Tactical Squad
Sword Brother = Sergeant for the Squad
Crusader Squads = *Help*
And an Overview of the Chapter bonus and Chapter tactics

The reasons for these questions is that I'm trying to be more careful with my funds and don"t want to burn the time and money to make this army just to find that I don't enjoy it.

I know this kind of belongs in the P&M section but is still with BT:

I am kind of liking the vanilla GM model for the Emperor's Champion its not as "dynamic" as I would really enjoy hence I have been thinking of converting my own, If some fine Dakkanaught doesn't mind posting the default weapons (i.e. Sword and bolt pistol etc.) it would be great to help out with being accurate (it irks me if the model isn't right).

Zgecko666 wrote:
Neophytes = Standard Tactical Squad

No. An Initiate is a standard Tactical Marine. A Neophyte is a Space Marine Scout.

OK so it is legal to take a 10man Initiate squad with a Sword Brother as the "sergeant" and not take the neophytes or are they required to have a regular bound army.

It is perfectly legal. The draw of neophytes in a crusader squad is as ablative wounds for the power armored squad members. They aren't necessary; however

So is the crusader squad just the name for a standard troop choice just with the native crusader rule that is from the BT chapter?

again I apologize for all questions just trying to understand how this is. Looks like its mainly fluff wise for the names but that's whats causing my confusion.

Crusader Squads are effectively Tactical Squads with more and better options. If you're using Black Templars, there's no reason to take Tactical Squads unless you want to meet the requirements for a Battle Demi-Company formation (since you can't take Crusader Squads in them).

Sword Brother = Space Marine Veteran
Initiate = Space Marine
Neophyte = Scout Marine
Crusader Squad = Tactical Squad with better options

Fluffwise, Black Templars aren't codex-compliant, so they don't form into discrete companies organised into discrete squads like say the Ultramarines. Crusader Squads are basically ad-hoc squads of Initiates who have formed close bonds with their squadmates and fight alongside out of brothership.

Black Templars also train their recruits in the thick of battle, fighting right alongside the fully fledged marines rather than in dedicated scout companies. Each Initiate will eventually be responsible for training a new Neophyte under his watch.

Zgecko666 wrote:
So is the crusader squad just the name for a standard troop choice just with the native crusader rule that is from the BT chapter?

BT's still have access to Tactical and Scout squads, and all units in the army get the benefits of the Chapter Tactics (not just the Crusader squads). As Goon says though, Crusader squads get more options.

The Emp's Champ has a bolt pistol and a Relic-Relic Blade, if you're making your own, I'd suggest parts from the Vanguard Veteran sprue (dynamic ornate running legs) combined with the Black Templar's upgrade sprue.

Thank you Goon and everyone else for the help it gave me the insight into how the Chapter works, I knew it would be different just couldn't get any solid detail from my other searches.

@quanar- thank you I have thought about the Vanguard set but forgot about the Upgrade Pack

Zgecko666 wrote:
Thank you Goon and everyone else for the help it gave me the insight into how the Chapter works, I knew it would be different just couldn't get any solid detail from my other searches.

@quanar- thank you I have thought about the Vanguard set but forgot about the Upgrade Pack

Have a look through this article: http://1d4chan.org/wiki/Warhammer_40,000/Tactics/Space_Marines(7E)

Since the BT are now part of the vanilla marine codex you'll have to do a little digging, but the advice and summaries in there is pretty solid.

Awesome thank you

One important thing to remember is that you can't have Librarians at all. Excluding allies, of course.

And that in addition to the typical Rhinos, Razorbacks and Drop Pods, Crusader Squads can also have Land Raider Crusaders as Dedicated Transports.

Fluff wise, Grey Knights are the one fluff supportive Liberians and such you can have.

 jhe90 wrote:
Fluff wise, Grey Knights are the one fluff supportive Liberians and such you can have.

No. Fluffwise allied Librarians from another chapter are perfectly fine.

Sort of. Fluff-wise, no one is supposed to know the GK exist.

 Psienesis wrote:
Sort of. Fluff-wise, no one is supposed to know the GK exist.

True, but given how much further traveled templer crusades can be the odds on them knowing things they are not ment to know may be abit higher given all they experience after decades spent in the void.

Plus chapter masters are allowed to know somthing, it might not be much exact details but they know if x happens call this number and request this code word etc.

Zgecko666 wrote:

Neophytes = Standard Tactical Squad
Sword Brother = Sergeant for the Squad
Crusader Squads = *Help*
And an Overview of the Chapter bonus and Chapter tactics

The reasons for these questions is that I'm trying to be more careful with my funds and don"t want to burn the time and money to make this army just to find that I don't enjoy it.

Neophyte = Scout [Neo = New]
Initiate = Standard Marine [Has taken the rites of initiation, and received his power armour]
Sword Brother = Veteran Marine [Has served for a long time, and become part of the BT's bro-team. They get to do all the cool stuff, like taking Termie armour, being bodyguards for leaders, and gathering other marines for a charge]

Crusader Squads are squads of marines, but BT style. All Templars are crusaders, as they are constantly crusading.

Pro tip: If you don't like the EC model GW makes, do an awesomesauce conversion