Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I am starting a new Black Templars army. I have the following:
Two Terminator Chaplains
Three Tactical Squad Boxes
A Black Reach Space Marine Half
A Devastator Box
Two Rhinos
A Box of Sword Brethren

Next on my buy list is the required Emperor's Chapion and a few Upgrade Pack boxes.


I wanted to know a few things about Black Templars:
1. Are Sword Brethren good?
2. I know you can field Scouts within Marine Tactical Squads. Is this a good thing?
3. What are the best 1-2 options in each slot (bar Troops, there is only Marines there I guess)?
4. Overall how has the Codex held up?

From what you're asking it seems that you haven't got the codex yet, before you get anything else get the book it'll answer a lot of these questions

but i will say one thing PA Sword Bretheren look the business but perform very poorly for their points, TDA Sword Bretheren however, are more than good with BT

 macc92 wrote:
From what you're asking it seems that you haven't got the codex yet, before you get anything else get the book it'll answer a lot of these questions

but i will say one thing PA Sword Bretheren look the business but perform very poorly for their points, TDA Sword Bretheren however, are more than good with BT

Oh. I have the Codex. Its just that I not a veteran with Marines and since the Codex is old, the Errata document is a bit disorienting.

1: right now sword brethren suck, sorry
2: it is a good thing if you like hording space marines/ having cheaper tac/crusader sqqauds, each to their own
3: HQ, marshall, Elites, assault termiesor venerable dreads (as faq gives them ws and bs 5 as well as accsess to tank hunter), fast,and heavy, i suppsoe the new flyers they now have accsess to
4: The codex is complete gak, but some people dont mind playing with the worst codex, ill still play with it.


Edit: the codex will either get updated soon or get rolled into the vanilla dex, so it will get better at most in a years time.

Black Templars have held up very well for me you just have to take advantage of what makes this army special

1. Take advantage of drop pods since they are cheaper then normal pods, have potms, and don't require you to disembark out of them so slap a tp homer on one of them and let the artichokes fly.
2. Even though you lack any real psykers you can take a vow that gives you an improved deny which can prove useful
3. Tank hunter dreads. Always try and include at least one of these suckers and kit them out to be hellfire dreads and you will have a blast against all tanks.
4. Neophytes. They are cheap and effective body bags that can also deliver in CC I always kit out my entire squad with BP and CCW since I pod them with a meltagun and fist/sword
5. You have fliers now so don't be afraid to use them. In most games I normally run either a single SR or at least two STs
6. Your have one of the best generic non psyker hqs in the game. They have access to everything you need to let them wreck house and come out fine slap on termi or artificer armour with a SS and MC fist give him a adamantine mantle for the eternal warrior and have fun as he punches everything to death.

Use the sword brethren as a command squad. The command squad costs the same has access to better weapons and an apothacary. Sword brethren arent worth the points.

Scouts are good for large crusader squads you are foot slogging across. They make great bullet catchers and are extra wounds for units if you need to cut down on points.

Templars do not have access to devistator squads. crusader squads can hqve one heavyweapon though.

HQ still have access to the armory so you can customize your marshals and chaplains to be close combat/challenge monsters.

Excellent BT units are:
Techmarine with full servo harness and storm shield.
Venerable dreadhaught with lascannon and missil launchers with tank hunters.
Terminators.
Land speeder Typhoons.
Vindicators with power of the machine spirit.
Land raider crusader as a default transport option for most squads.

You will learn to hate Zeal.
You will learn to love Zeal when you have chaplains with servitors.

The codex has not aged that well. BT marines lack standard equipment that other marine chapters have for free while you will have to pay extra for. In general the codex is playable but you will have an up hill battle for the most part. They are a fun army to play but are bottom tier as far as codexs go.

I second the Typhoons. They are great for the price and provide much needed firepower. I use neophytes with CCW as a meat shield (as stated previously), LC dread, and Land Raider Crusaders. I've recently added a spare Stormraven and Stormtalon to the list (though I haven't used them with this army yet).

2x Typhoons per 5 breth.. .yes please! Every other army is so jelly of this

Rustican wrote:
Use the sword brethren as a command squad. The command squad costs the same has access to better weapons and an apothacary. Sword brethren arent worth the points.

Scouts are good for large crusader squads you are foot slogging across. They make great bullet catchers and are extra wounds for units if you need to cut down on points.

Templars do not have access to devistator squads. crusader squads can hqve one heavyweapon though.

HQ still have access to the armory so you can customize your marshals and chaplains to be close combat/challenge monsters.

Excellent BT units are:
Techmarine with full servo harness and storm shield.
Venerable dreadhaught with lascannon and missil launchers with tank hunters.
Terminators.
Land speeder Typhoons.
Vindicators with power of the machine spirit.
Land raider crusader as a default transport option for most squads.

You will learn to hate Zeal.
You will learn to love Zeal when you have chaplains with servitors.

The codex has not aged that well. BT marines lack standard equipment that other marine chapters have for free while you will have to pay extra for. In general the codex is playable but you will have an up hill battle for the most part. They are a fun army to play but are bottom tier as far as codexs go.

Hit it dead on the nose.

 Angry Marine wrote:
I am starting a new Black Templars army. I have the following:
Two Terminator Chaplains
Three Tactical Squad Boxes
A Black Reach Space Marine Half
A Devastator Box
Two Rhinos
A Box of Sword Brethren

Next on my buy list is the required Emperor's Chapion and a few Upgrade Pack boxes.


I wanted to know a few things about Black Templars:
1. Are Sword Brethren good?
2. I know you can field Scouts within Marine Tactical Squads. Is this a good thing?
3. What are the best 1-2 options in each slot (bar Troops, there is only Marines there I guess)?
4. Overall how has the Codex held up?

1. As has been said, no, Sword Brethren aren't good. The models are pretty nice though, you could always use them as "normal" Marines (or, as has been suggested, Command Squads, but they're generally not worth it unless they're Terminators).

2. 20-man blob squads are, in my opinion, very good, but they get expensive, so don't spam them. These days I pretty much always include one of these and a Chaplain. They're pretty damn durable for a scoring unit.

3. Both Chaplains and Marshals are good, although I wouldn't take two Marshals in one list (and, usually, not more than one HQ other than the Champion anyway). The basic build goes more or less Terminator/Artificier Armour, Thunder Hammer/Chainfist, (Storm Shield if it's a Marshal), Bionics. You clock in at around 200 points and, while it's not Lysander, it'll generally take a more expensive HQ to beat you in CC. Command Squad-wise Terminators are good and while power armour command squads can be made to work they suffer from having to have an HQ dude tag along. Elites is Terminators (both versions) and Techmarines, there's only one Troops choice, Fast Attack is Stormtalons and Typhoons and Heavy Support is pretty meh TBH. Trilaspredators and Vindicators aren't my cup of tea.

4. Poorly, but part of that is due to Games Workshop hating us and releasing a 6th ed FAQ ladened with nerfs, while giving us a single buff (BS5 Venerable Dreadnoughts).

As a closing statement, ADAMANTINE MANTLE DOES NOT GIVE ETERNAL WARRIOR. READ THE CODEX ALREADY YOU SLACKERS!!! ARGH! (Obviously not aimed at OP)

 Angry Marine wrote:
I am starting a new Black Templars army. I have the following:
Two Terminator Chaplains
Three Tactical Squad Boxes
A Black Reach Space Marine Half
A Devastator Box
Two Rhinos
A Box of Sword Brethren

Next on my buy list is the required Emperor's Chapion and a few Upgrade Pack boxes.


I wanted to know a few things about Black Templars:
1. Are Sword Brethren good?
2. I know you can field Scouts within Marine Tactical Squads. Is this a good thing?
3. What are the best 1-2 options in each slot (bar Troops, there is only Marines there I guess)?
4. Overall how has the Codex held up?

First of all, welcome to the Eternal Crusade, brother!

Now to answer your questions:
1) Nope. Unfortunately rule of cool doesn't help. However, I have recently been thinking about using them as a infiltrating AT unit. But I wouldn't hold to that.
2) Oh God yes. Neophyte meat-shields have saved my arse more times than I care to mention. I give them Shotguns for better overwatch and I don't miss them as much when the get KIA in assault.
3) =
HQ:Master of Sanctity. This guy can be a absolutely brutal beat-stick. Give him a pistol for his Crozius to get him +1A, Terminator Armour/ Honours is a must.As is the Adamantine Mantle
Elites: Sword Brethren Tactical Terminators. 2x Assault Cannons/Cyclones is evil. Especially with Tank Hunters
Fast Attack: I'm not sure here, I've never really used them.
Heavy Support: Vindicator with POTMS. Followed by a Predator Annihilator with POTMS.
4) People dismiss it because it is old. That just allows you some better toys than they have e.g Blessed Hull, POTMS etc. Also due to the Crusader Squads ability to take LRCs as dedicated transport, you can field a LRC heavy list. People don't expect that, trust me.

1. Are Sword Brethren good?
Yes but they require a landraider to reliably reach their targets

2. I know you can field Scouts within Marine Tactical Squads. Is this a good thing?
Yes, it allows you to start taking wounds on less important guys

3. What are the best 1-2 options in each slot (bar Troops, there is only Marines there I guess)?
The codex has strong land speeders, assault marines, terminators and vindicators.

4. Overall how has the Codex held up?
It's still quite powerful in the right hands. It's no army for noobies, but learn the army and you will win most games. Don't get discouraged.

 juraigamer wrote:

1. Are Sword Brethren good?
Yes but they require a landraider to reliably reach their targets

Hate to be that guy, but if you're taking a Land Raider you might as well just take normal Crusaders in it, they're scoring and can get meatshields. You don't lose much damage and in return gain scoring.