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Hello Dakka faithful,

After starting the hobby playing Imperial Guard and thoroughly embracing the role of a Tread-Head, I moved into Tau. I love the variety and strength they bring, as well as the notion of The Greater Good.
However, I'm looking for a move away from the shooting phase, and hope to explore something else. This brings me to Black Templars.
I love the idea of Righteous Zealots on an endless crusade to bring merciless pain on the enemies of the imperium!

So I'm looking to start with a fun all-comers army who are true to fluff. However, just because they're Fluffy doesn't mean I'm happy to roll over and die.



So there we are. Any advice much appreciated.

As an aside, what kits are the best to buy in order to get the most special weapons etc. I'm hoping to upgrade as many models as possible with the Black Templar kits so I imagine most things will be bought from new.
Is the Start Collecting! box any good?

Lippy777 wrote:
As an aside, what kits are the best to buy in order to get the most special weapons etc. I'm hoping to upgrade as many models as possible with the Black Templar kits so I imagine most things will be bought from new.
Is the Start Collecting! box any good?

The Start Collecting box will basically get you a slight discount of tac squad (which you'll use as the base for your Initiates) and Ven dread, with a free Terminator Captain thrown in, so if you're getting those units anyway, free stuff is always good.

At the moment you're not loaded down by an excess of special weapons - you get one of each (flamer, melta, plasma and grav) in the tac squad box, and another of flamer, melta and plasma in the BT upgrade kit. The only thing you'd need to source elsewhere would be the Lascannon (should be able to pick one up online or from another marine player easily enough.

Lippy777 wrote:
Crusader Squad - 3x Initiate w/CCW, 1x Initiate w/Power sword , Sword Brother w/Combi-plasma & Power Sword
Dedicated DPod

Crusader Squad - 2x Initiate w/Boltgun, 1x Initiate w/LasCannon, 1x Initiate w/PlasmaGun, 1x Sword Brother.

Most ticky-boxy with the HQ and Elites, though I would suggest some TH/SS on the termies to protect against AP2, and a heavy flamer on the Dread - upgrades for larger games maybe, where there's more spare points.

With the first Crusader squad's Sword Brother, he's obviously intending to use the plasma on the turn they arrive (as they can't charge that turn anyways), but it still means losing the +1A for the power sword. The alternatives are either (a) drop the combi-plasma and keep the pistol, for +1A, or (b) swap the power sword for a lightning claw - you're already missing the +1A so Specialist isn't a worry, netting you bonus Shred for free.

The second Crusader squad I'm not sure if I would drop either the Las (and be able to move forward with the rest) or drop the plasma (as it might not get fired if the enemy doesn't come to you). Currently it's sort of got conflicting goals, but in small games versatility isn't necessarily a bad thing, so maybe keep it as is.

 Quanar wrote:
The Start Collecting box will basically get you a slight discount of tac squad (which you'll use as the base for your Initiates) and Ven dread, with a free Terminator Captain thrown in, so if you're getting those units anyway, free stuff is always good.

At the moment you're not loaded down by an excess of special weapons - you get one of each (flamer, melta, plasma and grav) in the tac squad box, and another of flamer, melta and plasma in the BT upgrade kit. The only thing you'd need to source elsewhere would be the Lascannon (should be able to pick one up online or from another marine player easily enough.

Thanks for the help! Would a Terminator Captain (Marshal!) make much difference over the Chaplain above? I'll probably proxy him for the chaplain anyway until a point where I might use both.

Most ticky-boxy with the HQ and Elites, though I would suggest some TH/SS on the termies to protect against AP2, and a heavy flamer on the Dread - upgrades for larger games maybe, where there's more spare points.

So you think my troops choices are most tickyboxy or the HQ and Elite?
I initially went for TH/SS but was told it was a waste. Or should I mix/match them? In which case would a 3Lightning, 2TH/SS spread work?

With the first Crusader squad's Sword Brother, he's obviously intending to use the plasma on the turn they arrive (as they can't charge that turn anyways), but it still means losing the +1A for the power sword. The alternatives are either (a) drop the combi-plasma and keep the pistol, for +1A, or (b) swap the power sword for a lightning claw - you're already missing the +1A so Specialist isn't a worry, netting you bonus Shred for free.

In honesty this was probably a throw away upgrade anyway, to use the points up. As he's in the combat unit I'd rather go for the extra attacks ( ?!)
I just like the idea of swords on them, like Knights (not the grey ones)! I did think about a powerfist though, but figured Initiative1 would mean he may die...

The second Crusader squad I'm not sure if I would drop either the Las (and be able to move forward with the rest) or drop the plasma (as it might not get fired if the enemy doesn't come to you). Currently it's sort of got conflicting goals, but in small games versatility isn't necessarily a bad thing, so maybe keep it as is.

I envisaged these guys being a covering fire sort of unit, and maybe a rhino-wrecker? Also I thought that Las/Plas was a good combo with Templars.. perhaps I've read wrong?
I understand the confused ranges of the weapons, but wanted to try and find some heavy weapons, without using Devastators as they're not very Templary from what I gather?

Lippy777 wrote:
Thanks for the help! Would a Terminator Captain (Marshal!) make much difference over the Chaplain above? I'll probably proxy him for the chaplain anyway until a point where I might use both.

The Chaplain increases the killy-ness of his unit, whilst the Marshal just focuses on his own killy-ness. You could convert him, proxy him, or try selling him I suppose.

So you think my troops choices are most tickyboxy or the HQ and Elite?
I initially went for TH/SS but was told it was a waste. Or should I mix/match them? In which case would a 3Lightning, 2TH/SS spread work?

I meant the elites and hq are fairly standard setups, but I suppose it's not a great way of expressing myself there. There are problems with conventrating all those points in one place (i.e. over half your army is chappy, termis and land raider), and they will have a hard time against specific opponents able to deal with the AV14 and 2+, but it's the logical setup - expensive cc unit with low mobility = assault transport, expensive cc unit with powerful but low-ish numbers of attacks = chaplain / Divination libby.

TH/SS are for giving the unit survivability against AP2 shooting / melee, and for the times you come up against opposing terminators (which lightning claws bounce off), mixing and matching is fine.

In honesty this was probably a throw away upgrade anyway, to use the points up. As he's in the combat unit I'd rather go for the extra attacks ( ?!)

That would be my choice too.

I just like the idea of swords on them, like Knights (not the grey ones)! I did think about a powerfist though, but figured Initiative1 would mean he may die...

Which is why I suggested a lightning claw - it's not Unwieldy, and is the same cost as a sword for strictly-better if you aren't getting the +1A.

I envisaged these guys being a covering fire sort of unit, and maybe a rhino-wrecker? Also I thought that Las/Plas was a good combo with Templars.. perhaps I've read wrong?
I understand the confused ranges of the weapons, but wanted to try and find some heavy weapons, without using Devastators as they're not very Templary from what I gather?

Indeed, in the fluff Templars don't use Devastators (they aren't banned in the game though, like psykers are). If sitting back and plinking away with the las is what they were going to do, then it's only 15pts on the plasma which you can consider "insurance" against enemies getting up close and personal with them.

Right, Thanks for the advice, I've made said changes below.

HQ -
Chaplain, Terminator Armour

Elite -
Teminator Assault Squad - 2x TH/SS, 3x Claws. Landraider Crusade - MM & Extra Armour
Venerable Dreadnought - T/L H.Flamer - DropPod

Troops -
Crusader Squad - SwordBro w/PowerSword; 3x Initiate w/CCW, 1x Initiate w/PowerSword; DropPod
Crusader Squad - 3x Initiate w/Bolters; 1x Initiate w/Plasma; 1x Initiate w/Lascannon.


I've mixed some thunderhammers in to the Terminators.
Dreadnought has a flamer as a spare 5pts. Not sure if it's a mistake to drop the MM but at this low points I cant expect seeing all that much armour. And if I'm getting that close I'll be charging it anyway.
Assault troops have the Brethren with a powersword now and boltpistol. I want them to have all the attacks possible.
BoltGun troops have kept the Las/Plas and dropped the Brethren. I decided that it was 10pts going to waste, just to gain an attack and 1Ld when they're going to be at the back out of the way anyway.


Looking forward to starting these. I've bought myself a BT Upgrade kit at my FLGS as they had just 1 left in stock which I figured would be their last.
Now have to wait until the summer's however so I can spend my cash on me, and not on entertaining my wife! ha