Black Templars

"The galaxy is the Emperor's, and anyone or anything who challenges that claim is an enemy who must be destroyed."

— High Marshal Helbrecht at the Battle of Fire and Blood

BT Battle-Brother — Black Templars Chapter Colour Scheme

A Black Templar Initiate during the Third War for Armageddon

The Black Templars are a Loyalist Second Founding Space Marines Chapter derived from the Imperial Fists' gene-seed and their Primarch, Rogal Dorn. Their origin can be traced back to the Imperial Fists’ defence of Terra during the Horus Heresy. Since that time, the Black Templars have been on the longest Crusade the Imperium of Man has ever known to prove their loyalty to the Emperor of Mankind.

Chapter History

The Defence of Terra

A venerable Black Templars Dreadnought leads the charge

At the Battle of Terra during the Horus Heresy, many Champions of Chaos arose from the Traitor Space Marines' ranks. During this time, the Primarch of the Imperial Fists, Rogal Dorn, chose the Imperial Fists' Captain Sigismund to fulfill the role of Emperor's Champion. Captain Sigismund was given the best armour and weapons the Legion possessed, and he swore a holy duty to seek out and destroy the foul Champions of Chaos. He did so by challenging over two dozen of the enemy leaders to single combat and banishing them back into the Immaterium.

At the end of the Horus Heresy, each of the Space Marine Legions was broken down into smaller organizations known as Chapters, each composed of one thousand Astartes, as part of a plan to spread the power of the Imperial armed forces so that no one man could bring to bear the influence that the Warmaster Horus had over the Space Marines.

Rogal Dorn, as Primarch of the Legion responsible for the defence of the Emperor's homeworld, Terra, initially refused to have his Legion broken down. Dorn fought with his fellow Primarch Roboute Guilliman over the issue, calling the Ultramarines' Primarch a coward, and Guilliman in turn accused Dorn of heresy and disloyalty to the Emperor. The Primarchs Leman Russ of the Space Wolves and Vulkan of the Salamanders favoured Dorn's stance while Jaghatai Khan of the White Scars and Corax of the Raven Guard supported Guilliman's position on the issue. It was only after an attack on the Imperial Fists' Strike Cruiser Terrible Angel by the Imperial Navy and the threat of a renewed civil war between Dorn's Legion and the newly-formed Successor Chapters of the other First Founding Legions that he decided to relent and allow the Imperial Fists to be divided.

The Second Founding

The surviving Imperial Fists were split into four Chapters during the Second Founding. The younger warriors became the Crimson Fists, while Dorn's chosen warriors remained the Imperial Fists, and the orbital assault specialists formed the ranks of the infamous Soul Drinkers Chapter.

The fourth Imperial Fists Second Founding Successor Chapter was the Black Templars. Sigismund, named the Black Templars' first Chapter Master, took with him the most zealous of the Imperial Fist brethren and those that shared his fervor took on the black and white panoply of Sigismund’s armor, and then they embarked on an Imperial Crusade to prove their loyalty to the Emperor. Promoted to the rank of High Marshal (Chapter Master), Sigismund swore an oath “to prove his loyalty, never resting in the prosecution of his duties against the enemies of the Emperor.” It is an oath that every succeeding High Marshal has renewed, resulting in the longest Space Marine crusade in the history of the Imperium. It has smashed through the stars for over 10,000 years and came to the fore during the Wars for Armageddon.

Notable Crusades and Campaigns

The Black Templar Chapter is the only Space Marine Chapter that still follows the Emperor's original vision of a Great Crusade to protect and reunite all the scattered worlds of Mankind across the galaxy. Since their founding, the Black Templars have been on the single longest Crusade in the history of the Imperium. Smaller Crusades are created within this ongoing Great Crusade and some of the more notable Black Templar Crusades include:

The Angevin Crusade (322.M39) - The Black Templars participated in the Angevin Crusade, which led to the conquest of the Calixis Sector for the Imperium, fighting alongside elements from their fellow Astartes Chapters the Tigers Argent, the Sons of Medusa and the Charnel Guard.
The Barbarossa Crusade
13th Black Crusade
The Burning of Hemoria IV
The Cleansing of Hive Thetus
The Crusade of the Ophidium Gulf
The Declates Crusade
The Donian Crusade
The Empyrion Crusade
The Geonide Crusade
The Ghoul Stars Crusade
The Jerulas Crusade
The Nimbosa Crusade
The Punishment Crusade
The Purging of Centrati's Eye
The Second Purging of Lastrati
The Third War for Armageddon
The Vinculus Crusade
Wars of Apostasy
Lost Crusades

Chapter Organisation

BT Seeking-the-Emperor's-Blessing Matt-Bradbury — Black Templar Battle-Brother on Crusade

The Black Templars have no homeworld, instead opting to live in their Crusade fleets. They are ever vigilant, and are always ready for battle. They do establish Chapter Keeps on every world they conquer or reclaim for the Imperium, both to provide a source for new recruits and to act as staging posts for Crusade fleets operating across the galaxy. They have been known to abandon these keeps, only to return and reclaim them later, usually exterminating anything foolish or unlucky enough to have taken up residence in their absence.

Each Crusade Fleet is overseen by a Marshal (equivalent to a Captain or Force Commander in a Codex-compliant Chapter), while the High Marshal (currently High Marshal Helbrecht) travels between Crusades on his personal starship, the battle barge Eternal Crusader. There are usually at least three Black Templar Crusades operating at any one time, although at one stage there were 14 known to the Imperium (during the "Treachery of Dalmark"), with each Crusade ranging in size from the deployment of a hundred Space Marines and their fleet support to several standard Codex Astartes companies.

It is said that only the High Marshal has any idea of the Black Templars' full numbers, but it is rumoured in the Inquisition that they actually number close to 6,000 Space Marines. That would make them larger than some of the original First Founding Space Marine Legions after the terrible losses of the Horus Heresy, and means that the Black Templars are one of only three Chapters of Astartes (the others being the Space Wolves and the Grey Knights) thought to have more than the one thousand Space Marine standard as proscribed by the Codex Astartes.

Such a force united together would be unstoppable. The potential size of the Black Templars has resulted in close scrutiny by some members of the Inquisition. Each Space Marine Chapter was only supposed to be about 1,000 Astartes strong, so no one man ever again held enough power to start another successful rebellion against the Emperor. The Chapter's history of zealous loyalty to the Emperor and the inability of any Inquisitor to find evidence supporting the claims of unusually high standing troop numbers has spared the Black Templars from further revelation of their true numbers. However, this has not prevented the Inquisition from trying to reveal the hidden numbers of the Black Templars.

The larger Black Templar Crusades are broken down into Fighting Companies, each led by a Sword Brethren member possessing the honorific title "Castellan." For the larger Crusades, the High Marshal will personally lead it (such as High Marshal Helbrecht did during the Armageddon Crusade called during the Third War for Armageddon). Since the individual squads tend to form and disband on an ad-hoc basis, most fight together out of familiarity and comradeship more than any imposed organization. Rough squads form with 5 to 10 Initiates (fully-fledged Black Templars) with no more than an equal number of Neophytes (Black Templars-in-training). These squads have no Sergeants, because the experienced members are quickly elevated to the rank of Sword Brethren.

The Black Templars deviate from Codex-compliant Chapters, including the Imperial Fists, in one primary way. The Chapter's zealous hatred for mutants and inherent distrust of the Warp and anything related to it means that the Chapter possesses no Librarians. The Grey Knights represent the only Imperial psykers that the Black Templars will take as allies. The Black Templar's extreme revulsion to fighting alongside any individuals tainted by the Empyrean would normally prevent them from being allied with anyone with such abilities. The Grey Knights are the exception because the Black Templars consider it an honour to fight alongside Astartes whose membership was originally chosen by the Emperor, who may bear a portion of his direct genetic inheritance and have never once been corrupted by Chaos. Due to their wish to kill their enemeis in close combat few are willing to take up a lazcannon or plasma cannon and stay very far from the front line, due to this the Black Templars have very few, or no apparent devastator squads.

Chapter Recruitment

Neophytes

Since the Black Templars have no homeworld, all of their recruiting is done via the Chapter Keeps. Chapter Keeps are built on most worlds conquered by the Black Templars, and are used as staging ground for Crusade forces and recruitment posts for the Chapter. A Chapter Keep only recruits a few individuals a year. Only the finest available citizens are allowed to join, and if they pass the initial tests, the first stages of organ transplants that will eventually transform them into Space Marines are inserted. When roughly two dozen Neophytes are approved by the Chapter's Apothecaries and Chaplains, they are despatched to a Crusade fleet for the next stage of their induction.

Upon reaching a Crusade fleet, the Neophytes are put through many grueling tasks and trials by the Battle-Brothers of the Black Templars. These trials test the Neophytes to their limits, separating out the weaker recruits from the stronger. Should a Neophyte survive the trials, then he will be adopted by a Battle-Brother who will act as his master, passing on vital skills and training him in the way of the Chapter. The Crusade's Chaplains oversee this training and make sure the Neophyte learns the history of the Chapter, and watch for any signs of weakness in the Neophyte's faith. The Neophyte will accompany the Battle-Brother into combat, and should his master fall, another Brother will take up his training. The bond between the Initiate and his Neophyte pupil is strong, and if the Neophyte meets his end, the Battle-Brother will swear a death oath to avenge the student, or die trying.

The Black Templars' zealous hatred of mutants and the Warp prevents them from recruiting any man who bears genetic impurities, including the mutation that allows an individual to wield psychic abilities. This is why the Black Templars' order of battle contains no Librarians.

Initiates

Initiation — A Black Templar Initiate takes his oath of loyalty

Once accepted into the Chapter's fighting company, an Initiate fights alongside the other Black Templar Battle-Brothers, forging a name for himself within the Chapter and perfecting his fighting abilities. If the Initiate lives long enough, he will eventually take on a Neophyte of his own. In this way, the skill and experience of the Chapter is preserved and passed down, Master to Neophyte. Initiates form the majority of the Chapter split up into Crusade squads of up to twenty Initiates, and they are a deadly force with a range of skills and abilities. Initiates are armed primarily with the holy bolter, though, given the Black Templars' preference for fighting face-to-face, many choose to carry weapons more suited to close combat like chainswords. Some squad members may carry more specialized weaponry, such as plasma guns, flamers or mighty Power Fists. Black Templar squads are highly flexible and have the tactical adaptability to deal with virtually any foe, instructing their Neophytes by bloody example.

Sword Brethren

Equivalent to the members of a standard Codex Chapter’s Veteran 1st Company, the greatest warriors of a Black Templar Crusade are inducted into the Marshal’s household. Known as the Sword Brethren, they are no longer required to train Neophytes and they will receive additional training, particularly in the use of Tactical Dreadnought (Terminator) Armour. After completion of this training, Sword Brethren will use Terminator Armour whenever available, usually selecting close combat weapons, an area of combat where all Black Templars excel.

Like most Black Templars, Sword Brethren will fight with others out of familiarity rather than in organised squads, and they will always be found in the thickest of the fighting. If the Marshal of a Crusade is either killed or promoted to the position of High Marshal, one of the Sword Brethren will take his place. The one who receives this honour is decided by ritual combat. The winner earns the right to become a Marshal upon the approval of the High Marshal; there has only been one case of the High Marshal withholding his approval (the Gervahr Repeal of the 36th Millennium). Sword Brethren of the Black Templars often wear a cream-colored cloak and have red trim on their black pauldrons to signify their elite status.

The Emperor's Champion

Continuing in the tradition of High Marshal Sigismund, an Emperor's Champion is selected on the eve of a battle. Before a battle, one Initiate will experience a vision of the Emperor, and report to the Chaplains. They will anoint him, and gift him with the finest weapons and armour available. These may vary from fighting company to fighting company, but these artefacts are always known as the Black Sword and the Armour of Faith.

In battle, it is the Champion's duty to seek out enemy champions and leaders, and challenge them to single combat. It is considered a bad omen if the Emperor’s Champion falls in battle, and every effort must be made to secure his body, weapon and armor.

Because of their high status and being a great moral symbol, every single enemy of the Black Templars seek the bodies of the fallen Emperor's Champions to act as a terror weapon, in addition to gaining some powerful wargear should they fall.

On the eve of battle, the Emperor's Champion leads the Templars in renewing one of the four Vows of the Chapter, each one instilling the Black Templars with righteous fury that is expressed on the battlefield in different ways. These Vows include:

Suffer Not the Unclean to Live - The Black Templars swear to release their unclean foes -- Heretics, mutants, xenos and Traitors -- from the suffering of their lives, striking them down with great fury.
Uphold the Honour of the Emperor - The Black Templars uphold the Emperor's honor, and face their enemies' attacks head on rather then cower behind cover. Such is their indomitable faith that they can withstand attacks that would fell other Astartes.
Abhor the Witch, Destroy the Witch - The Black Templars hatred of the mutant and the Warp drives them into a rage in battle. Should their enemies' ranks include a psyker, they will rush to vanquish him with renewed effort. Their hatred enhances their will, making them highly resistant to psychic abilities.
Accept Any Challenge, No Matter the Odds - The Black Templars swear to answer any challenge, and should an opportunity present itself they will always charge to meet their enemies in close combat.

Land Raider Crusader

The Crusader variant of the Land Raider was developed by the Black Templars during the Jerulas Crusade, to aid them in the numerous sieges required to reclaim that Hive World. The Crusader is a line-breaking main battle tank, built and armed to plough into the enemy formation and disgorge its larger-than-normal cargo of Astartes directly into close combat. The Crusader is armed with side sponson "Hurricane Bolters" as well as a hull-mounted Assault Cannon and a Multi-melta. By replacing the side sponson Lascannon of the original Land Raider design with the Bolters, the Crusader has given up some of its anti-armour capability in exchange for a significant increase in its troop-carrying capacity. It also has frag assault launchers to help pin the enemy unit assaulted. As word of the design's successes spread, many Chapters pressured the Tech-priests of Mars into releasing construction schematics of the Crusader. Eventually the design was officially recognized, but this was seen as a mere formality; over three-quarters of the Chapters had already put Crusader-pattern Land Raiders into effective use.

Chapter Combat Doctrine

Knight Ops by MajesticChicken — The Black Templars in battle

The Black Templars have continued in the style of their first High Marshal, preferring close, melee combat to ranged warfare. This is further emphasized by the fanaticism of the Black Templars' Initiates, whose righteous anger makes them impulsive and headstrong.

When making war, the Crusade will focus on two main tactics. The first is orbital assault; where the Crusade will use Drop Pods and Thunderhawk gunships to perform a mass-landing in the wake of a heavy orbital bombardment. If enemy resistance is still strong after this, the Templars will land their heavy armour and launch an armoured spearhead against the weakest link in the enemy's defensive line.

As part of their dedication to the Emperor and their Crusade, the Black Templars swear fell oaths of faith and protection. Before a battle, it is considered customary to renew one of these oaths, the particular vow serving as a focus on the particular aspect of their duties considered to be necessary to ensure success.

Due to the fact that the Black Templars have such a hate and distrust for the Warp and anything within it or derived from it, Black Templars will not allow Librarians or any beings with psychic powers to fight amongst their ranks or in an alliance with them, except for the Grey Knights. Every Black Templar has a deep prejudice against any type of psyker, which can lead to trouble between the Chapter and those Imperial organizations that often use sanctioned psykers, such as the Inquisition or even certain regiments of the Imperial Guard.

Chapter Appearance

Chapter Colours

The Power Armour of a Black Templar is predominantly black (a sign that like Sigismund and the black-armoured Chaplains of other Chapters, they serve the Emperor directly and with faith).

Chapter Badge

The shoulder plates of Black Templar Power Armour depict the Chapter badge of the Black Templars, the Maltese Cross, with color dependent on their rank and armor. The Cross depicted on the shoulder pads of the Black Templars comes from the Knights Hospitallers of the ancient Christian Crusades. The actual application of the color scheme varies from Marine to Marine, and individual Marines usually decorate their armor with devotional imagery, litanies, and purity (and Crusader) seals. The Black Templars are noted to wrap chains or bindings around their arms to represent the fact that they will not give up their weapons until the battle is done. Black Templars Techmarines and tank crews have a predominantly red armour colour scheme (the colour of the Machine God); however, they still display their Chapter colours so as to not anger the Machine Spirits of their tanks and armour.

Notable Black Templars

Lord High Marshal Helbrecht — High Marshal Helbrecht of the Black Templars

High Marshal Helbrecht - Helbrecht is the current High Marshal of the Black Templars Chapter. Helbrecht wields the Sword of the High Marshals, which was forged from the remnants of the sword of Rogal Dorn. According to legend, Dorn broke the sword across his knee after the Horus Heresy for failing to defend the Emperor. In addition to being High Marshal of the Black Templars Chapter, Helbrecht is the greatest naval commander in the Adeptus Astartes, and assumed command of all Space Marine warships during the Third War for Armageddon. Together with Admiral Parol of the Imperial Navy, Helbrecht held and eventually repulsed the numerically superior Ork fleet. Helbrecht was last seen departing Armageddon with Commissar Yarrick, hunting down the space hulk thought to be commanded by the Beast of Armageddon, Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka. Helbrecht is equipped with Artificer Armour, the Sword of the High Marshals (a special master-crafted Power Sword, once belonging to the Imperial Fists Primarch Rogal Dorn), a Combi-meltagun (Bolter with underslung Meltagun), and an Iron Halo. He uses these weapons to aid his command and further his Crusades against the Orks.
Castellan Draco - Draco first rose to prominence as part of Marshal Ludolddus' Sword Brethren during the bitter Vinculus Crusade in which he fought a renegade Inquisitor Lord Vinculus. He was badly wounded after the battle and his body was reconstructed with bionics. He was awarded the rank of Castellan and was given a relic suit of the Chapter's finest Power Armor for his valor. Draco was further recognized when he was presented with the former Inquisitor's blade as a mark of gratitude from the Ordo Hereticus. Draco is a special edition miniature available for the Black Templars.

Chaplain Grimaldus & Emperor's Champion — Chaplain Grimaldus and an Emperor's Champion

Chaplain Grimaldus, the Hero of Helsreach - Chaplain Grimaldus is a noted veteran of the Third Armageddon War. During the Battle for Hive Helsreach, Grimaldus led the defense of the Temple of the Emperor Ascendant, which had stood since Armageddon's colonization. The battle became so heated that the building itself collapsed around them. It was believed that all had perished in the building until Grimaldus, bloody but unbroken, climbed out of the rubble bearing three of the temple's artifacts - a column from its Major Altar, the Banner of the Emperor Victorious, and holy water from the Stoup of Elucidation. Apothecaries who examined him later were amazed that Grimaldus had survived, much less found the strength to climb from the ruins. When the war ended, the citizens of Hive Helsreach honored him with the title of "Hero of Helsreach".

Influences

The "character" of the Black Templars is drawn from the High Medieval Christian Crusades of the 11th to 13th Centuries AD, and the history concerning the military orders of the Roman Catholic Church at that time, including the Order of the Knights Templar, the Order of the Knights Hospitaller and the Teutonic Order. One of their special weapons, the Holy Orb of Antioch, is a reference to Monty Python's Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch, which itself is a reference to items discovered by the real Crusaders at Antioch (such as the "Holy Spear of Antioch").

External links

Wargame Tactics for Black Templar Space Marines - A site for Black Templar Space Marine Tactics.

Sources

Index Astartes II
Codex: Black Templars (4th Edition)
White Dwarf 250 (Australian Edition), "Index Astartes – Black Templars"
White Dwarf 311 (Australian Edition), "Index Astartes – Black Templars"