Difference between revisions of "Black Templars"
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*'''999.[[M41]]''': The [[13th Black Crusade]] - The Black Templars contribute a Crusade Fleet to counter not only [[Chaos]] forces, but also the nearby [[Ork]] [[Green Kroosade]].{{Fn|7}} | *'''999.[[M41]]''': The [[13th Black Crusade]] - The Black Templars contribute a Crusade Fleet to counter not only [[Chaos]] forces, but also the nearby [[Ork]] [[Green Kroosade]].{{Fn|7}} | ||
*'''~999.[[M41]]''': The [[Ultramar Campaign]] - [[Marius Amalrich]] emerges as the sole survivor of his Crusade after taking part in the campaign that saw [[Roboute Guilliman]] revived. | *'''~999.[[M41]]''': The [[Ultramar Campaign]] - [[Marius Amalrich]] emerges as the sole survivor of his Crusade after taking part in the campaign that saw [[Roboute Guilliman]] revived. | ||
+ | *'''~???.[[M42]]''': The [[Shrine World Crusade]] | ||
Undated: | Undated: | ||
Line 145: | Line 146: | ||
*The [[Donorian Crusade]]{{Fn|26}} | *The [[Donorian Crusade]]{{Fn|26}} | ||
*The [[Benedictine War]] | *The [[Benedictine War]] | ||
+ | *The [[Thorados Crusade]] | ||
*The [[Geonide Crusade]] | *The [[Geonide Crusade]] | ||
*The [[Hive Thetus Crusade]] | *The [[Hive Thetus Crusade]] | ||
*The [[Lastrati Crusade]]{{Fn|18}} | *The [[Lastrati Crusade]]{{Fn|18}} | ||
*The [[Purging of Centrati's Eye]] | *The [[Purging of Centrati's Eye]] | ||
+ | *The Purge of [[Krostein]] | ||
*The War for [[Lilia Mundi]] | *The War for [[Lilia Mundi]] | ||
*[[The Purging of Orbial Hive 72]] in orbit around [[Porphyr III]]{{Fn|6}} | *[[The Purging of Orbial Hive 72]] in orbit around [[Porphyr III]]{{Fn|6}} | ||
Line 190: | Line 193: | ||
*[[Grimaldus]] - [[Reclusiarch]] of the Black Templars | *[[Grimaldus]] - [[Reclusiarch]] of the Black Templars | ||
*[[Kul Gilad]] - [[Reclusiarch]] of the Black Templars{{Fn|8a}} | *[[Kul Gilad]] - [[Reclusiarch]] of the Black Templars{{Fn|8a}} | ||
+ | *[[Albanactus]] - [[Chaplain]], part of the [[Deathwatch]] | ||
+ | *[[Augustin]] - [[Chaplain]], part of the Marshal's household in the [[Donian Crusade]]{{Fn|5}} | ||
*[[Haldredd]] - [[Chaplain]], who took part in the [[Nightfire Crusade]] against the [[Tau]] [[Farsight Enclaves]].{{Fn|16}} | *[[Haldredd]] - [[Chaplain]], who took part in the [[Nightfire Crusade]] against the [[Tau]] [[Farsight Enclaves]].{{Fn|16}} | ||
− | |||
*[[Leuter]] - [[Chaplain]], part of the Marshal's household in the [[Donian Crusade]]{{Fn|5}} | *[[Leuter]] - [[Chaplain]], part of the Marshal's household in the [[Donian Crusade]]{{Fn|5}} | ||
− | *[[Mavros]] | + | *[[Mavros]] - [[Chaplain]] |
*[[Ferdinand]] - was a [[Chaplain]], who take part in [[Marshal]] [[Armante]]'s [[Lastrati Crusade]] when it came to the aid of the [[Imperium]] world of [[Arthas]], when it was invaded by the forces of [[Nurgle]]. | *[[Ferdinand]] - was a [[Chaplain]], who take part in [[Marshal]] [[Armante]]'s [[Lastrati Crusade]] when it came to the aid of the [[Imperium]] world of [[Arthas]], when it was invaded by the forces of [[Nurgle]]. | ||
*[[Eckehart]] - Household Banner Bearer. Part of the Marshal's household in the [[Donian Crusade]]{{Fn|5}} | *[[Eckehart]] - Household Banner Bearer. Part of the Marshal's household in the [[Donian Crusade]]{{Fn|5}} |
Revision as of 19:56, 30 August 2017
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The Black Templars are a Second Founding chapter derived from the Imperial Fists. Since its founding, the Black Templars have campaigned on a never-ending crusade.
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Contents
History
During Horus's attack on the Imperial Palace, the Imperial Fists' primarch, Rogal Dorn chose his First Captain, Sigismund, as the Emperor's Champion, and he was given the best armour and weapons. Sigismund went forward to challenge the traitorous leaders in single combat, and triumphed over all he met in battle.[1]
After the Horus Heresy, Roboute Guilliman, the primarch of the Ultramarines, ordered the breakdown of the Space Marine Legions into chapters. Dorn thought Guilliman a coward for not being there during the defence of Terra. Guilliman, in turn, thought Dorn a rebel for refusing to accept the dictates of the new Codex Astartes.[1] Neither would give in. Leman Russ of the Space Wolves and Vulkan of the Salamanders both sided with Dorn, as they did not want their Legions divided, while Corax of the Raven Guard and Jaghatai Khan of the White Scars sided with Guilliman. Again, civil war threatened to split the Imperium.[1]
The Imperial Fists were persecuted for their so-called heresies and even fired upon by the Imperial Navy. When civil war seemed all but inevitable, Dorn finally relented and agreed to split his legion. The first Successor Chapters created from the Imperial Fists were the Crimson Fists and the Black Templars.[1]
Sigismund led the more zealous of the Imperial Fists with him to the founding of the Black Templars, and became their first High Marshal. Sigismund swore an oath that upon leaving Terra, that he and his new chapter would prove their loyalty by never resting in his duties against enemies of the Emperor. Every High Marshal after him has renewed this oath and as such, the Black Templars' Crusade has continued for over ten thousand years, and is the longest Space Marine Crusade ever begun.[1] Because of this unending crusade, the Black Templars have no permanent homeworld and instead live on their Crusade Fleets, using the planets they conquer to establish Chapter Keeps which are used for recruitment and staging areas.[1]
In 998.M41, the Black Templars would briefly come to blows with the Dark Angels, after the Templars refused to hand over a prisoner that the Dark Angels suspected to be Cypher. The incident is reported to the Adeptus Terra, and Inquisitor Archibald was assigned to lead the inquiry.[10]
Organisation
![](/mediawiki/images/thumb/1/1c/BTCrusade.jpg/300px-BTCrusade.jpg)
The Black Templars are not organised like a typical Codex Chapter. Most of the time they are formed in an ad hoc manner into Fighting Companies. Individual Crusader Squads and specialists (such as Techmarines and Apothecaries) will fight side by side out of familiarity and comradeship rather than any imposed organisation.[1]
Hierarchy
- The Chapter is led by the High Marshal who is the equivalent to other chapter's Chapter Master.[1]
- A Marshal leads an individual Black Templars Crusade.[1]
- A Castellan is second in command to the Marshal of a crusade and in command of a Fighting Company of the respective Crusade.[1]
- An Emperor's Champion is selected on the eve of a battle just as Sigismund, the first Emperor's Champion and first High Marshal of the Black Templars, was. The champion is an Initiate who will have experienced a vision of the Emperor. When reports this to the Chaplains, they will anoint him, and gift him with the finest weapons and armour available, known as the Black Sword and the Armour of Faith. These may vary from fighting company to fighting company.[1]
- Sword Brethren: unlike other Chapters, the Black Templars do not have veteran sergeants in their squads. Marines who excel in combat are honoured by being promoted to the Marshal's Sword Brethren. They are also the only ones who are allowed to use Terminator Armour. They fulfill a role comparable to the First Company of other Chapters.[1]
- Initiates are the rank-and-file Marines of a Fighting Company. After proving himself in battle, an Initiate may be asked to take a single Neophyte under his wing and train and teach him by example.[1]
- Neophytes are the new recruits of the Black Templars. Unlike other Codex Chapters, new recruits are not organised into a single company. Instead, each Neophyte joins a Fighting Company as the apprentice of a senior Initiate. While the Black Templars do not have a dedicated Scout company, Neophytes often fulfill this role, beginning their service with lighter armour and weapons than the Initiates.[1] A Neophyte will learn quickly from his tutor or die if he cannot. When the Initiate and Chaplains deem that the Neophyte has proven himself satisfactory in courage and skill, he is elevated to the rank of Initiate and will take his place in the Fighting Company. Should the Initiate in charge of a Neophyte die before the Neophyte's training is complete, his training and instruction will be taken over by another Initiate, if that Initiate finds the Neophyte worthy of his tutelage.[1]
- Neophytes that failed their duty became the Cenobite Servitors and eternally follows the Chaplains of the Chapter to defend them and plays devotional chants and Chaplain's inspirational sermons from the speakers in their respirator collars.[25]
Doctrines and Codex Adherence
The Black Templars are among one of the rarer Chapter's that worship the Emperor as a god and follow the Imperial Creed.[23a]
By their doctrine, the Black Templars abhor the traitor, the alien and the mutant. The last category includes psykers, with the result that the Black Templars are one of the few Space Marine Chapters that exclude Librarians, seeing them as a potential source of corruption in the midst of battle. However, Black Templars do use psykers in other non-combatant roles, such as Astropaths and Navigators.[1] Black Templars view these beings with special reverence as they see them as able to commune directly with the Emperor.[19]
Black Templars place great emphasis on close combat prowess and honour. As such they can often be seen charging into suicidal situations to avenge fallen comrades. Black Templar Marines also set themselves apart from standard Codex doctrine by including Neophytes into squads of fully initiated Marines to help teach them the ways of battle and the art of combat.[1]
The Black Templars were the first chapter to find the design for the Land Raider Crusader and were the first chapter to make use of it. The Crusader design replaces the lascannons mounted on standard Land Raiders with Hurricane-pattern bolters, placing a greater emphasis on anti-infantry firepower and freeing up greater space within to carry larger squads.[1]
The Black Templars are also notorious for defying Codex doctrine that states that a chapter may only number 1000 battle brothers. This is partly due to the divided nature of the chapter, being spread out everywhere on separate crusades (usually consisting of several hundred Battle-Brothers[21]) and no one has thus been able to keep track of their exact numbers. However, it has been estimated that there may be several thousand Black Templars Companies spread out around the galaxy - an almost unstoppable force if gathered at one place and cause for the Inquisition to keep a close eye on the Black Templars.[1]
Vows of the Black Templars
- Suffer Not the Unclean to Live[1b]
- Uphold the Honour of the Emperor[1b]
- Abhor the Witch. Destroy the Witch[1b]
- Accept Any Challenge, No Matter the Odds[1b]
Combat Doctrines
The Black Templars have continued in the style of their first High Marshal, preferring close combat over ranged warfare. This is further emphasised by the fanaticism of Black Templars Initiates, whose righteous anger makes them impulsive and headstrong.[1]
When making war, the Crusade will focus on two main tactics. The first is orbital assault; where the Crusade will use drop pods and Thunderhawks to perform a mass-landing in the wake of a heavy orbital bombardment. If 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, using Crusader-pattern Land Raiders.[1]
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.[1]
Training Planets
Many of the Imperial Citizens want to became a Black Templars, so they hone their skills which helps them later to enter the ranks of the Imperial Guard or planetary defence force even if they are not chosen to be Neophytes. Those who declared their intent to join Black Templars are known as Expentanten and have a long and dangerous journey to survive before they can became a simple Neophytes.[27]
On of the old training planets of Black Templars is Barbarossa IV – mainly a peaceful Agri-World in north area of which nevertheless dangerous animals and plant life exist. There located Barbarossa keep – Chapter's citadel.[27]
Crusade Fleets
Unlike most other chapters, the Black Templars do not have a homeworld. Eschewing the idea of one, they opt to live aboard their crusade fleets. These vary in size and are made up of dozens of Battle Barges, Strike Cruisers and other craft such as training vessels and huge forge ships. Given this fleet-based nature, the Black Templars are rarely assembled as a Chapter, but are instead divided into many Crusades, every Crusade being responsible for its own recruiting as well as training of new Neophytes.[Needs Citation]
The High Marshal himself has his own personal Battle Barge, the Eternal Crusader, a huge vessel that is the spiritual home of the entire Chapter and contains its most sacred relics, chapels, and reliquaries. It has been expanded and refitted many times and can currently hold twice as many Space Marines as a normal battle barge.[Needs Citation]
This flexible, mobile nature allows the Templars to continue the first mission of the Black Templars: to actively seek out the enemies of the Emperor and destroy them before moving onwards to find the next foe.[Needs Citation]
Known Vessels
- Eternal Crusader - Battle Barge, Flagship of the Black Templars.[1]
- Revenant - Battle Barge[12]
- Sigsimund's Light - Battle Barge[5]
- Sigismund's Oath - Battle Barge. Fought in the Third Armageddon War.[30]
- Sigismund - Battle Barge[3]
- Abhorrence - Battle Barge[20]
- Apocalypton - Strike Cruiser[5]
- Blade of the Seventh Son - Strike Cruiser[13]
- Dorn's Sword - Strike Cruiser[5]
- Dorn's Wrath - Strike Cruiser[4]
- Ophidian Gulf - Strike Cruiser[14]
- Adytum - Rapid Strike vessel[8b]
- Heracles - Forgeship[5]
Known Recruitment Worlds
Notable Crusades & Campaigns
- 544.M32 - The War of the Beast. During the conflict, the Black Templars contributed a portion of their strength to rebuild the Imperial Fists.[24]
- 401.M34 - The Howling
- 831.M35 - The Barbarus Incursion
- M36 - The Wars of Apostasy, also known as the Terran Crusade
- 543.M36 - The Second Purging of Lastrati
- ???.M38 - The Arkron Crusade
- ???.M39 - The Aegisine Crusade
- 322.M39 - The Angevin Crusade
- 645.M39 - The Jerulas Crusade
- 985.M39 - The Donian Crusade
- ???.M41- The Battle of Schrodinger VII
- ???.M41 - The Ghoul Stars Crusade
- ???.M41 - The Nightfire Crusade[16]
- 790.M41 - The Nimbosa Crusade
- 833.M41 - The Vinculus Crusade
- 865.M41 - Verdeworlds Campaign
- 888.M41 - The Crusade of Wrath
- 955.M41 - The Crusade of Sorrow
- 998.M41 - The Dimaris Crusade
- 998.M41 - The Tiberior Crusade
- 998.M41 - The Third War for Armageddon
- 3 Crusades[2] (Including the Solemnus Crusade)
- Committed 100 marines to the defense of Hive Helsreach.
- Took part in the Battle of Golgotha
- 999.M41: The 13th Black Crusade - The Black Templars contribute a Crusade Fleet to counter not only Chaos forces, but also the nearby Ork Green Kroosade.[7]
- ~999.M41: The Ultramar Campaign - Marius Amalrich emerges as the sole survivor of his Crusade after taking part in the campaign that saw Roboute Guilliman revived.
- ~???.M42: The Shrine World Crusade
Undated:
- The Ajaxian Crusade
- Battle for Barbarossa IV[27][29]
- The Battle of Sharlor
- The Crusade of the Ophidium Gulf
- The Declates Crusade
- The Defense of Aralan
- The Donorian Crusade[26]
- The Benedictine War
- The Thorados Crusade
- The Geonide Crusade
- The Hive Thetus Crusade
- The Lastrati Crusade[18]
- The Purging of Centrati's Eye
- The Purge of Krostein
- The War for Lilia Mundi
- The Purging of Orbial Hive 72 in orbit around Porphyr III[6]
Notable Black Templars
- Sigismund - Emperor's Champion and first Black Templar High Marshal
- Helbrecht - Current Black Templars High Marshal[1c]
- Ludoldus - previous High Marshal, instigator of the eternal Morator Crusade, commander of the Vinculus and Jerulas crusades[1]
- Kordhel - High Marshal killed by a Champion of Chaos[1c]
- Scharn - High Marshal
- Bohemond - High Marshal during the War of the Beast
- Sigenandus - High Marshal of the Terran Crusade (also known as the Wars of Apostasy)
- Constantine - High Marshal during the Age of Redemption
- Actoan - Marshal
- Ricard - Marshal, Commander of the Dimaris Crusade[1c]
- Amalrich - Marshal, Commander of the Tiberior Crusade[1c]
- Armante - was a Black Templars Marshal, who led the Chapter's Lastrati Crusade
- Austein - Marshal, Instigator and commander of the Donian Crusade in the Segmentum Pacificus. Killed by Orks in 988 M.39 on Nickel V[5]
- Werhner - Marshal, Austein's heir apparent, victor of the Donian Crusade after 17 years fighting. Became Marshal of the Thangdron Crusade[5]
- Brant - Marshal, Leader of the Black Templars sent to Armageddon
- Magneric - Marshal and Dreadnought
- Marius Amalrich - Marshal
- Haeson - Marshal
- Montfort - Marshal
- Gervhart - Instigator of the Second Purging of Lastrati
- Alehart - Emperor's Champion
- Navarre - Emperor's Champion
- Tomas - Emperor's Champion of the Donian Crusade[5]
- Torund - Emperor's Champion
- Ansgar - Emperor's Champion
- Rynart - Emperor's Champion
- Garrein - Emperor's Champion
- Bethuel - Emperor's Champion of the purging of Orbital Hive 72. [6]
- Horst - Emperor's Champion who Took part in the Lastrati Crusade, when it came to the aid of the Imperium world of Arthas, as it was being invaded by the forces of Nurgle.
- Draco - Castellan, veteran of the Vinculus Crusade.
- Gothchalcus - Castellan, commander of a fighting company in the Donian Crusade[5]
- Folkert - Castellan of the Nimbosa Crusade
- Heinman - Castellan, commander of a fighting company in the Donian Crusade[5]
- Lazarus - Castellan, commander of a fighting company in the Donian Crusade[5]
- Clermont Castellan during the War of the Beast
- Grimaldus - Reclusiarch of the Black Templars
- Kul Gilad - Reclusiarch of the Black Templars[8a]
- Albanactus - Chaplain, part of the Deathwatch
- Augustin - Chaplain, part of the Marshal's household in the Donian Crusade[5]
- Haldredd - Chaplain, who took part in the Nightfire Crusade against the Tau Farsight Enclaves.[16]
- Leuter - Chaplain, part of the Marshal's household in the Donian Crusade[5]
- Mavros - Chaplain
- Ferdinand - was a Chaplain, who take part in Marshal Armante's Lastrati Crusade when it came to the aid of the Imperium world of Arthas, when it was invaded by the forces of Nurgle.
- Eckehart - Household Banner Bearer. Part of the Marshal's household in the Donian Crusade[5]
- Gerhart - Sword Brethren, later entombed as the Dreadnought Tankred.[9]
- Bachorath - Chaplain Dreadnought and later member of the Imperial Fists
- Rammius - Dreadnought, close friend of Helbrecht
- Emmerich Berengard - Became First Captain of the Imperial Fists
- Baldarich - Deathwatch member during the War of the Beast[23b]
- Gerlach - Dreadnought that took part in the Donorian Crusade. See also his quote[26]
- Bremen - Expectanten[27], who after the reconquest of Barbarossa keep have gotten an Initiate rank.[29]
- Hermann - Sergeant, who fought on Barbarossa IV for Barbarossa keep against the Orks.[28]
- Frederick - Initiate, who fought on Barbarossa IV for Barbarossa keep against the Orks.[28]
- Theodorich - Hierophant and Reclusiarch, who fought on Barbarossa IV for Barbarossa keep against the Orks.[28]
- Utrecht - Neophyte, who fought on Barbarossa IV for Barbarossa keep against the Orks.[28]
- Siggard - Dreadnought
Notes on Size of the Chapter
- Note: The Black Templars were stated to be 5,000-6,000 strong in the 4th Edition Codex. However in the 2014 Novel Eternal Crusader, they were stated to be Codex compliant, with 1,000 Battle-Brothers. Author Guy Haley went on to state on his blog that the Black Templars numbers are variable depending on the time of the setting and story requirements.[22]
Famous Named Vehicles of the Chapter
Images
Related Articles
See Also
Sources
- 1: Codex: Black Templars (4th Edition), [Needs Citation]
- 2: Codex: Armageddon (3rd Edition), pg. 32
- 3: Codex: Necrons (5th Edition), pgs. 26-27
- 4: Cities of Death, pgs. 56, 57
- 5: Index Astartes II, pgs. 44-55
- 6: White Dwarf 277 (UK), [Needs Citation]
- 7: White Dwarf 286, pgs. 64-65
- 8: Priests of Mars (Novel) by Graham McNeill
- 9: Damnation Crusade (Graphic Novel) by Dan Abnett, Chapter Four
- 10: Codex: Dark Angels (6th Edition) pg.36-39
- 11: Dark Heresy Timeline
- 12: And They Shall Know No Fear... (Short Story) by Darren Cox - Heroes of the Space Marines (Anthology), pg. 243
- 13: Blood and Fire (Novella), Epilogue, pg. 56
- 14: Deathwatch: Honour the Chapter, pg. 10
- 15: How to Paint Space Marines, pg. 80
- 16: Dataslate: Reclusiam Command Squad (Background Book) - Notable Reclusiam Command Squad
- 17: Index Astartes: Stalkers and Hunters - Renowned Hunters - Javelin of Faith
- 18: White Dwarf #405 UK (ipad version) - Battle Report: And They Shall Know No Fear
- 19: Codex: Space Marines (7th Edition) - Black Templars
- 20: The Emperor Expects (Novel), Chapter 14
- 21: Codex Supplement: Angels of Death, pg. 30
- 22: Guy Haley's blog
- 23: The Last Son of Dorn (Novel)
- 24: Shadow of Ullanor (Novel), Chapter 3
- 25: http://web.archive.org/web/20051210134551/http://uk.games-workshop.com/spacemarines/blacktemplars-concept-art/1/ (saved archive page, dated December 2005, last accessed 13 October 2016)
- 26: http://web.archive.org/web/20051214040742/http://uk.games-workshop.com/spacemarines/blacktemplars/ (saved archive page, dated December 2005, last accessed 13 October 2016)
- 27: http://web.archive.org/web/20051214035618/http://uk.games-workshop.com/spacemarines/blacktemplars-initiation-rites/1/ (saved archive page, dated December 2005, last accessed 13 October 2016)
- 28: http://web.archive.org/web/20051214034030/http://uk.games-workshop.com/spacemarines/blacktemplars-initiation-rites/4/ (saved archive page, dated December 2005, last accessed 13 October 2016)
- 29: http://web.archive.org/web/20051211074442/http://uk.games-workshop.com/spacemarines/blacktemplars-initiation-rites/6/ (saved archive page, dated December 2005, last accessed 13 October 2016)
- 30: http://web.archive.org/web/20060101021201/http://uk.games-workshop.com/spacemarines/blacktemplars-fleet-crusade/1/ (saved archive page, dated December 2005, last accessed 13 October 2016)
Uncited
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- White Dwarf 312 (UK)
- White Dwarf 313 (US)
- White Dwarf 314 (UK)
- Black Templars Armagaddon Website (accessed 2007.02.18)