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Black Templars

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The Black Templars are a Second Founding chapter derived from the Imperial Fists. Since that time, the Black Templars have campaigned on a never-ending crusade.

Black Templars
Black Templars Symbol.png
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Founding Chapter: Imperial Fists
Founding: Second Founding
Chapter Master: Helbrecht
Homeworld: Several fleets
Fortress-Monastery: Eternal Crusader
Colours: Black with white shoulder pads
Specialty: Close Combat
Strength: 5000-6000 Marines spread through several Crusades2
Battle Cry No Pity! No Remorse! No Fear!

Background

History

Black Templar Marine

During Horus' attack on the Emperor's Palace, Rogal Dorn chose Sigismund as the Emperor's Champion, and Sigismund was given the best armour and weapons. He went forward to challenge the traitorous leaders in single combat, and triumphed over all he met in battle. After the Horus Heresy, the breakdown of the Imperial Fists into Codex chapters was demanded by Roboute Guilliman. Dorn thought him a coward for not being there with the Ultramarines to help in the defence of Terra. Guilliman in his turn thought a rebel of Dorn for not adhering to the new Codex Astartes.1

Neither would give in. Leman Russ, Primarch of the Space Wolves, and Vulkan, Primarch of the Salamanders both agreed with Dorn, they also did not want their Legions split up and spread across the galaxy. Raven Guard Primarch Corax and Jaghatai Khan of the White Scars supported the Ultramarines. Again a civil war was looming on the horizon.1

The Imperial Fists were persecuted for their so called heresies and even fired upon by the Imperial Navy. When it looked almost inevitable that civil war would be fought, Dorn finally relented and agreed to split his legion in chapters as dictated by the Codex Astartes. The Imperial Fists were split up and the Crimson Fists and the Black Templars Chapters were created.1

Sigismund, who was chosen as Emperor's Champion by Dorn, led the more zealous of the Imperial Fists as the Black Templar chapter and was elevated to the rank of first High Marshal of the Black Templars. Sigismund swore an oath that upon leaving Terra, 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 is the longest Space Marine Crusade ever begun and has continued for over ten thousand years.1

Because of this unending crusade, the Black Templars live on their Crusade Fleets and use the planets they conquer to establish Chapter Keeps which are used for recruitment and staging areas.1

Organisation

The Black Templars are not organised like the regular Chapters. Most of the time they fight into Fighting Companies which are formed in an ad hoc manner. The individual squads and specialists (such as Techmarines and Apothecaries) will fight side by side out of familiarity and comradeship rather than any imposed organisation.1

High Marshal

The Chapter is led by the High Marshal who is the equivalent to other chapter's Chapter Master.1

Marshal

A Marshal leads an individual Black Templars Crusade.1

Castellan

A Castellan is second in command to the Marshal of a crusade and in command of a Fighting Company of the respective Crusade.1

The Emperor's Champion

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 one Initiate who will have experienced a vision of the Emperor. He 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, Black Templars do not have veteran sergeants in their squads. The 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 can be compared to a First Company of other Chapters.1

Initiates

Marines in a Fighting Company are called Initiates. When having proven himself in battle, he can be asked to take a single Neophyte under his wing and train and teach him by example.1

Neophytes

The Neophytes are the new recruits of the Black Templars Chapter. Unlike other Chapters they are not organised in a tenth Company, but are part of a Fighting Company where they train and learn from the Initiates who are in charge of them. As such, the Black Templars do not have a recon force.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

Doctrines and Codex adherence

Black Templars going into battle

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, but this does not dispel that such tactics indeed prove effective. By their doctrine, they abhor the traitor, the alien and the mutant. The latter trait means that Black Templars stand apart from most other chapters by eliminating Librarians from their organisation. The reason for this is that Librarians are psykers, and psykers are considered a mutant trait that must be kept apart from potential warp influence during battle. However, Black Templars do use non-combat psykers in other tasks that do not directly involve combat. These include Astropaths and Navigators.1

Black Templar Marines also set themselves apart from standard Codex doctrine by including Neophytes in squads of fully initiated Marines to help teach them the ways of battle and the art of combat.1

Black Templars were the first chapter to find the design for the Land Raider Crusader and were the first Space Marines chapter to make use of it. Fitted with twin-linked Assault Cannons, Hurricane-pattern bolters (6 bolters linked to fire simultaneously) and a Multi-melta. The sponson mounted Hurricane-pattern bolters replace the Lascannons normally found in standard Land Raiders and the subsequent removal of generators required to power the lascannons allow for greater capacity to hold larger Black Templar 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 (similar to the Space Wolves) on separate crusades 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 Live1-p25
  • Uphold the Honour of the Emperor1-p25
  • Abhor the Witch. Destroy the Witch1-p25
  • Accept Any Challenge, No Matter the Odds1-p25

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.

Crusade Fleets

Unlike most other chapters, the Black Templars don't have a homeworld. Eschewing the idea of one they opted 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.

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.

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.

Known Vessels

Notable battles and campaigns

Notable Black Templars

Related Articles

Sources