Black Templars

How Black Templars play

Black Templars are the most single-minded Space Marine chapter: a crusading melee army with almost no psychic presence and a roster built to close distance and fight. Their infantry come in larger squads than most Marine chapters, which partially solves the model-count problem that afflicts elite armies.

The army plays forward. Their rules reward charging and sustaining melee, and their signature units — Crusader squads, Sword Brethren — are built to grind through infantry rather than to remove a single elite target. Against horde armies this is very effective; against tough, low-model-count opponents it is a harder sell.

Their psychic weakness cuts both ways: they are poor at using psychic powers and rules-supported at resisting them.

Building a Black Templars army list

Crusader squads are the reason to play the chapter and they are large, which makes transport capacity a genuine constraint — check the numbers, including any attached characters, before assuming a squad fits.

Take anti-tank on purpose. The chapter's default answer to a vehicle is to charge it, and that is not a plan against an opponent who keeps their armour at range.

Black Templars FAQ

Do Black Templars have psykers?

Essentially none — it is a defining feature of the chapter. In exchange they have rules support for resisting enemy psychic powers.

Are Black Templars good against horde armies?

Yes. Large Crusader squads with melee output are efficient at grinding through numerous cheap infantry, which is one of their clearest matchup strengths.

How do Black Templars deal with vehicles?

With deliberate inclusions rather than by default. The chapter's core units are anti-infantry, so anti-tank has to be a conscious list-building decision.