Black Templars: Scouts, Neophytes, Sword Brethren, Honour Guards and Chapter Tactics

[Necron2.0]

Here are my observations regarding Black Templars. This isn't a rant, merely what I think the rules are saying. Tell me what you think:

1) The fluff says Black Templars don't have scouts, but in the actual rules there isn't any restriction that I've been able to find (unlike the expressly stated limitations against Librarians). Therefore the conclusion is that Black Templars could have both Crusader Squads with mixed Initiate/Neophyte ranks AND have a regular squad of scouts with sniper rifles.

2) Apparently, unless I'm missing something, the one and only way you can have a sword brethren in your army is if you choose the lone sword brethren as the sergeant of a Crusader Squad. I have to believe the intent is that sword brethren is just the BT name for what would be called honor guards or veterans in another SM army.

3) For the bulk of the vanilla troops in the codex, I have to believe the intent is that for any given army, the special rule "Chapter Tactics" should be explicitly replaced with "Chapter Tactics (chapter name)" when include in said army. For BT's, this means a vanilla tactical squad would be taken as having "Chapter Tactics (Black Templars)" and so would be affected by Helbrecht's "Crusade of Wrath" or Grimaldus' "Relics of Helsreach" special rules. If that is not the intent, this will make for some pretty schizophrenic armies, and I'm not just talking for the BT's (see "Captain Lysander" of the Imperial Fists).

[nathaneal246]

I would of thought Vanguard, Sternguard, or termies would be Sword Brethren, there are just no specific rules in the codex for sword brethren! That's what im going to do anyway! I will until or even if they bring out a supplement for BT! I don't know about taking scout with sniper rifles for BT, depends how close you want to do your army to how it would of been with the old codex!

[Tynskel]

yup.

If you take Black Templars as your Primary detachment, every unit that you purchase from Codex: Space Marines in the primary detachment must be using Chapter Tactics: Black Templars.

[Necron2.0]

I would of thought Vanguard, Sternguard, or termies would be Sword Brethren, there are just no specific rules in the codex for sword brethren!

That works. To be honest I was just giving an example of interpretation and limiting it to a single unit type for simplicity.

I don't know about taking scout with sniper rifles for BT, depends how close you want to do your army to how it would of been with the old codex!

Yep, well unfortunately 6th edition is a shooter's game. If someone plays BT by old codex standards ... basically they're playing a punching bag. The ways that came to my mind on how to get the crusaders into b2b without resorting to vehicular homicide were either to pin down the maulees with snipers or else buff the crusaders from allied librarians. Otherwise, you may as well play them as vanilla marines. I recognize that the crusaders have the built-in Neophyte meat-shield, but even with that a strictly hand-to-hand army seems a risky proposition.

++++

OK, minor rant (actually more amusement than rant). The new codex fluff goes into some detail on how cozy the BT's and the Sisters are with one another. Anyone else find it odd that the sisters are more willing to go to battle with all other space marine chapters? They are equally likely to ally with Dark Eldar as they are with Black Templars, and are more prone to go to battle with the Dark Angels (who actually have something to hide from the Ecclesiarchy). Of course that irregularity existed with the old codex. With the new codex I thought they would justify why the Sisters don't really trust the Black Templars, but apparently not. So, typo anyone?

[Verilance]

This always bothered me too many time in photos both in codex and WD the Sisters were shown with BT but they weren't supposed to be able to ally with them

just what gives??

[Necron2.0]

This always bothered me too many time in photos both in codex and WD the Sisters were shown with BT but they weren't supposed to be able to ally with them

just what gives??

Personally, I think it's a screw-up on the allies chart. I think they meant to make Dark Angels the odd men out, not Black Templars. Honestly, though, given the fluff, I'd say Black Templars and Sisters would be more like battle brothers.