Combat Patrol: Black Templars

Who Are The Black Templars?

The Black Templars are a fierce and zealous Space Marine Chapter, known for their unwavering devotion to the Emperor of Mankind (even by Space Marine standards) and their relentless pursuit of the enemies of the Imperium.

They were originally a part of the Imperial Fists Legion during the Great Crusade. However, after the Second Founding, they became a separate and fully independent chapter under the leadership of their first Chapter Master, Sigismund.

What’s the Second Founding? Glad you asked – after the Horus Heresy, the Imperium set out to make sure no one Legion could hold such power again. One of the rules was to limit Space Marine Chapters to 1000 Marines each, unless on a crusade. To which Sigismund announced that the Black Templars were on a crusade (I imagine it was in the same style that Michael Scott announced ‘bankruptcy’). But Sigismund didn’t just phone it in, no, The Black Templars have been on an endless crusade from almost 10,000 years. They are constantly on the move, seeking to bring the Emperor’s justice to every corner of the galaxy. Their battle cry, “No Pity! No Remorse! No Fear!” reflects their unyielding determination to eradicate the enemies of humanity… and keep above 1000 troops.

What’s In The Box?

A Primaris Marshal leads the crusade along with a Primaris Crusader Squad, comprising 1 Sword Brother, 5 Initiates, and 4 Neophytes all wearing the iconic Black Templar robe and armour combo. Five Intercessors found in any Space Marine chapter round out the squad. With a Primaris Impulsor tank acting as support and transport. You’ll also get a one Black Templars Upgrade Frame, which has various Black Templar themed pieces to make your Templars stand-out from traditional Space Marines. And a Black Templars Transfer Sheet, containing 226 Black Templars transfers.

The Black Templars look great and their lore makes them a stand-out Space Marine chapter. The robe and armour combination s akin to the Dark Angels. But the black armour and less use of helmets sets the Templars apart. As with many of the Space Marine themed Combat Patrol boxes, this one is great except for the tank. It’s by no means a bad vehicle, and it does come with a few weapon options, but the Imperium has many vehicle options that will push the Impulsor tank out of regular rotation as your army list grows.

Are They Difficult To Paint?

As with all of the Space Marine Combat Patrols, this one is pretty easy. The armour is black meaning you can cover mistakes quickly. Personally I struggle with highlighting black armour as the highlights always look a little too bright for my taste. So my solution is to follow the colour guide and, once all the armour is highlighted, I chuck on a wash of Abaddon Black to bring everything down. It’s not as photogenic as the Warhammer painting technique, but I like it. Using glazes on the robes is a very simple yet effective way to soften the transition between light and dark regions. It’s also extremely easy.

The Black Templars also come with several options to have soldier without helmets, painting the faces will most likely be the biggest challenge. But this nowhere near the level of painting Chaos Space Marine trim or Thousand Sons Egyptian-inspired headdresses.

The Impulsor tank only has a few variations from the standard model (unlike the Adeptus Sororitas variant) so won’t pose a problem. It’s also a great way to practice those edge highlights and perfect brish control using the flat panels.