Black Templars

Black Templars armorial with Legion iconography.

Brother Initiate, 4th Chapter, 23rd Company, 5th Tactical Squad. Currently unassigned to a particular Crusade.

## Space Marine Legion

### Observed Strategic Tendencies

Shock Assault, Combined Arms & Multi-Spectra Warfare, Exterminatus and Purgation Campaigns, Strategic Decapitation Strikes, Planetary Interdiction Campaigns, Extended Independent Void Operations

### Allegiance

Imperium of Man
(*Fidelitas Sine Recursu*)

### Warcry

"No pity! No remorse! No fear!"

The **Black Templars** are the X Legion of the Legiones Astartes and the Gene-sons of Ascalon Troyes. The Black Templars are a Legion of very staunch zealots who view the Emperor of Mankind as a holy and religious figure, regardless of the Emperor's position on his own divinity. The Black Templars originate from the gene-seed of Ascalon Troyes - a charismatic warrior, leader and worshiper of the Emperor as his personal God, who is also known as the Golden Templar.

The Black Templars are loyal without question, and their master is often lauded for his dedication and unquestioning loyalty to the Master of Mankind. The Legionaries of the X Legion exemplify what an Astartes is supposed to be; brutal, ruthless and unwavering but also honourable.

## Legion Beliefs

The Black Templars Legion are renowned for their fervent dedication and zealotry the prosecution of their duties to eradicate those that would dare assail the realm of Mankind. Their faith in the Emperor is often described as fanatical, for they believe it is Humanity's manifest destiny to rule the known Galaxy, and they will crush every last enemy in order to make it so. The Legion's dogma reserves a special hatred for particular enemies - the mutant, the apostate and the witch.

Since their inception, the Black Templars have been eternal crusaders, forever on the leading edge of the Great Crusade to push the boundaries of the Imperium of Man ever outwards. They are utterly ruthless towards anyone or anything perceived as a threat to the Emperor and his vision for a united Humanity. Unlike most other Legions of the Legiones Astartes, the Black Templars have come to revere the Emperor as the one, true god of Mankind, just as the mortals of the Imperium do, and this belief has driven them to new heights of fanaticism.

However, this is tempered by the fact that the Black Templars are first and foremost Space Marines, and so even their faith is superhuman in its focus and dedication. Their grueling rites are every bit as tasking as their battle drills -to the Black Templars, ceremonial dedications to the Emperor and their martial drilling are one and the same. When not engaged in battle, the brethren of the Black Templars are invariably to be found preparing for it. They pass their time in prayer and meditation, or engaged in exacting training rituals.

The Black Templars have been known to mercilessly wipe out entire planetary populations to expunge the sin of heresy, while the mere presence of a witch on the battlefield drives them into a zealous fury against which few enemies have any hope of standing.

In temperament, the Battle-Brothers of the Black Templars Legion are united by the fiery zeal that burns within the heart of each, a fire first sparked by Primarch Ascalon Troyes himself and stoked each day by the oratory of the Chaplains and by the exemplary texts that each brother reads every hour he is not on active duty.

While each Black Templar is inspired by the same crusading drive to utterly crush the enemies of the Emperor, there nonetheless exists a degree of variation within the ranks. Those brethren only recently initiated into the Legion as full Battle-Brothers might be driven to prove themselves in the eyes of their more experienced peers.

Only when they have done so will they be granted the right and the responsibility to train a neophyte themselves. Throughout his service as an Initiate, the Battle-Brother gains experience and wisdom, until he may, if he survives long enough and is judged worthy, enter the ranks of his Marshal's household as a Sword Brother. These warriors have learned to temper the fires of hatred with the wisdom of their years, and they are an example to the entire Legion.

### Chapter Traditions

* ***Devotion Chain*** - Most Black Templars use Devotion Chains to bind their weapons to their fists on the eve of battle, removing them only once victory is achieved. This tradition harkens back to the early years of the Great Crusade. The tradition of using chains to bind weapons to one's arms was originally started by the Knightly Orders on Clairvaux. This practice was incorporated into the Legion following the re-discovery of their long lost Primarch and the induction of new Legionaries from their Ascalon's homeworld.
* ***Chain of Zeal*** - Unlike the Devotion Chain, the *Chain of Zeal* is no such fleeting token. It is secured to weapon and armour with a permanent weld that lasts as long as the Space Marine serves. Furthermore, because taking off a gauntlet with the chain still attached is a shameful act that entails great dishonour, the wearer of the *Chain of Zeal* must keep his armoured glove donned and weapon in hand every minute for the rest of his days.
* **Crusader Seal** - The Black Templars utilise a different kind of seal known as a Crusader Seal. These Seals are awarded specifically for participating valiantly in a certain Crusade as opposed to a standard Legionary Purity Seal.
* **Sanctus Lamps** - Sanctus Lamps are decorative items worn on the power armour of a legionary. These lamps are lit by a commanding officer such a Marshal or High Marshal and are awarded for exceptional service. Some High Command are honoured enough to don a Sanctus Lamp lit by the Primarch himself.

## Legion Appearance

### Legion Colours

The Black Templars Legion primarily wears black coloured power armour with white shoulder pauldron insets. However, the actual application of the colour scheme varies from Astartes to Astartes, and individual Black Templars usually decorate their armour with devotional imagery, litanies, and Purity (and Crusader) Seals. The black colour is a sign that like their gene-sire, Ascalon, and the black-armoured Chaplains of other Legions, the Black Templars serve the Emperor directly and with deep faith.

Squad type is denoted through different coloured pauldron borders, while squad number is stenciled upon the right armorial inset in the form of High Gothic numeral. Sword Brethren, the elite of the Legion, are identified by their deep red coloured shoulder pauldron trim and red coloured Legion icons prominently displayed on both armorial insets. Initiates are identified by a white coloured inset with black shoulder pauldron trim, while Assault Marines are identified by their white coloured insets with deep red shoulder pauldron trim.

Chaplains wear all-black coloured battle-plate, their Legion iconography painted in white, and prominently displayed on both shoulder pauldrons. Apothecaries wear all-white coloured power armour with red shoulder pauldron trim.

The Legion icon is proudly worn on both shoulder pauldrons. A large white coloured roman numeral is stenciled on one of their poleyns (knee guards) indicates a Legionary's Chapter assignment. Unique seals are often painted on the left greave (shin armour) to show which Crusade the Battle-Brother belongs to. However, these unique seals are more commonly displayed as a small livery shield worn on the right shoulder pauldron.

Black Templars Techmarines and tank crews have a predominantly red colour scheme for their armour (the colour favoured by the servants of the Machine God); however, they still display their Legion colours so as to not anger the Machine Spirits of their tanks and armour.

### Legion Badge

The Black Templars' Legion badge is a black coloured Maltese Cross centered upon a field of white. Both of the shoulder pauldrons of the Black Templars power armour depict the Legion badge, with colour dependent on their rank and role within the Chapter.

The Cross depicted on the shoulder pauldrons of the Black Templars mirrors the emblem of Old Earth's Knights Hospitaller of the ancient Christian Crusades during the early 2nd Millennium.

## Acknowledgements

First Black Templars Legionary in gallery by MaliusV. Other Black Templars Legionaries made by Algrim Whitefang. Armorial made by Achilles Prime.

## Gallery

X Legion Black Templars chart.Legion X Black Templars Crusade of Righteous Fury chart.Black Templars Legionary of an unknown Chapter, currently unassigned to a Crusade.Black Templars Tactical Legionary, unknown Chapter.