Warhammer 40k’s Black Templars chapter of crusade-obsessed Space Marines are making a return. After years of sitting on the sidelines, the Black Templars are getting some new toys to play with, pushing them firmly into 9th Edition. A Black Templars codex is on the way, as well as a spiffy new model for the faction’s unique character unit, The Emperor’s Champion. But, most exciting of all, is the upcoming release of a Black Templars ‘launch box’.
Teased by Games Workshop in early August, the Black Templars launch box is as tantalising as it is mysterious. Outside of a few fleeting mentions across Warhammer Community, and an increasing volume of Black Templar teases, GW is playing coy. After year in the Warhammer wilderness, the upcoming set could revitalise the ailing Space Marine chapter.
And it can’t come soon enough. First appearing in 1998’s 3rd Edition Warhammer 40k starter set, and given their own 4th Edition codex in 2005, the Black Templars looked to have cemented themselves as the next top-tier chapter of the Adeptus Astartes. That proved premature, however. In the years since, their prominence has waned, their custom units and rules left flagging, and they’ve been steadily rolled into the homogenous ranks of Space Marines.
It looks like 2021 will be the year of the Black Templars’ revival. They’re coming, and we’ll keep you informed of everything we know about the new codex, launch box, and models.
Black Templars codex release date
GW has confirmed that the new, 9th Edition Black Templars codex supplement will be released in November 2021.
As for the contents, the firm said, in a September 19 reveal article following Gen Con 2021, that the Codex would be “bursting with rules, including bespoke Detachment Abilities, Stratagems, Warlord Traits, Litanies of the Devout, Relics, Crusade rules, special Characters, and six unique unit Datasheets”. GW also confirmed the Black Templars army set would follow the same pattern as the recent Beast Snagga Orks box, and offer a special edition early printing of the Codex – weeks in advance of the Codex’s standalone release.
This special edition book will feature, as its cover art, John Blanche’s famous original Black Templars painting, first seen as the cover art of the Warhammer 40k 3rd Edition Starter Set in 1998.
We don’t know any more than that for sure just yet, with no details yet revealed about new Black Templars rules – or, of course, a specific Codex release date. Rest assured that our ears are to the ground for every hint of official news.
In the meantime, you can keep up with all the new codexes releasing soon with our full Warhammer 40k codex release date guide.
Black Templars launch box release date
Games Workshop hasn’t revealed a release date or pre-order window for the Black Templars launch box yet. In typical form, it’s given rather few hints on the set’s intended timeline. Up to now, the best steer had come from a Warhammer Community post on August 9, which hinted vaguely the launch box was “on the horizon”.
But we can now make some informed judgments. Given the upcoming Black Templars codex is firmly scheduled to release this November, we reckon the launch box will launch in late September, or early October.
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The firm’s big September 19 reveal article confirmed the set would be “the first place aspiring High Marshals can clench their gauntleted fists around the new Codex Supplement: Black Templars”, which puts it in the same camp as the Beast Snagga Orks army set: a relatively high-priced box, targeted at the keenest fans, offering advance access to those juicy new rules.
GW will likely want to allow a bit of time between that advance release and the wider publication of the Codex – as was the case with the Orks.
Black Templars launch box contents
Games Workshop revealed the full contents of the Black Templars launch box on September 19, as part of a series of announcements at Gen Con 2021. It’ll include:
- Primaris Marshal
- Primaris Emperor’s Champion
- 10-man Primaris Crusader Squad with “a ton of build options”; includes parts to build one as a Sword Brother
- Redemptor Dreadnought
- Black Templars Codex Supplement with John Blanche cover art
- 28 Black Templars datacards
- Sheet of 226 waterslide transfers showing Templar “iconography and heraldry”
We’ve got an in-depth look at all these new Black Templars models below – but it’s important to remember that GW has repeatedly said there’s more to come; its September 19 reveal article reminds us it “isn’t the last of the Black Templars”, and hints there are more units coming, similar to the Primaris Initiate with Pyreblaster.
So the questions remain open:
- What other new Black Templars models have yet to be revealed?
- When and how will they be released?
These mysteries are likely to persist for some while yet, but we’ll keep this guide updated as soon as we glean any further truths through the fog of war.
Black Templars models
Now we know exactly what models will be included in the Black Templars launch box, as well as the wave of separate new Black Templars models arriving alongside it, we can take a close look at each of them in turn.
Primaris High Marshal Helbrecht
GW has done this thing properly – on Monday, September 20, just a day after showing off the Black Templars army set at Gen Con 2021, it unveiled a stonking great Primaris-upscaled version of High Marshal Helbrecht, Chapter Master of the Black Templars, and one of the force’s most popular characters on the tabletop.
A long way from the diminutive, fiddly little Finecast resin version Templar players have been used to, this Primaris High Marshal Helbrecht stands atop a sculpted plastic base (we’d guess at 40mm wide), his vast Sword of the High Marshals stuck through a dead Ork, and comes to battle flanked by Servitor attendants, as befits his feudal glory.
We’ve no word on pricing or a release date, although – since GW commented in its reveal article that the Templars’ army set would be “a perfect force for Helbrecht to lead” – we can be fairly sure he won’t be too far behind the army set. Now, if only we could see his rules…
Primaris Marshal
The Black Templars’ rough equivalent to a Space Marine Captain – but with much more ceremony and decoration – Marshals are a big deal among the sons of Sigismund. Each one leads a whole Crusade of their own, commanding many hundreds, or even thousands, of Space Marines.
This new Primaris Marshal model is covered in gothic, templaric decorations, from the chunky, riveted armour; to his dangling belt lantern; to the shacked skeleton on his backpack.
GW says the model has “two choices of head and a selection of weapons” – though we’ve only seen the above, bare-headed example so far, with a Master-crafted Power Sword and Plasma Pistol.
Primaris Crusader Squad
It’s official now: Primaris Crusader Squads are a thing. The Black Templars launch box comes with parts for a ten-man squad, which GW says has “a ton of build options”, including bits to make one Sword Brother to lead the squad.
In the revealed photos, the squad has been built with five Initiates, four Neophytes, and one Power Sword-armed Sword Brother. We don’t yet know whether the Crusader Squad in the army set (or the inevitable future standalone set) can be built with a different ratio of Initiates to Neophytes – but bear in mind that the unit will probably retain some version of the current Paired Combatants rule – meaning Neophytes gain a buff if there are more Initiates in the squad than Neophytes.
Loadout-wise, it looks like the new Crusader Squad can mix up wargear more freely than other Primaris units. Photos show Initiates with Pyreblasters; Bolt Rifles, Auto Bolt Rifles, and Heavy Bolt Pistol / Astartes Chainsword combos, while the Neophytes are seen to carry either Bolt Carbines or Bolt Pistol / Chainsword combos.
For the full options, we’ll have to wait till we see the box itself – or at least the rules…
Black templars Primaris Initiate
Back in August 20, GW teased a new, Primaris Space Marine miniature for the Black Templars’ core frontline troops: the Primaris Initiate.
There’s a lot of details on this model that excited Black Templars fans into a zealous euphoria (much of which has now been vindicated) – let us count the ways:
- It’s covered from head to toe in custom Black Templars insignia and styling, including: a metal-studded backpack and bracers; the Templars’ chapter badge on the helmet and gun; embossed chapter-badge shoulder pads; a cloth tabard; a metal chain linking his gun to his arm; and a shield symbol on the chest Aquila.
- This suggests it is a full Black Templars-specific model, rather than an Intercessor with upgrade sprue bits added.
- The Initiate is armed with a brand new, juiced up flamer weapon, the Pyreblaster, emblazoned with the Templar cross – implying not only that this is a Templars-only weapon, but there might be more to come…
- The existence of a Primaris Initiate implies the existence of Primaris Neophytes – the other half of the Templars’ Crusade Squads, these guys are newer, less experienced Astartes who pair with a single Initiate for guidance and training.
While GW excited us for a few hours by initially announcing the Pyreblaster had a Damage stat of two, this was swiftly corrected to D1. It’s still a tasty piece of kit, though:
With all that, we awaited the very much to-be-expected Primaris Neophytes (and thus, Primaris Crusader Squads) with barely contained zeal – and, with the September 19 announcement of the Black Templars launch box’s full contents, our suspicions were confirmed.
Black Templars Emperor’s Champion
The first brand new Black Templars miniature to be revealed, back in August, was a new, Primaris-scaled model for the faction’s unique Emperor’s Champion unit.
A revered position of the Black Templars, these tough cookies are beholden to seek out enemy commanders during battle and challenge them to single combat, in reverence for their founding father, Sigismund – himself the black sheep son of Imperial Fists Primarch, Rogal Dorn.
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The new mini will stand at Primaris-scale, decked out with the Armour of Faith, a Black Sword, and Iron Halo.
No stats or details of the unit’s in-game abilities have been revealed, nor has it been said whether they’d dramatically change from their current incarnation.
Black Templars teaser trailer
Although a trailer for the upcoming launch box hasn’t been released, we were treated to a very short, very vague teaser video for the Black Templars back in July. Panning across a still artwork featuring the chapter’s insignia, it’s not the most exciting of videos, but will get you in the crusading mood.
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