Black Templars: Crusader Squad II

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Only …four years(!) after I last worked on my Black Templars, I’ve finally been able to grit my teeth and complete the last five of my “original” batch of Templars. Out of these models, I only actually assembled one of them – the overdone guy with the powerfist and requilary. The others are (were) all “rescue marines” – assembled and (very) roughly painted Templars aquired via eBay who I got hold of, cleaned up, restarted, eventually changed the bases from 25mm to 32mm and then let sit for an embarassingly long time until I recently bit the bullet and forced myself to get them out of the backlog and into completed model land. Aside from the central model, the others have had arms reposed as they popped off over time, and I also popped out the head of the Swordsman, as he was looking straight ahead and it just looked odd. Much better looking where he’s pointing that blade!

There’s no special reason they took so long. Just the whole edge highlighting of black power armour is something that I find a bit draining. Not just black power armour, but black is one of the ones that can be a bit more obvious if you don’t get your blends right, so they remained easy to put to one side, despite wanting to get ’em done for literally years. I’m now ever-so-slightly on my way to having them as a small but playable force, with a squad of Power Armour and a squad of Terminators done. Just need a hero, a dreadnought and a vehicle, though I usually like my “2 squads” thing to be two Tactical squads, so there’s that, I guess. I will need to build and paint a second Crusader squad and then I can have a bit more fun with them. I might need some advice on what to build in terms of model equipment as well – Túbal? I should dig out all of the other BT stuff I have completed and do a little group shot before building any new ones.

A bit of freehand script for these three.

These models also happen to be the ones I was “supposed” to be painting over the New Year’s period when I instead got distracted and ended up painting a bunch of my Mentor Legion instead. Now that these five are done, I’ve gotten out a few more of my Mentors and have started working on those as my next set of Marines, aside from a few character models for various Chapters and Legions that sit around, getting a bit of attention here and there.

I’ve previously mentioned Ann’s the Summer Solstice Painting Challenge , but I guess the difficulty for me is which single model is my best/favourite? I do like both of these two quite a lot, but then again there’s another pair of models I also like quite a lot (next post). I mean, even out of these two I’m not sure which I like more. Mister Fancy-Reliquary-Fist, or the guy with the Powersword and the Templar Combat Shield?

Huh.

36 thoughts on “Black Templars: Crusader Squad II”

  1. I think they are both really nice. If I had to choose I’d probably go with the “Mister Fancy-Reliquary-Fist” though if the fellow with the power sword had a two-toned blade or some of those cool lightning bolts going I might switch my allegiance. Either way, they are both great.

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    • Thanks Ann – I’m probably going to go for a more realistic and grounded look to my genetically-modified super space soldier-warrior-monk-crusaders in edge-highlighted spaceman armour – so no two-toned swords or lightning effects – just the look of cold, cold steel. 😉
      I’ve also got two more potential choices coming in my (very different) next post – I think I’ll just let you choose your favourite of the four to throw in since it’s too hard for me to decide! 🙂

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      • I’m certainly behind realistic-looking “genetically-modified super space soldier-warrior-monk-crusaders in edge-highlighted spaceman armour,” so I think made a worthy choice. Letting me choose works for me. I think I’ll choose the best one! 🙂

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  2. Great work on the Templars mate, and pure black can be a total pain, so great job getting them finished. I used to like the Neophyte squads which had a mix of scouts and tactical marines, but I’m guessing they’re long gone from the latest rules, so sorry can’t help on what to put in your next squad.

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    • Thanks Dave. Those squads are still current in the PDF army list that they have at the moment, which appears to be official – which is also why I reckon they’ll get a supplement (along with a Primaris’ed version of either Helbrecht or Grimaldus).

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    • Alright, John. I think you’ve got me going now. I’m going to have a look through and see if I have a BT Forge World Sarcophagus around somewhere. I *think* I have, but I couldn’t find it on first look in my BT box, but it may well be with my Dreadnought parts. Even if I don’t get it completed for this or next month, as you point out – I can aim to have it completed by the end of the decade and 11th Edition 40k!

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    • Thanks Matt. I’m trying to get better at using more restricted palettes on models (when appropriate) – so the googly-eyed pinkpurple monster the other day, the blackandwhite spaceknights today…. 🙂

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  7. Very nice mate – I’m liking these guys a lot! I’m with you on the grind of edge highlighting power armour… that’s why almost every Marine I have ever done has been a drybrushed & weathered scruff bag! 😂

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    • Thanks Alex – I reckon (like with so many other things) it’s a combo of forcing yourself to Just Get It Done and going through methodically. Which, as noted, can take awhile to get up the full motivation…
      Obviously I prefer models where you can flit around “organically” but it just doesn’t seem to work for me on things like most Marine schemes…

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  9. I have such a soft spot for Black Templars and their lore. Even before I read Helsreach! Superb job on the these, well worth the 4 year wait!! My favourite is the chap with the shield, purely as I love the shields paint job.

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    • Yeah, same here. I have some cool Forge World parts squirreled aside from the Templar Brethren to use eventually. I’m not a fan of the Imperial Fists, but I like the Black Templars, the Celestial Lions and a nostalgic appreciation for the Crimson Fists – so I’ll need to get a few of each painted eventually. After that, I may have to even paint some Yellow marines to tie them all together….

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      • I do occasionally watch a you tube channel from Chapter Master Valrak (something like that) and his marine force is painted as ‘the last wall protocol’ so he has different units painted in different chapter colours (but all sons of dorn). Quite a cool concept.

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      • I know Valrak, though I didn’t know anything about the Last Wall Protocol. I was always inspired by a passage/boxout in an early-RT-era white dwarf that talked about “Crusade Armies” of Space Marines, with their differing heraldry pressing forward alongside one another. It’s always been one of the little inspirational things behind my having so many essentially-redundant, relatively small marine forces painted and on the go – and several years ago I decided to split them into several Founding-and-successor groups – though there’s unfortunately a basing inconsistency issue with the Fist-successors that I didn’t realise until it was too late…

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    • Cheers, Tarmor. One day I’ll finally get some of my Historical Crusaders painted up to photograph alongside them for some good shots of them through the “ages”.

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  13. Looking splendid! And congrats for finishing a project that’s been on the to-do list for such a long time. Maybe paint that hero (captain/chaplain/marshal…) as a reward next, might be more enjoyable. Though I’m excited to see your take on a BT dread as well!

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    • Thanks mate. I do have one of those that I started on, but today found on the floor. In three pieces. I’d give it a 50/50 on if it were my own clumsiness versus Leonard seeking some attention via any means necessary…
      And I found that dread, as well! 😀

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  14. Black Templars do look awfully cool and these are no exception. I think it would be cool if GW released a few more Black Templar specific models as I think I’d enjoy the challenge of painting one. Great job with the freehand on these as well. It looks really nice as per usual 🙂

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  15. Terrific stuff, your painting is so clean. I’m really finding a new appreciation for those who can make Space Marine armour look good – as you certainly can. I’m a huge fan of Mr Power Fist, I love that he has a spare skull for a hat (or maybe more like a halo); surely that is peak 40K!

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    • Thanks mate! I’m trying to clear some of my backlog models and I do have a squad or two of marines I’m holding off as a reward (for some reason, instead of just painting them….?)

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