One of our favourite things about Characters is the wide assortment of powerful relic equipment you can give them, from ancient flaming swords to god-blessed jewellery. And given their love for all things divine, it should come as no surprise that the Black Templars have oodles of Relics at their disposal,* which for the first time are available to be represented on your models.
Alongside the usual complement of shoulder pads, alternate heads, and weapon options, the Black Templars Upgrades and Transfers set gives you physical models for many of the relics included in their Codex Supplement.
There’s a lot packed into this frame, so we’ve picked out five of our favourite pieces ahead of their pre-order on Saturday.
1. The Aurillian Shroud
One of the creepier relics in the set, the Aurillian Shroud is as macabre as they come with a skeleton blessed by Saint Agatine just visible underneath the cloth. The banner is marked by a crusade seal, similar in appearance to classic purity seals but instead sporting red paper with Templar vows written across them. Several of these crusade seals are also included in the set, adding a bit of variety to your holiest of warriors.
2. The Crusader’s Helm and other heads
An ancient Mk II helmet from the days of the Great Crusade, the Crusader’s Helm is passed down to powerful orators to boost their voices by the power of Saint Sebatus’ jawbone contained within. It features a truly distinctive mono-visor and bears a striking resemblance to the helmet worn by High Marshal Helbrecht – perhaps made by the very same artisans all those millennia ago.
Speaking of Helbrecht, one of the other heads on the sprue is a replica of the Marshal featured in John Blanche’s famous Black Templars scene. The artist himself says that he imagines this Marshal as Helbrecht, fighting on Armageddon in his younger days.
3. Shoulder Pads
Black Templars typically wear Chapter insignia on both shoulders, so nearly all of the shoulder pads feature it in some way. Our particular favourite is the studded Mk VI pauldron draped in a Templar banner, which gives a classic old-timey feel to even your modern Primaris Space Marines.
4. Minor Relics
So pious are the Black Templars that, in addition to their regular Relics, they also have a slew of minor artifacts that can be bequeathed to their forces. Some, like the Holy Orb, are perfect for blowing up your opponents in style, while the hand bones of former Reclusiarch Mordred imbue the holder with the Chaplain’s righteous rage.
5. The Transfers
Included in the same pack is this bumper-size sheet of transfers, which lets you create your own Black Templar heraldry by combining markings, unit badges, and even miniscule script. A selection of crusade badges are also included, so you can mark specific squads as having taken part in some of the Chapter’s most important battles.
Customise your crusade and get your Black Templars looking their best when the Upgrades and Transfers set arrives for pre-order this Saturday, alongside Helbrecht, Grimaldus, and all of your other favourite over-zealous sword-swingers.
* High Chaplain Grimaldus has so many he needs three servitors to carry them around.