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Author Topic: Black Templar intelligence gathering?  (Read 2010 times)

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Offline dalaran1991

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Black Templar intelligence gathering?
« on: June 29, 2012, 03:45:31 PM »
Always been a fan of BT, though I haven't collected them yet. They had too many disadvantages last ed, but it looks like it's gonna change soon, with them being featured as the new rulebook cover and what not.

I kinda wonder how BT do intelligence gathering. They don't have scouts performing recon duties, they don't have librarians to do psychic readings and divination and that kind of stuff. Other chapters codex and unorthodox alike, rely a great deal on their scouts to do recon/specs ops to plan out details of attack. They also use librarians to predict enemy's movement etc..., especially the Blood Ravens.

BT has none of this. And there's only so much you can do with orbital scans and land speeder recons. How do they plan their attack, do intelligence and counter-intelligence? I know that they're kinda a headstrong chapter whose ethos is more like "get down there and mow them with the chainsword!", but given their honor records they have been going against some pretty tricky races (Eldar for ex). How did they manage this then?

Offline travisb7

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Re: Black Templar intelligence gathering?
« Reply #1 on: June 29, 2012, 04:01:35 PM »
Before I answer your questions, I have to throw this in. BT are NOT featured on the new rulebook. That is Dark Angels. Secondly, BT were pretty competitive in the last edition, especially with the FAQ updates. True, you couldn't play their codex like black armored space marines, but they had things that other codices did not, like Veteran Skills, dual cyclones, and of course 20-man squads.

Templars do make use of psykers, but not in a battlefield sense. They use them for navigation through the warp, communication, etc. They just don't trust them in a battle situation.

They don't do a lot of sneaking around, either. From my understanding, the Neophytes can still do some recon work if necessary, but its doubtful that this would be that useful. There is quite a bit of recon that can be done with sensors, land speeders, and orbital scans. They can also rely on recon provided from other chapters, IG regiments, etc.

As you said, Templars aren't much to plan an attack in the sense of sneaking in and causing a disruption. Instead (like most chapters, actually), they face the enemy directly on the battlefield with a final objective in mind.

Offline Guildmage Aech

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Re: Black Templar intelligence gathering?
« Reply #2 on: June 29, 2012, 04:33:45 PM »
It's worth remembering sword brethren can infiltrate for the odd occasion where there is no other option than to sneak in, but I would expect between bike and speeder recon and the orbital scans of their impressive fleet aspects they get by pretty well.

Having a battle tactic based on direct warfare reduces the need thou. When Raven Guard conduct surgical strikes it's more important.
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Offline Becarem

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Re: Black Templar intelligence gathering?
« Reply #3 on: July 16, 2012, 07:14:36 AM »
I might also suggest that they are possibly guided by faith and/or the Imperial Tarot, which depending on the ethics of the wielder or on how much you believe in Imperial Guidance, could be a suitable stopgap on any need a psyker might fulfill within the crusading order. Not that this gets any support from canon, necessarily.

It is no accident that my marines are nearly identical in appearance to Black Templar.  They are kinda what the Ecclesiarchy wishes it was; what the Word Bearers once wished they could be...

Offline Benis

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Re: Black Templar intelligence gathering?
« Reply #4 on: July 17, 2012, 09:16:17 AM »
I might also suggest that they are possibly guided by faith and/or the Imperial Tarot

The Imperial Tarot is a psychic conduit so I'm not sure how much it can actually be used by non-psykers though, as travisb7 stated, Black Templars don't like psykers in battle but they still have plenty of them on their ships (it is almost impossible for any human interstellar force to be completely without psykers) so it might be that they have them consult the Tarot.

It should also be noted that you do get a long way with good intelligence gathering in the form of scans and satellite imagery, that's usually what the Imperial Guard have to rely on and they don't get all the fancy spaceship support Black Templars can count on. Combine this with their known zealous nature and faith and you have enough information to act on in a universe where feelings can sprout legs and intent is almost as important as action.

Offline Ghostofman

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Re: Black Templar intelligence gathering?
« Reply #5 on: July 18, 2012, 10:11:36 PM »
I suspect that when you include oddball stuff that is usually just off screen (skull probe drops, recon/exploration servitors, ect) Black Templars are probably pretty covered on the intel requirement. If they need to conduct full blown infiltration, support from another unit might work... Hey even a trained non space marine serf type can dress in local garb and walk the streets with an auspex set for record to get detailed data on a possible DZ.

On the rare occasion when they need more I'm sure that a small team of initiates might work, if they really need the maneuverability of carapace armor I'm sure they could find a set.

If you really want to reach though... Taking a team of experienced neophytes and sending them on a solo recon mission sure sounds like a good trial/test/final exam to me. Just make it chapter doctrine that on the rare occasion this occurs the neophytes are not to engage the enemy or fight as a formation. They observe the target, and if compromised, withdraw or call down the crusade, thats all nothing more. This is probably reaching though so the preceeding options are far more likely if you want to keep the the tone and theme of the chapter.

Offline Castellan Xerxes

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Re: Black Templar intelligence gathering?
« Reply #6 on: October 18, 2012, 06:10:07 PM »
Been playing BT's for a little while, and playing them as true in spirit to the codex as I can - hand to hand as soon as you can, honour is in facing the enemy, not gathering INTEL etc. This has lead to serious defeats on the Eastern Fringe (The Shield Crusade to clean out isolated tyranid nests), the loss of many detatched units to tyranid ambush, and recently the demise of a whole landing force in the face of a tyranid mass attack, and a lictor or two. Some INTEL would be nice, actually, but then on second thoughts even thinking about it makes me want to draw my power sword and charge something alien.

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Re: Black Templar intelligence gathering?
« Reply #7 on: October 18, 2012, 07:16:03 PM »
[gmod]Please don't bring back the dead. If a thread has been quiet for more than a few weeks just let it be unless you've got something drastic to add. This one was three months old.[/gmod]
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