The Black Templars are one of the most zealous and crusading Space Marine Chapters in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Descended from the mighty Imperial Fists and founded in the wake of the Horus Heresy, they have vowed to never rest in their holy mission to purge the galaxy of the Emperor’s enemies. Renowned for their religious fervor and unyielding martial discipline, they are driven by a burning faith that borders on fanaticism. Unlike other Space Marine Chapters, the Black Templars do not settle in a homeworld; instead, they are an ever-marching crusade fleet, endlessly traveling from system to system, seeking out heretics, mutants, and xenos to annihilate in the Emperor’s name. Their warships, adorned with holy litanies and relics, are sanctuaries of faith as much as they are instruments of war.
Their approach to combat is brutal and uncompromising. Clad in black power armor trimmed with white, the Black Templars often fight in close-quarters engagements, wielding chainswords and storm shields as they storm enemy lines. They are notorious for their large numbers, often fielding warriors far beyond the limits imposed by the Codex Astartes. This defiance of the Codex is rooted in their beliefs, as they see themselves as holy crusaders rather than mere soldiers. Their Chaplains lead them in battle prayers, igniting the righteous fury of their battle-brothers, and the Emperor’s Champion, a revered warrior chosen by divine visions, strides into combat wielding the Black Sword to strike down the mightiest foes. To be in the path of a Black Templar crusade is to face an unrelenting storm of faith and fury, for they fight with the pure, unyielding certainty that their Emperor guides their every strike.