Black Templar Fluff Question

[Bluesfart]

I've been planning on building some fortress terrain themed for my black templar army, but I'm having trouble justifying it with the background of the universe, and could use some advice.

So we all know in the fluff that the black templars don't have a fortress-monestary. They are exclusively fleet based, crusading around the galaxy, and will only occasionally set up fortifications on some planets for recruiting purposes, and even these are often abandoned for long periods of time. I'm looking to use this information to justify or even shape the fortress I want to build, or find some alternative backstory that makes things easier (even if I was unfamiliar with it).

I feel an outpost would be easily justified on a feral world where the templars may recruit from, but I worry that in the event of a complete tyranid invasion (my most likely opponent) there wouldn't be much reason to bunker down and fight rather than just abandon the planet.

Alternatively I had thought about outposts on barren research, mining, agricultural, or forge worlds. It would make sense that a last stand could take place to defend the resources or investments on these planets, but it doesn't as much seem like a place where the templars in particular would build a fortress.

Any advice?
Anyway, if it helps, here is what I was going for:

A combination of these
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-OgRKMDfxjZI/TXYHZVUdd0I/AAAAAAAAAto/OPFIxCF3Mkc/m560205a_99120101082_FortressOfRedemption1Redo_873 x627.jpg
http://www.bluesfart.com/Image.jpg

And this is an early mockup of what I was thinking. Again, it seems excessive to guard a research station
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/7024_301512560440_8342632_n.jpg

[Mr.Pickelz]

The easiest thing to do, is pick a scene that lasted long enough to warrant the Templar's presence. It also doesn't have to be built specifically for the Templars, you could make it look like a "hostile take-over" of a land fortress that the Templars are now defending against the enemy's counter-attack. Due to the aforementioned fleet presence, make sure the fortress has lots of communication stuff, or at least a known presence of that equipment. Also don't forget to make it a "holy" structure with lots of religious under-tones, the BTs love that shiny stuff a lot. :D

[Bluesfart]

Yeah, I had hoped to justify why it was a fort with Templar specific iconography, but you've got the better way to do it: treat it as a generic imperial fortress that the Templars were forced to commandeer. Thanks!

[Kawauso]

I don't see why the Black Templar wouldn't hunker down in one of their bastions if they had to. I mean, there's any number of reasons they could need to revisit or use one of the fortresses they set up...and there's even fortress terrain for the BT in some of the army shots in their codex.

A generic Imperial structure is a good way to go, but I still don't see why you couldn't make a BT-themed fortification of some sort. They're explicitly stated as using them in the fluff...their crusade fleets just happen to be where they are most of the time and how they get around. :)

[Calgar33]

Why not a planet of significance to the chapter/the emperor? Saint/High Templar Somethingorother died and the chapter decided to build a fortress temple on the holy grounds where he fell. Rogal Dorn and the Emperor invented their secret hand shake on this planet and the Black Templars have vowed to keep the planet safe forever.

[Eberk]

I feel an outpost would be easily justified on a feral world where the templars may recruit from, but I worry that in the event of a complete tyranid invasion (my most likely opponent) there wouldn't be much reason to bunker down and fight rather than just abandon the planet.

Are you suggesting that the Black Templars will simply abandon one of the Emperors planets for something as trivial as a Tyranid attack ? ;)


Perhaps this is the first planet in this sector that is under attack from Tyranids (a lost tendril of a hivefleet ?) so it is better to fight them than to let them have the planet and let them become so much stronger. The Tyranids will have to be dealt with eventually (you can't abandon every planet they arrive at and let them walk all the way to Terra).

Perhaps the Imperium needs some extra time to asemble a battlefleet ? an army ? Astartes reinforcements ?

I can see several reasons why the Black Templars would want to bunker down in their outpost rather than run away :)

[Bluesfart]

Yeah, I suppose if there was ever a stubborn and over-zealous chapter, the black templars is it. I suppose they would definitely fight to the last man over a planet that had spiritual significance.

These are all really great suggestions guys. Thank you for changing my perspective.

[Mr.Pickelz]

Don't forget, that a lot of mini-crusades are launched (within the larger ones) to hold on to territory, or to reclaim territory. For BT's a Crusade is just a list of goals/reasons for that force's existence. So the crusade that your BT's are on, is to hold on to a significant territory and defend it from any and all threats. And due to something significant (aka a structure, or part of one like Grimaldus carries with him) being present, it would be vital to the chapter's honor to hold that area at all costs. ;)