Goatboy’s Warhammer 40K Meta Hotness: November 2023 – Black Templar Gladiators
Goatboy here with some new Space Marine Black Templar Meta Hotness. Meet the power of the Gladiator Chassis!
Enjoy the power of the Gladiator Chassis, mixed with the Iron Storm Detachment, and making them a Black Templar unit. That combination of choices creates a very powerful shooting platform that combines a lot of Reroll action, bullets to wreck you, and a chassis that is a bit tougher to deal with. Jump on the bandwagon and find some Multi-Meltas to strap on!
Codex Space Marines has just come out and while they are not wrecking the meta just yet – they do seem to have some powerful options. I expect as players figure out the armies we’ll start to see more of these builds reach top 8’s and become a threat to the current bad boys of CSM, Orks, and Aeldari. They combine a lot of power we see in the other lists with good shooting, good movement, or the ability to hammer the enemy with fists.
Right now I think the initial one to come out wrecking shop would be the Gladiator chassis as it gives you a lot to look at. Combine it with the Iron Storm Detachment and you start to have a very powerful gun boat that can wreck you from afar. The Black Templar version has a few things on top of it that also helps it out as well.
Gladiator Powerful Shooting
All 3 Gladiator chassis variants have some powerful guns to bring to the enemy. You have the Reapers anti infantry option with Sustain hits 2 when shooting your booted enemies. You have the Lances extra batch of rerolls on top of the ones granted by the detachment. You can even use the Valiant’s las cannon to help deal with big stuff if needed. All of these tanks have their place with guns that can help versus whatever type of enemy you are facing.
Extra Black Templar Goodness
Oh and somehow Black Templars get to throw a Multi-Melta on these tanks as well. This is just an extra bit of awesome that isn’t there in the regular Marine ones. It is very funky as their detachment doesn’t let them take them – but it’s an option on their data sheet. Did you want a nice upgrade of 2 extra Multi-Melta shots into your enemy? Then get out your black spray paint to get your tanks looking righteous.
Powerful Character Auras
This detachment has an aura for your friendly Tech Marine to give out Lethal hits to all vehicles within 6 inches. That’s right you can start to stack even more abilities onto your guns with your friendly Doc Ock looking dude. He’s ready to fix a broken gun, track, or add a sweet wing to make your Gladiator move faster. This is just an army full of synergy and it goes thru all aspects of the Detachment and units within.
Amazing Gladiator Friendly Stratagems
Between Mercy is Weakness, Vengeful Animus, and Unbowed Conviction – all your tanks are going to be just murder machines. You want to have sustain hits on a 5+ versus a vehicle. We got you. Do you need to act awesome even if you are mostly wrecked? Got that for you too. Oh do you want to shoot back at someone that hit you? That’s something for you too!
A Tournament Example
TJ Spaeth won the Warzone: Three Taverns event with the follow pile of Gladiator goodness painted black. He utilize the Ironstorm detachment abilities with the Gladiator abilities to really push those extra special Rerolls to wreck opponents.
Black Templar Ironstorm (2000 Points)
Space Marines
Black Templars
Ironstorm Spearhead
Strike Force (2000 Points)
CHARACTERS
Techmarine (95 Points)
• Warlord
• 1x Forge bolter
1x Grav-pistol
1x Omnissian power axe
1x Servo-arm
• Enhancements: Target Augury Web (Aura)
Techmarine (80 Points)
• 1x Forge bolter
1x Grav-pistol
1x Omnissian power axe
1x Servo-arm
• Enhancements: Adept of the Omnissiah
BATTLELINE
Crusader Squad (65 Points)
• 1x Sword Brother
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Grav-pistol
1x Power fist
• 4x Initiate
• 2x Astartes chainsword
4x Bolt Pistol
4x Close combat weapon
1x Meltagun
1x Multi-melta
Crusader Squad (65 Points)
• 1x Sword Brother
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Grav-pistol
1x Power fist
• 4x Initiate
• 2x Astartes chainsword
4x Bolt Pistol
4x Close combat weapon
1x Lascannon
1x Meltagun
Crusader Squad (65 Points)
• 1x Sword Brother
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Grav-pistol
1x Power fist
• 4x Initiate
• 2x Astartes chainsword
4x Bolt Pistol
4x Close combat weapon
1x Lascannon
1x Meltagun
Crusader Squad (65 Points)
• 1x Sword Brother
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Grav-pistol
1x Power fist
• 4x Initiate
• 2x Astartes chainsword
4x Bolt Pistol
4x Close combat weapon
1x Lascannon
1x Meltagun
Crusader Squad (65 Points)
• 1x Sword Brother
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Grav-pistol
1x Power fist
• 4x Initiate
• 2x Astartes chainsword
4x Bolt Pistol
4x Close combat weapon
1x Lascannon
1x Meltagun
OTHER DATASHEETS
Ballistus Dreadnought (140 Points)
• 1x Armoured feet
1x Ballistus lascannon
1x Ballistus missile launcher
1x Twin storm bolter
Black Templars Gladiator Lancer (165 Points)
• 1x Armoured hull
1x Icarus rocket pod
1x Lancer laser destroyer
1x Multi-melta
2x Storm bolter
Black Templars Gladiator Lancer (165 Points)
• 1x Armoured hull
1x Icarus rocket pod
1x Lancer laser destroyer
1x Multi-melta
2x Storm bolter
Black Templars Gladiator Reaper (155 Points)
• 1x Armoured hull
1x Icarus rocket pod
1x Multi-melta
2x Tempest bolter
1x Twin heavy onslaught gatling cannon
Black Templars Gladiator Reaper (155 Points)
• 1x Armoured hull
1x Icarus rocket pod
1x Multi-melta
2x Tempest bolter
1x Twin heavy onslaught gatling cannon
Invictor Tactical Warsuit (140 Points)
• 1x Fragstorm grenade launcher
1x Heavy bolter
1x Incendium cannon
1x Invictor fist
1x Twin ironhail heavy stubber
Redemptor Dreadnought (200 Points)
• 1x Heavy flamer
1x Icarus rocket pod
1x Macro plasma incinerator
1x Redemptor fist
1x Twin fragstorm grenade launcher
Scout Squad (55 Points)
• 1x Scout Sergeant
• 1x Astartes shotgun
1x Bolt pistol
1x Close combat weapon
• 4x Scout
• 4x Bolt pistol
4x Close combat weapon
2x Combat knife
1x Missile launcher
1x Scout sniper rifle
Storm Speeder Thunderstrike (160 Points)
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Stormfury missiles
1x Thunderstrike las-talon
1x Twin Icarus rocket pod
ALLIED UNITS
Callidus Assassin (90 Points)
• 1x Neural shredder
1x Phase sword and poison blades
Eversor Assassin (75 Points)
• 1x Executioner pistol
1x Power sword and neuro gauntlet
2000 points
Using the List
Man doesn’t that seem like a lot of options for a Space Marine army? So many bodies, so many tanks, and even some support on the side? The Gladiator chassis just does so much for this style of list by being fast enough to get around and having enough shooting to wreck things reliably. This is going to be a winter of Marine armies coming out of the woodworks and I expect a lot of tanks to show up on the tabletop.
