I'm trying to decide what codex to run with for my Word Bearer army, I'm thinking about using Codex Black Templars as I want to portray the Bearers at their most zealous, yet whilst still following and worshipping The Emperor.

I think that the Templars' charging forward instead of falling back, mixed units and Vows would work to those ends quite well. Only real issue I can think of currently is the Emperor's Champion but with a swift re-naming he shouldn't be too much of an issue.

What do you guys think about that?

I had seriously considered Black Templars for my own Word Bearers a couple years ago. I think the background parallels nicely and the rules are great. The only reason I chose C:SM was because I love Devastators. BT have the most powerful Chaplains available now, which is obviously perfect. Even the Emperor's Champion could be explained as a Coryphaeus, with probably Accept Any Challenge or Suffer Not the Unclean as the best vows fluffwise. Crusaders are out by the timeline as you know but could they be used as some crazy tech mashup so common during the Crusade?
In any case the BT models are fantastic for WB. Looking forward to seeing these Vred!

Yup, the Black Templars sound fitting for Word Bearers. Just keep in mind that the codex won't be around for very long - a year tops.

I'm quite happy to not take Land Raider Crusaders, not a huge fan of the Land Raider models really.

I'd forgotten about the Koryphaeus, perfect for the Emperor's Champion! As for the Devastators I'm not too fussed on them really, Predators will serve me just fine I think.

I think the BT codex would be ideal! I don't think it matters who they are being Zealous about, just that they are zealous! :)

You might even be able to work in some 'cultists' as 'counts as' neophytes (is that the name? I forget, I mean the scouts who are part of the units with full marines) if the fancy takes you.

The Cultist is a good idea actually, I might build on it eventually but for now I quite like the idea of the Neophytes learning in the field alongside the full brothers, similar to the role of a knight's squire or a novice monk.

Could someone with a copy of the codex PM me a quick run-down of the options for a Crusade squad, or whatever it is the mixed Neophyte/Inititate is called. I've got a copy of the codex en route to me but it'll not be here until the end of the week at the earliest and I'd like to get a squad organised for painting to keep to the monthly challengy army buildy thingy. :D

PM sent! Forgot how nasty some of the BT stuff is actually, there are some really dirty options you can make up..