Thoughts and Ideas For The SoB

[Root]

Well folks we officially have a new codex and crying about how it sucks compared to the old one will fall solely on deaf ears from now on, so we are left with just two options. Sell our beloved minis or use the WD codex. I am choosing option 2 and here is what I have concluded.

The only things that are truly awful in this book is (inconveniently) our only Troops choice, all the HQ choices that aren't The Saint or Uriah, and Penitent Engines. Battle Conclaves, Dominions, Repentia, Seraphim, Celestians, Retributors, and the vehicles all range from pretty decent to downright awesome. The trick is gonna be figuring out viable lists that play to our strengths and good units rather than our garbage ones. The old ways of Stubborn indestructable squads are dead, now its time to create a new battle plan.

I for one am planning on taking 3 fairly stripped squads of Battle Sisters in Rhinos for objectives, and loading up on the other stuff to actually attack the enemy. (Pretty basic...) The heart of the army will be The Saint with 10 Seraphim alongside Uriah leading Celestians, cruising with some extra Seraphim and either Repentia or a Conclave with some covering fire from the Heavies. (Probably 2 Exos and some HB Retributors) . This gives me decent #'s, some melee killiness, and some decent shooters.

Anybody else have some thought, combos, or ideas they wanna throw out?

[dvs1]

Someone else pointed me to this, but its too awesome not to share. Celestian command squad with 2+ multimeltas in a rhino. Endless crusade gives them relentless to pop 2 multimelta shots on the move from the cover of their iron coffin. I'll also take the loss of 2 special weapons on the dominions, for the return of scout. I think i'll try uriah in a squad of repentia to see how that works. DCA are also a good choice for uriah, but may be a bit overkill.

[Iceman]

I'm still thinking about what will work and what won't so I don't have any specific builds to suggest at this point.

I always treated my Sisters of Battle exactly as Sisters of Battle. So no storm troopers, inducted guard, etc. So for me, this new codex doesn't really represent a big departure except where the statlines have changed. In general, I am OK with most of the changes as they relate to what was there before. So the fact that Battle Sisters are now 12 points but include frag and krag grenades represents an improvement for me. I also wish Initiative would have stayed at 4 but since sisters are still human (not genetically upgraded like Space Marines) I can see why the Initiative got dropped.

So all-in-all, I guess I would have liked to have seen some sort of unit that moves quickly besides Seraphim and I would also have liked something that can reach out and touch someone besides the Exorcist. Finally, I still don't see how the Penitent Engine is worth 85 points, but I guess I will have to buy one and try it out.

[thecactusman17]

There were only 2 units where standard Battle Sisters were I4, and those were Celestians and Seraphim. Everything else was I3 to start out. I am far more disappointed by the price increase. Many other modern armies get far more for 12 points, more than a few even get 2 models with higher key stats.

[Root]

May I suggest you proxy him before you buy him. The model is cool but he costs a decent chunk of change and he isn't good.

[Fibonacci]

I have only played 3 games so far with the dorf-dex, but this is what I have found so far.

- Uriah and Saint Celestine have a lot going for them and it will be hard to find a reason to replace one of them.
- Footslogging with heavybolters is a dumb idea (lol). It is an option with MM though; maybe not the best option but it is there.
- Seraphim are very killy in shooting but tend to drop fast when countercharged. I want to try small squads of them next time and go tank and MC hunting. It is expensive to put the inferno pistols and eviscerator on them but maybe they can recoup the costs. They are not reliable tarpits anymore, but that is what we expected.
- If you footslog, you can put Uriah and 9 man Conclave in one of the rhinos and get them into action. T3 means you take a fair bit of wounds if the rhino explodes but FNP from Uriah helps. The arcos getting 6 attacks each on a charge with Uriah is a blast to roll.
- Saint Celestine can take out about 7 marines per full turn if you can get them under the Ardent Blade' template -- 3 from fire, 2 from your charge, 2 in the opponent's turn and then she dies. She will do this, on average, 3 times per game. For less than 120 points. What really makes her fun is the number of units your opponent will wind up keeping on Celestine kill duty and the fact that they can never hide devistators safely in the back or park a combat squad on an objective and think it is safe.

Sisters of Battle have always needed more finesse to play. There are fewer tools to use and what units we have kept now play differntly, but if you give it a shot you may actually have some fun with the army. I wouldn't take it to 'Ard Boyz or anything, but they are fun to me.

[Lancel]

I'm kinda looking at the Conclave. 10 DCAs is definitely overkill, but I'm considering Jacobus with a Conclave of 5 Crusaders and 5 Death Cult Assassins. Jacobus isn't great in close combat himself, but with him giving the squad +1 attack, FNP, Stubborn, and all the Invulnerable saves and power weapons they'll be hard to kill and they'll be able to take on pretty near anything. A bit like poor man's Terminators, but the DCA's I6 should even it up by getting the first 20 power attacks in before anyone can retaliate. On a charge, the DCAs will pretty much slaughter anything if you got them all into close combat.

And it's only 240 points for the whole package.

Sororitas Command Squad looks like a fancy Retributor Squad. I'm thinking of taking one anyway for the Blessed Banner for maybe footslogging, then two Multi-meltas for AT. Two Dominion Squads outflanking with Immolators, two Meltaguns and a Combi-Melta to get a third shot in. Could use the twin-linked act, but the Combi seems more reliable, and chances are I'll only need the AT power once a battle anyway. The rest the Sister Superior can just spam Bolter fire.