Maximizing the use of prayers

[NaZ]

I'm only posting my army list so it is relvent to the discussion

 

canoness, blessed wpn, inferno pistol, jump pack, cloak,

canoness, evicerator, inferno pistol, jump pack, cloak

 

4 squads of 10:

heavy flamer, meltagun, vet with combi flamer and book

in rhino

 

2 seraphim squads, 2 flamers, vet with book and evicerator

 

2 exorcists

 

10 faith points

 

I just got the army, and had my first games. my instinct about flamer spam plus divine guidance seemed right on :)

 

but the other vows, I had a bit of mixed success. the invulerable save is great once the model count drops. but not having a simulacrum in each squad makes it tougher. still I saw 10 sisters stand up to 6 terminators for 4 turns. and my canoness in a different game hold off epidiemus, a hearald, and a demon all at the same time for 2 turns (I let her die)

 

when do you decide to use the increased iniative or the increased strength?

 

and are there other good nasty ways of using divine guidance? typically a heavy flamer, combi flamer, and rapid fire barrage produces like 18 hits. thats when I use it. I could see them being good with retributors as well, but not as many hits to try to "rend" with

 

army did well for me in both games I played thursday, and have more coming this weekend

 

NaZ

[Melissia]

They're not "prayers" or vows, they're "Acts of Faith", which represent miraculous bursts of speed, strength, courage, and luck, with hints that they're granted by the Emperor himself (especially in times of dire need).

 

Honestly, increased strength is mostly only useful against a vehicle with poor rear armor that can't hit back. It'll let your Sisters strike at S5, maybe letting you destroy it. Another use is with a Canoness with blessed weapon or eviscerator-- letting her hit at S7 or S8 with a power weapon effect (and increased penetration with the eviscerator), enough to probably kill most vehicles in one round. Increased initiative is good when you're charged and you want to hit the enemy first so you might be able to take down some of their models before they attack you. Divine Guidance on retributors (don't use multimeltas anyway, they're pretty bad on infantry) can be brutal. If you get lucky, you can wipe out a terminator squad in one round with DG on a Retributor squad.

[mercenary]

One of the great things about faith is that it allows you to modify the abilities of your troops dependant on your opponent. This enables them to take on a wide range of opponents and still come out on top. For example divine guidance is great against MEQ, but is hardly worth spending the faith point when playing against Elder. But then the faith you save can be used for more invulnerable saves, and boosting iniative. I think the situation and opponent dictate how you spend your faith, when to sacrifice your Canoness, and the like. It is fun I must admit, as it adds another tactical dimension to a unique army.

[march10k]

Increased strength= charging a tank (2 attacks per model that cause effects on 5+ versus not being able to hurt the thing at all) or a horde (when you're outnumbered by models with low saves, wounding on 2+ is devastating. Against space marines, wounding on 3+ is of course a waste of a point).

 

Increased initiative= putting the hurt to enemies with initiative one point higher than your own. Now, you have to take into account the chances of wounding and the armor save...so lightning claw terminators might not be the best choice...unless you're talking 20 sisters charging 5 terminators. In that case, increasing initiative gives you the chance to drop a model or two BEFORE the claws get loose. And that's far more effective than hitting termies with S5, while the invulnerable save is, of course, not going to do anything until you get low on models. Personally, I think this is the act that is least commonly useful, but since you don't have to pick it from a spellbook (or roll which one you get!!!), it's nice to have it in the toolkit (to echo mercenary).

[OrdosInquisition]

Here's my take on it, hope it helps.

 

Hand of the Emperor: This is not everyone’s favourite power but it can make a big difference. This is best used in a squad that is too big to utilize Spirit of the Martyr against a single enemy with a powerful toughness. The drawback is you strike at initiative 1 but if your going to be striking last anyway, that drawback is negated. Alternativly, you can use this ability to charge tanks, Strength 3 is useless against Armor 10, Strength 5 is not.

 

Divine Guidance: Here is your bread and butter, the possibility of AP 1 rapid firing boltguns and multiple flamer templates. This power can and more importantly, will, change games. This is best used in big squads for the obvious reasons but also because the more gunfire there is, the better your chances. Perhaps the best thing about Divine Guidance that only adds to its magnificence is that you can choose to use it after you have determined how many models you hit so you know when you’re likely to find it the most useful.

 

The Passion: Like Hand of the Emperor this again is not going to win the best power award but +2 to initiative has a place. This power is best invoked against lightly armoured swarming units and is predominantly a numbers thing. Sisters are naturally weaker in melee but if your opponent is lightly armoured enough, like orcs, this can make one hell of a difference. Look at it this way, and an Orc unit charges you, each orc has 2 attacks, +1 for charging and +1 for a second close combat weapon, that’s 4 attacks at strength 4, Initiative 3 with their furious charge. If you have Initiative 5, you strike first, and each orc you cut down reduces the number of attacks against you by 4. That’s a solid investment if ever I saw one, even if you’re wounding on a 5+. This ability is also really good against Imperial Guard, Guard have 5+ armour saves, so divine guidance is a no no, but they also have initiative 3 and a lot of guys, use the mentality mentioned above.

 

Light of the Emperor: This is likely the power you will use the least due to the sheer awesomeness of the Book of St Lucius. While an automatic regroup or passed pinning check could foreseeably help, testing at unmodified leadership of 9 or 10 is generally good enough.

 

Spirit of the Martyr: Next to Divine Guidance, this is the other power you will be using frequently. It effectively gives most of your chosen unit a 3+ invulnerable save but you have to use foresight. Because Spirit of the Martyr must be declared at the start of the phase you have to have a good idea as to where it will be needed. Remember once your opponent hears you have a 3+ invulnerable save, he might change his tactics, you can use this ability to sucker your opponent into doing what you want, and that is the reason it is so powerful, use it to preempt.

Of course, this ability is priceless in melee, particulary to seraphim and the ever used Martyr Cannoness.

[NaZ]

I find myself using spirit of the martyr and divine guidance constantly. the others way less so

 

but good points on how to use hand of the emperor. will let my seraphim do some anti tank work (and hell a str 8 evicerator can shred a land raider)

 

you mentioned divine guidance on retributors.. I have the models but was taking double exorcists. this probably goes in another thread, but are they worth it when used with divine guidance?

 

and is an imigifier nessessary for that?

 

NaZ

[WAR]

Imagifers are a alright in largers quads not in ten sisters squads as most rols are easier passed without them but 3 dice are nice-seraphim get them for free with the vss

 

I run a foot slogger with retributors (4 hvy bolters) and with DG I put two wounds on a wraithlord now saves

SoM and DG are your most used powers

[SJumppanen]

Few hints:

 

Divine Guidance is for troop sisters. Sometimes it is OK with Retributors. For Seraphim it is only when using flamers and in large squad (also in assault).

 

Spirit of the Martyr is for Seraphim and Canoness. And only for them, others must rely on their numbers and armour saves. Don't be afraid of losing a squad of Troop sisters if you can exploit that for example by bringing a another squad to kill that enemy group. Howewer it is OK to use SotM for a troop squad if you need to keep them alive just another CC phase, so you can keep that enemy tied to CC just a bit longer, but in my experience this is rare and usualy hapens only with Seraphim.

 

Other Acts of faith are to be used when oppoturnity arises, so i won't go to that.

 

Imagifier is not worth its points IMHO. You can get some sisters or Evicerator instead.

[Melissia]

Also keep in mind that The Passion increases the initiative of Seraphim, Celestians, and the Canoness to 6. There are very few things that can claim to have I6 or greater.

[SJumppanen]

Also keep in mind that The Passion increases the initiative of Seraphim, Celestians, and the Canoness to 6. There are very few things that can claim to have I6 or greater.

 

Too bad that it realy maters against MEQ only in case of BW.

[Melissia]

Actually it means that they can strike before the Eldar do, which means they might be able to take odwn some of those howling banshees or striking scorpions.