SoB Troop Types

[embuchho]

Are Dominian Squads the same as Battle Sister Squads plus a transport and different special weapon loadout?

 

And are Retributor Squads the same as Battle Sister Squads plus heavy weapons (like devastator Marines)?

[Arkaniss]

Stat wise? Yes. Options? No. Dominions get up to 4 Special Weapons but at incresed prices, and Retributers get heavy weapons as you say. Up to 4 again - but only a Heavy Bolter or Multimelta.

 

I'm assuming you've not got the codex? Its all in there!

[embuchho]

I know it's in the codex on my nightstand.

 

I'm at work during my lunch break, though, making a little spreadsheet to figure out which boxes and blisters to purchase, how to paint them so each troop type is identifiable, whether that's even necessary, and how much it will cost - so I can ask the right relative for the right thing for x-mas... ;o)

 

I'm sure you understand. :)

[Inquisitor Fox]

Yes, they're the exact same models :D You may be best off with say, 3 or 4 box sets of "Sisters of Battle" (the 10 girl squad), plus blisters of special weapons (I recommend melta-guns and flamers), and some heavy weapons (heavy bolters and heavy flamers (for the troop choices).

 

Seraphim are also awesome.. the box set is a good way to start (5 of them in there).

 

And you would need a cannoness.. that's personal choice.. you end up with either a pistol option (2 options), a sword option (2 choices) or some books (2 options).. you get 2 of the three.. so might be better to buy that on your own.

 

Eh.. just ask for the 10 sisters boxes :D And some gift cards :)

 

EDIT: It's easier that way because it's simply to play around with army configs by just swapping the special and heavy weapons as appropriate. Not having squad numbers to paint does occasionally pay off.

[Arkaniss]

Have you made a proto-type army list? Thats what i do - its the best way i find. I make a list i want to make, i then know what models to buy! ;)

 

I'm building a pre-heresy World Eaters army right now - i've constructed draft lists for 500, 750 and 1000 point armies. I faffed about with them until i was happy then i bought some boxes to start the army.

 

Anyway, Inquisitor NicolePyykkonen has excellent advice. You want standard sisters to start with - i would also recommend an Immolator or two (They will make Rhinos as well) as well as a Canoness or whatever HQ you are after.

 

Generally you want boxes and blisters (for additional special and heavy weapons) of Sisters of Battle - they can become line Battle Sisters, Dominions, Retributers or Celestians. You can paint them differently if you wish but again, as Inquisitor NicolePyykkonen pointed out you then couldn't swap them around.

 

All my foot Sisters are painted the same so i can chop and change as i see fit - i make sure my opponents know what squad is what. My Seraphim i paint slightly different (showing their elite status) and one day i'd like to get the extra models to have dedicated Celestian models painted the same way. But for a starting army try not to pidgeon hole models into certain units - you can easily branch out when your army grows. :D

 

Write up an army list and post it in the army list section here to get feedback from the esteemed Inquisition players on the board - they can help you get the army you want! The only thing i have left to say is to have fun!

[Toogeloo]

If you are talking fluff wise, no there isn't really much of a difference other than training really. They are all cut from the same cloth as you will, just as there is no real difference between the Bolter wielding Marine in a Devastator Squad and one in a Tactical Squad. They just hang out with different squads and get a little bit different training as a result so that they work more cohesively together in their individual squads. I'm sure if Sister Superior Sally asked Bolter wielding Jane of the second Retributor squad to go replace Bolter wielding Mary of the third Battle Sister squad because she had the flu and the second squad Retributors weren't going on the forthcoming mission, that Sister Jane would have no problem with it, but she may not know how the third squad of Battle Sisters works together and may get them or herself killed (I use that fluff excuse all the time when a Sister Squad gets wiped out too easily).

[march10k]

Nooooo! Don't buy the boxes...they have terrible weapons (one flamer and one storm bolter, as I recall), in addition to having the same boring sergeant (with a power sword, IIRC) times however many boxes, when you have about four different VSS models available in blisters. The cost per model is the same if you buy blisters...so for the love of God, buy blisters! Oh, you might have a use for some flamers, but stormbolters??? Who needs em? I've got four, and they gather dust, except on the rare occasion that I field a min/max dominion squad with them...then, they're slightly useful.

[Arkaniss]

Nope - the boxes are great for starting an army up - which is what is going on here. 2 will do nicely to start the army. After that i entirely agree - buy blisters to bulk up the army. Once the army gets to a decent size you won't notice two Superiors in the same pose.

 

Besides it often can't be helped with metal armies - for example the heavy weapon models are all the same for SoB. I paint their hair colour different - but what can ya do? <_<

[embuchho]

They are all cut from the same cloth as you will....

Or forged from the same mould, right?

 

I understand. Thanks heaps.

[embuchho]

I paint their hair colour different - but what can ya do? :devil:

I guess that even women in the 40th millennium like to color their hair just like nowadays, huh? :wub:

[embuchho]

Have you made a proto-type army list? Thats what i do - its the best way i find. I make a list i want to make, i then know what models to buy! :devil:

That is great advice.

 

However, I have actually never played a 40K game in my life. I'm a model maker and fell in love with the 40K figures (after building every jet fighter, tank, and ship you can name!) I have built probably 1,000 figures - a DIY and Black Templar army, several different IG armies (with various camo on various figures) and I finally figured I'd try out the SoBs.

 

So, I'm more interested in building and being able to sell the figures (eventually) so they must be painted in a way that makes sense.

 

I got one box of SoBs and I think I'm in love already. These are great figures. The shape of the shoulders are a little odd - I prefer the Cadian or Marine shape that covers the upper arm but I guess it makes sense if firing from a prone position or if the sisters are otherwise able to protect against lateral sword swings.

 

Anyway, I think I figured out my paint scheme - for most figures, red cloth, black armor, gold trim, much like the main example in the codex (though gold detail, not white). Depending upon how it goes, I think I'll edge the sisters with gold instead of or in addition to gray highlighting.

 

For Celestians, either white cloth or white or gold armor, I'll have to think about it. I think they ought to look a little different. I'm also considering purple cloth for the seraphim but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

 

Anyone see these figures? I think they're awesome!

 

Gold Armor: http://www.coolminiornot.com/132496

 

Gold Details: http://www.coolminiornot.com/126653 and http://www.coolminiornot.com/92480

[Melissia]

I dunno about taht. Painting the Order of Our Martyred Lady is like painting Ultramarines. Practicly every major bit of fluff about the SIsters has to do with that order, so that puts me off against them. The Order of the Sacred rose or Order of the Ebon Chalice look much better IMO, and are much less overdone. The latter is the order founded by Alicia Dominica, too, so that one gts a bonus to me.

 

 

Anyway.

 

 

The most common list has the following:

 

Canoness with Jump Pack

Several Battle Sisters squads, each with a rhino transport, meltagun, heavy falmer.

One or two Seraphim squads with hand flamers

two or three Exorcists.

Depending on the Exorcist count, possibly a Retributor squad with four heavy bolters (multi-meltas are almost never taken). They'd probably be in an Immolator, possibly with heavy bolters.

 

So if you want to sell them, that's generally the style you might want to put them in.

[Arkaniss]

So, I'm more interested in building and being able to sell the figures (eventually) so they must be painted in a way that makes sense.

Fair enough - in which case you should scout around and find the most popular lists around - Melissia's list is pretty good for example. Such lists will attract more potential buyers i imagine.

 

Painting the Order of Our Martyred Lady is like painting Ultramarines.

Quite - but what better Order to paint if he wants to sell on? Popular and well recognised - they really are like the Ultramarines of the Sisters! :)

 

I'm not sure if you know about it, but there is a Sister of Battle painter on the BnC where you can mess around with colour schemes should you want to paint something different.

[Melissia]

I don't know if they're popular amongst the players, only that they're popular amongst GW. Personally, I hate the fact that they're always losing.

[embuchho]

Painting the Order of Our Martyred Lady is like painting Ultramarines.

I know what you mean. I have a BT army that I customized a lot and before that a DIY SM army. Also, a DIY IG army composed of one or two squads of almost every type of troop-figure available. I'm in it for the models, just trying to make them within specifications.

 

Our Martyred Lady has white trim on the armor, right? I was planning on making all the trim (the wings, the two fleurs, etc.) gold (maybe silver). Painting white is such a pain that I try to avoid it when I can, even with good foundation paints helping out.

 

So, with gold trim, they could be a different chapter. If I can muster gold trim on the red clothing then I think they'll look nice without being femi-ultramarines.

 

I wonder if gold helmet faceplates would look alright?

 

Or, halved between black and bone? One arm and one leg bone (with Beastial Brown underneath) and the other black? That would look a bit more original.

 

Any feedback? Anyone see figures like this and know how they turn out?

 

Thanks heaps for the advice and the discussion, folks. I appreciate it (especially since I just won two more boxes of figures on eBay - didn't think I'd win both so I'd better get painting!)

[Melissia]

http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a28/melissiablackheart/Other/OurMartyredLady.jpg

 

That's roughly what the Order of Our Martyred Lady looks like.

 

It's also Order, not Chapter. These are not female Space Marines.

[embuchho]

Hey, nice, Melissia!

 

Sorry - calling them a "chapter" was a little out of "order," huh? :rolleyes:

 

I drew up a scheme with that SoB painter, too, but with a gold faceplate, gold edging on the shoulder pads and the top of the knees, on those spiky bands on the backpack, the studs on the tummy, bolts on the shoulders, and on the vertical band on the breasts.

 

Also, the Order of Our Martyred Lady Sisters have white icons on their shoulders and shin, not gold. This looks nice, too, but I think I prefer the gold.

 

The black and red look pretty cool together. No wonder GW made that the "Ultramarine SoB".

[Melissia]

I have no problem with the color scheme myself, it's just that GW uses them at every chance they can. I'd rather see the Order of the Ebon Chalice myself, seeing as that's the one Alicia Dominica-- the founder of the Adepta Sororitas-- started.

 

Personally, I am using this though:

 

http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a28/melissiablackheart/Other/SapphireBlade2.jpg

 

Dark blue armor, medium blue cloth, gold details. The dark blue goes well with the gold (note, this image is actually a bit lighter on the blue than I am actually doing, but I'm too lazy to upload a better image).

[Tauren]

I'm planning to doing matte glazes over blue-inked metallic paints up to a space wolves grey and highlighted with metallics again for the ceramite armor look on my grey-knights and sisters once I finish cleaning and converting them (a tireless task). Also I need to buy my sisters too ;).

[Inquisitor Fox]

I use Sisters of the Sacred Rose myself.. the forgotten Order from GW. You see reports of all the other ones involved in the major battles, but Sacred Rose is almost never mentioned. Makes me wonder what they're up to!

 

note: I started using them BEFORE they were featured in DoW: Soulstorm too...

 

 

Only the interior of the robes is red instead of black on black.. at least how I do it. I also use red bolters instead of the apparently now supposid black ones. A picture from the old box of Seraphims is what I went off of.

 

It looks really sharp.. I don't see most anyone with the color scheme.. and what's not to love about a bunch of Stormtroopers..er..Sisters of Battle in white armor? ;)

[Melissia]

Eh? Don't call them stormtroopers, even the most basic Sister is equivalent or superior to that ;)

[Inquisitor Fox]

Yeah, but what other name to Darth Vader's lackies have? B) At least the Sisters of Battle are far more accurate...

[Melissia]

This is true. They graduated from the Schola Progenium, not the Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy, and then continued training after taht.

[Till]

Last two nights I have been working on sacred rose sisters. White and black is a notoriously difficult matchup to paint. I would caution using this pattern for selling purposes only. I'm painting with it to be an inverse of what I have now for dominions only, but I couldnt imagine doing it for a full army.

 

I'll try to get a pic up this morning.

 

and here we are:

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f185/dadickerson/P1000730.jpg

 

How they match with a sample of the rest of army:

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f185/dadickerson/P1000726.jpg

[embuchho]

Very nice, Till! I like your templars! Is the GK terminator a templar or a GK? He looks great, either way.

 

How do you do your white? White is a real pain to paint. For my templar shoulder pads I have to do 6 or so layers. It looks nice at the end but it takes forever. I don't want to do that with 20+ sisters.

 

Has anyone seen SoBs painted with a bleached bone base?

 

I'm thinking, beastial brown base, drybrush bleached bone for very good coverage, not just highlighting. Then, highlight with white drybrushing. Possible wash with sepia or delvan mud, we'll see.

 

For the details, re-base with scorched brown, then layer up gold, tiny highlight with chainmail or mithril.

 

The problem with a white/bone base is that there's no nice contrasting color for the piping on the chest or the details on the corset. Over black they could be red, silver, or gold and look great.

 

As for the cloth, that black looks great, but I really like the red for some reason.