Seraphim

[Mosk]

I have several questions on seraphem.

 

1.) What size squad is the best to take for tank hunting?

2.) what size squad should be taken for infantry hunting?

3.) What size is best for not knowing what your enemy wiil be?

4.) Two inferno pistols, two hand flamers, one inferno pistol one hand flamer?

5.) what should the VSS take ?

6.) How do you use them for anti infantry?

7.) How do u use them for anti tank?

8.) What else about them?

[Kettu]

I rarely use the girls as they don't fit my mech army basis but I will sometimes field a squad.

 

1) Don't know, a three inch anti-tank gun dosn't really say useful to me.

2) I take eight normally, smaller enough to be agile and monuverable but large enough to do some damage and it is more or less the 'average' size for use of faith.

3) 8 ^{^see above^}

4) Two hand flamers, lotsa lovely teardrops to tourch the enemy with.

5) I give her two bolt pistols or powersword and plasma. Save the anti-tank chainsword for the anti-tank dominions

6) flame and shoot (I miss doubletapping *cries*) weakened squads, charge, flee, rinse, repeat.

7) I don't.

8) Normally a waste of points to me, they are to expensive point wise and I don't use much faith with them as my main girls need it more.

[Melissia]

1: Depends on how you want to build them. One can do light tank hunting with krak nades (which they get for free by the way). 6+d6 penetration, against rear armor, gives you a good chance to get many penetrating hits with a ten woman squad. You could also upgrade them with meltabombs for even more tankhunting goodness. Or you can give them a couple of twin-linked inferno pistols.

 

2: Depends on how you want to build them and who you're fighting against. Ten member squads can be great against sub-par assaulters, while smaller squads are generally better against tougher enemies (such as bloodletters of khorne), due to having a free simaculrum imperialis which can help you get Spirit of the Martyr easier.

 

3: 6 or 7, with a veteran. Ensures that you can get Hand of the Emperor or Spirit of the Martyr with some reliability.

 

4: One or the other. Hand Flamers are good, basicly a flamer that gives you an extra attack. Inferno pistols aren't that great, but they ARE twin-linked, and this means that you can basicly have two assured wounds against most infantry targets-- including, say, terminators (letting the inferno pistols earn their points back in one phase).

 

5: I'd say either a power weapon and bolt pistol, or an eviscerator. The former has an extra attack at initiative, while the latter is stronger but strikes at initiative 1. Give her a book always.

 

6: Depends on your target. Against tougher enemies, go in and use Spirit of the Martyr to tie them up, giving your squad a 3+ armor save for the phases you pass the test on. after the last assault you're willing to spend faith points on, use Hit and Run to get away (remember the special hit and run rule). Against lighter enemies, charge at them with Hand of the Emperor. 31 S5 attacks at WS4, four of which are power weapon attacks, can really ruin someone's day, and you'll probably not take too many casualties before it's your turn to attack because of your 3+ armor save and WS4.

 

7: Depends on what kind of tank it is and how it has moved. If it is a normal tank that has not moved, then assault it. Even if all you have are the default frag/krak nades, you'll more than likely kill it, hitting rear armor with 6+D6 penetration. Against a walker, it depends on your equipment. If you have meltabombs, assaulting is again viable, but you'll probably want to activate Spirit of the Martyr to protect against its DCCW attacks. Against a land raider or monolith, you want meltabombs or to just shoot it with your inferno pistols.

 

8: Veteran gets a free simaculrum imperialis-- you roll three dice for tests of faith, and pick the two you want. Also, they all have frag and krak nades for free.

[Apogee]

I have several questions on seraphem.

 

1.) What size squad is the best to take for tank hunting?

2.) what size squad should be taken for infantry hunting?

3.) What size is best for not knowing what your enemy wiil be?

4.) Two inferno pistols, two hand flamers, one inferno pistol one hand flamer?

5.) what should the VSS take ?

6.) How do you use them for anti infantry?

7.) How do u use them for anti tank?

8.) What else about them?

 

1: I'd say 8 or 9. I usually hide behind cover on turn one and then fly out (not in area terrain, mind you). This gives you enough wounds to avoid losing too many sisters to be effective, and at <8 sisters you can get SotM easily.

2: Again, 8 or 9. Same reason.

3: See above.

4. I go flamers now, always. Unless you're hunting LRs, krak grenades (or Hand of the Emperor if you REALLY need the kill) will tear up rear armour every time. You have to be within 6'' anyway to shoot, so why not just charge and still be effective against infantry?

5. I usually run bolt/power sword/book. Plasma can be nice, but one in a while you lose the superior to overheat and it sucks. Also, 15 points. Eviscerator is great if you know you'll be fighting nobs or something, but otherwise it's 25 points and negates The +2 I act of faith. You have hand of the Emp if you really need str anyway.

6. For infantry, fly up, roast/bolt with divine guidance. Now, if the enemy squad is dangerous in CC, use the +2 I power and Divine Guidance again if you really need too. With 3 attacks minimum per sister, those power weapon hits will add up fast! If its just guardsmen or the like, save your faith and do hit & run next turn.

7. For tanks, I simply fly over and charge the tank. Nade/Hand it to death. Frankly, I avoid kiling tanks with my seraphim. It leaves them open to shooting and I have other units that can handle it (i.e. my Flying Nun of Death or Exorcists).

8. They die easily if a walker or ordinance catches them. If you know they'll be stuck in the open next turn, don't be afraid to walk through terrain (or hit & run, remember it ignores cover completely). Be fluid with them. Get that one nice flame/charge and you'll get your points back.

 

Also, a great tactic is to give the enemy something better to shoot at. Put an Immolator or something up front and you'll diver their attention from the real problem...

 

Last note - deepstriking is risky. You can, if you're lucky, come down right next to some guys and roast them, but you're wide open for retribution. Only do it in small squads so you can SotM next turn. Essentially, you use them as flamey drop pods of doom.

[Melissia]

Apogee: Spirit of the Martyr requires that you roll above or equal to the squad size to pass the test. Not equal to or below.

 

Meaning, a nine member squad will have to roll 9, 10, 11, or 12 to pass the test of faith for Spirit of the Martyr. That's ten combinations out of thirty six-- even with the Simaculrum Imperialis, it's not good odds compared to a smaller squad size.

 

And really, a lot of the things you suggest are going way overboard in faith opitns usage, too... I mean, using three faith points on a single unit in a single turn is excessive, especially in smaller point games where you'll only have five or six points to begin with...

[Apogee]

Apogee: Spirit of the Martyr requires that you roll above or equal to the squad size to pass the test. Not equal to or below.

 

Meaning, a nine member squad will have to roll 9, 10, 11, or 12 to pass the test of faith for Spirit of the Martyr. That's ten combinations out of thirty six-- even with the Simaculrum Imperialis, it's not good odds compared to a smaller squad size.

 

And really, a lot of the things you suggest are going way overboard in faith opitns usage, too... I mean, using three faith points on a single unit in a single turn is excessive, especially in smaller point games where you'll only have five or six points to begin with...

 

Whoops, yes, I know. i used the wrong symbol, I'll edit that. Getting an 8-12 isn't *that* unlikely, and I don't reccomend you leave your seraphim uot int he open anyway. Just an option.

 

And I often go pure SOB, or maybe a storm squad for objective holding. I almost always fill out my second HQ with a cheap Cannoness to gow ith the Stormies to get the extra 2 faith. I usually play 1500 games, with 6 faith points minimum. My Flying nun almost always dies in a blaze of glory, netting me two more. 3 faith points to guarantee the destruction of, say, a troop Nob Squad is definately worth it. Obviosuly I'm not going to waste 3 points on a marine combat squad - I'm just emphisizing that you have the optins available. You can leave your Seraphim on simmer, or turn it up to 11 when you need to.

[Melissia]

I always go with pure Sisters, but I play much smaller games and my armies are typically driven by fluff as much as anything. I despise using a second canoness solely as a throwaway to get more Faith. 'Tis a false victory, a hollow victory, when your commander is dead and your army is left to fend for itself in the aftermath like a headless, bolter-wielding chicken.

[Apogee]

I always go with pure Sisters, but I play much smaller games and my armies are typically driven by fluff as much as anything. I despise using a second canoness solely as a throwaway to get more Faith. 'Tis a false victory, a hollow victory, when your commander is dead and your army is left to fend for itself in the aftermath like a headless, bolter-wielding chicken.

 

I don't consider either Cannoness a throwaway. One sits in the back, offering leadership to the gunlines and some minor support fire (why or why is our best long-range weapon a storm bolter :rolleyes:). The Flying Nun of Doom isn't *supposed* to die - she doesn't have a 2+ (mostly invulnerable) save, a Blessed weapon, and Inferno Pistol for nothing! She is just... eager... to fight. Lead by example, and all that. One leader to show the way, the other to plan how to get there alive.

[Melissia]

I dunno why either. They gave the Canoness some great close combat weapons, but a pitiful Ws4. And they gave her a great Bs5, but pitiful ranged weaponry to utilize it.

[Imperator Mos]

My normal list includes a squad of ten and a squad of nine- Vet with PW/BP, and 2 hand flamers. One of the squads will be led by Celestine. I use them for whatever needs to be done. Infantry, tanks, contesting objectives. And they never let me down.

[Apogee]

Just thinking out loud here - would it make sense to use vanilla Sisters as a gunline, and seraphim as the 'fire' part of the army? I.E. instead of rushing with rhinos, rush with 'phim? Maybe take rhino squads, and simply use the rhinos as cover... Probably would cost a boatload of points for anything useful, though.

[Cath]

I use Seraphim and because they're so underused no one ever shoots at them, its great. At least ,they don't shoot until its too late and they've already torn into a squad or two. Remember, keep them screened somehow, or offer the enemy a more juicy target. Leaving the Seraphim out the dry is a bad idea and it'll cost you a LOT of points.

[Melissia]

Dunno why they'd be underused if indeed they are. Seraphim are one of the best deals the Sisters have by far....