Holy-er than thou

[bloodzone]

I had this problem come up when i was making my army list.

 

I want to use Arcos in my list BUT,

 

The priest is clearly combat orientated but The SOB just are not built for hand to hand.

 

So i was wondering how everyone runs their priests?

do you guys just give him a red shirt and make sure he dies first in his chosen squad or do you actually use him?

[Six_Days]

The best way is to add him to a Repentia Squad, there he is on the right place.

Otherwise you could add him to a Domitator Squad, but thats not perfect.

[WAR]

also you can add him to a INQ Stormtrooper squads and use him as a melee specialsit in the squad

[morcus]

second for IST, aim for soft targets.

[panbient]

also you can add him to a INQ Stormtrooper squads and use him as a melee specialsit in the squad

 

this is what i do too, usually with a squad carrying 2 flamers. makes for a relatively cheap squad that often gets overlooked until it's too late if i want to go melee. otherwise i give the ISTs a pair of plasma guns and hope no one overheats. very few people expect a half dozen plasma shots from a puny little stormtrooper squad.

[Eddie Orlock]

Normally I can get away with a large mob of Zealots. On the rare occasion I can't, I run him with a band of Arbites. After all, if you always count as moving, the shotguns are almost strictly better than the old hellguns.

[Inquisitor Fox]

When I need to use mine I give him a plasma gun and attach him to a line Sisters squad that is hoofing it anyway. The fact they're constantly on the move advancing towards the enemy means his downside of 'always counts as moving' is essentially nullified, and paired with the meltagun and heavy flamer of the squad he adds a good deal of firepower for a 'required model'.

[Grabsnikk]

Whenever I use a Priest I typically arm him with an Eviscerator and attach him to a Cannoness + Celestian Retinue and make sure that the Canoness and Vet. Supeior each have an Eviscerator. They get chucked in a Rhino with 2 Meltaguns and get pointed towards any walkers/land raiders that my opponent may have. This unit can also be a very effective combat unit as Spirit of the Martyr can keep them alive long enought for the Priests ability to let any unit he joins reroll all failed to hit rolls, with the 3 Eviscerators in the unit.

[ArmouredWing]

When I need to use mine I give him a plasma gun and attach him to a line Sisters squad that is hoofing it anyway. The fact they're constantly on the move advancing towards the enemy means his downside of 'always counts as moving' is essentially nullified, and paired with the meltagun and heavy flamer of the squad he adds a good deal of firepower for a 'required model'.

I'd have to say that this is a total waste of a Sisters squad and would advise against adopting this as a tactic.

 

The problem here is that the priest works against what battle sisters are good at, e.g. massed bolter fire. True, flamers can work with this set up but if you're running a squad (footsloggers tend to be 12+) and you run a priest with them you're missing out on at least 20 bolter shots hitting on 3's. If you run the same squad in CC you're looking at 22 attacks (basic sisters with vet) hitting on 4's/5's (MEQ) wounding on 5's (MEQ) with rerolls. For me the numbers don't stack in CC, even with a priest giving the re-rolls.

So, the basic battle sister squad needs to do what it is designed to do, get close and rapid fire. If you've got a priest attached to the unit by virtue of the fact that the unit must charge an enemy that is within range and is always counted as moving then you've got to judge 6-12 inches range to make use of their best method of causing damage. For me that's way too specific a range.

 

The best place for a priest has got to be either with repentia or if you want to use him in a more versatile role then a Celestian squad or Dominion squad delivered in an immolator.

[Inquisitor Fox]

The problem here is that the priest works against what battle sisters are good at, e.g. massed bolter fire. True, flamers can work with this set up but if you're running a squad (footsloggers tend to be 12+) and you run a priest with them you're missing out on at least 20 bolter shots hitting on 3's. If you run the same squad in CC you're looking at 22 attacks (basic sisters with vet) hitting on 4's/5's (MEQ) wounding on 5's (MEQ) with rerolls. For me the numbers don't stack in CC, even with a priest giving the re-rolls.

So, the basic battle sister squad needs to do what it is designed to do, get close and rapid fire. If you've got a priest attached to the unit by virtue of the fact that the unit must charge an enemy that is within range and is always counted as moving then you've got to judge 6-12 inches range to make use of their best method of causing damage. For me that's way too specific a range.

 

The best place for a priest has got to be either with repentia or if you want to use him in a more versatile role then a Celestian squad or Dominion squad delivered in an immolator.

First, I agree entirely the optimum place would be a squad of Repentia, or Celestians. If however you aren't including them in your list (especially as arco's fulfil the very similar role) and are trying to find a home for said Priest, the ability to join your required Troop squads needs to be examined.

 

For the Priest to join a unit of Battle Sisters requires the Sisters to be un-mechanized, as their transport option of a Rhino (or Repressor) only fits 10 models, and there would be a minimum of 11+ including the Priest. That being said, attaching a Priest to a larger say, 20 model mob (giving you 21) advancing towards the enemy behind cover or utilizing terrain as much as possible guarentees that you maintain a relatively large sized force once you've crossed the board utilizing the run option when you are outside your 12" margin. One could make an argument that a Targeter can still be used then decide to not shoot (especially if everything is out of range), as it specifies "before deciding who to shoot at" :)

 

The ability to give both the VSS and the Priest power weapons should not be underestimated, especially as a larger squad size (in the teens) helps ensure that both of these models will be alive when they hit enemy lines. Battle Sister squads also allow the Priest's reroll ability to affect the largest number of models possible, as the other squads he can join max out at 10 models. Not having ran the stats, I believe that 10 models with rerolls hitting on 3s will generate less hits than 20 models hitting on 4s with rerolls. :)

 

Now granted there are two problems with this: First, you have to footslog (albeit with good use of run because since you can't fire outside of 12" anyway, you might as well run for awhile!) as opposed to the quicker vehicle ride. Second, getting as many models within 2" of the fight with that large of a mob will be difficult. It's still a viable counter to some horde armies though, and will be a scary prospect to dislodge once they've gotten somewhere as that's a lot of power armored bodies with Acts of Faith to move, especially since unlike other options it's a scoring unit! Imagine Divine Guidance with that many models or Hand of the Emperor against a hard target. Sure you'll take some casualties first striking last, but with 15 or 20 models in the squad, you're bound to have attackers left who will get to smash some things at S5, two of which now have power weapons. That's enough to threaten even some Monstrous Creatures, especially if you get the charge and get that valuable reroll failed to hits.

 

Is it an optimum method for all variety of strategies and builds? No.. however it's definately a viable one with the right army lists and approaches.

[ArmouredWing]

INP I'll still have to disagree with your take (if I am indeed reading it right).

 

If you're planning on basic sisters charging into CC you are planning to fail. The one consideration you haven't accounted for is the relatively low I that your basic sister has which often means you're hitting second in CC. Now, hitting second means that you'll probably have taken casualties from the assault reducing the number (or often further reducing the number) of sisters who can bear arms.

 

If you stand fast and rapid fire you can do the damage without taking it and losing sisters whic can often blunt a subsequent assault or put your opponent off the idea altogether.

 

As such I'd never put a priest in a battle sister squad, there's really no point not even in a large squad.

 

Don't ever forget that battle sisters aren't marines, they may be equipped as such but when it comes down to it their agressive strength is in the shooting phase and rarely the assault phase.

[Inquisitor Fox]

I apologize, I should have clarified...

 

By utilizing the movement appropriately, you can ensure that you end up outside of assault range but within rapid fire range, utilizing Divine Guidance with a teens to 20 sized mob of sisters. This aught to suceed in a test save on boxcars. You do have the potential to be charged by the remains of whatever is left when the smoke clears, which to be honest probably isn't that much.

 

The assault potential of such a unit (Again, either with Divine Guidance turning wounds into power weapon attacks) in addition to the two models with power weapons (the VSS and the Priest) is still a credible threat for a great many units in the game, particularly those left as garrison units in enemy territory. Their primary source of damage is indeed the shooting phase, but I have won fights with Stormtroopers, Guardsmen, and Sisters due to multiple models with power weapons and rerolls from an attached priest. You don't want to go charging into a dedicated assault unit, but charging into a small unit of destroyers or necrons, any tau unit, more shooty oriented eldar units, enemy guardsmen, etc can still be a credible threat and deterrant. It's as much a psychological weapon as a practical one... the enemy has to respond to such a credible display of potential force.

 

I've found most of my games are as much against the enemy player mentally as they are about having the superior models on the field at the correct place at the correct time. It's worked for me, but I do have a tendency to try audacious things that aren't expected.. it must be the Bretonnian Knight that lives in my head gaining control of the wheel so to speak ;)

 

It's definately not a common option, and I'm completely okay with you disagreeing with it.. it does seem counter-intuitive. I just wanted to mention it as a possibility :) There have been several games as well where I've used an advancing screen of Sisters rapid firing enemy forces while covering more squishy Guardsmen or IST's behind them as well.. this is another instance where the throw-away Priest wasn't wasted in their force as his plasma rifle was incredibly useful. The trick is in advancing far enough to be within range, but not too far that you now must assault. The threat of credible force can be as useful as the use of the force itself.

[TheDarkOne]

Put a priest in a squad of 20 sisters, give him and the VSS eviscerators.

 

Join the canoness to the squad with either belssed weapon or eviscerator.

 

Proceed to kick ass.

[Tomatazo]

As a new SOB player (though seasoned SM one), this Priest pseudo-tactica has been helpful. However, I have to ask... WHY would I want to use a priest at all? He's only 5 points less than a canoness... If I dont already have two of those, why wouldnt I add a second as opposed to a priest? It just seems to me that those points are better spent on... well... just about anything else... Albiet I run a ALL sisters list (no PE, no Arcos, no Repentia, no assassins, no inquisitors, no IST, ect...) so i probably don't know what I'm talking about, but... I just don't understand it...

[Inquisitor Fox]

Several things, first, the priest doesn't use up an HQ slot though he is an HQ choice as per his entry on page 27. Read the number/squad portion which is also where his attachment rules are located. Second, look at his Fanatical special rule, as well as Righteous Fury. That's generally the point to having one, in addition to his unlocking Arco's and Penitent Engines. Imagine combining his Fanatical special rule with Sisters Repentia or Celestians B)

[calypso2ts]

Also in tournaments with comp scores, adding some Penitent Engines or Repentia are generally considered fluffy ways to round out your army. You may not translate that directly into battle points, but for comp and for painting (they have some great PE and Repentia models) they are good. To chime in on this I have been running mine in a squad of Celestians, 2x Eviscerators that I keep near the back in a Rhino to countercharge into combats and free up stranded SoB squads.

[Hellbreaker]

As is I've settled on putting a priest with a Brazier in a 5-man squad of ISTs (Shotguns) equipped with two flamers in an Immolator.

"It all goes up in FLAMES!"

 

Cheers!