Simple Sisters tactica

[Fibonacci]

I am not the best wordsmith and this may even be a bit of hubris but I wanted to lay something out we can work on together that would help new Sisters of Battle players.  So here goes ....
 
Army Wide Traits.
Shield of Faith gives everything in the codex a 6+ Invulnerable save.  Even vehicles get this save.
Toughness 3.  Every model with a Toughness value is T 3.  This makes it easy to tell you opponent what your Toughness is for rolling wounds.  It’s 3.  Always.  Even “that” model is T 3. Strength 6 wounds will cause Instant Death to any Sisters of Battle character.
No assault vehicles.  This may not seem like a big deal at first but the changes to transport rules in 6th edition had two big effects.  First it means that taking a transport with your assault units will delay their ability to get into combat until turn 3 or later. Second is that your assault units will take at least one round of shooting outside of their vehicle before they can get into combat.

Rating
The units have been rated on a scale of 1 to 5.  A score of 5 means the unit performs very well and if not a “must have” unit, it is at least strongly encouraged that you take it.  A score of 1 means the unit cannot meet minimum expectations and may not even be worth taking on a whim.  The values given are completely subjective and are the results of perceptions from game play.  Other people may feel differently about how the units rate.

HQ
Saint Celestine.  Look at all those 7’s! She has 2+/4++ saves with the mobility of jump infantry.  Strength 3, Toughness 3 may look like a major weakness but her weapon is essentially poison (4+) and her special rules means she returns after dying.  This last bit makes for some cheesy last turn objective denial quite often.
Good: Mobile, high Initiative, good saves and un-killable
Bad: Low Toughness and susceptible to Instant Death.
Use: Anti-horde and anti-troops.  Works well when joined with Seraphim who will then Hit & Run on her Initiative of 7.
Rating: 5

Canoness. Our basic HQ and what will probably be used any time you cannot take a named character.  Can get +1 Initiative and Preferred Enemy with her Act of Faith
Good: Stubborn.  3 wounds and BS 5.  Her Act of Faith is helpful in Assaults.
Bad: Limited options.  S3 T3 on an assault oriented character.
Use: Add her to a large Battle Sister Squad to hold objectives.  Otherwise, keep her as cheap as possible and put her on the quad-gun.
Rating: 3
 

Sororitas Command Squad.
It’s a mini special weapon squad consisting of 3 Celestians, a Diologus and a Hospitaler.  Can be made Relentless with Move Through Cover on passing an act of faith.
Good:  Feel No Pain.  Quasi-mobile heavy weapons.
Bad: Only a Celestian may carry a Simulacrum which also prevents her from carrying a heavy weapon.  Squad is limited to the 5 given models. No Sister Superior to boost faith tests.
Use: Equip with Multi-melta and stay in cover near the table middle sniping at vehicles that get too close.
Rating: 2
 

Arch-Confessor Kyrinov. 
He brings in some close combat utility talents like Righteous Rage (reroll missies on the charge; all Priests have this) Fearless and an unusual power weapon (S User, AP3, Concussive)
Good: 6” Fearless bubble.  Attached squads may reroll tests of faith. Unlocks a Battle Conclave
Bad: low armor, 5+ armour save but he does have a 4+ Invulnerable save.
Use: Keep him near any unit on foot or that is about to go into close combat.  Fearless will prevent being swept after a combat loss.
Rating:  3
 

Uriah Jacobus. 
It is not what he can do but what he can do for a unit.  Stubborn, +1 Attack, Feel No Pain, reroll misses in combat and lets you reroll your Faith Points at the start of each turn.  If he is challenged, just decline.  He does not add his S3 chainsword attacks (oh darn) but the unit still gets all of the buffs.
Good: Turns normal units into close combat units; turns assault units into death stars.
Bad: Instant Death from Strength 6 wounds. Suffers from the general army wide difficulty with getting units into close combat.
Use: Can be devastating when leading a Battle Conclave.  Works well with Repentia but the Stubborn and Feel no pain are wasted there. 
Rating: 4
 

Ecclesiarchy Confessor
The basic version Kyrinov and Jacobus.  Righteous Rage, unlocks Battle Conclaves and may take a few upgrades.
Good: Can take a plasmagun.  Comes with a 4++ Invulnerable save.
Bad: Limited upgrades and equipment options
Use: Unlock a Battle Conclave in games where you cannot take Jacobus
Rating:  3 -- Nothing great, nothing horrible, just sort of ho-hum.
 

Battle Conclave.
The primary assault unit of the codex would be the Battle Conclave.  With the shift in focus in 40K leaning more towards shooting than assault this is not the must have unit it once was but is still very much one of the most deadly units out there.  Crusaders for 3++ survivability; Death Cult Assassins for high volume, high Initiative attacks; Arco-flagellants for … looks mostly.
Good: Lots of power weapons that can be mixed and matched as needed. 
Bad: Assault only in a codex with zero assault vehicles.
Use: Take 3 crusaders with power axes and 6 Death Cult Assassins each armed with a power sword and a power axe.  Axes kill terminators and swords kill everything else.  Join Uriah Jacobus to the conclave for more attacks and some extra survivability. Point for point the Jacobs conclave is probably the best close combat deathstar in the game.
Rating: 4 – Would be 5 if there were a way to get them into combat without being shot up.
 

Ecclesiarchy Priest
Elite version of the Confessor HQ unit.  They also have Righteous Rage and a 4++ save but only one would and may not take plasmaguns.  Limit of 5, but they are not a single unit nor do they take up any Force Organization Chart slot.  Instead they are separate characters which must be placed with other units.  They are sort of like squad upgrades.
Good:  Righteous Rage and a 4++ save
Bad: Costly and in virtually any case the points would be better spent adding more models to the unit than a priest.
Use:  Tag along with a footslogging Battle Sister blob to take a plasma hit.
Rating:  1
 

Celestian Squad.
The Elite or Veteran Battle Sisters.  They come with 2 base Attacks and can be made Strength 4 and Fearless with their Act of Faith.
Good: Some close combat ability.  May take 2 special weapons even at the minimum squad size of 5.
Bad: A bit costly.  Cannot take a close combat weapon to capitalize on the CC skills they have.  Not scoring so cannot match the Troop squad in use.  Cannot scout, outflank or ever have more than 2 special weapons so cannot match Dominions or Retributors for their slots. All in all they are an almost OK unit in several ways but cannot compete with other units in the codex who do the same role better.
Use: 5 Celestians with meltaguns in an Immolator run up the middle posing as Dominios to draw fire away from the real threats.
Rating: 2
 

Repentia Squad
Fluffy but useful with a serious S&M twist.  These girls can make the most zealot fanatic take pause.  The squad is armed with Eviserators (same rules as a chainfist) and my even swing in combat if they die before their Initiative with their Act of Faith.
Good:  Strength 6, AP1, 2 base attacks with Rage giving 4 attacks each on the charge.  6+ Invulnerable and Feel No Pain give a small but useful amount of resilience.
Bad: Initiative 4.  Close combat only in an army with no assault vehicles. Cannot take dedicated transport so the must start on the table top even if they will be using another squad’s Rhino.
Use:  Wonderful counter assault unit.  Trail them along behind a Battle Conclave or your forward Battle Sister Squad to pile in to ongoing combat.  You really want these girls to get on vehicles; dreadnoughts are their primary target.
Rating:  3
 

Battle Sister Squad
The basic bolter babe.  Un-augmented humans in Power Armor.  The only troop choice in the codex so you will be taking some of these.  Their Act of Faith can be used in several ways but in a nut-shell it can rally fleeing units of let the Sisters reroll misses of 1’s in shooting or close combat.
Good:  BS4, cheap melta and lots of bolters.  Can be taken in squads of up to 20. Like all of the army, 6++ save. Reasonable point cost.
Bad: cannot combat squad or be taken in squad sizes less than 10.  Only 2 special weapons no matter the size.  Human stats like WS3, S3, T3, I3 means if they are not shooting they are in trouble and about to die.
Use: I think that the effective use of the Battle Sister Squad is one of the fundamental keys to winning with Sisters of Battle.  That said, there are several ways of running the Battle Sisters and it needs to mesh with the rest of the army. Choose accordingly.
 

Anti-Infantry. Armed with 2 flamers and possibly a combi-flamer on the Superior all placed in a rhino.  Used to flame infantry and hordes from the Rhino’s fireports.  Save the combi-flamer until the rhino is destroyed and the unit is assaulted then flame away in Overwatch.
 

Anti-Tank. Armed with 2 melta in a rhino.  React to the enemy’s movement and seek out lone characters, vehicles or monstrous creatures. 
 

Squad size of 15 to 20 with flamers sitting on rear objectives OR join up with Jacobus for Feel No Pain and move to capture forward objectives.  (Although a popular tactic I do not use Sister Blobs)
Keep the squads’ special weapons in pairs so that they perform their role to their best.  It is better to be  good at one thing then half-assed in two.  Splitting melta/flamer in one squad does not let them do either job very well.  If you need to save points for other units you can usually run the Superior without combi-weapon upgrades. 
Rating: 3
 

Rhino.
The ol’ faithful APC of the Imperium of Man.
Good: Cheap.  Gives a layer of protection that has to be removed before the transported unit can be threatened.
Bad: No assault ramp.  Gives up a kill point and possibly First Blood.   
Use: Can still be used to get about 18” of movement for you close combat units on the first turn.  Provides cover for most Sisters of Battle models. Ye ol’ tank shock and flame tactic is still effective against horde and infantry.
Rating: 3
 

Immolator
The Adepta Sororitas version of a Razorback.  Light armor, twin-linked guns, 6 model transport and no fireports.
Good: Versatile but mostly used as a mobile multi-melta platform.
Bad: A little costly.  No fireports for the riders. Low armor value
Use:  Equip with twin-linked multi-melta and Outflank with small Dominion squad.
Rating: 3
 

Seraphim Squad
Jump pack assault troop.  They are a highly mobile unit with some good support rules.  May reroll faith tests.  May reroll failed Invulnerable saves.  On an act of faith they reroll failed to wound rolls.  All these rerolls makes them a dependable unit.
Good: Rerolls galore.  Very mobile so they can place their flamer templates with devastating effectiveness
Bad: Costly in points but worth it.  With S3, T3, I3 they are not really the best option for actual assaults.
Use:  First, decide their role.  Tank hunters take inferno pistols and troop killers take dual hand flamers.  Both options are heavy points cost but worth it.  An Eviscerator for the Superior is tempting but a melta bomb is a better choice.  If at all possible you want to join them with Saint Celestine.  The whole squad may then use the saint’s Initiative of 7 when they attempt to Hit & Run.  Celestine’s heavy flamer sword also works along with the hand flamers to generate a massive amount of hits that all reroll to wound on a reroll-able faith test.  Seraphim with Saint Celestine make excellent horde killers and troop hunters.  Once the target is softened up, assault to finish them off.
Rating: 4*
 

Dominion Squad
Special weapons in the Fast Attack slot.  May twin-link weapons with their Act of Faith to help insure those special weapons hit home.  They make good use of the Scout rule and it’s associated Outflank rule to get into position on their target.  They may have 2 special weapons or up to 4 with a squad size of 10 models.
Good: Able to put melta shots on the right target quickly.  Outflank to kill hard to reach enemy artilary.
Bad: … to the bone.
Use:  Either take 5 Dominion with 2 meltaguns and a combi-melta in a multi-melta Immolator or 10 Dominions with 4 meltaguns, combi-melta optional in a rhino.  Take as many squads as you can.  If you have the first tuern, scout ahead to target any heavy armor unit.  Anailation barges are good targets as are Landraiders, Monoliths, terminator lords or other high cost, high AV units.  Simulacrums for Dominions are worthwhile additions.  4 twin-linked melta shots have a very good chance of hitting and penetrating a Flyer’s armor if one gets too close.   
Rating: 4 *
*Note for Fast Attack:  Both options are stellar.  While both are rated at 4, a Fast Attack option is a must have.  The 4 rating is after you have your first Dominion or Seraphim squad.
 

Retributer Squad
Heavy weapon team.  Can also be used as a special weapon team since they can take 4 weapons at their minimum squad size.  Their Act of Faith makes any weapon they fire Rending. 
Good: Rending flamers.  Rending Heavy Bolters. All in a very cost effective unit.
Bad: Toughness 3 and the difficulty in keeping them from being shot up. Limited choice of heavy weapons. Adding Sisters to the squad ramps up the point cost quickly.  A Simulacrum is also good to have in order to keep the guns rending but cost at a high cost as well.
Use: Fill the squad up if you have the points because even bolters are effective against marines and terminators once they are made Rending.  Commonly used to man the quad-gun since they are long ranged and can use the protection provided by the defense line or the Bastion.
Rating: 3
 

Exorcist
The Sisters Predator class tank.  Long range, strong front armor and it packs a punch.
Good:  Up to 6 Strength 8, AP 1 missiles.  AV13 and it supplies some much needed long range fire.
Bad: random missiles fired can leave you with a single shot.  Struggles against AV14.
Use: Take 2 to minimize the random low missiles fired results.  Sit in the back in cover with a good line of sight.  Go after light armor, terminators, Nobz, Monsterous creatures and Independent Characters.  Look to remove your opponent’s mobility, weaken deathstars and take out key figures like psykers and special characters.
Rating: 4; 5 if you can take more than 1.
 

Penitent Engine
Opentopped walker.  Cool model but a nightmare to assemble, frightening fluff, can be a liability against certain armies. Can be taken in Squadrons of up to 3.
Good: Dual heavy flamers. D6+1 base attacks, charging bonus becomes +2 for Rage = 4 to 9 attacks in the assault. Plus extra hits for wounds caused. 3 walkers in a single FOC spot.
Bad: Low AV, even for a walker.  Open topped. Large model is hard to keep in cover except behind other vehicles. Initiative 3 so is not likely to swing first.
Use: One Penitent engine is not likely to reach its target.  Take a squadron of 2 or 3. While 3 Penitent Engines have a steep point cost, they only takes a single FOC slot. Flame and assault infantry, vehicles and fortifications you can get close to.  Best unit in the Codex for dealing with higher toughness bikes, wraithguard, Plague marines etc.  Run them alongside the bulk of your army, as Penitent Engines standing around in the open and without support will die easy!

Rating: 3 -- Deadly but a little soft; which pretty much sums up the codex right there.

[Naminé]

Nice post, concise and sums up things perfectly.

I do not agree with all the ratings however, but that is always going to be the case with an army that contains so many luck based options. For example, my experience with Exorcists is that they are overcosted 70% of the time for what they actually do, whilst Penitent engines are rapidly becoming a mainstay of my lists.

[SinnerBeta]

Yeah, there's a lot of personal opinions that alter the rating from person to person: for example current Canoness is garbage (65 points for a naked S3T3 character that's supposed to specialize in close combat) and should be ranked at least one point lower while with the Command Squad you don't mention that you can move and shoot at full BS with those Multi-Meltas and while overcosted, they should be ranked at least 3.

[Spacefrisian]

Overcosted multimeltas on Sor. command squad? i think that for the price they are and with the relentless they are rather undercosted. You get a mobile multimelta unit with an effective range of 36", who doesnt want that?

 

36": 6"move vehicle, 6" move disembark, 24" shooting range that makes 36"

[*Furyou Miko]

The overcostedness comes from the Carrier Cost, not the weapons - you're looking at eighteen points per celestian (assuming the Dialogous is 20 points and the Hospitaller is a guardsman with 10 point power armour and a 30 point medkit as per guard/henchman rules).

[Fibonacci]

 I do not agree with all the ratings however, but that is always going to be the case with an army that contains so many luck based options. For example, my experience with Exorcists is that they are overcosted 70% of the time for what they actually do, whilst Penitent engines are rapidly becoming a mainstay of my lists.

If you could write up a short paragraph on using Penitent Engines I would be happy to include it above.  This was mostly from my experiences and quite honestly I have not played with PE nearly enough.

 

 

 while with the Command Squad you don't mention that you can move and shoot at full BS with those Multi-Meltas and while overcosted, they should be ranked at least 3.

Second sentence in the description says thay can be made Relentless and Move Through Cover if they pass their faith test.  With no SisterSuperior this will be harder for them to do than most other units; no other squad has this restriction.  Even if you trade off a weapon in order to take a Simulacrum the unti stil has about a 44% chance of not making its faith test.

 

This is also a big part of why it got a lower rating.  It is a little over costed but not all that bad and Fell No Pain is a great addition.  But I don't think the Command Squad can do as well as a full Battle Sister Squad (more wounds instead of 33% chance to ignore it) or the extra weapons Retributors can bring nor can 56 chance of Relentless match the mobility of 100% scouting Dominions.  It suffers from a lot of the same things that a Celestian squad does.  There are other units that can do the same job better for fewer points. 

[Naminé]

Ok I just modified what you put a little...

 

Penitent Engine
Opentopped walker.  Cool model but a nightmare to assemble,  frightening fluff, can be a liability against certain armies.
Good: Dual heavy flamers. D6+1 base attacks, +1 for two weapons: already included in it's profile I believe, +1 for charging becoming +2 for Rage = 4 to 9 attacks in the assault. Plus extra hits for wounds caused.
Bad: Low AV, even for a walker.  Open topped. Large model is hard to keep in cover except behind other vehicles. Initiative 3 so is not likely to swing first, unless against Terminators or meltabomb models.
Use: One Penitent engine is not likely to reach its target.  Take a squadron of 2 or 3, although 3 Penitent Engines have a steep point cost, it is cheaper then 2 exorcists, slightly more survivable and contains a lot more killing power, whilst only taking up a single FOC slot. Flame and assault infantry, vehicles and fortifications you can get close to.  Beware anything with a high invulnerable save.  Best unit in the Codex for dealing with higher toughness bikes, wraithguard, Plague marines etc.  Run them alongside the bulk of your army, as Penitent Engines standing around in the open and without support will die easy!

Rating: 4
 

[Fibonacci]

Cool, thanks. I compromised on the rating though

[SinnerBeta]

Overcosted multimeltas on Sor. command squad? i think that for the price they are and with the relentless they are rather undercosted. You get a mobile multimelta unit with an effective range of 36", who doesnt want that?

 

36": 6"move vehicle, 6" move disembark, 24" shooting range that makes 36"

 

I can buy an allied Leman Russ for their cost, including the meltas and the mandatory Canoness.

 

 

Second sentence in the description says thay can be made Relentless and Move Through Cover if they pass their faith test.

 

That's something that should be in the use line along with more in-depth explanation - instead, you tell people to have them stationary in use.

 

 

 

With no SisterSuperior this will be harder for them to do than most other units; no other squad has this restriction.

 

 

They do have a "Superior" - she's called Canoness. If she isn't joining them then you're not intent on using their act of faith. If you're not planning on using their act of faith, you only take them for fluff reasons and attach the Canoness anyway.

 

 

Even if you trade off a weapon in order to take a Simulacrum the unti stil has about a 44% chance of not making its faith test.

 

All squads start with 50% chance of not making the faith test, not really an argument.

 

 

This is also a big part of why it got a lower rating.  It is a little

over costed but not all that bad and Fell No Pain is a great addition.

 

Canoness is even more overcosted and can be insta-killed with a stray plasma shot.

 

 

But I don't think the Command Squad can do as well as a full Battle

Sister Squad (more wounds instead of 33% chance to ignore it)

 

They sure can do better against tanks than a BSS if you roll their act of faith.

 

 

the extra weapons Retributors can bring

 

The extra weapon still can't move and shoot at full BS.

 

 

can 56 chance of Relentless match the mobility of 100% scouting Dominions

 

Nor can 4 Meltas match 3 Multi-Meltas.

 

 

It suffers from a lot of the same things that a Celestian squad does.

Erm, no. Celestians suffer from the fact they're a BSS that pay a little extra for a useless act of faith, have the same weapon selection as the normal squad and have no useful role in the army. Command squad on the other has a role, can do something the others can't, good weapon selection and has a good act of faith, but their problem is that they pay a LOT more extra.

 

 

There are other units that can do the same job better for fewer points.

Well actually a command squad with three multi-meltas costs the same as a squad of BSS with two regular meltas and 30 less than a squad of 10 Dominions with 4 regular metlas. But I guess you have to factor in the Canoness cost...

[Spacefrisian]

Iam currently working on a repaint of my older army, That same command unit with Immolator, and cannoness, Celestine and 2 units + gear in Rhinos come in at 820 points, i dont find that as many points actually for a solid core. Unless you guys dont go with 1850 points or so.

[Sabathiel]

Any chance of doing rating for forgeworld models that sisters can use, like the repressor and avenger?

[Fibonacci]

@Sinner

I am not sure how exactly you have been rolling for tests of faith but you may want to re-read the Acts of Faith rules again. Acts of faith are passed on a roll of 5+, or rather as the rules state "if the total is less than 5 then the Act of Faith fails."

A Command Squad will fail their Act of Faith 2/3 of the time. If you take a Simulacrum (lowering the number of specials to 2 max) you may re-roll failed test. 2/3 of the re-rolls will fail. 2/3 of 2/3 = 4/9 which is 44.4% fail rate with a Simulacrum. A Battle Sister Squad can take a Simulacrum (and can still carry 2 special weapons plus the superior's combi-weapon for a total of 3) which allows them to re-roll thier fails. 50% of 50% is 24% fail rate. They are now better armed, more likely to get off their Faith, scoring and are better able to survive taking unsaved wounds. -- If both take 8 unsaved wounds, the BSS will have 2 models on the table while the Command Squad will negate 1/3 through Fell No Pain and take 5.33 casualties, wiping out the squad. At only 10 point difference I don't think it is much of a choice about which to take. Take the one you can count on to do the job.

 

I like to play with Command Squads. I have played enough games to get a good handle on what they can do and what they can not. I take them knowing full well the points are better spent elsewhere but they are one of those underdog squads people really like to see do well when everything clicks.. As a general rule of thumb if you can never really count on making your faith roll anywhere in the army. But an Exorcist has a better chance of roll 4 or more missiles than a Command Squad has of being Relentless.

 

So why do they get a 2 when a Canoness gets a 3? Because a Canoness has a use that can not be taken away. She has very few options and what she does have is a mixed bag. Even a Rosarius is a high cost considering the model that it protects. So don't take it. Keep her cheap. 3 wounds and BS5 is a good thing to have manning a quad-gun. Try it out. In large Battle Sister squads her +1 Strength and Preferred Enemy bring the girls up to .. well, passable, really. Not great but at least they have a chance of causing some wounds. Would you pay 3 points per model to give your bolter sisters S4 and re-roll failed hits AND wounds of 1? Well, maybe so, maybe not. Which is why she stays a middle of the road 3 rating and kind of hangs in there with the Confessor.

[Fibonacci]

Any chance of doing rating for forgeworld models that sisters can use, like the repressor and avenger?

I have zero experience with the Avenger.  I want to change that soon but I am currently playing in a league with no FW :( 

If you can convince Miko to write it up, I'll include it ;)

[SinnerBeta]

 

I am not sure how exactly you have been rolling for tests of faith but

you may want to re-read the Acts of Faith rules again. Acts of faith

are passed on a roll of 5+, or rather as the rules state "if the total

is less than 5 then the Act of Faith fails."

 

A Command Squad will fail their Act of Faith 2/3 of the time. If you

take a Simulacrum (lowering the number of specials to 2 max) you may

re-roll failed test. 2/3 of the re-rolls will fail. 2/3 of 2/3 = 4/9

which is 44.4% fail rate with a Simulacrum. A Battle Sister Squad can

take a Simulacrum (and can still carry 2 special weapons plus the

superior's combi-weapon for a total of 3) which allows them to re-roll

thier fails. 50% of 50% is 24% fail rate. They are now better armed,

more likely to get off their Faith, scoring and are better able to

survive taking unsaved wounds. -- If both take 8 unsaved wounds, the BSS

will have 2 models on the table while the Command Squad will negate 1/3

through Fell No Pain and take 5.33 casualties, wiping out the squad.

At only 10 point difference I don't think it is much of a choice about

which to take. Take the one you can count on to do the job.

 

Command Squad + Canoness = acts of faith on 4+ (or 5+ with a +1 modifier if you want to be technical) = 50%

 

If you don't plan on attaching the Canoness then don't bother with them, you're not taking them for the fluff anyway. Put her in front and have her tank a wound or two (with FNP) before look at sir at second or third one.

 

 

 

I like to play with Command Squads. I have played enough games to get a

good handle on what they can do and what they can not. I take them

knowing full well the points are better spent elsewhere but they are one

of those underdog squads people really like to see do well when

everything clicks.. As a general rule of thumb if you can never really

count on making your faith roll anywhere in the army. But an Exorcist

has a better chance of roll 4 or more missiles than a Command Squad has

of being Relentless.

You need a four to pass that act of faith unless you run them without Canoness.

 

 

Even a Rosarius is a high cost considering the model that it protects. So don't take it. Keep her cheap.

You already paid 65 points for a T3, non-EW model. Quite honestly, at this point you could actually say "screw it, if I'm crazy enough to pick her in the first place then what's the difference".

 

 

3 wounds and BS5 is a good thing to have manning a quad-gun. Try it out.

I'll pass. For that cost I can put a Retributor Superior on the gun and use the spare points to buy more Sister to grab wounds for her and shoot at enemies in range.

 

 

In large Battle Sister squads her +1 Strength and Preferred Enemy

bring the girls up to .. well, passable, really. Not great but at least

they have a chance of causing some wounds.

If you want to have a good assault unit then put Jacobus in there - he costs more but is actually worth the points and buffs your army. Or let Jacobus go around with a Battle Conclave who can actually fight and let the Sisters shoot. IF the Canoness could use her act of faith in shooting phase to give the squad Preferred Enemy for shooting then this would be great. But sadly, it isn't so.

 

I plan on trying out 20 Sister hordes in an upcoming game using the new Repressors as a mobile cover for them, but it's only so I can walk up with 20 bolters that re-roll 1s.

 

If you must attach her to someone for close combat then go with the obvious and go with Celestians. If you have two faith points to spare then you can combine their mediocre acts of faith in something okay-ish.

 

From optimization (and consequently, guide/tactica) perspective, the only time taking a Canoness makes sense is to grab triple Multi-Melta Command Squad, put them into a Immolator and slag some tanks.

If you want to you can try to make her a duelist, who knows, maybe she can do some damage as long as she can go at 5I.

 

Personally I take her only for fluff in friendly games, sitting at the highest point on the table with her triple heavy bolter command squad and directing her soldiers from the vantage point and laying down suppressive fire.

[Fibonacci]

OK ... run them with a Canoness.  You still do not get +1 bonus for being with a Superior.  Run them with Saint Celestine if you want.  But again, they will never get +1 for having a Superior because they do not come with a Superior.  All other units can also be joined wiht a Canoness and they will get the +1 for her AND +1 for their Superior.  A Command Squad will never be able to take a Superior, be attached to a Superior or in any way get the +1 to tests of faith for having a Superior.  This makes them the most unreliable Act of Faith in the codex.  It does not matter how many characters you stack them with or how many casualties the squad takes they will never have the same chace at passing their faith test as any other squad in the same position.

 

It is what it is.  Use what you have to its best strength.  Getting Endless Crusades for your Command Squads is not really their strength and counting on such will put them in a position to fail you.  If you get it, great.  But the odds are you will be snapfiring multi-meltas if they move.

[Spacefrisian]

Iam not counting on any act of faith to begin with, its a bonus you can get and it should be seen as such. But thats just my oppinion.

[SinnerBeta]

 

OK ... run them with a Canoness.  You still do not get +1 bonus for

being with a Superior.  Run them with Saint Celestine if you want.  But

again, they will never get +1 for having a Superior because they do not

come with a Superior.  All other units can also be joined wiht a

Canoness and they will get the +1 for her AND +1 for their Superior.  A

Command Squad will never be able to take a Superior, be attached to a

Superior or in any way get the +1 to tests of faith for having a

Superior.  This makes them the most unreliable Act of Faith in the

codex.  It does not matter how many characters you stack them with or

how many casualties the squad takes they will never have the same chace

at passing their faith test as any other squad in the same position.

They actually do. By default they will pass an act of faith on 4+, just like all the other squads before casualties. The only squad that will by default pass more than them is Seraphims, since it actually pays for attaching a Celestine to them and thanks to their special rule to reroll. All the other ICs go to Battle Conclaves so there's no point in factoring them in.

 

 

 

It is what it is.  Use what you have to its best strength.  Getting

Endless Crusades for your Command Squads is not really their strength

and counting on such will put them in a position to fail you.  If you

get it, great.  But the odds are you will be snapfiring multi-meltas if

they move.

Actually, it is their greatest strength. Will they fail their roll for act of faith occasionally ? Yes. But so will Seraphims and Retributors so perhaps we should grade them as 2 since they're not so hot without their act of faith either ? Or lets grade Exorcist 1 since they will often fire only one shot. Or let's grade all units down since you occasionally will roll 1 for faith points and no one gets their act of faith without which they're ALL subpar (more than already). At least the Command Squad has a 1 in 6 chance of recovering the spent faith point which the others don't.

 

40k is already a game of chance and 4+ is a good chance.

[vonny]

sinner, you obviously feel strongly about how good the command squad is, and seem to feel wronged by the fact that others feel differently. You've made your case, people (amongst which the op) still don't seem to agree with you, perhaps to their own detriment.

It seems though as if you're getting really worked up about this. And that's just not worth it. If you feel differently on the use of the command squad, then feel free to ignore that part of the tactica. If other people refuse to see or agree with your point after you've made it (several times now), then that's their thing. Short of writing your own tactica, I'm afraid there's not much you can do about it now.

Except to not be so bothered by it as  you seem to be.

 

I'm sorry if I'm making assumptions about people here that fall short of the mark, but it seems as if this rather informative and good thread is derailing into a shouting match about the worth, or absence thereof, of the command squad. And that's just a shame.

[SinnerBeta]

Vonny, it's just a discussion - that's what forums are for. Calm down.

[Fibonacci]

All tests of faith are the same.  You need a 5+ to save.  If you attach a Canoness to the Command Squad you pass on a 4+.  If you attach a Canoness to a Battle Sister Squad you would be passing on a 3+.  By default they are not joined by a Canoness.  The base squad is 3 Celestians, a Dialogus and a Hospitaler.  No superior, no HQ, no casualties ... 5+ faith test. Will they fail their roll for act of faith occasionally?  Only if "occasionally" can mean 66% of the time. There are 3 possible points that can be added to a faith test roll.  The Command Squad is the only squad that is limited to 2. They will always be the least dependable squad for making faith.  No Superior.  They can get the HQ point and they can get the casualty point but they will not get the Superior point.

[SinnerBeta]

But you simply don't take them if you're not planning on using the act of faith and not attaching the Canoness anyway. So it's always at least 4+ or you simply don't field them. Ever.

[Fibonacci]

And thus the 2 rating ....

[SinnerBeta]

But the squad is better than the Canoness. It sucks that they have to rely on her to truly shine, but that's like lowering the ratings of other Sister units because they rely on their acts of faith as well.

[Dosjetka]

Nice little summary of each unit's strengths and weaknesses. Thanks for that Fibonacci :) Now if only GW released plastic Sisters or made the current range far more affordable...

[Fibonacci]

Thanks.  I tried to pick out the synergies of those units that work well together lile Saint Celestiine and Seraphim and the ever popular Jacobus/Assassin bomb.   If you noticed anything I missed, please let me know.