Another Sisters Codex Re-Write (Major Update - See OP)

[Servant of Dante]

Yeah I remember seeing him when he was released, but I didn't recognize the name.

[CaptainMarsh]

The an existing Imperial weapon there is the 'thermogenic grenade launcher' (as seen on Captain Dudley's combi-power fist).

 

18" range, S8, AP1, Assault 1 (for a terminator), Armourbane, Blast

 

The description of the weapon states that it fires a cluster of miniaturised melta charges.

That would be an amazing thing to add.

[A.T.]

That would be an amazing thing to add.

 

From a sororitas point of view I think rapid fire, gets hot, and ~20pts - essentially the high risk high reward plasma gun approach, and also the blast weapon the sisters lack.

[Servant of Dante]

For the moment the only change I'm making is the second stat line for the Exorcist Missile Launcher.

[bkde]

Read through the codex.  Seraphim.  Please find some fluffy reason to give Seraphim a Superior (even if they're all superiors, someone has to lead the squad).

 

75pts, 4 Seraphim, 1 Seraphim Superior (Seraphim superior has basic seraphim stat line).  Gives the squad a character to accept/issue challenges, which makes sense for fluffy reasons.  Seraphim are the best of the best, but because there is no character in the basic unit NONE of them can fight in challenges? Make the 25pt upgrade to a Vet Seraphim Superior or something, and let the standard superior have access to power weapons, meltabombs, etc.  

 

Maybe give the vet superior access to an evisorator so we're on par with Spess Mahrines.  Their sergeants can wield evisorators on assault squads, sisters were swinging that thing before it was cool, give the Vet superior the option.

[Drider]

Or make every Seraphim in the unit a character supported by the fluffy reason that they're all superiors which makes them characters anyway. On the table it would be really handy to make Look Out Sirs to protect the special weapons in the unit, prolonging their usefulness.

[Servant of Dante]

Or make every Seraphim in the unit a character supported by the fluffy reason that they're all superiors which makes them characters anyway. On the table it would be really handy to make Look Out Sirs to protect the special weapons in the unit, prolonging their usefulness.

I'd go for that. Might require a points bump but I like the idea; it reinforces the elitneness of Seraphim.

[A.T.]

I'd go for that. Might require a points bump but I like the idea; it reinforces the elitneness of Seraphim.

May be worth seeing what the new traitor legion book looks like, if rumours are true then GW is shifting the target power level of armies very eldar-wards. A codex balanced to 6e-sisters levels is soon only going to be at home with dark eldar, orks, and the guard.

[Ficinus]

While I like the idea of the Famulus's Noble Connections special rule, I feel like would end up being a bit clunky in practice.  Looking at Codex: Astra Militarum, the only way to spend upgrade points on Conscripts is by buying them more models, so that means that if one wanted to take full advantage of this rule, they'd have to have forty Conscripts ready in case a four or five was rolled on the chart.  In addition, it's hard to spend seventy points of upgrades on an Infantry Squad without buying a transport for it.  Seventy points of upgrades would look like this: A missile launcher with flakk missiles, a plasma gun, a plasma pistol on the sergeant, melta bombs on the sergeant, and krak grenades on every model.  Those are the most expensive choices for every upgrade, leaving out only the power weapon on the sergeant and the (useless outside of a full IG army) vox caster.

 

So, to take full advantage of the Noble Connections rule, one would want to bring forty infantry, a chimera or taurox, and a few special weapon figures (in case veterans is rolled), which sort of a hassle when transporting an army.

 

If I may offer a suggestion, it might make more sense to make the Famulus a lot cheaper (or free) and have her just open up the option to take one selection from Codex: Astra Militarum within the same force org slot it would normally use.  Finally allowing Sisters to get a full squad of Hellhounds to further amp up the flaming insanity (or easy access to a flier to actually provide some form of AA).  Really, though, it would just allow the player to actually prepare for games better.

[CaptainMarsh]

While I like the idea of the Famulus's Noble Connections special rule, I feel like would end up being a bit clunky in practice.  Looking at Codex: Astra Militarum, the only way to spend upgrade points on Conscripts is by buying them more models, so that means that if one wanted to take full advantage of this rule, they'd have to have forty Conscripts ready in case a four or five was rolled on the chart.  In addition, it's hard to spend seventy points of upgrades on an Infantry Squad without buying a transport for it.  Seventy points of upgrades would look like this: A missile launcher with flakk missiles, a plasma gun, a plasma pistol on the sergeant, melta bombs on the sergeant, and krak grenades on every model.  Those are the most expensive choices for every upgrade, leaving out only the power weapon on the sergeant and the (useless outside of a full IG army) vox caster.

 

So, to take full advantage of the Noble Connections rule, one would want to bring forty infantry, a chimera or taurox, and a few special weapon figures (in case veterans is rolled), which sort of a hassle when transporting an army.

 

If I may offer a suggestion, it might make more sense to make the Famulus a lot cheaper (or free) and have her just open up the option to take one selection from Codex: Astra Militarum within the same force org slot it would normally use.  Finally allowing Sisters to get a full squad of Hellhounds to further amp up the flaming insanity (or easy access to a flier to actually provide some form of AA).  Really, though, it would just allow the player to actually prepare for games better.

 

This is a very elegant solution and I think it is nifty.

[Servant of Dante]

This is what I was originally going to do (well, actually I was going to do a single Troops/Elites squad like in 3E) since that's how the Famulous worked in 3E and I was going to give a points discount since allies are now a thing.

 

This random thing was largely Lynata's idea (helped me with ideas for this codex, their name is on the cover), but I liked it.

 

They felt the single unit was boring and or not super fluffy if you got to pick what you got. I'd be open to changing it.

[CaptainMarsh]

This is needed- now almost more than ever!

[Servant of Dante]

:P I'll put revising this on the growing list of things I want to get done over the holidays

[CaptainMarsh]

Anyone have any cool ideas for the detachment and some formations?

[Servant of Dante]

Anyone have any cool ideas for the detachment and some formations?

Yeah, I'm open to suggestions since I don't want to put energy into designing formations, as I think they are incredibly unappealing from a design perspective (whatever that means) :P

[Teetengee]

I love working on formations. I'll take a crack at it.

[Servant of Dante]

I love working on formations. I'll take a crack at it.

I won't promise to include everything you write, or to not modify the things I do include, but I appreciate the help!

[Teetengee]

 

I love working on formations. I'll take a crack at it.

I won't promise to include everything you write, or to not modify the things I do include, but I appreciate the help!

 

Naturally.

[Teetengee]

So, lets see how this works. I'll keep updating this post as I have more ideas. (remember Formations are a subtype of detachments, in case you are wondering why I am not including certain units. You may want to prevent novices from joining tanks, on a related note.)

 

Army of Faith, Detachment:

Composition: 1-2 Core, 0-3 Command, 1-5 Auxiliary
Restrictions:
Benefits:

The Emperor Protects: Once per game, you may have all models from this detachment gain Shrouded until end of turn.

The Holy Trinity: If you have two or more Battle Conclaves taken in this detachment, each shooting phase, you may choose Flamer, Bolter, or Melta. If you do, your weapons of that choice carried by a model from this detachment may reroll failed to wound and armour penetration rolls. Each such type may only be selected once per game.

 

Core:

Battle Conclave, Formation:

Hidden Content

Composition: 1 Palatine or Canoness (or appropriate unique character), 3 Battle Sister squads, 0-1 Celestian squad, 1 Dominion Squad, 1 Retributor Squad
Restrictions:
Benefits:
Faith Compounded: At the beginning of your psychic phase, generate an additional D3 Faith points.
The Strength of Martyrs: Units from this formation at half or below their starting total wounds have Objective Secured and Stubborn.

 

Imperial Fanatics, Formation:

Hidden Content

Composition: 1 Missionary (or appropriate unique character), 3-6 units of Frateris Militia

Restrictions:

Benefits:

Frothing Sermon: Enemy models within 12" of the missionary have -1 LD, to a minimum of 2, and friendly models within 12" of the missionary have +1 leadership, which cannot improve leadership to better than 9.

 

Command:

Order High Command, Formation:

Hidden Content

Composition: 1 Canoness (or appropriate unique character), 1 Sororitas Command Squad

Restrictions: The Canoness must join the Sororitas Command Squad and cannot leave it while it still has any living members.

Benefits:

Bear Witness: Units attempting to activate Acts of Faith or War Hymns within 12" of a non-vehicle model from this formation may add or subtract 1 from their roll to attempt to do so.

Righteous Will: Models from this formation gain a 6+ invulnerable save.

 

Ecclessiarchal Envoy, Formation:

Hidden Content

Composition: 1 Missionary (or appropriate unique character), 1 Ecclesiarchy Battle Conclave, 1-5 Ministorum Priests

Restrictions: The Missionary must join the Ecclesiarchy Battle Conclave

Benefits:

Unyielding Faith: As long as the Missionary is alive, all War Hymns attempted by models in this formation may be rerolled if failed.

Banish the Unclean: The Missionary and all Priests in this formation gain this rule. Enemy models with the Daemon rule within 12" of one or more models with this rule that have their invulnerable save worsened by 1.

 

Auxiliary:
Witchburner Mob, Formation:

Hidden Content

Composition: 1 Witch Hunter or Ministorum Missionary (or appropriate Unique), 0-1 Ecclesiarchy Battle Conclave, 1 Frateris Militia Band

Restrictions: All units taken in this formation must be joined together into a single unit that none may leave whilst more than one unit from this formation remains on the board.
The Frateris Militia Band must take at least one flamer.
Benefits:

Fiery Zeal: All enemy psykers within 36" of a model from this formation roll twice on any Perils of the Warp result, suffering both results.

Burn the Witch: Models from this formation gain Preferred Enemy (Models with a Mastery Level) and against any unit containing one or more models with a Mastery Level, treat their close combat and shooting attacks as having the Soul Blaze special rule.

 

March of Martyrs, Formation:

Hidden Content

Composition:1 Unit of Penitent Engines, 1-2 Unit of Arco-Flagelents, 1-3 Units of Repentia

Restrictions:

Benefits:

Eager for Absolution: Units entirely composed of models from this formation may make a 2D6" move after deployment but before the first turn.

Sins Absolved In Death: Whenever a model from this formation would be removed as a casualty while locked in combat during the assault phase, that model immediately makes a single attack with any weapon they have available against an enemy unit they are locked in combat with, before being removed.

 

Concussive Requiem, Formation:

Hidden Content

Composition: 3 Units of Exorcists

Restrictions:

Benefits:

Exultant Volley: All Exorcists in this formation may forego firing any weapons in a shooting phase to instead fire an Exultant Volley. If they do so, roll a die for each enemy unit within 48" of a vehicle model from this formation. On a 6, that unit suffers D2 S:8, AP:1, Pinning hit, allocated randomly.

 

Choir of Deliverance, Formation:

Hidden Content

Composition: 1 Palatine or Canoness (or appropriate unique), 1-3 Units of Seraphim

Restrictions: All models selected must be jump infantry, though any Jump Pack upgrade is free.

All units from this formation must start the game in deep strike reserves and may not join or be joined by other units until they have deployed to the board.

Benefits:

At Our Darkest Hour: Whenever a friendly unit you control removes their last model as a casualty, you may immediately have any number of units from this formation that are still in reserves enter the battlefield via deep strike.

Holy Chorus: Once you have determined the final location of any unit from this formation entering from deep strike reserves, every enemy unit within 12" of the arrived unit must take a pinning test.

[Servant of Dante]

Awesome! I really like the Witchburner Mob.

 

For the second one, I might change the name, since, although people strapped to penitent engines are somewhat respected, they are heretics. Also, I might just replace the first ability with Scout, and reword the second ability to be consistent with the Space Wolf Wulfen's special rule.

[Teetengee]

Awesome! I really like the Witchburner Mob.

 

For the second one, I might change the name, since, although people strapped to penitent engines are somewhat respected, they are heretics. Also, I might just replace the first ability with Scout, and reword the second ability to be consistent with the Space Wolf Wulfen's special rule.

I don't have access to the wulfen rules right now, but that was the intent, so go for it. As for scout, I avoided it as I wanted to allow less reliability, but a chance for first turn assaults. Also names are shrug, just a theme right now.

 

Also, I added rules to the Army of Faith and Battle Conclave detachments.

[Teetengee]

So I added drafts of the other formations. Working on this though, I am pretty sure your frateris militia unit is a little undercosted, particularly the confessor portion. I would price them at 65-70 minimum for their current stats, or drop them to 55 and starting at 10 person size.

Zealot is worth 25 alone at least on that type of unit, and 2ppm is already a tiny bit less than fair value for them (though they are not worth 3ppm)

[CaptainMarsh]

 I like the idea of a detachment level benefit being that you can take a Hospitaller in every Battle Sister, Dominion, Retributor, and Celestian squad along the normal option for Command Squads. Fluff wise, this is because such a deployment of the militant arm attracts support from others- not only to help ensure victory, but to enable quick retrieval of subjects for questioning, and to better practice and learn combat medicine.
 

Also, the Order Sabine is really cool. I know we can change one Sister in a command squad to one, but is there anything else that one could do with her?

[Servant of Dante]

I like the idea of a detachment level benefit being that you can take a Hospitaller in every Battle Sister, Dominion, Retributor, and Celestian squad along the normal option for Command Squads. Fluff wise, this is because such a deployment of the militant arm attracts support from others- not only to help ensure victory, but to enable quick retrieval of subjects for questioning, and to better practice and learn combat medicine.

 

Also, the Order Sabine is really cool. I know we can change one Sister in a command squad to one, but is there anything else that one could do with her?

Sisters Sabine don't really belong on the battlefield at all, but i like the concept too

 

If we really wanted to go for it, they could have their own unit and be infiltrating and have stealth or something

[CaptainMarsh]

Infiltrating and Stealth would work. ATM however with just a 6+ save and a BP, they need something to do- a purpose.

Maybe in that detachment I mentioned, Sabine and Hospitallers can be bought for units? And the Sabine confer Infiltrate on any unit they are attached to when the unit is deployed? Expensive addition, but a cool benefit? They know the lay of the land well and allow the units they are part of to benefit from this knowledge?