Tactics and musings for 8th edition

[sedibear]

Agreed. I know it feels dirty, but SoB haven't had rules this dirty for a long long time. All that purity.

[Jacinda]

I don't know.  The more I think about it, there are 3 different ways of getting an AoF with 3 different odds of success and 3 different words for who is eligible.  It was either intentional or the rules were written by 3 different people who refuesed to collaborate.

 

First there is the AoF for having at least one unit with the AoF ability in the army.  83% chance of success.  Triggered by and given to a unit with the AoF ability. 

 

Next there is the SI carried by the Imagafier.  50% chance of save.  Given to a unit of the same Order.  Faith inspired by the Order's icons, relics or depictions of the Emperor.  If you can't find faith inside yourself, maybe a little external prompting will help. 

 

Finally there is the AoF given by Celestine.  100% chance.  Given to any Adepta Sororitas unit.  As a direct tool of the divine, when she says jump, they jump twice.

 

 

The only one that requires the AoF ability is the one rolled for because a unit has the AoF ability.  It seems too simple to make sense.  Imagifers and Celestine are addition to this AoF ability.  Additional, different and separate.  I could be wrong but I feel they were written differently for a reason.  This is 180 degree turn from my initial read through of the rules.  I originally assumed a unit needed the AoF special rule ability to use any Act of Faith.  Now I see that having the ability is just one of the ways to generate an Act of Faith.  Different ways of generating an AoF also have diffferent targets that can use them.

 

Anyway, that's my take until I find something that makes me change my mind.

[ERJAK]

I don't know. The more I think about it, there are 3 different ways of getting an AoF with 3 different odds of success and 3 different words for who is eligible. It was either intentional or the rules were written by 3 different people who refuesed to collaborate.

 

First there is the AoF for having at least one unit with the AoF ability in the army. 83% chance of success. Triggered by and given to a unit with the AoF ability.

 

Next there is the SI carried by the Imagafier. 50% chance of save. Given to a unit of the same Order. Faith inspired by the Order's icons, relics or depictions of the Emperor. If you can't find faith inside yourself, maybe a little external prompting will help.

 

Finally there is the AoF given by Celestine. 100% chance. Given to any Adepta Sororitas unit. As a direct tool of the divine, when she says jump, they jump twice.

 

 

The only one that requires the AoF ability is the one rolled for because a unit has the AoF ability. It seems too simple to make sense. Imagifers and Celestine are addition to this AoF ability. Additional, different and separate. I could be wrong but I feel they were written differently for a reason. This is 180 degree turn from my initial read through of the rules. I originally assumed a unit needed the AoF special rule ability to use any Act of Faith. Now I see that having the ability is just one of the ways to generate an Act of Faith. Different ways of generating an AoF also have diffferent targets that can use them.

 

Anyway, that's my take until I find something that makes me change my mind.

The more powerful interpretation is just so nuanced and elegant...

[Daimhin]

 

I don't know. The more I think about it, there are 3 different ways of getting an AoF with 3 different odds of success and 3 different words for who is eligible. It was either intentional or the rules were written by 3 different people who refuesed to collaborate.

 

First there is the AoF for having at least one unit with the AoF ability in the army. 83% chance of success. Triggered by and given to a unit with the AoF ability.

 

Next there is the SI carried by the Imagafier. 50% chance of save. Given to a unit of the same Order. Faith inspired by the Order's icons, relics or depictions of the Emperor. If you can't find faith inside yourself, maybe a little external prompting will help.

 

Finally there is the AoF given by Celestine. 100% chance. Given to any Adepta Sororitas unit. As a direct tool of the divine, when she says jump, they jump twice.

 

 

The only one that requires the AoF ability is the one rolled for because a unit has the AoF ability. It seems too simple to make sense. Imagifers and Celestine are addition to this AoF ability. Additional, different and separate. I could be wrong but I feel they were written differently for a reason. This is 180 degree turn from my initial read through of the rules. I originally assumed a unit needed the AoF special rule ability to use any Act of Faith. Now I see that having the ability is just one of the ways to generate an Act of Faith. Different ways of generating an AoF also have diffferent targets that can use them.

 

Anyway, that's my take until I find something that makes me change my mind.

The more powerful interpretation is just so nuanced and elegant...

And just happens to be what's written in the rules.

[Eddie Orlock]

So, I know this isn't really on topic, but when did the B&C add the Xenos forums? I apparently haven't been paying very close attention the last couple days

 

*grabs flamer*

They've actually been there for a few months now.

 

I'm ever so glad that we're reaching an accord and consensus on this whole impacts of faith thing.

[Servant of Dante]

Huh, shows how much attention I've been paying. I think it's a nice addition to the B&C, in any case.

[Beams]

Just played a game with this list:

 

Http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/335640-sisters-750/#entry4801511

(Turn by turn there)

 

Basically, the terrain was set up way too tightly for my liking, but the guy who's house it was had it set up before hand. It was more shadow wars than 40k, and my Repressors only had 1 path through.

 

My teammate brought an ecclectic Imperial Inquisition soup, including sisters of silence, Scions, an Inquisitor and a land raider. The land raider didn't really feel to move far due to terrain.

 

Our opponents brought a Vulture, Vendetta, tons of plasma Scions and a group of command squads with heavy weapons. The second player brought Khârn and a bunch of berserkers.

 

We got mulched hard.

 

There was some mistakes made (not rerolling a D3 that rolled a 1, when a 2 or 3 would kill Khârn) but mostly due to inexperience with the system

 

That said, my takeaways were:

 

Repressors are super tough to kill.

Command Squads with meltas still hurt them very badly.

Vultures are terryfing, especially buffed with an Officer of the Fleet. It can and will drop into hover and annihilate whatever it wants.

Khârn and the Berserkers can't see combat if you want to win. Pull back and shoot them with long range weapons... Which we have limited options with, or a dedicated melee unit to counter charge...

Lascannons are amazing. Like, literally amazing. The landraider did 13 wounds to a Valkyrie in one salvo. Sure, that's not "average" but it's not unlikely.

If your doing a mech list and the terrain doesn't make it "work" say something. I thought it would be fine, and while it was still a lot of fun, it did limit what I could do.

 

Oh and the meltas were able to do a signifacnt amount of damage to the flyers, but they died after the Repressors exploded bottom of turn 2 and they got charged by a ton of Chaos spawn.

 

And most importantly: Comdemnors don't help against Khorne. :(

Edited June 30, 2017 by Beams

[Sanul]

I also played with my sisters yesterday and yet again I came to the conclusion we have no right to complain with this new edition. Our tools are amazing and most units have fantastic abilities and very nice combinations. I tried a mixed MSU list, with some differences to what I usually played in 7th edition.

 

My backbone are the sisters on foot that are to either slowly advance or holding a fortified position. And shoot stuff. Usually twice each round :)

1 canoness with combi plasma

1 inquisitor greyfax

10 sisters with multimelter, flamer, superior with combi-flamer.

10 retributors with 4 heavy bolters

2 imagifier

 

Then I had my mechanized block that pushed forward. Hard!

4 Immolators with Immolation flamers

1 rhino

2 units of 6 sisters with heavy flamer, flamer, superior with plasma pistol (in immolator)

2 units of 5 dominions with 4 melta (in immolator)

10 death cult assassins (in rhino)

 

This block did the pressure and had lots and lots of flamer hits. But also the punishing power of several meltas.

 

And last I had some distractions in form of 5 seraphim with just boltpistols and three assassins (eversor, callidus and culexus) to give everything else time to advance.

 

I love this new edition, because it gives us so much flexibility in tactics that was close to impossible before in the 7th edition. Currently I am building 3 Engines, so next I am also going to try a mostly melee army with repentias, (death cult) assassins, engines and crusaders. And lots of priests, Uriah and Celestine.

[Gen.Steiner]

I played two games last night at 45 Power Points at my local GW. I'm currently writing up the reports (and there will be pictures) but I'm going to put those in a different thread. In summary:

Acts of Faith are game-winningly good.

Celestians are surprisingly good in combat thanks to their 2A.

 

Flamers rock, Immolation Flamers even more.

 

Dominions are super-threatening and extremely potent ... and die very quickly.

 

BSS with three Storm Bolters are a really high firepower unit that can do a lot of damage very quickly.

Most people have never played against Sisters in my area because I think I am the only Sisters collector/player! I must exploit this more.

[Sir_Gaea]

@Gen.Steiner for the BSS, would you run them again with 3 storm bolters or take flamer heavy flamer?

 

Also, to anyone else, is running a power axe and plasma pistol on all my superiors a waste of paints or help for when they get drawn into close combat?

[Gen.Steiner]

@Sir_Gaea - my BSS with storm bolters will stay with storm bolters; the triple-flamer (flamer, combi-flamer, heavy flamer) is going to stay on my Celestians, because they have the combat power to follow up flamers with a close assault whereas standard BSS aren't as good in combat.

 

Power axe and plasma pistol is probably a points sink - but it does give the unit a bit of punch, so perhaps keep it?

[Sir_Gaea]

Well, had a game against Tyrannids which my sisters came off badly. Turn one saw a tryvegon (not sure if spelled correct) pop up right by my troops along with gaunts (sp?) who then proceeded to wrap up one set of troops, an immolator with Dominions, Retributers, and my Canoness. He then used long range artillery to destroy my penitent engines.

 

Long story short, my Heavy Bolger Retributers did nothing, St Celestine and inferno pistol Seraphim are good big game hunters, and the storm bolters are good at remove hoards. Oh, and 3 wound Acolyte are surprisingly durable.

 

I think I will go back to Melta Dominions and possibly back to hand Flamer Seraphim, but what, if anything, should I do with the Retributers? Leave them out so I can have more Exorcists and Penitent Engines? Or go Multi-Melta on them, since str 5 isn't doing much for me to wound stuff.

[Vigrid Of Asgaror]

I have had 1 game so far, against Death Guard. I almost tabled them (Warlord on 1 wound). Melta Seraphim are amazing, Repressor is great, Heavy Bolter Retributors did next to nothing. Oh and Storm Bolters are really good.

I think Retributors will have to be put in a Repressor with 4 Heavy Flamers or Multi-Melta to be useful honestly(Or something similar). Basic Heavy Bolters aren't enough.

[Drider]

I've found that Heavy bolters do the lords work.

 

The thing i've been finding lacklustre is melta, s8 just seems a bit meh against things that you're supposed to be shooting at because you'll be wounding on 4s most of the time.

[dracpanzer]

I need to keep reminding myself that when I am in hand flamer range with my Seraphim, one of the girls should toss a grenade. I forget everytime.

 

Seriously considering fielding 60 Seraphim. Canoness block in a bastion with Rets/ max BSS/ Exo's/ Imagifer to back the Seraphim and Celestine up.

 

Repressor Doms are savages, ugh, love having hard choices about what to take....

[Daimhin]

FYI - per the new FAQ Acolytes are 1 wound.

[Gen.Steiner]

Seraphim Hand Flamers now d3. Booo! Hiss!
 

Imagifers can't provide AoF for vehicles.
 

Retributor Superior's LD is 8

 

Storm Bolters are 2pts

 

All Sister Superiors can now take a melee weapon without replacing anything, hurrah, our models are legal again

 

Celestine is now 1 per army :'(

 

Saintly Blessings only works on Adepta Sororitas units within 6"

 

Dominion's Vanguard move can't end within 9" of the enemy.

 

Thoughts?

[Montford]

I think more SoB players will begin doing what I've usually done with my Seraphim: run two models per Squad with Inferno pistols.  

[Commisarp]

Hand Flamer change: Is a horrible nerf. Will consider inferno pistols if I can bring myself to hack up metal models.

Faith: I was playing it that way anyway because it seemed like it was RAI. Now RAI = RAW which is always good.

1 Celestine per army: See above.

LD, Storm Bolters and models being legal are all positive! Yay! Got a few spare points now from Storm Bolters.

Dominion vanguard move seems like no big deal. You can still move up close to the victim with the free move. Then Disembark three inches from the tank, and then move your full walk, putting you close enough to meltagun your intended victim at half range.

[Sir_Gaea]

Huh, so my Dominion Superiors are going to be carrying some kit, combi-melta, plasma pistol, and power axe.

 

Question, do people prefer power axes for reducing enemies save or power mauls to have a better chance to wound?

[Beams]

Could you know equip a Celestian superior with two chainswords then?

[Aqui]

Could you know equip a Celestian superior with two chainswords then?

In theory, yes.

[Beams]

 

Could you know equip a Celestian superior with two chainswords then?

In theory, yes.

I'm pretty sure it's not "optimal", but if you know you usually play against Guard, Nurgle Cultists, or any other low armor save, you could get 5 attacks on her for no extra points, and if your doing melee you'd prolly already have a priest for your +1 attack, meaning she's throwing out 6 attacks, hitting on 3's...

Which could carve through PoxWalkers, Cultists, Conscripts...

[taikishi]

Don't know why you'd want to. Unless you're fighting a horde army with almost no saves, the extra attack from the chainsword is bad at best. Even then, I'm not sure it's great against hordes due to our lower strength.

 

Also, in case anyone missed it, it looks like Counter-offensive can be used to interrupt the second set of attacks made by Penitent Engines. Page 3, rulebook update FAQ, bottom right corner.

Edited July 2, 2017 by taikishi

[Drider]

It's unfortunate that the Command Squad got written out. it could have been interesting to see exactly what you could do with a squad of 5 girls you could completely customize the wargear on.