I Am No Longer Worried for Sisters in 8th

[Montford]

I played a game today against a very good player, Jeff (quite better than me actually), We had a 2,000 point battle and he ran his Blood Angels.

 

I killed Dante, Mephiston, that Librarian Dreadnought, an Imperial Knight, a Predator and a squad of Scout Snipers. I reduced his Land Raider to 1 wound.

 

I lost a Dominion Squad.

 

Granted two of my Exorcists were beat up and I had a lone Seraphim zipping around but my oh my. Repentia killed that Dreadnought. Celestine killed Mephiston and put the last 4 wounds on the Knight. Seraphim and Heavy Bolter retributors killed Dante. Retributor Multi Meltas hammered the Predator and Seraphim finished it off.

 

When we called the game he had his 1 wound Land Raider, a Banner Bearer, 4 tough Jump infantry (can't recall their name) and two Scout Sniper Squads.

 

I had Celestine, 5 Repentia, the remnants of 2 Seraphim Squads, a Heavy Bolter and a Multi Melta Retributor Squads fuly functional, three Immolators ( one each Multimelta, Heavy Bolter and Heavy Flamer), 3 Imagnifers, 1 Hospitaller, Mistress of Repentence and 2 of my starting 4 command points.

 

Granted 8th is new to us, and we both had the books open for reference at the FLGS, and as we all get better at 8th my Sisters may be in for a drubbing,  but wow, just wow. I am enjoying tis triumph while I can :-)

[Sister Alessia]

Well done Montford! Sounds like a fun game. It's looking good for the Sororitas :) 

[AlexAbroad]

Yes, well played Montford!

 

I'm going to bombard you with questions: Which FOC were you using? How did you find the Multi Melta Retributor squad? How did the Hospitaller, Dialogus, and Imagifier function as individual units?

 

It definitely feels more fluffy that those units would be running around providing support where they are needed, rather than glomming together with a Canoness (or just staying home as it seems they did with most people's 7th Edition lists).

 

I haven't managed to get a game in yet - hopefully next weekend with launch will change that - so I'm searching for ideas, tips, and tactics :)

[Montford]

Yes, well played Montford!

I'm going to bombard you with questions: Which FOC were you using? How did you find the Multi Melta Retributor squad? How did the Hospitaller, Dialogus, and Imagifier function as individual units?

It definitely feels more fluffy that those units would be running around providing support where they are needed, rather than glomming together with a Canoness (or just staying home as it seems they did with most people's 7th Edition lists).

I haven't managed to get a game in yet - hopefully next weekend with launch will change that - so I'm searching for ideas, tips, and tactics

The Multimeltas were very handy. Their 24" range was augmented by an Imagnifer (I fielded 3) which could move them forward if they needed it, or give them another round of shooting. One turn only one managed to wound the target, but rolled a 4 to inflict 4 wounds, so even on a crappy turn they stil do something useful.

The Hospitaller brought a Repentia back to the Squad, and then I forgot to keep advancing her as she was next to a ruin and I forgot she was there!

Imagniders are worth every point of their cost.

I did not field any Diagolus.

The formation I used was the one which allows up to 6 Heavy Support choices (can't remember the name) and I fielded 3 Exorcists, 2 Retributor Squads (1 Multimelta, 1 Heavy Bolter). I also used one of each type of Immolator to see how they performed in 8th: all versions did well. My squad of 9 Repentia killed 3 scout snipers, a Dreadnought, and then went on to attack the Knight. Their 2 damage per hit added up fast. I had Celestine and an Imagnifer in close proximity to the Repentia; and neither I nor my opponent fully appreciated the melee ability of all that together. NOW we do

[Atrus]

Spearhead detachment that one is. Got my eye on that one myself.

 

How did the exorcist fare in the game? That d3 damage feels like such a turnoff.

[Montford]

Spearhead detachment that one is. Got my eye on that one myself.

 

How did the exorcist fare in the game? That d3 damage feels like such a turnoff.

 

Turnoff? Oh not at all!

 

The D6 missiles and the D3 damage add up fast.

 

My Exorcists were responsible for nearly all damage inflicted on the Land Raider (had 1 wound left), the Knight (destroyed by Celestian who took out ots last 4 wounds. 1 Wound from Mistress of Repentence, 2 or 4 from Repentia, the rest were all the Exorcists), and about half of the Predator. Only one of the three suffered enough damage to reduce its BS and none of them were destroyed: one was even charged by that Knight!

 

Treat them like Tank Destroyers: set them up with good fields of fire and only move them if they need LOS to a target.

[A.T.]

Treat them like Tank Destroyers: set them up with good fields of fire and only move them if they need LOS to a target.

 

On paper they seem a long, long way behind full tank destroyers like the laspred, especially against T8 targets like the landraider. Were you double-firing them with faith a lot?

[Montford]

I only had one in range of an Imagnifer, and it was also doing other duty, such as getting a Dominion Squad in an Immolator an extra move. I think I was able to get the Exorcist an extra shooting turn twice, and It managed an extra 5 shots in total. the other 2 turns the Imagnifer failed her roll of 4+.

[Servant of Dante]

In the game I just played (against myself, Sisters vs BA) I had 2 imagifiers. The game lasted 3 turns. I used a command point to reroll one Imagifier each turn but never got a 4+ . . . (That's 9 fails in a row essentially)

[Atrus]

Yeah. Similar experience when I used Imagifier in my game. Given the tax we pay for em and the 50/50 nature of their function, anyone saying they don't work on vehicles can go suck an egg.

 

Frustration at overthinking rules aside. How was the seraphim throughout the game, what warranted their wonderful performance? Was it Celestine granting faith?

How did you get the repentia to survive to combat?

[Montford]

*snip*

Frustration at overthinking rules aside. How was the seraphim throughout the game, what warranted their wonderful performance? Was it Celestine granting faith?

How did you get the repentia to survive to combat?

 

The Repentia started in a Rhino (with 2 stormbolters - I love that!) and I used my 2+ AoF to give the Rhino a free move, then dismounted the Repentia and they charged a Scout Sniper squad. The Rhino fired (8 shots!) and killed one Scout. Celestine was nearby and he flamer sword got 2 scouts. Overwatch killed 1 Repentia, then they went in and killed the 2 remaining Scouts. Next turn Hospitaller managed to get just close enough to bring the fallen Repentia back to life.

 

Jeff then moved his Dreadnought and Mephiston toward the Repentia / Celestine/ Rhino. Rhino got hurt bad, and Mephiston went for Celestine, killed one Geminae. On my turn I pulled the Rhino out of combat and charged with both Celestine and Repentia, with the help of supporting fire from a Heavy Bolter Immolator and an Exorcist. They put a few (3?) wounds on the Dred, however  it was the Repentia in two rounds of melee that killed the Dred (Celestine was fighting Mephiston). Celestine's close proximity gave the Repentia a 5+ Invulnerable save. Lost 3 Repentia in that fight. The key was each successful wound roll gave the Dred 2 damage.

 

The Seraphim did well, I think, because 1) they can use their pistols in melee now 2) each squad had one sister with hand flamer, and one with inferno pistols. That was my standard loadout ever since 3rd edition. However, seeing how the mechanics have changed, I may just go with two inferno pistol sisters on each Squad unless I know I'll be playing low toughness hordes. That's how I did most of the damage to Dante, those Inferno pistols.

[A.T.]

The Repentia started in a Rhino (with 2 stormbolters - I love that!) and I used my 2+ AoF to give the Rhino a free move, then dismounted the Repentia and they charged a Scout Sniper squad.

 

The rhino is not an applicable target for the 2+ act of faith (as it lacks the act of faith rule) - the repentia would have needed to have started the turn on foot, and taken a 6" faith move to advance instead.

[Montford]

 

The Repentia started in a Rhino (with 2 stormbolters - I love that!) and I used my 2+ AoF to give the Rhino a free move, then dismounted the Repentia and they charged a Scout Sniper squad.

 

The rhino is not an applicable target for the 2+ act of faith (as it lacks the act of faith rule) - the repentia would have needed to have started the turn on foot, and taken a 6" faith move to advance instead.

 

 

Quite right! I actually would not have needed to roll a die at all if I had used Celestine to grant the Act of Faith to the Rhino, as she started adjacent to the Rhino. It was my first game, and I'll get better about that going forward. So the tactic was still viable, although I would have had to use a different source (Celestine) rather than the one I used (Army granted power).

[Montford]

Jeff challenged me to a rematch and we fought this afternoon. I lost more units but won on objectives. Lists changed up some but both still at 2000 points. Just a few highlights, take aways and lessons learned:

-Both my Seraphim Squads carried 2 Sisters with a pair of Inferno Pistols. One squad (IPs only!) shot down a Stormraven gunship in a single firing phase. My other Seraphim squad killed his Baal Predator on the same firing phase.

-Always keep a command point available for use when Celestine is in the thick of it in order to reroll her resurrection roll. I didn't, rolled a 1, and had to live with it.

-I forgot to use the special rules for Penitent Engines and they still did very well. You cannot use Acts of Faith on them, but their Zealot skill and being able to attack again on a 4+ is worth every point of their cost.

-Could not get my Repentia's charges off, even with the Mistress nearby

I lost Celestine, both Immos, one Seraphim squad, HB Retributor squad, Stormbolter Dominion squad, all 3 PEs, Repentia, one Imagnifer and a rhino.

Jeff lost his Stormraven, Baal Pred, one Assault squad, Librarian Dreadnought and one Tactical squad. I had Dante and Mephiston both at half health but could not finish them off.

Jeff definitely had me on points. Fortunately it was objectives, and I had him by one. I was very lucky.

Still this tells me that Sisters look to be very viable in 8th. I need to face off against our local Ork and Daemon players to see how they fare then. That, and learn my Unit rules better!! I also keep forgetting I can Skystrike with my Seraphim *doh*

[Sister Alessia]

Thanks for the battle report Montford! Sounds like a brutal match, but lots of fun :) Really good to hear of your Seraphim's success, I love the models so much. I'm only playing 500 points, killteams and SW:A while I wait for my group to catchup :)