What's the best way to equip MSU Sister squads? Transports?

[Ishagu]

Specifically the troops. Am I correct that you can equip 5 Sisters with two Meltas and a Combi Plasma?

I'm also looking at Immolators. How are people placing the Storm Bolter on the model?

 

I'm thinking Sisters could be my next project now that my AdMech are done!

[ERJAK]

3 Storm bolters. You are correct in the how the loadouts work but Meltas and Combi-weapons tend to impractical for a number of reasons and with Blessed Bolts and Stormbolters you turn a bunch of 51pt min troop squads into a real offensive threat. Even without it 2-3 squads do a startling amount of damage to infantry of all shapes and sizes for an incredibly cheap investment. Save your melta points for dominion squads. Never use regular flamers, stormbolters are better per point up to -2 to hit(I believe).

 

As for the Stormbolter on the Immolator there are generally 2 options. 1 is putting the Stormbolter turret that comes with the tank where the Fleur de Lis is in most pictures of them. The other on is to get a standard Rhino Stormbolter and just sticking it somewhere that makes sense.

[Ishagu]

Thank you, that's a great help. I'm playing around with lists in my head. I already own Celestine and a Canones and can't wait to throw rime money down when the plastic range is released.

 

I'm also thinking of running a Shadowsword with the Sisters. I could add some holy iconography to it and I think it would fit them, visually. Just ideas for now...

[CaptainHelion]

I've been using Heavy Flamer, Flamer, Combi-Melta squads for a while, and they've been very good. With the Beta Dex, I'm looking at mixing in some 3 Stormbolter squads, though. They're cheap, they're useful, and they have the ability to pump out some real nasty fire with Sacred Bolts.

[Ishagu]

Do people like the Immolator or are Rhinos more preferable for the point savings? I really like the flamers they have, and I see some combos with getting them up-field by boosting the invuls to a 4+

[Drider]

3 stormbolters is the most efficient way to equip them. Really they are a bit more flexible, 3 melta is equally as valid if you are lacking anti tank. 1 Heavy bolter is ok if they are sitting on back field objectives. 

[Beams]

I like Flamers. They are better in terms of pure damage than Stormbolters, and help Prevent overwatch. They are also legit in a Repressor -- three Flamers per sqaud, two squads holed up in a Repressor equals 6d6 flamer hits, plus 2d6 heavy flamer and 4 Bolter shots. It'll rip through a line of infantry without a doubt.

[ERJAK]

Do people like the Immolator or are Rhinos more preferable for the point savings? I really like the flamers they have, and I see some combos with getting them up-field by boosting the invuls to a 4+

Rhinos are largely only taken if you have 7 models or more you want to transport and don't want to use repressors. Immolators are nice because they function fairly well on their own.

 

The 4++ on tanks is only really for the first turn because the character that gives you that invul only move 6" plus run. Technically you could use hand of the emperor and on the off chance you succeed maintain the bubble through turn 2, but that kind of defeats the purpose of using a transport in the first place. Even with Hand of the Emperor you're still slowing the Immolators down by a fair amount if you try to maintain the bubble and if you don't maintain the bubble it's essentially just razorback mounted melta tac squads running up the field. One means you're relatively protected as you advance but likely won't get a decent target of opportunity for you girls to jump out and shoot until turn 3 against another shooting army. The other will let you have a fairly safe turn one and will get you in their face turn two, but will leave a shooting phase where you're unprotected. NOTE: Most games are decided by turn 3 in competitive but the sheer about of 4++s you'll have means that against most shooting armies you'll have an easier time getting to 3 than a lot of other armies.

 

It's a viable strat, you just have to figure out if you need to go for the turn 2 all in, if you need to wait for 3. Or if maybe your opponent gives you opportunities to do a little of column A and a little of column B.

[Ishagu]

I think I see it as a great turn 1 defence as you could build up the Invul and play the cover Strat, and then maintain the invul on a few Exorcists.

 

I really like the look of the Immolators but I'm aware of the increase in faith points for every 10 models making me think bigger units are worth it.

[taikishi]

I'm honestly contemplating ignoring Acts of Faith entirely and just using them when I see an opportunity or need. They do so little compared to the Index Acts, outside of Spirit of the Martyr which is essentially the same (3+ now instead of 2+), that I don't think building for more faith points is worth it.

[Closet Skeleton]

Faith points are per 10 models in the army not 10 models per unit so large units vs MSU isn't that important.

[tvih]

3 Storm bolters. You are correct in the how the loadouts work but Meltas and Combi-weapons tend to impractical for a number of reasons and with Blessed Bolts and Stormbolters you turn a bunch of 51pt min troop squads into a real offensive threat.

 

You say melta/plasma is impractical, but good luck having enough points to use on Blessed Bolts every time you fire at anything but chaff, though. Which isn't to say storm bolters aren't a good choice, but they're not gonna do everything.

[bkde]

Stormbolters for battle sisters squads.  Cheap and easy way to fill a Battalion.  Leave the heavy hitting to Doms in a Repressor.

[Jomgor]

I think I see it as a great turn 1 defence as you could build up the Invul and play the cover Strat, and then maintain the invul on a few Exorcists.

 

I really like the look of the Immolators but I'm aware of the increase in faith points for every 10 models making me think bigger units are worth it.

unless they buff AoF to the moon basing any of your pre-battle decisions on their existence will be detrimental to you. Don't worry about it, build your army to play on the tabletop the way you want it to play. You want fast? load up repressors and immos while seraphim drop from the sky. wanna go slow? 15 girl blob castle marching down the field under 4++ might be the way for you. Want to win? have some dominions cruising around in the shadow of knights or laughing behind a CP battery of guard and tossing out 4+ denies like candy and Blessed Bolts for anything even remotely close to T4. The Acts are too weak to build any kind of reliable strategy around, them being a core rule to the army is a trap at this point in time; unless you want to provide beta feedback in which case feel free to base everything you do on AoF and be sure to send your impressions to GW. To be fair they arn't actively bad when considered in a vacuum, but translated to tabletop the combos AoF allow you to do with the army end up coming in about 60% as effective as the next worse army. They arnt bad themselves they are just garbage by comparison if that makes sense.

 

basically, if you dont want to do beta feedback and you just want to have fun in games with your sisters

1. ignore AoF when list building

2. soup the :cuss out of them

3. ????

4. profit

 

 

on the question specifically asked: Stormbolters. So many stormbolters the GK get an inferiority complex.

                                                       Personally I really like Repressors. A mobile pillbox that can also charge to eat overwatch and do respectable damage in combat for a tank. 10 capacity is king. It can only carry <order> units though thanks to FW rules, so if you incorporate lots of Ecclesiarchy; Rhinos and Immo's take center stage. Rhinos I pretty much only ever use for 7+ Ecclesiarch squads. Everything SoB seems to benefit more from being a min squad with max special weps when mechanized is the name of the game, So you only really need an immo for them.

 

to fill repressors I usually have one squad inside designed to stay inside and one that gets out on objective or makes use of a strategem. kinda like a tank that can combat squad itself. not that the one inside can't stand on its own, but if I stack meltas I try to keep them alive longer inside ye olde metal bawkses while the 2pt stormbolters step outside into return fire. honestly 11pts a model ins't super expendable but its still more expandable than 23 pts a model. To keep things in perspective though they all still die eventually. its just a matter of do the meltas die on turn 2 or turn 4?

[Doof]

I think I see it as a great turn 1 defence as you could build up the Invul and play the cover Strat, and then maintain the invul on a few Exorcists.

 

I really like the look of the Immolators but I'm aware of the increase in faith points for every 10 models making me think bigger units are worth it.

 

From most battle reports Ive watched for sisters, i have yet to see anyone running out of faith points even with a modest force. I have yet to play a game with the new Dex, i'm still painting up a large batch of regular bolter sisters, cause i plan on running blob sisters with the 4++/6+ order and holy trinity.

[CaptainMarsh]

Don't worry about FP. The Acts aren't powerful enough to warrant a great deal of list-building concern. 
 

MSU Battle Sisters: Let me join the chorus and say 3 Storm Bolters. It is the most efficient use of such a unit. You can obviously handle other tasks such as tank hunting better with meltas but MSU Battle Sisters aren't the unit you want on such a task.

Transport: Immolator all the way as long as you are sticking purely Beta Codex and aren't discussing Forge World. The Immolator Flamer is a beautiful weapon and with a SB the transport costs a cool 100 points. Mix with Dominions for best results.

[ERJAK]

 

3 Storm bolters. You are correct in the how the loadouts work but Meltas and Combi-weapons tend to impractical for a number of reasons and with Blessed Bolts and Stormbolters you turn a bunch of 51pt min troop squads into a real offensive threat.

 

You say melta/plasma is impractical, but good luck having enough points to use on Blessed Bolts every time you fire at anything but chaff, though. Which isn't to say storm bolters aren't a good choice, but they're not gonna do everything.

 

I should have specified 'on battle sisters' obviously melta dominions are fantastic and even inferno pistol seraphim aren't terrible. Though outside of those and taking your chances with Exorcists, our best anti-tank options are usually allies of some variety.

 

I think I see it as a great turn 1 defence as you could build up the Invul and play the cover Strat, and then maintain the invul on a few Exorcists.

 

I really like the look of the Immolators but I'm aware of the increase in faith points for every 10 models making me think bigger units are worth it.

 

From most battle reports Ive watched for sisters, i have yet to see anyone running out of faith points even with a modest force. I have yet to play a game with the new Dex, i'm still painting up a large batch of regular bolter sisters, cause i plan on running blob sisters with the 4++/6+ order and holy trinity.

 

Don't bother with holy trinity. Even in a best case scenario it only gets you maybe 2 extra damage per use. You're better off just taking stormbolters to have the extra shots at 24". Or all metlas to be a decent anti-tank threat.

[Ishagu]

Thanks guys, some great insight here.

[Servant of Dante]

I’ve had some fun running 2 MSU BSSs with a Flamer, Heavy flamer and storm Bolter each in the same rhino, it’s around 200 points for the package and if you can get close they pack a bit of a punch. Just an example of when you might consider a Rhino, but in general I agree Immolators are quite nice, especially with the Immolation flamer being Assault and 12” range

[Ficinus]

I run what Servant of Dante just described, only with a combi-flamer instead of a stormbolter. In a 2k point list I have two such rhinos packed with flamers. It's generally pretty effective.

[Servant of Dante]

It might have been you, Finicus, that suggested the loadout to me in the first place (it was someone from the B&C in any case) :P