Topic: 6th edition- do Battle Conclaves still work?

[Scyrex Deledras]

Here's a question to my fellow Sisters players: are Battle Conclaves still worth it? I ask because in 5th edition Uriah Jacobus and an accompanying Conclave were a common unit in many Sororitas lists. The aforementioned unit usually drove around in a Rhino, and while they couldn't zoom up, disembark and charge, they could always move up a good distance and then disembark and charge in the succeeding turn. The boosts conferred by Jacobus would usually have a huge impact on the unit (rerolls on the charge, extra attacks and Feel No Pain turning Death Cultists into absolute monsters), though even without Jacobus, they could still do well as long as their Rhino didn't explode out from under them.

The problem, though, is that in this edition units cannot assault after disembarking, even if their vehicle hasn't moved (the only exception being open-topped vehicles and ones with assault ramps). As such, Conclaves, if they ever disembark, have to spend an entire turn getting shot at by the enemy before they can charge anything.

So I ask you, is the Battle Conclave still usable? Or is it a case where a really good unit has been hamstrung by a combination of new rules and an army with no assault vehicles? As much as I loved the Conclave, I, for one, am looking for viable alternatives (ie a thirty-man blob of allied Guardsmen to accompany Jacobus, though that unit easily costs twice as much. Alternatively, there are always Repentias).

[Locarno]

Repentia are indeed scary as.

They will all die, but Rage and a hard-to-attack priest (since the squad leader can tank a challenge) means 4 rerollable chainfist attacks each on the charge, hitting harder than terminators!



Battle conclaves haven't got much worse. Yes, all right, rhino, but you can always get out behind the rhino and drive the tank out of the way. The one thing I would advise is, mechanised or footslogging, taking a few (more) crusaders. With a 3++ and a much harder to remove feel no pain, a forward line of these boys can block a hell of a lot of heavy fire for not many points, and with the way wound allocation works, you can't assign wounds to the soft-and-squishy cultists until he's cut down every last one of the crusaders. Plus, give them a power axe and with Jacobus' bonus attack they actually become quite tasty in a fight. Equally, be sure to mix and match swords, axes and mauls in the cultists in case of terminators, ork mobz or monster units. Given that jacobus makes the unit a nasty shock charge unit - delivering an unholy number of stupidly high initiative, stupidly accurate attacks on the charge, power lances would also seem a nice investment. Wych impalers would probably work well, and it's not like many DE players use them, so they should be eminantly blag-able bitz.

Last comment - especially if sinking a lot of points into the conclave - take a priest with an eviscerator and attach him. This serves two functions; it gives you a character who can accept challenges on Jacobus' behalf if necessary (since you have no squad leader), and it allows you to put a chainfist in the unit - giving it some protection from getting stomped on by invulnerable walkers (remember you lack krak grenades)

[badlybuilt]

I have used the conclave on a couple of occasions. Same build as always, 6 DCA 3 Crusader + Jacobus, but now I footslog it. I give the opponent something better to shoot at, like Dom squad or seraphim. First game with them they pasted Zerker squad, second game they killed incubi and 1k sons. They are still extremly useful, just require more thought to deploy them properly. In regards to the priest and challenges, the priest imo is never worth the points. I would rather have a repentia squad (5 ) running beside them. For challenges I just decline the challenge with Jacobus.... he isnt that great at melee anyways.

[Locarno]

The concern is not being able to use his leadership as a result if it all goes sour. I admit your not missing much fighting-power-wise