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Author Topic: Sisters of Battle Digital Codex - First Impressions  (Read 5535 times)

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Offline LoH

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Sisters of Battle Digital Codex - First Impressions
« on: October 19, 2013, 02:19:23 AM »
Overall, I'm definitely "meh" on the changes. Acts of Faith are now very likely to go off, but you only get one. This means that the Simalcrums are now required purchases for any squad that can take them.
Both Celestine and Uriah (the go-to characters in the WD 'dex) have been made slightly more expensive and had their abilities toned down. Both are still useful models to have, though. My counts-as Celestine will probably still be my Warlord all the time, if only for fluff reasons. That being said, my Cannonesses might get some time out of the box. Jacobs is no longer a WTFblob character. Both changes were straight-up reductions in the power of the characters.

I think Celestine's resurrection ability irritated too many gamers at GW. Now it's nearly guaranteed to go off... once, as it's an Act of Faith now. 

Kyrniov is Sir Not AppearingInThisCode x. His mace got moved to the Relics list, though.

Good God-Emperor, the Priests. This just opened up all manner of awesome combos with Battle brother units. Dirt cheap, access to good toys and those rules! And the guys unlock fscking Battle Conclaves... and 5 per Sisters detachment? Forget the commissars, that 50-man IG blob just got a whole lot meaner! If I were running a melee Guard army, I'd bring an allied Detachment of Sisters just for these guys. And maybe a squad of Pentitent Engines for the lulz.

Celestians are still Celestians.

Repentia... at least they are slightly cheaper and can take transports now. Yay? The change to their Act of Faith makes them a liability when trying to kill any MCs (a Shield of Faith save is not a real save, IMHO). Neural Whips actually make some sense now, but the net effect is that the to-wound roll is still crap against MEQs, let alone Necrons. This squad can't take the Simalcrium.

The HS slots are the same as before: Everything that is not an Exorcist has the crippling disadvantage of not being an Exorcist. The Pentitent Engines are slightly cheaper and the randomness in their attacks has been removed. Act of Faith changes burned Retributors, they NEED a Silmacrium Imperialis unless you're using multimeltas for some reason.

Seraphim are another squad that can't take the Imperialis and such were hurt by the Act of Faith changes. At least the hand flamers are cheaper now.

Immolators are now pretty much crappy Razorbacks, with their only redeeming feature being the TL multimelta availability.  They're slightly cheaper than the previous 'dex. I don't have my SM codex on hand to compare to Razorbacks.

Rhinos are still Rhinos. Shield of Faith does give that Hail Mary save.

I don't think the Command Squad is worth taking still, although the relic banner is pretty neat if you're running a CC-oriented army (or a friendly allied army).


But really, priests are like mini-SM chaplains with  better weapon options and a awesome special rule!

Remember that Condemnor Boltgun that nobody used? It's still here. It does explicitly affect Psychic Pilot, so that's nice. Doesn't even need a wound to get though so far as I can tell. Cheaper, too, and all sgts can take them if you want to feel silly.
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Offline Ollieb

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Re: Sisters of Battle Digital Codex - First Impressions
« Reply #1 on: October 19, 2013, 09:12:25 AM »
I'm disappointed in what I read.  Well that is an understatement.  I'm dismayed.  I don't think GW is going to sell too many of those $700 USD 1500 point armies.

I think the only unit that really got better was Dominions now that they can spam meltaguns even more than the pdf allowed. 

Only one maybe 2 chances for Retributors to rend.  There goes the only decent chance Sisters had to kill MCs at range or shoot down fliers.  Speaking of which Sisters get none unless you go the FW route. 

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Offline LoH

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Re: Sisters of Battle Digital Codex - First Impressions
« Reply #2 on: October 19, 2013, 11:07:37 AM »
I'm disappointed in what I read.  Well that is an understatement.  I'm dismayed.  I don't think GW is going to sell too many of those $700 USD 1500 point armies.

I think the only unit that really got better was Dominions now that they can spam meltaguns even more than the pdf allowed. 

Only one maybe 2 chances for Retributors to rend.  There goes the only decent chance Sisters had to kill MCs at range or shoot down fliers.  Speaking of which Sisters get none unless you go the FW route.

Eh, the extra meltas in a value-pack squad is offset by the changes to Acts of Faith. I never thought this was supposed to spur the sales of any Sisters models, just to quiet the people complaining that the codex for the army they have models for is out-of-print.  I always consider the Sisters' answer to MCs at range was the Exorcist. One of the reasons I don't have any Retributor models in my army:they're not Exorcists.

The standard Sisters answer to fliers is the ADL. Not a great answer, but it'll do. I probably would have preferred, for a different price, an Exorcist variant that was Skyfire-only.

It did fix some of the glaring mechanics issues in some of how the army works (random Faith points meaning that the army doesn't scale past 1500pts). There is definitely more tactical depth to the army now, beyond "Celestine+Jacobus+Seraphim+lolololol". The generic Cannoness has a purpose. Now, that purpose is being your compulsory HQ choice if you won't (or can't) play with Celestine, but her customizability went up and you can get a decent model out of the options now.

Priests are a fscking bargain for what you get, and definitely worth using with the many BB allies.

Better than what the Squats got, in any case. Probably on-par with the WD 'dex in terms of raw face-punching power.

I wish I knew who wrote this, as it's not actually in the Ebook version >.>;
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Offline Ollieb

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Re: Sisters of Battle Digital Codex - First Impressions
« Reply #3 on: October 19, 2013, 12:35:49 PM »
Here is a funny tidbit.  The Dialogus can be made to be an eternal warrior for 25 points.  Problem is she only has 1 wound. 
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Offline LoH

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Re: Sisters of Battle Digital Codex - First Impressions
« Reply #4 on: October 19, 2013, 10:59:49 PM »
The Codex itself is compatible with the Nook and Nook ebook smartphone application, btw.
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Offline Halollet

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Re: Sisters of Battle Digital Codex - First Impressions
« Reply #5 on: October 20, 2013, 10:04:48 AM »
You know what?  I'm okay with this.

Upgrades and some models got cheaper, there's new tricks, I prefer the new Acts of Faith over the old one, the priests are awesome, the warlord traits are surprisingly useful, you can get scary things pretty cheap.... yeah.  I'm okay with this.  I'm not gawking at it like I did the Tau codex, but I already had in mind that the sisters were can ally to take with the rest of my armies.

I know one thing for sure, all my commissars just got fired.  Instead of a commissar with a power axe, for 5 points more, I can take priest with an eviscerator! 

I think its funny that a priest with an eviscerator can have two strength 10 attacks on the charge.

I also like that 6 battle sisters with a flamer and a heavy flamer in an immolator with TL Multimelta is only 147 points.

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Offline LoH

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Re: Sisters of Battle Digital Codex - First Impressions
« Reply #6 on: October 20, 2013, 03:52:28 PM »
You know what?  I'm okay with this.

Upgrades and some models got cheaper, there's new tricks, I prefer the new Acts of Faith over the old one, the priests are awesome, the warlord traits are surprisingly useful, you can get scary things pretty cheap.... yeah.  I'm okay with this.  I'm not gawking at it like I did the Tau codex, but I already had in mind that the sisters were can ally to take with the rest of my armies.

I know one thing for sure, all my commissars just got fired.  Instead of a commissar with a power axe, for 5 points more, I can take priest with an eviscerator! 

I think its funny that a priest with an eviscerator can have two strength 10 attacks on the charge.

I also like that 6 battle sisters with a flamer and a heavy flamer in an immolator with TL Multimelta is only 147 points.

That's S10 Armorbane for the lolwuts. That Land Raider will never know what hit it.

I am mostly irked with Repentia. Somehow someone thought they were too awesome.... and I'm not sure why.
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Offline Adrastos

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Re: Sisters of Battle Digital Codex - First Impressions
« Reply #7 on: October 20, 2013, 08:24:14 PM »
The main thing I noticed is that Sisters could be fielded with IG allies or IG fielded with Sisters allies very well.

Sisters aren't so expensive as to be prohibitive to being fielded with IG and are easy to slot in for the 1HQ 1 Troops required in the ally role. They make a tougher, more durable, more killy, option for scoring and have great potential to supplement Chimera's and their glorious plas/melta vets.

While IG as allies for Sisters could easily add a couple Vendettas or some Lemans and a few squads of light scoring that might get ignored over your more threatening bolter squads.

Also Dominions in a immolator, kitted out for melta spam, is quite the option.

The Heavy Flamer option for Retributors is pretty nasty actually, throw that in an Immolator with its own heavy flamer, or multi-melta, Jump out of it for that critical 1st turn murder-strike utilizing their Rending ability, Watch as droves of marines, even termies, die before your spite filled flamer hatred.

Also keep in mind that Sisters can utilize Fortifications, Like the fortress of Redemption. Imagine some Dominions using their Ignores Cover ability on that Krak Storm? Or Retributors with H.Bolters on a section of wall with more heavy bolters. I forget how many ablative wounds the squad can have, but you get the idea.
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Offline LoH

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Re: Sisters of Battle Digital Codex - First Impressions
« Reply #8 on: October 20, 2013, 09:06:42 PM »
The main thing I noticed is that Sisters could be fielded with IG allies or IG fielded with Sisters allies very well.

Sisters aren't so expensive as to be prohibitive to being fielded with IG and are easy to slot in for the 1HQ 1 Troops required in the ally role. They make a tougher, more durable, more killy, option for scoring and have great potential to supplement Chimera's and their glorious plas/melta vets.

While IG as allies for Sisters could easily add a couple Vendettas or some Lemans and a few squads of light scoring that might get ignored over your more threatening bolter squads.

One of my previous uses for Sisters was as shock troops for my IG line squads. Still works just as well,

I'm thinking that max-squad footslogging Sisters are viable now. Especially with a token Priest or two thrown in there to stiffen them up. Once you get into melee, fire up the War Hymns (near as I can tell, two priests can be singing at the same time to get both the unit-benefitting effects) and watch them go.

I think the time to use the Acts of Faith is earlier rather than later (when you have more models to benefit).

I do not much care for Celestine's static Warlord Trait, as my version is usually off with a squad of Seraphim torching what needs torching.
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Offline Locarno

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Re: Sisters of Battle Digital Codex - First Impressions
« Reply #9 on: October 27, 2013, 10:59:03 AM »
Also; the Condemnor - actually occasionally useful now. Grey Knight Land Raider? Librarian hiding at the back of the squad? It's all good.
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Offline LoH

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Re: Sisters of Battle Digital Codex - First Impressions
« Reply #10 on: October 29, 2013, 03:01:53 PM »
Also; the Condemnor - actually occasionally useful now. Grey Knight Land Raider? Librarian hiding at the back of the squad? It's all good.

Occasionally useful? I'm contemplating modeling 4-5 of these things to assassinate Psykers. Seems extremely useful against Eldar (dropping attached Warlocks in squads), especially if all you have to do is hit.
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Offline Halollet

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Re: Sisters of Battle Digital Codex - First Impressions
« Reply #11 on: October 30, 2013, 12:32:40 PM »
Also; the Condemnor - actually occasionally useful now. Grey Knight Land Raider? Librarian hiding at the back of the squad? It's all good.

Occasionally useful? I'm contemplating modeling 4-5 of these things to assassinate Psykers. Seems extremely useful against Eldar (dropping attached Warlocks in squads), especially if all you have to do is hit.

Wait... doesn't it say unit?  Please correct me because this can't be right.  The way I'm reading it is that if a unit of Grey Knights Terminators is just hit by this weapon, the whole unit is wiped out.  They must have meant model, cause that would make sense, but right now... damn.

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Offline WisdomLS

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Re: Sisters of Battle Digital Codex - First Impressions
« Reply #12 on: October 30, 2013, 01:59:16 PM »
Grey knights are fine as the Brotherhood of psykers rule means only one model can be effected.
Unfortunately The condemer rules are a complete mess and don't work within any ruleset. It's best to have a discussion with your opponent before including them in a list just so you can both agree on which of the many different interpretations you wish to play them by.

On a cheerier note the new Inquisition codex should add alot of the flavour back into the sisters with many old units becoming available again as battlebrother allies.

Offline Locarno

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Re: Sisters of Battle Digital Codex - First Impressions
« Reply #13 on: October 30, 2013, 03:15:46 PM »
I don't see anything wrong with the current (new) rules for the condemnor.

Fired at a unit with brotherhood of psykers, it will kill one model only, because that's how Perils of the Warp works for them. Likewise, it will take a wound off a psyker if solo (tervigon) or a wound off a psyker in a unit that's hit (librarian in tactical squad) because that's how perils works for psykers.

Most interestingly it will also take a hull point off a vehicle with psychic pilot - which means kebabbing a grey knight land raider is quite doable.
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Offline WisdomLS

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Re: Sisters of Battle Digital Codex - First Impressions
« Reply #14 on: October 31, 2013, 09:26:03 AM »
Fired at a unit with BoP it does work but its when fired at a squad with one (or god forbid more) psyker in that the problems start to mount up.

Firstly models have the psyker rule not units and the rule is not passed on so a single psykic model in a non-psyker unit? How should it be played? We all have our opinion on it but there is not right answer, what if they are or aren't the closest model? does it matter? Who knows.
When you get to multiple psykers in the same unit the amphetamine parrot really hits the fan, do they all suffer perils, just one. half of them, shall we roll a dice? If its not all of them then how do we decide which it is, closest model, random model, can you LOS, as I said its just a very poorly worded mess that doesn't utilise the standard established rules as its base.

It's like someone just quickly scribbled it down and said yer that'll work whilst having no knowledge of the mechanics and order of operations of the game system. They might start FAQing again at some point in the future, we can only hope.

 


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