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My big question for SoB is where do I go from here?


saint celestine
1x canoness with chainsword and inferno pistol
1x Hospitaller
9x sisters repentia
1x Mistress of Repentance
4 Sisters Superior
39x battle sisters with bolters
3x battle sisters with flamers
2x sisters with meltaguns
3x battle sisters with storm bolters
1x Seraphim Sister Superior
3x seraphim
2x seraphim with flamer
1x Penitent Engine
1x immolator ( with 2 meltas, 2 heavy bolters, and 1 heavy flamer. exchangeable)
1x old school immolator with flamers (could easily do counts as melta)
1x Rhino
1x conversion exorcist (Once a Whirlwind but not for long)
1x Inquisitor with Inferno Pistol & Power Sword
1x Missionary with Plasma Gun
4x crusader
6x death cult assassin

Not a bad lot of total assets but the question is where to go from here? I can currently run three kitted standard squads and a dominican squad without much issue and at maximum value I can run a very crunchy conclave centered on "Uriah Jacobus" for who I use the Inquisitor in the above list as a counts as for. (More because I prefer the model to Uriah then anything else). I'm very open to suggestions list wise as well as potential "next steps" acquisition wise as I'm a complete boot with my girls and figure I have plenty of time to get the paper part ready with them.

You're in a pretty good place. Here's my list, using your models basically:

saint celestine
Jacobus with 6 DCA, 4 Crusader
Aegis (Need Aegis)
3xSoB Squads (7 Normal, 1 Superiors, 1 Melta (Need 1 Melta), Need 3 MultiMeltas), Rhino (Need 2 Rhinos)
2xDominions (3 Normal, 2 Flamers (Need 1 Flamer), 1 Superior (Need 1 Superior)), Immolator
1 Seraphim (3 Seraphim, 2 Flamers, 1 Superior)
2xExorcist (Need 2nd Exorcist)
Add Repentia Squad for Spice.

So you would need to buy or convert the following:

Aegis Defense Line
Meltagun (Convert from Storm Bolter)
3 Multimeltas (Buy)
Flamer (Convert from Storm Bolter)
Superior (Convert from Canoness, just remove Inferno Pistol and replace with BP or Bolter)
Exorcist
2 Rhinos

Alternatively, you can use the extra bodies to do foot sisters, but I really don't like them as much.


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With lucky trades/buys, you could pick up another whirlwind and a couple rhinos pretty cheap. The multi-meltas are a pain in the ass. You can either buy them or try to convert them using immolator bits and girls, but those end up looking pretty bad. Storm bolters to special weapons are a pretty easy conversion. I know a couple of regulars in this thread have done it.

I might pick up a couple more seraphim to buff out your Sera squad as well.

Curious, why do you not like foot sisters as much?

My last game I used 2 units of 20 sisters and they can lay down some hellish firepower.

streamdragon wrote:Curious, why do you not like foot sisters as much?

My last game I used 2 units of 20 sisters and they can lay down some hellish firepower.

Because that unit of 20 costs a minimum of 245 for 18 bolters and 2 specials. Compared to the other nasty things we can get in our list that is just point inefficiency. In my experience, our troop slot is a tax that we take to get to all the good bits that win us games. Don't get me wrong, I love BSS, but they are not good at anything in particular. Foot sisters have not been my cup of tea since 3rd edition and the height of Redemptionist screen shenanigans. Back then, I ran a lot of foot behind them since no one was ever stupid enough to get near the sisters until all the Reds were dead (which took a bit of work).

For a second, let's imagine that we are laying down our firepower at something within 12". They are going to chew it up pretty bad.
40 Bolters, 80/3 hit, reroll with faith 320/9 total hits. Toughness 4? 320/18 wound. 17 Wounds. Assuming MEQ, that's ~6 dead. (320/54)

I dunno, I may be biased but that just doesn't seem impressive for the points outlay. For the same points as a 20 squad of sisters, I can get a 10 squad of sisters, rhino and retributor squad. Or 10 sisters/rhino and be well on my way to a dominion squad.

I was thinking of putting Uriah in a 20 man block that could bubble wrap 2 squads of a Repentia and a DCA squad. Just an Idea I'm throwing around.

Once they get close enough Uriah jumps out of the big squad to join up with the DCA squad as they get ready to charge.

Why would you bubble wrap Repentia and DCA with sisters? If you're looking for bubble wrap, go with guard allies or reverse it so the repentia/dca are protecting the sisters.

250+ points for one bubble wrap squad that folds the first time it gets charged is not a good plan. (Unless you meant Kyrinov.)

Because what I have learn is that its easier to make a 3+ 5+FNP than it is to make a 6++ 5+FNP



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I want as many of the Repentia and DCA making it there so taking casualties on a unit that has better armor than that just makes for better odds that more of the hard hitter will get there.


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BTW this would be backed by 2 BSS in rhinos, 2 Exors and Ret squad behind a ADL.

Right, I understand they are more durable, but it is like using Terminators to bubble wrap tactical squads. You want something less durable and cheaper for bubble wrap.

Not to mention that people can still fire at your DCA/Repentia who get a 5+ from cover / 5+ FNP now and still go down like chumps.

A line of Crusaders and DCA are in between the Repentia

Repentia still only get a 5+ Cover / 5+ FNP. The crusaders get their 3+/5+FNP, DCA get 5+/5+. Not to mention the whole enterprise seems a bit complicated just to deliver your assault unit unto the enemy.

I mean, if it works, don't let me stop you. I just try to keep it simpler.

I have another question, what do you guys use for combiweapon superiors?

Btw, I convert my meltas and flamers from bolters using pipes and Green stuff

I use either the old Combi-weapon canoness/superiors that they produced, or I do a little chop and swap on a normal bolter.

I.e. I take the barrel off the front and skootch it up a bit. I then put the combi barrel down by the grip.

Let me see if I have a good pic.




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The middle model with the banner has just a normal plastic bolter in her hand that I combi'd.

I used chopped up plaspistols for combiplas. trim down the foregrip on the bolter, and they fit nicely underneath.

I'm using sisters as allies for my guard (counts as heavy-infantry. human statlines), and so far I'm loving SSBs, especially retributors, and uriah conclaves.
I'm planning to try out quad-flamer outflanking dominions, coming in with a cannonness, in this setup:

Cannonness: Plaspistol, Powersword
Dominions x10: Flamer x4, Plaspistol, Powersword

Is this a good fireball unit, or should I switch up the gear on the cannonness/vet?

I would skip the canoness. If you're going to keep her though and want the plasma, go for dual pistols, drop the power swords.

Remember I'm the boot on this channel but from what I understand for Sister tactics, drop the dominions down to 6, stick'em in a immolator. You now have a bunch of extra light stuff on fire potential.

I'm glad the Aegis is so damn cheap, it really is starting to become an auto include for IG/SoB and several other armies, especially if you don't have AAA, or your AAA is forge world only and costs as much as a full kitted retributor squad.

So here's my shopping list:
1x flamer
1x melta
3x multimelta
2-3x Sister Superiors (always better to have more squad leaders)
4x HB sisters
2x Seraphim
And a few more bolter girls to make sure all the slots are filled in
2x Rhinos
1x Exorcist

Just over $300 new from GW. and some of it will almost certainly have to be.

That and about $150 left to get my Guard to my desired point value, not bad not bad.

Time to start stalking ebay.

What's all this 'boot on this channel' business?

5 Doms in Immolator or 10 in Rhino. Right now, Rhino may win out due to overwatch out the top. Stay tuned for battle reports over the coming months. Personally, I prefer the MM Immo for the first turn tank pop.

Boot, new guy and in my case arm chair tactician

I used an old Epic mortar and some green stuff to make my combies, Green stuff and a Melta barrel works for Combi meltas.

pretre wrote:I would skip the canoness. If you're going to keep her though and want the plasma, go for dual pistols, drop the power swords.

I need something as an HQ, and canoness seems to be the cheapest, and none of the other HQs mesh with the rest of my list (MSU footguard with plasguns and russes). So she either outflanks with the dominions, or sits back with the rest of my army in a SSB squad or something.

I really like the quad flamers, so Immolator is out. I might try them in a rhino, just to get that extra 6inches of movement from outflank.

Maybe Seraphim with hand flamers would be a better way to go.

Kyrinov is GREAT for MSU footguard. He gives Fearless to everyone within 6".

The rhino doms are still good, don't get me wrong. 4 Flamers is just disgusting.

McGibs wrote:

pretre wrote:I would skip the canoness. If you're going to keep her though and want the plasma, go for dual pistols, drop the power swords.

I need something as an HQ, and canoness seems to be the cheapest, and none of the other HQs mesh with the rest of my list (MSU footguard with plasguns and russes). So she either outflanks with the dominions, or sits back with the rest of my army in a SSB squad or something.

The Canoness might be the cheapest HQ, but she's still a waste of points. You're spending 90pts on a model that, basically does nothing. You could spend the same amount and get Kyrinov who "sits back with the rest of [your] army" way better than a Canoness would. You could spend 25pts more and get St Celestine, who might not provide synergy with your army, but paying 115pts for something is a lot better than paying 90pts for nothing.

I might sound a bit over the top here, but the Canoness really is that bad.

Yeah, the more I look at her, the less I like her.

I've used Celestine a few times, and she's either really awesome, or stays dead for most of the game. Krynov might be a good choice, but I like to run my infantry around, and theyd quickly be out of fearless range.
Another question is what should I use for firey deliverance? Outflanking dominions with 4 twin-linked flamers, or 10 Seraphim with 4 twin-linked handflamers (and possibly celestine)

Sticking Uriah Jacobus with a massive Guard blob is pretty hilarious too, especially with a Lord Commissar nearby.

Celestine is pretty much always great. Keep in mind that Kyrinov's bubble is 6" from the vehicle if he is embarked. It makes for a hard to shift objective holding position.

McGibs wrote:Krynov might be a good choice, but I like to run my infantry around, and theyd quickly be out of fearless range.

In that case just put him with whatever squad you want to keep fearless. It's not the optimal use for him, but it's still something.

McGibs wrote:Another question is what should I use for firey deliverance? Outflanking dominions with 4 twin-linked flamers, or 10 Seraphim with 4 twin-linked handflamers (and possibly celestine)

The raw performance of the two units is very similar. With squads of 10, the disadvantage of having S3 vs S4 is partially offset by the four extra bolter shots the Seraphim get. Interestingly, if you take into account the natural re-roll that Seras get for their AoF, the average case of each unit firing against T4 (assuming 5 hits per template) is the same: 17 wounds. The advantage that Seras have beyond this is that they're faster than Dominions (especially now that you can only move 6" and disembark) and they can assault whatever they just shot. Their disadvantage is that they're foot troops and are exposed to enemy fire.

The solution to that problem is St Celestine. With her 2+ save, she catches bullets like a champ. She also makes the Seras fearless and gives them a boost to their Hit and Run and their AoF. (Adding Celestine makes the average case vs T4 a whopping 22 wounds.) Fearless is a really big deal as you can now charge them into combat without worrying about getting an unlucky Ld test. That lets you use CC to shield them from shooting in your opponent's turn and then your 85% chance to Hit and Run will free you to act on your turn. It can also let you bypass the enemy's front lines and let you jump into their backfield, where they might not want you to be.

I've been the lone voice for Seraphim since the WD list came out, but I think the way Celestine buffs them under the new rules, they're practically an auto-include now.


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Oh, and to anyone using Seraphim, don't forget to throw a Frag Grenade!

I am running Celestine and Seraphim now that we moved to 6th after your recommendation, Amerikon. I'll let you know how it goes when I hit up a tournament next month.

I think a decent balance is achieved with Doms and Seras in the same list. Again grain of salt from lack of experience but dominions seem to shine when set up as tank hunters, especially when Immo mounted. That's a lot of toy breaking you can do and will certainly make vehicle heavy armies nervous.

Seraphs with or without Celestine make excellent grunt hunters.

Using both efficiently with BSSs mopping up with ranged bolter fire and exorcist support is a strong combat tactic.

KalashnikovMarine wrote:I think a decent balance is achieved with Doms and Seras in the same list. Again grain of salt from lack of experience but dominions seem to shine when set up as tank hunters, especially when Immo mounted. That's a lot of toy breaking you can do and will certainly make vehicle heavy armies nervous.

Seraphs with or without Celestine make excellent grunt hunters.

Using both efficiently with BSSs mopping up with ranged bolter fire and exorcist support is a strong combat tactic.

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't arguing Seraphim above all else. The 5E convention was to make lists with 3 Dominion squads. When I say that Seras are practically an auto-include, I mean a single unit of Seras. I'm very strongly in favor of using a full Seraphim squad in tandem with tank hunting Dominions and I think your observations above are correct. I'd also add that thanks to the new rules, Seras can pop most vehicles as well.

As I'm running SoB as allies, I can only take one FA slot, so its either Doms or Seras. I've got enough big smashy tanks for vehicle killing, so the flamer seras are looking more appealing.

pretre wrote:I am running Celestine and Seraphim now that we moved to 6th after your recommendation, Amerikon. I'll let you know how it goes when I hit up a tournament next month.

Glad to be of service!

Shifting gears....

Something I'm interested in trying out is un-meching our troops. Looking over the missions (and I think this may have come up before), there's really only one mission where troops are needed to take objectives (Crusade). In the others, you either get help from FA and HS, or you only have to contend with single objectives. I've always been of the mind that our Troops were relatively poor choices compared to the rest of the army, so why not take the next step and completely minimize them? For the price of those two Rhinos they're barely using, you can almost get a MM Immo.

I'm going to try out foot troops and two max-size Retributor squads tonight and let y'all know how it goes.