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I have looked over all the recent post about Sisters as well as the imput of those at my local GW store, and have come up with the following list. I appreciate any advise.

HQ

Canoness
Blessed Weapon
Book of St. Lucius
Cloak of St. Aspira
Jump Pack
Total – 120 pts

HQ Total

Troops

Battle Sister Squad (x18)
Meltagun
Heavy Flamer
Veteran Superior
Book of St. Lucius
Eviserator
Total – 264 pts

Battle Sister Squad (as above)
Battle Sister Squad (as above)
Battle Sister Squad (as above)

Troops Total – 1048 pts

Heavy Support

Retributor Squad (x9)
Multimeltas (x4)
Veteran Superior
Book of St. Lucius
Total – 218 pts

Retributor Squad (x9)
Heavy Bolters (x4)
Veteran Superior
Book of St. Lucius
Total – 178 pts

Retributor Squad (as above)

Heavy Support Total – 574 pts

Army – 1750 pts

This is exactly 100 bodies with 9 faith points.

What does this list do to a TS/oblit list? It seems that Str4 Ap 3 shots will wreck this army, even outside of rapid fire range.

9 shots, 6 hits, 4 wounds adds up when you think that you will most likely have to take 2rounds of this fire before you have run up to melta/rapid fire range, then you have to whether a doubletap from the TS marines. Add to that plasma cannon shots and this army may fold long before it can do any real damage.

The army is resilient, but you need to rely on good run rolls to get anywhere, and anything designed to kill MEqs will kill you 50% faster.

Any AP3 or better Ordinance will likewise pound this army back into the stone age, and will have a better range than your multimeltas, so you will have to run those at least once, of not more, giving the pieplates even more time to fire upon you.

What do you do vs a leman russ, a vindicator, or hell even a whirlwind that is dropping str 5 plates on you and forcing pinning checks? LD9 is good, but not invincible.

I know many people have been talking about footslogging Sisters as the end-all of awesome, but it seems to me like it's a one-trick pony.

Another thing to consider with 5th edition is that more squads = better. I would split two of those squads into two sans eviserators. 2 untis without eviserators should be fine. Some aries WILL charge you. Often on turn2. use these units as the stop that lets you pour on the hurt with your other stuff.

I prefer exorcists (at least 2,) and a heavy bolter ret sqaud for my heavies, even when running mostly footslogging. They comliment the force better, and provide a way of dealing with armor that can really break your game plan.
Like sushi caddy points out ... what happens when a hammerhead, russ, whirlwind, etc just sits back at max range dropping plates onto your huge horde of sister bodies? Multimeltas will give you a 24" bubble that they won't want to stray into, but why come to you when they can drop their plates from 72"?

Meph


Meph

For the most part the list looks good. You have lots of bodies to soak up damage and a decent mix of ability. Were I you (and I'm not), I would break up one of the regular sister squads into two smaller squads, both with double melta guns. You could then use those squads for short ranged tank hunting purposes. Just run them behind one (or two) of the larger squads and they should live to do their job. You may have to play with the squad sizes and wargear in your other squads to make this happen, but it seems like a waste to have a 18ish (wo)man squad of sisters fire at a tank just so your one melta gun has a chance at blowing it up.

I also question the viability of a multimelta retributor squad. Sure they will keep tanks out of their 12" bubble, but it seems like more horde based armies will just laugh at them and keep coming. Even things like assault marines would probably just take the turn of shooting from the squad (losing 3ish marines in the process) and charge in. If multimeltas were assault weapons, I think that this squad would have a use; however, since multimeltas are heavy weapons, it seems to me that this squad is kind of a waste. Your actual battle field experience may differ though.

If you take Rets, take Heavy Bolter rets.

If you take footslogging sister squads, take dual meltaguns.

Since you've combined the two, you really need some IG with lascannons to soften things up...

I won't worry too much about templates. Yes, they hurt. So spread out. You should be spread out running Sisters anyway.

Anyway I think you want more units available, not less.
I'd split things up a bit, get more units on the board.

No multi-meltas...till you can move and fire them, or mount them on a bike unit...they're barely useful even then. Scrap 'em or run MORE total units with multi-meltas.

I have a few questions before I do revising. First, how do mech sisters fair? I was originally planning to make a mech list, but the general consensus at my local GW store was that they were a bad army, and that foot was the way to go. I've gotten the opposit feeling since reading dakka, but I'm still not sure.

As for the heavy support, what about the more common single HB ret squad, dual exorcist tanks, or should I just go 3 exorcists?

Next, if I do drop them to smaller squads, what size? Should I min max them (10 sisters, 2 meltas, 1 book vet) or should I cushion it abit more? Afew Celestians maybe?

The last thing I have to ask is, should I go abit hybrid with this list (part mech, part footslog) or pick one and stick with it, and (since I really love the models), how would afew GK allies work with a footslogging list?

Unfortunatly I am just starting the army, so my experience is limited.

Both armies work fine.

I ran foot Sisters back in the CA2002 days, and did very well with them.

In 5th, mech Sisters are now a more viable choice because (most of the time) your vehicles don't get shattered by enemy weapons right away.

If you go foot, I'd go rets. If you go mech, I'd go exorcists.

Smaller squads are defensive. Bigger squads are offensive. So decide what you want each to do, and tailor their sizes appropriately. Remember the 5-10 and 10-20 unit sizes tend to dictate what each unit is going to do...

Go all mech or all foot, not both.

GK and IG are valid allies for both types of armies.

How about this revision? It has the same number of infantry marching forward, with exorcists added for longer support. Though I had to tone down the ret squad, I do still have abit of my shooting support from the GKs (though it is abit weeker and shorter range ) Also, I dropped the eviserators, as I do have the GKs running up behind, and with the new rules for hitting hind armor, I feel these will work for melee support. Finally, I split afew of the larger squads and made two 10 man tank hunting squads, putting flamer/HF into my larger squads. Totals for this army are 80 models, 2 tanks, 7 faith points.

HQ

Canoness
Blessed Weapon
Bolt Pistol
Book of St. Lucius
Cloak of St. Aspira
Jump Pack

Troops

Battle Sister Squad (x18)
Flamer
Heavy Flamer
Veteran Superior
Book of St. Lucius
Battle Sister Squad (as above)

Battle Sister Squad (x10)
Meltaguns (x2)
Veteran Superior
Book of St. Lucius


Battle Sister Squad (as above)

Grey Knights (x7)
Justicar

Grey Knights (as above)

Heavy Support

Exorcist
Exorcist

Retributor Squad (x7)
Heavy Bolters (x3)
Veteran Superior
Book of St. Lucius

Your exorcists will be nullified on turn 1.

Then what?

All mech, or all foot.

Really.

Alright, though if I drop them, would I just finish by adding a second HB Ret and beefing up the other, or would I want a third dual melta first for abit more anti tank?

You want Guard with Lascannons for a foot army.

For a mech force, shake-n-bake ovens are fine.

I can probably work something out once I have a chance to look through a guard codex. I just have two last questions though, first, would taking the inducted guard infringe on more than 1 ally (meaning the GK would have to be dropped)? It doesnt appear so to me, though I would just like to get a second opinion. Also, if no, would I even want to continue with the GK, or would 5-6 las cannons + sisters on foot be better than las cannons + sisters + GK?

As a final note, thanks for the input Stelek.

Stelek wrote:If you take Rets, take Heavy Bolter rets.

If you take footslogging sister squads, take dual meltaguns.

Since you've combined the two, you really need some IG with lascannons to soften things up...

I won't worry too much about templates. Yes, they hurt. So spread out. You should be spread out running Sisters anyway.

Anyway I think you want more units available, not less.
I'd split things up a bit, get more units on the board.

No multi-meltas...till you can move and fire them, or mount them on a bike unit...they're barely useful even then. Scrap 'em or run MORE total units with multi-meltas.

But if you spread out, you are guaranteeing at least 1-3 hits, as 18 SOB will cover quite a bit of ground. you wont be in meltagun/rapid fire range for 2-3 turns, that's a lot of templates, plus if you spread 18 sisters out you will be denying many of them rapid fire, reducing your firepower even more.

Add that to armies that fare vary well at denying 3+ armor saves, and you have a lot of hurt for the footslogging sisters.

an eldar army with banshees/clowns, reapers, eldrad and an avatar will MURDER this list.

you have no answer for the Avatar, eldrad can pop the veteran sisters with the books, taking away the precious stubborn rule. Banshees and clowns will rip them apart in hand to hand, while the reapers annihilate a squad a turn. add to that avangers, and you have trouble with a capital "T"

Now I'm not saying it isn't powerful in the right situation, but it's a gimmicky list that does not have an answer for many opponents.

Meh, that's relatively easy to beat Sushi.
The sisters advance in an interleaved fashion - meaning the Dark Reapers will never see more than 50% of a unit that isn't obscured by another unit... aka 4+ cover save ftw. Your exarch with crack shot will get through, but that's it.

Last time I checked, the Avatar went down fast to mass-bolter fire - and this army has a lot of it. If Eldrad shows his face for LoS for a MindWar, then he'll eat lascannons/exorcists/psycannons/whatever for dinner. Oh, and he has to get through the VSS 5+ save vs Psychic and then still beat her in a roll... not impossible, certainly - but makes it more work than it's worth.

Harlequins will die the first time they are shot. And it's not that hard to get to shoot them.
Banshees are pansies now. Full stop.

Running gets me in rapid-fire range of your army on turn 2... and you've forgone the only units that an Eldar army has to save itself against this kind of list: Falcons.

I'd be much more worried about Eldrad and another Farseer riding around in the back of Falcons giving the 3 tanks re-rollable 4+ cover saves.

stjohn70 wrote:Meh, that's relatively easy to beat Sushi.
The sisters advance in an interleaved fashion - meaning the Dark Reapers will never see more than 50% of a unit that isn't obscured by another unit... aka 4+ cover save ftw. Your exarch with crack shot will get through, but that's it.

Last time I checked, the Avatar went down fast to mass-bolter fire - and this army has a lot of it. If Eldrad shows his face for LoS for a MindWar, then he'll eat lascannons/exorcists/psycannons/whatever for dinner. Oh, and he has to get through the VSS 5+ save vs Psychic and then still beat her in a roll... not impossible, certainly - but makes it more work than it's worth.

Harlequins will die the first time they are shot. And it's not that hard to get to shoot them.
Banshees are pansies now. Full stop.

Running gets me in rapid-fire range of your army on turn 2... and you've forgone the only units that an Eldar army has to save itself against this kind of list: Falcons.

I'd be much more worried about Eldrad and another Farseer riding around in the back of Falcons giving the 3 tanks re-rollable 4+ cover saves.

Wait...

your answer is the Voodoo formation?

*shakes head*

voodoo formation is ruleslawyering to the highest degree, but even if you use it, it won't help you.

Running gets you into rapid fire range on turn two, which means you are in assault range of my army. elrad will doom two units of banshees, and fortune himself. The two squads of banshees, will hit your doomed units for 30 attacks, hitting on 20, and wounding 15 before you ever get to strike back, leaving you with 2 sisters and a veteran sister, who will do 1-2 wounds back. and this is if the bansees have to fleet to get into range. so if you run forward for the 2nd turn rapid fire, you will lose two units of sisters.

Running to rapid fire range also means you are in range for two full bladestorms, while not desroying a unit, will give it significant damage 60 shots, 40 hits, 26 wounds, 9 unsaved = down by half, which mans you only have one full unit left, which the dark reapers will fire at (assuming the retributors killed one squd of reapers in your shooting turn) 36 shots, 24 hits, 20 wounds, 10 unsaved + 4 crack shot attacks, 3 hit 3 wound= down two 7. Since you said that you are in rapid fire range, you are also in assault range of the avatar, who assaults and has 6 attacks, hitting 4 wounding 4. the 5 sisters who are left attack back, hitting twice and not wounding. the cannoness is more of a threat, but is still hitting on 5+ woundin on 4+ wiht a 4+ save, so most likely only one wound will go though. the sisters are still within 6" of a book, and so are still subborn, but the avatar is stuck in, so no bolter fire. finally the two squads of avengers charge as well, 40 attacks 26 hits, 13 wounds, 4 unsaved wounds. the 3 left attack back, 3 attacks, 2 hits, 1 wounds 1 unsaved.

so now we have 2nd turn, sisters starting with all 4 units stuck in combat with vastly supirior forces, who will be wiped out in your turn two, after that you have 3 retributor squads who can engage the reapers in a duel while the rest of your army is destroyed.


IF your sisters run into rapid fire range, they can be assaulted. period. sisters have a 3+ save, but they are also ws3 S3 T3, they cannot stand up to a charge from anything but guard and tau. they won't get to fire their snazzy bolt guns. you would be much better off sitting back and using long range fire, but even then I will be in your face in two turns, with fortune on the avatar and the two squads of banshees to make sure they get into CC. couple that with screening saves from the avangers (who will still blade storm you) and the fact that everyone is fearless thanks to the avatar, you still have a tough battle ahead of you.

also when you run you don't shoot, giving the enemy 1-2 rounds to fire at you pretty much unmolested except by your three heavy squads.

Man, that's an exciting made-up bizarro world battle report.

Stelek wrote:Man, that's an exciting made-up bizarro world battle report.

hey just wait unit I have a khorn demon bomb army get wailed on in CC by tau.

with Mathhammer, anything is possible

There is a counter to just about everything. Sure that eldar list tailored to take on this sisters list will in fact rip them up. However, in general, the sisters should do fairly well. Even against that eldar list, the proper use of faith can mitigate a lot of the damage on the way in. All in all, I think as long as the sisters stick to either all mech (rhinos and exorcists) or all foot (mix of large and small squads + retrebuters with heavy bolters) they should be fine.