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Ok, I've started painting my SoB army and eventhough it'll take some time to complete, I'd like to get some feedback on what the good units are, which aren't and any changes I may need to institute. Currently I've got the following:

HQ
1 Cannoness w/ Retinue
1 VSS
1 Banner Bearer
1 Simulacrum Imperialis
2 SW Storm Bolter and Flamer
Transport either an Immolator or a Repressor

Elites - Celestian squad
1 VSS
1 Simulacrum Imperialis
2 SW Storm Bolter and Flamer
1 Celestian
Transport Immolator

Elites - Celestian Squad
1 VSS
1 Simulacrum Imperialis
2 SW Storm Bolter and Flamer
6 Celestian

Elites - Repentia
1 Mistress
9 Repentia

Troops - SoB
1 VSS Storm Bolter and PW
1 Simulacrum Imperialis
2 SW Melta and Flamer
6 SoB
Transport Rhino

Troops - SoB
1 VSS Storm Bolter and PW
1 Simulacrum Imperialis
2 SW Melta and Flamer
6 SoB
Transport Rhino

Fast Attack - Seraphim
1 VSS Plasma Pist. and PW
2 Seraphim hand Flamers
7 Seraphim

Fast Attack - Dominion squad
1 SS with bolt pist and CCW
4 SW Flamers
Transport - need another Immolator

Hvy - Retributors
1 SS w/ bolt pistor and CCW
4 Hvy Wpns Multi Melta or 4 Hvy Bolter (I got both)

Hvy - Exorcist

I know I need to beef up the Troops slots and I can likely field another full Troop squad w/ the models I have. I could also just pull one of the Celestian Sqds into the troops instead and beef it up. I'm not looking to play a tournament necessarily, I just like to have fun so winning isn't the issue. I do like being competative and don't want to waste points or money on units which are functionally worthless. I've heard bits and pieces but I'd like some concise input to help w/ the build so comments are welcome.

I would have to agree with you that your troop selection is a little lacking, you may have trouble with objective based games. I would go with HB on the Retributor squad, and maybe add a couple sisters to use as cannon fodder. Although I must admit SoB is not my forte since they got combined into the WH book.

You're spending an enormous amount of points on extras that you don't need. Power weapons at S3 are not very good. Banners and simulacrum imperialises (I admit I have no idea how to make this word plural) are definitely not worth their points.

Repentia are terrible. Terrible. With T3 and a 4+ save, they will die to most shooting attacks, and if they get to combat, they'll die before they get to swing because they always swing last!

Stormbolters are easily the worst choice for special weapon. Melta guns and heavy flamers are best, and flamers aren't bad.

The dominions should be a full squad with a VSS and a rhino. You will want to be able to use divine guidance with all those flamers.

In my (limited) experience, strictly speaking, Book of St. Lucius is the only unit upgrade you'll need. Between bolters, flamers, meltas and Divine Guidance, you can deal with anything in the game. I'd like to try Laud Hailers on my vehicles, but I can never find the points to spare.

IMHO,I would drop the retinue and put the points into some sisters for your troops. Put the Cannoness with one of the Celestine Squads.
If you can run two squads of sisters as troops and only one storms you may have better results.
As far as strength 3 power weapons, they're great when used with the right act of Faith (making them strength 5?). Still, I personally prefer to spend the points on Eviscerators.
Repentias work better in Inquisitor armies with either the Inquisitot or a Priest added. Plus, if I remember correctly, you don't get faithpoints for them(pls check this one).
I agree with the earlier post, Meltas and Flamers are your upgrade weapons.

Just a few ideas

The retinue is good: it prevents the canoness from being targeted in close combat. This is important when fighting an opponent with S6 or better.

What equipment are you giving your canoness, by the way?

I haven't completely decided on her WarGear to be honest. I got down last night and went back through organizing them and came up w/ 3 full SoB squads(That sorta killed my Dominions). 2 partial (6 man) Celestian squads and the option for either a Hvy bolter or a Multimelta Retributor squad(I could always work one or the other or revamp these for Dominions). I'd wondered about the feasibility of putting PW on my VSS's and I should have enough figures to swap them out w/ just plain SS's w/ CCW and Plasma or bolt pistols.

I'd like to do a squad or two of StormTroopers but only if I can get or make something that will be all female and look good. Ya, I'm being a bit stickler on that but hey...I think they'd be a bit restrictive about having the men around tbh.

shirou wrote:The retinue is good: it prevents the canoness from being targeted in close combat. This is important when fighting an opponent with S6 or better.

Sounds like your thinking that the SoBs are SM's when in assault they are closer to Eldar. If the sisters are fighting anything like that it should be done with guns and only assault to clean-up. Also the Sisters want to die for the Emperor, It's what gives you extra faithpoints.

@OP-The point I was trying to make is that A retinue and 2 Celestine Squads is overkill when running only 2 storms as troops. A Cannoness in a Celestian Squad packs more punch than in a retinue because of the extra vetran superior you'll have. It makes the squad more effective. But you can run it either way, either run 1 celestian and the retinue or 2 celestians. Whichever is your preference. Dropping one of these will allow you to run some sisters as troops.

I certainly agree with you. It's np at all to drop one of those Celestian squads and either remake my Dominions or beef up the Troops. Doing that I may even be able to put up 4 SoB squads. I've played DE mostly, CSM some but knowing the stats of these girls I'm thinking of trying more 'hit and run' type of tactics. TBH, I don't plan on getting into CC unless it's absolutely necessary. Well, I suppose as long as it's not in CC w/ a MEQ army. TEQ armies should be fine for the girls I'm guessing.

I play sisters as my primary army and I hope I can give you some insight on my experiences with them.

HQ
1 Cannoness w/ Retinue
1 VSS
1 Banner Bearer
1 Simulacrum Imperialis
2 SW Storm Bolter and Flamer
Transport either an Immolator or a Repressor

This a great HQ with spirit of the martyr your cannoness can hold up and eventually beat down almost anything with faith she has +2 invulns and with the book she's really not going to fail a leadership check. I played a game where this unit defeated a demon prince and a termi squad and the cannoness came through, the retinue didn't. I use the blessed weapon, inferno pistol, the cloak, the mantle and the book. I don't use a VSS the unit doesn't need it the celestians are faithful already, if you do use her she can carry an eviscerator. I do like the simulacrum imperialis because I don't want to fail the faith checks that keep this unit so survivable the banner is way to expensive. For the special weapons I take two melta guns but flamers in all varieties are cool too, but the storm bolters are trash. I like to roll in an immolator with smoke.

Elites - Celestian squad
1 VSS
1 Simulacrum Imperialis
2 SW Storm Bolter and Flamer
1 Celestian
Transport Immolator

Elites - Celestian Squad
1 VSS
1 Simulacrum Imperialis
2 SW Storm Bolter and Flamer
6 Celestian

Elites - Repentia
1 Mistress
9 Repentia

I think all these elite points would be better spent somewhere else.

Troops - SoB
1 VSS Storm Bolter and PW
1 Simulacrum Imperialis
2 SW Melta and Flamer
6 SoB
Transport Rhino

Troops - SoB
1 VSS Storm Bolter and PW
1 Simulacrum Imperialis
2 SW Melta and Flamer
6 SoB
Transport Rhino

My philosopy is to use combi weapons with the VSS and of course that book. The simulacrums here aren't too useful as the only act of faith they will be using is divine guidance and a squad of ten is enough to do it fairly reliably. Other than that I like to have smoke on my Rhinos too.

Fast Attack - Seraphim
1 VSS Plasma Pist. and PW
2 Seraphim hand Flamers
7 Seraphim

Fast Attack - Dominion squad
1 SS with bolt pist and CCW
4 SW Flamers
Transport - need another Immolator

Those Seraphim are looking good, except the power weapon on the VSS isn't so hot at s3 I think eviserators are a better choice. Those dominion need to be bigger to hit the divine guidance or I guess they could take one of those simulacrums

Hvy - Retributors
1 SS w/ bolt pistor and CCW
4 Hvy Wpns Multi Melta or 4 Hvy Bolter (I got both)

Hvy - Exorcist

The heavy slots are the only place to put weapons with more than a 24" range and that's why I think the the heavy bolters out perform the multi meltas. The exorcist will be amazing take two or better yet three.

Great feedback. I appreciate every bit of it. I think I've heard the consensus on several things I need to change. Like dropping the PW from my VSS's and Simulacrum Imperialis' from them as well. I definately need to kit out the Dominions it seems and that really shouldn't be a problem given the number of SoB I have.

Now that I've got that part of the army going, are there specific choices from the WH codex that I should really consider adding? Obviously Repentia and to a lesser degree Celestians are not getting much love so what about an Inquisitor w/ Retinue? Or priests... only so that I can have things like the Penitent Engines and Arco-Flagellents? Most of these Items would be what I'd need to get if they are worth it.

Don't get us wrong. Celestians are very good. Just not 3 squads to only 2 troops of storm troopers worth.

What we've been offering up is balance. If your running 3-4 troops, 2 fast attacks, and 2 heavies then its balanced to have 2 squads of celestians.

I cannot stress enough that faith points are your friend. I've only seen one split force that matched a purely sisters list for effectiveness against other armies and that was a Sisters/IG list in a high points game in fourth edition.

Point I'm getting at is don't ditch the Celestians. They are a great(maybe the only real)) elite choice for the sisters. The earlier comments were about elite vs troop, fast attack, and heavy slots.

Thanks again for the carification. Cool, I'll keep 2 Squads then. Likely one will be a retinue of the Cannoness. 3 squads of SoB troops and I'll likely add 2 Sqds of ST's when the plastics are released in march. Then there will be Seraphim, and a Dominion Squad and Exorcist (maybe 2) for heavy and a Retributor squad to anchor some locations down.

I appreciate the feedback, especially on the wargear use, since I tend to not see what is best until after I've played an army for awhile.

dominions and seraphim are both too expensive for what they do in 5th... you're better off with more basic sisters/celestians/exorcists

Looks like a good start.

Don't for get the transports for your dominions, Storms, and Sisters. Which ones are purely a matter of choice. Rhinos are just effective cheap fun where immolators can be an extra heavy if you need to use the vehicle without a squad.

Play what you've already got planned and see which way you want to go. Which transports you go with will mostly reflect your personal style of play as opposed to affecting overall army balance.