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The last week I busted out my SOB for some playing time. It's the first time in a long time that I used them in 5th edition. However, every time I've been underwhelmed by it's performance. With smoke launchers and cover bouncing 50% of it's hits, the fact that one weapon destroyed result makes it useless, and the fact that it is pretty useless vs. AV14...is there a better use of those points now for SOB? Currently I am not fielding them and I am using retributors, more celestians instead. Thoughts?

Aren't Exorcists one of the best anti-tank units out there? If I remember right they're AP1, so 50% of your penetrating hits = boom. With 3-4 shots on average thats a pretty good chance to kill enemy tanks.

Taking 1, not so good. Typically, the only time I'm up against them, there are three and they nearly always end up with a 4+ cover save. With an AP1 weapon that can hit at range, I'm duly impressed by them.

I would have to say they are still really good, especially in an all sisters army. But take at least 2 if not three. And they are hardly worthless against Av 14, the ap 1 brings back the good old kaboom on a glancing 6. And very reasonably pointed IMO.

I echo the sentiment that they're very good. Don't forget, they're pretty cheap, so you can't expect them to totally dominate the game, but for a SoB army, which is very good up close, their long range firepower is vital. It's not the best firepower in the world, but AP1 is very nice, and it can change roles over to a heavy infantry or MC killer very nicely.

I've certainly had games where mine didn't do anything. It happens. But they've also done a ton for me in other games. They're absolute murder on most transports, like Rhinos, Razorbacks and Chimeras.

I usually field 2. Maybe I'll give them another shot in this weekend's RTT.

Exorcists are a must take if your not spamming Immolators or doing a foot list.

Exorcists are the best option for Sisters to have ranged anti tank to kill transports. This is a requirement imo to have at least some ranged anti tank to pop and stun transports before they move troops to objectives.

I take 3 Exorcists in every Witch Hunter list I make. There really aren't any other heavy choices worth taking other then Immolators if you want to spam them.

Retributors are not worth it If you want heavy bolters take an elite DH Inquisitor with Psycannon Tarot Sage 2 Mystics 3 Heavy Bolter Servitors. This gives you an anti deepstrike bubble +1 to go first 5/6 of the time and your heavy bolters.

Exorcists are a must take if your not spamming Immolators or doing a foot list.

My list is more of a mix.

Canoness with Mantle, Cloak, Inferno Pistol, Litanies, book
Celestian retinue w/ VSS w/ Evis
Priest w/ Evis
Mounted in Rhino EA Smoke

1 rhino EA smoke mounted SOB squad with VSS Evis, book, Meltagun, HF

1 rhino EA smoke mounted SOB squad with VSS combi-flamer, book, X2 flamers

1 large foot squad w/ 2 stormbolters, VSS with Evis, book

5 man celestian squad with melta, combi melta mounted in immolator

6 man retributor squad with 4 HBs, Storm Bolter, Imagifier in immolator

6 man retributor squad with 4 MMs, Storm Bolter in immolator

8 man Seraphim squad with 2 hand flamers, meltabombs, PW.

Retributors are not worth it If you want heavy bolters take an elite DH Inquisitor with Psycannon Tarot Sage 2 Mystics 3 Heavy Bolter Servitors. This gives you an anti deepstrike bubble +1 to go first 5/6 of the time and your heavy bolters.

IMHO, heavy bolter retributors are worth it. 12 HB shots that can be DG'd has been a huge success for my army.

Exorcists kill small vehicles reliably but so do autocannons. I dont use them in my Immolator lists.

thehod wrote:Exorcists kill small vehicles reliably but so do autocannons. I dont use them in my Immolator lists.

Fielding autocannons isn't an option. I don't like using inducted guard in my lists.

I would definitely drop your retributors for exorcists since you have no ranged anti tank at all.

Unless your spending points for Litanies getting of divine guidance on a 5-6 Retributer squad is not all that likely and not that good compared to having diving guidance for AP1 on flamers in 10 woman battle sister squads.

That's why I have the imagifier. 3D6 pick the best. Getting divine guidance off hasn't been a problem. Most likely I'll be dropping the other retributor squad and shifting points elsewhere to pick up my 2 exorcists.

Kirika wrote:I would definitely drop your retributors for exorcists since you have no ranged anti tank at all.

Unless your spending points for Litanies getting of divine guidance on a 5-6 Retributer squad is not all that likely and not that good compared to having diving guidance for AP1 on flamers in 10 woman battle sister squads.

Not to repeat, but more to add my voice to the Exorcist love.

Exorcist are the only real way to get ranged anti-armor in a Sisters list efficiently and points effectively.

135 points for 3.5 Str 8 AP 1 shots a turn? TYVM, I'll take 3.

Our only other options? BS3 Lascannons and Autocannons from Guard, Melta Torpedos (HA!)

Oh and as for Retributors with MMs in an Immolator? MM are Heavy so I have to deploy from the Immolator to even use them and then there is a 1 turn lag time. Seems pretty iffy to me.
1 turn of Movement to get in position, 1 turn deployment (if you didn't pop out first turn), Enemie's half of the turn obliterating you and then shooting.


My exorcist is dropping the Emperor's Love from turn 1 with only the lag time it takes me to pick my targets.

If I want mobile AT, I'll go for Sisters in a Rhino doing a Driveby.

The MM squad's immolator isn't to ferry them around. It's used as a screen for my rhinos while advancing full speed. However, in a pinch I could use it to scoot them if need be. First turn shooting most likely puts them out of range if I go first, but what about going second? I don't need to be in range if someone is coming to me. I'll get that range when my opponent moves. I find that MM units (of any kind for any army) tend to create areas of denial for certain units such as landraiders loaded with stuff, etc. The MM squad can stay shooting much longer than an exorcist can...and continue to influence board control. Dunno, it's not that I dislike exorcists...quite the opposite...it's just that they aren't as effective as they used to be.

If I remember what your army was, it was mostly infantry right?

I don't know what is the meta where you play but if you are going up against a lot of armies with lots of transports then the Exorcists are very valuable, especially versus guard and Chaos.

G

Well after adding the two exorcists to the list, they performed exactly as I have expected...a resounding M-E-H. In every game except one, they fired once before either getting a weapon destroyed...or destroyed. I still think they are not as good as they used to be, but almost seem like they are needed just to draw fire away from the transports. Overall, they got a C- for the day. I'm thinking of shelfing the SOB for a while.

Well, with smoke and the new vehicle table. The exorcists have lost some of their punch. But like you said we need them to draw some fire away form our rhino's. So the rhino's can close in with the enemy. To do a driveby with our melta's.
I think for 135 points you should take them. It's the only thing we have at range.

It's sad to hear that you are thinking of shelfing your SOB.

Not being able to hide behind area terrain move out and shoot at full capacity is a step backward for them in 5th. But I still think they are the only option to fill a badly needed hole in the army. And a decent option at that. Play without them for awhile and I think you’ll find the entire army takes a few steps backward.

Don't forget that exorcists have turrets for peeking out past your other tanks and terrain. I do this all the time with mine and because there's no hull to shoot at (or limited coverage, so they have to shoot at an opposite facing) they survive a lot more.

Not too mention when this doesn't work, I second the thought of 'At least my girls aren't getting shot'.

Also 3 is exponentially better than 2. 10.5 S8 AP1 shots is nothing to scoff at. The more you have the closer you will come to the mean (avoiding those "I just rolled two ones for # of shots" turns hopefully).

Also, don't forget they can glance kill someone at range and get a +1 to the table (a property really only shared with a few Longrange weapons).

As a tyranid player I dont like facing excorcists at all. They wound my MCs on 2+, ignore my expensive 2+ armor and ID my warriors. I have very few things that can hurt them the first turns, and if I spend what little longrange/spodded firepower I have at them, I'll have to leave the soon-to-be-horribly-painful rhinos and immolators at peace. It is one of the few times in this game that I always feel I am doing a loose/loose choice :-/

They sure are a bit random, but the devastation that comes from a good turn breaks my morale, and often a serious piece of my army every time.