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Can you help me see the value of the Stormbolter Sister? When are these worth taking? What role do they fill?

Stormbolters are fairly cheap in Battle Sister squads, but I really can't see the benefit of arming one or two sisters with the weapon. 2 Stormbolters lets them fire 4 shots at 24 inches while moving, but that's not very impressive. Adding and extra 2 shots to long range stationary shooting isn't that great either. Certainly it's not worth almost the same cost of another sister, is it?

How about in Dominion squads? where the Stormbolter is only 3 points less than another Dominion? Is a loadout of 4 Stormbolters worthwhile? 8 mobile 24 inch shots seem viable. On the other hand, they're pretty expensive.

Keep in mind the points cost for them was set before the rapid fire rules changed(used to only be one shot 12" if you moved, or two if you were stationary). So those shots used to be worth a bit more.

Sure. So my question is, are they currently worthwhile? Is anyone using them with any success?

5 Dominions with 1 as a veteran sister superior and all with Storm Bolters(and the superior with a power weapon) Could do well as an all-rounder squad; but could also be pricey(I didn't bother doing the math on it). 10 Bolter Shots at up to 24"on the move is rather nice; but then Meltas in rhinos would be better.

In a Standard Sisters squad the Storm bolter is not that expensive so if you didn't have the points for better guns it could almost be worth it(but not really though).

They really face the same issue as Noise marines with Sonic Blasters; seems Like a good idea with all the shots on the move but then you are paying a lot for those shots(at least the sisters can do it cheaper)

i have been and always will be a fan of MORE SHOOTING. The more you shot, the more damage potential there is, completely ignoring AP on the weapon, because the more i shoot, the more i hit, the more I hit, the more I wound, and then the more saves must be rolled. As long as I am making the other guy roll saves, the greater chance of him removing models. Yes insta-death weapons are cool, and for sure have their place(s) but in a game of dice rolls, the more you roll the better. IMHO

hcordes wrote:i have been and always will be a fan of MORE SHOOTING. The more you shot, the more damage potential there is, completely ignoring AP on the weapon, because the more i shoot, the more i hit, the more I hit, the more I wound, and then the more saves must be rolled. As long as I am making the other guy roll saves, the greater chance of him removing models. Yes insta-death weapons are cool, and for sure have their place(s) but in a game of dice rolls, the more you roll the better. IMHO

Huzzah!

The sad thing is I am sure someone out there could come up with some Mathhammer to back up my statement, but really its simple logic... no math required. more shooting + more wounds + more saves = more dead enemies.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
edit: No COMPLEX math required.

I've had this conversation before with a fellow Sisters player.

My position is very simple - for one point more I can have a flamer.

I really cannot fathom why I'd want a Storm bolter over that. Sisters Squads or Dominions - the same applies.

Sisters have a sweet spot between 7 and 12 inches. Choosing weapons for outside that range is a false gain because no matter how many Storm Bolters you cram into your list, you'll never be truely effective outside that range, and for one point more, you can be far more effective inside it.

It's a matter of efficiency - making the bad guy roll the most saves per point spent.

Me? I generally don't even bother shooting if I'm outside of rapid range - I run. Though of course, that's not an iron rule.

Long story short, the only reason to use a Storm Bolter is because, for some reason, they put one in the box.

yaeh can't see any reason to have them especially considering the sweet spot of sisters is about 8" away. THe extra range is worthless. You can't even really benefit from divine guidence since your squad is so small.

well I take storm bolter just for more shots, by it self its not good but if you use a act of faith and all your 6 rolls become AP 1 then I think it was worth taking them in the end.

I would rather have the meltaguns in my squads but it does depend on whats people play in your area.

I traded for my SoB army. The first thing I did was to Give Away the SB.
Flamers and melta guns have done so much for me in battles.
Many times I found my Battle squad behind or beside vehicles. I could to get close with the melta for the 1d6 AP bonus. Then rapid fire the troops that were inside. I like them shooting at troops. After you hit, It's nice to know you will have 1 instakill.
Most of the time the Melta and flamer will be out of range. That is the drawback to Melta guns and flamers.

christianA wrote:I would rather have the meltaguns in my squads but it does depend on whats people play in your area.

I think this and the comment about the rules being written in another era sum it up nicely.

Pros:
You could shoot at full distance from the top of a moving rhino.
One more shot if you are going to cast acts of faith 13-24 inches away.

Cons:
You give up the opportunity to take other/better special weapons.
You are never going to cast acts of faith 13-24 inches away.

Azezel and Dumplinman are both correct. SoB work best as a close range gunline army; flamers are so much more effective than SB's when you get close that it really should be a no brainer to just toss the SB toting Sister into the bin.

The only time i could ever see the SB being useful is if you're defending an objective and want to get more shots off as the enemy closes in, but even this isn't worth the points.

ArtfcllyFlvrd wrote:
You are never going to cast acts of faith 13-24 inches away.

More to the point; you aren't going to waste precious faith points on a four shot round of shooting.

Thanks everyone.

Let me put it this way: I have 4 Stormbolter models. I can make a Dominion Squad. From the sounds of it this sin't worth my time. Yes?

It'd be a waste of time and points. Always run Dominions with 4xflamer or occasionally mix in a melta gun or 2 (But remember they cost more for dominions than for regulars), stuff them in a rhino and go cause havoc

jake wrote:Thanks everyone.

Let me put it this way: I have 4 Stormbolter models. I can make a Dominion Squad. From the sounds of it this sin't worth my time. Yes?

I used mine to make veteran sister superiors w/ combi-flamers, hack off one of the storm bolter parts, replace with flamer parts, and it looks pretty good.

No...

Warmaster wrote:

I used mine to make veteran sister superiors w/ combi-flamers, hack off one of the storm bolter parts, replace with flamer parts, and it looks pretty good.

This is what I was going to suggest.

Running them as a dominion squad is really not advisable since then they are competing for slots and points with your Seraphim (expensive, but potentially game winning) and Flamer Dominions (make cover-save dependant enemies cry).

So yeah, kitbash into combi-flamer (or combi-melta) Sisters superior - or there are three other options.

1) Ebay. You never know, someone might buy them...
2) Counts-as regular bolters. depends on your oponant, but most folks will be okay if you just say 'and all those Storm Bolters are just regular Bolters'.
3) Hack them up as 'wounded comrade' style objective markers.