Sisters of Battle to receive a White Dwarf Codex (confirmation on pg 13)

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**kenzosan**

Mannahnin wrote:Kenzo, both the BA and WoC WD 'dexes were available on the website as free PDFs very shortly after the magazines were released.

i see, im learning something new once again. i didnt know that. my friend gave me a photocopy version of the wd pages back when i started ba.

**SabrX**

Now that I think about it, I'm so use to using the current pdf that I don't care anymore. I welcome a new codex be it White Dwarf or pdf.

This will also be my first time buying White Dwarf.

**chaos0xomega**

fox-light713 wrote:
chaos0xomega wrote:I prefer the metal (hopefully soon to be finecast?) miniatures. The plastic ones are bound to be more heroic scale garbage rather than the well proportioned beauties they are now.

I take it you've never seen Plastic Warhammer Fantasy models? I have some wood elves and they are proportionally smaller than a Guardsman, SM, and even a SoB.

I would prefer plastic over metal any day, its a lot easier to work with. Anyways this also brings up the question as may have already stated, "Will the WD article bring new plastic boxed sets with it? and will it be with the first half with the fluff or the second half with the rules?"

Either way I do hope it dose bring new plastic boxed sets regardless.

Yes, but those minis are also really really old. I'm not saying that GW can't make proportional mini's, I'm saying that they don't (anymore). Either way, here's hoping for a finecast release to coincide with the WD article.

**Omegus**

Grim.Badger wrote:I wonder if this has any connection to Jes Goodwin (or whoever it was) saying that they were having problems with the plastics?

From what I remember, they were having issues with the cloth and hair. Their molds and material required both to flow in the same direction, which made them look kind of goofy. They supposedly resolved most of those issues in the process of the Dark Eldar models, and will apply what they've learned to the Sisters. It will however probably take a while to bring them up to speed and actually to the release stage.

Anyway, anyone have any idea when this issue of White Dwarf is hitting the shelves? The July issue? When does GW release their mag?

**Mr.Malevolent**

I don't know why everyone seems to be raging over this. I for one welcome the idea of getting an updated list and hell even getting a rumored "finecast" re-do on the sisters (I HATE using metal). Plus after a month or so the PDF should be up on GWs site for free download. If this is the new trend for GW to release PDF updates via White Dwarf and website then I'm all for it! Better then being left in the dark for years and years and years (yeah I'm looking at you Dark Eldar)

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Omegus wrote:Anyway, anyone have any idea when this issue of White Dwarf is hitting the shelves? I want it NAO!

I believe it will be August and September. I heard they are giving us the full 2 issue treatment.

**Marrak**

It'll be nice to see what the treatment is for the Sisters upcoming.

Glad to see them getting attention.

And... I think it was Melissa... saying that she has not had anyone else give a good review for Finecast, let me add my comments: I got 3 finecast Hive guard (in exchange for 3 metal after paying the difference) and I am extremely happy with the quality. One is missing part of a dewclaw on his back foot, but that's it. The rest of the cleanup is no worse than metal, in fact it was easier to take care of.

**JGrand**

I don't understand all the complains.

Some of it is justified. This isn't ideal and the Sisters range needs all new plastic models. Fans of the list have been waiting for long time. Still, I have a hard time believing that the new dex will be worse than the current one. Smooth out some rules, bring the points costs in line with 5th, and add a new unit or two and you have a decent enough stopgap.

I'm sure that fans of codices like Necrons, Eldar, Tau, and Daemons wouldn't mind a small update. Look at how much the FAQ effected the playability of DA and BT. If bringing some rules and costs in line with 5th is enough to make some of the lesser played armies playable again until a full on update and new models come out then that's fine by me.

**Omegus**

The issue is not so much that the rules may be worse than the current ones (although every single WD codex has been atrocious so far), it's that a stopgap codex means waiting that much longer for the real deal.

**JGrand**

The issue is not so much that the rules may be worse than the current ones (although every single WD codex has been atrocious so far), it's that a stopgap codex means waiting that much longer for the real deal.

Does it though? Has this been confirmed? If so then I get the problem but nowhere has this been stated other than fanboy speculation. Who knows whether or not this becomes something GW starts doing from time to time. I'd take the rules even if they don't have to models ready.

**army310**

like 6th ed thats coming in less than a year. O no what will those 20 guys that play sisters will do. For $%^& sake at lest they are getting something and people really need to stop crying about ever thing if its not this, its finecast or the game is costing to much. Be happy you don't work with me you would be in the front leaning rest all day.

**dkellyj**

At least this will give us an advanced look at what GWs intention is for Allied units.
In the end i may end up with half a SoB army and half an IG army that can't play together anymore.

**Omegus**

JGrand wrote:Does it though? Has this been confirmed? If so then I get the problem but nowhere has this been stated other than fanboy speculation. Who knows whether or not this becomes something GW starts doing from time to time. I'd take the rules even if they don't have to models ready.

I'm just stating what the issue is as I understand it. I have no opinion one way or the other. I have a SoB army, but I am long long past caring what GW does. I learned that lesson when 3rd edition rolled out.

army310 wrote:like 6th ed thats coming in less than a year. O no what will those 20 guys that play sisters will do. For $%^& sake at lest they are getting something and people really need to stop crying about ever thing if its not this, its finecast or the game is costing to much. Be happy you don't work with me you would be in the front leaning rest all day.

I'm sure there are more than 20 people that play Sisters, and I doubt we're less than year out from 6th edition. People can air their grievances, real or imagined, that's what the forum is for. Edited by Manchu

dkellyj wrote:At least this will give us an advanced look at what GWs intention is for Allied units.

This is probably one of the driving reasons for a WD codex, too. Daemonhunter allies are gone, but Witchhunters persist and this could be their way to finally write out Allies entirely.

I do hope they eventually allow assassins and maybe even a GKT squad in the occasional Imperial army. Maybe something like a Heroes of the Imperium mini-dex in a few years.

**Revarien**

Mr.Malevolent wrote:I don't know why everyone seems to be raging over this.

I'm not the point of raging... just confused at what they're wanting to do with this - is it to support the army and let us know they still will support it? or to see how many folks actually play the army/would play the army... to see if it worth continuing? or as Yak suggests, to get us by till an actual codex release? Believe me, I hope for the latter... I have probably a couple grand tied up in Sisters of Battle minis... most of them even painted... so not just money, but countless hours too...

All that said: I think people have the right to be upset when an army isn't supported as much as other armies, when people are spending just as much (and in most cases more) money to play that army. I just want them to come out and say that they'll put the book out soon, when they do this in WD... That's all. I don't want them to just ignore the fact that players are not certain of their army's future.

I have cautious optimism for the army's future/viability/usability-at-tournies... but at this point, nothing is certain at all (mainly because they professed that they would never do a WD codex again... and here they are).

**Kroothawk**

Remember the people who said that they won't start a Sororitas army because a full metal army would be too expensive?
Now enjoy a Finecast rerelease (or a plastic 5 Sororitas box)

**Phototoxin**

Hmm... sisters vs crons for a new boxed set... Assault on Sanctuary 101 as the battle/narritive??... I see possiblities..

**Melissia**

Kroothawk wrote:Remember the people who said that they won't start a Sororitas army because a full metal army would be too expensive?
Now enjoy a Finecast rerelease (or a plastic 5 Sororitas box)

I bet five internets that the finecast Sisters are gonna have more flaws than an LSD junky's interpretation of reality.

**Clang**

Re Finecast, I still don't expect any Finecast versions of existing SoB models - GW doing so would imply that the particular model's design is compatible with the new designs for the planned new range. Just maybe that might be true for a couple of character models, but otherwise we're expecting all new models (as with Dark Eldar).

Although, just maybe they might 'throw us a bone' and release a couple of brand _new_ SoB models (in Finecast) - that could be a cute way of stoking interest in the eventual full SoB release by indicating the SoB Cool New Shiny Look...

**Omegus**

Melissia wrote:
Kroothawk wrote:Remember the people who said that they won't start a Sororitas army because a full metal army would be too expensive?
Now enjoy a Finecast rerelease (or a plastic 5 Sororitas box)
I bet five internets that the finecast Sisters are gonna have more flaws than an LSD junky's interpretation of reality.

Hell, I wish. Then they'd at least be fun.

**JGrand**

I'm just stating what the issue is as I understand it. I have no opinion one way or the other. I have a SoB army, but I am long long past caring what GW does. I learned that lesson when 3rd edition rolled out.

The idea that "this stopgap delays the real dex" is unsubstantiated. I'd love to see where you and others are getting that from. It's an assumption.

I bet five internets that the finecast Sisters are gonna have more flaws than an LSD junky's interpretation of reality.

From what I understand the flaws are a vocal minority. I have seem plenty of good finecast stuff. You can debate the finer points of the price increase and other issues in different threads. No need for the derail.

Overall, I don't see the issue if Sisters are getting a real update later. No one really knows everything at this point but what we do know is that they are working on models and have had some rumored issues. The way I see it is that Sisters are getting an update that brings them in line with 5th for the time being. I play Daemons and if I was told that a full new dex was a year or so off but we were getting a stopgap update to give the army a shot in the arm for now I'd be ecstatic.

It's not perfect but it's something. Hell, a simple FAQ update that brought BT and DA into 5th got people using them again. Giving Sisters players a reason to dust off the old models is reason enough that this is a good thing.

**chaos0xomega**

I think Finecast is more likely than a box of 5 sororitas... Unless SOB are no longer the basic infantry unit, or they are getting super-buffed to Gk like levels, they are coming ten to a box...

**Kroothawk**

Guess it's time to repost this description from 3rd April on Heresy Online:

Sexxy Camera wrote:A few sisters of battle Tidbits.

Some info about the sister’s codex coming out this fall:

The Sisters of Battle codex is taking a step away from the old codex’s focus on the Inquisition, and is now more of a codex focused on the Ecclesiarchy. The codex will represent the sisters much more truly to their roots in the fluff, and the non sister codex allies have been changed accordingly. More than many codexes’, the new Codex for sisters really feels like a brand new Codex.
Ok, so let’s start with the sisters themselves.

Redone in plastic, the sisters look great. While they won’t look out of place with the sisters of the past, they look much more like members of the church, though the over all look of the armor is very similar, if more ornate. The box set comes with enough plastic to make five sisters, but while we are only getting five girls per box, we are gaining a host of new options. The box contains bits to configure them as either regular sisters or Seraphim, and has tons of cool little extra bits to really make each unit unique. Gone are the Inquisition =I=’s, usually replaced with the fleur-de-lis. I counted eleven heads total, with five helmets, five without helmets and one with a gasmask / respirator type thing. Each of the eleven heads was a unique sculpt. The entire kit just really shows how far molds and model making has come since the days when our old sisters were cast, and while I would have been the first to scream heresy a year ago if you told me the sisters were changing, I have to say that the new ones really look fantastic.

I would like to take a moment to talk about their legs as well. I have always considered myself a modeler/painter first and a gamer second and one of the things that always bothered me about the old sisters were their legs. Like all metal miniatures, moding them was hard, and no sisters really had dynamic posses. The new legs have me really excited because they are very dynamic. I guess I would best compare them to the BA legs from their recent release. They really offer a lot of options in terms of modeling and are really one of the most exciting parts of the kit, in my opinion.

For weapon options the kit comes with a flamer, melt gun, storm bolter and pistol flamer as well as two guns I didn’t recognize including a weird rifle type thing and some gun that looked like a pistol from the 18th century with a torch bracket jammed on the end. There is a right and left handed version of both the pistol flamer and the other weird pistol. There were of course bolters / bolt pistols and both a power weapon and some chain swords. What I really liked about the weapons was their level of detail and individuality. Even though they are the same war gear a squad of space marines might field every piece of equipment screams sisters, and while easily recognizable is quite different from their marine counterparts. I want to say the weapons are smaller, but they might just be sleeker. One of the bolters comes with a strap.

The last thing I will mention about this new kit is that the jetpacks for the seraphim look much more like, well, like jet packs.

The Penitent engine is back in beautiful, mod-able plastic, and thankfully the remained true to its old design in many ways. It has four different options for its two close combat weapons, though I believe they are just aesthetics, and comes with parts to mount either flamer’s or melta’s under its arms. Looking at the kit, I believe its legs are possible similarly to the sentinels as it has a ball joint for its feet and little nubs / indents at the joint in its leg, which is very exciting since that will give us a lot more options when it comes to dynamic poses. Along with the weapons you also get several choices for drivers 3 icon badge things from the major sisters’ factions. A few other miscellaneous pieces like a scroll plate and such finish off the fun little extra bits.

The repressor is finally making an appearance in plastic as well. It looks similar to the FW one, but has the turret reworked and a different dozer blade. It comes with quite a few options to sister it up, from the same three icons I mentioned above, though slightly bigger, to numerous scrolls and of course options for sister doors. The driver has options for a helmeted head or a regular bobcat sister head with a little microphone thingy.

There is also a kit for a new priest, which I could best compare to the empire wizard kit. Fantasy players will know what I am talking about. There are numerous heads from the bald friar look to the crazy bearded look. Additionally we have options for plasma pistols, bolt pistols, and flamer pistols as well as a book arm and of course a gigantic chain sword. The model doesn’t have anything in the way of armor, though the chain sword looks almost big enough that he could hide behind it.

Well that’s all I have for you for now. Sorry I haven’t much in the way of rules, and that’s always the really exciting part, but I though some folks might like to know a little bit about the new models.

Cheers,
Sexxy Camera

**BrookM**

Multi-part priest kit makes me happy. It's something my Guard army lacks.

**Nagashek**

Grim.Badger wrote:I wonder if this has any connection to Jes Goodwin (or whoever it was) saying that they were having problems with the plastics? Maybe the Codex was originally drafted in to be released at this point but because of the problems with the models they've shifted it over to the next release year or something and done a WD codex to, as Yak says, tidy up the rules in the meantime?

I hope this "release" goes well for them and they sell a stack of WDs, then we might see more army lists including ones that wouldn't be variable enough to support a full codex - who wouldn't like to see full army lists for the individual Chaos Legions? Or specialised Carftworlds? Maybe even more Tau Allies or whole new Races - sure I'm daydreaming, but why not :p

They used to do this all the time. Chapter Approved used to have articles for all types of additional units, and many of the Dogs of War units in WHFB got the WD treatment. Menghil Manhide's Manflayers (Near infamous in my town) Human Auxileries for Tau, Gnoblar list, Kroot Mercenary List, Zombie Pirate list, updated rules for Krell and Heinrich Kemmler, and so on. Honestly, releasing Special Character rules in WD would seem to be the way to go, IMO, as well as variant army lists (I almost wonder if the Gnoblar list could work in 8th ed... [digs through old WD]) But then, this would make sense, and I think the last time GW made sense, Andy Chambers was still in the company.

Another idea I just had when someone mentioned this WD dex as the stop gap till 6th ed was: Why don't they just do this for every dex when a new edition rolls out? here is 6th, and 2 issues to cover it, maybe 3-4 dexes per year get a few updated rules to address compatability, new fluff, points tweaking, etc, while waiting for that editions dex. Of course this means a ton of work from the get go, but it allows them to establish the tone for an edition early on (like Mech for 5th ed, or huge infantry blocks and lower costs for 8th ed WH) and plan accordingly. No more codex creep, just level the playing field ASAP to have excitement for ALL armies, then get cracking on the codices.

Also, why not do two codices with the release of the box set? Here is Black Reach, and that month is Marines and Orks. It would be the only time that two books are released at once, but it sets the balancing standard. This is the power level we want for the edition, and all following books will balanced according to these.

Just a thought...

**army310**

Nagashek wrote:
Grim.Badger wrote:I wonder if this has any connection to Jes Goodwin (or whoever it was) saying that they were having problems with the plastics? Maybe the Codex was originally drafted in to be released at this point but because of the problems with the models they've shifted it over to the next release year or something and done a WD codex to, as Yak says, tidy up the rules in the meantime?

I hope this "release" goes well for them and they sell a stack of WDs, then we might see more army lists including ones that wouldn't be variable enough to support a full codex - who wouldn't like to see full army lists for the individual Chaos Legions? Or specialised Carftworlds? Maybe even more Tau Allies or whole new Races - sure I'm daydreaming, but why not :p

They used to do this all the time. Chapter Approved used to have articles for all types of additional units, and many of the Dogs of War units in WHFB got the WD treatment. Menghil Manhide's Manflayers (Near infamous in my town) Human Auxileries for Tau, Gnoblar list, Kroot Mercenary List, Zombie Pirate list, updated rules for Krell and Heinrich Kemmler, and so on. Honestly, releasing Special Character rules in WD would seem to be the way to go, IMO, as well as variant army lists (I almost wonder if the Gnoblar list could work in 8th ed... [digs through old WD]) But then, this would make sense, and I think the last time GW made sense, Andy Chambers was still in the company.

Chapter Approved was the best and thats how they would fix stuff in codexs too. I wish they still did that. And I would would not mine if they release the rules(just the rules) in WD and make a codex that would have the back ground stuff and rules at the same time or so. For all we know(which is not much) they mite be doing this or something close to this.

**chaos0xomega**

Kroothawk wrote:Guess it's time to repost this description from 3rd April on Heresy Online:

Yeah, sorry I don't buy it.

**fox-light713**

Grot 6 wrote:
I remember seeing the photos of the sprues of the plastics here a while back, someone know if those are in fact the real deal?

As for the WD/ Plastics question- NO, it means that you get what you get- a starter, gets you by codex that people can play thier Sisters with, without having to wait the obligatory 4-6 months later.

Pics of the sprews? I'm gonna have to as for a source on that one. I've only ever seen discriptoins of the new plastic SoB like the one by sexxy camera.

I also take it that your ignoring the fact that the WD article spear head was supported by a model release. With GW breaking their word on never doing a WD codex again almost anything is possible now.

**N'Ferno**

I guess the bottom of it is a whole lot of people (including yours truly) want the Sisters to come back to the front. If anything, regardless of GW's intentions with this WD dex, the amount of discussion it brings might show this fact to them, maybe even (Emperor willing) sway them in our direction.

Bring on the August WD I say!

**Pouncey**

Personally, I welcome the upcoming WD Codex. ^^

It's new stuff! I love new stuff! I just hope I don't have to wait another 6 months after the final part for the PDF version to be released - cause I'd love to print out a PDF and stick it in a notebook or binder or something, as opposed to going, "Wait, what's that new rule/model's stats/weapon again? Hang on... :: flip flip flip flip... flip flip flip... flip... flip flip flip :: Ah, there we go!" which eats up a lot of time compared to just opening up a notebook with a few pages.

Oh, and to explain the whole thing where people say, "Dang, this means the real Codex and minis are gonna take longer..." It's not so much that there's any concrete proof. It's more of an inference reached by the thought that there's not much point in releasing a WD Codex if the book and minis are just going to come out a couple of months later. Of course, there's precedence for a WD rules release to be accompanied by related model releases.

Also interesting is that they call it, "Codex: Sisters of Battle," and not, "Codex: Witch Hunters." Could be new stuff indeed. ^^ Hopefully model releases too, but even just a rules preview would be nice. ^^

**S'jet**

I just want a reason to paint up a squad of Repentia.

**Melissia**

So it's seriously only five per box? How moronic...

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chaos0xomega wrote:
Kroothawk wrote:Guess it's time to repost this description from 3rd April on Heresy Online:

Yeah, sorry I don't buy it.

Personally, I'm more likely to buy that than I am the OP rumor in this thread. If only for wishful thinking. PDF codex breaks from the standard for fifth edition.

As in, substandard.