Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Im one of the few people out there that play SoB (Or BT for that matter, theres a joke for you!) and as of right now, am curiously disgusted with the lack of updates or models with GW. We had the '5th edition update', which was 3rd edition but the same thing but with units removed, and no new plastic units for the army since its INCEPTION. A few friends of mine, really want to get into 40k, but they cant fathom paying 800+ dollars for pounds and pounds of metal models that dont even have their own codex. On top of that, the pure brutal, terrible fluff written about them recently (Hint: See Grey Knights) makes me so sick I want to throw up.

Im thinking they are planning of either phasing out the SoB completely, or moving some units into another Grey Knights codex for 6E. Its a shame they are losing customers over this, I am pretty sure there have to be SOME SoB players (Or want to play) out there.

They aren't dead, just on the back burner while GW focuses on things that are guaranteed to bring in dollar signs.

Who are the Sisters if Battle?

Same thread, different day.
SoB don't get updated because they don't generate enough sales to justify it. Simple as. You're disgusted, big deal. GW is a business, they make business decisions. They don't care if you're disgusted by them choosing not to make changes to their own product, at great personal cost themselves, just to make the minority of their fan base happy.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Waaaghpower wrote:
They aren't dead, just on the back burner while GW focuses on things that are guaranteed to bring in dollar signs.

*Pound signs.

I'd like to see them, AM, GK, and assassins all rolled into an "Agents of the Imperium" codex.

It's a shame they don't do anything about this, not even just a simple here's a box of ten plastic sisters to hold you over.

I just can't forget that one time in a GW store I saw a young teenage girl come in with her parents all excited about sisters of battle with her Witch Hunters codex ready only to find out what the state of the army is. Hell the guy serving them had to come ask me (a sisters player) on what's the deal with the army and the new codex. Guess how much money she spent in the store that day.

 Madcat87 wrote:
It's a shame they don't do anything about this, not even just a simple here's a box of ten plastic sisters to hold you over.

I just can't forget that one time in a GW store I saw a young teenage girl come in with her parents all excited about sisters of battle with her Witch Hunters codex ready only to find out what the state of the army is. Hell the guy serving them had to come ask me (a sisters player) on what's the deal with the army and the new codex. Guess how much money she spent in the store that day.

Either 0, or all her birthday, holiday, and allowance money (maybe even college savings )

Nah. Like post #2 said, they're probably just on the backburner. We'll have our day.

If they were going to get rid of them, why haven't they done it already? Why bother giving them a place in the 6E rulebook? Why bother keeping the minis in stock when they're just taking up room and could be melted down for quick cash (Sister Nisa nevar forget). My theory is that they're undergoing a redesign, or a redesign is on the schdule, and they're waiting for a chance to do a big update on them, which will of course make GW a gakload of money.

 Madcat87 wrote:
It's a shame they don't do anything about this, not even just a simple here's a box of ten plastic sisters to hold you over.

I just can't forget that one time in a GW store I saw a young teenage girl come in with her parents all excited about sisters of battle with her Witch Hunters codex ready only to find out what the state of the army is. Hell the guy serving them had to come ask me (a sisters player) on what's the deal with the army and the new codex. Guess how much money she spent in the store that day.

Damn, that's kinda sad. But yeah, even though they're likely due to get their day at some point, it's undeniable that GW's treatment of them has been arse. They are almost literally denying themselves free money by not putting the WD codex up for internet purchase. I've seen people theorise that this is because a new codex in the works, but it's still quite a gak thing to do regardless

I'd theorise that the lack of plastic/finecast Sisters could be due to the possible redesign. GW might not see much point in updating the material when they're just going to roll out new models anyway.

They aren't dead. Just liquidated and turned into an armor wax to give the grey armor a better shine.

 Madcat87 wrote:
It's a shame they don't do anything about this, not even just a simple here's a box of ten plastic sisters to hold you over.

Because GW don't do that. WG release kits for the reasons - first, they have a book to release them with - this is when things like redone core troop choices are released. Sisters don't have a book on the horizon. Second, as a wave release. Sisters haven't had a book recently enough to get a 'wave', which is generally released shortly after a book riding the releases popularity (though admittedly sometimes they get severely delayed, like the Tervigon release). Third, as hype, something they've been doing with Fantasy lately. A few of the new units coming in the book released in a White Dwarf update to get people excited. This is the reverse of a wave release, which rides the popularity of the initial release, these hype releases are there to get people thinking about the army again before the book hits.

As the Sisters box is a core troop choice (the only one they have), the only time GW is going to release it is alongside the codex. Expecting otherwise is simply silly.

There have been rumors of new Sisters miniatures for at least 3 years now. At least. And that's only because that is as long as I can remember paying attention to such news. I'm sure that rumor has been floating around for quite a long time but, other than this "update" they've received, split over two issues of White Dwarf.... they've gotten nothing.

Even the Bloodtide thing isn't that bad, it's just terribly written. It could have been written in such a way that made their sacrifice noble, that demonstrated the lengths to which the Sisters are willing to go to ensure that the Will of the God-Emperor is carried out. That the author failed to do that is a failing of the author, not the faction (or even the Grey Knights, such an action is perfectly in keeping with them).

The argument of sales numbers not being sufficient to warrant an update is a circular argument. The sales figures aren't there because the product isn't there. If the product was there, on a level with the SM, the sales would probably be there as well, the Sisterhood is a fan-favorite faction. They're currently a niche army because they are one of the most expensive armies to field 2000 points of, as you're buying basic troops in packs of 3.

I've long been wanting a unified Inquisition dex.

 Psienesis wrote:
The argument of sales numbers not being sufficient to warrant an update is a circular argument. The sales figures aren't there because the product isn't there. If the product was there, on a level with the SM, the sales would probably be there as well, the Sisterhood is a fan-favorite faction. They're currently a niche army because they are one of the most expensive armies to field 2000 points of, as you're buying basic troops in packs of 3.

This.

Remember DE? They had poor sales so GW put less money into them. Sales continued to drop so GW took them off the shelves. Then GW actually updates the army with shiny new models decent rules and sales are up. Who would have thought abandoning a army would cause them to be even less popular? Same thing with Sisters. No plastics, no support, no real legal way of buying their current rules and not stocking them in stores have help made sure they do not make any money.

At the end of the day it's GW fault that sales are slow, that's what happens when you don't update the army in any shape way or form.

However,, I still hold hope for a DE like rival for Sisters.

 Psienesis wrote:
There have been rumors of new Sisters miniatures for at least 3 years now. At least. And that's only because that is as long as I can remember paying attention to such news. I'm sure that rumor has been floating around for quite a long time but, other than this "update" they've received, split over two issues of White Dwarf.... they've gotten nothing....
....
The argument of sales numbers not being sufficient to warrant an update is a circular argument. The sales figures aren't there because the product isn't there. If the product was there, on a level with the SM, the sales would probably be there as well, the Sisterhood is a fan-favorite faction. They're currently a niche army because they are one of the most expensive armies to field 2000 points of, as you're buying basic troops in packs of 3.

Yeah, thats the thing. Now people here have been saying for a while that the 5E 'dex is a proven point that they are going to stick around for a while. But I remember a while back, I think it was in the 6E Rulebook, that the majority of the SoB are dead. Ive always taken this, along with the blatant disregard for them in general, as an indicator for what they plan to do with them. I mean, only time will tell like always, but I feel like gak when I have to tell my buddies that they dont even have a legal codex they can obtain, and their models cost more than the average house.

Also, while we're at it, what about the Sisters of Silence? I mean, it seems from the past that they were to be incorporated into some sort of Codex (Or get their own), how hard would it be to write up some stuff on them and plop them in a new Sisters Codex?

Arais wrote:
But I remember a while back, I think it was in the 6E Rulebook, that the majority of the SoB are dead.

What the gak. Does it actually say this? I doubt it actually says this. All of the fluff I've seen about their numbers places them in the millions.

I've never heard anything about the majority of SoB being dead in current 40K time-lines. Sometimes, in reference to the faction's history, yes, there's not many "active" Sisters in service... but they always have a lot of girls coming out of the Schola Progenium to replace their losses. Give an Order Militant a century, and they'll be back to a few thousand women with bolter, flamer and melta at the ready for the God-Emperor.

The fact is no one outside of GW has a clue if the sisters will be dropped or redeive an updated codex in the future.

For the remainder of this edition you can play them for sure. I speculate that GW will not drop them. If they do get dropped I suppose you could always use the models for "counts as IG" squads, but that would be a sad finish to an interesting army.

Considering their presence on the Allied Chart Matrix, I'm pretty sure that SoB are here to stay for at least the rest of 6th.

We see threads like this almost monthly (if not more often) but they all have the same thing to say. As was said above me, none of us actually know what GW is doing with Sisters. Hell, GW may not even know themselves which could be part of the reason for the lack of releases. Only time will tell.

I think part of their problem is that they'll have to start from scratch with models, which is really expensive. New designs, casting, molds, kits... they habe nothing to start with. All the metal models would need converted to either resin or plastic, and most need new sculpts. With nothing useable to start with, it'll be a massive expense to create plastic new kits. And with our those, new sisters will never make money.

Waaaghpower wrote:
I think part of their problem is that they'll have to start from scratch with models, which is really expensive. New designs, casting, molds, kits... they habe nothing to start with. All the metal models would need converted to either resin or plastic, and most need new sculpts. With nothing useable to start with, it'll be a massive expense to create plastic new kits. And with our those, new sisters will never make money.

I don't know, as others have said, the same could be said about DE revival... I can only say that if SoB aren't so ugly, it'd have been my first army rather than DE, I'd probably still make SoB my 3rd army if they renewed it, when I have time, and they haven't raised the price point to where myself and my group aren't comfortable with.

As for whether or not GW is in any position to do a major renewal as per DE(and also adding compulsory MC to SoB codex), well...

 Psienesis wrote:
I've never heard anything about the majority of SoB being dead in current 40K time-lines. Sometimes, in reference to the faction's history, yes, there's not many "active" Sisters in service... but they always have a lot of girls coming out of the Schola Progenium to replace their losses. Give an Order Militant a century, and they'll be back to a few thousand women with bolter, flamer and melta at the ready for the God-Emperor.

I suppose this is mostly true as there a mention of a Sister as a body guard for a Governess in Rynns World.

Dark elder were pulled because the entire range was ugly (to the point even GW didn't want to sell it in stores) and had to be redone from the ground up. They were totally out of the stores for about 2 years before they got a shiny new codex and and metric ass ton of new cool models.

Currently, Sisters are in as bad a state as DE were, maybe not with being ugly models, but because the entire range is in metal, a medium GW prefers not to produce if possible. Yeah they are probably on the back burner for a bit while they update other more popular armies but I'm sure that soon enough sisters will get the DE treatment with a shiny new codex and tons of new models.

At my local store there are no less than 4 other people that want to play Sisters of Battle but cant due to sheer cost to field a 2k army. Heck I have been forming mine for the better part of a year now and I still am not done. Thats not just commitment but that is a masochist in training.

 Psienesis wrote:
I've never heard anything about the majority of SoB being dead in current 40K time-lines. Sometimes, in reference to the faction's history, yes, there's not many "active" Sisters in service... but they always have a lot of girls coming out of the Schola Progenium to replace their losses. Give an Order Militant a century, and they'll be back to a few thousand women with bolter, flamer and melta at the ready for the God-Emperor.

A century...a few thousand...

You seriously underestimation imperial requirement scales.

Heck, the recruitment rate here is IL is a few thousands every four months, and we have less people ten the number of PLANETS in the 40k imperium.


Even if the sisterhood was reduced to a mere 10000, they should be more then able to get back into the millions range within 3-4 years.

instead on "counts as" IG, they're perfect for PA bolter henchmen for a Coteaz list, although that gets expensive in points.

I'm currently sitting on 2500 pts worth, and love it every time I pull them out.

Arais wrote:
Im one of the few people out there that play SoB (Or BT for that matter, theres a joke for you!) and as of right now, am curiously disgusted with the lack of updates or models with GW.

What's the joke? Saying that there are only a few BT players?

We had the '5th edition update', which was 3rd edition but the same thing but with units removed

By 3rd do you mean the BRB from that time period or the Witchhunter codex? The WD codex actually puts the Sisters at 4 sets of rules for them over the years. That's more than Tau and Necrons.

and no new plastic units for the army since its INCEPTION.

Since second edition? New rhino hull was plastic. They might not have gotten new plastics but they got a ton of new models.

A few friends of mine, really want to get into 40k, but they cant fathom paying 800+ dollars for pounds and pounds of metal models that dont even have their own codex.

They all want to play Sisters?

On top of that, the pure brutal, terrible fluff written about them recently (Hint: See Grey Knights) makes me so sick I want to throw up.

A few simple deaths to help the Grey Knights made your legs weak? Maybe the 40k universe is a little to intence for you.

Im thinking they are planning of either phasing out the SoB completely, or moving some units into another Grey Knights codex for 6E.

Nah.

Its a shame they are losing customers over this, I am pretty sure there have to be SOME SoB players (Or want to play) out there.

Losing customers? No they're losing people who play a seriously underpromoted army. Most Sisters players already own what they need and buy the rest from Ebay not GW.

Note: This post is mostly in jest.

Seems to me like GW were never really able to properly keep up with all the factions, so some of the less popular armies get neglected for an edition or two (and yes, popularity is often correlated with the support they get, so it's a self-made problem). Orks got neglected between mid-3rd and late 4th edition, Chaos got neglected for a while too, and Tau, Dark Eldar and Necrons didn't get much love for a long while either. Black Templars and Sisters have had it worst, but at least it seems like GW have picked up the pace. How many more popular factions are in line for a new codex? Orks, SM, IG, Tyranids, probably Space Wolves and Blood Angels? At the current pace, that's two years, give or take. This edition has a handful years more in it before it's done, so that should leave time to give the Sisters and Black Templars some love too - provided the latter don't get folded into the regular Marine codex.

One can only hope.

I would love to put together a SOB army if they were available and reasonable.

I can´t even tell if i would like to play them as there is no codex you could browse through at your local store...