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Why the 15 blob of sisters and imagifer?

The Imagifier would sit with the BSS.

With Acts, the Battle Sisters do a decent impression of the Conscripts, while also having a bit more ability to move around (again thanks to the acts). If the dominions and Seraphim are running around the enemy deployment zone, a fireteam midfield that can sit on objectives, while laying down decent amounts of covering fire seems reasonable.

I'm also considering splitting the Basilisks, pairing two to the one blob, and to to the other. Because Conscripts are so scary if they are left alone, I anticipate that they will be targeted first by various opposing fast things, leaving the sisters to shoot anything that manages to charge the Conscripts.

 Paimon wrote:
So I've been thinking about the list I want to run, and Basilisks look almost identical to Excorcists, with higher strength, higher range, extra shots, and no need for line of sight. For this they lose two points of armor penetration, and Shield of Faith. Also, they cost 50 points less.

Am I crazy to take the standard Outrider Detatchment of Sisters, and then shore them up with a Spearhead detachment of guard? The list would look like:

Outrider (1348)
Celestine and Friends
Melta Doms X3
Full Squad of Seraphim With Flamers
1x Squad of 15 Regular Sisters with 3 Storm Bolters
MM Immos x3
Imagifier

Spearhead (651 pts)
Lord Commissar
Platoon Commander
48 Conscripts (Can't afford the full 50 under 2000 pts)
4 Basilisks

This list comes in at 1999 points, and seems to check all of the important boxes for 8th. Long range high strength, High Rate of Fire blobs of dudes. Melta, Flying Flamers.

As a TAC list, I think I'm pretty set?

You've stumbled onto the secret that Exorcists are yet again over-costed for their firepower. This is true of a lot of our choices, which is why paying double for a SB as other armies still is a great deal (although in all fairness the base sister may be a slightly undercosted now at least compared to basic marines).

Is there anyone who are considering Hunter-Killer? I think it is one of the most valuable wargears in 8th edition. Especially who can fire it in BS 3+

Hunter Killer is decent on an Exorcist with Canoness buff. Any other tank you'll likely be moving and therefore at a -1 to hit with it.

With the exorcist you're paying for the ap. it's good, except when it isn't - like say at knights with their invulnerable save. But against targets with a 2+ save and no invulnerable you're doing significantly more damage.

You don't necessarily need to take another detachment. You might go with an exorcist, some hb rets and 3 basilisks as your 3 heavy support choices. Sisters don't lose anything for mixing in other imperials (only admech do, with canticles) so it might even be good to go for a brigade.

I don't know if this is OT for this thread though. I think it's likely that any optimised imperial list will borrow from across both indexes. Maybe we need a tactica for the indominatus crusade.

I mean the main problem with the exorcist is that it's comparable in cost to the 4 lascannon predator (well, 80% of the price), but the predator gets to do d6 damage instead of d3 and gets a guaranteed 4 shots instead of d6 shots.

The exorcist needs to either stay cheaper, be able to fire without LoS, or do d6 damage. (I'd honestly prefer either of the first two because then the vehicles are different. I don't really want to play re-skinned marines.)

And yes to the optimized lists pulling across the whole Imperium! But in that context, the exorcist really needs to do something the Pred can't to differentiate it. I thought I had a list, but I realized I forgot to carry a 1 somewhere and it's actually a 2100 pt list :(


Automatically Appended Next Post:
HQs
St. Celestine 150
Cannoness 45
Tempestor Prime w/Command Rod 40

Elites
Scion Command Squad w/4 Plasma 64
Scion Command Squad w/4 Plasma 64
Sgt. Harker 50
Commissar 31

Heavy Support
Retributors w/4 Heavy Bolters 85
Retributors w/4 Heavy Bolters 85
Retributors w/4 Heavy Bolters 85

Fast Attack
Rough Riders w/2 Plasma Guns + Pistol 65
Rough Riders w/2 Plasma Guns + Pistol 65
Seraphim + 2x2 Hand Flamers 79

Troops
BSS w/3 SB 57
BSS w/3 SB 57
BSS w/3 SB 57
BSS w/3 SB 57
Conscripts 60
Scions w/No upgrades 50

Dedicated Transports
Repressor w/2 SB + HF 92
Repressor w/2 SB + HF 92

Lords of War
Shadowsword 570

2000

Ok, if I cut out the Geminae, I can make it fit (alternatively drop the 2x Rough Riders for 2x single cyberwolf to still have a Brigade) but that feels cheesy in a way that using just Sisters and Guard doesn't.

This list was mainly designed to answer the question of can Celestine, a Brigade, and a super-heavy tank (I've had the box for three years now and never had a reason to assemble it) fit into a 2000 point list?

There are some things I would potentially change if I had more of this stuff painted like: dropping the handflamers from the seraphim (but I only have 5 and they have the flamers painted) or dropping the Rough Riders to Cyberwolves and replacing the guard troops with another repressor with 2 BSS with 6 stormbolters between them (although at that point I'd need to paint 18 sisters with SB). I'm not thrilled I can't afford the Geminae, but I feel like in this list Celestine is more there to give the Retributors another AoF and counter-charge things at least until I've punched a hole in the enemy.

The army as it stands has a Volcano cannon and 4 lascannons with 1s rerolled for long range anti-vehicle, 12 plasma guns and 4 plasma pistols that can deep strike/outflank for extra AV or anti-heavy infantry, 20 Heavy Bolters (8 of which will fire twice) all of which will reroll 1s and 16 Storm Bolters for anti-horde. My biggest concern is the lack of melee power other than Celestine. It's also a bit light on the vehicles and I could easily see myself lacking the power to take objectives on the opponent's side. Earlier versions had an exorcist instead of one of the HB squads, but the points are just so tight.

Mavnas wrote:


You've stumbled onto the secret that Exorcists are yet again over-costed for their firepower. This is true of a lot of our choices, which is why paying double for a SB as other armies still is a great deal (although in all fairness the base sister may be a slightly undercosted now at least compared to basic marines).

Yep. I'm not sure why we don't at least do D6 damage, considering all the other missile launchers in the Imperium do D6 damage.

Yeh I'm having a hard time finding a reason to take exorcists over retributors now too, but at least I feel like there's now a reason to bother with foot sloggers

Exorcists cost too much and have too much variation to be worth their points cost. Lascannon Predators or Riflemen Dreadnoughts are a better buy.

Not if you want to play a Sisters army instead of a Space Marine army. For a pure Sisters army, I'd recommend more Sisters instead.

I played a game last night, BA vs SOB 2k

I didnt take a strong list at all, but more of a test to try different things out.

SOB
Canoness x2
St, Celestine x2 Geminae
Imgaifier x2
Troops x3, x3 storm bolters each
Mistress, x6 Repentia
Dom x4 metas
Dom x4 flamers
Dom x4 flamers
Seraphim 2sets of hand flamers
Ret x4 HB's
Penitent Engine
Exorcist
x3 Immolators
x3 Repressors

BA:
2 Storm Ravens
Dante
Priest
3x Devastators x4 ML's
10 Sang Guard? (jump terminators basically).

BatRep

BA 1st turn, Take and hold Objective

BA set up: 3 ML units in cover up high and 2 Storms ravens just on either side, the S-Guard on the table

SOB Set up: Ret+imagifier+canoness in cover, tanks in front and turn to block LoS of my Pent Engine and Ret units, everything in Vehicles, the BSS dbl up in 1 vehicle (repress, trying out 6 SB out of the top, Melta/Flamer in the other 2 Repress) Seraphim/St Celestine in the skies

Turn 1:
Basically his turn one was shoot as many tanks as he couple, he did kill 2 and some BSS along with the Repentia unit (he was scared of them)

SoB 1st turn was move up and shoot everything at the storm ravens (I killed 1 and the other down to 3 wounds), the Ret Dbl tap (was my only AOF that turn) a ML unit and killed it, some SB, and Exorcist killed a couple more from a different unit. Seraphim and St Celestine drop down near the ML's units but out of LoS (st Celestine went close to the Storm raven a bit i wanted to charge it if i could but it died)

Turn 2:
BA turn 2 was to move up the S-gaurds and Hq's even closer, the remaining ML's killed 2 more tanks (he didnt attack the squads inside), he charged and melee 2 more tanks, all tanks are now gone other than Exorcist, He consolidated into 2 BSS quads and a Flamer squad

SOB turn 2, Cast AoF on Rets again, AoF the the Melta Dom to kill the Storm Raven and St, Celestine to move. I fell back with the 3 units in CC. My flamers and Pent Engine all moved and shot the S-guard and killed 1/2 of them, the Seraphim shot the ML uit that was at full and killed 2, they also charged them. St Celestine charge the Priest and just wreck it lol.

Turn 3 final
BA player charged and killed the Pent Engine and Melta guns, after seeing what was left on the table he conceded.

Over all i liked St Celestine alot, i like the AoF with the Rets in the back (I forgot my ADL i wanted them behind that). The Flamers did better than i though and they AOF at the start of the turn was a problem but i see why its that way.

My Friend the BA player is a very good player (used to do tournaments) he is still trying to figure out what he likes in 8th with me, i hope to fight him again next week with a better list.

Today I've been playing around with various transport ideas, and I've come up with a modular system which I think could be pretty strong in its flexibility vs. various opponent types. Consider this:

5 Doms - 3 Meltaguns
5 Doms - 3 Meltaguns
5 Doms - 3 Meltaguns
5 Doms - 3 Meltaguns
5 Battle Sisters - 3 Storm Bolters
5 Battle Sisters - 3 Storm Bolters

Repressor - HF, 2xSB
Repressor - HF, 2xSB
Immolator - Immolation Flamer
Immolator - Immolation Flamer

The six fire points on the Repressor and three special weapons in each squad are a great synergy:

Maximum Melta charge - 2 Dom Squads in each Repressor. BSS in Immolators.

Maximum Vanguard - Dom squad in each transport, BSS foot slog. (For when you need those Immolators to burn something right in the back field.)

Mixed Bag One - 2 BSS squads in one Repressor (dakka bus). 2 Dom squads in another (melta bus). One Dom Squad in each Immo.

Mixed Bag Two - 1 BSS and 1 Dom squad in each Repressor. One Dom Squad in each Immo.

The idea is that you tailor your transport load-out depending on what type of list you're up against. And multiple units in transports reduces your deployment unit count, possibly clinching you the first turn.

If that's too many meltaguns for your taste, swap out 1-2 dom units with Flamers/Storm Bolters.

Or even take 2 Ret squads with 3 Heavy Flamers and add the potential for a burny bus into the mix.

Granted it doesn't work so well with Acts of Faith as you'll get less bang for your buck using one on a squad with just three special weapons. So AoF are best used elsewhere on Celestine/Seraphim and a Heavy Bolter Gunline in the back.

Played a game against ynnari eldar.

I had Celestine, 2 5 melta domi squads one in an immo one in a repressor, 1 BSS squad with double flamer(both immos had immo flamers), 2 exorcists, a ret squad with HB, 1 imagifier, 1 Canoness, and a unit of seraphim with double handflamer, pp, ps.

He had 2 units of dire avengers, 2 wave serpents, yvraine, jetbike fireseer, Crimson Hunter exarc, wraithlord, rangers, and some other smatterings I don't remember.

He got first turn and moved the two waveserpents and the crimson hunter to get the immo I had vanguarded out of LoS (putting him in melta range) he popped the immo with almost all of his firepower and didn't really hurt anything else. My turn I AoFd Celestine to move 12 and the dominions to shoot the wave serpent, imag failed hers. Failed utterly to hurt the wraithlord with the repressor. Killed some DAs and popped the wave serpent with the second round of melta and the exorcists took a few points off the crimson hunter. Celestine made it into the farseer, and both squads of DA took the farseer down to one wound in exchange for a gemini.


Turn 2 lost Celestine to a baller psychic phase but she popped back up in cover near the wraithlord. Crimson hunter put a few wounds on an immo, dire avengers and bikes shot at the seraphim in cover and killed 2-3 wave serpent whiffed of the dominions, wraithlord took the repressor down to 1.

My turn Seraphim AoF to snipe the farseer, Celestine moves to charge the wraithlord, meltas go after things meltas should go after, exorcists take down the plane immo charges and roasts 3 rangers, HBs AoF to take out most of the bikes. Seraphim wipe up both units of DA, Celestine kills the wraithlord. It was basically over after that.

Sisters are CRAZY good and super fun even with the weaker AoF interpretation.

Erjak, your writeup of Sisters trouncing Eldar just made me go from six to midnight.

ERJAK wrote:
Played a game against ynnari eldar.

I had Celestine, 2 5 melta domi squads one in an immo one in a repressor, 1 BSS squad with double flamer(both immos had immo flamers), 2 exorcists, a ret squad with HB, 1 imagifier, 1 Canoness, and a unit of seraphim with double handflamer, pp, ps.

He had 2 units of dire avengers, 2 wave serpents, yvraine, jetbike fireseer, Crimson Hunter exarc, wraithlord, rangers, and some other smatterings I don't remember.

He got first turn and moved the two waveserpents and the crimson hunter to get the immo I had vanguarded out of LoS (putting him in melta range) he popped the immo with almost all of his firepower and didn't really hurt anything else. My turn I AoFd Celestine to move 12 and the dominions to shoot the wave serpent, imag failed hers. Failed utterly to hurt the wraithlord with the repressor. Killed some DAs and popped the wave serpent with the second round of melta and the exorcists took a few points off the crimson hunter. Celestine made it into the farseer, and both squads of DA took the farseer down to one wound in exchange for a gemini.


Turn 2 lost Celestine to a baller psychic phase but she popped back up in cover near the wraithlord. Crimson hunter put a few wounds on an immo, dire avengers and bikes shot at the seraphim in cover and killed 2-3 wave serpent whiffed of the dominions, wraithlord took the repressor down to 1.


My turn Seraphim AoF to snipe the farseer, Celestine moves to charge the wraithlord, meltas go after things meltas should go after, exorcists take down the plane immo charges and roasts 3 rangers, HBs AoF to take out most of the bikes. Seraphim wipe up both units of DA, Celestine kills the wraithlord. It was basically over after that.

Sisters are CRAZY good and super fun even with the weaker AoF interpretation.

*Makes the sign of the Aquilla and bows in deference

Okay, I'm finally starting to settle into a list. I'll still take any feedback or tweaks anyone wants to suggest though. This will be for a competitive ITC event at the end of July (my first 8th edition event!)

6 Command Points at 1500

Spearhead -
HQ - Canoness with Eviscerator/BP - 67
Heavy - 5 Ret with 4 HB  - 85
Heavy - 5 Ret with 4 HB  - 85
Heavy - 5 Ret with 4 HB  - 85
Elite - Imagifer - 40
Elite - Imagifer - 40

Vanguard -
HQ - Tempestor with Command Rod - 40
Troop - 34 Conscripts - 102
Elite - Commissar with BP/CS - 31
Elite - 4 MT Command Squad with 4 Plasma - 64
Elite - 4 MT Command Squad with 4 Plasma - 64

Outrider Detachment
HQ - St C&1G - 200
Fast - 5 Seraphim with 2 x dual HF, Power Sword/BP- 83
Fast - 5 Seraphim with 2 x dual HF, Power Sword/BP- 83
Fast - 5 Doms with 4 Melta, Combi-Plasma/BP - 133
DT - Repressor with HF/SB - 90
Fast - 5 Doms with 3 Melta, Combi-Plasma/BP - 116
DT - Repressor with HF/SBx2 - 92

So... Running the numbers, the Canoness just looks bad. Rerolling 1s to hit seems pretty decent at face value, but for most sister profiles, you're looking at an improvement of 11% damage output. The same amount of points invested into Dominion or Retributor squads nets so much more firepower, to the point where the Canoness isn't really justifying her value until she's buffing over 400 points worth of firepower at any given time.

If you spend the points to kit her out for combat, she'll have a hard time justifying that cost too. As a counter-assault unit, her T3 and 3+ save don't give her the durability to act as a meaningful deterrent. As an assault character, her inability to take a jump pack leaves her slowly and helplessly ground-pounding, making it impossible for her to act as the high mobility shock-unit/assassin that her eviscerator would be best at (it doesn't help that the Eviscerator itself is just... okay).

She just has so much trouble filling an important roll in a list, and with Celestine being such a ridiculous no-brainer, there's really no reason to take a Canoness. You're better off just saving the points and loading up a Sisters squad instead.

Thoughts?

I'm really surprised to see so many people disparaging the Exorcist. It might just be a case of the grass being greener on the other side of the hill, but as an SM player I'm thinking "wow, las preds are awful, I wish we had Exorcists instead".

 Kingsley wrote:
I'm really surprised to see so many people disparaging the Exorcist. It might just be a case of the grass being greener on the other side of the hill, but as an SM player I'm thinking "wow, las preds are awful, I wish we had Exorcists instead".

Are they?

Pask Battle Tank is basically a Predator Annihilator +1, and is doing wonderfully. A Vanquisher TC was run by another guy and it did wonderful too. Both are expensive, though.

The Exorcist turned into an equivalent of a stock Leman Russ Battle Tank, which is problematic because the stock Leman Russ Battle Tank is crap. I'm not sure why every other missile launcher does D6 damage while ours does D3.

Worth mention: Basilisk, 2d6b1 shots, D3 damage, S9. Weaker AP and Ballistic skill, but only 108 points. 50 points less than the Exorcist for a better gun.

Also weird because the Exorcist got the defensive and offensive stats of a Leman Russ, when it used to have the defensive and offensive characteristics of a Predator.


That's the short of it though. It's not a big deal, because we've got other, extremely good units to carry the weight.

 pretre wrote:

Vanguard -
HQ - Tempestor with Command Rod - 40
Troop - 34 Conscripts - 102
Elite - Commissar with BP/CS - 31
Elite - 4 MT Command Squad with 4 Plasma - 64
Elite - 4 MT Command Squad with 4 Plasma - 64

Did you price these with Elysian drop troops? They're cheaper and the plasma guns do 3 damage instead of 2 when overcharged. I'm currently working on 4x command squads.

 Fafnir wrote:
So... Running the numbers, the Canoness just looks bad. Rerolling 1s to hit seems pretty decent at face value, but for most sister profiles, you're looking at an improvement of 11% damage output. The same amount of points invested into Dominion or Retributor squads nets so much more firepower, to the point where the Canoness isn't really justifying her value until she's buffing over 400 points worth of firepower at any given time.

If you spend the points to kit her out for combat, she'll have a hard time justifying that cost too. As a counter-assault unit, her T3 and 3+ save don't give her the durability to act as a meaningful deterrent. As an assault character, her inability to take a jump pack leaves her slowly and helplessly ground-pounding, making it impossible for her to act as the high mobility shock-unit/assassin that her eviscerator would be best at (it doesn't help that the Eviscerator itself is just... okay).

She just has so much trouble filling an important roll in a list, and with Celestine being such a ridiculous no-brainer, there's really no reason to take a Canoness. You're better off just saving the points and loading up a Sisters squad instead.

Thoughts?

Your math is off a bit. She's a 16.6% buff meaning she needs to buff 6 × 45 = 260 points of Sisters, which is more managable. Also if one of those units fires twice due to AoF that free set of shots is better where an extra squad wouldn't improve the original squad's AoF. Mainly though she's an extra 45 point HQ for when you need more than 1 like for a Brigade.

Also, 260 points of sisters is fairly easy to do for a ground pounder list. Not so easy for an MSU list, but if all you're ever considering are MSU lists of COURSE you're going to limit yourself in what is valuable to take.

I am currently running 2 Canoness', one cheap to buff Retributors and Exorcists, the other with Eviscerator and Combi Melta to hold the line with a priest and a bunch of BSS. My first game I only had one and she didn't really do much other than provide rerolls, but I wanted to reorganize my list for another CP and needed another HQ. I'm hell bent on pure ministorum, so I'll have to make due with Exorcists and no Scions for now. We'll see how it goes.

My experience so far with SoB in 8th was good, smashed an ork horde army. Celestine and Faith are legit, so are flamer Immolators and HB Retributors. I'm not sold on Exorcists, imagifiers, or the Dialogus yet.

 Inquisitor Lord Katherine wrote:

The Exorcist turned into an equivalent of a stock Leman Russ Battle Tank, which is problematic because the stock Leman Russ Battle Tank is crap. I'm not sure why every other missile launcher does D6 damage while ours does D3.

My guess is because every other missile system I remember the stats for is only AP:-2, not -4. That and BS 3+.

Just my $.02

 deviantduck wrote:

 pretre wrote:

Vanguard -
HQ - Tempestor with Command Rod - 40
Troop - 34 Conscripts - 102
Elite - Commissar with BP/CS - 31
Elite - 4 MT Command Squad with 4 Plasma - 64
Elite - 4 MT Command Squad with 4 Plasma - 64

Did you price these with Elysian drop troops? They're cheaper and the plasma guns do 3 damage instead of 2 when overcharged. I'm currently working on 4x command squads.

No I did not! I'll take a look.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Canoness are also needed to fill HQ slots.

 Mmmpi wrote:

 Inquisitor Lord Katherine wrote:

The Exorcist turned into an equivalent of a stock Leman Russ Battle Tank, which is problematic because the stock Leman Russ Battle Tank is crap. I'm not sure why every other missile launcher does D6 damage while ours does D3.

My guess is because every other missile system I remember the stats for is only AP:-2, not -4. That and BS 3+.

Just my $.02

Yeah, but missiles in general aren't as good as lascannons, which are d6 and higher S. Against T8 3+, S9 AP-3 is better than S8 AP-4 and against T7, the d6 outweighs the advantages of one more AP. The most comparable vehicle the 4 lascannon predator is much more effective and reliable for only 40 more points.

Mavnas wrote:

 Fafnir wrote:
So... Running the numbers, the Canoness just looks bad. Rerolling 1s to hit seems pretty decent at face value, but for most sister profiles, you're looking at an improvement of 11% damage output. The same amount of points invested into Dominion or Retributor squads nets so much more firepower, to the point where the Canoness isn't really justifying her value until she's buffing over 400 points worth of firepower at any given time.

If you spend the points to kit her out for combat, she'll have a hard time justifying that cost too. As a counter-assault unit, her T3 and 3+ save don't give her the durability to act as a meaningful deterrent. As an assault character, her inability to take a jump pack leaves her slowly and helplessly ground-pounding, making it impossible for her to act as the high mobility shock-unit/assassin that her eviscerator would be best at (it doesn't help that the Eviscerator itself is just... okay).

She just has so much trouble filling an important roll in a list, and with Celestine being such a ridiculous no-brainer, there's really no reason to take a Canoness. You're better off just saving the points and loading up a Sisters squad instead.

Thoughts?

Your math is off a bit. She's a 16.6% buff meaning she needs to buff 6 × 45 = 260 points of Sisters, which is more managable. Also if one of those units fires twice due to AoF that free set of shots is better where an extra squad wouldn't improve the original squad's AoF. Mainly though she's an extra 45 point HQ for when you need more than 1 like for a Brigade.

His math is right, you only get 66.67% of the 16.67% of shots you reroll ones on.

That said, I really think he's underestimating the canonesses abilities. She's not a deterrant in the backlines, she's a punishment. With either an eviscerator or an infernus pistol+power axe, she's pretty scary for plenty of things that would come after the backlines and is great for situations where, for example, a ravager trundles up and you blow it to bits and kill the guys who come out. S3 is way better than it used to be and cover combined with her free 4+ invul make her 3+ save not nearly as problematic as it was.

And she's just so cheap, a canoness with poweraxe, infernus pistol is only 62pts. She kills one terminator or warptalon and her buff becomes essentially free. Even combi-melta eviscerator doesn't push her over 100 points and she'll make a trigon regret every decision it ever made (and wouldn't that be a hoot?).


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Mavnas wrote:

 Mmmpi wrote:

 Inquisitor Lord Katherine wrote:

The Exorcist turned into an equivalent of a stock Leman Russ Battle Tank, which is problematic because the stock Leman Russ Battle Tank is crap. I'm not sure why every other missile launcher does D6 damage while ours does D3.

My guess is because every other missile system I remember the stats for is only AP:-2, not -4. That and BS 3+.

Just my $.02

Yeah, but missiles in general aren't as good as lascannons, which are d6 and higher S. Against T8 3+, S9 AP-3 is better than S8 AP-4 and against T7, the d6 outweighs the advantages of one more AP. The most comparable vehicle the 4 lascannon predator is much more effective and reliable for only 40 more points.

The extra wound and toughness shouldn't be discounted. And if the exorcist can get AoF, then it's the clear winner as taking 2 with 2 imagifiers gets you effectively 3 Exorcists for the price of 2 predators and lets them reposition without penalty.

ERJAK wrote:

Mavnas wrote:

 Fafnir wrote:
So... Running the numbers, the Canoness just looks bad. Rerolling 1s to hit seems pretty decent at face value, but for most sister profiles, you're looking at an improvement of 11% damage output. The same amount of points invested into Dominion or Retributor squads nets so much more firepower, to the point where the Canoness isn't really justifying her value until she's buffing over 400 points worth of firepower at any given time.

If you spend the points to kit her out for combat, she'll have a hard time justifying that cost too. As a counter-assault unit, her T3 and 3+ save don't give her the durability to act as a meaningful deterrent. As an assault character, her inability to take a jump pack leaves her slowly and helplessly ground-pounding, making it impossible for her to act as the high mobility shock-unit/assassin that her eviscerator would be best at (it doesn't help that the Eviscerator itself is just... okay).

She just has so much trouble filling an important roll in a list, and with Celestine being such a ridiculous no-brainer, there's really no reason to take a Canoness. You're better off just saving the points and loading up a Sisters squad instead.

Thoughts?

Your math is off a bit. She's a 16.6% buff meaning she needs to buff 6 × 45 = 260 points of Sisters, which is more managable. Also if one of those units fires twice due to AoF that free set of shots is better where an extra squad wouldn't improve the original squad's AoF. Mainly though she's an extra 45 point HQ for when you need more than 1 like for a Brigade.

His math is right, you only get 66.67% of the 16.67% of shots you reroll ones on.

Yeah, but going from 66.67% -> 77.777% is 77.777/66.67 = 1.166666x more hits. Rerolling 1s always yields 7/6 the number of hits/wounds you would otherwise have gotten, which means all other things being equal a 1s reroll needs to buff 6x its value in points. Obviously avoiding 1s with plasma or boosting a unit that shoots twice with AoF makes this even more effective than just adding more bodies.

The extra wound and toughness shouldn't be discounted. And if the exorcist can get AoF, then it's the clear winner as taking 2 with 2 imagifiers gets you effectively 3 Exorcists for the price of 2 predators and lets them reposition without penalty.

Only if you believe exorcists can use AoF. I believe that will be fixed at least in competitive settings... and outside, who cares about small differences in efficiency.

I like the Canones i take one each game and place her in the back with Ret HB unit behind a wall, she is good as a counter Charge and as others said Re-roll1's when shooting 2x is pretty good, especially over 2-3 turns.