Sisters of Battle 2019 Codex Tactics

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**davidgr33n**

ERJAK wrote:
So did anyone else notice that deploy scramblers is an almost guaranteed, essentially 0 cost 10 points for any SoB list with 2 units of seraphim?

DISCLAIMER: I HAVEN'T 100% EVERY PERMUTATION OF EVERY RULING FOR THIS INTERACTION SO THERE MIGHT BE SOME RULE THAT STOPS THIS BUT!!!:

Turn 1, use one waste unit in your deployment zone to score your board edge

Turn 2, bring down the seraphim, deadly descent to fry up a nice juicy target, use action to get either midboard or opponent's deployement. (both happen at the end of the movement phase and you get to decide the order.

Turn 3, bring down second unit of seraphim wherever the first unit couldn't go (either middle or opponent's board edge), deadly descent, use action.

Nearly guaranteed 10pts on turn 3 and all you sacrifice is a handful of bolter shots. Even if your opponent actively works to deny you the landing zones, you'll still likely have 12" move infantry models very near where they can jump to do the action next turn. And if all else fails you can get the objective the old fashion way; sneaking a random battle sister into their backlines.

So if you go up against say, a custodes list that doesn't give great secondary options, you can just take this. They don't have enough bodies to deny the midboard, their entire deployment zone, AND contest objectives. You'll always have a place to drop the seraphim and score.

The only fly in the ointment is things like Auspex scan, which Seraphim had to watch out for anyway.

I think it’s a great secondary, and like you said, nearly guaranteed. Against Guard it will be a little difficult as they can deny most of their zone.
The ONLY caveat I’ve had with this secondary is that you’re limited to 10 points. But when I’ve taken it ive always gotten my 10 points, and always used Seraphim.
The way I look at it, the Seraphim are still getting their shooting / productivity in the movement phase, they typically go into the opponent’s zone or between deployment zones, so might as well get the “easy” points.
It can also work well with Raise Banners.

**Dragonbeef4Life**

davidgr33n wrote:
ERJAK wrote:
So did anyone else notice that deploy scramblers is an almost guaranteed, essentially 0 cost 10 points for any SoB list with 2 units of seraphim?

DISCLAIMER: I HAVEN'T 100% EVERY PERMUTATION OF EVERY RULING FOR THIS INTERACTION SO THERE MIGHT BE SOME RULE THAT STOPS THIS BUT!!!:

Turn 1, use one waste unit in your deployment zone to score your board edge

Turn 2, bring down the seraphim, deadly descent to fry up a nice juicy target, use action to get either midboard or opponent's deployement. (both happen at the end of the movement phase and you get to decide the order.

Turn 3, bring down second unit of seraphim wherever the first unit couldn't go (either middle or opponent's board edge), deadly descent, use action.

Nearly guaranteed 10pts on turn 3 and all you sacrifice is a handful of bolter shots. Even if your opponent actively works to deny you the landing zones, you'll still likely have 12" move infantry models very near where they can jump to do the action next turn. And if all else fails you can get the objective the old fashion way; sneaking a random battle sister into their backlines.

So if you go up against say, a custodes list that doesn't give great secondary options, you can just take this. They don't have enough bodies to deny the midboard, their entire deployment zone, AND contest objectives. You'll always have a place to drop the seraphim and score.

The only fly in the ointment is things like Auspex scan, which Seraphim had to watch out for anyway.

I think it’s a great secondary, and like you said, nearly guaranteed. Against Guard it will be a little difficult as they can deny most of their zone.
The ONLY caveat I’ve had with this secondary is that you’re limited to 10 points. But when I’ve taken it ive always gotten my 10 points, and always used Seraphim.
The way I look at it, the Seraphim are still getting their shooting / productivity in the movement phase, they typically go into the opponent’s zone or between deployment zones, so might as well get the “easy” points.
It can also work well with Raise Banners.

Can't take RtBH with it as they are both SHADOW OPERATIONS.

I think its a strong 10 points against armies that are hard to take secondary objs against. I'd rather have some points to support the primary than a goose egg, and since it is entirely in our hands on how to get that to function by the end of of our movement, I think works quite well with our mobility on the jump jets. But I don't think its a "take all" situation. I personally use 2 Seraphim and a Zeph squad, so I like the flexibility it gives me in planning against an army like Custodes. But i doubt I'm taking that for Tau as i need that bolter fire to start moving as many backfield shield drones as I can, or the hordes of board presence on imperial guard make it hard to shift into their territory. Its a good gimmick for us, but not a defacto against all comers. We should likely figure out which kind of armies it works well on to get a decent 10 off of and how to support the other 2 secondaries take with it when we want it.

I think RtBH can be a bit easier to get the 10 points with the capacity to get the full 15 off 3 primaries in the 6 objective matches, but likely Scramblers is better in the 4 or 5. To much happening mid board that controlling it to plant, and turns of keeping it under control, likely doesn't net anything better than what the scramblers can do while harder to accomplish.

**Dragonbeef4Life**

FAQs just released on Core Rules and GT. Battle sanctum took a huge hit:

FORTIFICATIONS
Units with the Fortifications Battlefield Role are terrain features
that are part of your army. Unless otherwise stated, when
setting Fortifications up on the battlefield, they cannot be set up
within 3" of any other terrain feature that is not part of its own
datasheet (excluding hills, page 260). If it is not possible to set up
a Fortification as a result, it cannot be deployed and counts as
having been destroyed. Fortifications can never be placed into
Strategic Reserves (pg 256).

With the size of that model, and the amount of terrain on the table, that likely means it can't be placed or we have to be very careful when placing terrain. Bit of a bummer

**Taikishi**

That... sucks.

On the flip side, it looks like power swords and heavy flamers could be getting a buff.

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/520309463773872128/742428329726181416/117339812_1673503712814279_2417494953602935008_n.png

**warmaster21**

Taikishi wrote:
That... sucks.

On the flip side, it looks like power swords and heavy flamers could be getting a buff.

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/520309463773872128/742428329726181416/117339812_1673503712814279_2417494953602935008_n.png

all for 12" heavy flamers. if power swords become +1s then axes would have to be +2s and hammers/maces/mauls +3s, shame they took away our power axes outside of legends.

also did they swap the damage of the chainfist and power first? coulda swore chain fist was flat 2 and power fist was Dd3?

**Dragonbeef4Life**

warmaster21 wrote:
Taikishi wrote:
That... sucks.

On the flip side, it looks like power swords and heavy flamers could be getting a buff.

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/520309463773872128/742428329726181416/117339812_1673503712814279_2417494953602935008_n.png

all for 12" heavy flamers. if power swords become +1s then axes would have to be +2s and hammers/maces/mauls +3s, shame they took away our power axes outside of legends.

also did they swap the damage of the chainfist and power first? coulda swore chain fist was flat 2 and power fist was Dd3?

Powerfist are currently x2, -3, d3, chainfist is x2, -4, 2. So yes, looks like the damage characteristic is being flipped. one more ap for a bit more random damage at the 10 pt range.

**FezzikDaBullgryn**

Pray to whatever god you believe in that Custodes Get +1 swords for basic troops.

**Dragonbeef4Life**

If PSs do go to +1S, -3, D1, BR Zeph stand a good reason for their point increases. With W reroll, an MSU version of them go from averaging 5.93 Ws to Astartes to 7.995, a 34% increase in efficiency, and that is without taking into account Passion or strats. That also puts them at a decent chance to suffer moral casualties and minimal response. I think Sisters do well with this buff vs other armies.

The question is if it is something more akin to the Astartes Chainsword, and is only Astartes Terminator level powerswords. The amount of specialization that way with melee weapons has gone down a rabbit hole as of late with SMs. They are a bit more consistent on the ranged being cross faction updates.

**warmaster21**

Dragonbeef4Life wrote:
If PSs do go to +1S, -3, D1, BR Zeph stand a good reason for their point increases. With W reroll, an MSU version of them go from averaging 5.93 Ws to Astartes to 7.995, a 34% increase in efficiency, and that is without taking into account Passion or strats. That also puts them at a decent chance to suffer moral casualties and minimal response. I think Sisters do well with this buff vs other armies.

The question is if it is something more akin to the Astartes Chainsword, and is only Astartes Terminator level powerswords. The amount of specialization that way with melee weapons has gone down a rabbit hole as of late with SMs. They are a bit more consistent on the ranged being cross faction updates.

I do hope they roll it out across everyone, there are alot of units with S3 power swords that just dont work becuase they are strength 3 and low attacks (banshees for example), crusaders could see some use at S4, though the 6 unit cap is still a limiting factor. i assume death cults would be untouched they are already S4 and use special power blades.

Good point on the Zeph.

on an allies front a S5 eversor assassin could be fun to toss in every now and then, though not like we have much trouble dealing with hordes.

Hopefully it gets rolled out to "Master crafted" versions of power swords like you see on certain inquisitor special characters. Celestines yandere lover wouldn't turn down +1 strength in melee

**tneva82**

Dragonbeef4Life wrote:
If PSs do go to +1S, -3, D1, BR Zeph stand a good reason for their point increases. With W reroll, an MSU version of them go from averaging 5.93 Ws to Astartes to 7.995, a 34% increase in efficiency, and that is without taking into account Passion or strats. That also puts them at a decent chance to suffer moral casualties and minimal response. I think Sisters do well with this buff vs other armies.

The question is if it is something more akin to the Astartes Chainsword, and is only Astartes Terminator level powerswords. The amount of specialization that way with melee weapons has gone down a rabbit hole as of late with SMs. They are a bit more consistent on the ranged being cross faction updates.

Zep got normal price hike. 9th ed all got and zep didn't get all that huge.

So if　in next codex their ps is this expect further price　hike

**Dragonbeef4Life**

tneva82 wrote:
Dragonbeef4Life wrote:
If PSs do go to +1S, -3, D1, BR Zeph stand a good reason for their point increases. With W reroll, an MSU version of them go from averaging 5.93 Ws to Astartes to 7.995, a 34% increase in efficiency, and that is without taking into account Passion or strats. That also puts them at a decent chance to suffer moral casualties and minimal response. I think Sisters do well with this buff vs other armies.

The question is if it is something more akin to the Astartes Chainsword, and is only Astartes Terminator level powerswords. The amount of specialization that way with melee weapons has gone down a rabbit hole as of late with SMs. They are a bit more consistent on the ranged being cross faction updates.

Zep got normal price hike. 9th ed all got and zep didn't get all that huge.

So if　in next codex their ps is this expect further price　hike

I don't disagree, but 20 pts for their current output is a bit rough on the edges for a T3 model. Yes, they have a 5++ with their alternate abilities, but i think 100 pts for a squad is a good place for them.

They'd be hard pressed that if PS get buffed that they'd increase the prices past 5 pts. Master-crafted is 10, but its also D2.

**Lemondish**

tneva82 wrote:
Dragonbeef4Life wrote:
If PSs do go to +1S, -3, D1, BR Zeph stand a good reason for their point increases. With W reroll, an MSU version of them go from averaging 5.93 Ws to Astartes to 7.995, a 34% increase in efficiency, and that is without taking into account Passion or strats. That also puts them at a decent chance to suffer moral casualties and minimal response. I think Sisters do well with this buff vs other armies.

The question is if it is something more akin to the Astartes Chainsword, and is only Astartes Terminator level powerswords. The amount of specialization that way with melee weapons has gone down a rabbit hole as of late with SMs. They are a bit more consistent on the ranged being cross faction updates.

Zep got normal price hike. 9th ed all got and zep didn't get all that huge.

So if　in next codex their ps is this expect further price　hike

And they were fundamentally worthless for everyone except BR. At least with Str 4 they would have a chance of being borderline viable, even in just friendly matches, for every other Order.

**Corizin**

Dragonbeef4Life wrote:
FAQs just released on Core Rules and GT. Battle sanctum took a huge hit:

With the size of that model, and the amount of terrain on the table, that likely means it can't be placed or we have to be very careful when placing terrain. Bit of a bummer

It's literally impossible to place if you follow the guidelines.

The guidelines state there should be one piece of terrain per 12 x 12 inch area.

The Battle Sanctum is about 8x8 inches large and if you add 3 inches of margin on each side what you get is 14x14. If it's possible for you to place that Sanctum on the board, it means the board has too little terrain.

**Dragonbeef4Life**

Corizin wrote:
Dragonbeef4Life wrote:
FAQs just released on Core Rules and GT. Battle sanctum took a huge hit:

With the size of that model, and the amount of terrain on the table, that likely means it can't be placed or we have to be very careful when placing terrain. Bit of a bummer

It's literally impossible to place if you follow the guidelines.

The guidelines state there should be one piece of terrain per 12 x 12 inch area.

The Battle Sanctum is about 8x8 inches large and if you add 3 inches of margin on each side what you get is 14x14. If it's possible for you to place that Sanctum on the board, it means the board has too little terrain.

the 12x12 is the calc for the amount, not that you have to have a piece of terrain in every 12x12 space. IE, on a strike force 44x60 board, you have between 15 and 18 pieces of terrain depending on how you calculate the table space. that doesn't mean you can't place well enough to create a gap if you know the board side you want to try and place. However, in a comp environment with preset terrain, def much more challenging since each table Q will be ~4 pieces that if close can create a challenge.

**U02dah4**

Most boards it will be impossible

**MacPhail**

I'm going to get my first games of 9th tomorrow! We're going to try for two 500-point games of "Combat Patrol: Incisive Attack" which I know isn't very fancy... we're just hoping to get two games in and master the turn sequence and scoring before going bigger.

My opponent will either bring Guard, Ultrasmurfs, or Alaitoc Eldar... not sure which. I'll bring the following Valorous Heart Patrol:

Canoness w/ BB + IP, WL: Beacon
Imagifier w/ Stoic, BoSL
BSS w/ 2x Melta, Combimelta, Chainsword, Simulacrum, Cherub
BSS w/ 2x Stormbolter, Chainsword
Dominions w/ 4x Stormbolters, Plasma Pistol, Chainsword
Penitent Engine
Rhino w/ Hunter-Killer

I mainly want to test the push forward onto a midboard objective with the Rhino, the BSS meltas, and the Dominion strombolters. The last infantry squad comes up with the HQs to support the forward element and the Penitent runs around causing havoc.

I've got 16 points left... plasma pistols, combi weapons, or an extra body? I'll take a few pics and post a write-up at some point...

**ERJAK**

U02dah4 wrote:
Most boards it will be impossible

Unlikely outside of the scouring.

**Taikishi**

SM veteran datasheet leaked. Plasma pistols shown with only the S7 profile, power swords are S+1, power axes S+2...

... But chainswords are listed as AP-1.

So I suppose it's possible there will be "Astartes power swords", but I'm hopeful this reinforces power swords becoming S+1 game-wide.

**tneva82**

Marines getting more units with s+1 doesn't mean npc factions will be　getting it

**Corizin**

So the FAQ for the Sanctum says:
"‘After this model is set up, it becomes an Area Terrain feature
with the following terrain traits: Breachable; Heavy Cover; Light
Cover; Scalable (see the Warhammer 40,000 Core Book).’"

The rules for Area terrain says:
"Each time an Area Terrain feature is set up
on the battlefield, both players must agree upon the
footprint of that terrain feature — that is, the boundary
of the terrain feature at ground level. "

Put together. Does that not mean we can define the Sanctum to be however small we need it to be to fit into our deployment?

**tneva82**

Uh no not really. It is dependant on model itself. Sometimes area terrain just doesn't have clear footprint(you have say 4 corners of a ruin but they aren't in base) so you need to agree how you sort it out. But as a base rule it's still same model so you can't bring in smaller piece or it's MFA which is not going to fly with people..

**Mr Morden**

tneva82 wrote:
Uh no not really. It is dependant on model itself. Sometimes area terrain just doesn't have clear footprint(you have say 4 corners of a ruin but they aren't in base) so you need to agree how you sort it out. But as a base rule it's still same model so you can't bring in smaller piece or it's MFA which is not going to fly with people..

My Sanctum is still being made and painted for me but it doesn't have a defined footprint does it? So more flexible than say a Bastion?

**Sgt.Sunshine**

So played a weird game today in that it was 1200 points, but we played a 1000 point mission and table size so take that how you will.

My List:

Spoiler:

Opponent's Army

Spoiler:

It was an interesting game. I played one Repentia Rhino poorly and they got popped without contributing anything. The game ended almost with me getting tabled, but winning via control points. One thing I did notice was that I just burned through command points like they were going out of style. I may end up going to 2k with just battalion of Bloody Rose over the VH/BR I was thinking of initially.

I found avoiding the Ultramarine/SM 3 overwatch strat kinda hard? Just sorta threw Celestine at the aggressors to take it hope to make the 2+ or engage them. Unfortunately flubbed that roll, but Repentia got into the main blob of things and chopped up the aggressors and eradicators who were clumping hard around the ancient and working to try and melt my Exorcist (I got first turn and killed an eradicator early which saved the pipe organ in the long run). I'm not sure if there was a better way of doing it tbh.

**Dragonbeef4Life**

Yeah, that overwatch strat with 3 units for the price of 2 CP is rough if they deathstar it around either Calgar or Big G. Esp when they pop Transhuman once you actually get INTO it if you survive. The main benefit is that its still 6s to hit for the 3 units, of which CANNOT be the unit you're charging. So if you pick like the Aggressors in the bubble, he has to use the Overwatch strat itself to use them, or use the other guys around it which aren't near as dangerous needing 6s to hit. You have to pick your target wisely on that charge against UMs.

The sanctum is just going to be in a rough bit until its clarified. The foot print on the walls are preset. The statue is up for where it goes as the only flexible piece to add (which is still odd to me not having preset definitions on where that goes to the structure). you can potentially C it around a ruin if you retain 3". Otherwise, we'll likely find that it can't be played now usually without another errata. Which for $100 model at 55 pts has about every SOB player i know, myself included, a bit up in arms for gakky word choice on the FORTIFICATIONS language.

**Sgt.Sunshine**

Oh, that's an important clarification. That's something we definitely missed in the game. I feel less bad about my decision to just charge Celestine in to trigger it.

Also, I definitely agree on just choosing the passion as a sacred rite rather than rolling. I think I may just go bloody rose and just use that now.

Probably something like:

Spoiler:

**warmaster21**

So with the potential change to strength on power weapons shown in the new marine instruction book, which hopefully will get rolled out to the rest of the factions at some point, is that going to have any bearing on what weapons to take on our sisters.

P-Swords at +1, P-Axes at +2, and assuming P-Mauls at +3 (not shown yet). i know we cant take axes unless you use legends but some people arent dicks about it.

for me personally S6 power mauls seems appealing as i play against 2 different deathguard armies, however i liked the visuals more of my sisters of power axes (not usable too often, depending on the player), and power swords i dont think would see much use outside of the buff it gives to the zephyrim.

we always had access to s4 power weapons in the form of death cults if we really wanted to take them, and Crusaders still dont seem worth their points even with s4 power swords.

**Sgt.Sunshine**

I suspect it mostly just matters for Zephyrim. Visuals aside I'm not too keen on freeing up points to put power weapons on all of my sister superiors.

**warmaster21**

I mostly put chainswords on my superiors, but on the celestian superiors worth considering.

though something i forgot about completely when i was writing the previous post is the +1 strength aura. so we can hit s5 swords, s6 axes, s7 mauls. interesting breakpoints to hit.

**tneva82**

Mr Morden wrote:
tneva82 wrote:
Uh no not really. It is dependant on model itself. Sometimes area terrain just doesn't have clear footprint(you have say 4 corners of a ruin but they aren't in base) so you need to agree how you sort it out. But as a base rule it's still same model so you can't bring in smaller piece or it's MFA which is not going to fly with people..

My Sanctum is still being made and painted for me but it doesn't have a defined footprint does it? So more flexible than say a Bastion?

Well yes but not enough notably shrink footprint. Theres some t-shaped though part of it would be taken by statue but it's stllj essentially 11"x11" area clear of terrain.

Very inconvenient. Same rule works in aos as faction terrains are　smaller and boards less dense

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Sgt.Sunshine wrote:
Oh, that's an important clarification. That's something we definitely missed in the game. I feel less bad about my decision to just charge Celestine in to trigger it.

Also, I definitely agree on just choosing the passion as a sacred rite rather than rolling. I think I may just go bloody rose and just use that now.

Keep in mind though you dont have to lock yourself to it. It's done after deployment so unlike traits and relics is not locked. 2 abilities has it's advantages

**MacPhail**

So I got one Combat Patrol in tonight. It was tied every turn through turn 4, but my opponent wore down my numbers, got my Warlord in turn 5, and won 59-50 with Assassinate and Slay the Warlord. I had taken all objective based secondaries and never got more than two objectives.

He played Astra Militarum with Creed, Kell, three infantry squads, a big unit of Ratlings, and a Russ. My VH Conviction was of no impact, and I kept forgetting my Sacred Rites. I failed a critical charge with a Penitent Engine that should have mopped up a guard squad and given me the third objective I needed. I might have screened my Canoness better to deny him his points, but by the end of turn 5 I had only a Rhino, Imagifier, and a single Superior who had gone six Fight phases in melee with another infantry squad whose Sergeant also endured that whole combat. In the end my inability to shift even a single one of his squads from an objective opened his road to victory.

It was a fun and close match, but a bit swingy... he had a miserable first shooting phase, and we both decided that my failed charge was a turning point. I mostly screwed up old rules just by being rusty, but the new rules seemed pretty functional and straightforward. I'll play this guy again in a couple weeks and maybe bring some Bloody Rose and some jump troops, both of which would be more fun against an infantry army.