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Made in us
Preacher of the Emperor






Confessors, the roving murder-bishops of the Imperial Cult, have been part of the Sisters of Battle army book on and off over the editions. My 2014 fandex included them, and now I’ve made my first stab at bringing them into 8th edition, complete with a Biker variant and a Confessor Enthroned on a modified Penitent Engine to take the place of crazy old Karamazov now he’s in the Inquisition mini-dex. These characters are intended to lead a homebrew Frateris Militia detachment or to supplement Sororitas as super-Priests, with their unique stratagem allowing them to Anathematize a chosen enemy unit by giving friendly forces a bonus to kill them.
New rules not found in Codex:Adepta Sororitas are marked in boldface; in this case, all the homebrewed special rules are found under the first spoiler tag, and the individual datasheets just cite the name of the ability.
As always, I’m eager for feedback and looking forward to folks pointing out flaws and offering improvements.


***

*

Confessor Background & Special Rules:
Spoiler:

Far more ferocious than ordinary priests and largely independent of the normal hierarchy of Cardinals and dioceses, Confessors are wide-­ranging holy warriors. Backed by their personal battle conclaves, Battle Sisters seconded from the Adepta Sororitas, and ad hoc Frateris Militia, they carry the Emperor's Light into the darkness — whether that darkness is a pagan world light-­years beyond human space, a Imperial planet mired in heresy, or corrupt clerics in their own cathedral.

Commander of the Faithful
Re-roll hit rolls of 1 for attacks made by friendly Ministorum Priest and Frateris Militia models whilst they are within 6” of this model.

Terror of the Infidel
Subtract one from the Leadership of any enemy Chaos, Daemon, or Psyker units within 6” of this model.

Master of Missionaries
If your army is battle-forged, if a Detachment contains this model, it may also include multiple Missionaries, who are not affected by the Lone Mission special rule.

Stratagem: Anathemize (2 CP)
Designate one enemy unit within Line of Sight of a Confessor in your army. As long as the Confessor is on the board, all units in the Confessor’s detachment may reroll failed rolls to hit that designated unit.
You may not use this Stratagem again until either the designated unit is or the Confessor is slain


*

HQ: Confessor
(65 points per mode, 1 model per unit)
Most Confessors march humbly into battle with their flock, although they do have a higher chance of living to march back.
Spoiler:

Confessor: M:6” WS:3+ BS:3+ S:3 T:3 W:5 A:4 Ld:8 Sv:6+/4++

A Confessor is a single model equipped with an autogun, laspistol, chainsword, frag grenades, and krak grenades.
Wargear Options:
This model may replace its laspistol with 1 weapon from the Pistols list.
This model may replace its autogun with a shotgun or with 1 weapon from the Ranged Weapons list.
This model may replace its chainsword with a power sword.
This model may replace its laspistol and chainsword with an Eviscerator.

Abilities:
Zealot
Rosarius
War Hymns
Word of the Emperor
Commander of the Faithful
Terror of the Infidel
Master of Missionaries


Faction Keywords:
Imperium, Adeptus Ministorum

Keywords:
Character, Infantry Ministorum Priest, Confessor


Design Notes:
Start with a Missionary and all their abilities: 38 points.
Improve WS, BS, Wounds, Attacks, & Leadership all by 1 (the same stat difference between a 35 point Sob character and a 45-point Canoness): 10 points
Add Commander of the Faithful: 10 points?
Add Terror of the Infidel: 5 points?
Add Master of Missionaries: 2 points?
Total: 38+10 +10 +5 + 2 = 65 points.

*

HQ: Confessor on Bike
(85 points per mode, 1 model per unit)
Some Confessors charge against the foe on fast and rugged bikes.
Spoiler:

Confessor: M:14” WS:3+ BS:3+ S:3 T:4 W:6 A:4 Ld:8 Sv:6+/4++

A Confessor on Bike is a single model equipped with an autogun, laspistol, chainsword, frag grenades, and krak grenades.

Wargear Options:
This model may replace its laspistol with 1 weapon from the Pistols list.
This model may replace its autogun with a shotgun or with 1 weapon from the Ranged Weapons list.
This model may replace its chainsword with a power sword.

Abilities:
Zealot
Rosarius
War Hymns
Word of the Emperor
Commander of the Faithful
Terror of the Infidel
Master of Missionaries


Faction Keywords:
Imperium, Adeptus Ministorum

Keywords:
Character, Biker, Ministorum Priest, Confessor


Design Notes:
Upgrade to Biker: +8”, +1T, +1W, but no Turbo-Boost or twin boltguns: +20?

*

HQ: Confessor Enthroned
(100 points, 1 model per unit
A few Confessors enter battle seated on massive mechanical thrones, built from a modified Penitent Engine chassis.
Spoiler:

Confessor: M:7” WS:3+ BS:3+ S:5 T:5 W:8 A:4 Ld:9 Sv:6+/4++

A Confessor Enthroned is a single model armed with 2 heavy flamers and 2 Penitent Flails.

Wargear Options:
This model can replace 1 Penitent Flails with 1 Penitent Buzz-Blade.
This model can replace 2 Penitent Flails with 2 Penitent Buzz-Blades.
This model can replace 1 heavy flamer with a multi-melta or a heavy bolter.
This model can replace 2 heavy flamers with 2 multi-meltas or 2 heavy bolters.

Abilities:
Zealot
Rosarius
War Hymns
Word of the Emperor
Commander of the Faithful
Terror of the Infidel
Master of Missionaries


Faction Keywords:
Imperium, Adeptus Ministorum

Keywords:
Vehicle, Character, Ministorum Priest, Confessor


Design Notes - this one gets complicated, hence spoiler tags:
Spoiler:

My homebrewed Confessor costs 65 (see above).
The cost difference between Inquisitor Karamazov on his Throne of Judgment and a regular Inquisitor is 60 points. For that you get -1”, S+2, T+2, W+3, Ld+1, and 1 better invulnerable save, plus his Throne’s weapons.

Now we have a Confessor on Karamazov’s fully armed Throne of Judgment for 125 points.

Then we modify it:
A 3++ is OTT, and 5” is too slow for the Ecclesiarchy, so I’ll drop the improvement to the invulnerable save and up speed to 7”, same as a Penitent Engine, which maybe cancels out: 0?
Remove Master-Crafted Multi-Melta, which is basically a Multi-Melta with +6” range: -30 points
Replace Master-Crafted Power Sword and Throne of Judgment’s Stomping Feet with a pair of Penitent Flails or Buzz-Blades — this is really hard to cost (believe me, I’ve tried!) but Karamazov’s sword and stompy feet together do, on average, at least twice as much damage as a pair of Penitent Buzz-Blades against any target from Titan to Marine, and beat a pair of Flails against everything but Sisters, Stormtroopers, and Guardsmen, where they’re only slightly inferior. I’ll guesstimate: -10 points.

Now we have a Confessor one a Throne that has a pair of Flails or Blades instead of Karamazov’s master-crafted multi-melta, master-crafted power sword, and stompy feet: 125 - 30 - 10 = 85 points.

Add Zealot, which is pretty brutal on a model like this: +15 points.

Final total: 100 points, just a little less than Karamazov.

And now we pay for ranged weapons separately, as wargear.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2020/05/23 18:45:50


BURN IT DOWN BURN IT DOWN BABY BURN IT DOWN

 Psienesis wrote:
Well, if you check out Sister Sydney's homebrew/expansion rules, you'll find all kinds of units the Sisters could have, that fit with the theme of the Sisters (as a tabletop army) perfectly well, and are damn-near-perfectly balanced.

I’m updating that fandex now & I’m eager for feedback on new home-brew units for the Sisters: Sororitas Bikers, infiltrators & Novices, tanks, flyers, characters, superheavies, Frateris Militia, and now Confessors and Battle Conclave characters
My Novice Ginevra stories start with Bolter B-Word Privileges 
   
Made in us
Humming Great Unclean One of Nurgle





In My Lab

Anathemize looks brutally overpowered, especially since it looks like you can include these guys in a SoB detachment.

The rest looks pretty good.

Clocks for the clockmaker! Cogs for the cog throne! 
   
Made in us
Preacher of the Emperor






Yeah, it needs to downgrade — question is, how far? Reroll failed Wounds is probably the next step down. Rerolling 1s to hit is probably too far and duplicates what Confessors and Canonesses already do.

BURN IT DOWN BURN IT DOWN BABY BURN IT DOWN

 Psienesis wrote:
Well, if you check out Sister Sydney's homebrew/expansion rules, you'll find all kinds of units the Sisters could have, that fit with the theme of the Sisters (as a tabletop army) perfectly well, and are damn-near-perfectly balanced.

I’m updating that fandex now & I’m eager for feedback on new home-brew units for the Sisters: Sororitas Bikers, infiltrators & Novices, tanks, flyers, characters, superheavies, Frateris Militia, and now Confessors and Battle Conclave characters
My Novice Ginevra stories start with Bolter B-Word Privileges 
   
Made in us
Humming Great Unclean One of Nurgle





In My Lab

 SisterSydney wrote:
Yeah, it needs to downgrade — question is, how far? Reroll failed Wounds is probably the next step down. Rerolling 1s to hit is probably too far and duplicates what Confessors and Canonesses already do.
That's worse. Rerolling wounds is WAY better.

Clocks for the clockmaker! Cogs for the cog throne! 
   
Made in us
Confessor Of Sins





Tacoma, WA, USA

Anathematize at least needs a duration (phase or turn) and wouldn't hurt to be an Aura also.
   
Made in us
Monster-Slaying Daemonhunter





Yeah. Anathemize might be "re-roll wounds for this phase" or something, which would be fairly in line with some extant stratagems.

That said, I have no comment about these guys otherwise. They seem unexceptional and redundant with priests and canonesses, but as they're supposed to be the equivalent for the rabble, that makes sense.

Guardsmen, hear me! Cadia may lie in ruin, but her proud people do not! For each brother and sister who gave their lives to Him as martyrs, we will reap a vengeance fiftyfold! Cadia may be no more, but will never be forgotten; our foes shall tremble in fear at the name, for their doom shall come from the barrels of Cadian guns, fired by Cadian hands! Forward, for vengeance and retribution, in His name and the names of our fallen comrades! 
   
Made in us
Preacher of the Emperor






Thanks, all. And yes, Katherine is right that Confessors don't add much a pure Adepta Sororitas army; they're designed to lead Frateris mobs. With that in mind, here's a much more focused rewrite of Anathematize, albeit it still lasts for multiple turns:

Anathema (3CP)
Designate one enemy unit in Line of Sight of a Confessor in your army. All friendly Ministorum Priest and Frateris Militia units within 6" of that Confessor add +1 to all rolls to wound that enemy unit until it is destroyed.
You may not use this Stratagem again until the Confessor or the designated enemy unit is destroyed.

I'm tempted to have this Stratagem and the Confessors' "reroll 1s" ability affect Ecclesiarchy Battle Conclaves as well. What do folks think?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
PS: The alternative approach to boosting Battle Conclaves is to create characters for, say, a Crusader Champion, Death Cult Mistress, and Arco-Flagellant Pack Master, each of whom buffs a specific unit.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2020/05/25 15:02:25


BURN IT DOWN BURN IT DOWN BABY BURN IT DOWN

 Psienesis wrote:
Well, if you check out Sister Sydney's homebrew/expansion rules, you'll find all kinds of units the Sisters could have, that fit with the theme of the Sisters (as a tabletop army) perfectly well, and are damn-near-perfectly balanced.

I’m updating that fandex now & I’m eager for feedback on new home-brew units for the Sisters: Sororitas Bikers, infiltrators & Novices, tanks, flyers, characters, superheavies, Frateris Militia, and now Confessors and Battle Conclave characters
My Novice Ginevra stories start with Bolter B-Word Privileges 
   
Made in us
Confessor Of Sins





Tacoma, WA, USA

I'd much rather Anathema be a 1 CP stratagem that last for one phase. Frankly, spending 3 CP to make Ministorum Priest and Frateris Militia units more deadly against a specific unit is just not an attractive use of CP.

As for rolling in Ecclesiarchy Battle Conclave units to the Confessors abilities, not without a major increase in the cost of the Confessor. More rerolls for those units would be a massive boost to them (although the more dangerous ones already have Zealot Re-rolls).
   
Made in us
Preacher of the Emperor






Good points. So:

alextroy wrote:I'd much rather Anathema be a 1 CP stratagem that last for one phase. Frankly, spending 3 CP to make Ministorum Priest and Frateris Militia units more deadly against a specific unit is just not an attractive use of CP.


Anathema (1 CP)
Use this Stratagem in the Shooting Phase or in the Fight Phase. Designate one enemy unit that is in Line of Sight of a Confessor in your army or within 12" of a Confessor in your army. All friendly Ministorum Priest and Frateris Militia units within 6" of that Confessor add +1 to all rolls to wound that enemy unit during this phase.
You may only use this Stratagem once per phase for each Confessor in your army.

Better?


SisterSydney wrote:I'm tempted to have this Stratagem and the Confessors' "reroll 1s" ability affect Ecclesiarchy Battle Conclaves as well. What do folks think?


alextroy wrote:As for rolling in Ecclesiarchy Battle Conclave units to the Confessors abilities, not without a major increase in the cost of the Confessor. More rerolls for those units would be a massive boost to them (although the more dangerous ones already have Zealot Re-rolls).


SisterSydney wrote:
The alternative approach to boosting Battle Conclaves is to create characters for, say, a Crusader Champion, Death Cult Mistress, and Arco-Flagellant Pack Master, each of whom buffs a specific unit.


I'm sorry, I can't help myself. I am, as always, eager for your comments -- complimentary or otherwise.

BURN IT DOWN BURN IT DOWN BABY BURN IT DOWN

 Psienesis wrote:
Well, if you check out Sister Sydney's homebrew/expansion rules, you'll find all kinds of units the Sisters could have, that fit with the theme of the Sisters (as a tabletop army) perfectly well, and are damn-near-perfectly balanced.

I’m updating that fandex now & I’m eager for feedback on new home-brew units for the Sisters: Sororitas Bikers, infiltrators & Novices, tanks, flyers, characters, superheavies, Frateris Militia, and now Confessors and Battle Conclave characters
My Novice Ginevra stories start with Bolter B-Word Privileges 
   
Made in us
Monster-Slaying Daemonhunter





 SisterSydney wrote:
Good points. So:

alextroy wrote:I'd much rather Anathema be a 1 CP stratagem that last for one phase. Frankly, spending 3 CP to make Ministorum Priest and Frateris Militia units more deadly against a specific unit is just not an attractive use of CP.


Anathema (1 CP)
Use this Stratagem in the Shooting Phase or in the Fight Phase. Designate one enemy unit that is in Line of Sight of a Confessor in your army or within 12" of a Confessor in your army. All friendly Ministorum Priest and Frateris Militia units within 6" of that Confessor add +1 to all rolls to wound that enemy unit during this phase.
You may only use this Stratagem once per phase for each Confessor in your army.

Better?


SisterSydney wrote:I'm tempted to have this Stratagem and the Confessors' "reroll 1s" ability affect Ecclesiarchy Battle Conclaves as well. What do folks think?


alextroy wrote:As for rolling in Ecclesiarchy Battle Conclave units to the Confessors abilities, not without a major increase in the cost of the Confessor. More rerolls for those units would be a massive boost to them (although the more dangerous ones already have Zealot Re-rolls).


SisterSydney wrote:
The alternative approach to boosting Battle Conclaves is to create characters for, say, a Crusader Champion, Death Cult Mistress, and Arco-Flagellant Pack Master, each of whom buffs a specific unit.


I'm sorry, I can't help myself. I am, as always, eager for your comments -- complimentary or otherwise.


The last clause of Anathematize should go. Stick with once per phase for stratagems.

Anathema (1 CP)
Use this Stratagem in the Shooting Phase or in the Fight Phase. Designate one enemy unit that is in Line of Sight of a Confessor in your army or within 12" of a Confessor in your army. All friendly Ministorum Priest and Frateris Militia units within 6" of a Confessor add +1 to all rolls to wound that enemy unit during this phase.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2020/05/26 22:22:45


Guardsmen, hear me! Cadia may lie in ruin, but her proud people do not! For each brother and sister who gave their lives to Him as martyrs, we will reap a vengeance fiftyfold! Cadia may be no more, but will never be forgotten; our foes shall tremble in fear at the name, for their doom shall come from the barrels of Cadian guns, fired by Cadian hands! Forward, for vengeance and retribution, in His name and the names of our fallen comrades! 
   
Made in us
Preacher of the Emperor






Good catch, thanks.

BURN IT DOWN BURN IT DOWN BABY BURN IT DOWN

 Psienesis wrote:
Well, if you check out Sister Sydney's homebrew/expansion rules, you'll find all kinds of units the Sisters could have, that fit with the theme of the Sisters (as a tabletop army) perfectly well, and are damn-near-perfectly balanced.

I’m updating that fandex now & I’m eager for feedback on new home-brew units for the Sisters: Sororitas Bikers, infiltrators & Novices, tanks, flyers, characters, superheavies, Frateris Militia, and now Confessors and Battle Conclave characters
My Novice Ginevra stories start with Bolter B-Word Privileges 
   
 
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