Back Slinging Dice ... with Sisters!

Lets cut a long story short. I'm back bitches. Well sort of! I am still undecided as to  how I will be playing (tournaments, casual etc..). Weekly games against Atreides on his new table could be all the gaming I need, with the occasional flurry to say a Blog Wars or a Son's meet up, but certainly I fancy playing a few games.

I've sold my stuff. Balls.

Well that's a lie. I do have plenty of marines ... and in what is a weird twist of fate, its pretty much worked out to be the exact 1750 list, sans a few bikes, of Kirby's infamous "Blood Rodeo" army. Something I deeply have wanted to play. Funny how that works out eh?

However, something more interesting intrigued me.



We all know that I love to play something a little out of left field. Deathwing fit that bill for a long time (waaaay too long, as Atreides so rightly said to me today ..). Flicking around the net, tournament results and just general blogging, I noticed something, a distinct lack of Sisters of Battle. Could be perfect. Sisters of battle were one of the first proper forces I made and played with, so it had that appeal. This Codex (the White Dwarf's) have been my man cave reading material for the past few weeks it has to be said, and I couldn't quite put my finger on why. Sure my initial reaction to the army when it was spoiled was much the same as the rest of the world, the holy crap they nerfed it reaction.

I mean after all:

- Faith seemed strictly worse.
- Immolators were no longer "fast"
- Immolators were no longer open topped. 
- Removed both the alternate troop choice, and no longer had allies option.

On the surface, that's pretty bad ...

Time, and a bit of perspective, changed all that. Enough of the moaning, there's a solid list in there! Plus, scouting fast multi meltas for 80 points would arguably be the most broken thing since they introduced Fortitude.

Anyway, a bit of chatter with Atreides and Venerable, as well as some catching up on the net got me well in the mood for making a list. One thing I knew was that I wanted a bit of "diversity" to handle as much as what I knew could be thrown at me. The temptation to run a million and one meltaguns was tempting, but sometimes that just doesn't cut the mustard. Just look at the Caladonian reports on this site to see that lists aren't just all rhinos, razorbacks and pure MSU.

Lining up a game with Atreides, at 2000 points, I wanted to go forward with this list:




2000 Point Sisters of Battle Roster

Saint Celestine
Uriah Jackobus
5x Death Cult // Rhino + Dozer Blades

10x Battle Sisters // MGx2 Combi Plasma // Rhino + Dozerblades
10x Battle Sisters // MGx2 Combi Plasma // Rhino + Dozerblades
10x Battle Sisters // MGx2 Combi Plasma // Rhino + Dozerblades
10x Battle Sisters // MGx2 Combi Plasma // Rhino + Dozerblades

5x Dominion // MGx2 Combi Melta // Immolator w/ MM - Dozerblades
5x Dominion // MGx2 Combi Melta // Immolator w/ MM - Dozerblades
5x Dominion // MGx2 Combi Melta // Immolator w/ MM - Dozerblades

5x Retributors // HBx4 // Immolator w/ MM - Dozerblades
5x Retributors // HBx4 // Immolator w/ MM - Dozerblades

(I added searchlights to everything, though I still think I am under pointed!)

LIST IMPRESSIONS + FIRST GAME

Facing Atreides with his 2000 point guard was pretty daunting, especially with five months rust and a new army. Luckily for me, I had first turn and he didn't really know what to quite expect out of the game either.


In summary the game was 4 objectives, with solid terrain and myself going first. The Sisters clearly want to take the midfield, much like GKs or Space Wolves, but also have the Dominion to help get a quick presence there, backed shortly by by empty chasis's totting multi melta's which are both high priority targets, but expendable. This all blocks the way for 40 sisters that can safely top hatch with their MG's. So I followed this plan, and it worked pretty well, managing to win 2-1 on objectives in 6. I took control of the left hand side of the board completely, with Atreides having 1 squad which would have potentially taken two objectives on the 7th by themselves.


Saint C - Dear lord this girl is good. I think 115 points is a misprint. Really. Andy made the mistake of actually killing her, and she came straight back. Heavy flamer? Really? I made a mistake with her late game by pushing her into the half of the board I pretty much had won, where as I really should have made a nuisance of her in the side where Andy still had a presence. Other than that she just impressed the hell out of me. She offers exactly what you want and need. A cheap speed bump that will hammer GEQ, hurt MEQ (including Purifiers) and be generally annoying to deathstars.


DCA - I loved these girls in my GK army (the only unit outside of Purifiers I actually liked) and they pretty much are the glass cannon you need. Paired with Uriah they are gruesome, and demand attention, yet another unit in the army that attracts fire, or can help sure up your weakness in close combat. I'd be quite happy throwing these to the dogs of Deathwing or Blood Angel Furious Charging tomfoolery. 


Jacko - I did not think this guy would be as good as he would be. I do kind of look at him as a DCA unlock, but the potential of him in the army is huge, namely with the DCA, but still - for 90 points I am not going to really moan. Not quite Coteaz levels of power, but solid none the less.

On the "standard units" - None of the Battle Sisters really left their tank unless "told to" by the opponents guns, I had a lot of fun just top hatching, but that is just fine. Rhinos are low on the priority list early turns which gives them time to use 12" and smoke to give out cover to the immolators.

The Retributors, even at 2k, just felt the right number. I never felt like I wanted another squad, and Atreides has a blob squad! I got rending on them a couple of times, and they did take out a chimera or two. Their immolator's did a lot of damage, so they present a great threat across the board.

Dominions are probably my new favourite unit outside of Saint C. Ram them down the opponents throat and touch up whatever is near them. Can't ever see myself running anything other than 3 here. Its such a shame they are fast as I do like the idea of Seraphim, but we can't have it all (which we don't ,,, anyway).

OVERALL

I can quite easily understand some of the moaning about the book. Lack of diversity is apparent, you pretty much are glued into a few unit choices (though Kirby does suggest Repentia as potential usage, jacking retributor rides). I think a couple more unit types would have been good, Militia should have made a come back, and some of the units power levels should have been raised (engines and exorcists namely). I am unsure why there is no HQ unlock. Saint C should just straight up unlock Seraphim.

However, play wise, its fine. I played a game with Space Wolves straight after, and firstly I didn't enjoy it as much, but during most of the game I really felt like I wanted most of what the Sisters had!

This certainly has me biting at the chop to get back in and rock up some games with the Sisters.

My 1750 list simply removes the 4th Battle Sister Squad, and the combi melta's from the Dominion. I want the plasma's there because Deathstars are a thing, and being able to touch them outside of combat, or really pile on wounds while inside of 12" is definitely something I feel this army needs.

Looking forward to some more testing with this army. Want to play with numbers in the DCA's unit, maybe look at upping their size for more wounds. HKM's are also on the list to add a bit of reach, Sisters have no real "punch back" at distance, 36" being the max, so something to potential deal with cornered dreads/preds would be attractive.

Oh, and faiths shield is amazing. Atreides put it best. Its like a free "go to ground" when your in the open, except its better.

But that's enough of me. Next up from me will be some of the work I am going to do on the Sisters (decided already on colour scheme, its both quick and striking), followed by thoughts on the "alternate" list I want to run.