Sister announce in WD

[Lancel]

They just need the same attention as the other armies, even for just one release. A lot of why they aren't popular is just that. They'd start an army if the line had something to offer, but when everyone is used to plastic troop kits, starting an army of solid hunks of metal for troops doesn't seem so appealing.

Right now the Sisters don't compete with other armies, and I'm not even talking about the rules. The model range is easily the most out of date in all of 40k, and as many have pointed out, there are many who would say "Hey, I want to start a new army", consider the Sisters, then throw them out just because of the all-metal line and pick something else. Why pick a more expensive and drastically less customizable army when you can do one of the other dozen or so?

Just one pack of plastic Sisters would make that go away, and it will take that to actually see if the army can stand on its own merits. As it is the only Sisters players are the ones who like the rather limited fluff enough to accept starting a 3rd Edition army with 2nd Edition models at 5th Edition prices. A bit dramatic but there you are. At least one of the three may be fixed now.

Speaking of fluff and books though, Black Library is at least coming out with a new book and an audio drama of all things for the Sisters later this year. Then there was Blood of Martyrs for Dark Heresy this past Winter, so at least they've got something here and there.

[Melissia]

Anyway, let's be happy, that there will be a Sistercodex... It is a distraction until a real codex is released in 3 years. Better than nothing, huh?

I would rather keep C:WH than get a ****ty non-codex codex which adds nothing and removes plenty. Especially since we probably won't get any plastic until the REAL codex comes out anyway.

Hell **** that, I'd sooner just use my own fandex, which at least TRIES to keep sisters up with fifth edition than this crap.

[Melissia]

Well since TastyTaste was so unclear it might be 9 per Fast Attack or Heavy Support slot depending on which one they end up in.
I doubt your opponent has enough firepower to kill 27 Penitent Engines before at least 1 reaches them....

Then again a single Exorcist can kill 6 in one round of shooting if a bit lucky....

I sincerely doubt they'll allow nine exorcists per slot if they don't allow nine sentinels.

[Anggul]

I would rather keep C:WH than get a ****ty non-codex codex which adds nothing and removes plenty.

Hell **** that, I'd sooner just use my own fandex, which at least TRIES to keep sisters up with fifth edition than this crap.

I think the main reason you don't see SoB much is because they're stupidly expensive old metal models which rarely get to see the light of day. Unless they actually make them worse, I think it should be fine, it's the new models that most people seem to be after. If the Battle Sisters stay at the same cost but get grenades, cheapers transports and cheaper special weapons I think the codex will be okay.

The transports will go down in price, and hopefully the Seraphim will drop massively in price. The sisters aren't priced too badly, but the costs of special weapons (meltaguns being 15pts for Dominions is far too much) seem to bog them down.

[eldargal]

BramGaunt says he has heard SoB will be getting a proper codex very soon.

[wittdooley]

I sincerely hope that we'll get some nice plastic boxes, DE style. The Sisters would sell a ton of models if they look half that good.

[Lancel]

I would rather keep C:WH than get a ****ty non-codex codex which adds nothing and removes plenty. Especially since we probably won't get any plastic until the REAL codex comes out anyway.

Those are my feelings on the matter as well. We're used to this codex, we know it has its weaknesses but we can work with its strengths. It's not great, but so far it's better than what's been rumored generally. Not to say we can't make a new codex work too, even if White Dwarf, but it already sounds like most of our existing strategies will no longer exist.

I still hope for a proper codex, but I think it's getting less and less likely, but maybe the next White Dwarf will shed some light on what their plans are.

As for Sisters prices, 11 points per is fairly competitive only at the very basic level. Once you factor in generally high priced wargear, overpriced transports, and a lack of free grenades they quickly lose that competitive edge and you're essentially playing with a Space Marine list that has fewer options, both in tactics and logistics. After all, a Tactical Marine gets Kraks and Frags free at 15 points, whereas a Battle Sister with Frags and Kraks is 14 points at -1 T/WS/S/I. Often times you won't take grenades as a result, but this does nevertheless reduce the number of options available. Typical Tactical Marines can assault effectively, and have the option to attack with Krak grenades against whatever vehicle.

And well, the price of certain special weapons and transports is way out of the park. I mean if you want a Sisters squad with Frags, Kraks, and a Rhino for whatever reason you actually will end up paying more for it than the Space Marine equivalent, and the Sisters will be clearly inferior besides. Also the cost of Meltas and Flamers on a Dominion Squad is right out.

[Melissia]

As for Sisters prices, 11 points per is fairly competitive only at the very basic level. Once you factor in generally high priced wargear, overpriced transports, and a lack of free grenades they quickly lose that competitive edge and you're essentially playing with a Space Marine list that has fewer options, both in tactics and logistics. After all, a Tactical Marine gets Kraks and Frags free at 15 points, whereas a Battle Sister with Frags and Kraks is 14 points at -1 T/WS/S/I. Often times you won't take grenades as a result, but this does nevertheless reduce the number of options available. Typical Tactical Marines can assault effectively, and have the option to attack with Krak grenades against whatever vehicle.

Not to mention Marines have bolt pistols to assist their assaulting, and Sisters have to BUY their leadership rules (through the VSS for Faith and the BoSL for morale) where Marines get ATSKNF and Combat Tactics built in. Ten sisters with VSS, frags, kraks, and BoSL are about 16 points per model. Even if you consider BoSL+Faith to be a good trade-off for ATSKNF and Combat Tactics, marines still get +1 Weapon Skill, +1 Strength, +1 Toughness, + Initiative and Bolt Pistols for a mere one point more.

And all the while Sisters have fewer options to play with for support, so their troops HAVE to pick up the slack, but aren't able to. It's not so bad for IG vets to be seemingly a bit pricey when you have so many excellent vehicles supporting them, for example-- you don't see IG vet armies doing badly... because even if IG vets themselves aren't that exceptional (which is debatable, given three special weapons), they have the best vehicles in the game to support them. Sisters have... well, nothing but Exorcists, which for how much they're used still aren't as powerful as many people think they are. Mostly they're just used because Sisters have nothing else that fulfills that important role.

[Lancel]

Not to mention Marines have bolt pistols to assist their assaulting, and Sisters have to BUY their leadership rules (through the VSS for Faith and the BoSL for morale) where Marines get ATSKNF and Combat Tactics built in. Ten sisters with VSS, frags, kraks, and BoSL are about 16 points per model. Even if you consider BoSL+Faith to be a good trade-off for ATSKNF and Combat Tactics, marines still get +1 Weapon Skill, +1 Strength, +1 Toughness, + Initiative and Bolt Pistols for a mere one point more.

And all the while Sisters have fewer options to play with for support, so their troops HAVE to pick up the slack, but aren't able to. It's not so bad for IG vets to be seemingly a bit pricey when you have so many excellent vehicles supporting them, for example-- you don't see IG vet armies doing badly... because even if IG vets themselves aren't that exceptional (which is debatable, given three special weapons), they have the best vehicles in the game to support them. Sisters have... well, nothing but Exorcists, which for how much they're used still aren't as powerful as many people think they are. Mostly they're just used because Sisters have nothing else that fulfills that important role.

That about sums it up, yeah. I forgot about the Veteran Squad Leader and bolt pistols. Even our Celestians don't get Bolt Pistols. Exorcists are good, but they literally are the only ranged anti-tank, and not hard to pop. Said IG Melta Vets can deepstrike with a Vendetta and scrag it pretty reliably with its 11 Side and 10 Rear.

The only thing that really made up for it was Faith Powers, which are just so integral to the army, along with Books of St. Lucius if you have any crazy notions of going to melee, and the rumors suggest the first is nerfed, and the second everyone considers so blatantly overpowered in 5th Edition that it probably can't help but be nerfed. More numbers isn't going to help when all they do is run off the table.

[Melissia]

People mostly consider the BoSL to be overpowered because they're stupid and looking at it in a vacuum instead of relative to the codex it's in. For example, fifteen point power weapons are fine in a Marine codex, but frankly it's ten points too high for Guard... meanwhile Shootas are powerful weapons but they're balanced out by being put on an Ork, who either doesn't know how to or simply doesn't bother to aim.