Brent: Sisters of Battle for Adepticon 2014, Part I
How many of you are aware that Adepticon’s digital doors open this Thursday? Relatively few, I’m sure; both those who are intend to hit the cart icon just as soon as it opens.
Welcome to Adepticon 2014. It’s a year off, but yeah, we’re thinking about it.
Sisters for 2014?
Brent here. I had to cancel my trip to Austin to see Kirby, all fresh-faced and pink from visiting the States from his beloved Australia. It sucks to miss out, but I was gracious. I wished them all the not fun they could fit into a weekend or two.
That said, I did get some serious hobby time in. This Strictly Average Blogger and erstwhile tournament player missed the 2013 tournament year because of that thing called real life, but with my job going well, my wife healthy and graduated, and a new apartment near my new place of work just around the corner, things are looking great for year 2014.
But that’s real life. More importantly, I’ll be able to afford a few trips in 2014, and with the release of the Adepta Sororitas digital ‘dex my attention has shifted from Dark Eldar to the Sisters of Battle. This is an army I’ve wanted to build and play for some time. I purchased a 3rd or 4th hand army from Evil Homer a few years ago, which I’ve played on and off. That said, there weren’t the number of special and heavy weapons needed to make a go of a quasi-competitive tournament army, plus the White Dwarf army list was riddled with problems…
…which were then exacerbated by the release of 6th edition and a host of uber-tough books. The main problem was the sheer expense of the Sisters of Battle squads themselves. You had to take at least 10 Sisters; add weapons and a Rhino, or alternatively add more Sisters, and the expense quickly got out of hand. Compare that to efficient Troops from other books and these ladies were just flat losing the arm’s race. One last point… why in the world were Heavy Flamers so freakin’ expensive?
Still and all, it had its advantages; Jacobus with a Battle Coven was just gross.
The new list is much more flexible, but I’m not close to my final list by a long shot. There is a lot of prep and painting and testing and painting and thinking and painting to be done before the first event of 2014. Let me show you where I’m at.
Purchases
There may be a message of some sort here, but I can’t see it.
Test Lists
In a real way, the Necrons were the genesis of my habit of ‘test-listing.’ Years back, in the older Necron Codex, my buddy Farseer Tim put together and played a brutal foot-slogging Necron Warrior lists.
It had a Lord and as many Necron Warriors as he could fit. I stomped through several tournaments back in 4th Edition. A horde can be a true spoiler army.
Here is my current test list of Sisters. I’m still looking at options, of course, but your input is welcome.
I’m going to include the eight tanks; the Immolators are two twin-linked Heavy Flamers and a twin-linked Multi-Melta. It’s based on what I have and the look I want for the army, but I think it’s a good base for a Sisters list.
I think I’ll need five Sisters units; perhaps six. Since I’m trying to cram Special and Heavy Weapons choices into the most efficient units – where I think the strength of Sisters currently lay – it means smaller sized units. All it takes is one Helldrake… but you know that. Dominions are the place for Melta-Guns, so my forward units of Sisters should bring the flame. Also, it’s important to make an opponent think twice about charging my troops. The Sisters behind the line are maxed for fire support.
The Dominions are ichiban in this era, but Flamers are a waste with their Act of Faith. Ignore cover? Thanks for nothing… but that’s terribly useful for Melta-Guns and Storm Bolters. I need the former more than the latter, though. I’m wondering if a Simulacrum Imperialis would be useful, but frankly I don’t expect them to survive long enough. Thoughts?
I need a strong counter-attack unit. I like the idea of the Cannoness with Celestians, but the special characters in the book may be more cost efficient.
It’s not there, but getting close. I’ll need a Fortification; is a Firestorm Redoubt too much? Probably, but I’d like to hear your thoughts.
Painting
Usually, my armies have warm color schemes. This year, I’m going with a cold look. Here is my first test model, which came very close to the idea I have in mind. I need a spot color though; any ideas?
 |
| Not quite done, but you get the point. What color static grass will work best with this look? |
I’ve spent the last couple weeks of free time putting together and painting these ‘Dog Soldiers,’ a counts-as Grey Knights squad. I wanted to include a Grey Knights allied force for my Xenos Inquisitor army (in development and on the back burner) but primarily I needed something to test weathering effects on. I hope that the warm tones of the base and weathering will complement the cold colors of the army.
Anyone have thoughts on that idea? I’m going to weather my test model, but if I’m off base and someone with more theory out there sees it, please let me know!
I got the tanks base-coated.
The base will be the second layer of my display board. I think…
The flash disrupts the color in the other two tank pictures; here you can see the comparison between the color on the model and the test model. The tone of the tanks will be taken down with a spray wash before edge highlighting with the blue-grey colors, so I’m not worried.
Last Thoughts
I have a lot of last thoughts, just not a lot of time! It’s off to work for this Digital Headache, but it’s your turn. I’m really just getting started but input is always valuable.
So thoughts? Comments? Sisters-friendly hugs and gropings?
