Sisters 2, Traitors and Heretics 0!

In the last two weeks I've had the Sisters out for two battles. The first one was against my own traitor Guardsmen, commanded by Conscripts Greg and Hugh, and the second was against Conscript Mike's Gun Schwarm / Steel Legion. I'll start with the battle against my traitors.

 

We used 40K 5th edition (the best edition IMHO) for the games, I'd made an 1100 point list from the Renegades and Heretics list in the Forge World book. It had a couple Leman Russes, a Chimera, a bunch of weirdo Guardsmen, a 20-man Mutant Rabble, and some bonus Plague Marines and a Champion. For the Sisters there were two squads in Rhinos, the Canoness and command squad in an Immolator, Uriah Jacobus and some arco-flagellants in a Rhino, a ten-girl Seraphim squad, and an Exorcist.

                                           

We played a three-objective game. Conscript Dave V. assisted me in handling the Sisters - more on that later. The middle objective were the Sisters' crypts in the ruined chapel at centre. You can see the eastern objective at right - the Confessional/Immolation booth.

                                           

Here's the mutant rabble rushing forth.

                                           

Exorcist in the Sisters backfield. We allowed it to indirect fire in the game but corrected that error in game 2.

                                          

Here's the eastern objective overrun by traitor Guard and Mutant Rabble.

 

                                            

A Sisters squad tries to protect the crypt objective.

                                            

Uriah Jacobus and the surviving arco-flagellants rush away from their wrecked Rhino, just out of frame to the left.

                                            

Plague Marines overwhelm the Sisters squad on the centre objective.

                                            

Uriah stares down the Chimera!

                                            

Seraphim pop in to clear out the crypts.

                                            

Meanwhile the western objective is strongly held by the Sisters.

                                            

Seraphim clean off the traitor Troops from the objective. Plague Marines are Elites in that list. You get an idea of where this is going...

The Unfair Advantage for the Sisters in this game was the tactical nous of Conscript Dave. He came up with the plan to use the Seraphim to shoot the Guard Troops off the middle objective and use an unoccupied Rhino to tank-shock the Rabble off the eastern one - in 5th ed only Troop choices can hold objectives. This ploy succeeded admirably and the final tally was one objective held by the Sisters, and two contested. Sisters win.

                                                                                                                     

For the second game Conscript Mike brought over his ex-Greg Guard with many additions of his own, including these excellent tanks from Models and Minis, a German purveyor of resin. The game was Kill Points, each side scored one KP for each enemy unit totally destroyed, unit transports don't count but everything else does.

                                            

Pretty nice eh??

                                            
Dave and I made Mike deploy in the wide-open table quarter while the Sisters took the one with all the terrain. Clever move as will be seen later.

The lists were 1,750 points; I brought three Sisters squads in Rhinos, Canoness and command squad in an Immolator, Uriah and loonies in an Inquisition Rhino, two Penitent Engines, a Retributor squad with heavy flamers and multi-melta, and a Seraphim squad in Reserve. The idea was to bum rush the show.

Sisters advance. I remembered to pop smoke with the Rhinos which helped. Note Retributors and a Sisters squad lining up the Guardsmen in the woods at centre left.

Uh-oh Ogryns!! These guys were pretty tough and took care of "most" of a Sisters squad. 

Heavy flamers and boltguns make quick work of Guardsmen, even when they're dug in. Scratch one squad... I made sure to replace the green woods with charred trunks.

Unfortunately for Mike, he was a bit too aggressive with his deep-striking Kasrkin and they ended up on top of a Sisters Rhino. He rolled "reposition" on the Mishap table so I placed them as far from the action as possible!

Sisters move through the woods and the Seraphim appear at its edge. Dangerous terrain so one Sister perished but they did nought else in the game but be a target for battle cannon templates. Fortunately some survived.

Uriah and loonies lived up to expectations by shredding a Guard platoon command squad. These guys are really good in close combat, especially when led by Uriah or a missionary-type.

Here's the Sisters force... anyway I can sum up the game by saying that the Sisters prevailed, 6 KP to one. Mike was unlucky in that he couldn't seem to totally wipe out the Sisters units despite reducing more than one to a single model... but that's the game, no points unless the unit is totally destroyed.

Another fun outing for the Sisters and it reinforced my love for 5th edition. Very fast moving rules, we played a lot of it back in the day and it all came right back. No "command points", "strategems" or any of that other BS that clogs your brain, just straightforward battle. I've even tracked down a 5th ed Tyranid codex so look out Sisters...!