Recently I've spent a while looking through the Sisters of Battle Codex, as well as rereading the novels Faith and Fire and Hammer and Anvil. As a result I've been pondering the Sisters range of available units and have come to the conclusion that I find their current roster somewhat limited, both with regards to the tabletop and the fluff. This in turn has led me to come up with some new units for the Sororitas, both to increase the diversity of their army and to fill a number of empty niches in their arsenal.
The first of these units is not technically a new one, rather its a unit that has been established in the fluff for a long time and that used to be available to the Sisters of Battle in previous codices. This is my attempt to re-introduce them under the current editions rules.
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Frateris Militia :
Though the Ecclesiarchy is banned by the Degree Passive from maintaining a large force of "Men Under Arms", a ruling handily sidestepped by the Sisters of Battle, faithful imperial citizens are still allowed to take up weapons under the banner of the Ecclesiarchy should they see fit to do so. These warbands commonly form when a War of Faith is announced or when a planets faithful arm themselves in response to an outside threat, in both cases usually disbanding once the immediate crisis is over. Some bands however are standing forces in their own right, usually dedicated to a specific task such as defending a particular pilgrim route, shrine or other place of importance to the Imperial Faith.
Frateris Militia are usually poorly trained, disciplined and equipped, taking to the battlefield in great hordes of shouting, screaming fanatics hurling themselves at the enemy uncaring of such niceties as ammunition conservation, cover, or tactics. Some however are drawn from the ranks of men and women who once served in the Imperial Guard or PDF, these veterans either taking up command positions amongst their brethren or forming into highly effective fighting units of warrior pilgrims. No matter their composition however these warbands will follow the commands of the highest ranking Priest or Battle Sister present, trusting them to guide the Militia in how best they can serve the God Emperor of Mankind.
Some especially devout Militia will willingly throw themselves in front of the enemy guns in order to protect the beloved Priests and Sisters from harm. Others will strap themselves with crude, homemade explosives and charge into the midst of the foe, screaming prayers even as they detonate their payloads and martyr themselves in blasts of purifying flame. Amongst the most fanatical of the Frateris are the bands of flagellants, usually men and women driven insane by loss and religious fervour, who mortify their bodies with blades, hooks, and great flails which they will turn on the enemy with righteous glee.
Frateris Militia Squad (Troops) : 20pts
| WS | BS | S | T | W | I | A | LD | SV | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frateris Militia / Martyr | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 6 | - |
| Frateris Battle Pilgrim | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 5+ |
| Flagellant | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 8 | - |
Unit Composition : 10 Frateris Militia
Unit Type : Infantry
Wargear :
- Frateris Militia : Lasgun, Close Combat Weapon
- Frateris Battle Pilgrim : Lasgun, Close Combat Weapon, Flak Armour, Frag Grenades
- Martyr : Close Combat Weapon
- Flagellant : Two Close Combat Weapons
- Martyr : Willing Martyrdom
- Flagellant : Crusader, Zealot
- May include up to 20 additional Militia : 2pts per model.
- May replace Lasguns with Laspistols : Free.
- May replace Lasguns with Shotguns : 1pt per model.
- May replace Close Combat Weapons with Heavy Close Combat Weapons : 2pts per model.
- Upgrade 1 or more Frateris Militia to Frateris Battle Pilgrims : 3pts per model .
- Upgrade all Frateris Militia to Martyrs : 1pt per model.
- Upgrade all Frateris Militia to Flagellants : 3pts per model.
- For every 10 Frateris Battle Pilgrims in the unit one may take an item from the Special Weapons list.
- For every 10 Martyrs in the unit one may take a Martyrs Harness : 10pts.*
- For every 10 Flagellants in the unit one may take an Eviscerator : 30pts
Special Rules and Equipment :
Heavy Close Combat Weapon (Weapon) : The more fanatical Militia commonly arm themselves with oversized melee weapons, axes, hammer, flails, and anything else they can get their hands on or cobble together.
Heavy Close Combat Weapon, Range : Melee, Strength : User +2, AP : -, Special Rules : Two Handed.
Martyrs Harness (Wargear) : These are little more than heavy vests or coats with as many crudely made explosives or incendiaries as possible sewn or stuffed into pouches or pockets, all wired together to a single detonator.
During the Assault Phase a model with a Martyrs Harness may choose to detonate it instead of making their melee attacks. If they do so a shooting attack is immediately resolved using one of the two profiles shown below, with the blast template placed touching the harness equipped models base. Once the attack has been resolved the model equipped with the harness is removed as a casualty.
Martyrs Harness (Explosive) : Range : Melee, Strength : 6, AP : 3, Special : Blast
Martyrs Harness (Incendiary) : Range : Melee, Strength : 5, AP 4, Special : Blast, Ignores Cover
Willing Martyrdom (Special Rule) : Some Frateris are so devout that they willingly make of themselves a shield, protecting the faithful from harm with their own flesh and bone.
Friendly units may freely fire through this unit, though their targets will benefit from a 5+ cover save for being fired at through a unit. Additionally if an enemy unit fires at a friendly unit obscured by a unit with this special rule the friendly unit gains a +1 bonus to their cover save. Each time a successful cover save is made due to this units presence one model is immediately removed from it with no roll to wound required or armour save allowed.
Design Notes : The Frateris Militia have existed in the fluff for as long as the Adepta Sororitas, not only that but the concept of a horde of fanatics hurling themselves against the enemy and screaming prayers to the God Emperor even as they're cut down is both an evocative part of the universe as well as a stark contrast to the far more controlled and professional Sisters. On the battlefield this unit gives the Sororitas access to large and expendable units of infantry to protect the more valuable Sisters as well as cheap units to be used for area denial, objective control, and bogging down powerful enemies.
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I'd just like to say that this post has in no way been influenced by the recent launch of Raging Heroes latest kickstarter... no, no not at all. Of course I haven't pledged to it...no of course not...
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Sales pitch ends here.
As far as additional units go, here is a quick overview of the ones currently percolating around inside my head...
- Elohim : Melee focussed Seraphim, battle sisters with Jet Packs armed with deadly mono-spears and power weapons.
- Lay Technomats : Faithful who have been trained by the heretics of Mars to repair and maintain the Sisters of Battle's weapons, armour and vehicles.
- Repentant Psykers : Psykers who's powers have been hobbled and subverted so that their mere presence inhibits the use of Warpcraft.
- And more! Including a possible Centurion / Terminator equivalent....
Until Next Time
Happy Gaming
Michael
