Codex Sisters of Battle : Sisters Venatori

(Yeah this was the closest thing I could find without resorting to a PVC clad death cultist. You don't need to thank me)

Today's addition to the Sisters of Battle codex is a little more subtle than a screaming mob of untrained fanatics, a gibbering psychic so filled with self loathing their own powers become an anti-psychic vortex, or angel winged warriors wielding sanctified blades....

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Sisters Venatori :
The commanderies of the Adepta Sororitas are rarely accused of subtlety, their missions of power armoured sisters, marching into battle with prayers on their lips and litanies blaring from the laud hailers of their vehicles make their presence known to the Emperors enemies from miles away. Most of the faithful would say that is as things should be, that the foes of the Imperium know that their doom has come upon them with fire and fury, boltgun and sanctified blade ready to spill the blood of the impure.

The cannier members of the Ecclesiarchy however know that there is a time for subtlety, both on the battlefield and off it. For the Adepta Sororitas this role is filled by the Sisters Venatori, a cadre of Sororitas who undergo extensive training in stealth, infiltration and information gathering. Eschewing the sacred power armour of their sisters in favour of light carapace and cameleoline cloaks they stalk the shadows of battlefield and shrine world alike, their deadly Castigator crossbows ready to dispense silent death to the faithless and fallen.

When deployed alongside their sisters the Venatori act as scouts and skirmishers, moving ahead of the main Sororitas force to locate enemies of the Faith. Once the foe have been found they are subjected to a campaign of sabotage, assassination and psychological warfare, leaving them easy prey for the Venatori's sisters. Off the battlefield they serve as the Ecclesiarchy's spies and assassins, charged with the monitoring and elimination of heretic and apostate alike. More than one supposedly faithful Ecclesiarch has been eliminated by the Venatori, a prayer of condemnation whispered in their ear as a blessed blade slides artfully between their ribs.

Sisters Venatori (Elite) : 65pts

	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	LD	SV
Venatori	4	4	3	3	1	3	1	8	4+
Venatori Superior	4	4	3	3	1	3	2	9	4+

Unit Composition : 5 Venatori.
Unit Type : Infantry
Wargear : Close Combat Weapon, Castigator Crossbow, Carapace Armour, Frag Grenades
Special Rules : Infiltrate, Move Through Cover, Scout
Act of Faith : Eye of the Emperor
Options :

• May include up to 5 additional Venatori : 13pts per model.
• The entire unit may take Cameleoline Cloaks :  2pts per model.
• The entire unit may take Krak Grenades : 1pt per model.
• One model may be upgraded to a Venatori Superior : 10pts
• The Venatori Superior may replace their Castigator Crossbow with a Purgatus Crossbow : 15pts
• The Venatori Superior may replace their Close Combat Weapon with a Power Weapon : 15pts
• The Venatori Superior may take Melta Bombs : 5pts

Special Rules and Equipment : 

Eye of the Emperor (Act Of Faith) : Calling upon the Emperor to guide their blades and bolts the Venatori unleash a storm of precisely placed blows. Their foes falling with adamantine tipped bolts and mono-edge blades punching through the weakest parts of their armour.

This act of faith is declared at the start of the controlling players Assault or Shooting phase. For the duration of that phase all attacks made by this unit are resolved with an AP of 2.

Castigator Crossbow (Weapon) : Crafted by master artisans especially for the Sisters Venatori, the power of these weapons belies their primitive appearance. From their thrice blessed steel strings to the robust mechanisms of their ammunition feeds they are crafted to the highest of standards. The Venatori are trained to use these surprisingly deadly weapons to eliminate enemy leaders and specialists, sowing confusion and fear in the enemy ranks with barrages of blessed adamantine bolts.

Castigator Crossbow : Range : 16", Strength : 4, AP : -, Special : Assault 2, Precision Shots

Purgatus Crossbow (Weapon) : These mighty weapons are crafted with one function in mind, the execution of Psykers. Utilising an adamantine-weave string and explosive charge to propel meter long bolts of blessed silver they are rightly feared by witches. The hexagrammatic prayers inscribed into the massive bolts destabilise the powers of their victims, causing them to consume themselves in a maelstrom of uncontrolled warp energy. An irony the Witch Hunters find delicious.

Purgatus Crossbow : Range : 24", Strength 5, AP -, Special : Assault 1, Precision Shots, Psy Shock

Cameleoline Cloak (Equipment) : Cameleoline Cloaks are sturdy garments with photo-reactive fibre bundles woven into them. These cloaks change their colour and patterning in response to their surroundings, providing a measure of active camouflage to the wearers.

A model with a Cameleoline Cloak benefits from the Stealth Universal Special Rule.

Psy Shock (Special Rule) :  Psy Shock weapons are specifically designed to turn the powers of the Unsanctioned against themselves, piercing their tainted souls as easily as their corrupted flesh.

Any Psyker who suffers an unsaved wound from a weapon with Psy Shock must make an immediate Perils of the Warp roll.

Design Notes :

Now, obviously this unit is designed to give the Adepta Sororitas an infiltration and skirmish unit, a role I think the Sisters Venatori fill pretty well. The issue was in differentiating them from Space Marine scouts, and giving them access to short ranged but rapid firing and accurate ranged weapons manage that admirably.

This is a mobile unit meant to either harass enemy infantry from cover, popping the heads of characters and special weapon troopers, or to cut apart vulnerable infantry in melee. They're not built to deal with heavy infantry (except on the turn they use their Act of Faith), nor can they threaten any but the lightest of vehicles. A fair balance compensation to my mind.

I did ponder adding a selection of specialist crossbow bolts, but I struggled with the mechanics and have since dropped that idea. However if I come up with something I'm happy with later I'll add them back in. I'm also not 100% happy with the name Castigator for their crossbow design...hmm...

As far as their fluff goes it makes sense to me that the Ecclesiarchy and the Adepta Sororitas would have stealthier agents. Whilst Ecclesiarchy sanctioned death cults provide plenty of trained killers, death cultists lack the patience and discipline of trained soldiers. Being less concerned with efficient target elimination and information gathering, more with ensuring their victims are slain according to the murder-rites of their cult.

Likewise the existence of the Sisters Venatori also hints at the more secretive, insidious aspects of the Adeptus Ministorum. At priests and pontiffs plotting against each other, of hidden heresies and murderous schemes, of corruption and decay at the very heart of the Imperial Creed. Appropriate.

As usual, if you've any thoughts on these ladies let me know. Next time we're going to go for something a little... heavier...

Until Next Time
Happy Gaming
Michael