Forums

Please, I know this, and as a medievalist kind of do wish to consider this both as media for us - part of my criticism - and within the fictional setting, ie with the period eye (to borrow Baxandall's phrase).   Interestingly, we have lots of lovely imperial characters, some who accept their system (Gaunt), but others who realize the horrors of the system entrapping them while still serving (eg in Bloodlines). And of course we have plenty of normal people who just ... are. I just wished this model was more grimdark than bland, and I was expressing why.   When we have more clean heroic models (eg like many primaris), it feels a bit sad, especially for this faction. This was a chance to show heroism as horrifying - rather than just nice, Joan of Arc-y. I think thats key - the most propagandistic images of sisters probably are terrifying, especially when you consider the wider, horrifying, aesthetic of the Sisters of Battle through much of their history. That can be the image of one in rogue trader as a punishing enforcer nun, or the 2nd edition codex with its blanchian cover, or the oscillating bricolage of religious horror - of 17th century protestant witch hunters with (very post reformation engraving-style) dark catholic imagery - in Codex Witch Hunters itself.   That's what I'm trying to convey, this is a lovely heroic model, it's not what id hope for from the sororitas, who quite literally burn people with over the top flamers for disagreeing with the truths of their creed, lock people within torture machines to eviscerate opponents while dying from the deeds of their act, and punish others in various grisly and/or humiliating ways - and whose whole system of training is to make battle sisters think this is utterly correct (or punish them in one of those many or other ways). The propaganda of the sisters should be through the period eye of the imperium, which itself is utterly disturbing (to us), while of varying levels of horror/subliminality/bodily spirituality/etc to imperial citizens.   Hence this feels too ... Bland. There absolutely are very sororitas heroes we can empathise with (going back to Daemonifuge, although that is an argument almost against the puritanical nature of imperial religion; and various conflicted sisters since - in Fehervari, in French's Covenant books, in the Plague Wars books - and one is the opportunity to make conflicted or compromised characters in FFG's works (sisters famulous are great for this!). But behind these, there are the indoctrinated majority of battle sisters, and then straight up evil bastards, like in the Iron Kingdom novel.    I just wish there was something more discomforting to it, more disturbing - than two cute cherubs that kind of feel the fluffy version of the much more horrific reality of servitorisation. I wish it has the reality of something like Mantel's Cromwell, i.e. a figure not bound to 21st century heroic poster art or our expectations of heroism (which is why I called it propagandistic), but a figure out of the heroic art of the 41st millennium, which is very alien from us (and much closer, due to the setting's sources, to the period eye approach of premodern centuries). I hope that makes better sense. 

Over the years, my approach has changed in how I collect an army and continues to do so. I am 95% a Space Marine player, having an army for each sub faction, I also have a small Imperial Guard army more points in vehicles and super heavies than men (I own 17 Baneblade/variants). I also have some Inquisitors and some Custodes and Sisters of Silence that need building. Years ago my approach was dominated by wanting to win, and in my group we all took part in arm's races. Lots of Death stars were bought, and my armies were built around that. Then my group grew tired of that, having lost sight a little on why we all played together, my club was born genuinely out of the love of Warhammer and a place for children/teens/adults to 'let their hair down'. Much has changed since the 90s. Apocalypse game along and meeting some guys from a nearby city who played regularly meant changes to army planning. War machines (my first Warhound was purchased for my first apocalypse game), expanding the army and building up forces based around formations. Apocalypse was my favourite format to play 40k, huge tank battles, waves of infantry being smashed apart, what's not to love? I haven't played the newest rendition of it, I haven't played a game since 7th edition.  The lore is a big factor for me, reading Imperial Armour books, especially the Badab series, will inspire me to create an army based around that campaign and thus the backlog is added to. I have also in the past seen armies being sold and that has been a weakness of mine and ensuring that backlog is always growing. Mostly now I am focusing on the Horus Heresy and my approach there has been, pick a legion I like the lore of, create a force based around a theme; my Iron warriors are a force of Terminator and \dreadnoughts, and I have Perturabo and his gang. My next force is either going to be an Imperial Fists force based on the Siege of Terra or Ultramarines vengeance force.. or Raven Guard as I picked up Corax in a trade.

We already had Agents of Imperium pages leaked. Its gonna be them.   Brood Brothers seems legit, btw. Alltho, with each release I keep getting the feeling that there are 3 codex writers, and you can tell who are the "writes funny codexes", "writes average codexes", and "writes :cuss:" guys. Seems like this time the first wrote Sisters, and the "writes average codexes" intern wrote GSC.

Just wanted to say that Grot was a pleasure to work with, was patient with me. I've lost the mini's painted sadly. (long story and I moved) but I loved those mini's and the work was top notch!!!!

Very nice!

This is a very good point and is something that I think I'm going to look to try out on the next batch I do - they'll be skitarii so it doesn't matter too much if I mess up slightly! I feel I've got the reflected glow about how I want it now, but yeah the actual source could benefit from a bit more light/dark contrast.    These are all excellent points. I will endeavour to stay strong!