@9x19 thanks brother. I too am exploring SoB and do not want to paint red+black as much as I can help it due to my extensive BA collection.
Couple questions for the vets:
-heavy bolters on Troop squads? I’m thinking 5 gal min squads for OBJ holding, while bumping out Retributors to have ablative wounds
-which units should have Simulacrum vs which are they excess? Is it the sort of thing where if you have the points, there’s 0 downside? Is there an order of priority for units to have then? Again, my gut says heavy or special weapons would be the priority.
-Dominions with storm bolters seem like the go-to build for that unit. Any point even bothering to play around with meltas on them?
-Power swords or maces on any Sgts? Or just save the points?
-Again, if the points are available, is it worth it to put a combi-flamer on a Sister Superior in a melta squad to have access to the holy trinity stratagem? Or a combi-melta with heavy flamer Reteibutors? Etc... I know it’s not the greatest Strategem but I like the idea of being able to have if you my sleeve every third game or such.
My plan is to do counts-as Valorous Heart for a footslogging guard army of Retributors and Celestians surrounding both a Cannonness and Imagifier with the 9” range boosts as they escort the Triumph of St Katherine up the board. Troop squads sit on OBJ (hence the question about heavy bolters) and Dominions are the screens to flesh out enemy. Will hopefully add an Exorcist and an Immolator down the line since they are iconic.
In response to a few of your points, this is what I have learned from my limited games with them in 8th and watching a myriad of available 9th edition batreps.
- I think, competitively speaking, if anything storm bolters on sister squads is still the way to go, keep them cheap if they are just holding objectives. Keep heavy bolters on the Rets, I personally have found plenty of success with both
HB and MM Ret squads depending on the opponent. I do see the value of having one
HB in a squad camping a backfield objective, but would consider that more of a fluffy narrative choice than a competitive one.
- Simulacrum I think is only really worth it on specialist squads, so Rets and Doms, where you need that extra wound for Blessed Bolts or that extra 6 on damage for MM Rets.
- I still use melta dominions occasionally in an immolator but I do agree that storm bolters are i think the main way to go. Before you get that exorcist though I think having MM rets plus a squad of melta doms would be good anti tank unless you go inferno pistol seraphim.
- I keep my superiors with chainswords personally. I prefer power swords but until they officially go to +1 strength its not worth it. If you really wanted to run anything mauls are the way to go, though I personally just don't like it from a fluff perspective. I keep my biss ladies cheap but if you wish to give them power weapons I would say mauls are best.
- I struggle with that same question constantly honestly. I refer to my answer about the Simulacrum, I think on specialist squads it can be useful. Combi flamer on MM rets or Melta doms, i have also had some success with combi melta or plasma on a heavy bolter Ret squad. If its meant to do something specific, kit the squad out so it can make use of everything the codex offers.
Again I have only played a few games with them in 8th and none in 9th yet, so take with some salt, but these are my observations. Vehicles going forward are I think going to be big, especially in Valorous Heart, and I do play Valorous Heart or Ebon Chalice almost exclusively.
Edited by EmperorGTank, 30 August 2020 - 07:09 PM.