Summary:
Relatively fragile, the Sisters of Battle rely heavily on their Flame weapons to break enemy morale and their Faith abilities to protect themselves, giving them an overall boost in effectiveness and strike back at their enemies. Their vehicles are not exceptional but if used effectively can hold their own against those of other factions. Their Melta and Multi-Melta anti-vehicle upgrades are short to medium range and require sustained fire to deal damage rather than single shots doing concentrated damage.
Differences from vanilla Soulstorm:
General
Sisters of Battle troops are generally slightly more numerous than before, their weapon upgrades slightly more powerful on the whole and their abilities tweaked slightly.
Troops
- Battle Sister squads can now reinforce Imagifers similar to Celestians to boost their overall health. They start off with more squad members.
- The Death Cult Assassin can now attach to squads, making them a hidden threat within squads in melee combat.
- Missionaries now have small melee damage reduction bonus which can later apply to the squad to which he is attached. Missionary melee special attack damage has also been increased.
- Seraphim now do more damage but are slightly less accurate. They can also have 1 more squad member.
Vehicles
The Exorcist tank has had its weapon damage and morale damage reduced but has a much a smaller spread and is therefore more effective against groups of troops.Immolators are now slightly cheaper.
Relic unit
The Living Saint health increased from 8000 to 10500 but now it cannot resurrect. It now does not suffer movement penalties while in cover or heavy cover.
Buildings
Sisters of Battle Purgatus Mines now explode 10 times like the mines of other factions. Once an enemy squad is hit by one they suffer damage and morale damage over time.
Weapon Upgrades
Battle Sisters can only carry a maximum of 3 Heavy Bolters per squad but they do more damage. Also their Flamers do less damage but the squad can upgrade to a maximum of 5 weapons instead of 4.
Abilities
Servitors Dismantle ability can no longer be used off the bat and requires tier 2.
Repentia Righteous Fervour ability no longer makes the squad lose health. Instead it makes the squad slower but receive less damage in melee combat.
Emperor's Touch ability now does much less damage to buildings and slightly less to vehicles.
Avenging Angels created by the Canoness ability do less damage but last 45 seconds instead of 22.
Faith
Maximum Faith has been increased from 100 to 125 to make it slightly easier to use Faith abilities.
Shrine of the Living Saint now produces a small amount of Faith and increases max Faith cap by 10.
Confessor now generates a small amount of Faith like the Canoness.
Faithful units (Canoness, Confessor, Celestians, Seraphim and Missionaries) give more Faith when killed after Martyr's Gift is researched.
New Stuff
Troops
- Retributors are a new ranged support troop choice to provide long range fire with their Heavy Bolters and the option to upgrade to Heavy Flamers for additional morale damage or Multi-Meltas for effective anti-vehicle fire at the cost of slightly reduced range. Their ultimate weapon upgrade is the Volkite Culverin, a devastating long range weapon that deals sustained damage and causes the target to burn for several seconds after being hit but are limited to 1 per squad. Retributors cannot capture or de-capture strategic points.
- Arco-Flagellants are heavy melee troops that are tough and deal heavy damage, they now share a soft cap with Repentia squads and have a chance to lose control in combat.
- Zephyrim are a more melee focused variant of Seraphim with some range capability with Plasma Pistols and Inferno Pistols upgrades but have the ability to upgrade to Power Swords to be more effective against armoured targets.
- Hospitallers can now be requisitioned to passively improve the regeneration of the attached squad and actively heal them with the Lay On Hands Faith ability.
- Seraphim (and Zehpyrim) can now reinforce Imagifer leaders to improve the health and morale of the whole squad.
- Paragon Warsuits are a heavy troop choice that are slow moving but tough and pack firepower at range. Equipped with Storm Bolters, upgradeable to a Heavy Flamer or Assault Cannon. They are also equipped with shoulder-mounted Meltaguns for additional anti-vehicle damage.
- Assault Paragon Warsuits are tough melee heavy infantry. Equipped with Power Swords, upgradeable to a Thunder Hammer and Storm Shield. They are also similarly equipped with shoulder-mounted Meltaguns.
Vehicles
- The Scout Sentinel is a fast walker that is able to de-capture strategic points. It is equipped with Heavy Flamers and can be upgraded to Multi-Meltas to provide additional anti-vehicle support.
- The Razorback Tunguska is a special Razorback configuration with no transport capability but is equipped with twin-linked Heavy Bolters and Missile Launchers.
- The Castigator tank is a heavy vehicle option that is able to lay down withering fire from range. Equipped with an Autocannon, effective against infantry, it is able to upgrade to Twin-Linked Autocannons for even more devastating firepower, Twin Heavy Flamers for efffectively dealing with light infantry, Battle Cannon for an additional medium artillery option, Magna-Melta for medium range anti-vehicle fire or Twin-Linked Lascannons for long ranged anti-vehicle damage. Similarly it can upgrade its sponson Heavy Flamers to either Heavy Bolters, Multi-Meltas or Lascannons
Relic units
- The Sisters of Battle can now choose from 2 super heavy tanks, one being the Firesword with a massive flame Inferno Gun to deal damage in a large area, effective against infantry and morale, and the other being the
- Stormlord with a transport carrying capability and a hugely effective Vulcan Mega Bolter to slice through infantry like butter. Both of these will require the Shrine of the Living Saint and the Immaculate Purge research and are capped at 1 with the Living Saint.
Abilities
The Incinerator Torpedo Strike is a new ability used by the Canoness to rain fiery destruction upon the enemies of the Imperium. Let the area burn with the Emperor's Fury. It is very effective against infantry and morale.
The Melta Torpedo Strike is also used by the Canoness to drop Melta explosives all around the targetted area. It is effective against most armour types.
Missionaries can now Worship at a Listening Post with a Holy Icon add-on upgraded to improve the Faith generation rate.
Research
The Immaculate Purge research increases the maximum Faith resource as well as the Faith generation rate. The Living Saint, Stormlord and Firesword relic units require the Immaculate Purge research.
Weapon Upgrades
Seraphim can upgrade to Dual Hand Flamers for close ranged damage against enemy troops and morale, Dual Inferno Pistols for greater damage against more heavily armoured targets or Dual Volkite Serpentae to deal sustained damage against their foes.
Immolators can now upgrade to Twin-Linked Heavy Bolters for greater damage against infantry in addition to their Multi-Meltas
