r/sistersofbattle

The Sisters are an army I have a lot of interest in and will definitely be something I look to build in the future. As such, I've been reading up on them, but I've noticed a flaw that probably wasn't given much second thought by GW because of "rule of cool." I highly doubt I'm the first person to think of this, but maybe it was expanded upon somewhere and I missed it.

The subjects of penitent engines can range from criminals and heretics to other sisters whom the Orders Militant felt weren't up to the task or weren't pious enough. The crueler variant, the Mortifier seems to be reserved specially for sisters whom the Orders felt needed more severe punishment like Repentia and novitiates who fail their duties or sisters who committed crimes against the Order.

The thing is, sisters can end up hooked to these machines for rather ridiculous reasons, so what prevents some of these sisters from having "bouts" friendly fire against those who put them there? I know the sisters are so hyper-indoctrinated that some of them truly believe that they deserve such punishments even for something mundane, but let’s look at the example of that novitiate from that Warhammer plus animation. Long story short, a novitiate accidentally killed another novitiate in a training exercise, and was sent on a mission with her Palatine and some other sisters to redeem herself. The mission was completed, but the novitiate was the only one who survived. She was then put in the mortifier because a superior sister who was assessing her simply didn't like her (using her killing another novitiate as an excuse) and there was no one else of equal or higher rank to vouch for her. She felt betrayed and treated unfairly, but could do nothing more than beg and shout futilely as her sisters dragged her into the machine to suffer one of the worst fates imaginable in this universe.

Imagine being confined to a machine where you can't move, you can't scream, you can't hear, with it also being programmed to constantly inflict immense pain to you while simultaneously keeping you alive for as long as possible. Imaging being strapped to machine that's main purpose is to make you hate yourself every second of your miserable existence. Imagine being strapped to a machine that prevents you from killing yourself to end the suffering. Imagine feeling betrayed by the sisters that you thought had your back, and now you see them proudly killing enemies within their power armor while you have to suffer the humiliation of being strapped to a machine that makes your life a living hell. Surely, that would make some of them snap right? I surely would if I were in that position. They can't really give you a worse punishment than being strapped to a penitent engine or mortifier.

Maybe I missed something because the potential for those in these engines to retaliate against those who put them in there is a little to high to not really put any serious consideration into it.

As the last structures of the xenos are toppled and set aflame, their corpses are fed to the pyre. A rush of fetid wind flutters our banner, sacred relic of the Order of the Painted Sky. The offense bears prometheum fumes and rotting gore to crinkle my nose, yet I smile. Not long ago, this planet was held in darkness from the holy starlight of Him on Terra. Now we have scoured it clean, the Saint Celestial herself leading our campaign to bring light and begin the world anew.
I cast my gaze about the valley below, all rubble and craters. The slope of the land is not so different from my own Scaena Cordis, the lands of our home to which I have pledged myself, their vistas forever preserved on the tassets of my power armor, protecting me as I in turn defend them. Hope builds as I imagine it, the last evidence of xenos occupation replaced by pastoral fields and rolling hills, winds carrying the scents of floral blossoms and clean air, rather than the harsh industry of war.
Our sanctuary home of Keadora is a paradise. Its surface ranges from primordial forests to arcadian meadows, mountainous peaks rising to the starlit path, and plunging to benthic depths. Colonies of coral that stretch from one horizon to the next, fed by the nutrient dense sands of vast deserts. Verdant jungles that blossom in the day and arctic nights color Keodora with more beauty than could ever be perceived in a lifetime. Billions arrive every year, offering themselves to the manufacturing demands of the Hive Moon of Setheas for decades, just to earn a day upon Keodora’s surface. Its beauty inspires the pilgrims to give everything, to feed bodies into the toil of industry, their daughters given to my Order, their sons to our brothers in the Keodoran regiments of the Militarum, or the noble chapter of Astartes who share our duty.
But it is not only war that is our duty. Our charge is not to fight the enemies of the Imperium, but to reclaim, restore, and preserve all that His holy starlight touches. Our campaign for this world may be over, but until these lands are restored, there will be no victory.

I think this piece mostly turned out! I sculpted the fire which was a first for me. I feel like the photos didn’t turn out though - anyone have tips for taking better pictures? I have an iPhone 13 — maybe the camera isn’t good enough? The quality doesn’t seem to compare well to other minis I’ve seen.

Hope you enjoy the piece!

I'm running out of practice Head Bits, so I guess I have no choice but to buy an celestine insidiants Box!😋

(Illustrative image: Necromunda Cawdor Ridge Walkers or "Way-Brethren")

Armoured flanks, couched lances, and waving banners, all steeped in wafts of holy incense.

The concept of Sister Cavalry seems to be pretty popular: model conversions, fan art, and the monthly "What do you want to see in the next codex?" discussions.

But I always ask myself: why?

I'll admit I'm not experienced yet. I struggle to understand what "problem" or gap in our army list a mounted unit would actually fill. Don't we already have a unit of fast-moving close-combat specialists in the Zephyrim? From a competitive standpoint, would Sisters really gain anything from a unit of 3-6 horse girls making a suicide charge and martyring themselves for the glory of the God-Emperor?

What roles do cavalry and mounted units serve in other army lists?

• Astartes Outriders
• Guard Riders
• Xenos Jetbikes
• Deffkoptas (with one or two devastating shooting phases I'm always envious of)
• Custodes Bikes

(Note, I understand the flair and aura reasons. I ask from a gameplay perspective)

I got tired of working on the exorcist I've been working on. So I painted up the pilot! I couldn't decide how to paint her stained glass helmet so just kind of winged it.

Based her design on that one old art of her discovering her armour (which idk if it's official or fanart)

Wanted to share my WIP of my second armiger, lore wise she is the younger daughter of the knight house. Her name is Thana and different to her hot headed bigger sister she stays further away from the enemy and gives her big sis fire support. I want to buy a distrier knight for the big mother at some point. But yeah that’s my progress so far and would love some feedback.

I expected this to be so hard to like up right. Was actually kinda easy. Took a while and was finnicky, but nothing crazy.

Demon Hunter sisters boutta get a big glow up

Hey guys. I'm still relatively new to the hobby. Started with thousand sons and just copying the color scheme and online tutorials so pretty straightforward. Decided to give sisters a try with the idea of a white and purple color scheme. Landed on this which is wraithbone for the armor. The metallics are screaming bell. Probably going to use the purple on the right (Phoenician purple) for the rest of the minis. Feeling a little hung up on a couple of details now

Looking at them now I'm thinking

1. Tiny bits and details around the torso like the studs and lines. They seem too small to paint so I guess I should dry brush them. Since I'm working from a white base I'm not sure what color to use. Grey? Or metallic like leadbelcher?

2. Shade - I slathered on seraphim sepa as a shade for the whites. I kinda like the yellowish tint it gives but maybe it's a bit too splotchy. should I paint over some areas? all the raised areas as a rule of thumb?

3. Robes - maybe kinda flat with just one color. Would a shade also work here too? Or better to like blend with gene stealer purple and xereus purple? Or something else?

4. Hair - learning to paint faces is gonna be rough but Im torn between the usual white hair or making it all black. Or if all else fails helmets

Inks, Pencils, Watercolors

Cheers!