[Adepta_Sororitas]

Hey guys, I'm just finishing up my 1000 point army and I have two troops choices. They are both the same and they are as follows:

10 Battle Sisters
Vet Upgrade, Flamer, Heavy Flamer
Mounted in Rhino w/ extra armor, smoke launchers
=200

Now, I've yet to play a game so I can't really talk about first hand experience, but I would like a little lesson in Rhinos 101 before I take to the field. So, in your opinions, what is the most effective way to use these squads? Do you place them inside the Rhino at the beginning of the game, or keep them outside? Do you use the Rhinos as cover for your Sisters once they get immobilized or destroyed? How the hell do you keep them alive long enough to transport your troops to where they need to be? Do you use them as cover for Seraphim? Against certain opponents, is it wise to keep your sisters mounted most of the game and attempt some drive-by flamings? What do you prefer, flamers or meltas, or maybe one of each? Storm Bolters seem to be out of the question for Rhino squads, am I right in assuming this? If your Rhino does get popped, would you consider climbing on top of it to get a cover save (is this allowed? I thought I saw it mentioned in the rulebook).

As you can see, I've got a few questions about this squad. I'm basically just asking how to use them most effectively. Since I have 2 of these squads and they take up 40% of my total army cost, I need to learn how to use them to the best of their abilities.

For what it's worth, the other 600 points consists of a tooled up anti-tank Cannoness, 2 squads of 6 Seraphim, and an Exorcist.

 

[gen.nehring]

the best wasy to use them is most likely to jump from terrain to terrain. When and/or if you have to cross into the open, thats where smoke comes in. Also, remember to rotate the vehicle 180 degrees be4 disembarking. That means you can move 12" + 2" out of the vehicle. Keep them outside the vehicle at the start of the game, but behind the rhino so they cant be shot.


Here's a neat little fake-out trick...

After moving your battle sisters 12", disembark them into what seems to be a firing position. this may fake out your opponent into thinking this is where they are setting up and will divert his fire AWAY from the rhino. Then next turn, hop back in, disembark, and fry him!

As for weapon options.... flamer, hvy flamer is a good combo. I use it on my footslogging squads. Meltas are nice 2, but having 1 squad w/ 2 meltas in it is plenty. Storm bolters should ony be used on footsloging squads, armng the squad with 2 storm bolters plus a vet w/ storm bolter can be quite destructive if used properly.

Now in the case of our rhino getting popped....
a.) if the targets within range, get on top of the wreck, as you get a 4+ cover save
b.) if targets out of range or the squad is isolated, then get out the back AWAY from your opponents because wrecks BLOCK LOS.

However, I only use 1 mechanized squad in my army (the 2 melta combo)

But i do believe Cheredanine plays mech so he probably has more tips than me

 

[hs5ias]

Remember that you can't both embark and disembark in the same turn. If you could do that no one would ever be caught inside their transports.

Also try and keep your Rhino squads together if possible, or pair them off in their attacks with one of your Seraphim squads. Two squads of Sisters can wipe out a unit of Marines in one turns firing. Since even 1 marine can be a danger if he is the Veteran Sergeant with a PF, or totes a Lascannon, you want to achieve this. Shooting off all the 'ablative' marines with bolters to get the squad <50% is all very well but you need to avoid giving away VP's as well as scoring them. The same sort of thing applies to Eldar Guardian squads with Starcannons, Necron warriors with Phase Out, Tyranid Gaunt swarms and so on. You want to hit your enemy so hard he can't get up again, not scatter casualties across his force that he can absorb without serious loss of combat ability.

 

[Cheredanine]

OK these squad form the core of my army (damn but it takes for ever to paint a sisters rhino using an immolator kit)

I tend to add eitehr a plasma pistol or brazier to the VSS too. Also add an imagifier

How to use them 101- (this will also work for dominion squads and Celestians with transports)

Fistly, taking sisters in a rhino can be a mistake, if you only got one or 2 vehicles they will die quickly and easily, I put 6 vehicles on the field at 1500 points, this is IMHO light

second - start with your rhinos hidden - deploy the unit in the rhino and the rhino as far forward as possible in cover, in all probability it is gonan be your second turn before you get to de-bus, so an extra couple of inches isnt gonna make much difference, but if your vehicles are hidden at deployment, if your opponent gets the first turn you will have some protection.

Third - turn one - move forward just as fast as your little tracks can carry yiou, pop the smoke (if you are close enough - usually because he has had first turn and moved forwards as well, then go to turn 2 actions straight away)

Fourth - turn 2- move forwards, run your rhinos as close to his squads as you can, ideally along side them, or if they aint got abiklity to take out tanks, tank shock them.. if necessary turn the rhino, you aer going to dissembark, you need to be as close to them as you can be

fifth - disembark, get your flamers as close as you can, make suer you bolters have LOS. Use faith to make the squads weapons AP1. fire (flamers first, then rapid fire the bolters, if you do it the other way round, an opponent with any sense will use bolter casualties to deny targets to the flamers.

That is 3 flamer templates, includign one heavy - should be the first one you shoot) - although you may not use brazier of holy fire) at AP1, even MEQs should lose 4-6 guys from that, dependign on how they are deployed. then 14 bolter shots at AP1, you just reduced a full 10 man meq squad to about 2, and if it was a 5 man termie squad - it aint no more!

Now at this poitn you are standing with your Bum hanging out, if you co-ordinated the strike then you should be ok, by co-ordinated - I will use my own force as an example, I mean both sisters squads have done this and floored 2 of my opponents squads, the cannoness and her bodyguard have done the same, supported by their immolator fire, and teh immolator off the retributors has also gone up and finished off some of the squads, I have up to 4 vehicles blocking LOS for 2.5 squads, with cover fire from retibutors and exorcists and serephim may have also gone in, he generally will be:

a. still trying to wipe out what is left of my exorcist cos they blew his tanks
b. still trying to wipe out the retributors cos they have been shooting for 2 turns
c. worried about the serephim
d. stunned by the impact of my turn 2 - dont under rate this, moral does affect the game, his battle plan may well have just gone out the window as I tend to hit his best squads with this, often as not my opponent does not regroup but becomes dismayed and snapshoots without real reason.

What to do next is mostly get back in and try again, appart from the cannoness/celestians who tend to bimble about on foot trying to find enemy charaters for the cannoness to hit, whilst both immiolators just wander around causing havoc.

Note, whilst this tactic works in theory in assolation for a sister squad in a rhino, it is at its best when used in a co-ordinated manner as described above, something will undoubtedly go wrong, usually either he focusses all his fire on the transports, or the exorcists and I lose 1 or more, but the other half of the tactic can work with impunity.

 

[Heiromyo]

I use an army containing quite a few transports but i basicall charge them up forwards whilst hugging every peice of terrain i can on the way.