Graham McNeill: When Andy Hoare and myself were given the task of putting together Codex: Witch Hunters, we knew we were going to be working on a project that had a lot of very dedicated (and very vocal) fans out there. Rather than being daunted by this prospect, we decided that we should harness it and put it to good use. We knew of four people who were big-time Sisters of Battle players and who knew which end of a Sister to point at the enemy. So, very early on in the development of Codex: Witch Hunters, we approached Clinton Wolf, Agis Neugebauer, Eric Goldstein and James Teal with the suggestion that they might want to give us the benefit of their many years of loyal service to the Adepta Sororitas. As you might imagine, they leapt at the chance and were of immense help as we began to put together the very first drafts of the army list. As the list developed, they continued to lend their expertise to the development process and, now that the journey is complete, we thought it only fair to allow them to wax lyrical on how they plan to use the all-new Witch Hunters list. So, without further ado, over to the guys...

CLINTON WOLF

As a veteran Sisters player, I well know that the ladies are fully capable of getting things done on their own, however, the new codex has opened up a wide range of options for customisation, and it's never a bad thing to take a look at new possibilities. So with that in mind, let's discuss using your Inquisitorial clout to induct some Imperial Guard into your army. There are three main reasons to augment your Witch Hunters force with a few ranks of lasgun-toting grunts:

1) You like the eclectic look as well as the painting and modelling challenges of a mixed army, and going the Imperial Guard route allows you the potential of fielding as many types of units as possible, including Battle Sisters (which the Space Marine option excludes).

2) As above, but your main objective is the mix of options and the firepower possibilities, and perhaps to expand your army a bit.

3) You want a Leman Russ. Go on, you know you do. Yes, this gets its own category separate from reason 2, as I believe that it's the first thing many veteran Sisters of Battle players will be eyeballing. Adepta Sororitas purists are excepted, of course.

I, at least, was looking first and foremost towards the Leman Russ. Yes, the Exorcist is a full-on battle tank, but it doesn't have a battle cannon and doesn't completely bounce plasma shots off its front armour. Fielding a Leman Russ across the table from one of those plasma-heavy Dark Angels forces can be a nasty surprise for your opponent, and a way to keep their heads down for your advance. Haven't you ever wanted to play with some Ordnance? Well, now's your opportunity! Tag team it with an Exorcist and watch your opponent have fits trying to figure out which one to shoot at first.

Taking a Leman Russ is hardly a must-have for a Witch Hunters army, however, and it's a commitment both in terms of the tank itself and the inducted troops you'll need to qualify for it. Don't take a single tank and expect it to keystone your whole strategy: veteran Imperial Guard players don't, even if they field more. Take a Leman Russ for the fun of it, and have a plan for its use, not to mention the use of the platoons of Guardsmen you'll also be fielding. In a Witch Hunters list one of your best bets is going to be optimising all your Guard selections for long range, because your Battle Sisters should have the close to mid-range firepower covered, and you've got a selection of various loonies and assassins for assault purposes. I personally like to opt for a couple of Armoured Fist squads toting a single lascannon apiece, plus a Veteran Sergeant to help keep them steady. The Chimeras themselves get a multi-laser and heavy bolter, with a pintle-mounted heavy stubber tossed in for good measure: it might not mow down Space Marines, but nine shots that can reach out to 36" is nothing to sneeze at and, meanwhile, you have an even longer range pair of lascannon shots from the Guardsmen themselves. Remember that the squads don't have to be inside or even nearby their transports during deployment, so plunk them down in a good firing position and start shooting as soon as possible.

Clinton recommends you bring along the men and tanks of the Imperial Guard to add some weight to your Witch Hunters Force.

If you have the models and points available, taking Imperial Guard Infantry platoons is another very viable option, especially since the obligatory Command squad can be equipped with a Chimera. I would stick to keeping things simple, however, and keep the Command squad and its platoons outfitted for long range: remember that these boys are the supporting cast of the show, not its stars.

Fast Attack is your final consideration with Inducted Guard, and if you want some cavalry in your force then by all means go for some Rough Riders, but be aware there is some stiff competition in the slots here and your means may be better suited by Seraphim or Dominions. Sentinels, on the other hand, are a great buy if you have room, especially with their ability to deploy immediately, regardless of the mission.

All in all, bringing some Imperial Guardsmen to join with your Witch Hunters creates a varied and capable force. This comes at the expense of leaving your Sister units with fewer Faith Points, but even without many Acts to speak of, combining the Sisters' durability and close-up punch with the long-ranged suppression fire of your Guard support is a great pairing to work with. Model them up as zealous followers or hapless 'volunteers'; either way, you'll have both a spicy narrative for your army, and a fearsome punch on the tabletop. Suffer no witches to live!

AGIS NEUGEBAUER

When I was asked to help playtesting the new Witch Hunter Codex, which includes the Sisters of Battle, I jumped at that opportunity. I have collected, painted, converted and played the Sisters of Battle ever since they came out in 2nd edition Warhammer 40K. I loved the background and the miniatures, and the new codex is, in my opinion, a real blessing for every Sisters player. Everything that was there before is still present and correct, plus some very juicy new units and rules additions.

Every Sisters player can basically field his existing army without any real modifications, but now we also have a lot more to choose from. The pure Sisters player gets the new Sisters Repentia and a lot more options, wargear and upgrades. And everybody else who wants to incorporate the Ordo Hereticus has even more choice too. They can have an Inquisitor with retinue, Arco-flagellants, Assassins, Death-Cult Assassins, more transport options (why not have a Land Raider as transport?), Storm Troopers, Penitent Engines and Orbital Strikes. And last, but not least, two very nice special characters. To field a living Saint, oh the joy! Since I am always interested in painting new and beautiful models, I am going to use Inquisition models in my existing Sisters army.

My HQ consists of a Palatine armed with bolter/melta combi-weapon and a Celestian bodyguard, all mounted in an Immolator. The Celestians are armed with a heavy flamer and a meltagun, and to pass those all-important Tests of Faith, one Celestian is upgraded to an Imagifer. I always upgrade my vehicles with extra armour and smoke launchers as standard (who doesn't?). The new Holy Promethium upgrade also seems quite fitting to a transport carrying the HQ, so load up that tank at the back with flammable retribution. This unit can do everything you want. Your opponent has lots of tanks? Get the vehicle under smoke screen and move forward fast. Next turn punish him with two melta shots. Facing Orcs or Tyranids? Burn them with the heavy flamer and the Immolator's twin-linked heavy flamer. You get the idea...

Callidus Assassin

An Inquisitor with retinue and a Callidus Assassin fill the Elite slots. I have always liked Assassins, and the Callidus is just too good to be left out. The Inquisitor with his retinue also has a versatile role with a strong assault value in my army. Forcing your opponent to take Leadership tests is also quite handy, so I like to take Divine Pronouncement for my Inquisitor. To burn the witches, I also choose a Brazier of Holy Fire and a power weapon. The Inquisitor is usually accompanied by a Familiar, two Acolytes, with bolt pistol and power weapon, and three Crusaders. All are mounted in a Rhino with the ubiquitous extra armour and smoke launchers. This unit can advance behind a Sister transport, force Leadership tests in the ranks of the enemy army and assault with some serious punch. Six power weapon-wielding zealots truly are a sight to behold.

With the new codex, the Rhino is also back as a transport option for the Battle Sisters squad. So I like to take a squad of ten Sisters equipped with a heavy flamer and a storm bolter, including the all-important Veteran Sister and an Imagifer, and go for a ride. Another Troop choice that is too good to be ignored are the Storm Troopers. A small squad of five men with two plasma guns can do a lot of damage to the enemy if they're mounted up in a Rhino. They can hunt small vehicles or add some extra Strength 7 shots to another unit's shooting, and the new Kasrkin models are also really nice, so that's reason enough to take them.

The new Exorcist rules are also very tempting, and I always like to take at least one in my army. Another really cool unit are Penitent Engines. In most missions, you have to place your Heavy Support choices first, and the Penitent Engine is the unit for this job. You want them up front to charge the heretics quickly, and fortunately these guys are just the job for this! Since they are vehicles you can deploy other units behind them and screen them from enemy fire.

So, that is basically the core of my army. Roughly 1,250 points so far which leaves more options for expanding my army. Depending on what you are facing I recommend two more units of Storm Troopers or another squad of Sisters.

Or maybe that beautiful Living Saint...

Next: Eric Goldstein and James Teal share their thoughts.