The Sisters of Battle are setting off on crusade this weekend as Codex: Adepta Sororitas arrives for pre-order on Saturday, alongside a congregation of new units that we looked at earlier this week.
Though they all fight with absolute belief in the Emperor and a burning hatred of Mankind’s enemies, the Orders of the Adepta Sororitas are by no means identical. Each has different traditions that form their foundation and unique attitudes towards their service. To better understand what makes them tick, let’s have a look at the six major Orders and the ways they spread faith across the galaxy.
The Sisters of the Order of Our Martyred Lady are, as the name suggests, more than happy to throw themselves into situations where casualties are inevitable, so long as it serves the will of the Emperor.
So familiar are they with selfless sacrifice that they actually draw power from it, fighting harder than ever once faithful blood is spilt.
Should a leader of the Order fall, the perpetrators of such a terrible deed will soon find the martyr’s fellow Battle Sisters looking for bloody vengeance as they fight on with renewed conviction.
Warlords of the Order of Our Martyred Lady love to deliver violent justice to Mankind’s foes in the deadliest areas of the battlefield. Accordingly, they are often weathered and scarred individuals who can shrug off grievous wounds and generate greater divine power from their deeds.
For the Sisters of the Order of the Valorous Heart, no amount of suffering is too great when endured in the Emperor’s name. Their legendary grit and determination are reflected in the grim, uncompromising manner in which they fight.
It can be hard to pinpoint the enemy in the bloody chaos of a battlefield, but some among this Order’s ranks have learned to focus their faith, and they call on the Emperor to guide their aim.
Following the example of their founder, Saint Lucia, a commander of the Order can push themselves through all but the most fatal wounds, no matter how much suffering they might endure.
Where the Order of the Valorous Heart is stoic, the Order of the Bloody Rose is incendiary. Blazing with the fire of their hatred towards the aliens, mutants, and heretics that threaten the Imperium, these Sisters dive into battle with an unquenchable desire to slaughter as many foes as they possibly can.
Such is their righteous anger that Sisters of the Bloody Rose are wont to charge headlong into melee regardless of the odds, tearing away at the enemy with blades, hands, and whatever else they can get a hold of.
Where other leaders may try to curtail the impetuousness of their Sisters, some Warlords drive them onwards by sheer bloody example, carving up a storm among crimson fighters.
As the first of the Orders to be created on Holy Terra, the Order of the Ebon Chalice traces its doctrines back to the Daughters of the Emperor,* and the Sisters rigidly adhere to the foundations upon which the Adepta Sororitas were forged. So great is their prestige that all other Orders measure themselves by their example.
One of the most iconic symbols of the Adepta Sororitas is the cleansing flame, and warriors of the Ebon Chalice carry it with them into battle with devastating results.
Keeping rigid faith in tradition brings with it some burdens, such as knowledge that’s unsafe for all but the most devoted minds. Such insight does lend its bearers something of a different perspective, though, which can be useful on the battlefield.
The Order of the Argent Shroud is often deployed as the spearhead of an Imperial crusade, taking advantage of speed and boldness to drive a silver bolt through the heart of an enemy force.
Their unwavering faith renders Battle Sisters of the Argent Shroud even more resilient against psychic assault than is typical for the Adepta Sororitas. As such, they are frequently able to disregard the cursed sorceries of the Archenemy’s minions.
All Sisters of Battle are happy to throw themselves in front of their comrades to intercept a deadly attack, but some are even more proactive than usual in the defence of the faithful.
Even among the din of a raging battlefield, the Order of the Sacred Rose is a calm and collected force of serenity who sing hymns of hope and salvation to the tune of roaring boltguns and blazing promethium.
Divine judgement is the domain of the Emperor alone, and while few would consider themselves worthy of judging guilt on His behalf, many stand ready to mete out the inevitable punishment.
So holy is the light that pours from the Sacred Rose’s most devout commanders that their mere presence on the battlefield inspires fellow Sisters to greater acts of bravery.
While these six Orders are the most commonly encountered of the Adepta Sororitas’ forces, they are by no means the only ones to be found. Uncounted Orders Minoris fight across the galaxy, many exhibiting strange and innovative approaches to war born from ancient dogma taken to its extreme.
You can create your own Order Minoris by selecting two convictions from a list of sixteen. To demonstrate one of the combinations you can make, we borrowed Warhammer Community’s Scheduling Warlord Darcy’s Order of the Shattered Glass.
If you want to find out what else you can concoct, you’ll have to look inside Codex: Adepta Sororitas when it arrives for pre-order on Saturday. Will you build a force from one of the six major Orders or create your own Order Minoris and set out on a Crusade? Let us know on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
* The predecessors of the Adepta Sororitas that served the notorious traitor Goge Vandire.