# 7th Edition Tactica: Sentinels of Terra Supplement Part 1 : Company Relics



## SwedeMarine (Jun 3, 2013)

Let’s talk Sentinels!

No not those AT-ST looking things that the Astra Militarium get to use. Im talking Sentinels of Terra. 

Who are they? 

Simply put Sentinels of Terra are the 3rd company of the Imperial Fists chapter. 

Why do I care?

You don’t have to but it’s worth considering that some of their rules actually increase the effectiveness of you tactical squads (significantly at close range), as well as bringing a very unique set of warlord traits to the table (no# 6 is my favorite)

This tactica will be divided up into several parts as this supplement warrants an in depth look and I don’t want to clutter everything all at once.

Let’s start with the bad. 

According to the official rules Sentinels of Terra are NOT allowed to select chapter relics from C:SM. This is my biggest problem with this supplement hands down. I can understand that without a special supplement the only companies that can take relics provided in those supplements are the ones named in that specific supplement (did I use the word supplement enough times?). However if company A-Z can take the relics that belong to an entire chapter I see no reason why C company should be any different. (My game group generally agrees with this assessment and thus we have homebrewed that this particular rule can be ignored if we wish). 

Moving on the said relics that can be taken are…….. lackluster (for me anyways). 

*The Eye of Hypnoth:* Useful for reducing enemy cover saves by 1 (or reducing AV of building by 1) Used in lieu of a shooting attack and with only an 18” range this can certainly be useful in smaller games with lots of cover but loses effectiveness the moment cover is gone and the boards are opened up. 

*The Angel of Sacrifice:* A Crozius Arcanum with a twist. While it’s a fairly inexpensive option (cost of a combi weapon) it does add a really cool rule to the weapon profile called Only in Death. This rule states that even if the bearer is slain he is not removed until after ALL close combat has been resolved (including overwatch). Fluff wise and usage wise this is probably the coolest of the relics available to you as a player

*The Bones of Osrak:* Really expensive way to add ONE (1!) warp charge. The only redeeming quality of this is that it also allows you to re roll failed psychic tests. 

*The Banner of Staganda:* Replaces the Company standard and gives the bearer (and subsequently his unit) the counter attack and Crusader Special rules. I’m sure most people can see where this is effective as having a squad of irate Marine veterans running at you and hitting you just as hard as you hit them (if not harder in many cases) will be of some cause for concern. In addition to those it also gives models from the same detachment and chapter tactics within 12” the ability to re roll fails morale and pinning tests. 

*The Spartean:* For the Price of a melta bomb you get a bolt pistol that ignores cover and is master crafted. If value for money is what you are looking for this may be your best bet. While this is part of the standard load out for SGT (Captain) Garadon, it can be given to any character that can get a relic (unless Garadon is also included in the list, More on Garadon later)

SO what can we do with all of these different relics?

Always depends on your playstyle. As Units are chosen and kitted using C:SM there are a few options. 

Chaplains given the Angel of sacrifice or captains given either the Spartean or Eye of Hypnoth attached to a Command Squad with the Banner of Staganda make a formidable unit in its own right. Add the apothecary to that same combat squad and the FNP will make this a squad that simply cannot be ignored. The most effective CC build would obviously involve the Chaplain being attached to the command squad (sometimes a highly underrated unit IMO). 

If you are used to running psykers then I Still would not recommend the Bones as I still think it’s a waste of points. (keep in mind this is my opinion and can be completely ignored if you wish)

Another option is to give a Captain the Eye of Hypnoth and place him in either an assault unit (chappy load would work well here too) or Bike squad. The firepower that these units can provide can be significantly reduced by cover saves. If you negate the cover saves you have a much greater chance of bringing a unit you plan to assault and possibly wiping them in one turn. Useful for contesting or clearing objectives. 

This about brings this part of the article to a close. Any ideas or thoughts how to better utilize these items are more than welcome. Part 2 of this article will be coming either tomorrow morning or tomorrow evening depending on when I have the time to sit down and write it.


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## neferhet (Oct 24, 2012)

Nice  (altough Loyalists are weaklings...)

About the eye of Hypnoth: can you use it to reduce the cover from shooting coming from the same squad as the equipped character? SInce "same squad" shooting come at the same time, i'd advocates that you activate the -1 cover effect only after all the remaining unit fire has been resolved. Meaning that only another unit can benefit from this. Does this issue is addressed in the equip description or maybe it gives the bearer Split fire? ?Cause if not, i can see it useful only given to cheap "spotter" characters that reduce the cover for some nasty heavy gun shooting from behind. Also, i think it's really useful to hamper the stupid jink save of fellow bikers. getting a 5+ instead than a 4+...can ruin your day.

5 Bikers, 2 gravguns
Chaplain, eye of Hypnot, bike

Vindicator

Something like 380 pts and it's going to be nasty, once the eye hits you and the vindicator profits. Also, the following assault phase can mop it up pretty good!


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## SwedeMarine (Jun 3, 2013)

neferhet said:


> Nice  (altough Loyalists are weaklings...)
> 
> About the eye of Hypnoth: can you use it to reduce the cover from shooting coming from the same squad as the equipped character? SInce "same squad" shooting come at the same time, i'd advocates that you activate the -1 cover effect only after all the remaining unit fire has been resolved. Meaning that only another unit can benefit from this. Does this issue is addressed in the equip description or maybe it gives the bearer Split fire? ?Cause if not, i can see it useful only given to cheap "spotter" characters that reduce the cover for some nasty heavy gun shooting from behind. Also, i think it's really useful to hamper the stupid jink save of fellow bikers. getting a 5+ instead than a 4+...can ruin your day.
> 
> ...


thats pretty painful actually !

but the short answer to your question is that it lowers it for all units firing at that unit not just the one that has it. this gives you the added benefit of being able to effectively snipe vehicles in cover with devastator squads. combine that with the fact that IF (including sentinels) get Tank Hunter on their Devastator squads it opens quite a few options for both long ans short distance combat.


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## neferhet (Oct 24, 2012)

My question was another: does the unit of the character benefits form the bonus? even tough they shoot at the same time of the character holding the eye?
Usually (like markerlights) the shooting unit cannot benefit from those bonuses...


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## MidnightSun (Feb 10, 2009)

I'm pretty sure the Banner is useless since Counter-Attack isn't a transferable special rule meaning only the bearer gets the bonus. Bones of Osrak are amazing. Other than that, the Bolter Drill is pretty okay but I'm not sure that Sentinels of Terra is really a patch on the main Space Marine book.


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## SwedeMarine (Jun 3, 2013)

MidnightSun said:


> I'm pretty sure the Banner is useless since Counter-Attack isn't a transferable special rule meaning only the bearer gets the bonus. Bones of Osrak are amazing. Other than that, the Bolter Drill is pretty okay but I'm not sure that Sentinels of Terra is really a patch on the main Space Marine book.


the only model that can take the banner would be a command squad and they would get the bonus. Throw in a captain or chaplain and its a pretty neat cc squad either way you look at it.
as for the bolter drill being able to re roll ALL misses at half distance is amazing But I'm going to cover that in a separate tactica. 
@neferhet yes the unit gets the bonus additionally the unit does not have to shoot at the same unit that was the target of the Eye.


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## MidnightSun (Feb 10, 2009)

SwedeMarine said:


> the only model that can take the banner would be a command squad and they would get the bonus. Throw in a captain or chaplain and its a pretty neat cc squad either way you look at it.
> as for the bolter drill being able to re roll ALL misses at half distance is amazing But I'm going to cover that in a separate tactica.
> 
> @neferhet yes the unit gets the bonus additionally the unit does not have to shoot at the same unit that was the target of the Eye.


I'm pretty sure that ONLY the Standard Bearer gets Counter-Attack and it doesn't apply to his unit. Also, unless it's a Biker Command Squad, I'm not at all convinced that Command Squads are a 'pretty neat cc squad'. Honour Guard and Assault Terminators are neat cc units.


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## neferhet (Oct 24, 2012)

SwedeMarine said:


> @neferhet yes the unit gets the bonus additionally the unit does not have to shoot at the same unit that was the target of the Eye.


boom! then my previously suggested unit is truly badass!


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## SwedeMarine (Jun 3, 2013)

MidnightSun said:


> I'm pretty sure that ONLY the Standard Bearer gets Counter-Attack and it doesn't apply to his unit. Also, unless it's a Biker Command Squad, I'm not at all convinced that Command Squads are a 'pretty neat cc squad'. Honour Guard and Assault Terminators are neat cc units.


considering I read the rule specifically before replying to your previous post I KNOW the entire squad gets the bonus (i'm not posting up the wording for obvious reasons) not just the standard bearer.

As for the second part of you statement I generally agree. However a command Squad is a much cheaper alternative to either one (they aren't as good for that very reason but, then again, they are Space Marines). 



neferhet said:


> boom! then my previously suggested unit is truly badass!


Very much so. i'm thinking i might have to try this my next game and see what happens.


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