Complete Sisters of Battle starter guide for buyers, painters, and players

A full, faction-specific primer now gives players a clear route into building a Sisters of Battle force, covering purchases, painting, basing, conversions, and early list doctrine. The package is geared toward collectors, painters, and players who want a single, practical plan for going from unboxed models to tabletop-ready detachments.

At the top, the guide lays out a shopping plan that walks new players through buy-first choices and later add-ons. It recommends starting with a Combat Patrol or army set to secure core models and detachment options, then adding targeted single minis to fill gaps in characters and support. That approach keeps hobby and budget manageable while preserving room to scale into larger armies.

On the hobby side, the primer reproduces the studio finish by giving step-by-step painting workflows and Citadel colour recipes used on display models. The sequence is intentionally approachable: block in base colours, apply targeted washes, build up mid tones with layering, and finish with edge highlights and simple freehand insignia for squad markings. Basing advice matches the Sisters aesthetic with suggestions for gothic ruin textures, restrained weathering, and neat basing palettes that tie units together visually at battalion scale.

Model-conversion tips help players personalise squads without sacrificing cohesion. Advice focuses on head swaps, weapon loadout swaps, and small scenic bits that emphasize the order and ritual of the force. These conversions are pitched to be tabletop legal and easy to replicate with common hobby tools.

Tactically, the primer provides starter lists and archetypes tailored to small, medium, and larger point brackets, with notes on how to press early-game strengths and how to evolve a Combat Patrol into a full force. The play advice covers force construction priorities, unit roles, and how to balance objective-holding with offense. That makes the document useful for tournament newcomers and narrative players alike.

Community and narrative hooks are woven throughout, suggesting hobby objectives that double as lore beats. Painting schemes, heraldry choices, and unit backstories are presented as ways to deepen narrative play and create an army identity that reads on the table and in campaign play.

The takeaway? Start small, nail the studio recipes on a test squad, and expand deliberately. Build around a core Combat Patrol, practice a couple of small lists, and use conversions and basing to give your force a clear identity. Our two cents? Focus on cohesion over flash early on; a consistent paint scheme and a few well-chosen minis will carry you through multiple seasons of gaming.