Editing Warhammer 40,000/9th Edition Tactics/Adeptus Ministorum (section)

====Elite====
=====Characters=====
*'''Aestred Thurga and Agathae Dolan:''' A paired unit, but Aestred carries with her a super-banner called the Auto-Tapestry of the Emperor's Judgment - once per game, this can be invoked to grant all {{W40kKeyword|Adepta Sororitas Core}} units within 6" the ability to use all rites at once until your next command phase.
**Agathae, despite being the designated shield, has other uses that you'll need. Each turn she can give a sororitas character the ability to re-roll one hit, wound, or damage roll until the next command phase. She also lets you use the Open the Reliquaries stratagem once for free, which can be great for smaller games.
*'''[[Orders Dialogous|Dialogus]]''': +1 LD to {{W40kKeyword|Adepta Sororitas Core}} or {{W40kKeyword|Character}} units within 6", and she allows you to increase or decrease the value on a Miracle Die used for an Act of Faith by a unit within 6" by one to a maximum of 6 and minimum of 1. The ability to modify Miracle Dice is pretty handy, turning an otherwise-worthless 2 into a 3 that hits, for example, which can be great when you really need that meltagun or inferno pistol to connect. Also helpful is that she won't eat up a slot if taken alongside a Canoness, which you absolutely should. She also is a Priest model who can intone a Hymn, increasing her value.
*'''[[Dogmata]]:''' A new character made to play as an equivalent to the Chaplain. She comes with a whopper of a mace and has an aura to let her sisters perform objective actions and shoot at the same time, which is situational. What isn't is her other ability, which lets one {{W40kKeyword|<Order> Core}} unit within 6" during the Command Phase gain ObSec for the turn (or count as having double models if they already have it) - that'll always have a use.
**'''Smash Priest:''' Bloody Rose, chanting the Psalm of Righteous Smiting and The Passion sacred rite. If you can spare a Warlord trait, Righteous Rage.
*'''[[Sister Hospitaler|Hospitaller]]''' (sic): She's got a Sister character statline, with the ability to heal wounded models and a small 6+++ aura. Honestly, it's hard to get much value out of her as most your infantry units are only W1. She might be good if you're running the Triumph of Saint Katherine or other characters, as they will probably want healing. She can, however, bring three models back with a stratagem- three Celestian Sacresants coming back seems nice.
**Notably, she does not have {{W40kKeyword|<Order>}} and can't benefit from Canoness or Imagifier buffs despite busting her ass to help others.
*'''[[Imagifier]]''': The Imagifier is a banner-bearing character with an average statline. The reason you take her is that, at the beginning of the game, she chooses one of three abilities.
*#Tale of the Faithful: Re-roll advance and charge for {{W40kKeyword|<Order> Core}} units within 6", which is the primary reason you'll tale her.
*#Tale of the Warrior: +1 Strength for {{W40kKeyword|<Order> Core}} units within 6".
*#Tale of the Stoic: Attacks against {{W40kKeyword|<Order> Core}} units within 6" take -1 to wound rolls if the attack is S3 or lower, which means you're T4 against S3 and S2 and most Poison. Only worth it against lasguns and Dark Eldar splinter weapons (and AdMech radium carbines, although not as much, since the reduction won't help stop an auto-wound).
**Overall the Imagifier is a very useful unit, because of how well she can help you make a charge. Originally auto-include to help buff a unit of Repentia, that role is now better performed by the Repentia Superior, since S6 with +1 to wound is better in all case than S7.
*'''[[Preacher]]:''' The missionary's little brother who also gets prayers, though they only get War Hymn. These guys are much more efficient than the Missionary, especially since you can take more than one. Critical if you want to get the most out of your melee options, these are even more important to Repentia than a Repentia Superior. They also, as a small bonus, inflict a -1 Leadership penalty on nearby {{W40Kkeyword|CHAOS}} units. If you are playing in a Legends legal game, they suddenly become a whole lot better. They gain access to Frag and Krak Grenades as well as all of the {{W40Kkeyword|ASTRA MILITARUM}} Ministorum Priest's Index wargear, such as Combi-weapons, Plasma Guns, Eviscerators, beefier pistols and the like.
**'''[[Blackstone_Fortress#The_Playable_Characters|Pious Vorne]]:''' Blackstone Fortress model which is effectively the model for the stock preacher loadout with the Zealot's Vindictor weapon
*'''[[Sisters Repentia| Repentia Superior]]:'''A dedicated support character for Repentia. Adds +1 to wound rolls for all nearby Repentia (not including hereelf), and adds an unkept 1d6 to Advance and Charge rolls for one {{W40kKeyword|<Order> Repentia}} unit within 6" and allows Advance + Charge; both benefits apply to herself and the selected Repentia. Doesn't take up a slot if you have any Sisters Repentia of the same order. If you've got the points to spare and a squad of Repentia in your list, take her.

=====Sororitas=====
*'''[[Celestians|Celestian Squad]]:''' Veteran Sisters with +1 WS, A, and Ld. This isn't enough to make them viable in melee, nor do they get much in the way of melee options. Compared to Battle Sisters they still get 1 special and 1 heavy or special weapon in a 5-girl squad. They also have the new bodyguard rule so {{W40kKeyword|<Order> Character}} within 3" of them can't be shot. Finally they get a flat +1 to hit rolls when within 6" of a {{W40kKeyword|<Order> Canoness}}, {{W40kKeyword|<Order> Palatine}}, or {{W40kKeyword|<Order> CANONESS SUPERIOR}}. At only two points more than a basic Sister, they bring better shooting, melee, and the ability to bodyguard, at the cost of Objective Secured and taking a spot in your crowded Elites choices.
**Remember that Bodyguard doesn't require LOS - you can hide the Celestians behind something and stick their ward out in the open, and the characters being bodyguarded can't be shot due to bodyguard and the Celestians can't be shot due to lack of LOS. '''Not anymore... GW strikes again and modified all bodyguard rules in the Q2 2022 update. It is basically just "Look Out Sir!" now. (Which is probably for the best).'''
*'''Celestian Sacresants:''' The punchy celestians. While no longer able to carry guns bigger than a pistol, they now come with shields and power weapons. While they lack the bonus to hit while near a character, they do have the ability to intervene like one and then hunker down for a bonus to hit when charged. This essentially makes them into superior Crusaders (hit harder, stay longer) that can benefit from the various auras made for sisters but will always eat up an elite slot. If you're making a smash canoness, then there's not much better you can ask for in a bodyguard unit.
**Celestian Sacresants are specifically excluded from benefiting from Armor Of Contempt, because their 2+ save represents the bonus they get from their shields. In essence, they always have it on regardless of the incoming attacks' AP.
**Sacresants get two weapon options to pick from. Hallowed Maces are S+2, AP-1, D2, while Anointed Halberds are S+3, AP-3, D1. Despite what the D2 would have you believe, Halberds and Maces actually have the exact same performance against marines, both averaging 1.14 dead marines for four girls attacking. This actually makes Halberds the better option, since they perform much better against everything besides marines.
*'''[[Sisters Repentia|Repentia Squad]]:''' They get two attacks per model with Penitent Eviscerators, which are Sx2(6) AP-3 D2, and -1 to hit, so they hit on 4s rather than 3s. They make up for this by having the Zealot rule, granting them re-rolls to hit in the first round of combat, making them more accurate than a flat WS3+ would be. They have the 6++ from Shield of Faith, and a 5+++ Feel No Pain. As consolation for their fragility, you do get a miracle die when they're inevitably wiped out.
**In a nutshell, Repentia have the most potential of these options, but require the most investment. By putting War Hymn on them with a priest and making them Bloody Rose, you can get them to 4 attacks per model. They benefit from having a Repentia Superior on hand for going faster and hitting harder, and can benefit from the two melee-oriented Sacred Rites, making them attractive in a pure ministorum list. Without investing in them, they're not particularly useful, but if you do invest in them, they can be devastating.
*'''[[Paragon Warsuit]]s:''' The new and ever-memable mechas of the Sisters. Despite being walkers, they're better seen as TEQs with a 2+/6++ save on T5 as well as reducing all incoming damage by 1. Fortunately, they are considered {{W40kKeyword|Core}} and thus can enjoy all the buff auras, though not a hospitaller's healing.
**Ignore the pistol and the grenades - it's impossible to have a loadout where they matter, against any target, because you can fire all of your other weapons instead in all circumstances, because the unit members are {{W40Kkeyword|vehicle}}s.
**Being vehicles, they can pick any of their guns (heavy bolter, heavy flamer, or multi-melta, plus 2 storm bolters or 2 assault krak grenades) and fire at will without worrying about it.  The best general loadout you can take is a multimelta, pair of storm bolters, and a war blade, on the entire unit.
***The heavy flamer is very specifically best at handling very light infantry - against almost everything else, the heavy bolter will out-dakka it, but that's partially due to your BS.  If you want to keep shooting in melee, meaning you're down to BS4+, the heavy flamer is better than the heavy bolter against ''everything''.  The multi-melta outperforms both against a shockingly large number of targets, though.
***The storm bolters and grenade launcher are surprisingly close in terms of performance, but in combination with your other weapon choices, you're better off taking storm bolters to avoid your multi-meltas being countered with chaff than taking grenade launchers with something else, and the grenade launchers don't do significantly more than the storm bolters against the hard targets you want to bring your melta to bear against.
***Paragon Suits have two options for their melee weapons - the War Blades (A4 WS3+ S6 AP-3 D2) and the War Mace (A3 WS4+ S9 AP-2 D3), where the Superior has +1A. On average and with no buffs, a full unit of War Blades will kill 4-5 MEQs (4.81 dead, 9.63 damage dealt to the unit) or do 4.81 damage to a T7+ Sv3+ target, while a full unit of maces will kill 2-3 MEQs (2.78 dead, 5.56 damage dealt to the unit) or do 6.67 damage to a T7+ Sv3+ target. Since you've got better ways to handle tanks than melee with expensive suits, stick to the swords.

=====Ecclesiarchy Battle Conclave=====
The Sisters book is in an unusual place in that they have ''a ton'' of different units of close combat infantry, all in their Elites slot. As a general rule, these models aren't likely to stack up to the sisters, who have all their buffs and convictions while you'll only have hospitallers and priests to help out. Also fun to note is that these units below can all be taken without taking a precious slot if you also grab a Priest as an HQ, allowing for a bit of easing in choices.

*'''[[Arco-flagellant|Arco-flagellants]]:''' Two wounds each, with a 5+++ to keep them going, Arco-Flagellants have two attacks each, multiplied to 4 by their flails, at S+1(5) AP-1 D1; they're WS4+ with Zealot, so on the turn you care about, they hit 3/4 of the time. One of them can take Endurant Implants, which is an auto-include, because raising their attacks by 1 means the bearer hits as hard as 1.5 flagellants, but costs slightly less - and on top of that you go from S4 to S5, which is a significant bump against many targets. 
**A Priest makes a decent and cheap source of buffs for these guys. +1 attack is huge on a unit that can multiply its attacks. The only issue is that since prayers happen in the command phase, you can't get out of a rhino/strategic reserves and then buff your penitents. Use Fiery Oratory for 1 CP after piling out of a transport for an automatic out-of-phase prayer.
**The Extremis Trigger Word stratagem is a game-changer, bringing your baseline Flagellants up to 6 attacks base and your Endurant up to 9.
**Comparing a Priest vs Extremis Trigger Word, the former gives them 32-62 attacks base (3x2=6 for each of the 4-9 Flagellants and 4x2=8 for the Endurant) while the latter is '''very''' slightly better because it gives the Flagellants the same attacks (2x3=6) but gives the Endurant one more (3x3=9). However, remember that Extremis Trigger Word kills each model on a d6 roll of 1 after use and costs CP, so Priest support is preferable (especially if you lack an Endurant, but you shouldn't). Do remember you can use both if you feel the need however and it'll on average be able to wipe 21-40 GEQs, 6-12 MEQs or 3-5 TEQs with an <s>ungodly</s> {{BLAM}} {{BLAM|EMPEROR BLESSED}} number of attacks ('''48-93''', to be exact).
**Arco-Flagellants benefit massively from having an Ordo Malleus Inquisitor around, as it can use the Ordo Malleus power to give them a 5++. Since they have no save at all and rely on their FNP, this keeps them going a lot longer (they essentially get a re-roll to their 5+++). Use Coteaz to also cast Terrify on your victim, keeping them from using Overwatch.
*'''[[Crusaders]]:''' A basic human in carapace armour with a Storm Shield and a Power Sword. 2 attacks base, and a 5+++ against mortal wounds in the psychic phase only. Like your other melee options, they have the Zealot rule. However, they max out at 6 models per unit.
**These guys have been pretty much entirely superseded by Celstian Sacresants, who do everything Crusaders want to do but better, and are available in plastic.
**Palanite Subjugators from Necromunda make a good stand-in for Crusaders that isn't monopose resin, as they have big shields.
*'''[[Death Cult Assassin|Death Cult Assassins]]:'''  The sword to the Crusaders' shield, Death Cult Assassins are a surprisingly deadly option. At 4 attacks each with SU(4) AP-3 D1, they're a blender, especially since you can buff them to 5 attacks each with a Priest. Their 7" move is a slight bonus, and they have a 5++. Like the Crusaders, they max out at 6 per unit and have Zealot, and unlike Crusaders, they have Always Strikes First.
**Like Crusaders above them, Death Cult Assassins lose out to newer units. Ironically, Celestian Sacresants perform the DCAs' role better as well when equipped with spears.

=====Other=====
*'''[[Ministorum Priest]]''' (Index)''':''' Your original Priest from the Index and the {{W40Kkeyword|ASTRA MILITARUM}} Codex is technically still perfectly legal, having not been shoved into Legends (yet) and having the {{W40Kkeyword|ADEPTUS MINISTORUM}} Keyword in any case. That said, with no access to Prayers, it's clear this is just a holdover from the previous edition. 
*'''[[Gotfret de Montbard]]:''' A unique Crusader from the Blackstone fortress escalation box. He has Crusader stats including Zealot, Acts of Faith and Shield of Faith, but with 4 Wounds and Attacks, every hit of a 6 scores 2 hits and is a {{W40Kkeyword|CHARACTER}} so he's safe from enemy fire and can Heroically Intervene. His S4 Power Sword attacks and 4++ are allright. For 35 points, not a terrible choice, very fluffy if you're building a Feudal World melee regiment, but your Elite slot is crowded as is and cheap as he is, you have access to cheaper units that support your army.