Sentinels of Terra: Hail the 3rd Company

So I have read the new Imperial Fists supplement and I have to say that this one is great! This has the most new information in the background section compared to any of the other supplements so far...

The story starts off with Lysander and his rise to being Captain of the 1st company, and letting us know how much of a bad ass this guy really is. This section is not entirely new, but the gaps are filled in now and is demenour is really fleshed out.

Lysander was basically the greatest hero of the IF and was kicking the crap out of the Iron Warriors and Lysander was going to be granted the position of Chapter Master as the current one was going to step down for him to take his place, but Lysanders obsession at trying to eradicate the Iron Warriors made him reckless in a battle on Taladorn that sees Lysander censured and demoted to captain of the 3rd company.

After Lysander takes over 3rd company he is set off on the "The Crusade of Thunder" to purge the ork menace in the Magor Rift. This section is really were the story starts to hand off to prime sergeant Tor Garadon, and the lessons that he learns from Lysander and his rise. The coolest part about this section is the complete listing of names for the entire company, so if you wanted to name all of your models correctly after the 3rd company than you have that now.

From there the 3rd is called back to help fend off a tyranid attack close to Terra on the planet Drashin. Here the IF purge a Space Hulk that was infested with a Norn Queen, and the aftermath of the battle sees Lysander return to head of the 1st company and Garadon take captaincy of the 3rd.

The new Chapter Master has the IF return to Malodrax were Lysander was tortured earlier to kill the Iron Warrior Warsmith Shon'tu that ends in epic battle.

So what everyone really wants to know is how does this change my force in the game.

1. You now use the Close Bolter Drill instead of Bolter Drill chapter tactic. this allows you to re-roll all failed to hit rolls made with bolt pistols, boltguns, stormbolters, heavybolters, or combiweapons firing the boltgun at a target up to half the maximum range away, but you cannot use this for the special ammo in your sternguard units.  :(

2. Centurian Devastators are now elite and heavy support, and Centurian Assault Squads are now fast attack and elite. The only thing that sucks is that you cannot double up on both at the same time because they both can use elites slots.... I want Centurian troops :)

3. Sergeant Gardon can be taken as an upgrade for a sergeant in Tactical Squad. He cost 75 pts, get the profile of a SM Captain and is armed with power armour, power fist, and Spartean (see relics below) and the unit is now an HQ choice. This is cool and cheaper than actually getting a Captain , but no iron halo.

4.  Relics

Eye of Hypnoth: used as a shooting attack 18" rng. target unit has its cover save reduced by one until end of phase. A building targeted has it AV reduced on all sides by one (to a minmum of 1).

The Angel of Sacrifice: basically a crozius Arcanum but has the only in death rule, which allows the model to not be removed as a casualty until after all combat attacks are resolved (so if he dies, he still makes his attacks and then is removed from play).

The Bones of Osrak: Only used by Librarians. Bearer gets an additional warp charge, and can re-roll failed psychic tests.  This is my favourite.

The Banner of Staganda: Taken as a company standard. The bearer has the crusader and counter attack USR. In addition all units withing 12" re-roll failed morale and pinning tests.

Spartean:  this is a bolt pistol that ignores cover and is master crafted.

5. Warlord Traits

Seige Lord: +1 to damage result against buildings

Tenacious Opponent: Has it will not die USR

Wise Commander: Can choose to add or subtract one from reserve rolls

Indomitable: If the warlord and his unit do not move in the movement phase, they have the fearless and counter attack USR until start of next turn

Architect of War: If warlord is in a building that building suffers -1 of the damage chart (to a minimum of 1)

Fleet Commander: Once per game can call down an orbital strike, this does not prevent the warlord from charging the unit targeted in the assault phase

6. You get the Apocalypse formation to use the 3rd company.

7. There are 7 city of death and 10 planetstrike strategems

8. 3 new altar of war and 6 new echoes of war missions.

Overall this is the best supplement to come out so far. If you play IF you should buy this book.