Orders Militant

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A Battle Sister of the Adepta Sororitas^[6a]

The Orders Militant are the fighting wing of the Adepta Sororitas and are sometimes known as the Sisters of Battle.

History

A Battle Sister of the Sisters of Battle^9c

See main article History of the Adepta Sororitas

The Sisters of Battle, like the rest of the Adepta Sororitas, trace their history back to the troubled times of the Age of Apostasy. On a backwater world named San Leor an all-female cult dedicated to the worship of the Emperor, known as the "Daughters of the Emperor", were discovered by members of the Ecclesiarchy. Goge Vandire, the High Lord of the Administratum (and also Ecclesiarch of the Adeptus Ministorum), decided to visit San Leor and recruit the Daughters into his own private army. The Daughters were then renamed the "Brides of the Emperor" and became Lord Vandires most loyal followers.

As the events of the Age of Apostasy progressed the Adeptus Custodes, the praetorians of the Emperor himself, tried to approach the Brides and convince them of Vandire's treachery. In a last ditch effort to convince them, the Custodes took Alicia Dominica, leader of the Brides, and her chosen bodyguards deep into the Imperial Palace where they stood before the Emperor himself. What happened there remains unknown - Dominica and her companions were sworn to secrecy - but it became clear that the Brides, who then reverted to their original title of Daughters of the Emperor, had been awakened to the evil that Vandire represented. Marching into his audience chamber, Dominica paused only to condemn Vandire for his crimes before she beheaded the power-crazed dictator.

Following these events the Adeptus Ministorum as a whole was re-organised, including the forces of the Adepta Sororitas. Along with the establishment of the non-militant Orders, the Orders Militant were divided between the two Convents on Terra and Ophelia VII with Alicia Dominica as the the Head of the entire organisation.

In 378.M36 - Ecclesiarch Alexis XXII divided the Orders Militant of the Convent Sanctorum and Convent Prioris into four Orders:^1pg35

• Order of the Ebon Chalice
• Order of the Valorous Heart
• Order of the Fiery Heart
• Order of the Argent Shroud

In 878.M38 - Ecclesiarch Deacis VI founded two more Orders Militant in honour of the remaining two saints who accompanied Alicia Dominica to the Golden Throne:^1pg35

• Order of the Bloody Rose in honour of Sister Mina.
• Order of the Sacred Rose in honour of Sister Arabella.

File:SistersRetributor.jpg

A Retributor of the Sisters of Battle^9b

Overview

The Battle Sisters of the Adepta Sororitas are the mainstay of the Adeptus Ministorums armies. Equipped and trained to the highest Imperial standards, the Sisters of Battle specialize in waging Wars of Faith and purging heresy wherever it may be found.⁷ Because of this, its duties often overlap with the Ordo Hereticus of the Inquisition and as a result the Sisters of Battle are the Chamber Militant of the Witchunters.^8-p.5 The Sisters of Battle themselves are divided into many Orders, each numbering thousands of Battle Sisters. These forces are rarely deployed in full-strength, rather being assigned to waging Wars of Faith, aiding the Inquisition, or protecting Ecclesiarchy buildings, property, and relics.^[12]

Organisation

See main article Organisation of the Adepta Sororitas

Orders

Major Orders Militant
Convent Sanctorum (Ophelia VII)	Convent Prioris (Terra)
Order of the Bloody Rose	Order of the Sacred Rose
Order of Our Martyred Lady	Order of the Ebon Chalice
Order of the Valorous Heart	Order of the Argent Shroud

Lesser Orders Militant

Since their founding the Major Orders Militant have established a number of subsidary convents at sites significant to the Ecclesiarchy. Sometimes little more than small Garrisons, these bases have developed identities distinct from their parent Orders over time, eventually becoming seperate Orders all together. These smaller Orders are reffered to as the Lesser Orders Militant. In theory the leaders of the Lesser Orders are answerable to the leaders of the Major Order that spawned them.^2pg6

Named Lesser Orders Militant

• Order of the Crimson Oath
• Order of the Ermine Mantle:¹⁰
• Order of the Fiery Tear
• Order of the Golden Light²
• Order of the White Rose:³
• Order of the Bleeding Heart
• Order of the Wounded Heart:¹⁰
• Order of the Black Selpulchre¹³

Forces

A group of Orders Militant Seraphim^9b

• Battle Sisters
• Celestians
• Seraphim
• Dominions
• Retributors
• Sisters Repentia

Armoury

Wherever possible the Sisters of Battle use the holy trinity of weapons, that of the bolter, flamer, and melta^5c. There are few exceptions to this rule, the most notable being melee weapons, plasma pistols sometimes used by Sister Superiors⁶, and the missiles of the Exorcist^5c. The rank and file are primarily equipped with a Godwyn-De'az pattern boltgun⁷ and bolt pistol^5a. All Sisters, with the exception of the Sisters Repentia, are equipped with a suit of Sororitas Power Armour^5a. The Sisters of Battle possess limited armoured support: the Rhino and Immolator as personnel carriers^5d, and the Exorcist to provide fire support^5b.

Notable members

See main article: Known Members of the Adepta Sororitas

• Saint Alicia Dominica, KIA
• Saint Arabella, KIA
• Saint Katherine, KIA
• Saint Silvana, KIA
• Saint Lucia, KIA
• Saint Mina, KIA
• Saint Praxedes, MIA
• Saint Celestine, KIA
• Saint Anais⁷
• Abbess Sabrina - Missing¹¹
• Sister Miriya
• Sister Julien⁴
• Ephrael Stern

See Also

• Orders Hospitaller
• Orders Dialogous
• Orders Famulous

Sources

• ¹: Codex: Sisters of Battle (2nd Edition), page 19
• ²: Dawn of War: Ascension by C.S. Goto, page 332
• ³: Duty Calls (Novel) - Ciaphas Cain: Defender of the Imperium (Omnibus) by Sandy Mitchell: Chapter 5, page 295, fn. 1
• ⁴: Cain's Last Stand (Novel) - Ciaphas Cain: Defender of the Imperium (Omnibus) by Sandy Mitchell: Chapter 5, page 558
• ⁵: White Dwarf 379 (US)
  • ^a: p.95-100
  • ^b: p.98
  • ^c: p.100
  • ^d: p.101
• 6: Red and Black (Audio Book)
  • 6a: Cover illustration by Slawomir Maniak
• ⁷: Codex: Witch Hunters (3rd Edition), page 19
• ⁸: Warhammer 40,000 6th Edition Rulebook pg. 180
• ⁹: The Inquisition (Background Book)
  • ^9a: pg. 77
  • ^9b: pg. 74
  • ^9c: pg. 79
• ¹⁰: Codex: Eye of Terror (3rd Edition) pg. 16
• ¹¹: White Dwarf 293 (UK) pg.57
• 12: Warhammer 40,000 6th Edition Rulebook pg.195
• 13: Imperial Armour Volume Eight - Raid on Kastorel-Novem, pgs. 76-77