Novitiate Squad

Every Sister's origin story. From regular bitch to bolter bitch.

A Novitiate is for all intents and purposes, a term used to describe a Sister-in-Training. Ergo, they are the Bolter Bitches' equivalent of a Whiteshield Conscript; they are the most zealous female Progena of the Schola Progeniums (trust us, it takes a special kind of fanatic even in the orphanage military school designed to churn out fanatics to be accepted into the Sororitas). These aspirants are then given a Ring of Suffrage to wear and take the Oaths of Adherence, in order to become Novitiates.

Overview

Their training is overseen by a veteran Sororitas, who ensure the Novitiates master the Adepta's fundamentals and this may last quite a number of years or even decades. Even if a Novitiate has already been chosen to serve within a particular Order during that time, their trainers will demand that the Novitiates know the basic skills of all of the Adepta's Orders. So yes, they do more than just burning shit up and dry humping the Emprah's statue. They actually have a life outside of the cathedrals you know and, like any other educational facilities, they can choose and embark on different careers in the Ecclesiarchy.

Even while training, though, a Novitiate may join the Adepta Sororitas on missions to gain further experience and know-how; where their training will be on the field of battle. There, the Novitiate's skills and devotion will be tested against the Imperium's enemies. Novitiates are also often selected to join the retinues of Ordo Hereticus Inquisitors, who a Sororitas is asked to join their service. These are likely to be the Novitiates who have proven themselves to be among the most capable and self-sufficient of their class. Those chosen have also been deemed strong enough to endure the rigours and perils of serving with an Inquisitor. The Novitiates who survive such duties, often return to the Sororitas even firmer in their convictions and further honed in their skills. Sororitas that survive long-term duties with the Inquisition, are a very valuable asset for the Adepta in their war against all things extra heretical. As a result of this, they are often destined to join the high ranks of their Orders.

Because they are still rookies, Novitiates are grouped into small teams led by a Sister Superior. These Superiors are known as Novitiate Superiors and they are charged with steering the faith of their Novitiates and serve as an inspirational example of how a warrior of the Adepta Sororitas acts at all times.

Armoury

Okay, how the hell did a Weeaboo manage to make a Novitiate a hostage!? Jesus fuck that is embarrassing, which is one hell of a feat given the Sisters of Battle's abysmal track record...

All Novitiates wear Flak Armour, albeit ones that are specially made to look like nuns into battle. As such, they don't really last too long especially when considering the Bolter Bitches' love for CQC combat, of which Flak Armour provides as much protection as wet toilet paper. All Novitiates are armed with a standard-issue Autogun and Autopistol for ranged combat and either a basic (And we mean basic) close combat weapon like a Flail, Warhammer or a Sword, albeit ones that are master crafted. On special occasions, some of them are known to wield a Purgatus or Stake Crossbow or even a Flamer.

Types of Novitiates

• Novitiate Superior - Leading these initiates is a full-fledged battle sister, donning the iconic power armor of her office. Her duty is to lead by example, inspiring her novitiates to glory. This also means that they are able to use bolters or bolt pistols and power weapons.
• Novitiate Condemnor - Psykers are one of the most hated enemies of the sisterhood, and the Condemnors are often the ones to hunt them down. Toting Null Rods and Condemnor Stakethrowers (Crossbows that fire stakes quietly enough to be considered a sniping weapon), their duty is to weaken the powers of the witch before striking them down without anyone being the wiser.
• Novitiate Dialogus - The sisters who train to join the Orders Dialogus. Their focus is on communications in its many forms, be it inspiring fellow sisters or blasting condemnations to ward off the enemy.
• Novitiate Duellist - While most sisters study in faith, the duellists study the blade. Their knack for melee combat is beyond that most of most novitiates and thus they go into combat brandishing a sword and dagger, allowing them to strike with the same finesse that they use to parry an opponent's weapon.
• Novitiate Exactor - Whip me harder step-sister! Some zealous Novitiates are given Neural Whips to use on their foes. Occasionally they will use them on fellow Novitiates (kinky) whom the Exactors feel are lapsing in bravery and faith.
• Novitiate Hospitaler - Before being assigned as a proper sister, the novitiates of the Orders Hospitaller must hone their trades in the field of battle. Though their tools are not as advanced as nartheciums, they do carry surgical saws among their tools, and that may just be enough to see them through.
• Novitiate Militant - The basic foot soldiers of the novitiates. While not quite qualified for the power armor and bolter of the basic sisters, they are equipped with autoguns or autopistols and blades.
• Novitiate Penitent - The diet version of the Sisters Repentias. These are Novitiates whose faith is found wanting. They wield Penitent Eviscerators and are whipped into battle by Novitiate Exactors.
• Novitiate Preceptor - Often the second-in-command for a Novitiate Superior, the preceptors are often tasked with enforcing order among the novitiates, inspiring them to action if need be. They come with large two-handed maces called the Mace of the Righteous that also act as censers to burn an unlucky foe while emitting smoke to protect their peers.
• Novitiate Pronatus - As the Orders Pronatus require learning about all manner of relics, the novitates' chief responsibility is to claim and protect whatever treasures they claim from enemy hands.
• Novitiate Purgatus - Novitiates equipped with ministorum flamers, tasked with incinerating anything they come across. Such is their task that they can even fire while on the run.
• Novitiate Reliquarius - A diet Imagifier. These sisters carry all sorts of sacred relics, made to inspire their peers in their service in the way most standards do - that is, motivating them to fight even as they succumb to their injuries.

Tabletop

Introduced in the Kill Team: Chalnath set, Sisters Novitates are aspiring Battle Sisters who haven't yet earned the right to wear power armour or wield bolt weapons. Coming in a squad of 9 Novitates equipped with autoguns and a single Novitate Superior who's a full-fledged Sister with power armour and boltgun, these girls provide a low cost-per-body supplement to your basic Sisters, as they're essentially veteran guardsmen statlines with a 4+ sv. Novitates have CORE, <ORDER>, Shield of Faith, and Sacred Rites just like full-fledged sisters, so they benefit from your special rules and buffs as normal. They also have normal 40k rules comeing with the release of there box and you can almost count the seconds till people start using the crunch of the Novitates as a proxy for Frateris Militia units.