Warhammer 40K: This Week’s Meta Hotness – Morvenn Vahl

6 Minute Read

Aug 11 2021

This is one of Warhammer 40,000’s top units, that’s been commanding attention lately. Let’s take a look at the Sororitas’ Morvenn Vahl.

In the ever-shifting meta of 40K, armies rise and fall. We’ve spent a lot of time talking about armies that are hot or not, but a lot less time looking at units that are running the show. Today let’s take a look at one of the hottest units currently running around the tabletop.

The Unit

Vahl is a Sisters of Battle Supreme Command unit. As a High Lord of Terra and commander of all the Adepta Sororitas she is one of the major powers in the Imperium. On the table she rides to war in a custom Paragon warsuit, making her a major combatant both to buff her army and in her own right.

Why They Are Good

Vahl is an amazing damage dealer. Though she only has 5 base attacks, she makes the most of them. She can either chose to double her attacks to clear out infantry, or deliver powerful blows with a max of 20 D. Moreover, if she is your warlord she’ll be rerolling all hits and wounds, meaning those blows are going to hurt. She can easily blow through a unit a turn. Also once a game she can just fight twice, ouch! Vahl is also no slouch in shooting either. She comes with what is effectively a souped-up heavy bolter and a pair of rocket launchers. In the same manner as her close combat attacks, this gives her the potential to hurt almost any kind of target. She can take down a squad of cheap infantry, or blow through a Marine unit; she can even mess up enemy armor. This makes her a fun and active model that isn’t restricted to just doing things in one phase.

Vahl is not only good at dealing damage, she is also good at taking damage Due to having only 8 wounds she benefits from Look out, sir! On top of that, she’s got a 2+4++ and halves incoming damage. She even has a save vs mortal wounds. All this means she’s likely to stick around for a bit and a well-protected Vahl is extremely hard to remove. Morvenn isn’t just strong on her own, like you’d expect of any good commander she also buffs the heck out of friendly troops. Vahl provides a wonderful re-roll 1s on hits and wounds aura to friendly Core Sisters within 6 inches, thus acting like both a Canoness and a Palatine. On top of that, she can pick a core unit in the Command phase, and let it re-roll all hits and wounds. Overall she is a single unit that is incredibly deadly, hard to kill, and also provides nice buffs. The perfect package.

A Sample List

Saying a unit is hot is all well and good, but let’s take a look at how players are using it. One list that highlights Morvenn Vahl is the list that John Lennon ran to take 1st place at the recent Lone Star Open . (via 40kstats.com)

++ Patrol Detachment 0CP (Imperium – Adepta Sororitas) [38 PL, 764pts] ++

+ Configuration +

Detachment Command Cost

Order Convictions: Order: Bloody Rose

+ No Force Org Slot +

Repentia Superior [2 PL, 40pts]: Relic: Litanies of Faith

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+ HQ +

Morvenn Vahl [13 PL, 265pts]: Warlord

+ Troops +

Battle Sister Squad [3 PL, 55pts]
. 4x Battle Sister: 4x Bolt pistol, 4x Boltgun, 4x Frag & Krak grenades
. Sister Superior
. . Bolt Pistol & Boltgun

+ Elites +

Sisters Repentia [6 PL, 112pts]
. 8x Sisters Repentia: 8x Penitent Eviscerator

+ Fast Attack +

Zephyrim Squad [4 PL, 90pts]
. 4x Zephyrim: 4x Bolt pistol, 4x Frag & Krak grenades, 4x Power sword
. Zephyrim Superior: Bolt pistol, Zephyrim Pennant

++ Outrider Detachment -3CP (Imperium – Adepta Sororitas) [56 PL, 1,156pts, -4CP] ++

+ Configuration +

Detachment Command Cost [-3CP]

Order Convictions: Order: Ebon Chalice

+ HQ +

Celestine and Geminae Superia [10 PL, 200pts]
. 2x Geminae Superia: 2x Bolt pistol, 2x Frag & Krak grenades, 2x Power sword

+ Elites +

Celestian Sacresants [6 PL, 131pts]
. 8x Celestian Sacresants (Anointed Halberd): 8x Anointed Halberd, 8x Bolt pistol, 8x Frag & Krak grenades
. Sacresant Superior: Bolt pistol, Spear of the Faithful

Dogmata [4 PL, 65pts, -1CP]: 4. Litany of Enduring Faith, 5. Verse of Holy Piety, Relic: The Sigil Ecclesiasticus, Stratagem: Saint in the Making, Warlord Trait: Terrible Knowledge

+ Fast Attack +

Dominion Squad [4 PL, 80pts]
. Dominion Superior
. . Bolt Pistol & Boltgun
. Dominion w/ Special Weapon: Artificier-crafted storm bolter
. Dominion w/ Special Weapon: Artificier-crafted storm bolter
. Dominion w/ Special Weapon: Artificier-crafted storm bolter
. Dominion w/ Special Weapon: Artificier-crafted storm bolter

Seraphim Squad [4 PL, 90pts]
. 2x Seraphim: 4x Bolt pistol, 2x Frag & Krak grenades
. Seraphim Superior: Bolt pistol, Bolt pistol
. Seraphim w/ Special Weapons: 2x Ministorum Hand Flamers
. Seraphim w/ Special Weapons: 2x Ministorum Hand Flamers

+ Heavy Support +

Retributor Squad [6 PL, 130pts]: 2x Armourium Cherub
. Retributor Superior
. . Bolt Pistol & Boltgun
. Retributor w/ Heavy Weapon: Multi-melta
. Retributor w/ Heavy Weapon: Ministorum Heavy Flamer
. Retributor w/ Heavy Weapon: Ministorum Heavy Flamer
. Retributor w/ Heavy Weapon: Multi-melta

+ Dedicated Transport +

Sororitas Rhino [4 PL, 80pts]

++ Fortification Network -1CP (Imperium – Adepta Sororitas) [4 PL, 80pts, 12CP] ++

+ Configuration +

Battle Size [12CP]: 3. Strike Force (101-200 Total PL / 1001-2000 Points)

+ Fortification +

Battle Sanctum [4 PL, 80pts]

++ Total: [98 PL, 7CP, 2,000pts] ++

Using the Unit

This is an extremely aggressive Sister list that wants to get in and smash faces. Morvenn is right at home here. She’s going to move forward and push the enemy, and she won’t do it alone. Blocks of Repentia, and plenty of jetpacking sisters of various types provide fast close-up support. A big group of Celestians act as an rock unit and the list has plenty of deadly close-in firepower. This list rewards Vahl as a close-up deadly combatant and gives her plenty of targets to buff. The combo of Vahl and Saint Celestine is pretty deadly as well, giving you two super characters to slam into enemy units.

Let us know what units you think are hot right now, down in the comments!

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Author: Abe Apfel

Abe is that rare thing, an Austin local born and raised here. Though he keeps on moving around, DC, Japan, ETC., he always seems to find his way back eventually. Abe has decades of experience with a wide range of tabletop and RPG games, from historicals, to Star Wars to D&D and 40K. He has been contributing to BOLS since almost the start, back when he worked at and then owned a local gaming store. He used to be big into the competitive Warhammer tournament scene but age has mellowed him and he now appreciates a good casual match. He currently covers 40K tactics and lore, as well as all things Star Wars, with occasional dabbling in other topics. Abe remains in mourning over the loss of WFB to this day.

Rules Sisters of Battle - Adepta Sororitas Warhammer 40k Warhammer 40K 9th Edition