The Celestian Insidiants are the Adepta Sororitas answer to serious rogue witchery, not just eager novitiates swinging swords.
They get three team abilities, which is a flex, even if one mostly matters into Psychic foes. First is Inspiration, which triggers when an Insidiant Charges or incapacitates a tougher enemy with 6+ Wounds. While Inspiring, all their weapons gain Severe, meaning you can flip a normal success to a crit if you kept no crits. Then comes Martyrdom, because of course it does, and it triggers when an Inspiring operative is incapacitated. Before removal, you pick a visible ally or one within 6 inches, and that ally takes one Benediction: +1 APL, Ceaseless, heal D3+2 wounds, or a free Charge or Dash with tight movement limits.
Finally, Weapons of the Witch Hunters piles on anti-psyker control, basically telling Psychic teams “no.” A podcast preview also flags tight formation play and sight lines as crucial, with dense boards forcing clumps and open boards rewarding visibility. The team leans into brutal melee and short-range firepower, led by duel-hungry specialists like the Mortisanctus. Also, the Murderwing rules preview is coming next.
Not Novitiates: These Sisters Are Built for Witch Hunts
In the past, the Sororitas have thrown Novitiates into killzones for seasoning. However, that does not cut it when rogue psykers start causing real problems. So the Celestian Insidiants step in as veteran heretic-hunters, and they are framed as the top shelf option. They are the kind of unit you send when you want results, not a learning experience. And because they are elite, they get more rules toys than most teams.
Three Team Abilities: Inspiration, Martyrdom, and Witch Hunter Control
Most kill teams get one signature trick, and some get two. However, the Insidiants get three, which is honestly wild for a nine-body team.
First is Inspiration, and it rewards aggressive, meaningful plays. An operative becomes Inspiring if it Charges before it moves, or if it incapacitates an enemy with a Wounds stat of 6 or more. While Inspiring, weapons on its datacard gain the Severe rule. And if you forgot, Severe lets you turn one normal success into a crit, as long as you retained no crits. So the rule is a real spike button, especially when you are trading in melee.
Then, once Inspiration is rolling, Martyrdom turns losses into momentum. When an Inspiring operative gets incapacitated, you select another friendly Insidiant that is visible to it or within 6 inches. That chosen operative immediately gains a Benediction, and you pick one of four. Ardour gives +1 APL until battle end, but not on the Superior. Wrath grants Ceaseless until battle end, which means more reliable hits. Restoration heals up to D3+2 lost wounds, which is huge mid-brawl. Exigence gives a free Charge or Dash, although the Charge is capped at 3 inches, and you must end closer to the fallen martyr. So it is literally “get in there,” but with guardrails.
Finally, Weapons of the Witch Hunters stacks anti-psyker tools to deny Psychic opponents. The text says it is long, yet the vibe is clear. Your Superior is basically holding up a sign that says “No powers for you.”
Table Feel: Tight Formations, Sight Lines, and a Mean Melee Identity
The outside commentary from the Just Another Kill Team Podcast spells out how this team wants to play. You are a nine-operative squad, and you want to stay close enough for Inspiration and Martyrdom value. Also, they call out access to a Damage 4/4 null mace, which is terrifying into common eight-wound Aeldari operatives. So even popular eight-body teams should feel that pressure, because every fight action threatens clean breakpoints.
However, they also flag that attrition horde teams could be annoying, since bodies can bog you down. Still, they note those mobs have become rarer with Classified team rotation, so you may not see them constantly.
Because Martyrdom needs visibility or 6 inches, positioning and lanes matter a lot. Dense boards like Killzone: Volkus can chop sight lines, which forces tighter packs. Meanwhile, more open environments like Bheta-Decima and Tomb World help, since visibility is easier. So you will be thinking about “who can see whom” basically every turning point.
The article leans into their identity as close-range bullies with strong melee weapons and short-ranged guns. It even shouts out the Insidiant Mortisanctus, who is basically a duelist with holy confidence. She challenges whoever she wants, and she mocks anyone who dodges the duel. And although they are not mindless smashers, the tone is clear: they want to be close enough to see regret in your opponent’s eyes.
Sumamry
Overall, the rules read like a disciplined deathball that hits harder as it commits. And because martyr triggers depend on distance and sight, smart movement is the whole mini-game. If you like aggressive Sisters play with real denial into psykers, this team looks spicy. And if you are waiting for the other half of the box, the Murderwing reveal is teased for tomorrow.
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