Seraphim

"They appear upon the field of battle, the suns are their halo’s and their arms are the Emperor’s judgement. I welcome their arrival as the number of executions I must perform decreases signify cantly."

— Commissar Cadet Vectili

An Adeptus Sororitas Seraphim unleashes her twin Bolt Pistols.

The Seraphim are elite warriors of the Orders Militant of the Adepta Sororitas who serve as the Sisters of Battle's primary assault infantry. Amongst the highly devoted warriors of the Orders Militant there are those Battle-Sisters whose faith burns so brightly that it appears as if the Emperor Himself guides their actions. These angelic warriors are known as Seraphim, and they are exclusively trained to use Jump Packs.

More importantly, they are also taught the co-ordination, dexterity and control to fire two pistols at once. These warriors dedicate many painstaking Terran years to perfecting these arts. Time and again Seraphim have struck like avenging angels, descending into the thickest of fighting upon wings of fire, their Bolt Pistols spitting death at their foes.

Seraphim are schooled in their Order's most ancient fighting techniques, learning to wield their sidearms in brutal melees as other warriors brandish knives and swords. Seraphim deflect the strikes of their foes with fluid grace before landing a killing blow of their own, typically with a point-blank headshot from a Bolt Pistol.

Role

Even amongst the highly skilled warriors of the Orders Militant, some Battle Sisters prove themselves to be exceptionally talented. These are organised into Seraphim Squads and the Seraphim Sister Superiors teach them the ancient fighting techniques which have been passed on down the millennia since the Daughters of the Emperor were founded.

Using a mix of pistols, predominantly Bolt Pistols and Hand Flamers, the Seraphim act as the roving hit-and-run specialists of the Sisterhood, hunting Heretics from the air and punishing them up close. In order for a Battle Sister to be accepted into the ranks, they must display close combat aptitude and be experienced warriors. Being a Seraphim is a great honour in that they are often lauded as the heroes among heroes, the "saviours" of a battle as they dispense the Emperor's wrath from the heavens.

Open only to the sisters of the Orders Militant, those who join the Seraphim exemplify the willingness of the Sisterhood to pursue Heretics wherever they hide. Their mobility on the battlefield makes them one of the most deadly assets a Canoness has at her disposal.

Even among the Sororitas, their tactics and training are considered impressive. The are schooled in the ancient skills of their Order. This includes methods of unarmed warfare, armed hand-to-hand combat, and the use of sophisticated equipment such as Jump Packs.

Most importantly of all, the Seraphim are taught co-ordination and control to fire two pistols at once. In combination with their Jump Packs, this skill is deadly and means the Seraphim can strike almost anywhere, hitting hard and fast before moving onto another target.

The sight of the Seraphim has a very powerful influence upon friendly troops who bear witness to them descending into battle, often described as a feeling of being protected by a higher power. The angelic profile given by their Jump Packs is reportedly an unexpected benefit, though some have speculated that it was intentionally designed millennia ago to boost the morale of the devout and to strike fear in the corrupt.

Thousands of battle-weary Imperial troops have reported that when the Seraphim arrived, they felt their spirits rise and became newly emboldened to fight their enemies. Many division commanders in the early holy wars of the Calixis Sector were known to time their assaults to coincide with the appearance of the Seraphim. To date, few wars have been lost when the Seraphim have been present.

Becoming a Seraphim

Only the Sisters of Battle with a clarity of purpose and exceptional talent take on the mantle of the Seraphim. These women are implacable foes to those who would blaspheme against the Emperor or His Imperium, and fonts of inspiration to those fighting on the Emperor's behalf. The sight of the "avenging angels" has on more than one occasion provided the needed boost of morale to Planetary Defence Forces and Astra Militarum troops disheartened by battle losses or more arcane forces.

While many aspire to stay in the ranks of the Seraphim, the need for trained leaders in other combat-ready squads often pulls away from the Sororitas' ability to retain veteran sisters in these units. Seraphim assigned to act with Acolytes of the Inquisition or to work with other servants of the Ecclesiarchy are often younger Battle-Sisters whose zealous pursuit of the enemy within is not tempered by experience.

Seraphim Superior

Seraphim Superior are highly respected warriors amongst the Order and their advice is rightly heeded by the Canoness in councils of war. As befits veterans of such standing, Seraphim Superior wield some of their Order's most vaunted weapons, from golden-bladed Power Swords inscribed with litanies of faith to sacred pistols once carried into battle by Living Saints. These revered heirlooms are irreplaceable and Seraphim Superior fight all the harder to ensure they do not fall into enemy hands.

Flamewing Seraphim

In the Order of the Sacred Rose, elite Seraphim are formed into squadrons called Flamewings. They are renowned throughout the Order of the Sacred Rose for their agile grace and never losing their accuracy while moving on the field of battle. If the need arises they can be used as the personal retinue of a Canoness of that Order.

Seraphim in the Calixis Sector

Seraphim have traditionally been in short supply in the Calixis Sector due to the demand for them to fight in holy wars elsewhere in the Imperium. The Calixian Ecclesiarchy has placed great faith in the Frateris Militia to manage alone, but with holy wars brewing in the Protasia and 47 Kapella Systems, this issue may be revisited. Only two of the Orders Militant currently have ready Seraphim Squads: the Order of the Bloody Rose and the Order of the Valorous Heart.

Unit Composition

• 5-10 Seraphim
• 1 Seraphim Superior

Wargear

• Power Armour
• Jump Pack
• 2 Bolt Pistols
• Frag Grenades
• Krak Grenades
• 2 Hand Flamers (as replacements for Bolt Pistols)
• 2 Inferno Pistols (as replacements for Bolt Pistols)

Seraphim Superior

• Chainsword (as replacement for one Bolt Pistol)
• Power Sword (as replacement for one Bolt Pistol)
• Plasma Pistol (as replacement for one Bolt Pistol)
• Melta Bombs

Sources

• Codex: Witch Hunters (3rd Edition), pg. 35
• Codex: Adepta Sororitas (7th Edition) (Digital Edition), "Seraphim," "Fast Attack Seraphim Squad"
• Dark Heresy: Blood of Martyrs (RPG), pp. 86-87
• Dawn of War - Soulstorm (PC Game), Flamewing Seraphim Squad unit description