The Adeptus Custodes are the most elite warriors in the Imperium. They are superior in every single respect to the Angels of Death, the Adeptus Astartes. they are stronger, tougher, faster and have better equipment. An injury that will kill a space marine will have little or no effect on a Custodian. The best thing is these elite warriors can be used in Warhammer 40k and 30k alongside their more diminutive, but no less terrifying counterparts, the Sisters of Silence. They are almost a pure close combat focused faction, with very few ranged options in the codex, and not that many more from the forge world options. Here is a selection of the options I have that are included in Codex Adeptus Custodes.
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Just over 1000points Of Custodes
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I started my Custodes army because I was quite sick of having to carry a large army to any games. Conveniently, a Custodes army will number 20-25 models, and is therefore easy to transport. They are simple to paint, especially if you go with gold as the primary colour, and perhaps most importantly, they are an incredibly effective force on the tabletop.
Custodian Guards
As the only troops choice available in the codex (with a few more forge world options) The Custodian Guard are the toughest troops in the game, model for model. They can be equipped with Guardian Spears, or like here, Storm Shields and Sentinel Blades. What this gives them, thanks to the new Storm Shield Rules is a 4+ Invulnerable save, which is increased to a 3+ thanks to the Emperors Chosen rule, and they get to add 1 to save rolls, effectively meaning they can shrug -1 AP weapons on a 2+ since they have a natural 2+ armour save. they are also T5, have 3W each and can tear up almost anything in close combat. The only really efficient way to deal with Custodes, is mortal wounds. They can also take Guardian Spears, which increase their punch, both ranged and up close, but at the cost of reduced durability. With the game switching to a much more objective focused one, the Custodian Guard with shields are, for me, going to be my go-to guys.
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Hard as Nails Troops
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Shield Captain on Dawneagle Jetbike
Yes, Custodes have Jetbikes, and they can be ridden by characters that make the most awesome space marine character look like an incompetent Novice. Combining speed, firepower lethal close combat ability and potentially insane amounts of durability, Shield captains can strike when and where they like with the Stooping Dive stratagem allowing charges in the opponents turn and the Auric Aquilas relic allowing re-rolls to charge range, almost guaranteeing the kill.
Custodian Wardens
The baseline Warden is an even tougher cookie than a base Custodian Guard with spear, sporting an extra attack, and more durability in the form of a 6+ Shrug. They do fall behind somewhat in surviveability though since they cannot take storm shields. Where they shine, however, is their offensive punch. Castellan Axes increase them to Strength 8 meaning they can crack open even the toughest opponents like an egg. Getting them to the action is also quite easy, they can deepstrike through use of the From Golden Light They Come stratagem, combined with the Vexilla Teleport Homer to put them right in your opponents faces, a mere 3 inches (or an almost guaranteed charge) away. They are unsubtle and brutal. Unfortunately for Wardens, Allarus Custodians hit harder, with better shooting and equivalent close combat ability, are tougher with an extra wound, and have an inbuilt deep strike ability for only a few points more. The change from 8th to 9th Edition was really kind to Allarus Custodians.
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500 years of service makes Custodes even deadlier
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Next Steps
While I have just over 1000 points painted, easily enough to start my own crusade force, making the leap to 2000 points with Custodes is incredibly easy. The codex is quite limited in options though. This makes anti tank a choice between carving things up in close combat (this is easier in 9th as primary objectives force a meeting in the middle) and using the limited ranged options available to you. The Venerable Dreadnought can take a Multi Melta, and while this is currently a single shot, this will soon be going to 2 shots, and the Land raider with its 4 Lascannons are your two ranged choices out of the book. Neither of these is exactly good, but they are currently all that's available outside of Forge World.
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On the painting table
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In the 30k Verse, Sisters of Silence are an integral part of the Custodes army, this is not so in 40k, but you can still take them. They fill up elites slots, which given the small nature of Custodes armies might be a problem especially if you take a Patrol detachment rather than a Battalion. they do however have a lot of utility for Custodes. Lacking Psykers of their own outside of allied Inquisitors, and being very vulnerable to mortal wounds, Sisters of Silence can go some way to reducing incoming psychic damage by soaking smites, and giving penalties to enemy psychic tests. I love the miniatures, and think GW is doing themselves a disservice in not expanding on the range. they are currently limited to a single plastic kit, a single character, and a few Forge World options.
I'm not yet decided on what my army will include in 9th edition, I've not had the opportunity to play any games the past few months, but I am sure the first iteration of my 9th edition army will be very different from what I was fielding in 8th. My favourite unit, Vertus Pratetors may not make the cut. but more on them next time.
My project for this week will be to get rest of my foot slogging Custodes and my sisters of silence painted, or at the very least start the process, and finish the Land Raider and Dreadnought. I will also be giving some thought to what will be required to make the army field-able in 30k, from the looks of things this may be quite tough.
Thanks for reading, and see you next time
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