Codex: Adeptus Custodes Part 2 - Special Rules, Units and Relics (Warhammer 40,000 8th Edition Review)

So, with the lore out of the way, here we are with the rules. To give the brief version: It's an upscaled variation of what we were given last Edition. The armies are small, focus heavily upon rapid attacks and hitting hard with a few people, backed with some heavy armour and fast units. It's the sort of thing most will likely want for an allies list due to a few inherent weaknesses, but it's just about good enough to stand up on its own two legs.

Also, no, it's not Movie Marines 2: Marine Harder, as some had feared. They're tough, but they can die if you're overconfident, dumb, or you have an enemy who can exploit your shortcomings. They could even be viewed as a more durable version of the Dark Eldar or Tempestus Scions in this regard. They hit hard, can inflict heavy casualties early on, but a few stupid mistakes can see your strong assault shatter under the weight of a counter attack. That said, it's not perfect, and a few bad habits do rear their ugly head once more, as you'll see here.

Still, you're probably wanting to hear more about this in detail, so let's get onto the rules themselves.


Special Rules

To further separate them out from the Astartes, the Custodes have a number of interesting special rules to reflect their finer breed. While most of these align in some way or another with a few distinct chapters or general tactics, the fact that you get them automatically helps to give the army a different starting point to work from. You're spending more points per model, so it's to be expected that they would have a few tricks up their collective sleeve.

Aegis of the Emperor: Besides having a name which makes me wonder if it's Graven Ashe we have secretly sitting on the Golden Throne, the Aegis is known by many names. To more than a few it's a simple blessing but to his chosen followers it's an energy shield to go with their shiny armour. The result? Everyone in your army has a 5+ invulnerable save, giving them some surprising moments of shrugging off railgun rounds when needed.

The Emperor's Chosen: This only works with a purely Custodes force, and serves primarily to augment the rule listed above. If the Custodes are a pure detachment with no allies, you can add +1 to that above save to everything there, from elite grunts to the Terminators. Also, yes, the ones on the jetbikes have this as well.

Admittedly, this is personally something I view as the only major misstep within the rules here, as it takes things too far. Sure, you might be fielding an army of perhaps twenty-five models in total, but when they stand a chance of merrily marching through gunfire from Titans with only a few casualties, this stops becoming "strong but few" and into turning the force into a golden battering ram. If you think this is too much of an exaggeration then (outside of a few of the more ludicrous detachments) the only ones to have this sort of thing previously were supposed to be individuals. HQ choices, the odd heavy support, perhaps a Monstrous Creature. A whole army though? Unless you can rely on sheer weight of numbers to win the day, that's going to seriously weight things in the Custodes' players favour from the get-go.

Sworn Protectors: Compared with the moment of insanity above, this is one of the much more understandable ones.With this work in effect, all Custodes from infantry to bikers can secure objectives. It's again something we see a variant of quite often, but in this case, it's needed to allow them an edge in situations where larger boards would render them unusable. Larger or faster-moving forces such as the eldar or even Tyranids would likely be able to keep them constantly bogged down with waves of fodder or rush the positions early on.

The only issue is that it seems as if this should have had an asterisk at the end. Custodes on foot? They'll take a while to get there. In transports? Same result. Jetbikes? They're few in number and have a few notable weaknesses to exploit when they're on their lonesome. Deep Striking Terminators with +2 basic saves and 4+ Invulnerable options? Okay, now we've gone a bit too far. At least with other armies you have people being fired across the board on bikes or need to spend a few points on Drop Pods. It's not too bad thanks to a few counters, but it's one which could have been scaled back slightly.

Units

As outlined above, there's not too many units to cover here. Enough for the basic skeleton of an army, and a limited force which can be allied with bigger units to greater effect while (mostly) standing up on its own two legs.

HQ:

Shield Captain: Costing 122 points, the Shield Captain is your standard all-rounder for frontline generals on this list. While sticking to a basic Custodes stats line of M6" ES2+ BS+ S5 T5 Ld10 Sv2+, he also has the advantage of five Attacks and six Wounds. Expect a lot of that last bit in this list, as the Custodes are built to take more than a few blows.

He's a fairly versatile option, capable of taking most gear the army has to offer, from Guardian Spears to an oversized blade on a stick which would give Gotrek axe envy. His main special rule is Inspirational Fighter, which gives all Custodes units within 6" of his position re-rolls to hit. This makes him viable as a spearhead to blunt enemy attacks, and more importantly to help with holding certain positions.

Atop of this, his Allarus Terminator version gives him an extra wound, and gains the From Golden Light special rule all terminators in this army would benefit from. What's more his jetbike version grants him +1 to Wounds and Toughness along with high-speed movement, but it comes with the debatable downside of limiting him to the Interceptor lance. "Debatable" is the key term here as, while it limits his options and is the most expensive choice, he can still take certain relics to cover the benefits offered by others and is hitting harder than most close combat options.

Like most of this army, he's a Space Marine Captain on steroids.
Captain-General Trajann Valoris: This is the big boss here. The only named character, and likely someone whose name has already been scored out and replaced with "Kitten" in a thousand codices. Oh come on, you were thinking that as well. Still, whatever Alfabusa has to answer for, there' no denying that he's a solid option in most situations.

Sharing the same overall stats line of the Shield Captains with the bonus of seven Wounds, Leadership 10 and a 3+ invulnerable save, he's unlikely to run and will keep most powerful units stonewalled for an essential turn or two. Armed with a Watcher's Axe, he's also hitting at Strength 10 AP3, and Strength 5 while shooting. 

In terms of special rules he has a rather incredible assortment of options, as two rules allow him to regen beneficial aspects, one for D3 wounds per turn and the other D3 CP after using a Stragegem. Thankfully each has limits, as he cannot outright resurrect himself, and he cannot restore more CP than used in the Strategem for that turn.

The last one only skims past being up there with the others due to a notable flaw most people miss at first. He can attack twice in the Close Combat phase. Now, this sounds like it would be excellent, but it ends up being fairly situational. Against an enemy HQ choice or something big it can be helpful, but unless he's alone against a horde (at which point he's likely going to fall due to sheer attrition) it tends to allow him to wipe out entire units. Thus leaving him completely in the open for everything to open fire on him in the next turn.

Why am I not ranting about this and how unfair it is? They're all technically one special rule named Moment Shackle, and he can only do one of these once per game. It's a major benefit and he still stands a chance of doing damage even if this isn't truly successful, but it has a good chance of failing or backfiring on him. So, while it's powerful and usually quite beneficial, this major draw can fail a player at the last second. Perhaps i'm being too kind to this, but not too long ago it wouldn't be surprising to see him being allowed to select one to use once per turn. 

His last special rule, Legendary Commander, allows all Custodes within "6 to reroll their hits and wounds

Overall, he's an oversized and extremely tough Chapter Master with a few too many wounds and (ugh) a Strength 10 attack, but he's still on the right side of fun. It does also help that he's expensive.

ELITES:

The elites choices within the army stick largely to prior artworks. While it's worth clarifying we're not getting into some of the gorgeous things Forge World have produced for this army, most of what we have seems limited to the artwork from the Collected Visions series. So, yes, for the time being that means mostly Terminators, beefier Custodians and Contemptor Dreadnoughts. Each with a slight twist.

Custodian Wardens: This is the Custodes option to emulate the hardier troops among the Guard. They stick to the same stats line, the same basic overall use and general tactics, but with a few nice bonuses.The big one is the bonus of an Iron Hands style Feel No Pain of 6+, and an extra point to their Attacks and Leadership. Furthermore, they come with the ability to carry castellan axes into battle, which places a much greater emphasis on close combat over Guardian Spears.

The main use of these units will likely be to cull troops and as a rapid response choice for more assault orientated lists. While many other options are superior when it comes to capturing objectives, taking hits and the like, the Wardens can move quickly and inflict heavy casualties. Combined with the presence of Land Raiders, they make a slower moving but more versatile alternative to the likes of the jetbikes. Overall a good choice, but you would want to seriously consider how your list is formulated before throwing them in.

Allarus Custodians: This is easily one of the most ridiculous options on here, as if someone decided that Terminators simply weren't durable enough and decided to correct that as best as possible. They're the Terminator units you would expect them to be, but along with benefiting from a Custodes stats line and a high save, they're armed with grenade launchers and have four wounds each. You will need that. They might be good, but they have a points cost which reflects this fact, and they have been made with two obvious roles in mind. The first is claiming areas via Deep Strikes, and the second stems from their capacity to behead armies thanks to the Slayers of Tyrants rule. This allows them to move about an extra 3" toward any named character when consolidating or piling into combat.

The main issue with the Terminators themselves is the fact that they easily turn into a rather expensive distraction. Drop them into a zone and they will fight to hold that area to the last man, by they will likely be overwhelmed when the rest of an army heads their way. Equally, because they're such a threat to most HQ choices, it's not uncommon to see them be dogpiled by mooks to prevent them from nailing their leader. Most of the easy answers to this aren't openly available to the player due to the Custodes' limited numbers, so they're very good, but like so much here it can easily backfire if you expect the army's raw strength to win the battle for you.

Venerable Contemptor Dreadnought: So, this was an interesting one. The return of the Contemptors in this list was always going to be an obvious one, due as much to the Contemptors' age as the old artwork of the gaudily clad upright battle coffins. This alone would be enough in of itself, but with the benefit of a 5+ invulnerable save and a new special rule called Unyielding Ancient special rule. As if these things weren't tough enough, you can now ignore attacks on the roll of a 6.

Even with all the new toys, these are going to be your heavy hitters in close combat, and any Custodes army should take at least one. While they're pricey, you have to account for all the benefits listed above giving them some much-needed durability along with a heftier punch. A power fist is going to hurt no matter what you do, but under the revised rules, these units hit at Strength 14 and can rip most vehicles in half. It also serves as a good bullet magnet, drawing firepower away from the bulk of your troops for a short while at least, even if it's only the heavy weapons at times.

Vexilus Praetors: An odd one, to say the least, the Praetors are the sword and shield combos promoted throughout the artwork. While not quite on par with the Veteran squads seen in the usual Space Marine lists, the unit somewhat gravitates towards that same overall role. The unit in question is a mix of storm shields, guardian spears and axes as the player needs, but with the added benefit of a large buffing banner which grants them a new effect.

The unit in question can be divided up into three choices thanks to the banner, each with an independent effect on the board which alters their overall role These are basic area related buffs, but there's no denying that these general alterations benefit the unit. For example, Vexilla Imperius offers a 6" range which grants every single non-vehicle Custodes unit nearby an extra attack. Vexilla Defensor then swaps this out for a 5+ invulnerable save to all Imperial units within 9", while Vexilla Magnifica limits the enemy shooting results by -1.

Due to the inherent toughness of the Custodes themselves, some of these are best left to certain lists or enemies. The Magnifica certainly works if you're facing down an especially star cannon happy Craftworld Eldar player, while the Defensor is of limited use to Custodes armies, but a godsend to allied lists such as the Imperial Guard. While you can take the Praetors in Terminator armour, outside of certain key lists this doesn't convey a massive benefit to the squad.

TROOPS:

Custodian Guard Squad: This is admittedly quite a frustrating point within the codex. While the army itself is thankfully quite infantry heavy and does place a key emphasis on having variations of a single base stat line (and thus presumably a soldier) there's only a single Troops choice. It's not a bad one by any means, and it ultimately sticks to what makes the list work, but it slides back toward the top-heavy structure the game has been working its way back from for some time. This might well have been made with the intent of limiting the capacity to simply spam massive horde armies of Custodes troops, but the high points costs should have resolved that on their own.

Getting to the squad itself, the unit comes with the bizarre choice of between 3-10 Custodes overall, the low end of which seems too fragile to truly be of much use. Aside from this detail, the unit is largely unchanged from the previous Edition, albeit with greater encouragement present to divide up the squad between storm shield and guardian spear equipped troops for added durability. The bonus of a troop transport is still present as well, and is actively encouraged in order to make the best use of their close combat capabilities. Despite remaining the baseline unit for the army, these guys can still take on forces several times their number with reckless abandon, to the point where you can simply slaughter most lesser troops with carefully planned strikes. This said, they are expensive as ever, so even losing half of a squad is still going to hit you hard.

Overall, it's a basic but perfectly fine and tactically versitile troops choice for this style of army.

FAST ATTACK:

Much like the above option, there is only one Fast Attack option on hand for players who do not wish to fork over some cash to Forge World. That being said, it's arguably one of the most entertaining ones in the entire army - Imperial Jetbikes!

Vertus Praetors: Tactically versatile and capable of finding use in almost any list, the Praetors are easily capable of filling out the role of crowd control and elite killer with barely any changes. Outfitted with a set of Hurricane Bolters as a standard weapon (yes, as in the wall of high explosive rapid-firing jet-propelled mini rocket launchers usually reserved for Land Raiders), these can be swapped out for grenade launchers and a set of Interceptor lances of melee engagements. As a result, you can have two squadrons operating in coordination with one another, one thinning out the horde while the other sweeps through and turns the survivors into heretical kababs.

What benefits the Praetors the most is how they cover a number of what seems to be quite open blind spots in the army as well. The lances make them remarkably effective tank hunters when push comes to shove, and against anything short of a Necron Monolith or Land Raider, these will typically puncture the vehicle to death. What's more, the general grey area surrounding their presence means that these can technically melee aircraft. The rule only specifies that fliers cannot be engaged by units without the fly rule, and most will fall quickly before these things.

There's just two very big shortcomings on their part - 
1. They're expensive. Un-upgraded and without extra units, they're the most expensive thing on here short of the Land Raider. That's only for three of them as well. So, unless you're going for a large scale game, you're likely not going to have enough here to cover all of your bases. 

2. Their sheer mobility often works against them. Throw them ahead or keep sending them into combat, and they will rapidly outrun every other thing in your army. This makes them easier to pick out and bog down with a few key strategies, and then to overwhelm them when isolated from any supporting units. That 14" movement might be of help, and the 6" to advance is a killer, but if you fail to fully predict everything you can see a big part of your army suddenly go down the drain.


HEAVY SUPPORT:

Finally, we get to the last one. It's a powered up Land Raider, nothing more and nothing less.

Venerable Land Raider: As you might have predicted from the name, this has undergone an archeotech upgrade akin to that of the Contemptor. With the Unyielding Ancient rule arising again, it has another level of durability to the sixteen wounds and 2+ saves Land Raiders are known for. It's the next best anti-tank option short of the jetbikes and the only transport, so short of Deep Strikes this is another one you should keep in mind when writing a list. As expensive as it is, there's usually a good reason to take it in moderate to large forces.

Relics

The relics here are an interesting mix of things, as it offers far, far more an arsenal than most codices. With thirteen items in total, you have no small number of things to pick from, and to use to help give a bit of added variety to the army itself.

Gatekeeper: Used to supplant the typical guardian spear, this is a nice bonus for a relatively cheap list on here. While it sticks to the overall melee stats of a basic spear, the benefit of  3+ hits on Overwatch and the capacity to Rapid Fire three shots in total. Useful for quickly culling the remnants of squads, but unremarkable overall.

The Veiled Blade: Another "the same but-!" option as above, but this time with the sentinel blade. A relic weapon, this one offers an additional two attacks when close to an objective marker. On the one hand, this is a great idea and does assist with helping to cover for a general shortcoming of the army, but for a slight bonus. On the other, it's limited entirely to a 3" range, so unless you're directly atop of the marker you're all out of luck. This might be worthwhile for a Deep Striking Captain, but otherwise it's skippable.

Emperor's Light: This one is a replacement misericordia (a short dagger and secondary weapon with a rather flowery name) which offers an interesting bonus. A nice bonus is that it forces enemy units within 12" of the bearer must add 1 to their Morale tests. Oh and it gives him an extra attack. Again, it's inoffensive but cheap and a good bonus to a figure.

Auric Aquilas: Limited to the bikers, this is an essential one if you plan on having a Captain zooming about the world. Why? An invulnerable save of 3+ and the ability to reroll failed charge rolls when you move in to melee a squad. A very nice extra element, which avoids becoming gimmicky while remaining useful throughout the game.

Auric Shackles: The nullifier option, this is limited to engagements with enemy characters, but removes one Attack value from them at all times in combat. Interestingly, he does not need to be directly engaged against the character in question, but takes effect so long as they are within 6" of guy carrying this. Yet, if you do manage to slay the Warlord with whoever is carrying this, you gain D3 Victory Points in the game. A good choice, and an interesting one in countering the more Herohammer aspects which are leftover in the game.

Eagle's Eye: It's a +1 bonus to the unit's invulnerable save. While it has some interesting lore in regards to how it operates in this regard, enhancing the user's perceptions and reactions of the world. Still, honestly, it's a very bland option which could have been skipped.

Fulminaris Aggressor: The Vexilla Defensor replacement on here, this one opts to expand its abilities somewhat. Along with allied Imperial footsoldiers, this also expands to bikes as well, meaning you have every reason to have these guys team up with the White Scars or Raven Wing at some point. 

This thankfully isn't just it, as the massive totem can be used as a very entertaining weapon. At range this offers 8" Strength 4 AP-1 D1 Assault D6 shots which autohit and act like a flamer. In melee, this then offers S+2 AP-1 D1. So, overall, you sacrifice raw killing power for a broader buff to surrounding units and a very useful assault weapon. It's a nice extra to have, and a rather creative one compared to most of these items.

The Praetorian Plate: Limited to Terminators, this works in conjunction with other Imperial characters. When the other character moves about, at the end of your opponent's Charge phase, you can immediately teleport the person with this Terminator plating to an enemy model within 1" of the character, up to 3" inches from them. It's a rather nasty surprise, especially if you can get this off right at the very end, and work it in coordination with highly mobile heroes which can zoom about the board without too many issues. Jump packs? Yeah, that's a good one, but think of just what you could do with Saint Celestine for a moment.

Rainment of Sorrows: Another bonus element on here, this isn't quite so much the usual +1 or -1 option you would expect of this. Instead, if a Custodian dies within 6" of the person carrying this, on the roll of a 4+ they make one last attack before falling, either shooting or in melee. This is very dependant upon who you team them up with, but there are some definite options where this could be of use against very tough targets. Magnus, Mortarion or some of the bigger damage sponges at the ones which certainly come to mind, especially if you have two Dreadnoughts.

Wrath Angelis: Serving as a replacement for the Vexilla Magnifica, this gives Fearless to bikes and infantry units of Imperial armies. While it has the same usual range, it also comes with a 6" Nova ability which deals D3 mortal wounds on a 4+ to all targets within range. Save for the Custodes, who are limited to a 6+. Because gold armour is reflective, I suppose.

Castellan's Mark: This is one of the much more of an irritating one than most. While many have been limited or playing it safe, there's little here which can truly be called bad, but this is a step too far. In effect, it takes the Swarmlord ability to re-deploy whoever is carrying this item and one squad right at the beginning of the game. 

Obliteratum: A Terminator exclusive in the arsenal, it supplants the Balistus grenade launcher with another bloody Strength 10 weapon. This time a Strength 10 AP-4 which can inflict D3 hits. Admittedly, this is one of the few anti-tank options on here which isn't a Dreadnought or Land Raider, and it does at least try to give a bit more variety to the item with the D3 option.

Faith Absolute: Another Vexillia exclusive, this one allows the bearer to perform Deny the Witch rolls as needed. Meh. It's an interesting idea, but a very half-baked one.


Overall, it's a flawed list, but a good one. There are some definite inherent problems to be found within the overall structure and presentation of the Custodes, and while it mostly gets their core concepts right, there are definite moments where it steps too far. Or too short in the case of how most of the list is limited to the Elites choices. So, it's alright on the whole and while there is room for improvement it's a big step in the right direction.

Well, that's part 2 done. Just the Strategems, Tactical Objectives and Warlord traits to go.