Warhammer 40K: 10th Ed Adeptus Custodes Rules Preview – For The Emperor
The Adeptus Custodes are under the spotlight from Games Workshop. How will the Emperor’s Golden Sons work in 1oth Edition?
The only mopping up these Custodes do is cleaning up the enemies of the Emperor. The embodiment of his divine authority the Adeptus Custodes come equipped with some of the Imperiums best tools of war. From golden-gilded armor to fierce armaments designed specifically for their super-human physiques calling them “elite” is a bit of an understatement. They are geared up for Warhammer 40,000 10th Edition — so what will they do on the tabletop?
The Adeptus Custodes are to Space Marines what Space Marines are to mortal men – majestic, hand-crafted paragons of warfare built to serve as the last line of defence between the Emperor and those who would do him harm. Accordingly, even their most basic fighters are the equal of mighty heroes from other factions, and the arena of melee combat is where they truly shine brightest – with the dutiful Sisters of Silence providing specialist anti-psyker support.
Adeptus Custodes Faction Rules
Army Rule – Martial Ka’tah
The Martial Ka’tahs are back for the Adeptus Custodes. At the start of the Fight Phase you’ll get to activate one of these options and the entire army gets to use that ability for the round. Personally, I think this is good but could have been even better if you got to choose on a per-unit basis. I wonder if we’re going to see the ability to change these on the fly later on…
Detachment Rule – Shield Host – Aegis of the Emperor
The first Detachment we’re seeing for the Adeptus Custodes is the Shield Host and its rule: Aegis of the Emperor. This ability gives the units in your Adeptus Custodes army the Feel No Pain ability on a 4+ but only against mortal wounds. That’s still pretty good as a flat 4+ Feel No Pain against all wounds would have been pretty bonkers.
Stratagem – Vigil Unending
Each loss of one of the Adeptus Custodes is a painful one as it can drastically decrease the unit’s combat prowess. So why not spend a CP to just bring a model back…because that’s exactly what this Stratagem does. It is limited to Adeptus Custodes Infantry, so no returning Jetbikes, but this could work on almost everything else!
Adeptus Custodes Units
Trajann Valoris
The legendary Trajann Valoris is back in 10th with some impressive stats to kick things off. His Watcher’s Axe doubles as both a ranged attack and melee weapon, too. He’s also got the option that once per battle he gets to go into overdrive and can unleash some devastating attacks via his Moment Shackle. Also note that he’s a Leader which means he’s probably going to get to join a unit for some extra umph.
Allarus Custodians
Of course the Terminators of the Adeptus Custodes are going to be a ridiculous unit in their own right. These guys are still infantry and have a whopping toughness 7 and 4 wounds. On top of that they pack a 2+/4++ set of saves! They are going to be able to carve-up most other units in close combat and also have a decent amount of firepower they can put out. Oh and with a Vexilla around they are also going to count as 3 OC per model which make them even better at taking objectives.
Prosecutors
Don’t discount taking some Sisters of Silence in your Adeptus Custodes army! They make for excellent options if you need to fill some leftover points and are typically a good bargain, too. They might not be as tough as a Custodes but they are on par with a Adepta Sororitas. While they might not have Faith Dice to bolster them, they are ideal for taking on Psychically charged units though. Good for holding objectives they can lay down some support fire to help clear out the chaff while the heavy-hitters focus on the main threats.
Weapon – Executioner Greatblade
Maybe you want some Sisters of Silence for a specific task? Well load them up with Executioneer Greatblades and toss this blender at a Psyker-unit and watch them work. Anti-Psyker 4+, Devastating wounds, and an attack profile that will give a Primaris Space Marine pause, these Sisters aren’t messing around!
The Adeptus Custodes are definitely an elite fighting force. Don’t let their lower model count fool you into a false sense of security…
Who protects the Emperor? They do.
