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Recentley I thought that pretty much ever other imperial unit has rules so why not the custodes?
I thought as the emprah's bodyguard they should have 3+/5+ saves and T5. But I'm not sure beyond that...
I was thinking of giving them storm bolters also.
If anyone remembers a certain piece of artwork with a custode in it with an axe where it was twice his hieght and the blade half the length!
That needs some special rules.

Custodes are one of those things that are so epic that any rules you try to give them just wouldn't work. Remember, only 3? Custodes ever died. They have been alive for more than 10,000 years, and their leader beat Horus in a duel.

They are just silly hard mini-primarchs. It would probably be better to use them as special characters, rather than trying to field armies of them.

ph34r wrote:Custodes are one of those things that are so epic that any rules you try to give them just wouldn't work. Remember, only 3? Custodes ever died. They have been alive for more than 10,000 years, and their leader beat Horus in a duel.

Have you read A Thousand Sons? Pretty much everything you've said is no longer true.

Hmm, interesting. I disagree that fielding an army of Custodes is implausible; the only battle the Custodes would be involved in would be a defense of the Emperor's Palace, and then ALL of them would be present. Which, if I recall correctly, is ten thousand. An army might be what, 50 models?

The difficulty is that fluff-wise, the Custodes are extremely limited weapons and tactics-wise. . . although I suppose in a dire emergency like that they'd break out their old armour and equipment.

How about this for a basic statline;

Adeptus Custodes Squadron; Points 275

Adept; WS5-BS5-S4-T5-A2-I5-W1-Ld10-Sv2+/5++
Sergeant; WS5-BS5-S4-T5-A3-I5-W2-Ld10-Sv2+/5++

Unit Type; Infantry

Unit Size; 4 Adepts and 1 Custodes Sergeant (need a different title for him)

Wargear; Adepts are armed with a Guardian Spear, which counts as a power weapon with a built-in storm bolter. The Sergeant's Guardian Spear is a superior weapon, counting as a Relic Blade with built-in storm bolter.

Special Rules; Fearless

Options;
The squad may add up to 5 additional Custodes at +50 points per model

A squad of Custodes may take the Infiltrate or Deep Strike special rule at +5 pts/model.

Miraclefish wrote:

ph34r wrote:Custodes are one of those things that are so epic that any rules you try to give them just wouldn't work. Remember, only 3? Custodes ever died. They have been alive for more than 10,000 years, and their leader beat Horus in a duel.

Have you read A Thousand Sons? Pretty much everything you've said is no longer true.

What changed?

The Horus Heresy rules by BolS had custodes rules. Look 'em up.

How about this rule?

"May only fight within the Imperial Palace."

Oh dear, now we see why you can't make an army out of them...

ph34r wrote:

Miraclefish wrote:

ph34r wrote:Custodes are one of those things that are so epic that any rules you try to give them just wouldn't work. Remember, only 3? Custodes ever died. They have been alive for more than 10,000 years, and their leader beat Horus in a duel.

Have you read A Thousand Sons? Pretty much everything you've said is no longer true.

What changed?

They take part in a combined attack alongside an Astartes Legion and the Sisters of Silence - and suffer casualties at a fairly grave rate. Their leader is among them. And they're tough, but not mini-Primarch tough, but impressive Astartes tough.

Damn good book.

In Rogue Trader a single Adeptus Custodes was equivalent to a Marine Minor Hero: WS5 BS5 S4 T4 W2 I5 A2

Keep in mind that Marines were only T3 then so T5 wouldn't be out of the equation.

Personally, I'd give a single Custodes these stats: WS6 BS6 S4 T4(5) W2 I5 A2 LD10

That would make them pretty damn hard.

Guys! In BoLS heresy era ruleset V2 you can include a single squad. You don't get termies or leaders, but here's ya basic squad.

HQ (0-1) Adeptus Custodes Honor Guard: 320pts
The Praetorians of the Emperor. Adeptus Custodes loyalty, training, and battlegear are unmatched by any forces in the Imperium. It is said that over the 200 years of the Great Crusade, only three Custodes fell in combat, their names immortalized upon the Emperor’s Breastplate.
Custodes
WS: 5
BS: 5
S: 4(6)
T: 4
W: 2
I: 5
A: 3
LD: 10
Sv: 2+
Unit Type: Infantry
Wargear: Special Rules: Twin-linked bolter • Custodes halberd • Artificer armor • Frag grenades • Banner of Terra
Number/Squad: • 5 •
SPECIAL RULES: Resolute Nimbus of Purity Emperor’s Grac
Resolute: The unit may choose to pass or fail Leadership tests. This ability is conferred to any independent character joining the unit.
Custodes Halberd: This treasured weapon is the trademark of the Adeptus Custodes. It combines a twin-linked bolter with a power weapon that adds +2 to the bearer’s Strength (included above).
Nimbus of Purity: The unit is completely immune to all psychic powers, whatever the source.
The Emperor’s Grace: Adeptus Custodes models are immune to Instant Death and gain a 5+ Invulnerable save.
Banner of Terra: One member of the Custodes unit may be upgraded to a Standard Bearer for free and carries the Banner of Terra. As long as he lives, any friendly Space Marine units within 12” of the Banner may re-roll failed Morale and Pinning tests.
On rare occasions, the Emperor will dispatch a squad of his Custodian Guard to a Legion. Flying the standard of the Emperor, each of these warriors is a fierce hero of the Imperium. Their mere presence is a signal for all to see that the eye of the Emperor is upon them.

yeh these all sound like interesting takes on the units but it's like the second poster said, only three of them ever died...

These are supposed to be incredibly outstandingly epic people. We cannot possibly signify them, just as we cannot properly signify just how epic a Primarch is.



Then again the Space Marines are weakened for fair game use....

True, Gray. So these are, of course, weakened. So, we are not discussing how epic they should be, but how epic they would be in comparison to other units on the tabletop.

Compared to other units they would be a Unit of Chapter masters on Steroids with Power weapons that strike at strength 10 (11? 12?) and before anything else that tries to hit them.

Also they would have a 2+ invulnerable save while we're at it and 5 wounds, WS 9, etc. etc.

It doesn't really make sense to even try to stick them in if you're still talking about how they should be in comparison...

Dude, these are watered down. Like the marine rules. If they were acurate, well, I think the movie-marine rules speak for themselves.

What movie marine rules?...


and if it was 'watered down' I still think they would be the equivalent of Chapter Masters.


They're an entry for them in the rules for Warhammer 30,000 on the bell of lost souls website...

but even then they're really weak compared to what they should be...

grayspark wrote:but even then they're really weak compared to what they should be...

Welcome to 40k...

grayspark wrote:Compared to other units they would be a Unit of Chapter masters on Steroids with Power weapons that strike at strength 10 (11? 12?) and before anything else that tries to hit them.

Also they would have a 2+ invulnerable save while we're at it and 5 wounds, WS 9, etc. etc.

It doesn't really make sense to even try to stick them in if you're still talking about how they should be in comparison...

I see where your comming from, really I do. But arguing that, fluff wise, they are too epic to have rules for is just not worth arguing. Read SM fluff. According to SM fluff, 1 SM can kill 1000 Orks before getting hurt. Which is odd, because my Orks trounce SM in combat, so that leaves me scratching my head a bit. Every army, and every race, has fluff that makes them sound WAY better then anything else in the game. Weather or not they really are THAT BAD ASS doesnt matter when trying to add rules and stats to them. Id say take the stats for a basic terminator, and hop it up a bit more, and that would be the standard Custodes. Because I have no fear of sending boyz against SM, but as soon as I see a squad of terminators on the table, I tend to look over my army and asses the potential damage they are going to cause. But something BETTER then a terminator as just the regular "grunt" now THOSE guys would be some hardcore mofos. Hell even regular termy stats but with 2 wounds would be scary