Codex Adeptus Custodes: By His will alone

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**iGuy91**

So, i'm toying with this list

Spoiler:

Do you think it would be better to split the bike squads in 2x3? or run them 1x6? Should i run the Aquilons 2x3, or 1x6?
Right now, they'll be riding in front of the guard squad who is bodyguarding the Vexilla, so I can teleport homer in Trajann and the Aquilons.

**greyknight12**

I think you should keep the Aquilons together and split the bikes. Bikes are great board control and still threatening as 3-man units, and a giant blob of Aquilons will kill whatever it touches. You need at least 4 to reasonably kill a knight so you might as well keep them together especially with the homer.

**FezzikDaBullgryn**

Aquilons may or may not earn their points back, esp if your opponent knows what they are and decides to wipe them out first turn ala mortals. Bikes will always earn their points back with capturing points and holding objectives. I'd go bikes over foot soldiers, especially after the recent points nerf to our FW models.

As to stacking or splitting, I usually try to run at least two squads if I run bikes, because they are so darn good at what they do. Just make sure you have a bike captain with them backing them up. So it really becomes 8 models instead of 6.

**Robtype0**

iGuy91 wrote:So, i'm toying with this list

Do you think it would be better to split the bike squads in 2x3? or run them 1x6? Should i run the Aquilons 2x3, or 1x6?
Right now, they'll be riding in front of the guard squad who is bodyguarding the Vexilla, so I can teleport homer in Trajann and the Aquilons.

Unfortunately your list is now 30pts over since the Aquilons went back up to 65pts. This is quite a problem for lists like yours, as there isn't an easy way to drop that 30pts elsewhere to make it work. Maybe drop a guard and give some bikes misericordias?

**iGuy91**

Sigh....The Valerian and Aleya rules dropped....

https://spruesandbrews.com/2020/02/26/rules-for-valerian-and-aleya/?fbclid=IwAR0VD9xvheVcv-dCObuEb0bQC3EVa9TUW_tyT3UyeiSm-Q_WUShuNm5LNIU

Shield Captain Statline, but Slightly better, and a Cannoness but slightly better.

Also, they break the force org, meaning they are literally unusable in matched play unless i missed something.

**Eihnlazer**

they aren't for now. It'll get fixed eventually.

**FezzikDaBullgryn**

Fixesd, and then FAQ'd into wrongness again. Currently you have to take both at the same time, for 336 points. No thanks, they won't earn that back, and I'd rather take a tank or a dreadnaught.

**Slayer-Fan123**

I don't really see the main advantage he has for the points? What am I missing?

**SevenSixTwoX39**

It's a typo, it should be 188 for the entire unit.

**FezzikDaBullgryn**

Can you literally say that it's a typo? Because it wouldn't blow me away if he cost more than Trajann, because GDubs. Also, He alone in the universe swings a spear at S7? Is that a mistake? Please tell me that's a mistake.

**Spartacus**

Why even put out characters like this for the game, they're so close to plain old generic units it basically makes no difference.

All that cool fluff, I'd be chomping at the bit to make up some cool unique rules for these 2 if I had the chance. What do they get given? He gets +1 Str and a free reroll. She gets +1 movement and an otherwise boring hq statline. How dull.

**Bdrone**

... these new models REALLY dissapoint and annoy me.

at the very least they should have been separate datasheets, because then at least sisters of silence would have a viable HQ. they dont even have a generic one, STILL!

but on top of them both being boring, they can't even fulfill that? and they use the Talons of the emperor phrasing as a rule.. for THIS?! a pair as expensive as trajan last i checked? even if they don't disrupt anything, that is to much.

**Slayer-Fan123**

Well assuming no disruption you get minor benefits from against Psykers, but then again you could just get a Culexus or an Inquisitor to do the same things.

**Tiberias**

I think we have to give GW some credit here. The rules are as terrible as the models, so at least there is some consistency.

But in all seriousness, this is a freaking joke...

**Slayer-Fan123**

The model's pose is whatever, but his head is fething gigantic like a toddler thrown in an exo-suit or something.

**VladimirHerzog**

at the end of the article they mention that their "non playability" will be fixed in their Psychic awakening book. Could we possibly be seeing sisters and custodes merged into talons of the emperor (and finally make it so sisters are aactually palyable in 8th)?

**Slayer-Fan123**

Sisters would give a cheaper troop choice to farm CP, but they themselves aren't really good for much otherwise. I could see two Battalions, with one with Sisters and another Sags.

**FezzikDaBullgryn**

I'm so sick of the constant crapping on the customer by GW. Heres a new model for your army, it's not bad, but it's broken and completely worthless as is.

**zverofaust**

VladimirHerzog wrote:
at the end of the article they mention that their "non playability" will be fixed in their Psychic awakening book. Could we possibly be seeing sisters and custodes merged into talons of the emperor (and finally make it so sisters are aactually palyable in 8th)?

I think this goes without saying considering the last sentence in the WC article says: "However, you need not worry, for it won’t be long before both factions will be able to fight as one once more, when the Talons of the Emperor join the epic battles of the Psychic Awakening…"

The question is how they'll do it. Personally I think GW is going to create a new TALONS OF THE EMPEROR faction that will retroactively apply to all Custodes and SoS units. Hence the reason Valerian & Aleya don't have faction keywords is because they'll ONLY be able to play in a Talons detachment, and not a regular Custodes detachment.

There are also other possibilities:

- Worst case scenario, this is ALL they do; simply allow SoS units to be included in Custodes detachments as elites. No new rules, no force org changes, nothing.
- TALONS OF THE EMPEROR as its own separate sub-faction with new traits, strategems and relics.
- Best case scenario, as above but also include other Custodes sub-factions like Shadowkeepers, Solar Watch, Dread watch etc with their own traits/strats/relics.

The question is whether they'd be bold enough to make Sisters a Troops choice. Possibly in a TALONS OF THE EMPEROR detachment, but surely it will come with some downsides as well, like more limited selection of Custodes units. I think simply giving Custodes a perfect solution to our troop tax in the form of 50-point squads (that are as hard counter to psykers as you can get) would simply be too OP.

As for the models, at least the Valerian and Aleya models are so unspectacular that we can easily use a regular Shield Captain and SoS model to represent them without paying such a silly price.

**iGuy91**

I would say with the massive nerfing that marines just received, there may be hope yet for Custodes. With forced doctrine shifts, we don't have to worry quite as much about being blown off the table by marine gunlines anymore, or charged turn 1 by packs of 'stealth assault centurions'.

Just play cagey turn 1 while dev doctrine is in effect, then move out once some of the threat has passed.

Thoughts on how that effects us?

**FezzikDaBullgryn**

Why are we wasting time considering the possible good rammifications of this, when it's another instance of GW gaking all over the customer base.

**iGuy91**

FezzikDaBullgryn wrote:
Why are we wasting time considering the possible good rammifications of this, when it's another instance of GW gaking all over the customer base.

...Because this is a tactica thread, meant to talk tactics. And since marines are so prevalent in the meta....it effects how we play our plastic doodz?

**yellowfever**

iGuy91 wrote:
FezzikDaBullgryn wrote:
Why are we wasting time considering the possible good rammifications of this, when it's another instance of GW gaking all over the customer base.

...Because this is a tactica thread, meant to talk tactics. And since marines are so prevalent in the meta....it effects how we play our plastic doodz?

Amen, if you want to bitch about GW then make a thread for it. I know several others that should join you in it.

**Eihnlazer**

Im just hoping when we get SoS we keep our +1 invun and get a few other knick knacks.

Rerolling 1's on the charge would be such a big help to Custodes and making axe's flat 2 damage would be pretty nice as well. Im fine with spears staying d3 but we need some consistency in the assault phase.

Trajann's axe should be flat 3 as well.

**FezzikDaBullgryn**

I don't want to give up the possability for 3 damage weapons. We are a swingy army, we live and die on rolls more than most armies. I would welcome a + to minimum damage, so D3+1 for axes, or abilities; Sweeping axe swing: target 3 enemies within an inch of model for each attack. Two handed swing: on successful wound, taget takes 2d3 damage, takes 2 attacks of model.

**Audustum**

FezzikDaBullgryn wrote:
I don't want to give up the possability for 3 damage weapons. We are a swingy army, we live and die on rolls more than most armies. I would welcome a + to minimum damage, so D3+1 for axes, or abilities; Sweeping axe swing: target 3 enemies within an inch of model for each attack. Two handed swing: on successful wound, taget takes 2d3 damage, takes 2 attacks of model.

Too complicated. We actually do have a pretty good number of attacks already too.

If they don't move us to flat damage, I'd love a generic HQ that let's us re-roll melee damage rolls (not wound rolls). That'd need a new model though so probably not likely. Though they could make a warlord trait do it. Gets around the new model.

**FezzikDaBullgryn**

Really? +1 is too complicated? I can understand flat damage being great and all, but as it is right now, every single model we have, no matter what they are armed with, has a damn good chance of one-shotting an infantry character that isn't named Guilliman. Our bas infantry can do 6 damage with spears or swords, or 9 with the right flag, and another 1 with Miseracordia. I'd take the potential over a flat 4 damage if the attacks both go through.

But mileage may vary. I'm not the best player, but I enjoy making my opponent think about where they put their characters, or I might kill them with Terminators, or just a single Custodian guard with sword/shield.

**tneva82**

You are also giving essentially extra 5+ save to any 2 wound model you come across. That's the drawback with d3 damage

**McMagnus Mindbullets**

We all know the feeling when we're hitting a squad of terminators and get like 5 wounds through then roll on d3 damage aaaaan: 1,3,1,2,1. Killing 2 models. Wasting all the other damage because you keep rolling 1 damage. Sucks.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Ie a warlord trait for reroll damage would be an absolute godsend

**FezzikDaBullgryn**

I can see the prior to unheard of levels of crying now, WHY DO CUSTARDS GET RE-ROLL DAMAGE!?

In a less joking manner, is there precedent for this type of re-roll, exluding melta style, roll 2, take top.