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I've seen plenty of threads on the Outcast dead concerning the Thunder Warriors, but after finally getting around to starting to read it yesterday (I took a couple of days off work to get some reading done, do some modelling, you know perfectly legitimate reasons to pretend to have glandular fever), I've gotten about half way through and all I can think about is the Custodes. In all other fluff they're supposed to be totally superior to Astartes, but whilst the Outcast Dead are breaking out of the Vault, they seem to be taking them out with little problem.
So my question is, are the Custodes just portrayed badly in this book, or are they really inferior to Astartes? I know they're built to be body guards rather than warriors, but they're still supposed the Emperor's ultimate warriors aren't they?
Cheers in advance guys.

The ones in the vault are injured ones that are below the minimum standard required for service in the big E's bodyguard, so they are easier to take down if I remember rightly.

EDIT: Yeah, I was right, it says it on pages 195-196.

Not al of them though, one of them is supposed to be in great condition, just supposedly there for questioning Valdor. So I think it's safe to assume that not all Custodes in the Vault are injured veterans. Plus they were planning to incarcerate Horus in there, so I doubt they'd have only injured Custodians. Hey even for a group of locked up Astartes, it seems silly not to have to top shape guards in there.

Didin't that one get shot by the human guard with the plasma gun? I suppose surprise can be factored in as well.

As for the Horus thing, I guess they needed the top form guys to help catch him. No sense in guarding what isn't there!