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So I've been looking at 30k for a while now but never quite decided on an army. With the new book coming out, the rules and models for the custodes look really cool (especially if the custodes become available outside of BoP). How does this look? Is it viable, and is it possibly fluffy in any way (I don't really have any idea how to do a fluffy custodes army so advice there would be great)?

HQ:
- Constantin Valdor - 275

Troops:
- Legio Custodes Custodian Guard Squad - 186
- Arae-Shrikes, Melta Bombs
- Legio Custodes Custodian Guard Squad - 186
- Arae-Shrikes, Melta Bombs
- Legio Custodes Custodian Guard Squad - 186
- Arae-Shrikes, Melta Bombs
- Legio Custodes Custodian Guard Squad - 186
- Arae-Shrikes, Melta Bombs

Elites:
- Legio Custodes Hetaeron Guard Squad (4) - 521
- 4x Praesidium Shield, 2x Paragon Blade, Solerite Power Gauntlet
- Legio Custodes Coronus Grav-Carrier
- Extra Armour, Searchlight

Heavy Support:
- Legio Custodes Caladius Grav-Tank - 230
- Arachnus Heavy Blaze Cannon, Armoured Ceramite
- Legio Custodes Caladius Grav-Tank - 230
- Arachnus Heavy Blaze Cannon, Armoured Ceramite

--- 2000 Exactly.

How large are your custodian squads and how do you plan on getting them into combat

 Ifurita wrote:
How large are your custodian squads and how do you plan on getting them into combat

They're all min squads of 3. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Constantin's wt let's any of my custodes units ds for free? If that's the case then I'll probably ds at least two squads, possibly all 4 depending on how I'm feeling and what my opponent is bringing. Other than that, footslogging and hope for the best.

To be honest even custodes are gonna die if they deep strike in squads of 3. Getting interceptor against ds is cheap.

Ah, need to relook his rules then

 King Amroth wrote:
To be honest even custodes are gonna die if they deep strike in squads of 3. Getting interceptor against ds is cheap.

What if I redistribute them so I have 3 units of 4, rather than 4 units of 3?

Those are minimum troop size squads.

With a grand total of 31 models on the table, I can't help but think that's a bit light. At least you have 4 scoring units, but only one transport, which I assume is where the Hetaeron Guard and Valdor are going. So that's the hammer unit. After that though... I'ts going to be hard to take any objectives, though it's going to be difficult dislodging you from any objectives. The two Caladius are feearsome tanks, but after that, you only have melta bombs for anti-armor. Another weakness- no anti-air. Could be a meta thing, but one Fire Raptor or Xiphon could ruin your whole day. Another thing that could be a weakness- a Land Raider Spartan or anything else with AV14 that will sit in the back field and shoot the crap out of you.

In fighting against such a force, I'd treat it as if I was fighting against an all terminator force. Your army is tough as nails, but every model you lose will be a big blow. Things that will hurt you a lot: Plasma Blasters, or the Doredeo with Plasma guns, Predator with Plasma guns... basically, anything with Plasma that will force you to make a 5++ save. And of course Melta. Oh, and Artillery.

You will wreck the face of just about anything you get into close combat with, but the problem will be getting there. You have mostly range 24" rapid fire weapons, and little else that can shoot further than that. I haven't played against a Custodes army yet, but this looks like about what a 2,000 point army would look like. It might do very well at such a low points value for 30K.

Very tempted to try out these guys myself but not sure because of the 'eldar' effect they are going to have. I think once you play at high enough points levels they will be very strong.

Just a theory but I believe the custodes transport is a snip at it's points cost and still a snip when you add armoured ceramite. They are tough as nails with flare shields and can be spammed easily and are very effective gunboats with 6 s6 shots per turn.

Add in caladius grav tanks and suddenly you can have a lot of av13 flare shielded fast skimmers on the board. Not cheap but not over costed by any means. Then flavour with the jetbike dudes with Las pulse upgrades. Aare shrikes on the min size troops dudes and you have a list that can deal with anything bar flyers - you'll just have to ignore them.

Haetaron squads look so great but I would avoid them at games below 3k.

All in all, I see custodes as a list that can take on just about anything by spamming their av13 skimmers and taking min troops squads for them. But that's about it. Most of their other stuff is far too expensive except the jetbikes which look like they may be worth their ridiculous cost after upgrading their weapons

 snykyninja wrote:

 King Amroth wrote:
To be honest even custodes are gonna die if they deep strike in squads of 3. Getting interceptor against ds is cheap.

What if I redistribute them so I have 3 units of 4, rather than 4 units of 3?

To be honest i would just double up both squads, your tanks and that haetron squad are the only things that are gonna seriously pull their own weight in this list, ds 2 6 man squads as close to the enemy lines and keep the tanks as far back as you can till they land and you should be able to win because any unit that starts forcing you to take 5++ saves is going to kill you very fast and every unit down is going to HURT while lost models can be ignored.

 King Amroth wrote:

 snykyninja wrote:

 King Amroth wrote:
To be honest even custodes are gonna die if they deep strike in squads of 3. Getting interceptor against ds is cheap.

What if I redistribute them so I have 3 units of 4, rather than 4 units of 3?

To be honest i would just double up both squads, your tanks and that haetron squad are the only things that are gonna seriously pull their own weight in this list, ds 2 6 man squads as close to the enemy lines and keep the tanks as far back as you can till they land and you should be able to win because any unit that starts forcing you to take 5++ saves is going to kill you very fast and every unit down is going to HURT while lost models can be ignored.

I originally did consider going for the two squads of 6, but I feel like, ignoring the low model count either way, doing that is going to make it very difficult to capture any objectives. Is the increased unit size really worth it? I suppose with the limited mobility and low model count I wasn't really going to be capturing objectives anyway was I.

I think I will double up the troop squads and try to add more units at higher points. The main thing here is whether it's fluffy and whether you think it's going to be fun to play. Although I do want to have some chance of winning, the actual power level of the list takes something of a back seat for me when it comes to 30k.