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Random question, and I'm not generally in this topic much (though I am actually considering starting a custodes army, which I'll return to later), but I figured this would be the most likely place to find someone who could help.

Anyone here own a Pallas? If so, could you measure the length of the 'nacelles' please? The overall width of the model would be useful too, if possible.

Niiru wrote:
Random question, and I'm not generally in this topic much (though I am actually considering starting a custodes army, which I'll return to later), but I figured this would be the most likely place to find someone who could help.

Anyone here own a Pallas? If so, could you measure the length of the 'nacelles' please? The overall width of the model would be useful too, if possible.

The model is 131mm (5.16 inches) long in total, the nacelles covering the front part of the engine are 75mm long. The width of the model is about 85mm.

Spartacus wrote:

Niiru wrote:
Random question, and I'm not generally in this topic much (though I am actually considering starting a custodes army, which I'll return to later), but I figured this would be the most likely place to find someone who could help.

Anyone here own a Pallas? If so, could you measure the length of the 'nacelles' please? The overall width of the model would be useful too, if possible.

The model is 131mm (5.16 inches) long in total, the nacelles covering the front part of the engine are 75mm long. The width of the model is about 85mm.

Thanks, appreciate it


While I'm here, is it possible (re: effective) to try and run a mech custodes list? I guess it would be Jetbikes, pallas, contemptors... maybe a big grav tank if its worthwhile

Niiru wrote:
While I'm here, is it possible (re: effective) to try and run a mech custodes list? I guess it would be Jetbikes, pallas, contemptors... maybe a big grav tank if its worthwhile

Yes it is. So much so. And while no one wants admits it right now, "Leafblower" style lists will be the meta in 3 months.
The only non-mech thing I would include is a unit of terminators, they are simply the best choice to control board area with their strats. I think the best vehicles are (in order):
Telemon dreadnought
Caladius Grav tank
Pallas Grav attack
Ares gunship
Orion
Land raider
Galatus/Spear guy
Contempter

Bikes are always good, a large block with missiles and archeotech munitions will hurt vehicles bad, and hurricane bolters are always good.

 greyknight12 wrote:

Niiru wrote:
While I'm here, is it possible (re: effective) to try and run a mech custodes list? I guess it would be Jetbikes, pallas, contemptors... maybe a big grav tank if its worthwhile

Yes it is. So much so. And while no one wants admits it right now, "Leafblower" style lists will be the meta in 3 months.
The only non-mech thing I would include is a unit of terminators, they are simply the best choice to control board area with their strats. I think the best vehicles are (in order):
Telemon dreadnought
Caladius Grav tank
Pallas Grav attack
Ares gunship
Orion
Land raider
Galatus/Spear guy
Contempter

Bikes are always good, a large block with missiles and archeotech munitions will hurt vehicles bad, and hurricane bolters are always good.

You seem to have missed out the achillus contemptor? (assuming your final contemptor is just the standard venerable). Though the orion and ares are so expensive in points, I'm surprised they beat contemptors (that are usually rated pretty highly!).

Edit: Also... bikes with missiles? I'm not seeing those

the Ares has recently become the lynchpin in a lot of high placing competitive lists. I and others expect that will slowly change when the AA of oposing armies get buffed. Then it will be a giant waste of 500 dollars. Terminators are also a staple of most lists. The Telemon remains one of our strongest units, but it also has stark vulnerabilities that will be exposed in time. A team of the new Multi-Melta SMs can down one in a single turn without spending half as much in points or CP. Right now our Homer strat is somewhat obvious to see coming, and without an oblivious and stupid opponent, we still rely on the same strategies as 8th. Get up close and punch them REALLY hard. That being said, we have almost zero answer to most hordes, MW spam armies, or massed high value shooting. (Multi Meltas and Aggressors etc)

Sorry I blanked on the Achillus and wrote “spear guy”. My bad.

For the bikes, now there is a 1 CP strategem to allow D6 damage weapons to roll 2 dice and pick the highest. It makes the melta missile reliable enough to be decent anti-armor.

With a mechstodes list, I'd definitely go for what's cool. I'm pretty sure it's confirmed that there are going to be updates to FW models, so they might change up the viability of certain units.

Anyway, right now, the telemon is the best FW model (and definitely the coolest) for the custodes, so consider at least getting one or two of those.
The other dreadnoughts are all ok. The grav vehicles are good, the massive ares gunship is pretty awesome.

I would definitely go for quite a few bikes, maybe a couple units of 3-5. Them and 2 captains, then vehicles. The hurricanes are always good, but the salvo missile is actually reallyy quite good now.

Rule of cool!

@Fezzik, Telemon’s are relatively survivable against 3-man Eradicators, even before you factor in strategems they get 4 hits, 2 wounds, and you save one with your 4++ for D6 damage. The Salamanders ones hit harder, but -1 to wound from Shadowkeepers is big, so is stopping all the re-rolls. Then the Eradicators die. If they didn’t come in from reserve and started on the table, they should already be dead.
Let’s say 9 Regular Eradicators show up, and blast a single Telemon. That’s 18 shots, 12 hits, 6 wounds, 3 unsaved. Even if they get 5 damage apiece, that’s still only 12.5 wounds after the 6++. And that is without a vexilla, -1 to wound, -1 damage strat or re-rolling any saves. If they brought in re-roll auras you can stop them, and get the bonus of whacking one of their characters who showed up within charge range of your army.

 greyknight12 wrote:
@Fezzik, Telemon’s are relatively survivable against 3-man Eradicators, even before you factor in strategems they get 4 hits, 2 wounds, and you save one with your 4++ for D6 damage. The Salamanders ones hit harder, but -1 to wound from Shadowkeepers is big, so is stopping all the re-rolls. Then the Eradicators die. If they didn’t come in from reserve and started on the table, they should already be dead.
Let’s say 9 Regular Eradicators show up, and blast a single Telemon. That’s 18 shots, 12 hits, 6 wounds, 3 unsaved. Even if they get 5 damage apiece, that’s still only 12.5 wounds after the 6++. And that is without a vexilla, -1 to wound, -1 damage strat or re-rolling any saves. If they brought in re-roll auras you can stop them, and get the bonus of whacking one of their characters who showed up within charge range of your army.

I will wager a box of Walmart model paints that We don't see the Telemon being a major center piece in 9th. Also, the Ares replacing it. I just don't see GW keeping the FW stuff viable. I am betting the Telemon sees further nerfs and cost increases. I have no way to prove any of this, but they are predictions, not statements of fact. I don't trust telling people to "buy a couple" of a set of models that costs almost as much as the rest of the army, and might not survive the FW changes.

Until then, yes, they are good. Far from our "Best unit" I think that goes to the Aquillons, or if the Ares shenanigans continue, the Ares.

So i actually tried a crazy Solar watch list on TTS just now.

CC on bike/w stratagist, sally forth, relic bike, dagger.

10 vertus preators with HB 5/w dagger

9 allarus termies one with dagger

4 shield guard


2000 points, 4 units.


Opponent had guard with a blood angel ally battalion.

Mephiston, smash captain, one squad of bladeguard, 2 scout squads, and some incursors for the BA.

2 astropaths, 2 guard squads, a squad of crusaders, 3 tank commanders, and 2 manticors for the guard. Oh and some scions.


He gave me first turn after hearing i wouldnt be able to advance and charge.

So i advanced the bikes up and Blood game vetted them before dumping 120 bolter shots into all his infantry with auto wounds.

Turn one i basically took out all the guardsmen, and half the incursors and 2 of the 3 bladeguard with the HB's.

Had also rolled a 6 on the advance for my allarus (which i kept on the board) and so had them run 13" into the unoccupied section of the board.

On his turn he gave his crusaders their 2++ and moved them up. He sent in smash captain and mephiston with the last blade guard and buffed his tanks with reroll's to hit.

as he starting shooting my bikes with all his tanks I used Emporer's auspice on them and he only managed to kill 4 of the bikes. I managed to tanglefoot o'l mephy and the smash captain and bladeguard took down 1 bike. I swung back, killing them both and he fought again with the captain killing another bike. I auto-passed morale so as to keep at least 4 bikes.

On my turn i managed to kill one of the tank commanders with the last 4 bikes and take out half the crusaders. Moving all my allarus into position for the next turn.

He killed the bikes off, and managed to take 1 wound off my CC with the rest of his army, but a single brave crusader held him up in combat.

He wasnt feeling good at this point, but with his deep striking scions he still had good board pressence and he wasnt horribly far down in points. Buf after meph whiffed on my CC he kinda gave up.

We walked through the remaining turns and due to some lucky manticor shots he took my shield guard out and ended up bringing the game very close.

74-63 Solar watch win.

@Einlazer I'm so glad someone finally ran the crazy list we were probably all thinking of! Only question I have is if you thought Solar Watch was the best Shield Host, I've always though Shadowkeepers since T6 on the bikes is kind of a break point for alot of weapons out there but sounds like you made that extra 6" of movement work for you.

I think the biggest issue with solar watch is that you are relying on bikes, which looking back all through 8th people realized couldnt win tournaments.

They are hands down the best overall unit in the game stat-wise, but are expensive and didnt have much stratagem support.

Considering how most armies focused on being able to take down durable stuff in 8th, bikes werent gonna stand up.

In 9th though, due to how important holding objectives are, your gonna see a whole lot more infantry running around. Bikes counter infantry pretty hard.


Solar watch can work, you just need to remember that it will be utterly crucial in the first 2 turns to remove at least 80% of your opponents infantry, because thats about all your gonna get with the bikes before they get taken out. Hilariously enough, White Scars will have a very rough time againgst solar watch. Outriders are a bit faster than our bikes, but just bounce off of them.


Im personally a big fan of Dread Host, but the solar watch are beautiful if you can actually get it all painted up.

You crazy man!!! That list is awesome.

Love that you could pull a win

I must have missed something crazy, what is the "Relic bike"? Can someone point me to the link, because I feel sad that I missed that.

Auric Aquilas, the bike character relic that gives +1 invul and reroll charges yeah? I usually use it with another biker running Eagles Eye for some nicely tough bike characters dashing around.

Oh, I thought it was a literal different bike. I know about the Bike Relic, I had just never heard of a relic bike.

 dicerage wrote:
New stodes player, trying this at a local 1k pts tourney:

Patrol
Dread host

Dawneagle capn, superior creation, eagle's eye
Dawneagle capn, all-seeing annihilator, unstoppable destroyer, auric aquilis

9 Custodian guard w spears

10 persecutors
5 persecutors


Can choose to ds the 9 guard, and 3d6 charge them for 2 cp total
Can shoot them twice, +1 to wound in melee, 1cp each

Can fire the 10 persecturos as assault 3 for 30 s4 shots, rerolling wounds against psyker units

List is locked in
Thoughts?

Reporting in on how this went:

Faced 2x ultramarines, 1x 1ksons, 1x necrons
1k points


Match 1: Ultras vehicle heavy
This was an odd list and was hard-countered by mine. He had 2 inf squads, captain and lieutenant, a repulsor executioner and a redemptor dreadnought. Most of it bounced off my invu/armor and the 9-man squad chopped down the tank eventually while captains took out the rest. Sisters held objectives. Dominant victory, with lucky invu saves.

Match 2: 1k Sons, 'standard'
He had 2 terminator squads, 2 rubrics, ahriman, sorc on disc, tzaangors, chaos spawn and a maulerfiend. He deployed dick-first, so I decided to gamble on winning the roll and deployed dick-first too. Won the roll-off. Captains got both his hq's turn 1, was able to shut down casting with strategems and Sisters. Got lucky, but the result was a turn 1 win.

Match 3: Ultras inf heavy
Tigurius with invu removal, 4-5 squads of intercessors, a redemptor dreadnought and gravis captain. didn't know how to approach this, so decided to keep my distance. The castle was unapproachable. divided my forces in 2, and luckily he did the same. Managed to pull off a pincer maneuver, decimated most of his army in a couple of turns. Close until then, and if he didn't split, I don't know what I would have done. Lucky win.

Match 4: Necrons melee heavy list
This was a nightmare. 9 wraiths, ctaan shard, skorpekh destroyers + hq, some dude with a tachyon arrow thing, some immortals. The wraiths are a nightnare with those 3+. Got a better deploy on him - put my sisters up front, stodes right behind, and gave him turn 1. He rushed up, and I tanglefooted his charge and stopped the wraiths. Even with this, as I wiped out one group of wraiths, i couldnt get the other, and he spent a strategem to get reanimation on them. Rolled 4 dice, 5, 5, 5, 6. FML. Stodes got beaten down over a couple of turns in a clusterfeth of wraiths, skorpekhs and ctaan shard. It was looking OK points wise until I lost the stodes and a bike, then it was downhill fast.

All in all, for my very first outing with this new army, and without optimal troops, Stodes seem extremely promising and quite powerful. Very enjoyable to play, too. Feels like you've got raw power, and a trick up your sleeve for most opponents.

Result: 2nd place

Wow, how far have we come when Two Ultra lists and a 1kSons list are the Easy stuff, and NECRONS are the hard part?

 FezzikDaBullgryn wrote:
Wow, how far have we come when Two Ultra lists and a 1kSons list are the Easy stuff, and NECRONS are the hard part?

Trust me. As a primarily Necron player, the odds of getting all of them back (4 of them on 5+) are abysmal. When it happens, it can break a game open. But more often than not, you get 1, maybe 2 back, and then they die to the Custodes d3 weapons.

Call that a bad run of luck, but still, a good showing vs marines and 1ksons! Marines are a hard matchup.

 FezzikDaBullgryn wrote:
Wow, how far have we come when Two Ultra lists and a 1kSons list are the Easy stuff, and NECRONS are the hard part?

I don't feel that my games - or opponents - were representative of the meta.

Small sample size, 1k points, off-meta lists. Etc.

GT win for Custodes with 1x4 Aquilons, triple Caladius and Ares! 2 squads of prosecutors, 1 guard, trajan and tanky allarus shield captain rounded the list off.

Yeah triple calidius with trajann still deletes alot of lists, and is actually nasty againgst marines.

Knights would counter that list hard, but thankfully knights arent big in today's meta.

What type of Callidus? Big flame cannons or the long range cannons?

autocannon

Fellas,

If you wanted to field 1 questoris and 2 armigers with your goldbois, what would you bring?

I feel like we're missing some AT - was thinking an errant and 2 warglaives, not that expensive and bring mobility and AT to the team

sacrifice on the rest of the army too big? Model count too low?

 dicerage wrote:
Fellas,

If you wanted to field 1 questoris and 2 armigers with your goldbois, what would you bring?

I feel like we're missing some AT - was thinking an errant and 2 warglaives, not that expensive and bring mobility and AT to the team

sacrifice on the rest of the army too big? Model count too low?

Errant's not bad but I think the RFBC is probably better than the Thermal now. So you should look at a Paladin or Crusader. Meta has shifted to more invulns so volume of fire is better and the AP doesn't get so wasted.

That said, a Warden with the Avenger Gatling Cannon might be better as the meta has also shifted towards elite infantry over vehicles.

Note: there are two major exceptions to this. HARLEQUINS and Sisters of Battle. Harlequins bring lots of weak vehicles spamming Haywire so Thermal is probably better there. Sisters use Exorcists which are T8 and just a 6++. So Thermal is probably better there.

Helverins are good Armigers to bring if you are looking at those. FW Moirax's are also extremely good.

[spoiler]

Audustum wrote:


Errant's not bad but I think the RFBC is probably better than the Thermal now. So you should look at a Paladin or Crusader. Meta has shifted to more invulns so volume of fire is better and the AP doesn't get so wasted.

That said, a Warden with the Avenger Gatling Cannon might be better as the meta has also shifted towards elite infantry over vehicles.

Yes... I would also highly recommend folks kit out their knights with AP-1/-2 guns. Muahahaha!

Castellan. More points, but the best option against vehicles.

Thanks for good feedback on the knights.

Further questions, regarding a 1500 point list I am fielding:

Dreadhost

2x Shieldcaps on jetbikes (superior creation, all-seeing annihilator, unstoppable destroyer, the two 3++ relics)

1 squad of 4 guards w spears
2 squads of 3 guards, 1 shield in each

6 allarus thiccbois
1 flagboi with -1 to hit

1 prosecutor squad (sisters w guns)
1 culexus assasin

What do you think? Trying to avoid forge world as much as I can