We’ve shown the Adeptus Custodes’ new army rules and detachments, so today we’re looking at some detachment combinations to help you hit the ground running when the codex drops.
We’ve put together a couple of options for detachment combos, and give some advice on units you could use to make the biggest impact on the battlefield.
Even Harder to Kill
Shadowkeepers (1 Detachment Point)
Honoured Companions (1 Detachment Point)
Null Maiden Vigil (1 Detachment Point)
This detachment combination would be useful with Custodian Guard Sodality and Custodian Wardens forming the backbone of your army, led by Shield-Captains and supported by units of Witchseeker Squads.
The Custodian Wardens are some of the hardest nuts to crack in the new Codex, their Living Fortress ability giving attacks against them -1 AP. When on an objective, they (and other Adeptus Custodes units) will benefit from attacks against them having -1 to wound rolls if the attack’s Strength is higher than their Toughness, thanks to the Wardens of the Dark Cells detachment rule. Equip them with castellan axes to counter some of the most elite enemies in the galaxy and, with support from the Companion’s Watch detachment rule and the Avenge the Fallen stratagem,* you’ll be throwing out upwards of 15 attacks at 10 S, -2 AP, 4 D, re-rolling wound rolls of 1.
DETACHMENT RULES
HONOURED COMPANIONS
COMPANION’S WATCH
Among the Companions and the Sentinel Guard, vigilance is the most crucial of attributes.
While a friendly TRUSTED SENTINEL unit is within range of an objective, that unit’s attacks can re-roll wound rolls of 1.
More excitingly, if you don’t end up needing to use the Avenge the Fallen stratagem, the Emperor’s Domain stratagem in your opponent’s Fight phase allows you to make a consolidation move out of combat provided you end that move on an objective. As this happens after your opponent has already consolidated, you’ll be primed and ready to shoot and charge your foes once again in your own turn. An excellent use of 1CP.
AVENGE THE FALLEN (1CP)
HONOURED COMPANIONS STRATAGEM
The loss of a single Custodian is commemorated by the tolling of the Bell of Lost Souls on Terra, and by their comrades’ bloody vengeance on the battlefield
WHEN: Fight phase, when a friendly TRUSTED SENTINEL unit that is below starting strength is selected to fight.
TARGET: That TRUSTED SENTINEL unit.
EFFECT: Your unit’s melee attacks (excluding those made by CHARACTER models) have +2 A.
EMPEROR’S DOMAIN (1CP)
HONOURED COMPANIONS STRATAGEM
There are those territories that must remain in the hands of the Imperium and be free of foes, regardless of the cost.
WHEN: Fight phase, when a friendly TRUSTED SENTINEL unit is selected to make a consolidation move.
TARGET: That TRUSTED SENTINEL unit.
EFFECT: You can select the objective consolidation mode for that consolidation move, regardless of that consolidation move’s Before Moving restrictions.
This means your unit can move out of engagement range with enemy units, provided it meets the conditions of the objective consolidation mode.
Meanwhile your Custodian Guard Sodality will be better used as a crowbar to pry enemies from objectives, using their Impenetrable Defence ability to gain Sustained Hits 1 against anything that isn’t a Monster or Vehicle.
The Shield-Captains could be attached to either of these units, as they will allow you to either use two different ka’tah abilities in the same battle round, or one in your and your opponent’s turns, allowing your units to exercise total flexibility in all situations.
DETACHMENT RULES
NULL MAIDEN VIGIL
SILENT SISTERHOOD
The Null Maidens of the Silent Sisterhood bring with them the nightmare pall of their collective null aura, afflicting their opponents with a creeping sense of dread.
When mustering your army, you can select a friendly ANATHEMA PSYKANA CHARACTER model to be your WARLORD.
Friendly PROSECUTOR SQUAD units have BATTLELINE.
Friendly ANATHEMA PSYKANA units have the following ability:
Creeping Dread (Aura): In the Battle-shock step of your opponent’s Command phase, each enemy unit within 12" of this unit that is a PSYKER unit/below starting strength makes a battle-shock roll, with -1 to that battle-shock roll.
In the case of some stubborn enemy units on objectives or problematic stratagem potentials, the Witchseekers can battle-shock your opponent’s units either by shooting them in your turn or using the Creeping Dread ability from the Null Maiden Vigil detachment to deny those more resilient units a chance to hold objectives or use stratagems.
Hyper-elite Fighting Machines
Dread Host (1 Detachment Point)
Lions of the Emperor (1 Detachment Point)
Might of the Moritoi (1 Detachment Point)
This combination is all about maximising your melee superiority, through the mobility of Terminators backed up by Dreadnoughts.
Through the Lions of the Emperor detachment rule, your Terminator units have total board control, by being able to return to strategic reserves, allowing them to reappear later wherever the need is most dire.** This is especially potent if you include a variety of Terminator units in your army, as each excels against specific targets.
DETACHMENT RULES
LIONS OF THE EMPEROR
ON GILDED WINGS
Terminator sodalities are swept up by golden drop craft, ready to be deployed once more as battle demands.
At the end of your opponent’s Fight phase, if a friendly ADEPTUS CUSTODES TERMINATOR unit is unengaged, you can place that unit in strategic reserves.
Allarus Custodians are excellent at bringing down even the most towering of foes, Aquilon Terminators with solarite power gauntlets want to break apart elite infantry and light vehicles, and those with solarite power talons want to find the nearest horde and wipe it out. Their manoeuvrability means you can always apply the correct tool in the right location, and makes it difficult for your opponent to react to your next move.
Dread Host allows your Terminator units to have dramatically improved chances of making a charge after arriving from strategic reserves, by giving you a crucial charge re-roll. You can put the odds further in your favour by using the Fury of the Emperor stratagem to get +2 to that charge roll, while still re-rolling if required.
A Telemon Heavy Dreadnought or two make an already terrifying army even scarier for your opponent. They now sport a near Primarch-level statline, and one of these might just be your best answer to fighting against another Custodes army.***
One of these units can be given the Memento Moritoi upgrade, which gives your unit +1 A, S, and D to its melee attacks. Dual caestus fists are now A8 , S15, and D5. That’s a flattened Custodian Guard Sodality every time you attack, and you’ll be re-rolling the wound roll to ensure you push the pain through.
These are just some suggestions to get you battling the enemies of the Golden Throne as quickly as possible, but we look forward to seeing what you come up with too when the new Codex goes up for pre-order on Saturday.
* Should any of your Wardens have fallen.
** Sometimes referred to as being “uppy downy”.
*** Here are some other things your vaunted Custodes need to look out for.
