Fluffy Custodes allies

[ronin_cse]

Hi all!

 

So in what has become a bit of a joke in my local game group I have been completely unable to commit to legion to start with. All these amazing Custodes models coming out have finally helped me narrow it down to Loyalists at least and now I am hoping for some additional help in narrowing it down based on the fluff.

 

So basically my questions is: Between Dark Angels, Imperial Fists, and Ultramarines what if any justification from the fluff is there for having Custodes allies? Imperial Fists are totally obvious so really I'm more curious if there is anything that suggests Custodes and Dark Angels and/or Ultramarines working together?

 

Yeah I know it's a big galaxy and anything could have happened and such, but like I said I want to narrow down my choice and this seems like a good way to do that ;).

 

Thanks!

[Jarkaira]

Well Dark Angels need supervising by the Emperor's most trusted so it would be just right to assume they would have Custodes peeping over their shoulders everywhere.

 

Ultramarines are so diplomatic and superior that they'll have good ties with everyone including Custodes.

 

It would be much harder to guess why SoS or Custodes would be working with my Iron Hands for example.

[Baluc]

Fists would be the easiest seige of terra and all that. But crusade era is 200 years of conflict so go wild.

[N1SB]

 

So in what has become a bit of a joke in my local game group I have been completely unable to commit to legion to start with.

 

Don't worry; I had the same issue, when I finally realised I didn't want to really play a Legion and went Mechanicum instead.

 

As you pointed out, the Imperial Fists with Custodes as allies need no explanation, so I'll focus on Dark Angels and Ultramarines.  I'm just brainstorming, thinking back to what I read in the HH novels...which are now starting to blend together because there's so many.

 

There is an interesting precedent shortly after the Astronomican went haywire that revealed some fears of someone close to the running of the whole Imperium, like Malcador.  Malcador had always been just a little suspicious that Roboute Guilliman, being such an empire builder, was always more interested in building his own empire around Ultramar.  He was relieved when someone like the Lion El'Jonson went to have a word with Guilliman and got him back on track, to the point that he secretly wished the Lion would stop Guilliman's ambitions.

 

That's just Malcador being paranoid because that was a large part of his job, but I could see him asking his good friends in the Custodes to watch out for both the Dark Angels and Ultramarines, but for different reasons.  The Custodes with the Dark Angels would be seen as the Emperor really having the 1st Legion's back on a mission, as Malcador for whatever reason really trusted the Lion during a time he really didn't trust anyone.  The Custodes with the Ultramarines, however, has a slightly sinister edge; it's to keep an eye on them, being all the way out on the other side of the galaxy, just as a little physical reminder that the Emperor's authority still exists there.  It's like, "Hey...Roboute...I know you're a little far away from the home office out here in Ultramar, but remember who's really in charge, m'kay?"  In both cases, the Custodes were the Emperor's will made manifest, but for slightly different reasons.

 

Just brainstorming here.  Btw, this idea isn't to disrespect either Legion, just to show the paranoia at the time of the HH, especially of someone like Malcador.  I actually happen to think Custodes with Ultramarines is the more intriguing story as a result.

[depthcharge12]

Perhaps Malcador got wind of some happenings on Caliban, so sent a squad of Custodes with a local DA crusader host to find out more?

[Corswain]

I guess my only question would be - Why get a Legion at all? If you like the Custodians, why not just build an army of them?

I know it's expensive so if you're trying to keep the cost down it makes sense but I'm looking at the Talons and seriously considering building a stand alone army.

[N1SB]

Perhaps Malcador got wind of some happenings on Caliban, so sent a squad of Custodes with a local DA crusader host to find out more?

 

Yeah, that's a great point.  Malcador had definitely sent one of his Knight-Errants to Caliban.

 

To the Emperor and Malcador, the Lion's honour was beyond reproach.  But it's always the other people around that were the problem, like, say, Luther, just as Erebus was to Lorgar and Horus.  This is just a reminder that in 30k they didn't know what we, as players, now know about 40k, but even though no one doubted the Lion, Malcador suspected darn near EVERYBODY...including Lion's closest advisers.  It might not necessarily just be on Caliban, Malcador kept multiple balls in the air.

[Vazzy]

I'm allying Dark Angels with SoS and Custodes right now actually. My justification is that my DA(Heavy RW focus) are hunting a high level psyker that the Talons are as well. The two groups form an uneasy alliance, but work to stop the Night Lords from the snagging the psyker first. To be fair, I absolutely intend to have a full Custodes army at some point, but that's how I'm spinning it right now. 

[Elzender]

Regarding Dark Angels, they were the First Legion, the one that spearheaded the start of the Great Crusade, and therefore it is quite possible that they fought alongside Custodes in more than one occasion. You could justify the presence of a "small" detachment of custodes in a DA Expeditionary Fleet (predominantly Terran) that was set almost at the start of the GC, which had the Custodes assigned as the direct symbol of the Emperor's authority, and as they kept fighting for most of the Crusade they developed enough trust and respect to keep working together.