Starting Custodes

[Cessna]

After picking up some models over the Holidays, I've got:

 

• Trajan
• 3 Allarus Custodes
• 9 Jetbikes
• 20 Custodian Guard

 

I can add Land Raiders and/or Dreadnoughts from other projects if needed.

 

Is this enough to make a decent army? I'm not going to play in any tournaments, but I'd like something that doesn't get wrecked in every game.

 

If I had to add to this, what should I get? I'm thinking another box of Allarus and a box of Custodian Guard, after which I'll start building and painting.

[rcoon]

Make a Battalion. I recently went in a game where I spent 20 CP (from an IG CP farm) and brought some serious pain using Avenge the Fallen, Bringers of the Emperor's Justice and Piercing Strike.

 

HQ:

Trajaan

Jetbike captain - Warlord Trait: Superior Creation + Relic: Auric Aquilis

 

Troops:

Custode Squad - at least one sword and shield, the rest spears

Custode Squad - at least one sword and shield, the rest spears

Custode Squad - at least one sword and shield, the rest spears

 

Elite:

Vexillus Praetor - Vexilla Magnifica + Spear

 

Fast Attack:

4 x Jetbikes

4 x Jetbikes

 

Fill out remaining points as you see fit. For the record though, the Land Raider is trash and so is the Dreadnought. Don't even bother thinking of bringing them if you want to be competitive.

 

The only things you need to buy extra is more jetbikes, 2 Company Commanders and 3 squads of IG Infantry to make an IG Cadian battalion and farm CP:

 

HQ:
Company Commander - Chainsword + ANY GUN. Warlord Trait: Grand Strategist + Relic: Kurov's Aquila

Company Commander - Chainsword + ANY GUN

 

Troops

Infantry x9 - Sergeant with las pistol + chainsword

Infantry x9 - Sergeant with las pistol + chainsword

Infantry x9 - Sergeant with las pistol + chainsword

[Cessna]

I've got 9 bikes - I see a bike captain and 2x4 bike units, don't I have that covered already?

 

I'd like to keep this pure Custodes, then add Allies later if I can. This way I can knock out all of the painting gold at once.

 

That said, I like the idea of adding some Guard in the form of Steel Legion or Death Korps - I love those models - in the future, so I will probably end up using that list!

[rcoon]

I've got 9 bikes - I see a bike captain and 2x4 bike units, don't I have that covered already?

 

I'd like to keep this pure Custodes, then add Allies later if I can. This way I can knock out all of the painting gold at once.

 

That said, I like the idea of adding some Guard in the form of Steel Legion or Death Korps - I love those models - in the future, so I will probably end up using that list!

 

MOAR BIKES is always better. I run 10-12 and wish I had more.

 

Shawn Watts is our King of Custodes and he runs a DKoK battalion like the one I showed above. He does extremely well in ITC tournaments with a DKoK battalion and Custode outrider with vexilla support. I think he runs something silly like 18 bikes.

 

Custodes are CP hungry, like really hungry, so you need a battalion as a baseline. If you can cram in another battalion you're golden. Also run your bikes in 2 or 3 separate squads so one squad can Stooping Dive for the other. It's incredibly powerful.

 

Just be weary that Custodes have absolutely zero long range fire support, so consider against big shooty units you're a bit screwed until you can get into melee. This is where either a Telemon Dreadnought with Illiastus canons comes in, or you start allying with IG for tanks or AdMech for Dune Crawlers.

[Cessna]

Okay, cool. I'll pick up another box of bikes, bringing me up to 12, and I'll build the Custodes that I have.

 

Once that's done I'll add some Death Korps or Steel Legion to give me some anti tank and CPs.

[HighMarshalAmp]

After picking up some models over the Holidays, I've got:

• Trajan
• 3 Allarus Custodes
• 9 Jetbikes
• 20 Custodian Guard

I can add Land Raiders and/or Dreadnoughts from other projects if needed.

 

Is this enough to make a decent army? I'm not going to play in any tournaments, but I'd like something that doesn't get wrecked in every game.

 

If I had to add to this, what should I get? I'm thinking another box of Allarus and a box of Custodian Guard, after which I'll start building and painting.

Careful there! Are you playing Horus Heresy?

If not, 20 Custodian Guards kinda are 1000pts already. Send some back if you can, you could save a lot of money.

 

Now 12 Bikes are a little more than 1000pts. That, too, is half your army. Now there's little that's more attractive to have occupying half your army, but where are you gonna put all your other units? And your Loyal 32?

 

Also, you're asking if it could make a decent army. That's up to you and how you play them. How familiar are you with the game? You seem to have played other armies before, which ones?

Forgive me, but it seems like you're an enthusiastic Custodes beginner who's sinking about double the $$$ he should in an army he doesn't know yet.

 

This army is not one where you will have more than 30 models on the table, likely far less.

Except if you have a Loyal 32, and they're another 200 to 300 points. Added to your 1000pts of Bikes. And 1000pts of Custodian Guards. And 200pts of Terminators and 200pts of Valoris. To which you want to add another 260pts of Custodian Guards and another 200pts of Terminators.

Why start with so much?

 

It's not bad to have multiple models to choose from and tailor a list to whatever comes your way.

It' not good to have two entire armies of Custodes ready to go with some models still to spare!

 

Build Valoris.

Build 6 bikes.

Build a Captain on a bike.

That's about 900pts.

 

Then either get your Loyal 32 done or:

 

Build 9 Custodian Guards.

Build a Vexillus Praetor.

That would be about 600pts.

 

That gives you an army to ally with your other forces (I say ally, it's more like add a smidgeon of what else you have - you're looking at 1200pts to 1500pts already) and get a feel for Custodes. And it will take time enough.

[Cessna]

Sorry, I missed this!

 

I’d like to build a solid core of a force that can be used on its own, as an ally for a 40k army (Wolves), and some day for 30K - in descending order of importance. I don’t have the fancy grav-bikes or vehicles for 30K at this point.

 

You make a good point about over-buying but, well, I do that with any wargame I play. I paint using the assembly-line process, so I’d rather have a few too many models than have to re-start from the beginning if I find out I’m a model or two short.

[swordofmandulis]

Sorry, I missed this!

 

I’d like to build a solid core of a force that can be used on its own, as an ally for a 40k army (Wolves), and some day for 30K - in descending order of importance. I don’t have the fancy grav-bikes or vehicles for 30K at this point.

 

You make a good point about over-buying but, well, I do that with any wargame I play. I paint using the assembly-line process, so I’d rather have a few too many models than have to re-start from the beginning if I find out I’m a model or two short.

Custodes infantry in 30k are even more expensive thn 40k, I can't see how I would ever run 20 of them ever. You can use your dawneagle bikes in 30k in most situations, I haven't had any try hards question it yet. I'm really enjoying my custodes Batallion at the moment, I just wish it was a little stronger to really go toe to toe with the best stand alone codexes, but it's not miles away, just a few small changes and it could do it I reckon.