Adeptus Custodes biggest weaknesses and nemesis opponents

[Toldavf]

A big melee character shouldn't be as much of a problem for Custodes as other armies since we have a 4+ Invulnerable save and can use Arcane Genetic Alchemy to limit the amount of wounds causes. I've seen this used on the Nightbringer with mere Intercessors and it was fairly annoying.

 

Of course, the bigger problem is a combination of a melee beatstick and Psychic powers, so Sisters of Silence might be essential as a counter.

 

I mean at str 11, ap-4, d3+3 damage, no invuns and 6 attacks its still gonna hurt.

[Balerion84]

Ah fair one thanks for clearing it hope. Hopefully the FAQ comes down on the sides of being a Gaz killer.

"Each time an attack made with this weapon is allocated to an enemy model, that enemy model cannot use any rules to ignore the wounds it loses."

 

Word for word from his profile.

 

Do Gaz and Ctans ignore wounds they'd lose? If so, then I'd assume Valerian can indeed kill them.

[Captain Idaho]

 

 

A big melee character shouldn't be as much of a problem for Custodes as other armies since we have a 4+ Invulnerable save and can use Arcane Genetic Alchemy to limit the amount of wounds causes. I've seen this used on the Nightbringer with mere Intercessors and it was fairly annoying.

 

Of course, the bigger problem is a combination of a melee beatstick and Psychic powers, so Sisters of Silence might be essential as a counter.

 

 

I mean at str 11, ap-4, d3+3 damage, no invuns and 6 attacks its still gonna hurt.

Oh wait, who are we talking about in this instance?

 

The Nightbringer I referenced above has 6 attacks at S14, AP-4 and ignores Invulnerable saves, but it isn't as scary as you might think:

 

He'll roughly get 5 hits, then rolls to wound needing a 4+ because of Arcane Genetic Alchemy. That's roughly 2-3 wounds again on average but we'll be generous since you can't roll fractions.

 

3 wounding hits. Roughly half the time we'll make a 6+ armour save, then he has D6 damage, needing 3+ to kill.

 

So if he's lucky he'll net 2 Custodes a turn. All in all, his mortal wounds are probably more worrying really since he can stack them pretty well using Strategums to fire off a 3rd power.

 

Still scary but not as much to the Custodes ;)

Edited January 12, 2022 by Captain Idaho

[Subtleknife]

 

Ah fair one thanks for clearing it hope. Hopefully the FAQ comes down on the sides of being a Gaz killer.

"Each time an attack made with this weapon is allocated to an enemy model, that enemy model cannot use any rules to ignore the wounds it loses."

 

Word for word from his profile.

 

Do Gaz and Ctans ignore wounds they'd lose? If so, then I'd assume Valerian can indeed kill them.

Thanks for that I hadnt seen it in writing yet. My codex comes saturday.

 

Ghazghkull states:

This model can only lose a max of 4 wounds each phase.

 

It does seem like he is the wound per phase killer as Gaz is losing wounds and a rule is preventing the loss of wounds.

Edited January 13, 2022 by Subtleknife

[dice4thedicegod]

Yeah, valerian is great against everything except “-1 to damage characteristic” (I.e. death guard, dreadnoughts, ramshackle… just where we needed it!)

[Hellex_The_Thanatar]

I think besides the mortals on the one warlord with the emperor's voice....we are the only codex with no mortal wounds in cc OR shooting besides the bomb from forgeworld Orion??

 

Whoa.

Edited January 13, 2022 by Hellex_The_Thanatar

[Captain Idaho]

That I'd perhaps a large weakness we haven't talked about - dealing with invulnerable saves. We have a decent amount of attacks but Transhuman Physiology will hurt against Bladeguard, alongside a 4+ Invulnerable save.

 

Dealing with Bladeguard might just have to be a game of attrition and lots of bolters.

Edited January 13, 2022 by Captain Idaho

[Hellex_The_Thanatar]

That I'd perhaps a large weakness we haven't talked about - dealing with invulnerable saves. We have a decent amount of attacks but Transhuman Physiology will hurt against Bladeguard, alongside a 4+ Invulnerable save.

 

Dealing with Bladeguard might just have to be a game of attrition and lots of bolters.

Blade guard are a very good reason for axes.

 

I'll likely stay running dreadhost so it makes all the more sense.

[Captain Idaho]

I'm not sure Bladeguard really are a good reason for an axe, except maybe forcing the opponent to use Transhuman Physiology on them. Which they might be anyway.

 

I have been thinking about the Axes though. Wounding targets on a 2+ or 3+ (in the case of vehicles) is an important distinction, though the loss of ap does lessen the impact somewhat.

[L30n1d4s]

Well, Dreadhost Custodes with Axes get the best of all worlds.... S8 AP-3 Dmg2 (not to mention AP-3 Miscericorida, a WL Trait that can give them exploding 6s to Hit in shooting or melee, and an AP-4 Dmg3 Relic Axe).

[Captain Idaho]

Decent on Dreadhost for sure. And that Relic... is it Dreadhost only, as I haven't checked the previews on purpose ;)

[dice4thedicegod]

I think a big consideration for access is… are orks a big part of your meta? Bypassing ramshackle is a big deal.

[Galthan Ironsturm]

Adratic weapons are good to kill Bladeguards, i'm one shoot 4 of them with 3 Aquilon terminators...

[Toldavf]

Dealing with death guard terminators will be a pain a real war of attrition and a complete tar pit. 

[ChargingSoll]

Dealing with death guard terminators will be a pain a real war of attrition and a complete tar pit.

I think against deathguard it will depend on how fast we can get into melee. Hitting on 2s, wounding on 3s with only the terminators getting an invul, plague marines will get a +6 save. They general don't have a massive amount of damage on most of their choices apart from a few plasma guns, blight Launchers and their plague melee weapons. The terminators have combi-weapons with melee only being power Axes and swords with one flail every five. Deathshroud being the bigger melee threat with the man reapers hitting on 3s, wounding on 3s and ap -3 2d.

 

Rendax and dacatari being the stand out katar stances depending on their list.

 

I do think Ven - contemptor dreads can find their way into our army as wreaking balls with their fist and multi melta (Also eternal penance for an extra attack and reroll charges) with - 1d and 6 fnp it might last a while.

 

With Emperor's choosen shield host you can use the flexibility to give yourself the fight first for prolonged fights or the -1 enemy models attacks for more melee survivability. Even the ignore ap -1 for mass plague knife when they use the trench fighter strat.

 

Probable got to be wary of their vehicles as their benefit from - 1d as well

[L30n1d4s]

So, this is a game with some of the top 40K players, using new Genestealer Cult (by all accounts, very competitive) and Custodes books:

 

https://youtu.be/DLKV9zatEpI

 

 

Not only did the Custodes win decisively, but both pro-level players rate them as at least "A+ tier", if not possibly outright "S-tier."

 

Bottom line, I think these guys are going to a true force in the competitive 40K landscape!

[Captain Idaho]

The thing that will help Custodes most in a competitive sense is many vehicles and difficult to kill targets will be used less with the increased damage output of some armies, thus we'll see more infantry heavy armies out there, to which we should have a distinct advantage.

[Balerion84]

I haven't played with the codex yet (have my first game planned for tomorrow), but trying to put a roster together, there seems to be quite a LOT of d3+3 you can fit into a list.

I'm thinking if vehicles would really be such a problem for Custodes.

 

Bikes, caladius, achillus in cc, ares, OBLITERATUM

 

I imagine, bikes with their advance+shoot, can do a lot of dmg turn, with a redeploy for a potential more favorable angles

 

That's like half of the army (without ares) having access to d3+3 with RR in EC

 

edit: granted, it's not a lot of shots in total, but the majority of those are going to wound I imagine, with the high quality shooting of custodes

Edited January 14, 2022 by Balerion84

[Captain Idaho]

Precision strikes! You're right, proportionally we do have anti-tank weapons. I might HAVE to get some Jetbikes instead of a Dreadnought heavy theme if I want to have a semblance of competition.

 

Having said that, 2 Achillus Dreadnoughts actually have reasonable firepower, especially with Twin Adrathic Destructors, as that's actually 8 S5 and damage 3 shots and 4 S8 damage 3 shots, not including charging.

 

And I do love Dreadnoughts...

[Captain Idaho]

Been thinking...

 

What's the list of problematic units/armies for us who have damage reduction? Also, what's the list of units and armies that ignore Invulnerable saves?

 

If you can think of any others, let me know!

 

Here's what I could think of:

 

Damage Reduction

 

• Astartes Dreadnoughts

• Genestealer Cult vehicles

• Ork vehicles

• Iron Hands (6+ wounds shrug)

Ignore Invulnerable saves

 

• Tau Rail Gun/Hammerhead

• Tau Strategum of OP

• Custodes Lockwarden (funnily enough)

• Psyker Mortal Wounds

• C'tan Mortal Wounds

• The Nightbringer

• C'tan Strategum Entropic Strike

Edited January 21, 2022 by Captain Idaho

[Hellex_The_Thanatar]

Been thinking...

 

What's the list of problematic units/armies for us who have damage reduction? Also, what's the list of units and armies that ignore Invulnerable saves?

 

If you can think of any others, let me know!

 

Here's what I could think of:

 

 

Damage Reduction

 

• Astartes Dreadnoughts

• Genestealer Cult vehicles

• Ork vehicles

• Iron Hands (6+ wounds shrug)

Ignore Invulnerable saves

 

• Tau Rail Gun/Hammerhead

• Tau Strategum of OP

• Custodes Lockwarden (funnily enough)

• Psyker Mortal Wounds

• C'tan Mortal Wounds

• The Nightbringer

• C'tan Strategum Entropic Strike

 

Forgeworld deamon engine: decimator that has a gun that fires mortals with the soul burner.

 

Pretty sure it averages like 2 or 3 custodes a turn.

[Captain Idaho]

Oh that's gross. I'll add that to a list as we get some more.

[Galthan Ironsturm]

Damage réduction : death guard

[Hellex_The_Thanatar]

Oh damage reduction... everything Eldar wraith apparently.

[Captain Idaho]

Damage réduction : death guard

I thought I added them to the list but totally forgot!

 

Oh damage reduction... everything Eldar wraith apparently.

Oh boy that's worrying.