Custodes Tweaks

[Captain Idaho]

Hey I understand your concerns. If someone comes up with an elegant solution that is more thematic I'm all for it. I just don't think we can have an armywide rule AND have the individualistic fighting style that Custodes traditionally favour.

 

I might have a solution though? Not sure how balanced it would be though, let me know if this is more in line with what you're thinking:

 

Selection of powerful abilities, as suggested by Hellex_The_Thanatar to follow in the footsteps of the Blade Champion.

 

But instead of applying them to units, a single model chosen in a unit can utilise the ability. Perhaps call a resource "Inspiration points" to simulate the Emperor's direct divine guidance, which we know he does from time to time with his Custodes.

 

So like Sisters acts of faith I guess but flavoured to work on a single model.

 

Need to protect a unit? 1 model in the said unit becomes inspired to deflect shots out of the air, using his body to protect his fellow Custodes - he gets to reroll saves that shooting phase.

 

Gigantic Daemon about to tear through your squad? In the melee phase, remove a single nominated member of the squad but no other damage can be inflicted by a declared single model on the rest of his unit.

 

Things like that?

Edited February 7, 2022 by Captain Idaho

[Balerion84]

I think the disconnect simply comes from the fact that people are looking at katas on their own. In which case yes, they seem rigid and not representing of the fluff and too similar to space marines because on paper it feels like whole army is using pre-selected rules.

But katas are just 1 small layer of the cake and the great thing about the codex is how these layers interact with each other giving us a ton of flexibility. There's always really just a couple of units actually benefitting from a Kata based on the games I played. As in, there's a lot more units NOT using a stance in the game, than there are units using a stance. They are all very, very situational. The most important part of the Kata system I think is Martial Discretion. That, for me, is helps the army to feel like custodes on the table.

 

I don't think you can have an army wide rule that wouldn't be rigid in some way. Sure, the katas could work in a way where each turn you choose any Kata and any stance for any units which would be even more fluffy, but can you imagine playing with army like that in reality? :D That would not work.

Edited February 8, 2022 by Balerion84

[Galthan Ironsturm]

40k is a battle game allowing to deploy units, it seems unconscionable to manage the miniature in this context.

 

I think GW wants the katah to represent military technicality, the development of ancestral techniques which only the Custidians have mastered

 

I have a fun army list based only on Custodian guards, 35 in total...I won't have any hair at the end of the first game!

 

Even in Kill Team, Custodians are not individualist.

[Subtleknife]

I actually really like that idea Idaho. Really well thought out and for me seems to reflect the individuality of the custodes which I feel is missing. I would be more than happy with that and like the sounds of it from a fluff perspective more than Katahs.

[Captain Idaho]

I would like such a thing too, though I doubt GW would do such a thing as it's a bit removed from what is in place regarding armywide rules.

 

I think I understand where you guys are coming from, since the ideas I came up with there were quick 5 minute examples and wouldn't take much for a bit of GW investment to sort something out. Hey ho.

 

However, I AM satisfied with the Ka'tahs really. They don't bother me from a thematic sense.

Edited February 8, 2022 by Captain Idaho