Custom40k - Homebrew with alternate activation, huge customisation, support for all models

[lostinspaceface]

Fantastic ruleset.

I have a question about the ork lists. All ork units says they have the Option "Can get one Kustom job", but Kustom jobs are vehicle upgrades. Is this supposed to be an option on every unit?

 

Edit: Should Kustom mega-blasta be in the ork Armory? 

Edited July 30, 2025 by lostinspaceface

[a_typical_hero]

Hey there and thank you for the endorsement!

Kustom jobs are coming from GW's rule with the same name and they are vehicles only. I opened up some of them to be used with all models like "Smoky Gubbinz". I know that the current selection for non-vehicles is rather... uhm... manageable :) but is set up to be expanded for the future!

 

I'll add Big shoota, Rokkit launcha and Kustom mega-blasta as weapon options for the (Big) Mek. I think it makes sense for him to be able to take these weapons.

 

If you want to, feel free to join us on Discord for further discussion of the game.

 

 

[a_typical_hero]

Everyone's favourite murder clowns have been added to the game. The link to the Harlequin codex can be found in the opening post!

 

They ride their Starweavers along some smaller changes to AdMech, Custodes, Necrons, Orks, Marines and Tau. Details can be found in Discord.

 

The next Custom40k online event via Tabletop Simulator will take place on Sunday, August 17th at 2:00 PM (UTC+2). We will stream a Skirmish game of Tyranids versus Guard. Feel free to join and watch.

[a_typical_hero]

I'm excited to share that our Discord community has grown to over 100 members this week! Having so many people playing and playtesting together is incredibly valuable. It helps us find blind spots in the rules and refine the wording for better clarity. Some members have even used the points calculator to add more units and options to the game.

 

Since the monthly update post on Discord is a bit too large to share here, let me highlight the key news:

• Customisation and trait re-work completed: Every army now has a fully updated system that lets you truly shape how your force is organised and how it fights. It’s cleaner, easier to understand, better balanced, and more expandable than the old version.

• New content added: Tons of new options and units have been introduced across all kinds of armies.

If you’d like to join in, you can find the Discord link in the very first post. I’m always happy to run introduction games via Tabletop Simulator on Steam!

[a_typical_hero]

Tyranids just got an updated, more "modern" leaning codex. Everybody who was not quite happy with their previous iteration should give it a go.

They received the full package of customsation with 3 Archetypes, 5 Legacies and 22 Biomorphs to customise their army with.

Link is in the first post as well as in the core rules.

[a_typical_hero]

2025 was a big year for the project. A lot changed, a lot was refined, and (a bit to my own surprise) a real community started to grow around it!

 

Rules Development

- Over the course of the year, the ruleset went through constant iteration. Many updates focused on cleaning up unclear interactions, tightening balance, and making the game smoother to play overall.
- Core mechanics such as psychic powers, reactions, morale, initiative, and special abilities were clarified and reworked where needed. FAQs were added, wording was improved. Having somebody going in "blind" without being guided really shows how well/badly some things are written.
- Vehicles and larger engagements received increasing attention as well. Tank Shock, vehicle reactions, damage interactions, and Escalation missions were refined step by step.
- Almost every faction saw meaningful updates throughout the year. Units were rebalanced, profiles adjusted, new wargear and archetypes added, and missing or outdated options brought in. 
- Army Customisation became a central part of the system, giving players more freedom without sacrificing structure or balance.
- Several major content updates throughout the year, including new and expanded codices, Horus Heresy support, playtest material for Tyranids, and many, many units across multiple factions.

 

The Community

One of the highlights of the year was the launch of the Discord server. What began as a small place to share updates and discuss rules quickly turned into an active hub for feedback, testing, and ideas.

Reaching 150 members was a huge milestone and a great sign of how much interest there is for the project. The discussions, suggestions, and shared passion from the community played a big role in shaping many of the changes during the year.

 

Looking Forward to 2026

With this much stuff done, there is still so much planned:
- An expansion focused on dedicated tank battles.
- Adding support for newly released Games Workshop units.
- Converting Horus Heresy armies into the system.

Thanks to everyone who played, tested, discussed, and contributed during 2025!

Edited January 8 by a_typical_hero

[a_typical_hero]

The latest major update introduces a revised system for vehicle damage. Its main goal is to streamline gameplay by speeding up resolution times, while also reducing the frequency of “one-shot” destructions in favor of more gradual vehicle degradation.

 

With that in place, I'm excited to kick off our first online league for Custom40k, played via Tabletop Simulator on Steam. If you’re interested in joining, all you need is Tabletop Simulator (often available for around €5 during sales or on key sites), everything else is completely free.

 

I'm happy to guide you through both the software and the rules, so no prior experience is needed. Just hop onto our Discord!

[Grand Master Laertes]

This seems extremely interesting, and I might try to push my firends to give it a try.

 

I should translate it before, though, as playing in a different language from your own is extremely mind-taxing even if one is extremely good at English, and the game is already complex as it is. 

Edited April 9 by Grand Master Laertes

[a_typical_hero]

Hey there, glad to read that it sparked your interest!

 

It is going to be a lot of work if you want to translate everything. Maybe if I help you to get started, you could try it in English anyway? Just hit me up on Discord if you have any questions or would like an introduction game via TTS.

[Grand Master Laertes]

Well, yes, translating evrything wouldn't be a walk in the park, but the core rules are just 12k words, about the lenght of the rulebook of a big boardgame. Also, they seem clearly formatted, without long and convoluted paragraphs. If I decide to proceed, it shouldn't take me more than 5-6 afternoons for a first draft. The datasheets would be a completely different beast, however.

 

I could probably try it in English, even though I'd rather not; I translate boardgames and RPG manuals for a living, so when I relax I prefer doing it in my own language. My friends, however, aren't good at it, so I would have to translate it for them anyway.

 

 

 

 

Edited April 12 by Grand Master Laertes
typo