void-combat/fleets/adeptus-custodes.md

Adeptus Custodes Fleet List

"We are the Emperor's wrath made manifest. We have guarded Terra for ten thousand years. Nothing shall pass us."

The Adeptus Custodes are the Emperor's personal bodyguards, the golden warriors who have protected the Imperial Palace since before the Horus Heresy. Their fleet is tiny—perhaps a dozen ships in total existence—but each vessel is a masterwork of ancient technology crewed by the finest warriors humanity has ever produced.

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Fleet Special Rules

Auramite Hulls

Custodes ships are clad in the same auramite as their personal armor:

• 6+ Armor on ALL facings
• May re-roll failed armor saves once per attack (not per hit—once per shooting attack against the ship)

The Emperor's Shield

Custodes are trained to react with superhuman speed:

• Once per game, each Custodes ship may use Brace for Impact as a free reaction
• This does not consume the ship's activation
• The ship is still Hesitant on its next activation as normal

Peerless Warriors

Custodian Guard are the finest warriors in existence:

• +3 to boarding attacks AND defense
• This is the highest boarding modifier in the game

Sworn Protectors

Custodes exist to protect the Imperium:

• If a friendly Imperial ship within 15cm would be destroyed, a Custodes ship may choose to absorb the blow
• The Custodes ship takes d3 damage instead, and the Imperial ship survives with 1 Hull remaining
• This may only be used once per Custodes ship per game

Ten Thousand

The Custodes are few but mighty:

• Custodes fleets are extremely limited in size (see Fleet Composition)
• All Custodes ships have Ld 9 or higher

Imperial Allies

Custodes fight alongside other Imperial forces:

• Custodes fleets may include up to 50% of their points in Imperial Navy allies
• Allied ships use Imperial Navy rules but benefit from Sworn Protectors

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Attack Craft

Custodian Guard Wings

The Custodes themselves deployed via assault craft.

Craft	Speed	Role	Special
Custodian Guard	20cm	Assault Boat	Annihilating Assault

Annihilating Assault: Custodian Guard assault boats cause critical hits on 2+ instead of 4+. Each Custodian is worth a hundred lesser warriors.

Venatari Squadrons

Jump-pack equipped Custodians for rapid strikes.

Craft	Speed	Role	Special
Venatari	25cm	Fighter/Assault	Versatile

Versatile: When launched, declare whether Venatari function as Fighters or Assault Boats. As Assault Boats, they cause criticals on 3+.

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Capital Ships

The Phalanx

The mobile fortress-monastery of the Imperial Fists, on permanent loan to the Custodes. The largest Imperial warship in existence.

Points	Speed	Turns	Shields	Armor	Hull	Turrets	Ld
700	10cm	45°	6	4+	20	6	10

Weapons:

Weapon	Arc	Strength	Range	Type
Macro Batteries	L	14	60cm	Battery
Macro Batteries	R	14	60cm	Battery
Lance Batteries	L	6	45cm	Lance
Lance Batteries	R	6	45cm	Lance
Nova Cannon	F	1	30-150cm	Nova Cannon
Torpedo Tubes	F	8	-	Torpedo
Launch Bays	-	6	-	Launch (6 capacity)

Special Rules:

• UNIQUE: Only one Phalanx exists. Only one may ever be taken.
• Mobile Fortress: Uses a 100mm base. Cannot be boarded.
• Command Bastion: All Imperial ships within 30cm may use the Phalanx's Ld
• Ancient Technology: 4+ armor instead of 6+ (unique to Phalanx)
• Counts as 2 Battleships for fleet composition

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Ares Class Gunship

A powerful warship built for the Custodes in the Great Crusade.

Points	Speed	Turns	Shields	Armor	Hull	Turrets	Ld
280	20cm	45°	2	6+	8	3	9

Weapons:

Weapon	Arc	Strength	Range	Type
Adrathic Batteries	L	6	45cm	Battery
Adrathic Batteries	R	6	45cm	Battery
Adrathic Lances	F	2	30cm	Lance
Missile Pods	F	4	45cm	Battery

Special Rules:

• Counts as a Heavy Cruiser for fleet composition
• Adrathic Weaponry: Batteries ignore armor on a natural 6 to hit (like Necron Gauss)

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Orion Class Assault Carrier

A carrier designed to deploy Custodian Guard directly into enemy vessels.

Points	Speed	Turns	Shields	Armor	Hull	Turrets	Ld
220	25cm	45°	2	6+	6	2	9

Weapons:

Weapon	Arc	Strength	Range	Type
Adrathic Batteries	L	4	45cm	Battery
Adrathic Batteries	R	4	45cm	Battery
Launch Bays	-	3	-	Launch (3 capacity)

Special Rules:

• Counts as a Cruiser for fleet composition
• Assault Carrier: May have up to 3x Launch Capacity in flight for Assault Boats only

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Coronus Class Light Cruiser

A swift vessel for reconnaissance and rapid response.

Points	Speed	Turns	Shields	Armor	Hull	Turrets	Ld
150	30cm	90°	2	6+	4	2	9

Weapons:

Weapon	Arc	Strength	Range	Type
Adrathic Batteries	L	3	45cm	Battery
Adrathic Batteries	R	3	45cm	Battery
Adrathic Lance	F	1	30cm	Lance

Special Rules:

• Counts as a Light Cruiser for fleet composition
• Rapid Response: May use Come to New Heading without the -1 to hit penalty

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Escorts

Custodian Cutter

A small but powerful escort vessel.

Points	Speed	Turns	Shields	Armor	Hull	Turrets	Ld
60	30cm	90°	1	6+	2	1	8

Weapons:

Weapon	Arc	Strength	Range	Type
Adrathic Batteries	F	2	45cm	Battery
Adrathic Lance	F	1	30cm	Lance

Special Rules:

• Elite Crew: May re-roll one failed Command Check per game

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Shield Host Variants

Each Shield Host has distinct traditions. Choose one:

Shadowkeepers - Guardians of the Dark Cells

• Wardens of the Forbidden: +1 damage against enemy Flagship
• Terrifying Presence: Enemy ships within 15cm of Custodes ships suffer -1 Ld

Dread Host - The Emperor's Executioners

• Annihilation Protocols: +1 to all weapon attacks against Crippled ships
• Overwhelming Force: +1 damage on boarding actions

Aquilan Shield - Protectors of the Worthy

• Sworn Protectors Enhanced: May use Sworn Protectors twice per ship per game
• Bodyguard: Imperial allies within 15cm gain +1 to armor saves

Emissaries Imperatus - Heralds of the Throne

• Authority of the Throne: All Imperial ships in the fleet gain +1 Ld
• Diplomatic Presence: May include up to 75% allies (instead of 50%), but allied contingent may not include Battleships (cruisers and escorts only)

Solar Watch - Sentinels of the Gates

• Vigilant Guardians: Ships may use Brace for Impact without becoming Hesitant
• Swift Response: +5cm Speed to all Custodes ships

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Fleet Composition

Required

• At least one Custodes ship as Flagship
• Must select a Shield Host (see above)

Extreme Limitations

• Maximum 3 Custodes capital ships per 1000 points (not counting the Phalanx)
• The Phalanx counts as 2 capital ships and may only be taken in games of 1500+ points
• Escorts are organized in squadrons of 2 ships only
• May include up to 50% of points in Imperial Navy allies (75% for Emissaries Imperatus)

Fleet Commanders

Custodes fleets are commanded by their greatest champions:

Commander	Ld Bonus	Special Rule	Points Cost
Shield-Captain	+0	Flagship may use Emperor's Shield twice	+25
Allarus Captain	+1	May teleport 15cm once per game (flagship only)	+45
Tribune	+1	All Custodes ships may re-roll boarding dice of 1	+60
Captain-General	+2	Once per game, all Custodes ships activate simultaneously	+100

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Imperial Navy Allies

When taking Imperial Navy allies, they use their normal rules from imperial-navy.md with these modifications:

• May benefit from Sworn Protectors (Custodes can sacrifice Hull to save them)
• May use the Custodes Flagship's Ld if within Command radius
• Do NOT gain Custodes special rules (Auramite Hulls, Peerless Warriors, etc.)

Recommended allies:

• Lunar Class Cruisers for balanced firepower
• Dictator Class Cruisers for carrier support
• Sword Frigates for screening

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Sample Fleet: Solar Watch Strikeforce (1000 pts)

Ship	Type	Points
Blade of the Throne	Ares Gunship (Flagship)	280
Golden Light	Orion Assault Carrier	220
Cutter Squadron	2x Custodian Cutters	120
Imperial Allies:
Indomitable	Lunar Class Cruiser	180
Sword Squadron	4x Sword Frigates	140
Tribune	Fleet Commander	+60

Total: 1000 pts (Solar Watch)

Tactics: The Ares delivers devastating firepower while the Orion deploys Custodian Guard to board key targets. Imperial allies provide screening and additional guns. Solar Watch's ability to Brace without Hesitant makes the Custodes ships incredibly durable. Use Sworn Protectors to keep the Lunar alive when focused.

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Tactical Notes

Strengths

• Best armor in the game (6+ everywhere, re-roll once per attack)
• Best boarding in the game (+3 attack and defense)
• Custodian Guard assault boats crit on 2+
• Emperor's Shield provides free Brace reactions
• Sworn Protectors can save allied ships
• High Leadership (9-10 across the board)
• Adrathic weapons ignore armor on 6s

Weaknesses

• Smallest fleets in the game (max 3 capital ships per 1000 pts)
• Most expensive ships (Phalanx is 600 pts!)
• Limited weapon strength compared to battleships
• Dependent on allies for fleet size
• No dedicated carriers (Orion is assault-focused)

Key Tactics

1. Quality Over Quantity: Each ship is worth several enemy vessels
2. Board Aggressively: +3 boarding with 2+ crit assault boats is devastating
3. Use Emperor's Shield: Free Brace reactions save ships
4. Protect Allies: Sworn Protectors keeps your screening force alive
5. Focus Fire: Concentrate on one target at a time
6. Armor Re-rolls: Remember you get one re-roll per attack, not per hit
7. Solar Watch Brace: If using Solar Watch, Brace constantly (no downside)
8. Phalanx Anchor: In large games, the Phalanx dominates the battlefield