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For Legio Custodes in Horus Heresy Third Edition, start with Liber Custodes and the Age of Darkness Rulebook; the official Legio Custodes Legacies supplement adds selected units but does not replace either book. Its “Expanded” label does not prohibit a unit from being used. For the roles specifically described in Games Workshop’s January 2026 preview, the Contemptor-Achillus is aimed at enemy armour, while the Contemptor-Galatus is presented as a crowd-control and durability choice.
Which rules books do you need for Legio Custodes?
The core army reference is Liber Custodes. Games Workshop describes it as the essential guide to using Legio Custodes in Horus Heresy. The Age of Darkness Rulebook supplies the broader game rules. The current surfaced Legio Custodes supplement, Legacies of the Age of Darkness: Legio Custodes, is explicitly supplemental: its foreword says it supplements the Army Lists in Liber Custodes and permits selected Expanded Units in battles.
The Legacies PDF identifies itself as “Third Edition – Version 1.0” and lists both Liber Custodes and the Age of Darkness Rulebook as requirements. It is therefore not a complete stand-alone army list or a substitute for the core rules. Games Workshop’s published wording is direct: “This document supplements the Army Lists found in the Liber Custodes Army Book for Warhammer: The Horus Heresy – Age of Darkness 3rd Edition, allowing players to include Expanded Units in their battles.”
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Keep similarly named rules documents distinct
Talons of the Emperor is another official rules reference. It covers Legio Custodes, Anathema Psykana, and Agents of the Divisio Assassinorum, and its foreword also says it is not stand-alone. The surfaced document is Version 1.1, but it is not the same document as the Third Edition Version 1.0 Legio Custodes Legacies supplement. When checking an army or a unit, identify the document and edition rather than assuming that a rule in one PDF automatically describes the other.
The Legacies PDF was identified as a 2026 document; the official preview material discussed below is from January 2026, and the allied-detachment article is dated 17 March 2026. Rules PDFs and FAQs can change, so check the edition and version printed on the document you are actually using and follow any applicable current updates. The specific roles and army-building examples here are limited to what those official materials describe.
What does “Expanded” mean for Custodes units?
In the Legio Custodes Legacies supplement, every profile it contains is classified as Expanded. That is a profile category, not a statement that the unit is unofficial, forbidden, or available only by special permission. Games Workshop explicitly explains that Core and Expanded profiles may both be used freely in a Horus Heresy battle; the classification does not change a unit’s availability in an army or detachment.
For a player, this distinction matters when reading the document. “Expanded” tells you how the profile is categorized in the rules publication, but it does not by itself answer whether a unit can be selected for a particular force. The official explanation says it does not impose that restriction. Use the relevant army list and detachment rules to determine what you can field, and consult the Legacies PDF for the expanded profiles it actually contains.
There is also a practical source distinction: the supplement adds selected units, not a complete alternative Custodes army book. A player using one of its profiles still needs the core army and game rules identified in its foreword. Treating the category label as a ban is incorrect; treating the supplement as a self-contained rules package is also incorrect.
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What do the Achillus and Galatus Contemptors do?
Games Workshop’s January 2026 Legio Custodes preview provides a useful role contrast between two Contemptor variants. It describes the Contemptor-Achillus as a threat to enemy armour and the Contemptor-Galatus as suited to crowd control, with an emphasis on its sword and shield. The comparison below stays within those published descriptions; it is not a comparison of points efficiency or a claim about matchup performance.
| Unit | Role described by Games Workshop | Equipment cue in the preview | Survivability cue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contemptor-Achillus | Armour-hunting; the preview says it can make short work of enemy armour. | Spear, described as dealing Damage 3 in the January 2026 preview. | No specific survivability advantage is stated in the preview. |
| Contemptor-Galatus | Crowd control. | Warblade and a flamer in its sword. | The preview calls out additional durability from its shield. |
Choose by the problem you want the unit to address
The supported distinction is target and function. If the role you need is pressure against armoured targets, the Achillus is the one Games Workshop frames that way. If you want the preview’s crowd-control concept, the Galatus is the model it associates with a flamer-equipped sword, warblade, and extra shield durability. Those are role cues, not complete profiles or a guarantee of how either model will perform in a specific game.
The preview’s Damage 3 figure applies to the Achillus spear as described in that January 2026 material. It should not be read as a full weapon profile: the cited information does not establish the weapon’s complete characteristics, the unit’s movement, points, or how it compares in every matchup. Check the current profile in the relevant rules publication for those decisions.
That makes the two variants useful comparison points without requiring a blanket ranking. The Achillus is presented through the problem it threatens—enemy armour—and its spear’s Damage 3 preview figure. The Galatus is presented through the space and targets it can address, using its flamer-equipped sword and warblade, alongside the shield’s extra durability. If your choice depends on a points limit, exact damage expectations, or how either fares into a particular opponent, the preview alone cannot answer it; compare the current profiles and the rules for your game.
How can Custodes join a Loyalist force as allies?
Games Workshop’s article dated 17 March 2026 describes a Legio Custodes Allied Detachment for Loyalist players. In that described setup, the detachment provides a Command slot for a Shield Captain and Troops slots for Custodian and Sentinel Guard Sodalities. The article says these models are capable at ranged combat but particularly shine in melee.
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This gives the reader a concrete way to understand the allied example without treating it as a full list-building guide: the article identifies the detachment’s relevant slot structure and names the units that can fill those places. It does not, in the information surfaced here, establish points, exact unit sizes, every restriction, or a universally optimal allied selection. Use the current army-list and detachment entries for those details before building a force.
The example is specifically framed for Loyalist players and for a Legio Custodes Allied Detachment; it should not be generalized into a claim that the same slots or access apply to every faction, allegiance, or detachment. For list construction, take the March 2026 article as an orientation to the named roles, then use the current rules entry to confirm eligibility and any further conditions.
What the article says about Guard and melee
The official article highlights eternity blades, their Initiative modifier, and Duellist’s Edge (1). It also notes access to four special Gambits. These details help explain why the article emphasizes melee, but they should not be generalized to every Custodes unit: the statement is about the models and rules discussed in the allied-Custodes context.
Two of the named Gambit examples are Stone’s Aegis and World Serpent’s Bane. Games Workshop associates the former with a defensive use and the latter with a lethal strike. The article’s total is four special Gambits, but the information available here names only those two examples; the other names and full effects should be checked in the applicable current rules rather than inferred from the examples.
The Gambit examples also suggest two different tactical emphases in the article’s description: Stone’s Aegis is the defensive example, while World Serpent’s Bane is associated with a lethal strike. Their names alone are not a substitute for the rules text, and the four-Gambit figure does not reveal the full effects or conditions. Read the current entry when deciding when each can be used.
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How to use these sources when building or checking a force
- Confirm the edition. For the Legacies material covered here, look for “Third Edition – Version 1.0” on Legacies of the Age of Darkness: Legio Custodes. Do not silently substitute a differently versioned rules reference.
- Gather the prerequisite rules. Use Liber Custodes for the Custodes army list and the Age of Darkness Rulebook for the core game rules. The Legacies PDF says it requires both.
- Check the specific unit profile. The Legacies supplement supplies selected Expanded profiles. Read the profile and relevant army-list rules rather than relying on a preview’s short role description.
- Interpret the category correctly. Core and Expanded profiles are both described by Games Workshop as freely usable in battles; Expanded does not itself restrict army or detachment availability.
- For the allied example, verify the current detachment entry. The March 2026 article describes a Loyalist Allied Detachment with the Shield Captain in Command and Custodian or Sentinel Guard Sodalities in Troops. Confirm the rules currently in force for any additional list-building conditions.
This sequence prevents two common source errors: treating an introductory preview as a complete datasheet, and reading a supplement that explicitly depends on two other books as if it contains all the rules needed to play. It also keeps role selection separate from legality: the preview helps distinguish the Achillus and Galatus conceptually, while the actual current profiles and army-list rules govern the game details.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the available role descriptions do—and do not—establish
The official descriptions are useful for orientation, but they are not a comprehensive guide to every Legio Custodes unit. For the Achillus and Galatus, the supported comparison is limited to intended target or role, named equipment cues, and the Galatus shield durability noted in the preview. For the allied example, the supported details are the Loyalist context, slots, named Guard Sodalities and Shield Captain, melee emphasis, eternity blade features, and Gambits.
They do not establish comparative points costs, complete weapon statistics, movement values, a full breakdown of every Custodes unit’s battlefield role, competitive win rates, or matchup results. Those are different questions and require the relevant current profiles or dedicated dated evidence. Keeping that boundary clear makes the descriptions more useful: players can use them to understand the design intent without mistaking a short publisher preview for rules text or independent performance testing.
For the physical products, Liber Custodes: The Forces of the Emperor Army Book is the most direct fit for someone seeking the core army rules identified here. The Legio Custodes Battle Group and the named dreadnought miniatures are relevant model options when you are considering the units discussed, but product availability and current listings can change. No paint, tool, accessory, or software is required by the rules material covered in this guide.
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What book do I need to play Custodes in Horus Heresy Third Edition?
Use Liber Custodes for the Legio Custodes army list and the Age of Darkness Rulebook for the core game rules. The Third Edition Version 1.0 Legio Custodes Legacies supplement requires both and adds selected profiles rather than replacing them.
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Can I use Expanded Custodes units in a battle?
Yes. Games Workshop says Core and Expanded profiles may both be used freely in Horus Heresy battles. Expanded is a profile category and does not itself restrict a unit’s availability in an army or detachment.
What is the difference between the Achillus and Galatus?
Games Workshop’s January 2026 preview frames the Achillus as an armour threat, noting its spear deals Damage 3. The Galatus is presented for crowd control, with a flamer in its sword, a warblade, and extra shield durability. The preview does not provide a full points or performance comparison.
Can Custodes be allies in a Loyalist army?
The 17 March 2026 Games Workshop article describes a Legio Custodes Allied Detachment with a Command slot for a Shield Captain and Troops slots for Custodian and Sentinel Guard Sodalities. Check the current army-list and detachment rules for any additional conditions.
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How many special Custodes Gambits are mentioned?
The March 2026 article identifies four special Gambits and names Stone’s Aegis as a defensive example and World Serpent’s Bane as a lethal-strike example. Consult the current rules for the other names and full effects.
The Bottom Line
For Third Edition, treat Liber Custodes and the Age of Darkness Rulebook as the required foundation; Legacies adds selected Expanded profiles without banning them or standing alone. Use Games Workshop’s role cues as a starting point: Achillus for armour, Galatus for crowd control and shield durability, and the named Guard Sodalities and Shield Captain for the described Loyalist allied setup. Verify current profiles and detachment rules for the details.
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