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Build a Custodes force for Warhammer: The Horus Heresy by starting with the current Age of Darkness Rulebook and Liber Custodes: The Forces of the Emperor Army Book, then choose whether Legio Custodes will be your main Talons of the Emperor army or a Loyalist Allied Detachment. The Legio Custodes Battle Group is a practical collection starting point, but its contents are models rather than a guaranteed legal points list, so check the current book, errata and event pack before finalising your army.
Start with the correct Horus Heresy rules
Custodes list building is edition-sensitive. The core reference is the Age of Darkness Rulebook; the faction reference is Liber Custodes: The Forces of the Emperor Army Book. Games Workshop describes Liber Custodes as a 120-page hardback covering Legio Custodes, Anathema Psykana and Divisio Assassinorum, with rules for a complete army and for Loyalist allied contingents.
Do not use an older army list as if it were a current standalone book. The official Talons of the Emperor legacy PDF, version 1.1, contains Legio Custodes and Anathema Psykana lists plus Divisio Assassinorum agents, but it explicitly says that it is not a stand-alone product. It supplements the Liber army books and requires the Age of Darkness Rulebook. The 2026 Legio Custodes Legacies of the Age of Darkness PDF likewise supplements Liber Custodes and requires both that book and the rulebook.
Use the PDFs for the profiles and options they actually add, not as replacements for the current hardback. Before a game, check the latest Warhammer Community downloads page for revised PDFs, FAQs and errata, then confirm the same version is accepted by your club or event.
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Choose your army route before buying models
There are two fundamentally different ways to field Custodes. In a standalone Talons of the Emperor force, Custodes provide the army’s identity and most of its units. In a Loyalist Allied Detachment, a smaller Custodes contingent supports another Loyalist force. The choice changes which command and Troops slots you must fill, how much of your collection you need, and which book sections you consult.
| Build route | Rules reference | Selection focus | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standalone Talons of the Emperor army | Age of Darkness Rulebook plus Liber Custodes; applicable supplements and errata | Custodes detachment and Force Organisation choices, with any permitted Talons allies | Players who want Custodes to be the main army |
| Loyalist Allied Detachment | Age of Darkness Rulebook plus the current Custodes rules | Shield Captain Command slot and Custodian Guard or Sentinel Guard Troops slots described for the Loyalist allied route | Players adding a Custodes contingent to another Loyalist army |
Do not copy another faction’s Force Organisation chart into Custodes. The edition uses Detachments and Force Organisation, but Games Workshop cautions that factions can have variations. Select the Custodes detachment shown in the current book and follow its own compulsory, optional and restricted choices.
What the Legio Custodes Battle Group contains
The named physical starting set is the Legio Custodes Battle Group. Its published contents are:
| Contents | What the kit gives you | How to use the information |
|---|---|---|
| Shield Captain | One Custodes command model | Matches the command requirement identified for a Loyalist Custodes allied detachment and can lead a dedicated force according to the current rules. |
| Custodian Guard | Six models | A substantial Guard core; the official developer describes Guard as a hard-hitting foundation. |
| Sentinel Guard | Six models | Provides the Sentinel Guard unit type listed in the box; verify the current profile, squad options and detachment role in Liber Custodes. |
| Contemptor-Achillus or Contemptor-Galatus | One Contemptor kit with the alternative build | Choose the build using your current list and collection plan. The developer specifically identifies the Achillus as capable of tackling heavy enemy vehicles. |
| Caladius Annihilator | One grav-tank | The developer also identifies the Caladius Annihilator as capable of tackling heavy enemy vehicles. |
| Transfer sheets | Two sheets | Useful for finishing the models; they do not change army legality or points. |
Games Workshop described this Battle Group as “an incredibly solid foundation” for either a dedicated Talons of the Emperor army or allies for another faction. That is collection advice, not a tournament result or an independently tested performance claim. The launch description said the box was available while stocks lasted and that the units would be available separately soon. Treat that as historical launch wording: current stock, regional availability and price must be checked in a live listing.
Plan a standalone Talons of the Emperor force
1. Define the detachment and compulsory choices
Open the current Custodes section of Liber Custodes and identify the detachment you intend to use. Record every compulsory Command, Troops, or other slot before selecting optional units. The book is the authority for whether a model is an independent character, a unit upgrade, a dedicated transport, or a restricted choice; do not infer those categories from the box name.
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2. Establish the command element
The Battle Group supplies a Shield Captain, giving a new collection an immediate command model. If you are building from individual kits instead, select the command option required by your chosen detachment and check all restrictions on characters, wargear and unit size in the current profile.
3. Build the first Troops core
Custodian Guard are the most direct starting core in the Battle Group. Games Workshop’s developer characterises Guard as hard-hitting, but the exact squad size, equipment choices and points are book-dependent. Sentinel Guard are also included, giving you the second named infantry type in the set. Keep both units tied to the slots and minimums printed in your detachment rather than assuming that every model in the box can be fielded at once.
4. Add a battlefield answer for heavy targets
The Battle Group combines a Contemptor option with a Caladius Annihilator. Official guidance names both the Achillus and the Caladius as capable of tackling heavy enemy vehicles. That makes the box a coherent first collection: infantry for the core and two models that address a different target class. It does not establish a damage guarantee, points efficiency or a universal competitive ranking. Use the current profiles to decide whether the Achillus or Galatus build better matches your local opponents and the rest of your list.
5. Add permitted Talons allies only after checking the current book
Games Workshop states that a Legio Custodes army can include allies with the Talons of the Emperor Trait. The currently identified options are Sisters of Silence and Assassins. Their exact detachment placement, unit limits and compulsory choices are rules questions, so confirm them in the current book and any errata rather than relying on an older PDF.
6. Treat Lords of War as a separate legality check
The official developer discussion says the Lords of War selection is not subject to the same Talons allied restriction. Examples mentioned include Orion and Ares flyers, Imperial Knights and Space Marine super-heavy tanks. These examples are not a blanket permission to add any model to any list. Check the current Lords of War entry, detachment limits, faction keywords, points and your event’s restrictions before purchasing or assembling one.
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Build Custodes as a Loyalist Allied Detachment
A Loyalist allied contingent is the right route when another Loyalist army remains your primary force. Official guidance describes a Loyalist Allied Detachment with a Shield Captain Command slot and Custodian Guard or Sentinel Guard Troops slots. The Battle Group therefore maps naturally onto this route: it contains the named command model and both named infantry types.
Confirm the parent army first
Write the primary army’s detachment and allied requirements before selecting Custodes. The parent list determines how many allied slots are available and which alliance rules apply. Custodes are loyal to the Emperor, so use the Loyalist allied route described by the rules; do not place them in a Traitor alliance simply because the opposing army has spare slots.
Choose the minimum legal Custodes contingent
Start with the Shield Captain command choice and the required Custodian Guard or Sentinel Guard Troops choices shown in the current allied rules. Then verify whether the contingent permits additional units, upgrades or vehicles. A box’s model count is not itself a legal points total, and an allied detachment may not use every model from a Battle Group if the current Force Organisation chart does not allow it.
Decide whether the ally has a defined job
An allied detachment should solve a collection or battlefield need rather than duplicate the parent army without purpose. Guard provide the hard-hitting infantry core identified by the developer; the Achillus and Caladius are the named options associated with heavy enemy vehicles. If the allied rules or your points limit do not permit those additions, keep the contingent focused on the command and Troops choices and let the primary army supply other roles.
A practical buying and assembly sequence
- Buy the rules before expanding the collection. Obtain the current Age of Darkness Rulebook and Liber Custodes. Download any applicable legacy or Legacies PDF only when its listed profiles are needed, and keep the required companion books with it.
- Choose standalone or allied. Mark the route on a written army plan. This prevents buying a large collection for a full Talons force when your actual goal is a small Loyalist contingent.
- Map the Battle Group to legal slots. Enter the Shield Captain, Guard, Sentinel Guard, Contemptor and Caladius into the detachment you intend to use. Record which models are compulsory, optional or currently unavailable to that detachment.
- Choose the Contemptor build deliberately. The kit can be assembled as an Achillus or Galatus. The official developer specifically discusses the Achillus’s heavy-vehicle role; compare both current profiles with your intended list before gluing the model.
- Check points and squad sizes in the latest book. Do not estimate a total from model count, an old edition, or a launch article. Points, wargear and unit options can change through updates.
- Assemble and mark options clearly. Keep a written record of the profile represented by each model, especially when a kit has alternate builds. Use the supplied transfer sheets after the force’s identity and markings are settled.
- Test the list against the actual event pack. Confirm accepted edition, PDF status, allied restrictions, Lords of War limits and any painting or model-representation requirements before your first organised game.
How to expand after the first box
For a dedicated Talons collection
Use the current detachment to identify the next compulsory or most useful optional slot rather than buying duplicates at random. The Battle Group already supplies a Shield Captain, six Custodian Guard, six Sentinel Guard, one Contemptor choice and one Caladius Annihilator. Expansion should therefore answer a specific gap shown by your list: more capacity in a required slot, a different unit type permitted by the detachment, or an allied Talons element.
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Sisters of Silence and Assassins are the allied options named by Games Workshop for the current Talons of the Emperor Trait. Their inclusion should follow the same process as every other purchase: confirm the unit’s entry, detachment placement, minimum size, points and any restriction in the current book. Do not assume that a model mentioned in a developer interview is automatically legal in every mission or event.
For a Loyalist allied force
Keep the parent army’s structure in view. Once the Shield Captain and required Guard or Sentinel Guard slots are covered, additional Custodes models are worthwhile only if the allied detachment allows them and they fit the points budget. The Caladius and Contemptor are named heavy-target answers, but they may be inappropriate if the allied chart, event pack or parent list excludes them. A smaller, legal contingent is more useful than an oversized collection that cannot be fielded together.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Common mistakes and how to correct them
Using a legacy PDF as the whole rules set
Symptom: You have the Talons PDF but no current Liber book or core rulebook. Fix: Treat the PDF as supplementary. The version 1.1 document explicitly requires the Age of Darkness Rulebook, and the 2026 Legacies PDF requires both the rulebook and Liber Custodes.
Assuming the Battle Group is a complete army list
Symptom: Every model in the box is assigned a value from memory and declared legal without checking a detachment. Fix: Enter each model into the current Force Organisation chart, then calculate points from the latest profiles and upgrades. The published contents describe a kit selection, not a guaranteed points total.
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Symptom: A list uses a familiar Age of Darkness chart even though its Custodes detachment has different requirements. Fix: Follow the Custodes-specific detachment and its variations. Games Workshop warns that factions can differ.
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Confusing Loyalist allies with a standalone Talons army
Symptom: A player adds Custodes to a Loyalist force but uses the standalone army’s assumptions, or builds a full collection around an allied minimum. Fix: Decide which army is primary, then use the corresponding allied or standalone section and compulsory choices.
Assuming every named Lord of War is automatically allowed
Symptom: Orion, Ares, an Imperial Knight or a Space Marine super-heavy tank is added without checking the current detachment. Fix: Use the developer’s examples as a prompt to inspect the Lords of War rules, not as a substitute for them. Verify keywords, limits, points and event restrictions.
Relying on launch stock language
Symptom: A retailer search is expected to show the same Battle Group availability described at launch. Fix: Check a live regional listing. The launch announcement said “while stocks lasted” and described separate availability as forthcoming at that time; it does not establish present stock or price.
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What the available guidance does—and does not—prove
The official material supports a clear collection recommendation: the Battle Group is a solid foundation for either a dedicated Talons force or Loyalist allies, Guard form a hard-hitting core, and the Achillus and Caladius are presented as tools for tackling heavy enemy vehicles. It does not provide a win rate, points-efficiency ranking, tournament record or independent battlefield test. Avoid choosing a list on an unsupported promise of performance.
Likewise, no exact current points total, regional retail price or guaranteed stock level is established here. Those details change and must be read from the latest Liber Custodes, errata and live retailer information for your region. The reliable, edition-aware workflow is to select the route, apply the current detachment, map the Battle Group’s contents to legal slots, and only then expand into permitted units and allies.
Quick Recap
Final checklist before your first game
- You have the current Age of Darkness Rulebook and Liber Custodes.
- Any legacy or Legacies PDF you use is treated as a supplement with its required companion books.
- Your list is identified as either a standalone Talons force or a Loyalist Allied Detachment.
- The Shield Captain, Custodian Guard and Sentinel Guard choices meet the detachment’s actual requirements.
- The Contemptor is recorded as either Achillus or Galatus, matching the assembled model and current profile.
- The Caladius Annihilator and every other unit fit the current Force Organisation chart and points limit.
- Sisters of Silence, Assassins and any Lords of War additions have been checked against current legality and event rules.
- Points, stock and edition details have been verified from current sources rather than launch-period wording or memory.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
