Warhammer 40,000/Tactics/Talons of the Emperor (30k)

So we've had rules for the Legions, the Primarchs, and the Mechanicum. It was only a matter of time until the Emprah's BFFs got rules, and here they are.

Why play Talons of the Emperor

There are a number of reasons for playing this army.

• Because you like gold
• Because you like Eagles
• Because you like Eagles made out of gold
• Because the Emperor was right all along
• Because Erebus can fuck a cactus
• Because you want to take Phoenix Terminators with a half-Primarch statline as troops
• Universal 2+ saves and 5+ invuns minimum
• You want to model Pillerstodes
• Because one day you might be able to take the EMPRAH as a LoW
• Because you want a three man(?) squad that can take out a dozen space marines

Special Rules

• Preternatural Skill: If the majority of enemy models in your have equal or less Weapon Skill compared to yours, you get +1I. Considering theres no such thing as a WS6 squad you might as well assume you're always I5, unless you're facing a lone HQ model.
• The Sodality: A Custodians unit coherency range is 3" and they always use their usual LD for regrouping. Representing how Custards fight as individuals rather than a squad.
• Inviolable Psyche: Forgeworld dancing around ATSKNF again, you are immune to fear, and re-roll DtW. However, it does mean you CAN break as a result of bad combat, and you CAN be utterly wiped out because your base initiative is the same as the Marines you're fighting against.
• Bulky: Not a rule specific to the Custodes, but they all have it.

Special Equipment

• Custodian Armour: Artificer Armour, Refactor Fields, and Move Through Cover rolled into one pimping banana suit.
• Guardian Spear: AP2 +1S on the charge, and reverts to a power sword afterwards. Every time you roll a 6 to hit with it, you get another attack, but those extra attacks can't generate any more. In addition, it's a got an Assault 2 AP4 bolter hidden inside.
• Praesidium Shield: Provides a 4++, which is re-rollable in CC.
• Sentinel Warblade: A specialist power sword with rending. In addition, it's a got an Assault 2 12" range bolter that snap fires at BS2.
• Plasma Grenades: Rare enough to mention here, they are assault grenades that can be thrown as S4 AP4 instead of S3 AP-.

Unit Analysis

HQ

As these are temporary rules, no HQ is provided. However you can use one squad of either Sentinels or Custodians.

Elites

• Sentinel Guard Squad: As Custodians armed with sword and board, they are somewhat less killy than their troop counterparts, but are more defensive, this aspect being increased by counting as having defensive grenades if two in the squad are in base contact. These are best used to guard your squishier Custodians, so they don't get wiped when they get charged by a squad with 2+ saves as your improved Invuls allow Sentinels to stick around long enough for rending to enter the equation.

Troops

• Custodian Guard Squad: Think Terminators, but with all the 4s in their statline replaced with 5s, with situational AP2 at initiative weapons, something that most Space marines (outside of Praetors or Emperor's Children) would never get. They do pay for the high degrees of kickassitude they bring to the table, most notably with actual points and with no transport they are liable to get shot down before doing anything, though with 2 wounds each and a 5++ they might pull though. Make sure the situational nature of their AP2 isn't going to get them killed.

Unit Analysis (40k)

Wargear

• Guardian Spear: Different than the 30k variant. Incorporates a regular, rapid fire Boltgun, but can be used as both in the assault phase. It is Two-Handed and always S+1 AP2. Also comes with the Block rule. Basically pick a single attack allocated against a model with this weapon and roll a d6. If you beat the enemy's to hit roll the attack is nullified.
• Sentinel Blade: Only AP3, but incorporates a Bolt Caster (S4 AP5 Assault 2 12") that fires Overwatch at BS2.
• Power Knife: It's a Power Sword. It's good because it stacks with the Sentinel blade for +1 attack, unless you took a Storm Shield.

Elites

• Custodian Guard Squad: They're a bit different than their 30k counterparts. First, they have Eternal Warrior (No instant-death shenanigans) and Fearless straight up, along with Adamantium Will. They have 2+ armor without an Invulnerable save, but they can take Storm Shields for 10 points unlike their 30k counter parts. They're all Characters so stick an HQ in there and have the meatshield squad of your dreams. Fortunately, they now come with a Formation (see below) which can allow them to be used in a Battleforged army. Ultimately they're too expensive to justify in a world where there's so much AP2/1 and rending/bladestorm flying around.

Formations (40k)

• Golden Legion Task Force: 1-3 Custodian Guard Squads. If you have at least 2 units of Custodes, all models within the formation have 6+ Invulnerable saves and if you use all 3 units they all have 5+ Invulns. The bonus is okay, a 6++ or a 5++ is not much but goes ways to improve survivability unless you took Storm Shields, but it is the ONLY way to take Custodes in a Battleforged army. Bless you GW.

See Also

• 40k Rules