Time for another leak and rumor compilation, this time we have Warhammer 40k Adeptus Custodes 9th edition codex, rumors, leaks, previews. As with the other compilations the A running compilation of rumors, leaks, sneak peaks for Adeptus Custodes 9th edition codex. With new rules, point adjustments, stratagems and units. Compilation will feature both Games Workshop community info and any Internet leaks and rumors as they come!

Check back everyday as new leaks and rumors for Warhammer 40k Adeptus Custodes 9th edition codex will be added, without notification.

Pre-orders: Jan 8th 2022 Release Date: Jan 15th 2022

• Shadow Throne: $170
• Adeptus Custodes Codex: $50

Universal Rules

Stratagems 

• 1/2CP: Transhuman; any custodes unit that’s not VEHICLE, 1CP if 3 or fewer models, 2CP otherwise. Lasts for phase, usable in any phase.
   
  1CP: BIKER unit can consolidate extra 3” 
   
  1CP: CUSTODIAN GUARD with shields, when targeted in combat, gain -1 to be hit. Only in melee combat.
   
  1CP: At start of first round, choose an enemy unit, until end of battle VIGILATORS re-roll hits against them.
   
  1CP: Use in fight phase when any custodes unit is selected to fight, if under starting strength, +1A to each model, if under half starting number of models, then each model gets +2A instead. (Note: this means fewer attacks than before but can now be used every phase to medium effect instead of just in the turn you lost a bunch of models)
   
  1/2CP: when any custodes unit selected to fight in combat, +1 to wound vs enemy unit with higher toughness than the custodes unit. 2CP if more than 3 models in the custodes unit.
   
  1CP: in any phase after shooting or fighting with any custodes unit, pick an ANATHEMA PSYKANA unit within 6” and that sisters unit gets +1 to hit for the phase. Note: does not say that the sisters unit needs to target the same unit as the custodes unit.
   
  1CP: when witchseekers are selected to shoot or fire overwatch, for that phase, +1 Str to their flamers for that attack2CP: fight on death for any custodes character, if they haven’t already fought. Can be used on named characters.
   
  1CP: ADEPTUS CUSTODES DREADNOUGHT (Note: can be the forgeworld ones) in command phase chooses to give 6” aura of either re-roll hits or wounds of 1. Only effects CORE SHIELD-HOST units.
   
  1CP: In command phase, choose a custodes machine spirit unit to act on top profile.
   
  1CP: In any phase when custodes or anathema psykana vehicle would take a mortal wound, gain 5+++ against mortals for that phase.
   
  1CP: When a non-named custodes character kills an enemy character in melee combat, pick one of the two to happen: a) pick a shield host trait that the character doesnt have and they gain it for the rest of the  battle, or b) pick one stance of a martial ka’tah, the character always benefits from that stance. Can only use this start once per custodes character per game, and cant use in crusade unless you pay some requisition. Note: this was slightly hard to translate so possible I missed something in parts a or b. But the selection criteria are clear.
   
  1CP: Extra relics strat, one per character per CP, max 2 extra
   
  1CP: Extra WL traits strat, one per character per CP, max 2 extra
   
  1CP: Give a second WL trait to a character. Note: does not have to be your actual warlord from what I understand.
   
  1CP: Eternal penitent! Use before the battle, pick a custodes DREADNOUGHT (yes can be FW dreads) they gain +1A and re-roll charges. If they already re-roll charges (like from a ka-tah, etc.) then instead add +1 to their charge distance. CAN ONLY USE ONCE PER GAME. Note: not once per game per dread, straight up once per game per army. 🙁
   
  1CP: Heroic intervention with any unit, if they already could heroic, they intervene 6” instead.
   
  1/2CP: use in command phase when you pick a stance for a ka’tah. Pick any custodes unit and give them a different stance. That custodes unit benefits only from that new stance you picked, not the same stance as the rest of your army. They don’t get both. Lasts until next command phase. If the custodes unit contains 4 or more models it costs 2CP.
   
  1CP: Interrupt in combat if a custodes unit is in range of an objective. Same as before.1/2CP: Unleash the lions, in command phase, same as before, but 2CP if 4 or more allarus in the unit at the time of using.
   
  1CP: When your warlord dies, pick another custodes character to be your warlord, give them the WL trait that the dead warlord had if they don’t already have one. The new warlord is considered warlord for all rules purposes and it doesnt count as your warlord dying until this new one is slain. Note: there is no clause saying you can only use this once per game.
   
  1CP any custodes unit that can FLY can shoot after falling back (but not charge)
   
  1CP in psychic phase when enemy suffers perils within 18” of ANATHEMA PSYKANA INFANTRY. They take an extra d3 mortal wounds.
   
  1/2CP: in any phase when any custodes unit is targeted, the enemy cannot re roll number of shots, hits, or wounds. 1CP if 4 or fewer models, 2CP if custodes unit has 5 or more models.
   
  1CP: before the battle when declaring reserves, an INFANTRY, BIKER, or DREADNOUGHT can deepstrike.
   
  1CP: 18” range 4+ to stop effects of an enemy psychic power, used by any ANATHEMA PSYKANA INFANTRY unit, used after any other deny the witch attempts.
   
  1CP start of any phase use on one ANATHEMA PSYKANA INFANTRY unit, they gain a 6” aura of enemy units are -1 to hit when targeting this sisters unit.
   
  1CP use in opponents movement phase when an enemy unit wants to fall back from combat with a custodes INFANTRY unit. The custodes infantry unit can shoot at the enemy unit as if it were the shooting phase.
   
  1CP: smokescreen standard -1 to hit
   
  1CP: TANGLEFOOT! Use at start of enemy’s movement or charge phase. Cant use on units that FLY. Must be visible within 12”. Otherwise same as before, subtract d6” from movement or charge distance. Can only use once per turn. Note: like many of our core strats from before, still strong, but toned down.
   
  1CP: Use when TELEPORT HOMER ADEPTUS CUSTODES is chosen to move. Remove them form the battlefield, then during the reinforcements step of the SAME movement phase, replace the unit on the battlefield within 3” of a VEXILUS PRAETOR or ALEYA, but more than 9” from enemy units.
   
  1CP: 6” grenade from ANATHEMA PSYKANA INFANTRY that causes perils if hits a psyker.

Relics

Warlord Traits

Shield Hosts Rules

Updated Unit Rules

• “Sisters can not be affected by psychic powers, enemies within 18” are -1 to cast powers per sister unit to a max of -3 to cast, and sisters gain +1 To hit against PSYKER or DAEMON units.

  Custodes all gain 4++ and 6+++ vs mortals, not just in the psychic phase anymore.“

  “ Trajann 170pts 2+/4++/5+++ reroll 1s hit and wound for core 2 warlord traits if army pure custodes, sisters.

  Trajann WLTs Reroll hits for himself; 6″ HI Change order of ka’tahs once per battle, 5+ CP farm”

  shadow keepers => trait 1, while an enemy unit is within Engagement Range of a unit with this trait, subtract 1 from the attack characteristics of each model in the enemy unit

  trait 2 => each time a model of a unit with trait makes an attack against a Character unit, you can re-roll the wound roll

  Martial Ka’tah: Kaptaris

  Srata => 1 CP)> use this stratagem at any phase, when a Shadowkeeper unit from your army (except vehicle units) is chosen as the target of an attack, until the end of the phase, with each attack against the chosen unit, subtract 1 from the attack’s Strength characteristic

  warlord trait => sealed watchman, with each attack of this warlord allocated to a character unit, you cannot make an invulnerable saving throw against the attack

  Essentially seems that -1 attacks and reroll wounds vs characters for the trait.”

Leaked Images

Warhammer Community Sneak Peeks

Vigil Unending

Adeptus Custodes Characters are tough. Really tough.* However, sometimes even they meet their match in melee. But what if, on that rare occasion, they had one final chance to claim their vengeance?

Vigil Unending gives your Characters one last chance to punish anyone that intends harm to the Imperium, bringing their Emperor-wrought might to bear against any who think they can go toe-to-toe with the Emperor’s finest.

Open the Vaults

The Adeptus Custodes have access to many powerful Relics with which to slay the enemies of the God-Emperor, but sometimes it’s difficult to decide which one to take. So, why not take TWO? This Stratagem allows you to give a Relic to another Character in your army on top of the one that your Warlord can already take.

Just like that, you can turn a second Character into an even mightier hero. But what will you find when you open the vaults? Well, how about the new and improved Obliteratum to give a bit of oomph to the balistus grenade launcher of your Shield-Captain in Allarus Terminator Armour?

However you like to play, you’ll find Relics that support your strategies and being able to take two of them** in your army opens up some real tactical flexibility.

Arcane Genetic Alchemy

It might be called Arcane Genetic Alchemy but that’s just a clever name to fool the xenos and traitors. Everyone knows that the God-Emperor keeping an eye out for his chosen warriors is what keeps them alive.

What better way to really frustrate your (soon to be former) friends and opponents than by making your already incredibly resilient army even more difficult to kill?

Wisdom of the Moritoi

Adeptus Custodes’ Venerable Contemptor Dreadnoughts contain some of the finest warriors that the Imperium has ever witnessed. Pass on their centuries of experience to other units in your army with this Stratagem.

Please note that your Dreadnought can’t be held responsible if you tempt the gods of fate by saying “anything but a 1”, hoping to get a re-roll, and then you roll a 2 and still miss.

Talons of the Emperor

The new codex doesn’t just feature the Adeptus Custodes – it also includes the Sisters of Silence. If you picked up the Shadow Throne boxed set, you already have a nice mix of the two, and your Adeptus Custodes can inspire your Sisters of Silence to even greater valour.

Use this Stratagem when it’s time to slice and dice your way through an enemy unit with a Vigilator squad, perfectly proving that teamwork makes the dream work.

Psyk-Out Grenade

There are no finer psyker hunters in the galaxy than the Sisters of Silence, and one of the reasons that they’re so good is that they have just the right tools for the job – such as psyk-out grenades.

Chuck one of these to really ruin a psyker’s day – even with their warp-infused powers, they’ll never see it coming.

With new HQ options inbound, there are more ways than ever to lead your Talons of the Emperor in battle. On top of that, you can now upgrade a standard Shield-Captain model to be a Captain-Commander, granting them a host of new abilities that make them even more effective – if you can imagine that.

Each type of Shield-Captain has access to three unique abilities and you, as their commander, can simply pay the points to upgrade them and choose the one you like. This allows you to easily bend your leaders towards certain battlefield roles. Let’s take a look at a few to give you an idea of their potential.  

Guardian Captain-Commander

The Adeptus Custodes are an unusually versatile army, and a standard Shield-Captain is an exemplar of that ideal, demonstrating flawless technique to inspire their troops. Martial ka’tah forms further refine the techniques of the Custodes, granting specific enhancements to their already formidable skills.

A Captain-Commander, however, can make nearby units even stronger by eliminating the need to choose from the two stances of a particular ka’tah.

This might not seem like a huge deal at first, but it’s the most expensive points upgrade – and for good reason. Each martial ka’tah forces you to choose between two fantastic stances, often with similar but differing bonuses. Take Salvus, for example. Using Master of the Stances, you can get both of these effects at once.

Mastery of the martial ka’tah forms is crucial to getting the most out of your army, and a Guardian Captain-Commander makes that easier to achieve.

If you prefer your leaders a little more specialised, there are more amazing options to choose from.

Allarus Captain-Commander

The heavy armour of the Allarus Terminators requires a different fighting style, favouring powerful blows that take advantage of their enhanced strength, with the full confidence that their wargear will keep them safe no matter the odds.

This makes them excellent assassins, ploughing through bodyguards and screening troops to get at their true target. Of course, Allarus Terminators are incredibly difficult to take down, especially when you give them this upgrade.

Your enemies will think twice about what they send to take your leader out. Keep in mind that your Allarus Character already has 6 Attacks, so that brings them up to a potential eight per combat round. Add a Misericordia for another attack on top of that. Twist that knife.

Vertus Captain-Commander

If you’re looking for a Warlord who can strike out on their own as well as bolster the troops, a Captain-Commander mounted on a jetbike is probably more your speed.

The Fierce Conqueror ability makes your mounted leader a unit-eraser unto himself, delivering eight Strength 7, -3 AP, Damage 2 attacks to a massive threat bubble given his base 14? Movement.

If you know you’ll be up against tough targets, consider choosing Tip of the Spear to ensure each strike inflicts grievous damage.

You’ll just about always be charging with a little luck, making a Vertus Captain-Commander an exceptionally reliable hunter.

Codex: Adeptus Custodes

Fresh from stamping out an infestation on Terra in the Shadow Throne boxed set, the Adeptus Custodes are taking to the galaxy once more, embarking on crusades to mete out the Emperor’s justice with their Sisters of Silence allies riding shotgun

Appropriately for such a shiny, golden band of elite supermen, Codex: Adeptus Custodes is also available in a premium collector’s edition, complete with a soft-touch cover, printed page edges, and black ribbon page marker.

Both codexes are packed with new rules, Stratagems, Warlord Traits, and more, as well as extensive background lore for their respective faction and a gallery of stunning models to inspire your own painting.

Datacards and Dice Sets

Make your collections complete with a pack of dice representing your favourite factions from this week’s codex releases, complete with their logo on the six face, and then make sure you always have the rules you need close at hand with datacard sets for the Genestealer Cults and Adeptus Custodes. These sets include datacards for every Stratagem found in their respective codex and summaries of important faction rules, such as Martial Ka’tahs and Cult psychic powers.

Not only do they mark you out as a dedicated fan of your chosen army, but they’re also useful to have when the tabletop action gets intense.

Once a Custodian ascends, he will spend his years perfecting the specialist fighting styles of his order in the Colosseia Auris of the Blade Champions within the Emperor’s Palace. 

With the clinical strikes of Behemor, not even the toughest hide or armoured hull can deny them. The Hurricanis style lets them carve their way through enemy ranks in a blur of blade and blood, while the executing techniques of Victus have claimed the lives of tyrants and warlords beyond count. Yet these are but three of the myriad forms of death known to the Blade Champions.

And when we say they’re good with swords, we really mean it. Hayani Rimush became known as the undisputed master of the Rendax style after slaughtering a seemingly impossible number of Hrud in a single battle. So many were slain by his blade that day it’s said he eventually stood triumphant atop a mountain of corpses a hundred metres high.

Unlike other members of the Adeptus Custodes, Blade Champions don’t take part in the Blood Games that constantly test the matchless defences of the Emperor’s Palace – their duty is to train relentlessly to perfect their skills as a warrior. The old adage that the best defence is a good offence is exemplified by the Blade Champions, for they protect the Master of Mankind through their ability to defeat any threat, no matter what form it takes.

If you want to add this deadly new Character to your Adeptus Custodes army (along with some handy reinforcements and a starting force of Genestealer Cults too!), pre-order Shadow Throne on Saturday. To tide you over, we’re releasing the official points value for you to use the Blade Champion in matched play from the get-go.

Big, gold, and incredibly old, the Adeptus Custodes are a fighting force to be reckoned with. As they gad about the galaxy, undertaking the Emperor’s will and harvesting new names, they invariably end up in conflict, and that’s where they get to flex their martial skills.

Codex Adeptus Custodes, which will be with us in early 2022, gives these elite warriors myriad new ways to crush their foes, with fresh rules for Shield Hosts – the different groupings which Custodes organise under when tackling the direst of threats.

Shield Hosts will be familiar to fans of Adeptus Custodes, but they’ve had upgrades befitting these golden demigods of destruction for the latest edition. There are six in total, including favourites like the Solar Watch, and each has access to unique fighting styles, warlord traits, stratagems, and relics of Terra.

No matter which Shield Host a Custodes is pledged to, they are all first and foremost servants of the Emperor, so you can always fall back on the Emperor’s Chosen Shield Host.*

The template for every Shield Host, the Emperor’s Chosen gain the Magna Imperator fighting style. 

This means access to two different traits and a preferred Martial Ka’tah, in this case, Rendax. These powerful stances are adopted as the game progresses, giving you a different choice of an army-wide bonus every turn. Each Host has a preferred Ka’tah, which unlocks additional benefits.

If you activate one stance of your Shield Host’s preferred Martial Ka’tah in the command phase, you get the benefit of both stances. The stance you didn’t pick may then be used in the next turn – which makes for a potent two-turn combo.

The Dread Host is a great example of how all this works. They specialise in the Dacatarai Ka’tah, making them monsters against hordes. 

If you invoke the Dacatarai Ka’tah as the Dread Host, you can activate either stance at the start of your turn but make use of both. If you then choose to stay in Dacatarai next turn, you may still activate stance two, even though you’ve already had the benefit.

Their traits give them access to increased Armour Penetration and more chance to guarantee those vital charge moves.

Pick this shield host when you absolutely, positively, want an enemy force incredibly dead.

And that’s not all. Each Shield Host has its own stratagem, such as the Aquilan Shield Host’s ability to close ranks around vulnerable characters – perfect for keeping those slightly squishier Sisters of Silence characters alive.

The Solar Watch live up to their swift and merciless reputation,** with a Warlord Trait that lets you get all up inside the business of an enemy force before they can react.

Their Swiftsilver Talon relic exemplifies their rapid fighting style, a lightweight weapon that compels its bearer to acts of expeditious violence and makes them more mobile.

We’ve barely scratched the surface of the six Shield Hosts. Combined with the Six Martial Ka’tahs, and the addition of Sisters of Silence, this new Codex gives the Adeptus Custodes the flexibility and hardiness you’d expect from the big dogs.

These legendary heroes will soon be battling the perfidious Genestealer Cults in Shadow Throne, and both codexes will follow shortly after.

This phenomenal warrior has mastered three different fighting styles with which he can cut his way through every type of enemy with contemptuous ease. With six Attacks as standard, he can hit a whopping 12 times when using the Hurricanis technique!

Yet to go toe-to-toe with an opponent as notoriously deadly as a Patriarch, a Blade Champion would surely need more than just killing power alone, right? That’s where his Consummate Swordsman ability kicks in, for his skill with a blade enables him to fend off the attentions of even the deadliest foes.

Another trick up the Blade Champion’s auramite sleeve is his Legacy of Combat ability, which extends the range from which he can make Heroic Interventions and, crucially, allows him to strike first in melee as well. After all, as the old adage goes, the best defence is a good offence, and the Blade Champion is certainly no slouch in that department!

All that and we didn’t even mention that the Blade Champion has a Leadership characteristic of 11. That’s a statement of adamantium willpower and determination if ever there were one.

Troops units form the backbone of every Warhammer 40,000 faction. In many ways, they’re humble exemplars of what it means to be a warrior (or xenos beast) of their particular race. They’re the unsung heroes, providing fire support, or extra bodies in melee, and they have the edge when it comes to holding key locations thanks to Objective Secured.

In the next three codexes to be released – Adeptus Custodes, Genestealer Cults, and T’au Empire – their Troops units benefit from some key improvements. Here’s a preview of what you can look forward to.

Custodian Guard

The fabled guardians of the Emperor wield masterpieces of weaponcraft artifice, each designed specifically for its bearer to ensure that their combat potential is without limit. To maximise the consistency of the Custodian Guard, the melee profiles of their guardian spears and sentinel blades have been adjusted, with both weapons swapping D3 Damage for a flat Damage of 2. 

They also both provide their wielder with an additional point of Strength – that’s a whopping Strength 7 with a guardian spear – so they can easily fell anything they face on the battlefield.

What’s more, the ranged profile of the sentinel blade has been improved to match the damage output of the guardian spears – after all, they fire the same masterwork ammunition.

You may remember when we discussed the Blade Champion in a previous article, we mentioned that he has a Leadership characteristic of 11. Well, he’s not the only one – every warrior of the Adeptus Custodes does too. The Emperor’s inviolable guardians clearly don’t concern themselves with such paltry things as battleshock tests!

The fate of Holy Terra hangs in the balance as the Adeptus Custodes attempt to drive a perfidious Genestealer Cult from beneath the Imperial Palace. You can pick a side with the Shadow Throne battlebox very soon.

The resplendent yet stoic Adeptus Custodes are big strapping gold warriors, and when they’re not standing guard on Terra, they’re jetting about the galaxy, enforcing the will of the Emperor.

As far removed from Astartes as Astartes are from regular humans, the Custodian Guard are probably the deadliest fighters in the galaxy, human or otherwise. 

Set to arrive with us shortly after the release of Shadow Throne, Codex: Adeptus Custodes underlines the brilliance of these legendary warriors with rules for martial ka’tahs, a series of power stances adopted in unison by entire Shield Hosts, bringing centuries of training to bear with violent precision.

Think of it as an á la carte menu of devastation. You pick three martial ka’tahs at the start of the battle, each containing two stances, and perform those ka’tahs in order.

Calistus is the perfect opener, a light aperitif with notes of sustained gunfire. You can choose to get up-close and personal by boosting your Advance rolls or to lay a withering barrage as you approach.

These may be performed in either order, so you could soften up your foes before advancing to secure the kill or vice versa.

For the main course, we’re recommending the Dacatarai stance.

When fighting hordes of infantry, Dacatarai is a tasty choice. The first stance allows your Custodian Guard to effortlessly manage the ebb and flow of hordes, preventing them being overwhelmed by swarms. The second stance lets you go on the offensive, allowing you to trade that extra pip of damage Custodes are set to get* for more attacks – perfect for clearing out swathes of puny foes.

Finally, a delicious dessert of domination.

Mop up your foes with the Kaptaris Stance, which lets your Custodes parry and deflect attacks or lock units into combat, preventing them from falling back. Ideal for maintaining the upper hand by controlling the battlefield.

What’s devilish about stances is the flexibility as you progress. You chose when to advance and which stance to take, pivoting with the ebb and flow of battle.

That’s quite a lot to take in, but such challenges are nothing to the Adeptus Custodes and their commanders.** They’ve been practising these combat forms for hundreds of years, if not thousands, and they’ve got rather good at them.

Certain Shield Hosts favour particular stances, which we’ll touch on soon.