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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Games Workshop’s forthcoming 11th-edition Codex: Adeptus Custodes makes a persuasive case for why the faction may finally match its near-mythic reputation on the tabletop: individual warriors are much tougher, while squads remain small. The claim that Warhammer 40K has “finally got them right” is the judgment of the GamesRadar+ article’s author, not an objective verdict or established community consensus. The announced rules and miniatures are not all released yet.
What “over 8 years” means
The phrase refers to the Adeptus Custodes’ time as a proper playable faction since Warhammer 40,000’s 8th edition. It is not a claim that the faction’s background has just been rewritten. GamesRadar+’s argument is about how the faction has felt to play: earlier tabletop rules did not always convey the setting’s image of individually crafted, almost legendary guardians. The 11th-edition refresh aims to close that gap. GamesRadar+’s article.
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That framing is an opinion about tabletop identity. Games Workshop’s previews establish what rules and kits it has announced; they do not establish that every player will find the faction more enjoyable, balanced, or competitive.
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The central rules change: tougher individuals, fewer bodies
The clearest example is the previewed Custodian Guard profile: Toughness 7 and 5 Wounds per model. Those are announced 11th-edition rules from Games Workshop, not independent playtest results. The design trade-off is smaller units: Games Workshop says no Custodes squad exceeds three models before Leaders are added. Games Workshop’s official datasheet preview.
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This pairing matters more than toughness in isolation. A small force of highly resilient models is a closer mechanical expression of the fiction than simply fielding a larger number of ordinary troops. It also means that losing one model can represent a substantial part of a unit, while the compact army may leave players with fewer models to move and manage. The announced profiles alone do not establish how those trade-offs will perform in actual games.
What the forthcoming codex adds
Games Workshop has previewed a combined Codex: Adeptus Custodes with 27 datasheets, 13 detachments, and six martial ka’tah options. The company described the codex as weeks away in its September 2026 previews; unless a later release has been confirmed, treat it as forthcoming rather than available now. The published previews describe breadth of choice, not a competitive ranking.
Rank #2
- Warhammer 40,000 Adeptus Custodes Captain-General Trajann Valoris
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- The office of Captain-General is one of the most powerful military appointments in the Imperium
Thirteen detachments for different army focuses
The announced detachments include Shield Host themes and options centered on Dreadnoughts, Terminators, or Sisters of Silence. A useful way to compare them is to start with the units you want to field and the style of game you want to play, then check which detachment supports that approach. The preview count does not show that one option is stronger than another. Games Workshop’s detachment preview.
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Six martial ka’tah choices
The martial ka’tahs are the faction’s signature combat doctrines. Games Workshop’s preview describes six options selected during play when specified conditions are met, rather than a single fixed choice made once for the whole game. That creates another decision layer alongside detachment selection. The preview does not, by itself, show how often each option will be useful or how the choices will compare in competitive play. Games Workshop’s martial ka’tah preview.
Rank #3
- This multi-part plastic kit contains the parts necessary to assemble a 5-model Prosecutor Squad, Silent Sisterhood warriors.
- One model can be assembled as a Sister Superior, with her own loincloth, shoulder pad, seal and choice of 2 heads.
- It includes 6 executioner greatswords, 5 Umbra-pattern boltguns and 5 flamers.
- This kit comprises 67 components, and is supplied with 5 Citadel 32mm Round bases and a Burning of Prospero transfer sheet.
- Models come unpainted and some assembly may be required. Glue, paints, and supplies are sold separately.
New miniatures are part of the refresh
The update is not only a rules release. Games Workshop has announced a Combat Patrol and multiple Adeptus Custodes kits, with the kits usable in both Warhammer 40,000 and The Horus Heresy. That makes the launch relevant to collectors and new players as well as people updating an existing army. Games Workshop’s miniatures announcement.
Specific box contents, prices, release timing, and local stock were not established in the announcement details available here. Check the current product listing for those details before buying; the announcement is not confirmation that a particular box is in stock or at a particular price.
Rank #4
- Adeptus Custodes Custodian Guard
- Horus Heresy Adeptus Custodes Custodian Guard Squad (5 figures)
- This multi-part plastic kit contains the components necessary to assemble a set of 5 Adeptus Custodes Custodian Guard
- plastic miniatures
- This kit comes unpainted and requires assembly
Where the Custodes fit in Warhammer 40,000
In Games Workshop’s setting, the Adeptus Custodes are individually crafted guardians of the Emperor. They are distinct from Space Marines and are often paired with the Sisters of Silence. Games Workshop’s beginner guide describes Custodes armies as compact and elite, which provides useful faction background, but it predates the new rules and should not be used to infer current datasheet values. Games Workshop’s beginner guide.
The 2026 tabletop story is separate from the gender-lore debate
The 11th-edition refresh is a tabletop rules and miniatures story, not a new explanation of Custodes gender lore. In its January 2026 FAQ, Games Workshop says, “Custodes are not Space Marines.” The FAQ describes Custodes as taken as infants and remade through a bespoke process, and states, “There is no difference in combat efficacy between a male Custodian and female Custodian.” Those statements are Games Workshop’s official position in that FAQ; they are separate from the announced 11th-edition rules. Games Workshop’s January 2026 FAQ.
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- Games Workshop - Warhammer 40,000 - CODEX: Adeptus Custodes (2024 - 10th Edition)
- An elegant tome and guidebook for collecting and commanding the Adeptus Custodes
- 112 pages packed full of rules, awe-inspiring art, fascinating background material
- Includes Combat Patrol, Crusade rules, 18 datasheets, four Detachments, and more
How to judge whether the refresh is right for you
- If you want a compact, elite force: the previewed Guard profile and three-model squad ceiling point toward a game identity built around durable individual models, rather than large units.
- If you already collect Custodes: compare the announced detachments with your preferred units, especially if you favor Dreadnoughts, Terminators, or Sisters of Silence.
- If you are considering starting: the Combat Patrol and announced kits may offer a physical entry point, but confirm the actual box contents, compatibility, price, and availability at purchase time.
- If competitive performance is your main concern: the official previews do not provide tournament win rates or controlled playtest data. Treat claims about the faction’s strength as unsettled until the rules are released and evaluated in play.
The strongest case for “finally got them right” is therefore one of design intent: the announced combination of very tough individual Custodians, tightly capped squad sizes, flexible combat doctrines, and more specialized detachment choices appears aimed at making the tabletop force feel as rare and formidable as its setting portrayal. Whether that proves satisfying or balanced will depend on the complete released rules and how they work in games.
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