GW revealed tons of new plastic Legio Custodes just landed for Warhammer 40k and Horus Heresy: a Battle Group box, fresh Guard and Sentinels, grav-tanks, and a new Contemptor kit.
If you have ever looked at your army shelf and thought, “You know what this needs? More auramite and less restraint,” the New Year Preview just answered your prayers. Games Workshop pulled the curtain back on all-new plastic Legio Custodes, and it is the kind of reveal that makes your hobby budget quietly crawl under the couch.
What makes this wave extra spicy is the crossover potential. These kits are built for the Horus Heresy Age of Darkness, but several of them are also perfectly suited to stand in as current units for Adeptus Custodes in 40k, with a rules update teased for later this year.
Let’s break down what was shown, what it likely means on the tabletop, and how you can get the most value out of these releases.
The Legio Custodes Battle Group Box Is Basically a 40k Starter Army
The headliner of these reveals is the Legio Custodes Battle Group box, and “battle group” is doing some heavy lifting here. This is not a token discount bundle with one character and a polite handful of troops. It reads like a small Custodes army in a box, with the exact mix you want when you are building a force that plays elite, hits hard, and refuses to die.
What’s inside the Battle Group, and why it matters
This Custodes Battle Group box contains the following all-new units.
- New Custodian Guard
- Custodian Sentinels
- Caladius Annihilator Grav-tank
- New plastic Contemptor kit (builds Achillus or Galatus)
- New Shield Captain
That is infantry, durability, melee threat, and a real armored bully piece, all in one shot. If you are starting Legio Custodes for Horus Heresy, or even Adeptus Custodes for Warhammer 40k, this is the kind of box that lets you play real games fast instead of spending months assembling “almost an army.”
New Custodian Guard: The Classic Look, Now in Plastic Glory
This leans hard into the iconic silhouette: guardian spears, plumed helmets, and that “I personally know the Emperor” posture.
Why 40k players should care too
The preview straight up points out what everyone is thinking: these are also perfect for representing Custodian Guard in a Warhammer 40k Adeptus Custodes army. Spears are already a staple, and the overall armor language screams Custodes in any era. They also mention they will have more rules for 40k, so that’s two great reasons to grab a box!
Custodian Sentinels: Sword and Board, Still Pure Custodes Energy
The Custodian Sentinels are basically the Guard’s more aggressive, more stubborn cousins. Instead of spears, they run sentinel warblades and praesidium shields, and yes, they also share the same options for both games.
On the table: what they want to do
Sword and shield Custodes tend to play a simple game plan:
- Walk onto an objective
- Tell your opponent “no.”
- Stay there until the sun burns out
That job rules in Horus Heresy, and it’s just as nasty in 40k if you like tough units that can park in midfield, throw elbows, and not need a handler.
Caladius Annihilator Grav-tank: Main Battle Tank, Only Better
Custodes vehicles have always had that “fine craftsmanship and unacceptable violence” vibe, and the Caladius Annihilator is being positioned as a top-tier armored threat for the Age of Darkness.
Weapons to watch
The tank is equipped with an Arachnus blaze carronade, described as versatile enough to crack vehicles or scythe heavy infantry. You also get hull weapons, including:
- Twin lastrum bolt cannon
- A new option mentioned as a twin neutronium cascade projector
That last one is the kind of phrase that sounds like it should be illegal in at least three sectors.
New Plastic Contemptor Kit: Achillus or Galatus, Pick Your Flavor of Pain
This is the sleeper hit of the whole reveal. The battle group includes a new plastic Contemptor that builds into either:
- Contemptor-Achillus with the Achillus dreadspear
- Contemptor-Galatus with Galatus warblade and praesidium shield
Two builds, two battlefield jobs, one kit. That is the kind of design choice we love to see.
They called out the Achillus spear, hitting Damage three, and that tells you exactly what this thing wants to do. It hunts tough targets and makes bad decisions feel even worse.
The Galatus brings a sword, a shield, and a flamer baked into the blade. That is a recipe for clearing infantry and refusing to get removed.
Poseability matters more than you think
And yes, the poseability is being highlighted, which usually translates to “you will actually enjoy assembling this instead of wrestling it like a greased eel.”
New Shield Captain: Maximum Detail, Maximum Flex
Custodes characters live or die by presence. If your warlord looks like a slightly fancier troop model, it is a missed opportunity. This new Shield Captain sounds like it is loaded with detail, and that is exactly what you want for a centerpiece HQ.
The preview also straight-up notes that this Shield Captain is female, as a reminder that in the Heresy era, the Legio Custodes range is not locked into one “default dude in a helmet” lane.
But that being said, you can probably just slap a normal helmet on this and make your own version, however you identify this new model.
More Kits Spotted in the Reveal: Venatari, More Tanks, and a Proper Transport
The preview also teased additional kits that round out the range in a very intentional way.
Venatari: fast, mean, and stylish
Venatari brings the big Aquila silhouette and the “I am about to arrive at a very inconvenient angle for you” energy. They can be armed with kinetic destroyers and bucklers or a Verutum lance. These are the kind of units that punish sloppy positioning.
A second Caladius Grav-tank
Custodes are also getting a second Caladius option, featuring a twin Iliastus accelerator cannon. The preview calls out six Strength eight shots a turn, which is the sort of profile that makes medium armor and heavy infantry start sweating.
Coronus Grav Carrier: The “Get In, We’re Doing Violence” Transport
Finally, we get the Coronus Grav Carrier, described as heavily armored, swift, and capable of Deep Strike. It carries seven standard Custodians, with fire support from either a twin Arachnus blaze cannon or lastrum bolt cannons.
If you love aggressive infantry, transports are how you deliver them without spending two turns getting shot in the teeth. Plan your army around what rides inside, not just the vehicle itself.
Liber Custodes: Where the Rules and Lore Live
All these kits need a home, and that home is Liber Custodes, positioned as the essential guide for using the Legio Custodes in Horus Heresy.
It also covers:
- Sisters of Silence
- An addendum for Agents of the Divisio Assassinorum
- Rules for Constantin Valdor and Jenetia Krole
That is a strong signal that this release is not just “new models,” it is a full support package for building an army with depth.
If you’re starting fresh, let the book guide your purchases. Custodes armies are expensive in points, but if you build them right, they can actually be a fairly cheap army. Buying with a plan saves you from owning three gorgeous units that do not actually work together.
What This Means for 40k Adeptus Custodes Players
The preview flat out hints at it: a rules update for Adeptus Custodes in 40k is set for later this year, and several of these new miniatures are already suitable for representing existing 40k units.
That matters because it changes the buying math. You are not just collecting “Horus Heresy only” kits. You are building a flexible Custodes collection that can bounce between systems, or at least keep your display shelf pulling double duty.
Hobby Tip: If you play both games, build with versatility in mind. Keep extra helmets, vexilla bits, and spare weapons. Custodes conversions are easy mode because the design language is consistent, and a single swapped head or weapon can turn a line trooper into a character.
Closing Thoughts: Custodes Just Got a Lot More Approachable
All-new plastic Legio Custodes is a big deal, full stop. It makes Horus Heresy Custodes easier to start, easier to expand, and easier to hobby, while also giving 40k Adeptus Custodes players a fresh pile of gorgeous models that can slot into existing collections.
If you have been waiting for the perfect excuse to start a golden army, congratulations. Games Workshop just handed you one, and it comes with a Grav-tank.
If you want in, the best play is simple: start with the battle group, build with flexibility in mind, and paint like every model is a hero. Because in a Custodes army, they kind of are.
New 40k Release Schedule Roadmap
What do you think of all these new Warhammer Custodes models?
