There was some confusion recently, where a lot of people were thinking the Emperor of Mankind had been killed in 8th. Looks like that’s not the case.
We recently saw a photo with the title: Terra Retaliates form the new 8th Edition rulebook, and it sent people into a frenzy thinking that the Emperor was being killed off.
The confusion arises when you look at the bottom of the photo and all you can read through the classified scribble is “the Master if Mankind dead”.
Is this just another GW troll? Obviously it wasn’t intentional, just one of those Easter Eggs GW likes to post. With the enhanced version of the new 40k rules that just came out for IOS it looks like the Emperor is indeed not dead.
We came across the full text over at Garro’s Facebook page, and it may clear a lot of stuff up for you fluff bunnies out there:
The Custodes were charged to leave the side of the Emperor, as his faithful bodyguards, and instead strike against those who want him dead. They are simply taking the fight to the ones that want “the Master of Mankind dead”. This is a lot different than thinking the Master of Mankind is dead!
Was this a case of folks over-reacting just a tad? Either way as it looks like this is one part of the storyline in 8th edition that has not advanced yet.
How Do They Train To Defend The Emperor? Custodes – LORE
Via our good friends at Lexicanum
Although the Custodes were among the first modified warriors to be created by the Emperor, they were never intended to be part of a conquering army; such a role was to be filled by the latter Astartes armies. This is revealed both in their mindset and training, where the Custodes do not fight as brothers and as a greater whole but rather as individual warriors. This is in stark contrast to Space Marines, who employ a high degree of teamwork and collective tactics in battle. At least some Astartes look down on the Custodes for these tactics, and it may be that this was deliberately designed so that they shared a bond with none but the Emperor himself.
While Custodians share a genetic kinship with one another within the formation, they do not foster the same spirit of brotherhood that is instilled within the Astartes in order to function together as a unit. Indeed, each Custodian prepares and inspects his equipment individually, rather than on military parade The individuality of each Custodes is further promoted by the fact that the processes required to produce them is not as refined or as simple as that of the Astartes and thus are not “mass-produced” as the Astartes are; meaning that each Custodian is a unique investment for the Imperium. One ritual that the Custodes do share is the recognition of mighty deeds, manifested in the awarding of names, which are added to the Custodian’s title to represent the actions he has performed in service to the Emperor (Constantin Valdor obtained 1932 names prior to the assault on Terra). Such names were inscribed onto the inside of the warrior’s battle armour as marks of individual pride.
The training of the Custodes also differed immensely from the Astartes, being bodyguards rather than soldiers. It is clear from their Blood Games that Custodians are trained in the arts of assassination – both improvised and advanced – in order to counter possible assassination attempts to the Emperor. It is common for several Custodians to be on detached duty for these Blood Games so that the organisation remains vigilant against developing threats. Furthermore it is clear that the Custodes are also well versed in the political etiquette of Terra, and have been known to act outside of Imperial Law, to infiltrate influential Noble Houses and to investigate any potential threats (a role that an Astartes would never be expected to fulfil.)
This aspect of the Custodian mindset is advantageous, given that the Captain-General often shares a seat with the High Lords of Terra, which thus allows him to navigate the political maneuverings of the Imperium’s various agencies, while still remaining an awe-inspiring warrior.
