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RULES / POINTS VERSION:
10th Edition, 2025 – 2026 Chapter Approved
September 2025 Balanced Dataslate and MFM Points Update
MATCHUP:
| Faction: | Detachment: |
| Necrons | Awakened Dynasty |
| VS | |
| Faction: | Detachment: |
| Adeptus Custodes | Shield Host |
MISSION:
| GW Mission | A |
| Primary | Take & Hold |
| Terrain Layout | GW Terrain Layout 1 |
| Deployment | Tipping Point |
RESULT:
Singles Format: 80 – 65 Win for Custodes
WTC Teams Format: 12 – 8 WIN
GAME OVERVIEW:
I think this is the type of game that results in Teams 40K being so polarizing. On one hand, it was an insanely close game until Round 5 that was full of emotional highs and lows for both sides. On the other hand, one side (the Custodes) was playing a “meme list” that probably should not exist and playing in a teams format that ensured that it avoided any of the typical skew list bad matchups. Also, the Necrons kept the game so close by basically abandoning the idea of trying to kill the Custodes at all and instead focusing entirely on points and movement/Objective Control (OC) tricks.
I can see how both players would leave this game super frustrated. The Necrons could realistically claim that the Custodes brought a “low skill, stat check army” that relied on getting a good matchup and then just walking forward to do well. Also, the Necrons were forced into a play style that often involved move blocking and out OC’ing the Custodes to keep the game close, which results in a lot of non-interactive play. I can see how Necrons players would not enjoy this play pattern because it doesn’t feel like a real army battle and how Custodes players would get frustrated by having to chase the Necrons around the board yelling “come fight me you cowards!!”
Regardless, I love this type of game as it features a very different approach to list building (Custodes), engages a different part of my brain for setting up the matchup, and the requires a very high level, but also different from your typical game, skill from the Necrons side to avoid a blow out. This was super fun to me.
As for how the game itself went, the Necrons went out early and followed their usual playbook of Advancing the Warrior blob on their Home Objective and the Center Objective, while using a lot of movement to score secondaries elsewhere on the board. They held on in the Center until the Custodes pushed them off of it, which happened in Round 3, which is 1 round earlier than usually happens. After that, they had to pivot to trying to execute a series of move blocks and Primary scoring OC blocks on the Custodes until the Custodes landed a massive “go turn” in Round 4. After that, the game was about scoring Secondaries and the Necrons hanging on because they knew the Custodes were going to score 30 Primary Points over the last 2 rounds.
I’d say that the game ended with both sides feeling OK, but not great about the results. The Necrons really wanted to maintain control of the Center for an additional round and the Custodes left some “meat on the bone”” by hanging out their Prosecutors out to dry in their Deployment Zone in Round 1, which resulted in an Immortal Veil of Darkness bomb removing them.
WHAT I WOULD CHANGE NEXT TIME:
- Necrons
- Its a minor mistake, but made a big difference in this game, but I would be more careful about protecting all of the potential shooting angles into my Deployment Zone. I left a minor lane open in Round 2 and the Custodes dropped in a unit of Custodian Guards who promptly blew up the Reanimator using their double shoot ability. This scored Custodes Bring It Down and also contributed to the Necrons losing the Center in Round 3.
- Custodes
- I got too fancy with my Strategic Reserves and left a squad of Prosecutors hanging out to dry on the Custodes Home Objective, only to have the Veil Immortals pick them up next turn. It cost the Custodes 5 Primary Points and I could have avoided it by starting a squad of Guard on it from the start.
EARNED THEMSELF A NAME:
Illuminor Szeras. My man tanked a Fight Phase from an entire 5 man unit of Custodian Guard until they Fell Back to chase something else and then chased down and killed another full squad before capturing the Custodes Natural Expansion Objective and sitting on it for the rest of the game.
MAGNUS OF THE GAME:
Reanimator. See above on what I would do differently next time. Not the unit’s fault, but it going down started the house of cards falling down all around the Necrons.
FACTION SPECIFIC STRATEGIES:
Necrons:
This list is built to dominate the center of the board, be incredibly annoying to kill, and to…….JUST………NEVER……..DIE!
The backbone of the list is the Necron Warriors, which run with Orikan, the Cryptothralls, and the Overlord for a 4+ Invulnerable Save, multiple Wound profiles, and access to a free stratagem once per Battle Round. The Ghost Ark, Reanimator, and Szeras all provide additional buffs to the Warriors while being difficult to kill, which is important for the late game.
For damage dealers, I have the Skorpekh’s, the Doomsday Ark, and the Immortals + Plasmancer. For mobility, I have the Ophydians and the Veil of Darkness with the Immortals+Plasmancer.
Combine all of these and you get a list that has a high points floor that is very annoying to play against, especially for mono-phase armies.
For this particular matchup, I anticipated that the Necrons would have a hard time consistently damaging the Custodes models. I also was worried about the potential for the Custodes to out OC the Warriors thanks to the Vexilla. Lastly, while Custodes are mostly mono-phase in the Fight Phase, the access to Sustained Hits on 5+’s had me worried that it could potentially overwhelm the Necrons.
Despite this, I thought that I could fend off the Custodes damage and board control and tarpit my way to a back and forth game. I especially liked my chances to punish the Custodes if they started moving up the board too aggressively thanks to the Ophyidians and Veil of Darkness. Going in, I had this game as draw-ish, so between a 11-9 or a 10-10.
| Category | Description |
| Leader / Bodyguard Combos: | Plasmancer with Immortals (Tesla) |
| Orikan the Diviner & Overlord with Translocation Shroud with the Necron Warriors | |
| Skorpekh Lords with Skorpekh Destroyers | |
| Key Strategems: | Protocol of the Conquering Tyrant – Used in your Shooting Phase to reroll hit rolls if a character is leading the unit. |
| Protocol of the Eternal Revenant – Used in Any Phase to stand a character back up once per game with half wounds remaining. | |
| Protocol of the Undying Legion – Used in your opponent’s Shooting or Fight Phase to activate Reanimation Protocols after an enemy unit has finished activating. | |
| Key Combos: | Plasmancer + Veil of Darkness Enchancement + Immortals + Implacable Eradication Ability + Harbinger of Destruction Ability + Protocol of the Conquering Tyrant I use this to get full rerolls to hit and wound when targeting a unit on an Objective and to go fishing for either Sustained Hits 2 (Tesla) or Lethal Hits (Gauss) on 5+’s. Even better when you can “uppy downy” the unit thanks to the Veil and blow up something on the Opponent’s Home Objective. |
| Protocol of the Eternal Revenant + Character that just died. This is BRUTAL for the opponent when used on the 4+ FNP Skorpekh Lord and/or Szeras. | |
| Necron Warriors + Their Number Is Legion Ability + Canoptek Reanimator within 6 inches + Nanoscarab Reanimation Beam Aura + Ghost Ark within 3 inches + Repair Barge Ability + Overlord with Translocation Shroud + My Will Be Done Ability This is the combo that this list is built around. I use this on the Warrior Squad for free every round that I can and it makes the Warriors virtually unkillable thanks to Reanimating 2D3 Wounds per activation that is rerollable if the unit is on an objective. |
Custodes:
This is a “meme list” that is basically Golden Tide. It should not exist because Horde Custodes makes no sense lore wise and is more a reflection of how boring the Custodes Codex is and how cheap they have had to make Custodian Guard in order to make them remotely playable. That said, I want to try this list at least once before it hopefully gets fixed in a Dataslate or 11th Edition.
This is my first time playing this kind of Custodes skew list. Its basically just a stat check that asks its opponents “can you kill enough Toughness 6, 3 to 4 Wound, Saves on 2+ with a 4+ Invulnerable Save bodies before I close to melee and annihilate you?” Not a ton of combos and not super exciting, just a bunch of golden bodies running at you.
For this particular matchup, I am relatively confident that I can kill everything that the Necrons bring to the table, with the exception of maybe the Warrior blob. I’m also only really scared of the Doomsday Ark when it comes to things that can hurt me back. The real worry is the amount of “uppy downy” and board control that the Necrons can bring to bear as this list is very slow and I really don’t want to be moving in multiple directions. If I can keep everything in front of me and crack off a bunch of charges, this could be a 15-5. If not, I’m looking at more of a 10-10.
| Category | Description |
| Leader / Bodyguard Combos: | Blade Champions with the Custodian Wardens |
| Inquisitor Draxus with a Custodian Guard unit | |
| Key Strategems: | Multipotentiality – Used in the Movement Phase to give 1 unit the ability to Fall Back and then Shoot and Charge. |
| Arcane Genetic Alchemy – Used in Any Phase to give a unit a 4+ Feel No Pain against Mortal Wounds | |
| Vigilance Eternal – Used in the Movement Phase to Sticky an Objective you control | |
| Archeotech Munitions – Used in your Shooting Phase to give a unit either Lethal or Sustained Hits. | |
| Epic Challenge – Used in the Fight Phase to give a Character model Precision | |
| Key Combos: | Not a ton here as this list is super straightforward. The best i could come up with is. Draxus + Custodian Guard + Sentinel Storm Ability + Archeotech Munitions Stratagem I use this to shoot twice at Something with Sustained or Lethal Hits. |
ROUND-BY-ROUND RECAP:
The game starts with Necrons deploying their Warriors in the elbow of the Tipping Point Deployment Zone so that they can use an Advance to string out to the Center Objective while still also controlling their own Home Objective and hide their Leaders and buff units behind the L shaped terrain around that objective. The Doomsday Ark (DDA) is then positioned in to dominate the main shooting lane while the Skorpekhs position behind terrain to counterattack any push by the Custodes onto the Necrons’ Natural Expansion Objective (NEO). All other units are used to screen the Necrons backfield.
The Custodes deploy very conservatively with 2 Guard units in Reserves and the rest all hiding from the DDA.
The Necrons win the roll off and go first.
| ROUND 1 | ||
| Phase | Go First: Necrons | Go Last: Custodes |
| Score at Start | 10 | 10 |
| Command | -Draw No Prisoners & A Tempting Target for Secondaries | -Draw Marked For Death and Recover Assets for secondaries -Necrons mark Reanimator, Scythe, & Ghost Ark -Custodes mark Lokhust Destroyer -Draxus activates 18 inch Lone Op ability |
| Movement | -Advance Warriors onto Center Objective -Advance Lokhust Destroyer onto the Necrons’ NEO -All others stage -Disembark Szeras from the GA to buff the Warriors | -Solo Guard out into charge range of Warriors in the Center -Draxxus & Guard onto Custodes’ NEO -All others stage |
| Shooting | -Use Protocol of the Sudden Storm on the Warriors to Kill 1.5 Guard -All others whiff | -Prosecutors & 1 Guard unit recover -Use Archeotech Munitions on Wardens to kill marked Lokhust for 2 VP |
| Charge | -None | -Solo Guard into Warriors |
| Fight | -None | -Use Avenge the Fallen for +1 attacks for Guard kill 11 Warriors -Necrons use Protocols of the Undying Legion → 8 Warriors Reanimate and then use Res Orb for last 3 |
| End of Fight Phase | – Drop both secondaries for 2 CP | -Veil of Darkness used to pick up Immortals -Custodes score 5 on secondaries |
| Score at End | 10 | 15 |
After Round 1, neither army is really sure what to think of the matchup. For the Necrons, they have only moved out a minimal amount of their units and are feeling really good about surviving the Custodes first melee attack unscathed. For the Custodes, they didn’t do much in their turn and still have a long way to go to engage the Necrons in close quarters.
| ROUND 2 | ||
| Phase | Go First: Necrons | Go Last: Custodes |
| Score at Start | 10 | 15 |
| Command | -Draw Assassination and Overwhelming Force for Secondaries -Score 10 on Primary | -Draw Cull the Horde and Bring It Down for secondaries -Draxus activates 18 inch Lone Op ability -Score 5 on Primary |
| Movement | -Flayed Ones move into Charge range of Guard on Center Objective -All others stage -Immortals emerge in Custodes’ Deployment Zone and target Prosecutors on their Home Objective – 1 squad of Deathmarks Deep Strike onto Necrons’ NEO to move block Wardens | -Wardens move to Necrons’ NEO -Wounded Guard on Center Objective approach the Flayed Ones -Draxus and Guard stay put on Custodes’ NEO -All others stage further up -Solo Guard unit from Reserves Deep Strikes onto Custodes Home Objective (HO) -2nd solo Guard unit Deep Strikes 9 inches from the Necrons’ Deployment Zone and Reanimator |
| Shooting | -Immortals kill Prosecutors -Plasmancer kills 1 Warden -Deathmarks whiff -Warriors used Protocol of the Conquering Tyrant and kill 1 Guard | -Use Archeotech Munitions and Double Shoot ability on Guard targeting the Reanimator to kill it for Bring It Down -> 4 VP -All others whiff |
| Charge | -None | -Wounded Guard into Flayed Ones -full Guard unit into the Warriors -Wardens into the Deathmarks on the Necrons’ NEO |
| Fight | -None | -Wardens kill Deathmarks -Wounded Guard kill Flayed Ones -Full Guard kill 1 Cryptothrall + 10 Warriors -Necrons Res 6 Warriors back |
| End of Fight Phase | -Score 3 on Secondaries -drop Assassination for 1 CP | -drop Cull the Horde for 1 CP -Score 4 on Secondaries |
| Score at End | 23 | 24 |
After Round 2, the Necrons are feeling pretty good. They’ve now taken two big hits from the Custodes and had their Warriors live to tell about it. They are out OC’d on the Center Objective, which is a problem, but have the Custodes in range of a lot of their big damage dealing units for a crack back turn. The Custodes are also feeling good now that they have moved up the board more. They just need to survive the crackback relatively unscathed and they are setup for a big “go turn”.
| ROUND 3 | ||
| Phase | Go First: Necrons | Go Last: Custodes |
| Score at Start | 23 | 24 |
| Command | -Draw Display of Might and Cleanse for secondaries -Drop Cleanse for Storm Hostile Objective -Score 5 on Primary | -Draw Extend Battle Lines and Behind Enemy Lines for secondaries -Drop Behind Enemy Lines for Cleanse -Score 5 on Primary |
| Movement | -Szeras moves towards the Guard near the Necrons’ DZ -Warriors pivot and Advance towards the Custodes NEO and contest it with their OC -Immortals advance to contest Custodes HO with their OC -Skorpekhs unit 1 moves into Charge range of Wardens on the Necrons’ NEO -Skorpekhs unit 2 move into into Charge range of Guard on the Center Objective | -Use Multipotentiality to Fall Back Guard from Szeras -3 Guard units move to Charge toward Warriors -2 more Guard units move to Charge Skorpekh Lord 2 -2nd Wardens move to the Center Objective |
| Shooting | -Immortals use Protocol of the Conquering Tyrant into the Guard on the Custodes HO and kill 1.5, just enough to flip the Objective -Warriors use Protocol of the Sudden Storm into Draxus and her Guard to kill 2.5 Guard models -Szerez whiffs, Ghost Ark (GA) whiffs -Skorpekh Lord 1 + DDA into the Wardens on the Necrons’ NEO, kill 1 since the Wardens activated FNP 4+ -Deathmarks Precision Draxus to 2 wounds | -Double shoot a full Guard unit and clear Skorpekh Lord 2 -All others chip Immortals & Warriors -Draxus & Wardens Cleanse |
| Charge | -Skorpekhs 1 into Wardens on the Necrons’ NEO -Skorpekh 2 into Center Guard -Szeras into Guard near the Necrons’ DZ | -Charge 3 Guard units into the Warriors -Guard on Custodes HO go into Immortals |
| Fight | -Skorpekh 1 kill the Wardens and Blade Champion -Custodes interrupt and kill Skorpekhs 2 and the Lord leading them -Skorpekh Lord 2 uses Protocol of the Eternal Revenant to stand back up with 3 wounds -Szeras whiffs and takes 4 damage back | -Immortals & Plasmancer die -Warriors, Overlord, & Orikan all die -1 Guard squad Consolidates into Szeras and Szeras kills 3 Guard in the clap back |
| End of Fight Phase | -Drop Display of Might for 1 CP -Score 4 on Secondaries | -Score 9 on Secondaries -Necrons pick up the Ophydians |
| Score at End | 32 | 38 |
After Round 3, the Necrons are feeling like this might have been the round that lost them the game. They were able to shutdown most of the Custodes’ primary scoring in the round thanks to some clever movement but lost most of their OC and the backbone of their army in the Warriors. Their hope is that they can squeak out enough Secondaries to keep it close.
| ROUND 4 | ||
| Phase | Go First: Necrons | Go Last: Custodes |
| Score at Start | 32 | 38 |
| Command | -Draw Extend Battle Lines and Behind Enemy Lines for Secondaries – which is GREAT! -Score 10 on Primary | -Draw Area Denial and Sabotage for secondaries -Score 15 on Primary |
| Movement | -DDA moves into midfield to shoot the Custodes NEO -Drop both Ophydians in the Custodes’ DZ | -Wardens advance to Necrons NEO -All Guard units shuffle onto objectives or into cover -2 man Guard unit in cover Sabotages -Sticky the Center Objective as insurance against the DDA popping off |
| Shooting | -Deathmarks Precision out Draxus -Use Protocol of the Conquering Tyrant on the DDA to kill 2 Guard models | -None |
| Charge | -None | -Blade Champion & Wardens into last Skorpekhs on the Necrons’ NEO |
| Fight | -Guard use Avenge the Fallen into Szeras for 2 Damage and then all die in the crack back | -Wardens kill the Skorpekhs and Lord |
| End of Fight Phase | -Score 8 Secondary Points | -Score 8 Secondary Points |
| Score at End | 50 | 61 |
The Custodes are starting to run away with the game. Now its just up to the secondary draw to see how close the Necrons can keep it.
| ROUND 5 | ||
| Phase | Go First: Necrons | Go Last: Custodes |
| Score at Start | 50 | 61 |
| Command | -Draw Engage On All Fronts and Sabotage for secondaries – Perfect! -Score 5 on Primary | -Draw Engage On All Fronts and No Prisoners for secondaries -Score 15 on Primary |
| Movement | -Move Szeras towards the Custodes’s NEO | -Wardens and the Blade Champion move in Charge range of the DDA |
| Shooting | -DDA picks up the Guard unit on the Center Objective | -Wardens and Blade Champion into the DDA |
| Charge | -Szeras Charges the Guard on the Custodes’ NEO | Wardens into the DDA |
| Fight | -Szeras kills the Guard on the Custodes’ NEO | Wardens kill the DDA |
| End of Fight Phase | -Necrons score 4 on secondaries | -Custodes score 4 on secondaries -Necrons score 6 on secondaries |
| Score at End | 65 | 80 |
Almost a 13-7 for the Custodes but the Necrons managed to just barely hang on. This was super fun.
LISTS:
Necrons
Awakened Dynasty
Strike Force (2,000 Points)
CHARACTERS
Illuminor Szeras (165 Points)
• Warlord
• 1x Eldritch Lance
• 1x Impaling legs
Orikan the Diviner (80 Points)
• 1x Staff of Tomorrow
Overlord with Translocation Shroud (105 Points)
• 1x Overlord’s blade
• 1x Resurrection Orb
• Enhancements: Nether-realm Casket
Plasmancer (75 Points)
• 1x Plasmic lance
• Enhancements: Veil of Darkness
Skorpekh Lord (120 Points)
• 1x Enmitic annihilator
• 1x Flensing claw
• 1x Hyperphase harvester
• Enhancements: Enaegic Dermal Bond
Skorpekh Lord (90 Points)
• 1x Enmitic annihilator
• 1x Flensing claw
• 1x Hyperphase harvester
BATTLELINE
Immortals (150 Points)
• 10x Immortal
◦ 10x Close combat weapon
◦ 10x Tesla carbine
Necron Warriors (200 Points)
• 20x Necron Warrior
◦ 20x Close combat weapon
◦ 20x Gauss flayer
DEDICATED TRANSPORTS
Ghost Ark (115 Points)
• 1x Armoured bulk
• 2x Gauss flayer array
OTHER DATASHEETS
Canoptek Reanimator (75 Points)
• 2x Atomiser beam
• 1x Reanimator’s claws
Cryptothralls (60 Points)
• 2x Cryptothrall
◦ 2x Scouring eye
◦ 2x Scythed limbs
Deathmarks (60 Points)
• 5x Deathmark
◦ 5x Close combat weapon
◦ 5x Synaptic disintegrator
Deathmarks (60 Points)
• 5x Deathmark
◦ 5x Close combat weapon
◦ 5x Synaptic disintegrator
Doomsday Ark (200 Points)
• 1x Armoured bulk
• 1x Doomsday cannon
• 2x Gauss flayer array
Flayed Ones (60 Points)
• 5x Flayed One
◦ 5x Flayer claws
Lokhust Destroyers (40 Points)
• 1x Close combat weapon
• 1x Gauss cannon
Ophydian Destroyers (80 Points)
• 3x Ophydian Destroyer
◦ 3x Ophydian hyperphase weapons
Ophydian Destroyers (80 Points)
• 3x Ophydian Destroyer
◦ 3x Ophydian hyperphase weapons
Skorpekh Destroyers (90 Points)
• 3x Skorpekh Destroyer
◦ 3x Skorpekh hyperphase weapons
Skorpekh Destroyers (90 Points)
• 3x Skorpekh Destroyer
◦ 3x Skorpekh hyperphase weapons
Exported with App Version: v1.44.0 (2), Data Version: v715
Adeptus Custodes
Shield Host
Strike Force (2,000 Points)
CHARACTERS
Blade Champion (125 Points)
• Warlord
• 1x Vaultswords
• Enhancements: Panoptispex
Blade Champion (120 Points)
• 1x Vaultswords
BATTLELINE
Custodian Guard (200 Points)
• 5x Custodian Guard
◦ 4x Guardian spear
◦ 1x Misericordia
◦ 1x Praesidium Shield
◦ 1x Vexilla
Custodian Guard (200 Points)
• 5x Custodian Guard
◦ 4x Guardian spear
◦ 1x Misericordia
◦ 1x Praesidium Shield
◦ 1x Vexilla
Custodian Guard (200 Points)
• 5x Custodian Guard
◦ 4x Guardian spear
◦ 1x Misericordia
◦ 1x Praesidium Shield
◦ 1x Vexilla
Custodian Guard (200 Points)
• 5x Custodian Guard
◦ 4x Guardian spear
◦ 1x Misericordia
◦ 1x Praesidium Shield
◦ 1x Vexilla
Custodian Guard (200 Points)
• 5x Custodian Guard
◦ 4x Guardian spear
◦ 1x Misericordia
◦ 1x Praesidium Shield
◦ 1x Vexilla
Custodian Guard (200 Points)
• 5x Custodian Guard
◦ 4x Guardian spear
◦ 1x Misericordia
◦ 1x Praesidium Shield
◦ 1x Vexilla
OTHER DATASHEETS
Custodian Wardens (210 Points)
• 4x Custodian Warden
◦ 4x Guardian spear
◦ 1x Vexilla
Custodian Wardens (210 Points)
• 4x Custodian Warden
◦ 4x Guardian spear
◦ 1x Vexilla
Prosecutors (40 Points)
• 1x Prosecutor Sister Superior
◦ 1x Boltgun
◦ 1x Close combat weapon
• 3x Prosecutor
◦ 3x Boltgun
◦ 3x Close combat weapon
ALLIED UNITS
Inquisitor Draxus (95 Points)
• 1x Dirgesinger
• 1x Power fist
• 1x Psychic Tempest
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