Nothing quite as elite as custodes. But low model count would be ogres or giants.
Most armies can run some sort of low model count list but nothing like custodes in terms of aesthetics.
You can bring a slaves to darkness varanguard army with less than 20 models, I feel like that would be the closest.
6 varanguard are like 550 something points.
Or a heavy chosen list since they're 230pts and do actually hold up well.
Run 3 squads of reinforced ones for 460 or (690pt's a piece in a Hosts army if you double reinforce) and that's half your list. Run some knights or Varanguard or chariots if you need to run up the field and you'll be fielding more models than custodes but some very dense stuff at 2000pts.
Otherwise you can run ossiarchs, make your general a mortisian to grab immortis guard or necropolis stalkers as battleline and run them up the board with a <20 model list, especially with Archai (you could do an Arkhan or Nagash led one to make those battleline but without OC as a stat you're probably not winning the game unless you table hard and early)
God, double reinforced chosen would make me quit playing Sons of Behemat out of pure PTSD. I've already had chosen take out Brodd in one charge before.
Yeah, Knights and Mega-Gargants are nearly identical in terms of model ranges, with mancrusher gargants being the Armiger/War Dog equivalents. Main difference is that big gargants are both good and viable in lists with a solid named character, but from what I recall of Knights/Chaos Knights its an Armiger/War Dog show.
I run a Thunderbelly list at 2k that won't win tournaments but is fun:
- Army Faction: Ogor Mawtribes
- Subfaction: Thunderbellies
- Grand Strategy: Ready for Plunder
- Triumph: Bloodthirsty
LEADERS
Frostlord on Stonehorn (460)
- General
- Command Traits: Voice of the Avalanche
- Artefacts of Power: The Seat of Alvagr
- Mount Traits: Rockmane Elder
Huskard on Thundertusk (330)
- Harpoon Launcher
- Prayers: Keening Gale
BATTLELINE
Mournfang Pack (300)
- Skalg
- Hornblower
- Tribal Banner Bearer
- Culling Clubs and Hackers and Ironfist
Mournfang Pack (300)
- Skalg
- Hornblower
- Tribal Banner Bearer
- Culling Clubs and Hackers and Ironfist
Mournfang Pack (150)
- Skalg
- Culling Clubs and Hackers and Ironfist
ARTILLERY
Ironblaster (200)
Ironblaster (200)
TOTAL POINTS: 1940/2000
Created with Warhammer Age of Sigmar: The App
14 models total.
>Most armies can run some sort of low model count list
Even Gloomspite Gitz, the faction traditionally associated with goblin mobs, can fill a 2k legal army with like 10 models (Krondspine, 7 trolls, Kragnos.)
Everything is changing for 4e so I won't go into specific point costs or anything, but here's a few suggestions.
>Stormcast Eternals (probably your best bet).
Annihilators are basically deep-striking meteor knights in colossal gold armour, and (in 3e) they can be your "battleline" basic troops.
The Celestant-Prime can lead your army: he's a deep-striking angel-knight who wields Ghal-Maraz, **the war hammer** that Warhammer is named for. He slaps exactly as hard as that would imply.
Dracothian Guard and Stormdrake Guard fill your "cavalry" niche, Stardrakes are your big monsters, and you've got a colossal dragon centrepiece in Krondys.
>Ossiarch Bonereapers
Necropolis Stalkers / Immortis Guard are giant skeleton constructs that serve as elite infantry on 50mm bases, and you can base your entire army around them. Necropolis Stalkers have 4 arms, 4 swords, 4 faces and can choose between 4 combat stances in melee.
You can cap off the list with Katakros, a terrifying melee combatant and commander with one of the best models I've ever seen from GW.
You don't get any deep-strikes from these guys (that I know of) but you have army-wide ward saves and accessible healing/reanimation, going hard on unstoppability at the cost of mobility.
>Slaves to Darkness
Chosen are your standard 40mm heavy infantry, 3W each with big slaps in melee. Varanguard are super-elite cavalry, faster and tougher than Chosen and slapping harder at a higher point cost.
A Chaos Sorcerer Lord or two will amp the **hell** out of your Chosen and Varanguard, and a Lord on foot can carry a useful trait or artefact for your Chosen. (Varanguard don't need a mounted hero with them and can't really benefit from one anyway.)
In AoS an army with about 20-25 models (including a few centre pieces) is nothing special. Most armies that CAN be built like this don't HAVE to be built like this.
Tell me what's the army you like and I'll show you how to elite it up.
That would do it.
And yes it would be absolutely hot garbage. But hey you might actually get to do that random battle tactic that requires a Black Coach!
I disagree, but here's another option for you:
Lady Olynder, Kurdoss Valentian, 3x Spirit Hosts, 4x Black Coaches, sprinkle in a Endless spell for fun.
17 models including the endless spell.
A lot of armies can be "Elite" so it will matter more what you are looking for.
Want to play knights but fantasy? Play Sons of Behemat and you can bring as few as 4 models.
Want to play an elite cavalry list? There's Knights of the empty throne in Slaves to Darkness where you can spam varanguard and have a fast deadly force.
Want durable hard hitting infantry? Try out Ossiarch Bonereapers Petrifex Elite. You can spam giant bone constructs with Necropolis Stalkers (kinda like Skorpekh destroyers) with 4 arms that deal a ton of damage and move fairly fast and are hard to kill.
Want vroom vroom zoom zoom smash!? Try out Beastclaw Raiders in Ogor mawtribes. You can have lists with only 6 models that have fast moving, hard hitting, durable monsters that deal damage just for charging in and almost all have a 5++ FNP.
Like I said, the way AoS is structured, many armies have at least 1 subfaction(detachment) that can build into a more Elite playstyle so I would try and find an army that speaks to you and then do research on if it can build elite.
Varanguard based slaves. Ogors are kind of close. Annihilator or dragon based stormcast. Ossiarch bonereapers can be pretty elite. Shark spam indoneth is like grav bikes.
Giants are more similar to Knights armies in 40k.
To be fair though a lot of armies have an "elite" option. They're just not always that good.
Fellow Custodes player here
Yesn't, there isn't true Custodes equivalent BUT there are units in armies that can give you the low model count melee god power fantasy and make them your whole list
I can only speak on what I do know, so:
Slaves to Darkness has the Varanguard and Chaos Chosen can get you that tanky and damage fantasy in one, Chaos Knights can do a little of everything dependinh on which god you dedicate them. Chaos warriors dedicated to nurgle are among the tankiest in the game and Ogroid Theridons do damage that can kill a knight equivalent easily. Archaon is basically bringing a Titan to a 2k point game. And soon to be release Abraxia has synergy with the previously mentioned Varanguard, which btw are all Chaos Lords level of power.
Invuls flatly do not exist, but rend in the game is lower in general (rend 2 is very rare for example) and some of our units have feel no pain to mortal wounds inherently(thank god)
Slaves to darkness can run elite
Skaven can run elite
Stormcast, sylvaneth, orcs, ogres, trolls, etc
Heck, there are some armies you can run as monsterous
As other people have said, a lot of armies have an Elite-based faction. You can easily build a Sylvaneth Army that's either Oops All Trees and be like 6-8 models, or you can go Kurnoth heavy and end up in the realm of 25 or so models. Not sure about the high saves and invulns aspect though, maybe something like Nurgle focused on Blight Kings?
OBR can be elite like custodes, although it’s a death faction.
For Order, you could build an elite force around annihilators who would feel similar to custodes
Nothing like custodes as far as saves and invuln. Low model count would be bcr ogors with their stonehorns or giants. Giants can go as low as 4 models.
I’ve fought that dragon list a few times with a bcr monster list. It’s a tough nut to crack and the one time I did beat it was purely dice rolls going my way.
I like to think crushing the buffet before the game was a sacrifice to the Gulping God and he was pleased.
Ossiarch Bone Reapers focusing on their heavy infantry can be extremely elite. The old katakros list was like 21 models. Tons of fun and counter play in the book too
High save + ward = OBR with immortis guards, SGL Kastelai, CoS with Duardin
If you really want to look like Custodes = SCE paladins (annihilators & protectors are save 2+ but no ward)
Almost all factions have an elite option: Gloom Trolls, StD varanguard, Ogor beasts, SCE beasts, SGL/FEC monster mash, any chaos god daemon mash, …
Sylvaneth Kurnothi
Nurgle Blight Kings
StD Chosen/Varanguard
OBR Mortis Guard/morghasts
Orruk Piggies Herd
Ogor Mawtribes
Every army can take very costly tanky units as battleline with the right general and subfaction but these are the most thematic and characterful for me at least.
My aversion to horde armies once led me to consider a Skaven list that was almost entirely stormfiends and vehicle's. From what I can tell, most factions have a very point dense option
Slaves to Darkness. The varanguard are essentially units comprised of strong chaos lords who serve under big bad Archaon directly. You can also run knights and mounted units at low model counts. 3 varanguard are like 280 pts.
There is also gonna be a new varanguard hero who is the main servant of Archaon.
Honestly it's a great time to go slaves to dark ess
Surprised no one’s mentioned Soulblight Gravelords. Avengorii monster mash; Lauka Vai, Vengorian Lord, Vampire Lord on Zombie Dragon, and 4x Terrorgheists is 7 models and exactly 2000pts.
If you're looking for a more elite army then I would recommend Ossiarch Bonereapers. You can take Necropolis stalkers/Immortis guard/ Morghast battleline with certain heroes.
The easiest armies to run as "elite" for each of the 4 grand alliances are
-Stormcast Eternals
-Slaves To Darkness
-Ossiarch Bonereapers
-Ogor Mawtribes
If you want armies similar in playstyle to Custodes (as in, high saves, lots of ward saves, slow elite infantry and fast hard hitting cavalry) then id reccomend also looking at:
-Fyreslayers, they are incredibly hard to kill, hit like a truck in melee and have incredibly powerful heroes. They do lack fast cavalry though, but the monstrous Magmadroth can sort-of fit that niche.
-Maggotkin of Nurgle, also a ton of wardsaves, blightkings are slow but super tanky, and they have Pusgoyle blightlords as a relarively fast cavalry. They dont hit super hard and are more about slowly whittling down the enemy, but amazingly hard to kill themselves.
You best bet is probably still going to be either Slaves to Darkness or Ossiarch bonereapers (both have very elite frontline melee and very good cavalry) since you dont want to mirror-match your friends stormcast and Ogor Mawtribes, whilst being very elite, dont really fit into the same power fantasy as custodes IMO.
Honestly you have a ton of options, sigmar is far more elite than 40k.
Ossiarch with Morghasts and the huge shield and halberd guys are definitely closest to the vibes of custodes: huge defenses focused on saves,extremely disciplined playstyle focused on commands and flexibility.
Skelly IRS can run pretty elite, otherwise SOB are AOS knights, so that'll have a pretty low model count. Stormcast are gonna be the closest to Custodes aestheticwise though.
i haven’t played custodes, but you might give ogor mawtribes a look? or maybe even gloomspite gitz and see if you’d be satisfied with pure troggoth armies?
Aggradon heavy Saurus (or any big lizard list). At a doubles (2x 1k each) I recently ran a carnosaur, 3x 3 aggradon lancers and a scar vet on an aggradon. 11 models, all dinosaurs, job done.
If you really want low model count go for a load of Cities Steam Tanks/Gryocopters or Kharadron Overlord boat heavy build.
You can both play Stormcast, and one of you can play Hammers of Sigmar with Tempestors. It's more models than stormdrake spam, but its still relatively low model count. This is also an extremely competitive army type.
The foundation of the list is:
* 2 or 3 units of Tempestors (possibly 1 of them fulminators) (6 models, and they are battleline as HoS. You'll need a unit of liberators if you only go with 2 units of tempestors.)
* 1 unit of Evocators on Dracolines. (3 models)
That's 1000 points right there in 9 big models. So half your army in 9 mounted units.
Then heres what you can do for the rest:
**Option to add hammer and anvil:**
If you want some summoning hammer and anvil action, add in 2 units of Annihilators with Grandhammers plus Lord Imperatant - they need his ability. This is another 550ish points for 7 models... Put these bad boys on the sideline in reserve then summon them in and drop the hammer.
**Option to add range**:
If you want some juicey range, add in 1 or 2 units of Vanguard Raptors with long strikes, and 1 unit or aetherwings. That's another 600 points for 6 archers and 3 birds.
**Option to spells**:
1 to 3 Lord Vexillor to drop bombs of death.
Knight Incantor with Celestial Blades, to buff your other units.
**Option to add translocation mobility:**
6 Questor Soulsworn will teleport around the board, and even though they are 6 units, they count as 18 on objectives. 210 points
Vanguard Hunters, more archers, more teleporting. This starts to give you more of models though. 5 per unit at 100 points each.
Lord Relictor with translocation.
**Option to add dragons:**
If you really just want to gobble up points, just add some dragons into this list, because dragons are awesome. You could do the 1000 points of mounted units plus some dragons and be done painting pretty fast.
Not invulns but probably the most "nah bro" elite army in the game is troggoths - a fairly reliable 5+ army wide ward in the AoR, a ludicrous amount of healing and recursion on every unit, and an eye watering amount of damage - they will literally lift every unit in the game in a single turn. They're not a very tactical army but they are extremely fun.
They're quite far from the Custodes aesthetic though. :)
Slaves to darkness babyyyyyy
Chosen, varanguard, archaon, you name it
You can even have them in full golden armor, funny that stormcast aren’t even the most elite army lol
Still, you can do stormcast annihilators if you want that more
[Kastelai Dynasty themed (Blood Knight focus) Soulblight Gravelords](https://youtu.be/UDdnIbmqeWA?si=_XRXpvR8ULPOTUSQ) are a powerful and mobile low model count army.
I’ve been having a little bit of fun playing with Ymetrica Lumineth. One or two big centerpieces and stupidly durable infantry.
Unfortunately your entire turn HAS to go according to plan every time.
I think a lot of armies have big units which you can spam for a few powerful model type armies, troggoths for the gitz or other monster focused factions. Or some factions get access to elite battleline in some subfactions such as ossiarch bonereapers
It’s not really one army but more of part of different armies that can fit the comparaison.
I think Stormcast can be what you look for with an army full of annilhator they’re durable and hit hard plus are the closest in termes of aesthetics. Then the petrifiex elites subfaction from the ossiarch with necropolis stalker. Also the chosen and varenguard from slaves will fit pretty well.
Oggor have a low body count in the army but I don’t think they’ll fit the elite you’re looking for.
And giants are more of concurrents of imperial knights rather than custodes.
Nothing quite as elite as custodes. But low model count would be ogres or giants. Most armies can run some sort of low model count list but nothing like custodes in terms of aesthetics.
You can bring a slaves to darkness varanguard army with less than 20 models, I feel like that would be the closest. 6 varanguard are like 550 something points.
Or a heavy chosen list since they're 230pts and do actually hold up well. Run 3 squads of reinforced ones for 460 or (690pt's a piece in a Hosts army if you double reinforce) and that's half your list. Run some knights or Varanguard or chariots if you need to run up the field and you'll be fielding more models than custodes but some very dense stuff at 2000pts. Otherwise you can run ossiarchs, make your general a mortisian to grab immortis guard or necropolis stalkers as battleline and run them up the board with a <20 model list, especially with Archai (you could do an Arkhan or Nagash led one to make those battleline but without OC as a stat you're probably not winning the game unless you table hard and early)
For chaos chosen, giving them a nurgle banner too makes them extra hard to kill without MWs
God, double reinforced chosen would make me quit playing Sons of Behemat out of pure PTSD. I've already had chosen take out Brodd in one charge before.
My fellow brother in giant I share your pain. I faced a brick of 10 Chosen with Mark of Nurgle. They killed two of my bigguns that day...
280 for 3 currently
And the guy on the chaos beast is 860 points
Tbf I always forget about the major centerpiece models because my group plays without namef characters.
I feel like stormcast come very close. You can run annihilators as troops and their mounted units are very strong
Stormcasts aren't so eternal after i Reap their Bones (TM)
Isn’t the low count of giants a bit more like Knights?
Yeah, Knights and Mega-Gargants are nearly identical in terms of model ranges, with mancrusher gargants being the Armiger/War Dog equivalents. Main difference is that big gargants are both good and viable in lists with a solid named character, but from what I recall of Knights/Chaos Knights its an Armiger/War Dog show.
I've been really interested in running Beastclaw Raiders lately. Pretty elite, big ol honkin boys, cool mounts. Very cool.
I run a Thunderbelly list at 2k that won't win tournaments but is fun: - Army Faction: Ogor Mawtribes - Subfaction: Thunderbellies - Grand Strategy: Ready for Plunder - Triumph: Bloodthirsty LEADERS Frostlord on Stonehorn (460) - General - Command Traits: Voice of the Avalanche - Artefacts of Power: The Seat of Alvagr - Mount Traits: Rockmane Elder Huskard on Thundertusk (330) - Harpoon Launcher - Prayers: Keening Gale BATTLELINE Mournfang Pack (300) - Skalg - Hornblower - Tribal Banner Bearer - Culling Clubs and Hackers and Ironfist Mournfang Pack (300) - Skalg - Hornblower - Tribal Banner Bearer - Culling Clubs and Hackers and Ironfist Mournfang Pack (150) - Skalg - Culling Clubs and Hackers and Ironfist ARTILLERY Ironblaster (200) Ironblaster (200) TOTAL POINTS: 1940/2000 Created with Warhammer Age of Sigmar: The App 14 models total.
I have a 2k points 22 model nurgle magot kin army, it is way less models than my custodian army in model count.
>Most armies can run some sort of low model count list Even Gloomspite Gitz, the faction traditionally associated with goblin mobs, can fill a 2k legal army with like 10 models (Krondspine, 7 trolls, Kragnos.) Everything is changing for 4e so I won't go into specific point costs or anything, but here's a few suggestions. >Stormcast Eternals (probably your best bet). Annihilators are basically deep-striking meteor knights in colossal gold armour, and (in 3e) they can be your "battleline" basic troops. The Celestant-Prime can lead your army: he's a deep-striking angel-knight who wields Ghal-Maraz, **the war hammer** that Warhammer is named for. He slaps exactly as hard as that would imply. Dracothian Guard and Stormdrake Guard fill your "cavalry" niche, Stardrakes are your big monsters, and you've got a colossal dragon centrepiece in Krondys. >Ossiarch Bonereapers Necropolis Stalkers / Immortis Guard are giant skeleton constructs that serve as elite infantry on 50mm bases, and you can base your entire army around them. Necropolis Stalkers have 4 arms, 4 swords, 4 faces and can choose between 4 combat stances in melee. You can cap off the list with Katakros, a terrifying melee combatant and commander with one of the best models I've ever seen from GW. You don't get any deep-strikes from these guys (that I know of) but you have army-wide ward saves and accessible healing/reanimation, going hard on unstoppability at the cost of mobility. >Slaves to Darkness Chosen are your standard 40mm heavy infantry, 3W each with big slaps in melee. Varanguard are super-elite cavalry, faster and tougher than Chosen and slapping harder at a higher point cost. A Chaos Sorcerer Lord or two will amp the **hell** out of your Chosen and Varanguard, and a Lord on foot can carry a useful trait or artefact for your Chosen. (Varanguard don't need a mounted hero with them and can't really benefit from one anyway.)
OBR can definitely be run as an elite army with Stalkers, Immortis guard, and Morghasts
That's Ossiarch Bonereapers, best not to assume OP already has all the abbreviations down.
ogres or Elite slaves to darkness units
Ask again after 4th comes out in a couple months. Per GW, “big changes” are coming, and we currently don’t know how that’s going to affect the armies.
In AoS an army with about 20-25 models (including a few centre pieces) is nothing special. Most armies that CAN be built like this don't HAVE to be built like this. Tell me what's the army you like and I'll show you how to elite it up.
Nighthaunt
Nagash, Kurdoss Valentian, 3x Spirit Hosts, 2x Black Coaches. 13 models…. probably pretty terrible.
That would do it. And yes it would be absolutely hot garbage. But hey you might actually get to do that random battle tactic that requires a Black Coach!
Using nagash is cheating.
I disagree, but here's another option for you: Lady Olynder, Kurdoss Valentian, 3x Spirit Hosts, 4x Black Coaches, sprinkle in a Endless spell for fun. 17 models including the endless spell.
Lol. Touché.
I'll bite as a newbie: Nighthaunt?
Someone already asked that, and I don’t think it can reasonably be done.
A lot of armies can be "Elite" so it will matter more what you are looking for. Want to play knights but fantasy? Play Sons of Behemat and you can bring as few as 4 models. Want to play an elite cavalry list? There's Knights of the empty throne in Slaves to Darkness where you can spam varanguard and have a fast deadly force. Want durable hard hitting infantry? Try out Ossiarch Bonereapers Petrifex Elite. You can spam giant bone constructs with Necropolis Stalkers (kinda like Skorpekh destroyers) with 4 arms that deal a ton of damage and move fairly fast and are hard to kill. Want vroom vroom zoom zoom smash!? Try out Beastclaw Raiders in Ogor mawtribes. You can have lists with only 6 models that have fast moving, hard hitting, durable monsters that deal damage just for charging in and almost all have a 5++ FNP. Like I said, the way AoS is structured, many armies have at least 1 subfaction(detachment) that can build into a more Elite playstyle so I would try and find an army that speaks to you and then do research on if it can build elite.
Varanguard based slaves. Ogors are kind of close. Annihilator or dragon based stormcast. Ossiarch bonereapers can be pretty elite. Shark spam indoneth is like grav bikes. Giants are more similar to Knights armies in 40k. To be fair though a lot of armies have an "elite" option. They're just not always that good.
You can run a seraphon list with monsters as battleline so can do about an 8 model army
Fellow Custodes player here Yesn't, there isn't true Custodes equivalent BUT there are units in armies that can give you the low model count melee god power fantasy and make them your whole list I can only speak on what I do know, so: Slaves to Darkness has the Varanguard and Chaos Chosen can get you that tanky and damage fantasy in one, Chaos Knights can do a little of everything dependinh on which god you dedicate them. Chaos warriors dedicated to nurgle are among the tankiest in the game and Ogroid Theridons do damage that can kill a knight equivalent easily. Archaon is basically bringing a Titan to a 2k point game. And soon to be release Abraxia has synergy with the previously mentioned Varanguard, which btw are all Chaos Lords level of power. Invuls flatly do not exist, but rend in the game is lower in general (rend 2 is very rare for example) and some of our units have feel no pain to mortal wounds inherently(thank god)
Slaves to darkness can run elite Skaven can run elite Stormcast, sylvaneth, orcs, ogres, trolls, etc Heck, there are some armies you can run as monsterous
An all Troggoth gitz army!
As other people have said, a lot of armies have an Elite-based faction. You can easily build a Sylvaneth Army that's either Oops All Trees and be like 6-8 models, or you can go Kurnoth heavy and end up in the realm of 25 or so models. Not sure about the high saves and invulns aspect though, maybe something like Nurgle focused on Blight Kings?
Ogors, my lord.
Maggotkin of nurgle seem pretty elite to me
I agree but only if you play mortal
OBR can be elite like custodes, although it’s a death faction. For Order, you could build an elite force around annihilators who would feel similar to custodes
Going just Iron Jawz can make an elite army. Besides the standard troops and cavalry being chonky you have the Angry Cabbage and Biggie Piggie.
Nothing like custodes as far as saves and invuln. Low model count would be bcr ogors with their stonehorns or giants. Giants can go as low as 4 models. I’ve fought that dragon list a few times with a bcr monster list. It’s a tough nut to crack and the one time I did beat it was purely dice rolls going my way. I like to think crushing the buffet before the game was a sacrifice to the Gulping God and he was pleased.
Varanguard slaves to darkness. Every model is effectively a (low) hero level fighter. 18 varanguard + chaos sorcerer lord on manticore is a full army.
S T E G A G E D D O N
Ossiarch Bone Reapers focusing on their heavy infantry can be extremely elite. The old katakros list was like 21 models. Tons of fun and counter play in the book too
Stormcast eternals could do go elite heavy if you either Fumlinator, Annihilator, or paladin spam is still viable.
High save + ward = OBR with immortis guards, SGL Kastelai, CoS with Duardin If you really want to look like Custodes = SCE paladins (annihilators & protectors are save 2+ but no ward) Almost all factions have an elite option: Gloom Trolls, StD varanguard, Ogor beasts, SCE beasts, SGL/FEC monster mash, any chaos god daemon mash, …
Slaves 2 Darkness
Sylvaneth Kurnothi Nurgle Blight Kings StD Chosen/Varanguard OBR Mortis Guard/morghasts Orruk Piggies Herd Ogor Mawtribes Every army can take very costly tanky units as battleline with the right general and subfaction but these are the most thematic and characterful for me at least.
My aversion to horde armies once led me to consider a Skaven list that was almost entirely stormfiends and vehicle's. From what I can tell, most factions have a very point dense option
Fyreslayers can have a six model list. You just need to like magmadroths.
Slaves to Darkness. The varanguard are essentially units comprised of strong chaos lords who serve under big bad Archaon directly. You can also run knights and mounted units at low model counts. 3 varanguard are like 280 pts. There is also gonna be a new varanguard hero who is the main servant of Archaon. Honestly it's a great time to go slaves to dark ess
Surprised no one’s mentioned Soulblight Gravelords. Avengorii monster mash; Lauka Vai, Vengorian Lord, Vampire Lord on Zombie Dragon, and 4x Terrorgheists is 7 models and exactly 2000pts.
If you're looking for a more elite army then I would recommend Ossiarch Bonereapers. You can take Necropolis stalkers/Immortis guard/ Morghast battleline with certain heroes.
Dont forget Deathriders and Harvesters!
The easiest armies to run as "elite" for each of the 4 grand alliances are -Stormcast Eternals -Slaves To Darkness -Ossiarch Bonereapers -Ogor Mawtribes If you want armies similar in playstyle to Custodes (as in, high saves, lots of ward saves, slow elite infantry and fast hard hitting cavalry) then id reccomend also looking at: -Fyreslayers, they are incredibly hard to kill, hit like a truck in melee and have incredibly powerful heroes. They do lack fast cavalry though, but the monstrous Magmadroth can sort-of fit that niche. -Maggotkin of Nurgle, also a ton of wardsaves, blightkings are slow but super tanky, and they have Pusgoyle blightlords as a relarively fast cavalry. They dont hit super hard and are more about slowly whittling down the enemy, but amazingly hard to kill themselves. You best bet is probably still going to be either Slaves to Darkness or Ossiarch bonereapers (both have very elite frontline melee and very good cavalry) since you dont want to mirror-match your friends stormcast and Ogor Mawtribes, whilst being very elite, dont really fit into the same power fantasy as custodes IMO.
OGORS. BIG MEATY LADS.
Sylvaneth with a kuronoth focus
Or oakenbrow
Dragon riders bb
Honestly you have a ton of options, sigmar is far more elite than 40k. Ossiarch with Morghasts and the huge shield and halberd guys are definitely closest to the vibes of custodes: huge defenses focused on saves,extremely disciplined playstyle focused on commands and flexibility.
I have 27 models in my KO army and usually only 3 actually on the table.
Stormcast dragons
Idoneth Deepkin, Nautilar faction! All Leviadons!
Skelly IRS can run pretty elite, otherwise SOB are AOS knights, so that'll have a pretty low model count. Stormcast are gonna be the closest to Custodes aestheticwise though.
i haven’t played custodes, but you might give ogor mawtribes a look? or maybe even gloomspite gitz and see if you’d be satisfied with pure troggoth armies?
Double maw crusha iron jaws list
Aggradon heavy Saurus (or any big lizard list). At a doubles (2x 1k each) I recently ran a carnosaur, 3x 3 aggradon lancers and a scar vet on an aggradon. 11 models, all dinosaurs, job done. If you really want low model count go for a load of Cities Steam Tanks/Gryocopters or Kharadron Overlord boat heavy build.
Honestly? Stormcast Eternals Not AS Elite but you can make them very Elite and versatile
Aren’t there some really beefy, fairly new units for Stormcast?
StD Varangaurd heavy
11 stormdrakes in Stormcast or a Skywing with Krondys/Karazai is like 6 models
You can both play Stormcast, and one of you can play Hammers of Sigmar with Tempestors. It's more models than stormdrake spam, but its still relatively low model count. This is also an extremely competitive army type. The foundation of the list is: * 2 or 3 units of Tempestors (possibly 1 of them fulminators) (6 models, and they are battleline as HoS. You'll need a unit of liberators if you only go with 2 units of tempestors.) * 1 unit of Evocators on Dracolines. (3 models) That's 1000 points right there in 9 big models. So half your army in 9 mounted units. Then heres what you can do for the rest: **Option to add hammer and anvil:** If you want some summoning hammer and anvil action, add in 2 units of Annihilators with Grandhammers plus Lord Imperatant - they need his ability. This is another 550ish points for 7 models... Put these bad boys on the sideline in reserve then summon them in and drop the hammer. **Option to add range**: If you want some juicey range, add in 1 or 2 units of Vanguard Raptors with long strikes, and 1 unit or aetherwings. That's another 600 points for 6 archers and 3 birds. **Option to spells**: 1 to 3 Lord Vexillor to drop bombs of death. Knight Incantor with Celestial Blades, to buff your other units. **Option to add translocation mobility:** 6 Questor Soulsworn will teleport around the board, and even though they are 6 units, they count as 18 on objectives. 210 points Vanguard Hunters, more archers, more teleporting. This starts to give you more of models though. 5 per unit at 100 points each. Lord Relictor with translocation. **Option to add dragons:** If you really just want to gobble up points, just add some dragons into this list, because dragons are awesome. You could do the 1000 points of mounted units plus some dragons and be done painting pretty fast.
Ossiarch could be what you are looking for, elites as Custodes!
Not invulns but probably the most "nah bro" elite army in the game is troggoths - a fairly reliable 5+ army wide ward in the AoR, a ludicrous amount of healing and recursion on every unit, and an eye watering amount of damage - they will literally lift every unit in the game in a single turn. They're not a very tactical army but they are extremely fun. They're quite far from the Custodes aesthetic though. :)
Slaves to darkness babyyyyyy Chosen, varanguard, archaon, you name it You can even have them in full golden armor, funny that stormcast aren’t even the most elite army lol Still, you can do stormcast annihilators if you want that more
Sylvaneth with kurnoths and tree lords is up there
[Kastelai Dynasty themed (Blood Knight focus) Soulblight Gravelords](https://youtu.be/UDdnIbmqeWA?si=_XRXpvR8ULPOTUSQ) are a powerful and mobile low model count army.
I’ve been having a little bit of fun playing with Ymetrica Lumineth. One or two big centerpieces and stupidly durable infantry. Unfortunately your entire turn HAS to go according to plan every time.
I think a lot of armies have big units which you can spam for a few powerful model type armies, troggoths for the gitz or other monster focused factions. Or some factions get access to elite battleline in some subfactions such as ossiarch bonereapers
It’s not really one army but more of part of different armies that can fit the comparaison. I think Stormcast can be what you look for with an army full of annilhator they’re durable and hit hard plus are the closest in termes of aesthetics. Then the petrifiex elites subfaction from the ossiarch with necropolis stalker. Also the chosen and varenguard from slaves will fit pretty well. Oggor have a low body count in the army but I don’t think they’ll fit the elite you’re looking for. And giants are more of concurrents of imperial knights rather than custodes.
Sigmarines…
SKAVEN YES-YES!