Custodes Guard Magnetization Guide

If you’ve ever built Custodian Guard, you know the struggle: one kit, way too many incredible weapon options, and the creeping fear that you’ll glue something down and regret it later. Whether you're chasing the perfect loadout, future-proofing your army for meta shifts, or just wanting the flexibility to experiment, magnetizing your Custodian Guard is absolutely worth it.

 

In this guide, I’ll walk you step-by-step through the cleanest, most reliable way to magnetize Custodian Guard arms and weapons using our N52 magnets. By the end, you’ll be able to run whatever the Emperor demands - all from your beautifully painted models.

 

Given how each model in this kit is different from the other,  I’m listing each guard in the order you make them in the instruction manual.

Guard 1(Shield Captain)
Guard 2 (Vexilus Praetor)
Guard 3 (Custodian Guard)
Guard 4 (Custodian Guard)
Guard 5 (Custodian Guard)

Magnet List:
4pcs 3mm x 11.5mm

14pcs 3mm x 0.5mm

23pcs 1.5mm x 1.5mm

 

Drills Used:

1mm

1.5mm

2mm

2.5mm

3mm

 
Magnets Needed: Custodes Bodies

4pcs 3mm x 11.5mm

 

Let’s start with all of the Custodian guard bodies. They’re very similar to how you would magnetize a Space Marine. All of the guards, except Guard 3, will have a 3mm x 11.5mm magnet in them.

 

 I did this by gluing the bodies together and starting with a 1mm drill bit, drilling pilot holes on both sides of the body. I did this to avoid my drill bit going sideways and not meeting the center on the other side. I stepped up my drill bit size until I reached 3mm. Whenever I drilled through the model with a 3mm drill bit, I knew it was ready for the 3mm x 11.5mm magnet to go through.

 

For all of my models, I use the Red side of my Magnicator to insert the magnet from the left.

 

For Guard 3, his arms can be glued on, but not the weapons.

 

 

 

 

Magnets Needed: Shield Captain

3pcs 3mm x 0.5mm

7pcs 1.5mm x 1.5mm

 

            For the Shield Captains' Spear and Sword, I glued them to the arm they belong to, pieces #14 to #13, and #15 to #11, and glued a 3mm x 0.5mm magnet to each arm, noting my polarity. I also did the same thing to be able to swap out his dagger for his shield, drilled a 1.5 mm x 1.5mm magnet into the hand holding the dagger, the shield, and his arm. After that was done, I glued a 3mm x 0.5mm magnet onto the shoulder.

 

 

            Lastly, to swap all three head options, I drilled a 1.5mm hole into the top of his torso, and underneath each head I wanted to swap out, and glued a 1.5mm x 1.5mm magnet into the holes.

 

 

Magnets Needed: Vexilus Praetor

5pcs 3mm x 0.5mm

9pcs 1.5mm x 1.5mm

 

            With the Vexilus Praetor, I glued the banner together and glued that to his arm that holds it. With the arm holding the banner, I glued a 3mm x 0.5mm magnet that connects to his shoulder.

 

 

Before moving on, it’s very important to remember your polarity. Something I do for my models is that all my weapons are red, and my body parts are blue.

            For his shield that he shares between both variants, I drilled and glued a 1.5mm x 1.5 mm magnet into the wrist holding the shield. This shield is used on two different arms, pieces #29 & #59. I drilled and glued a 1.5mm x 1.5mm magnet into the wrist of the arm. For the arms, I repeated the same steps of gluing a 3mm x 0.5mm magnet on the shoulder where the arm meets the body.

 

For the sword, I drilled and glued a 1.5mm x 1.5mm magnet into the wrist and did the same with the spear, repeating the same steps as before.

 

 

Magnets Needed: Custodian Guard 3

4pcs 1.5mm x 1.5mm

 

            This is the easiest guard to do in my opinion, as it doesn’t need a 3mm x 11.5mm magnet AND the 3mm x 0.5mm magnets!  We can glue the arms as normal.

 

            All we need to do is drill into the wrists of the arms, spear, shield, and the pointing hand, and glue 1.5mm x 1.5mm magnets into them!

 

 

 

Magnets Needed: Custodian Guard 4

3pcs 3mm x 0.5mm

7pcs 1.5mm x 1.5mm

 

            This guard has an arm that shares both the spear and the sword, piece #28. As before, we’ll drill into the wrist connection points and glue a 1.5mm x 1.5mm magnet into them. For the shield, I repeated all the same steps as before, and magnetized the shield to the arm. Piece number 29 is also shared with our Vexilus Praetor.

 

            However, for the spear, I was worried that if I glued the arm to the hand, it wouldn’t align properly, and the magnet may not match. For piece #27, I drilled and glued a 1.5mm x 1.5mm magnet into the wrist and the spear where it matches.

 

 

Magnets Needed: Custodian Guard 5

4pcs 3mm x 0.5mm

           

            Finally, the last guard. The arm pieces #36 and #35 can be glued to the spear! Both pieces #36 and #35 can have the 3mm x 0.5mm magnets glued to them.

 

The sword and shield can be glued to their respective arms, and flued with a 3mm x 0.5mm magnet to attach the arms to the body.