Warhammer 40k

[Judge Dredd]

Your friend is relapsing, combat patrol will not satisfy him, if he wants a good small scale game you are right to steer him towards killteam.

Space Marine 2 and me getting into K47, as well as asking him about Spearhead seems to have been the cause.

if you want the cheapest entry, Imp Knights Armiger box is $80.

Thanks. I had no idea they were a combat patrol. I've been thinking of small knights just as models. I'm concerned about it being a skew list, but I'm guessing that's less of an issue if lists are fixed.

The ultimate starter set comes with 2 combat patrols(marines and nids), maybe you could borrow the other

That's the plan if I decide to drop £0 on this. I'll be stuck playing nids, but meh. By the time he has them ready I'm guessing 11th will be near.

Guard/krieg if you can source 5-6 horses and 3 gun emplacements.

Those will be tough. Getting a HQ has proven difficult too due to those being limited to 3D prints. I can kitbash some. Even if I buy the GW kit, it doesn't match the look of the rest of my proxies.

I do not collect models I dont want. dont care how cool a faction is, how much I've already collected, how powerful it is to play, or how cheap a discount is.

I'm almost the opposite in that I only collect models I think are cool, or I can get to play a game I like. Price is also a factor. I'd love to build a SM first company, but the price of terminators stops me. The idea of spending £100+ on 15 guys is outragous no matter how cool.

Then you need to ask if you plan on expanding the army and if you even like the models that come in the box.

Combat Patrol should only be looked at as cost effective purchases for an army you were already going to get.

I don't really have plans to.

My Warhammer of choice is Kill Team, followed by Spearhead. Mostly due to cost and space constraints. As weird as it sounds, removing the list building is a big plus too. The only 40k army I'm tempted to collect at present is basic bitch Space Marines, and even then more to create the kind of army I couldn't afford as a kid. My hobby money will likely go into K47 in the near future.

 

[harbringer883]

Question. What are some "good" combat patrols as combat patrols? I mainly care about fun. Should I bother at all? What is a low cost low effort entry into 40k that isn't a curb stomp? What's a good path into a small 40k collection? Will I ever stop asking inane questions?

Best combat patrols:
Old Aeldari
Old Drukhari
Harlequins
Imperial Fists
Raven Guard
Old genestealer cults

 

[Hermann von Salsa]

He’d get a little gayer.

All of his children were made in test tubes, how much gayer could he be?

 

[Mr Clark]

Best combat patrols:
Old Aeldari
Old Drukhari
Harlequins
Imperial Fists
Raven Guard
Old genestealer cults

New Aeldari and Drukhari arent terrible, they just cater to a specific subset of the army and follow a good box. Following a good box really kills it.

Custodes top tier. 2 is an easy buy, 3 if you go all in.

Emperor's Children is solid and IF you got army box and the Christmas Box you have basically the whole range.

Blood Angel ok.

 

[p1138]

New Aeldari and Drukhari arent terrible, they just cater to a specific subset of the army and follow a good box. Following a good box really kills it.

Custodes top tier. 2 is an easy buy, 3 if you go all in.

Emperor's Children is solid and IF you got army box and the Christmas Box you have basically the whole range.

Blood Angel ok.

The old GSC box was insane due to the amount of shit it came with. Custodes combat patrols basically have to be top tier because there's so few actual plastic units.

Guard, wardens, terminators, bikes, sisters of silence, rhino, landraider, the HH contemptor dread and that's it for plastic outside of a couple of characters. About the only way to make a custodes box without it being half the range in one go was their boarding patrol box and even that was guard, terminators, and trajan valoris.

As far as combat patrol being "balanced" I guess? It's certainly more balanced than just list building at 1000 or even 500 points, but that's also not just because the lists are fixed but the unit composition and data sheets are different. The newer custodes combat patrol has you taking wardens and guard in units of 3(instead of the normal minimums of 4 and 5), and forces you to build those units with sub-optimal loadouts, and(this part applies to basically all combat patrols) removes abilities from the datasheet while not having detachment rules and a cut down list of only 3 stratagems. It works, but beyond teaching someone how to play this would get very boring pretty quickly in my opinion but admittedly I also sometimes play multiple times a month.

What could actually fix combat patrol would be White Dwarf being deleted, and actually posting scenarios and shit to warcom for people to play without having to buy a stupid magazine and hope there's something of interest in it for them that month.

 

[winderson_silva]

what are some good world eater/admech novels?

Kharn: Eater of Worlds. Titanicus. Forges of Mars trilogy. Day of Ascension is a Genestealer book, but it also showcases the AdMech.

I still don't understand why GW/Black Library continues to be so reluctant to do reprints

Related, I hate that even though 99% of his stuff is in the 2 paperback omnibuses, a single story by Peter Fehervari, Blindsight, is still locked in WD 505. I actually asked their support if they still sold it, but they said, "nah, we only sell the latest 3 WD, so go and try to buy from a friend."

You know, it may be a legacy of the 3rd ed, but I find it kinda weird in hindsight that the Tau are supposed to be in shock with stuff that they already saw with the Orks.

Giant Walkers? Only if somehow they never met a Gargant.
Psykers? Impossible to face Waaaghs without meeting Weirdboyz, and that's without even counting their own auxiliars.
Giant populations? Orks flood by the billions in every world they conquer, and it is bizarre that a spacefaring civilization seemingly can't understand the concept of arcologies (even if Hives aren't proper arcologies)
Seemly primitive tech being deadly? Same.

 

[CervixHammer]

The only 40k army I'm tempted to collect at present is basic bitch Space Marines, and even then more to create the kind of army I couldn't afford as a kid.

Could always get into Retrohammer. Dunno if Vallejo Game Color's new formula does Goblin Green right though, it looks a little dull on their website.
Also, this might be the perfect paint for 1993 weapons. It's a lot less fucky than red usually is, in terms of coverage and drying matte instead of glossy:

 

[Judge Dredd]

the unit composition and data sheets are different.

I had no idea. I'd always heard Combat Patrol was bad because it didn't change anything from stock 40k, and because each box had anywhere from 300 to 800 points based on faction the game was as balanced as a one legged man on a unicycle.

I was expecting it to be a trash fire, which is why I tried to talk him out of it, but from the sounds of it, it won't be too bad.

beyond teaching someone how to play this would get very boring pretty quickly in my opinion but admittedly I also sometimes play multiple times a month.

That's unfortunate, but as long as we get a few games out of it, I don't mind.

My worry with Spearhead was that it would get samey really quickly as the battle reports play out the same each time. That game isn't very killy so there's a big scrum in the middle with a unit or two grabbing flanks or objectives.

Imperial Fists
Raven Guard

Imperial Fists was a box I wanted for other reasons. Mainly because I want everything included. Bloters, terminators, and heavy armour. Never saw it in the wild, and this thread said it sold out pretty quick.

Raven Guard and Dark Angels I looked into for similar reasons, but there was some minor niggle. I don't care about jump packs, and intercessors and hellblasters are cheap as far as GW kits go. I wouldn't say no to either box as far as playing combat patrol goes. They don't call to me like the AoS boxes do.

 

[augment]

The 9th edition craftworlds Combat Patrol was an amazing deal, a windrider host, next to the new guardian defender models, a farseer and a wraithlord to boot. Of course GW had to fuck it all up and the new Patrol box makes very little sense in both points cost and detachment rules.

 

[ChampFantana]

What about Hired Gun? It seems like it wants to be boltgun, but it fails at it.

I never got very far in that game because all of the wall-running and sliding annoyed me.

The combat took too much from Doom Eternal and I'm too old to keep up with that kind of twitchy bullshit.

 

[AncientPhosphur]

Space Marine 2 and me getting into K47, as well as asking him about Spearhead seems to have been the cause.

K47 seems pretty legit. Mordian glory does a bunch of videos on it as a switch from 40K and I do love WW2 aesthetics. The lore behind USA has me sold as an American. I just can’t commit financially and need some more lore to enjoy. It’s far better done than Tranch Crusade because they went crusades to WW1 and it feels like a broke setting lore wise. Also trannies.

Your friend is relapsing, combat patrol will not satisfy him, if he wants a good small scale game you are right to steer him towards killteam.

It’s great. I busted out a game with family at Thanksgiving with Into The Dark and tabled my cousin who chose my Death Guard as legionnaires and was an idiot… I may have ran Custodes with the broken compendium rules of KT2…

 

[p1138]

I had no idea. I'd always heard Combat Patrol was bad because it didn't change anything from stock 40k, and because each box had anywhere from 300 to 800 points based on faction the game was as balanced as a one legged man on a unicycle.

I was expecting it to be a trash fire, which is why I tried to talk him out of it, but from the sounds of it, it won't be too bad.

Yeah that's a complaint from 9th where it literally was just "fuck you, play this 300 points vs that 700 points" or "this box has a big fucking tank in it and most of the other boxes don't have anything that can wound it on anything better than a 6". 10th fixed a lot of this by actually trying to make combat patrol into a real game mode, but that also meant cutting down the "value" of a lot of the retail combat patrol boxes since they weren't designed by anyone giving a shit about balance in 9th alongside a weird assumption that they'd be 500 points when they clearly weren't.

There's also some other combat patrols that have been published(in WD) that you could build from existing units. Tyranids, space marines, Tau(specifically kroot), the imperial and chaos knights, etc. in white dwarf as well. But they're the same in the sense that it's unit sizes that may not be valid in "big 40k", abilities removed or tweaked from datasheets, limited number of stratagems outside of the core ones, etc.

That's unfortunate, but as long as we get a few games out of it, I don't mind.

My worry with Spearhead was that it would get samey really quickly as the battle reports play out the same each time. That game isn't very killy so there's a big scrum in the middle with a unit or two grabbing flanks or objectives.

If you were to just go find the PDFs of WD, there of course wouldn't be anything stopping you from using those scenarios. There's even a few that are meant to go together almost like a mini campaign between issues, or just adding warp storm effects mid game which could spice things up. But most people just never see any of it because GW wants a print magazine in 2025 going into 2026.

 

[spagandhi]

When I google combat patrol rules, it just appears to be 40k rules, complete with points values and list building. So even if we stick to 40k proper, what's a good, reasonable on ramp to collecting somewhat cheaply? I know Custodies and knights are the "cheap" armies. But what are the other options that don't feel like a rip off? I don't mind third party proxies. I already have partial guard proxy armies, but the price to finish them makes me wince.

In theory, combat patrol is supposed to be a balanced way to play pre-constructed 40k lists, and act as both a good discount and a cheap entry point for actually playing games. Unfortunately, the boxes just aren't very well balanced. They are a bit more simplified, though. Combat patrol versions of units usually miss out on an ability or two to make them easier to learn than full 10e.

Spearhead, GWs age of sigmar version of Combat Patrol, is actually remarkably better and is actually a great way to play that setting because somebody actually oversees that they're fun to play against each other.

One of the big predictions the community has for 11th edition is that combat patrol will go the way of Vanguard boxes, and get replaced with a new version thats actually well balanced. (Evidence for that is that the brand new space marine combat patrols are listed as 'while supplies last' implying theyre on borrowed time)

As for playing for cheap, it helps to know somebody with a 3d printer (especially for tanks). If you have an abundance of regular looking bolt action army dudes, guard could be a good choice. There's a Krieg combat patrol right now, and while that box isn't super heavy on points, it's got a good variety of models and it's probably good enough. Also, launch boxes usually are good deals and saturate the market with whatever's in them. Tyranids were pretty easy to get into this edition because of Leviathan.

 

[p1138]

One of the big predictions the community has for 11th edition is that combat patrol will go the way of Vanguard boxes, and get replaced with a new version thats actually well balanced. (Evidence for that is that the brand new space marine combat patrols are listed as 'while supplies last' implying theyre on borrowed time)

I wouldn't say that's evidence for anything. GW did the same with the loyalist marine chapter battleforce boxes 2 of which were released for Christmas 2022, and the other 4 came out months later in Spring 2023 and people assumed a space marine 2.0 codex was happening but nothing did. These are what I'm referring to


And then we found it they weren't even related to the end of edition arks of omen thing either, because that was the boarding patrol boxes which were also done in a limited run for every faction. It was probably just easier to not bother using a battleforce size box and having to design it, just using the combat patrol format box this time around(the constant ultramarine protest videos they keep posting recently is a whole other mess), just the same as we know the 500 worlds boxes are going to be this edition's version of the boarding patrol stuff for spring 2026. They likely will updated the combat patrol boxes again with codex releases for 11th edition, just for the sake of having different boxes on the shelf and a way to increase the price without doing so on an existing SKU(just like they did for 10th).

 

[CervixHammer]

I wish they'd make Space Hulk available more than once every fifteen years. Bring back the Zoat and Ambull models from Blackstone Fortress as "expansions". And a remake of the Space Crusade DREDNAWGHT!. It's nice to be able to play Warhammer without having to consult a half dozen different rulebooks, also a Terminator with an Assault Cannon always looks fucking awesome.

 

[Mr Clark]

Could always get into Retrohammer. Dunno if Vallejo Game Color's new formula does Goblin Green right though, it looks a little dull on their website.
Also, this might be the perfect paint for 1993 weapons. It's a lot less fucky than red usually is, in terms of coverage and drying matte instead of glossy:
View attachment 8236848

I looked at that Red, Bold Pyrole Red and a funky mix of Baal Red 2:1 Imperial Fist and I cannot find the right red to give that Retro BA red. The combo comes close but not quite right.

I actually dislike the grimy grimdark that permeates the hobby. The models are grimdark in design but sometimes you want an army on actual parade, not battle finished 30 seconds ago.

 

[p1138]

I actually dislike the grimy grimdark that permeates the hobby. The models are grimdark in design but sometimes you want an army on actual parade, not battle finished 30 seconds ago.

What? You mean you want an army that looks like they actually maintain their shit instead of just wallowing in sewage and barely wiping it off with a towel? That's crazy talk.

For real though, grimdark = filthy is ridiculous. It's grimdark, not grimedark.

 

[Second Missing Primarch]

I built the new Tyranid battleforce over the weekend. They're just nice models to build. The neurotyrant and screamer-killer have some small fiddly bullshit parts, but thankfully they're pushfit and went on pretty easily. The others are great, though. They go together quickly and the haruspex/exocrine is gonna be stupid easy to magnetize. It's nice to work on models from the era before GW started carving all their kits into increasingly intricate little parts.

 

[Judge Dredd]

I wish they'd make Space Hulk available more than once every fifteen years. Bring back the Zoat and Ambull models from Blackstone Fortress as "expansions". And a remake of the Space Crusade DREDNAWGHT!. It's nice to be able to play Warhammer without having to consult a half dozen different rulebooks, also a Terminator with an Assault Cannon always looks fucking awesome.

There's an aliens board game I'm always tempted by when I see it.

If you have an abundance of regular looking bolt action army dudes, guard could be a good choice.

I have an abundance of northstar and wargames atlantic kits. Not enough of each for a full army. I have a box of 30 "cannon fodder" I've barely touched for a planned penal legion that supposedly doesn't exist any more.

Though I could build them as generic army guys. It's a topic I can go in depth about, but the short version is that it's a good infantry core. Things like HQ and vehicles are harder to proxy. There are lots of options and kit bash potential, but they fall victim to the same problem.

One of their more popular lines is similar to but legally distinct from vostroians. They have a wide range of kits. It's also common to see one of their WW1 kits used as discount kreig, or better yet, put the two together.

K47 seems pretty legit. Mordian glory does a bunch of videos on it as a switch from 40K and I do love WW2 aesthetics. The lore behind USA has me sold as an American. I just can’t commit financially and need some more lore to enjoy. It’s far better done than Tranch Crusade because they went crusades to WW1 and it feels like a broke setting lore wise. Also trannies.

Currently working on it. Will be posting my progress in another thread, But to repost it here. Here's some paint tests on my bolt action nazi infantry (dismissed by rivet counters as reality is unrealistic) and it features a similar to but legally distinct from pretorian kit done up as a K47 tommy. I'm not collecting british, but if I go down that road, it could be fun to use that kit.

I'm also tempted to use another of their kits as mk1 power armour.

It's good to see American's reaction to FDR as The Emperor crossed with Senator Armstrong, even though it sometimes feel like a piss take. Mordian Glory even likes the idea of K47 being a 40k origin story.

Still not had a chance to read the rule book. Currently struggling with a paint scheme for the power armour, I'm looking forward to Soviet, but the starter army has been delayed. Officially due to manufacturing problems, everyone I talk to about it says it's because Ukraine.

Mordian mentions in his podcast with Discourse Tranny (a fun podcast even though I hate that guy usually) that it feels like how 40k used to be, and I'm getting a bit of that vibe as well.



Oh, a bought a Knight Armiger kit. Started building it. It's fun so far. Reminds me of Gunpla. Not sure what colour scheme or house to go with as I know nothing of knight factions. If all else fails I might make them another sub-faction of my imperial renegades army.

 

[bort420]

Print media isnt what it used to be, and making physical print media is fucking difficult. Theyre also, naturally, more worried about printing and shipping their new stuff over their older books.

It's not. They could do print on demand runs for their books.