Balancing non-Combat Patrol ~500 point games of 40k

[ChapterMasterGodfrey]

My friend and I haven't played in probably close to year. Life just got in the way. Today's balance update, particularly the T'au changes for my friend, have inspired us to get back gaming.

 

The problem is we're pretty slow and rusty and I bet we'd even struggle to finish our usual 1000 point games within the club's opening hours!

 

So, we've said we're going to play 500 points. However, as is always said, 40k at 500 points just isn't balanced. I know the most common thought people will be having is "Play Combat Patrol". The short answer is that we don't want to. My friend especially doesn't like the T'au Combat Patrol and I'm not enamoured by the Space Marine one. We want to actually make our lists. We will however use the Combat Patrol missions. 

 

Reading on google I've found some 500 point rules from Play on Tabletop and actually some interesting rules for 500 point Horus Heresy. I liked elements from both and have done a little bit of mixing. What do you think about the following rules for list building for 500 point games?

 

• Maximum point limit : 525. - took this rom the HH rules, allows for enhancements.
• You must take at least 1 character that is your Warlord.
• No Epic Heroes.
• You must take at least 2 Battleline units.
• "Rule of 3" is now the "Rule of 2", excluding Battleline units of which you can have a maximum of 4 of the same datasheet.
• No units can be Toughness 9 or higher. Toughness 8 is the maximum toughness. - changed this from what Play on Tabletop had it set to (T9 max)
• No MONSTERS, TITANIC or TOWERING models
• Faction, Detachment and Enhancement rules all work as normal.

 

I'm happy with all those rules except for the Toughness one. Should it remain T9 maximum? Should it be changed to work as it does in the HH one which is on a maximum wounds?

[gaurdian31]

I've done this format and we use Toughness 9 as the max and it works pretty well. Higher toughness than that can be hard to crack at lower points levels. Wounds aren't as much of a problem as getting weapons with multiple damage isn't that difficult, but high strength can be. We did also allow MONSTERS as those are basically the same thing as VEHICLES like WALKERS. 

[Rusted Boltgun]

I don't know whether this is of interest but the Boarding Actions mode for 40k is limited to 500pts. 

 

I'm in a similar position, looking at scaling up forces as they get painted.

 

Goonhammer Boarding Actions review

[ChapterMasterGodfrey]

12 minutes ago, gaurdian31 said:

I've done this format and we use Toughness 9 as the max and it works pretty well. Higher toughness than that can be hard to crack at lower points levels. Wounds aren't as much of a problem as getting weapons with multiple damage isn't that difficult, but high strength can be. We did also allow MONSTERS as those are basically the same thing as VEHICLES like WALKERS. 

Did you not find Toughness 9 too tough? It would allow him to take a Riptide which to me seems a bit much?

 

9 minutes ago, Rusted Boltgun said:

I don't know whether this is of interest but the Boarding Actions mode for 40k is limited to 500pts. 

 

I'm in a similar position, looking at scaling up forces as they get painted.

We just don't have the terrain for boarding actions and we are also a bit too rusty to be also adding in new/extra rules to do with doors etc.

[DemonGSides]

37 minutes ago, ChapterMasterGodfrey said:

Did you not find Toughness 9 too tough? It would allow him to take a Riptide which to me seems a bit much?

 

We just don't have the terrain for boarding actions and we are also a bit too rusty to be also adding in new/extra rules to do with doors etc.

 

Strength 5 weaponry (gets you to wounding on at least a 5+) isn't that hard to come by.  Also keeps melta involved by wounding on 4's at worst. Seems pretty good to me.  The difference is borderline arbitrary, but t9 just gives cooler options than t8.

 

I don't think there's much need to introduce a lot more rules for a 500 point game. More better to just have a gentlemen's understanding that you're not bringing heavy stuff, and the T9 limit probably is enough to keep it interesting without limiting anyone too majorly. 

Edited June 4 by DemonGSides

[Arikel]

500 points isn’t much. Best to bring your collection and just set similar forces with your friend, if that’s possible. As an example force for firstborn, I might run 1-2 tac squads, a captain or lieutentant, and maybe something fancy like a  rhino/razorback, dread, assault, terminator, or  vanguard squad depending on how things point out. If I run the dread might run a techmarine instead of a captain type. 500 doesn’t get you a whole lot of the Emperor’s Angels, but it should be simple patrol level builds here anyways in my view.
 

The other option would be just to pack in 2-4 cool uber units, jf you and your friend want to do a whose veterans are better type match up.

[Tawnis]

I've played Play On's 500pt Coliseum mode many times, it's a blast. 

As for the toughness bit, the changed from T8 to T9 doesn't effect very much in a 500pt game as S4 still wounds on 6's and S5 still on 5's for both. Yet it excludes a lot of models from playability, particularly for Death Guard who have all their small vehicles at T9. 

[gaurdian31]

3 hours ago, ChapterMasterGodfrey said:

Did you not find Toughness 9 too tough? It would allow him to take a Riptide which to me seems a bit much?

Not really, are you running Marines? They should have access to a decent amount of tools to deal with that like Melta or Las. Also at 500 points you should be playing on a board half the size of an Incursion board to help with balance. That's what I've done.

[ChapterMasterGodfrey]

For those interested, here's what I'll be playing with this evening:

Character: Lieutenant
- x1 Plasma Pistol
- x1 Power Fist
- x1 Enhancement: Fire Discipline
-  Warlord
Battleline: Intercessors
- x5 Bolt Rifles
- x5 Bolt Pistols
- x1 Power Sword
Battleline: Assault Intercessors
- x4 H. Bolt Pistols
- x4 Chainswords
- x1 Plasma Pistol
- x1 Thunder Hammer
Other: Hellblasters
- x5 Plasma Incinerators
- x4 Bolt Pistols
- x1 Plasma Pistol
Other: Sternguard Veterans
- x4 SG Bolt Rifles
- x5 SG Bolt Pistols
- x1 SG Heavy Bolter
- x1 Power Sword
Other: Scouts
- x3 Boltguns
- x5 Bolt Pistols
- x1 Scout Sniper
- x1 Missile Launcher

[Rusted Boltgun]

Thanks for the list, I am certainly keen to hear how you get on! 

[ChapterMasterGodfrey]

I will come back this evenignafter the game with his T'au list and how the game went!

 

[Stealth_Hobo]

For smaller sized games (1000 pts. or less) one rule that I have found useful is minimum unit sizes. That way you reduce the risk of deathstar units that might be too difficult to deal with in that game size.

[Tawnis]

I'm actually going to one of Play On's Coliseum Tournament at Games Con next weekend. This is the list I'll be running:

 

Kroot Lone Spear with Blast Javelins: 80pts
Kroot Carnivores 2x10: 130pts

Krootox Riders 2x2: 120pts

Kroot Rampagers x6: 170pts (Or I might run them as 2 units of 3, I haven't' decided yet.) 

Edited June 6 by Tawnis

[Xenith]

On 6/4/2025 at 3:42 PM, ChapterMasterGodfrey said:

Did you not find Toughness 9 too tough? It would allow him to take a Riptide which to me seems a bit much?

 

 

If your opponent is the kind of person to bring a riptide to a 500pt game, then you're going to have a bad time no matter what rules you put in place. 

 

At 500pts/40k in 40 mins (lol) level, I'd go:

 

Max T9

Max 1 model with 2+ save

1 Battleline unit

Rule of 2

No units over 200pts. 

No EPIC models. 

 

Edited June 6 by Xenith

[ChapterMasterGodfrey]

36 minutes ago, Tawnis said:

I'm actually going to one of Play On's Coliseum Tournament at Games Con next weekend. This is the list I'll be running:

 

Kroot Lone Spear with Blast Javelins: 80pts
Kroot Carnivores 2x10: 130pts

Krootox Riders 2x2: 120pts

Kroot Rampagers x6: 170pts (Or I might run them as 2 units of 3, I haven't' decided yet.) 

This looks very cool, really nice thematic list. In my own list I tried to remain thematic by having at least one unit for every doctrine as I'll be running Gladius.

 

6 minutes ago, Xenith said:

If your opponent is the kind of person to bring a riptide to a 500pt game, then you're going to have a bad time no matter what rules you put in place. 

I don't think he will, but at the same time I wouldn't put it past him haha

 

11 minutes ago, Xenith said:

Max T9

Max 1 model with 2+ save

1 Battleline unit

Rule of 2

No units over 200pts. 

No EPIC models. 

This is pretty much what we said. In the end we did go with T9 max.

[gaurdian31]

On 6/6/2025 at 6:48 AM, ChapterMasterGodfrey said:

For those interested, here's what I'll be playing with this evening:

Character: Lieutenant
- x1 Plasma Pistol
- x1 Power Fist
- x1 Enhancement: Fire Discipline
-  Warlord
Battleline: Intercessors
- x5 Bolt Rifles
- x5 Bolt Pistols
- x1 Power Sword
Battleline: Assault Intercessors
- x4 H. Bolt Pistols
- x4 Chainswords
- x1 Plasma Pistol
- x1 Thunder Hammer
Other: Hellblasters
- x5 Plasma Incinerators
- x4 Bolt Pistols
- x1 Plasma Pistol
Other: Sternguard Veterans
- x4 SG Bolt Rifles
- x5 SG Bolt Pistols
- x1 SG Heavy Bolter
- x1 Power Sword
Other: Scouts
- x3 Boltguns
- x5 Bolt Pistols
- x1 Scout Sniper
- x1 Missile Launcher

That looks like a fun list, did you get a chance to play and how did it go? Did your opponent bring the Riptide?

[Karhedron]

On 6/6/2025 at 3:49 PM, Xenith said:

Max 1 model with 2+ save

 

Do you mean 1 model or 1 unit? If it is just one model then that will exclude infantry units like Terminators and Wraithguard and probably exclude Custodians as a faction.

 

I would also vote to allow T9 as otherwise you will exclude Knights too. In the new codices, Armigers and Wardogs drop to T9 which would allow them to compete in this format. As @DemonGSides points out, there is plenty of S5 shooting with high RoF which should make T9 targets somewhat manageable.

[DemonGSides]

1 minute ago, Karhedron said:

 

Do you mean 1 model or 1 unit? If it is just one model then that will exclude infantry units like Terminators and Wraithguard and probably exclude Custodians as a faction.

 

I would also vote to allow T9 as otherwise you will exclude Knights too. In the new codices, Armigers and Wardogs drop to T9 which would allow them to compete in this format. As @DemonGSides points out, there is plenty of S5 shooting with high RoF which should make T9 targets somewhat manageable.

 

Honestly I'd just ban Imp/Chaos Knights as a faction for this mode as it seems wholly opposed to the entire point of those factions.  No one's interested in fighting Armigers at 500 points, as it feels like it should be a heavy infantry/beast size model format.

That being said, them now being at T9 definitely makes them quite a bit easier to pick up, and plenty of factions have motion to kill them even at the restrictions we've been talking about.  

[Xenith]

2 hours ago, Karhedron said:

 

Do you mean 1 model or 1 unit? If it is just one model then that will exclude infantry units like Terminators and Wraithguard and probably exclude Custodians as a faction.

 

 

One model, as per the original 40k in 40 mins rules. Some things should be banned at small points levels, and when playing against beginners, custodes probably being one of them, along with knight armies who should arguably be banned at all points levels 

[kabaakaba]

It should be very hard to kill custodians or knight with my infantry IG list on 500 points with rules above. But not impossible. IDK if it would be fun. Who knows.

[gaurdian31]

39 minutes ago, kabaakaba said:

It should be very hard to kill custodians or knight with my infantry IG list on 500 points with rules above. But not impossible. IDK if it would be fun. Who knows.

Custodes you could probably do ok with Plasma guns, autocannons and meltas. Knights would definitely be tougher but you could bring heavy weapons squads with las cannons. I don't think you would have to worry about Knights as I don't think Wardogs or Armigers can be Warlords.

[kabaakaba]

4 minutes ago, gaurdian31 said:

Custodes you could probably do ok with Plasma guns, autocannons and meltas. Knights would definitely be tougher but you could bring heavy weapons squads with las cannons. I don't think you would have to worry about Knights as I don't think Wardogs or Armigers can be Warlords.

No they can't, and roll dices just to check wel, even if they can we can kill them pretty much. Blob of 20 pals, kasrkins with primaris psyker,  armoured sentinel with lascannon and fob with heavy lascannon under castellan orders really can kill them.

[Xenith]

18 hours ago, gaurdian31 said:

Custodes you could probably do ok with Plasma guns, autocannons and meltas. Knights would definitely be tougher but you could bring heavy weapons squads with las cannons. I don't think you would have to worry about Knights as I don't think Wardogs or Armigers can be Warlords.

 

[In my opinion] you shouldn't have to be list tailoring at 500pts (or at all) to stand a chance [against knights or custodes].

Edited June 10 by Xenith

[gaurdian31]

27 minutes ago, Xenith said:

 

[In my opinion] you shouldn't have to be list tailoring at 500pts (or at all) to stand a chance [against knights or custodes].

I mean honestly, that doesn't feel like list tailoring to me, plasma and melta and autocannons are all good takes for Guard at 500 or any level. The Guard need that to fight anything with a decent armor save like Marines, the most likely opponent of any player. 

[ChapterMasterGodfrey]

On 6/9/2025 at 3:06 PM, gaurdian31 said:

That looks like a fun list, did you get a chance to play and how did it go? Did your opponent bring the Riptide?

Hi! Sorry for the slow reply.

 

Yes we played on Friday and then I had a busy weekend and a very busy Monday Tuesday at work.

 

My friend did not bring the Riptide! He brought a very fun Kroot list which was basically:

x1 Kroot Lone Spear

x2 Kroot Shapers

x2 10-man Kroot Carnivores

x1 3-man Krootox Riders

x1 Piranha 

x1 Devilfish

 

We played one of the Combat Patrol missions and it was a very close game. Fortunately for me, I got onto the two midfield objectives before he did and then won out in the subsequent melee battle. He very nearly caught me out bringing his Devilfish (which he just used as a weapons platform) and Krootox from reserve into my deployment zone, taking my homefield objective for the larger 10 VP. That made it a bit squeaky for me but I won out an eventual winner 36-25. We both had models on the board at the end of the game so for me that means it was pretty well balanced.