Combat Patrol as a Stand-Alonge Game Mode - How Is It?

[Brother Christopher]

I'm curious about your thoughts and experiences with Combat Patrol. Is it accessible and relatively easy to pick up? Are the teams balanced? Is the "game mode" fun? 

 

Please share your thoughts. 

 

I'm asking because I'm looking for a game-ready excuse to paint different armies and am considering either picking up a couple of Combat Patrol boxes or getting into Kill Team.

[Lathe Biosas]

If you can find players Kill Team is a much better game.

 

 

[Brother Lutheriel]

I think combat patrol is great introduction game. It’s really quick and easy so you can get an introduction to whatever faction easily. That being said, unless your goal is to have lots and lots of factions, all it did for me was make me want to play bigger games with my armies. 
 

I will say, I do not build my factions combat patrols the way they tell you to for that game specifically. I build them with the equipment I want them to have in bigger games and just use the profiles they have in the app for CP. 

[Bouargh]

5 hours ago, Brother Lutheriel said:

I will say, I do not build my factions combat patrols the way they tell you to for that game specifically. I build them with the equipment I want them to have in bigger games and just use the profiles they have in the app for CP. 

this is an important advice. Indeed some toolings of the units are specifically done so that a kind of balance is achieved. For example the options for one unit are Limited or Frozen vs what you can get at full size game

[WBRBloom]

I always liked the KT idea, even from way back when it was first conceived as '40k in 40 minutes', although I first saw it in the 4th edition rulebook in 2004 (DEAR GOD, it's been 22 year already????).

 

Especially with GW being the ever-hungry cookie monster that changes rules every which way, having a smaller army that would allow me to play with only 10 models or so, looks very inviting. After all it's basically Mordheim in space!

 

Although I own a starting box, the one with Ultramarines and Plague Marines, I've never even opened it. I do know that a lot of people prefer this (along with Necromunda) instead of full 40k, especially people who are not hardcore competitive and prefer a more relaxed afternoon with a couple of friends. But I guess everything can be competitive - after all it's the nature of the game.

 

What I do know though is that the KT teams have amazing models. Specifically I recall when the Night Lords box was released it went out of stock immediately, as people where buying them to actually make NL specific armies. However I believe that KT models are way more 'static', since their poses are more specific, making it a bit more difficult to kit bash them (not impossible though). 

[Focslain]

So I have a blog about this. 

 

It's not bad as an introduction and practice mode. It is cut down from the main game and since it is free (you just need the models) it's a nice way to test a faction before fully committing to it. 

 

In 10th they had a good selection with each faction having 2-3 different patrols you could field. 11th was a massive culling with each faction only having 1 or none at all (IK, CK, DW, Harlquins). In a Q&A they did say more was coming up, including the older CPs later down the road. I'll believe that if they actually at least bring back the Assault Brood which is the Tyranid CP they sell in the store. The current nid CP is the Vanderghaust Swarm which was made from the 10th starter box.

 

The base rules/missions aren't bad, it just need more support overall.

[Brother Christopher]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. 

 

And a special thank you to @Focslain for sharing a list to the blog - I'll take a closer look at it.

[Focslain]

1 hour ago, Brother Christopher said:

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. 

 

And a special thank you to @Focslain for sharing a list to the blog - I'll take a closer look at it.

No problem. I still have a proper 11th edition thought piece I'm working on. Hoping to post that soonish.