New Leadhead PhD: Combat Patrol! Once more into the fray!

[Konstantinos Travlos]

My seventh game of the year is once more combat patrol, once more Tau vs. Necrons. But there is a twist this time! Pictures at

https://newleadheadphd.blogspot.com/2024/03/sixth-game-of-year-combat-patrol-once.html

With Respect

Konstantinos Travlos, PhD

[Logain]

Beautiful tables. What do you think of combat patrol? Much variety over the long term with the scenarios and rigid forces? Able to stand on its own or really just the gateway to 40k?

[Konstantinos Travlos]

A good question

Keep in mind the following in my answer

1) I am not a big fan of the mechanics of 40k (I think XR is better)

2) I prefer fast and small footprint games.

3) Never a fan of the list creation aspect of 40k.

4) Have been playing since 3rd edition.

I personally like Combat Patrol. I think it is a brilliant move from GW, and the publishing of new combat patrols indicates that it is working. It respects my time and budget needs. It is not balanced , despite the claims, but losing a game that took 20 minutes to set up, is less fustrating than losing one that took a hour.

As a big fan of historical games using scenarios (Bloody Big Battles), Combat Patrol gives me a bit of the “solving a puzzle” feel I love from gaming historical scenario games (Were your forces are set). Figuring out how to best use your Combat Patrol, without worrying about whether you lost before the game started due to list mistakes, is a big draw for me. I did not mind losing because every game taught me something new about the combat patrol I use.

With the options available (and they can be cheap if you go for non-GW stuff) I cannot see someone getting easily bored. So I would say it is a game on its own. In a way it is kinda the DBA to 40k ,which is a plus (I love DBA, see there is a theme in my answer). You can easily set up tournaments (and with a bigger table, 4 player games are doable). And the ready lists do mean that it is easier to enjoy friendly games (no beards or cheese). So for the player wanting to have a good time, and not being hyper-competitive it is a legitimate mode in itself.

And to be frank it is a good learning system for 40k. The set lists force you to think about how to use stratagems and units in the game. But obviously more dedicated 40k players enjoy the list building aspect, and they would quickly bore. To each their own.

Between Kill Team, AOS: Underworlds, Combat Patrol, I will say I am pleasantly suprised by GW.

[ian pillay]

I agree with your summary. GW have pleasantly surprised me as well. (Although I do like a little bit of list building 😊)

Tally-Ho! Check out my blog at…..
http://steelcitywargaming.wordpress.com/

[Konstantinos Travlos]

Thank you all

[Logain]

Thanks for the run down. It sounds more appealing than killteam or normal 40k. I still haven’t bought any official GW products since about 3rd Edition but its cool to see them really branching out into a lot of smaller size games lately.

[Konstantinos Travlos]

The beauty is you don’t need to buy anything. It is all free! Core Rules, Combat Patrol Scenario Book, and Combat Patrol lists.

Miniatures wise, there are many 3rd party options, and good proxies.

Imho the best ofgicial box for your buck is the Chaos Space Marines one.

 

[The Red Hobbit]

Great review of combat patrol, I haven’t played it myself, my local group does 1000-2000pt games as well as crusade league instead, but I do like the concept of letting a player buy a box and instantly be able to play it against someone elses premade box.

 

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