Second game of the new year: 40k Combat Patrol

 I got my second game of the year, playing a Combat Patrol match with Darren at XP Games and Cafe. I ran my Tau and he his Necrons. The game was a wipeout for me. We played three turns in 1.5 hours, and the end result was crushing defeat for me. I did make mistakes as this was my first time playing the new Combat Patrol and the Tau. 

I did have fun, and I would say that this my preferred mode for 40k, but it also did show the superiority of Xenos Rampant, were we played almost 5 turns in 1.5 hours, and I still while  got defeated, but it was not a wipe out. I will play more Combat Patrol of course, as this is preference in the club, and we have the forces  ready, and the rules are more familiar to everyone. But it is the thin gruel to the richer gruel of Xenos Rampant. Which is fine as I try to have one thin and one rich gruel system per period/armies I play.

 That said I will say again, that this is a good way to play 40k, and a good way to to introduce people, or get games in if you are busy with life.

Indeed from the point of view of corporate, this is a very good idea. One could envision future waves of Combat Patrols (like waves in Age of Sigmar Underworlds). A nice company would make them all balanced across waves, but a money making one would say each wave is internally balanced.

Forces are not expensive, especially if you decide to eschew Citadel Miniatures and go for proxies (for example you could make the Imperial Guard Combat Patrol at around 90 USD vs 134 USD of GW). Indeed Combat Patrol is a nice way to explore some alternative representations of 40k forces.

Finally most Combat Patrols are easily 24 to 48 points of Xenos Rampant forces. Thus one can use them as a benchmark on what to get. 

In another name, while I am not enthusiastic about the rules (they are 40k) or the gameplay, it is a good enough vehicle for having some fun. 

We are re-purposing the Store armies and terrain for Combat Patrol to make it more approachable to those without such stuff.

Here are pictures of the game

Ghostkeel was loaned to me by Darren for this game. 

So many shots, so little effect.

Some aegis defense systems re-purposed as combat patrol terrain for the Store armies.