Ranking 40k Combat Patrols - a Tier List

Welcome back to another (and a late) episode of PK's War Room Podcast.
This week I am joined by @HellstormWargaming to dunk all over the Combat Patrols via a Tier List.
This episode was filmed before the Sisters Codex rules dropped, and we were both quite sick.
The tier list can be found here:
tiermaker.com/...
#warhammer40k #combatpatrol #starting40k

[@HellstormWargaming]

Vince: “Mikey it’s time to make a podcast again!” Me: “yesss honey :(“

[@pkswarroom]

Don't pretend you don't like it you little slut.

[@snookiefrye]

:( I regret opening the comments section

[@EdBurke37]

Making ever possible character in the Custodes Combat Patrol (no enhancements) gets you 1 Blade Champ, 2 Shield Captains (one from each non terminator kit), 3 Terminator Shield Captains, 4 Wardens and 4 Guard which is the min for each of those kits and totals out to 1190 points. The value in that box is INSANE.

[@pkswarroom]

Absolutely bonkers.

[@NinjaRodent]

The Guard Patrol only adds up to about 360 points. If I were getting into The Guard now I'd try to hunt down a Cadian Defense Force box instead of the Combat Patrol box.

[@panch0vanilla416]

For real in my opinion the guard combat patrol is kinda bad. Would’ve been better to get a chimera or a leman Russ since space marines get transports as their vehicle

[@capsaicinJT]

one issue with the grey knights box: they are all firstborn scale kits, and there is speculation that they might get a redo soon (would only need to redo 2 kits to refresh almost the whole grey knights range.) also waiting to see if they get rolled into imperial agents. so a lot of people are waiting to see what happens this edition before buying in too heavily. (for example, castellan crowe is a newer model, and he looks AWESOME, but he's like, comically taller than the squad he's meant to lead.) also as an aside, the eldar box is solid, i bought 2. windriders are super fast and great for secondaries, and they absolutely shred MEQ targets. the guardians CAN be build as either version from the kit, and you end up with a ton of extra bits, which has been great for kitbashing. the farseer is unfortunately monopose, but he's easy to kitbash into other eldar characters like spirit seers, warlocks, etc. the wraithlord is in an awkward place this edition, but it did just get a points drop so it's more usable now than before. i do think if you want to play eldar you are gonna want other stuff beyond this to get started (a falcon is a very solid thing to grab early, some rangers or striking scorpions...) some of the "meta" eldar units like swooping hawks, fire dragons, and warp spiders are still ancient kits that people usually hunt down the old metal models for. likely to get a refresh of some of those when the codex comes out.

[@sebastianraducu7850]

3 kits unless you want the NDK to have the last tiny marine, to earn its name as a baby carrier

[@Bomfunker91]

Nothing like listening to creators I like talking about a topic that tickles my thinky bits. I've already watched Poorhammer, Bricky and AuspexTactics discuss the combat patrols, and now I'm excited to do the same with you two. Even as a very enfranchised player, it's fun to consider the worth of boxes like the combat patrols, and how good (or...not good) some of them are for both new and veteran players.

[@kamakazi339]

The Admech box was F tier in 9th and it still is

[@docterfantazmo]

Beast Snaggas are akin to Speed Freaks, they're a kind of orky lifestyle. Any clan can have any lifestyled ork in it but the clans often skew one way, i.e. Evil Sunz = Speed Freaks, Snake Bitez = Beast Snaggas, etc.

[@pqfire0950]

Two of the custodes boxes is 1560 points lol. Pretty legit.

[@KingKobra98]

And you can build them for 2200 if you want lol

[@98765zach]

As already mentioned if you max build custodes kits, using the extra fun bits they give you to make as many characters as you can while still fielding legal units (which is easy with Custodes their legal units can be like 3 dudes) you can use one of your wardens and two of your terminators to make captains, and then if you’ve done as I have and also managed to snag one of their Christmas battle force boxes from last year, you can take this philosophy all the way through the squads, and give them each a captain which absolutely inflated the army to well over 2,000 points. If you don’t want all those characters, just run them as the sergeant of larger bricks and tell your opponent. It helps that custodes characters tend to share their loadouts directly with their squads

[@christopherwithey2122]

Drukhari: take all those dudes off the boats and make another Kabolite squad with them. Solid S tier box imo.

[@martinturner5484]

The Space Marine combat patrol is in fact the worst, because even if you wanted those models for some insane reason to start your army with, its cheaper to get them in the starter box than buy the combat patrol AND you'd end up with a second nid army for a friend that cost you literally northing.

[@chitzkoi]

This is the best episode so far, and frankly, less chudwatch was part of that.

[@ProxyHammer1]

The Eldar CP is an absolute gem def. deserved better.

[@everettcolby8976]

Yooo! Proxy! :)

[@ProxyHammer1]

@@everettcolby8976 😃 Hello my friend!!

[@98765zach]

don't mean to come off as too combative but the guard combat patrol really isn't very good. if you want to talk about what the guard is good at and does well, none of it is in this box. Unless you want to run a very specific blend of infantry and sentinels with FOBs as backup (which... why would you do that?) the box doesn't actually give you that much of a taste of what guard is really about. Sentinels are far from our best core vehicle, and while I like the kit it's hardly a worthy centerpiece over a Chimera or Leman Russ. You could try and argue logistics because the box can only be so big, but i'm sure there exists a way to put a limited selection leman russ in that box. they're not exactly opposed to fixed loadout units in Combat patrols. As it stands it's a mediocre single time buy, and a bad repeat buy, even if you're new to Guard.

[@pkswarroom]

I really, really don't agree. The idea I DO agree with is that it should feature a Leman Russ if we are trying to hit the oconic backbone of the army. Sure, absolutely! But the new Sentinel, Cadian and Command Squad kits are so so good. Joy to build, and they also have a visual presence that is in fact unique to the army. The sentinel is both a solid unit in current rules, and an iconic unit. It's also pretty unique - with two legged war walkers being less common in the game than you would think. Big ordanace battery style guns is VERY Guard, and outside of the bigger pieces being too big, and Mortars being too small - the Ordanance batteries are a perfect fit for the Guard box. Multiple Command Squads isn't good for multiple purchases - but they are easily kitbashed with very strong modular kits, do again - forgivable. So in short, I love this box - but a tank woukd have been that extra mile.

[@98765zach]

@@pkswarroom to each their own I suppose but as somebody who started my 10th edition experience by going back into guard (having not played 40K at all since 5th) I just couldn’t shake the feeling our combat patrol stood out to me as not quite right. It’s not even that I dislike sentinels or that on the face of things I dislike field ordinance batteries, in fact since I got another copy of this box for very cheap off a friend I actually own 4 of them built as howitzers, I just don’t like the choice of units we got. Cadian troops and a command squad are fine, and I can see what they wanted to show you, that the command squad can order everything in that army, gives you a taste of using order properly. I just think it needs to show what the guard truly do well. Most (with obvious exceptions) combat patrols center around “what is your faction best at) and while the guard are perfectly fine, it’s just a bit of a shame just how much you’re going to have to go out and buy the proper core models for any lineup. Guard is already a very expensive range to field, it’s the most expensive army I run by a long ways (because I don’t run sisters or AdMech). It would help at least a little bit if we got a choice in boxes like space marines do. If this was like an “infantry platoon” box and we had the option of a “scout platoon” with like Catachans, a sentinel, a Chimera, and like maybe a hellhound or even a fancy infantry team like Scions or Kasrkin for that highly mobile feel, and then of course an armored platoon which kept Cadians and the command squad, but slapped on 2 chimeras and a leman Russ, all my just sort of dissatisfaction with the combat patrol fades away.

[@SOGBigBoss]

The Death Guard kit, with some milliput you can make 3 more marines. Wish they dropped 20 walkers for a blighthauler or a squad of deathshroud. Would have been far better.

[@B__C__]

For the two Leviathan Combat Patrol Kits, just buy the current 'Warhammer 40,000 Starter Set' for $112/£67.50 You get... (Marines): 1x Captain in Terminator Armour, 5x Terminators, 5x Infernus Marines, and ('Nids) 1x Winged Tyranid Prime, 1x Psychophage, 3x Von Ryan’s Leapers, 20x Termagants, and 2x Ripper Swarms, along with a small battlemat, some introductory rules, reference cards, and a pair of _F@#&I%$ RULERS, MAN! RULERS! TWO OF 'EM!_ for £67.50. Use the savings to pick up any of the other "missing" bits (I think it's like just the the 5x barb gaunts [£28] and the librarian [£25]) you might want, and you will still come off better than buying one each of the two Combat Patrol boxes.

[@Bluecho4]

I was going to say this, but yeah. The (regular) Space Marine and Tyranid Combat Patrols are pure scams, when the Starter Set exists. Much like how buying a Necron Warriors box was objectively a scam next to buying the 9th ed "Recruit Edition". They are products that exist because they must, but are blown out of the water, value-wise, by the starter boxes.

[@Fluxram]

This! The value prospect of these boxes absolutely tanks because of the starter sets

[@piotrjeske4599]

Same as in 9th it made no sense to buy a box of necron warriors.

[@DMKA94]

​@@piotrjeske45999th edition was slightly different, the starter set was cheaper than a box of warriors, whilst the combat patrol wasn't great, it was at least better value compared to the starter sets

[@Egalia_1]

As a new player, it’s always been really intimidating to see that $160 buy as in the *cheapest* option for most armies. Hoping to put together enough for kill team and play a few games at the local game shop. Maybe Custodes since their value is insane, but it’s still up in the air

[@SkiSummer]

Old world PK, this is where it's at!

[@B__C__]

1:12:50 "Ten dogs!" is a health code violation waiting to happen.

[@McFatson]

Hot take but I think the Blood Angels combat patrol is A-tier. Hear me out... So you think Blood Angels and you rightfully imagine a ton of jetpack guys doing jetpack things. But there are also what I like to call "eat your vegetables" unit. Scoring, fire support, etc. The unsexy stuff you'll need for a balanced list. In this box, the Intercessors and the phobos guys (built as Infiltrators) pretty much cover all the scoring units you'll need for a 2k point army. The impulsor is good for moving scoring units, or if you decide to get footslogging melee units. The librarian is the weak link, but this box is perfectly complemented by either the Dark Angels combat patrol or the Leviathan box, so he'll have a fire support unit to back up. But the secret sauce, the thing that makes it shine? It's the BA upgrade sprue. As long as you're playing Blood Angels or you're like me and you're homebrewing a successor, you can turn a cheap box of units into every character you'll ever need. Buy one box of jump intercessors: That blooddrop helmet and some other gubbinz can turn two of them into jump captains. Use the unhelmeted heads and the generic sword/pistols to help make sanguinary jump priests. Use the last of it to turn the final guy into a jump chaplain if you so desire. Yeah it doesn't cover the stuff you're most excited about, but it's still a fantastic way to start and you can always run Gladuis games early on, where you're less punished by missed charges or bad melee matchups. Edit: Space Marine combatp atrol is the worst, to the point of inventing a new tier below D. Even 10 Intercessors means you can get scoring units or convert some of them. You could but the Starter Set plus a Termie Librarian and get a better discount than the SM ComPat, and get free tyranids to keep or resell after the fact. Plus, the marine box doesn't even let you put both leaders in units. Terrible, awful organization, clearly just a grab bag of whatever models happened to be new at the release of 10th.

[@safkhalid1533]

max 365 pts in the guard box, idk where you guys got almost 500

[@pkswarroom]

I literally corrected myself on the podcast when I explained the Field Guns are one unit, not two. 🙃

[@safkhalid1533]

@@pkswarroom mb

[@pkswarroom]

No worries. Thanks for getting involved, and always open to hearing people's thoughts on the topics discussed each (in theory) biweekly episode.

[@elijahdprophet]

Impulsors got upgraded to 7 capacity in the last rules patch so you can run 6BGV and a character now, not sure if y'all recorded before the rules update dropped, it was a somewhat easily missed change and I honestly don't recall if it came out ahead of or after the SoB rules.

[@batti591]

It's basically the only non-Ironstorm change for Space Marines in the latest dataslate, Mikey probably should've caught that.

[@pkswarroom]

This was recorded pre-dataslate and got delayed.

[@batti591]

@@pkswarroom ah, fair enough

[@pkswarroom]

Would love to have it out earlier - but just a busy schedule, what with travel for Magic events and similar. Appreciate the comments though.

[@christopherwithey2122]

Death Guard CP is a D tier box: you can only ever really buy 1 unless you wanna try to massively convert Typhus, and it's too many Pox Walkers. Heck the box was unable to be fielded legally in the edition it was released!

[@Deimos0]

the problem with BA patrol is that GW won't put firstborn units in that, that's why we got subpar primaris mix

[@spruceschmickington3005]

I love how so much of this is just "guessing" what was in a box

[@pkswarroom]

I was literally showing and reading it out as we talked about it???

[@spruceschmickington3005]

@@pkswarroom but was it one box of jetbikes, was it 2 units, what was in the old box, lets try to remember. I should clarify, I wasn't lying, I loved that aspect

[@cdude665]

As a tsons player for years IT'S NOT TERRIBLE, unless you are starting the army, playing the combat patrol game mode, and dont have time to paint.......Ok fuck its bad.. Also i do love tzangors.

[@grahamunsworth1195]

As a new player I got the Death Guard combat patrol, I hated it! I won 1 in 4 but after buying a few more ranged models and bigger more wound models like the PBC and Wardogs Im winning a lot more and Im actually enjoying it. I glad I stuck with them! But yeah the CP is horrendous!

[@christopherwithey2122]

As a Guard player the Guard box is a A at most for me, but I can see why ya say S tier. I remember the Start Collecting kit though which makes my opinion biased.

[@DMKA94]

The only downside to the start collecting box was the commissar if you brought multiple boxes. Apart from that, SC box had better units for half the price of the current CP box

[@nuclearrylaw7616]

Loved the video and y’all’s explanations on them, sorry you were feeling like shite while doing it and I’m only saying this jokingly but I feel a tad sad/miffed that death guard wasn’t just a bit higher 😂 hell I bought mine second hand loved all the Marines and getting Tiphus and painting them up I didn’t put together my pox walkers cuz genuinely 1: it seemed daunting as it was my first big purchase of a 40k box and the rest of my reasons cuz I personally think pox walkers are dumb and when i eventually build my army up I’m gonna make a point to never use them as a kinda joke should someone ask why 😂

[@ZombieExpert115]

I don't even play warhammer, but these podcasts are hyping me to do so.

[@pkswarroom]

Get involved!

[@ZombieExpert115]

@pkswarroom I most certainly will. I don't mind if my army has trash stats. I just want to pick something cool looking then kitbash and paint.

[@DimMak73]

The original Black Templar army came with the Emperor’s champion along with the Marshall

[@burnpisces7733]

I bought the old custodes combat patrol and the new combat patrol plus Trajann and I have 1925 points.

[@localshaman]

I've only ever bought one combat patrol.... and it was Deathwatch 😅

[@Badbufon]

it would have been interesting if it was a tier list about combat patrols in their own format, but, as often happens, everything gets rated as price per point/utility in main 40k. which it's what everyone else always talks about so, snore.

[@vectorshaman338]

I don't play 40k but use a lot of the CPs for kill team. Sell the vehicles and heros and I get free kill teams. But as an outsider, I will weep for Drukhari players when that box is replaced, just like the genestealers got shafted. Shrinkflation has come to GW. Pay more and ya get less.

[@thomaswilloughby2951]

I can only think of two in the US. Most are in teh UK or Canada, or the odd ducks in Australia.

[@Bluejayount1]

K sons is the worst box in the game. Only contested by Admech.

[@spruceschmickington3005]

Nah, it's still marines

[@Chinichief]

What about the new Combat Patrol for Sisters?

[@pkswarroom]

This is the new one, iirc.

[@Chinichief]

@@pkswarroom Oh geez I'm stupid. You're absolutely right. 😆

[@pkswarroom]

It's OK haha. The comments are full of people we'll actuallying us/me on all sorts of stuff - but genuine confusion is absolutely fine. Hope the pods been enjoyable thus far.

[@DenSluge]

Not seeing the drukhari box as the obvious S-tier is just racism towards the angry emo boys. Why the hate tho? They're quite fun to play super fast glass cannons. Took you long enough to place them in S-tier. I seriously thought that was the S-tier box you talked about in the beginning lol

[@shadowslayer7892]

This vid feels low key poorly researched and out of date on release

[@pkswarroom]

Go on - explain.

[@shadowslayer7892]

@@pkswarroom well for starters on it feeling out of date was cause it was recorded before the points changes but then released like almost a week after. The poorly researched bit is about how the point counts for a few armies were just really wrong, idk remember exactly which ones cause I saw this yesterday and honestly don't wanna rewatch the whole thing. Some of the combat patrols you didn't even know what was in the box even though on their website it has all the units listed in the description.

[@pkswarroom]

We literally read the website out - I don't see how you can pretend we got that wrong. As for the points - the only discrepancies I can think of is Eldar and Astra Militarum due to a confusion about how artillery folds into units this edition, or a genuine mistake on misremember squad sizes for field guns. Your criticism is extremely harsh because you want to feel more authoritative. If that's how you want to be, I can't change it. But be realistic and honest with yourself, and don't make stuff up.

[@shadowslayer7892]

@@pkswarroom I'm just expressing how I feel you're the one wasting time arguing with a 0 sub channel in your comments section dude lol. Maybe if you feel I'm that wrong and bad faith just ignore my kind of comments? Kinda wild you're even still replying at this point.

[@hiddendragon6437]

Let's be honest.... Nothing from GW is "good value" 😂

[@THQMAS]

Guard one is unusable bad Sentinel is the only good thing id put in D

[@pkswarroom]

Cadians are great.

[@THQMAS]

@@pkswarroom not on the tabletop or lore.

[@silkydarkling9433]

The grey knight combat patrol is better than the custodes one

[@piotrjeske4599]

Not really you don't want 3 gk patrol boxes. You need 2. You do want 3 custodes patrols , if you are a new player.

[@silkydarkling9433]

@@piotrjeske4599 if you want two nemesis dreadknights and the character dreadknight you do.

[@malmasterson3890]

​@piotrjeske4599 Nah you can absolutely take 3 GK boxes. I'd rather grab one of the new one and one of the old with Custodes.

[@B__C__]

"We'll get Mikey to do it." "Oh, Mikey doesn't like to do anything." "Look! He likes it! He likes it!"

[@Helluminatus]

I think death guard is an A. When you first start a hobby, you have purchases that are not exciting that you have to make to move forward; nobody's jumping for joy over their new snips or glue, but you need them. Same here, you buy the one patrol, you have some basic stuff and all the poxwalkers you'll ever need, and you're good.

[@Bluecho4]

I understand this reasoning, and agree to an extent. But the fact it has two elements that kill its repeat buy value (named character + Poxwalker spam) means I can't rate it above a 'B'. It's definitely something you buy one of, because you'll use everything in the box sooner or later. But not any subsequent copies, which makes it a bad value box.

[@christopherwithey2122]

Yeah there are purchases that won't make ya jump for joy to get but are needed to grow your hobby. Your first patrol box should not be one of those. Sticking named characters hurts the rebuy potential of a patrol, hence why I think it should be lower. Maybe D is too harsh, but no better than a C. Part of ranking a value kit is the ability to purchase a 2nd or 3rd and not lose value on its and this, just like the KSons Tzaangors thing, is not a repeat buy.

[@MirCas23]

first

[@andrewtorka9093]

First comment