Combat Patrol Rules

Warhammer 40,000: Combat Patrol – A Deep Dive into the Rules

Warhammer 40,000: Combat Patrol is the perfect entry point into the grim darkness of the far future. This boxed game provides everything you need to get started playing, including two complete armies, terrain, dice, and, of course, the rules. This article will comprehensively cover the rules of Combat Patrol, explaining the core mechanics and providing tactical advice for both beginners and experienced players looking to master this engaging game mode. We'll delve into deployment, movement, shooting, fighting, and the crucial morale phase, ensuring you're ready to lead your forces to victory.

I. Introduction: Understanding the Core Gameplay Loop

Combat Patrol streamlines the full Warhammer 40,000 experience, focusing on fast-paced, tactical battles. The core gameplay loop revolves around a series of phases:

1. Movement Phase: Move your units across the battlefield.
2. Psychic Phase: Cast psychic powers (if your army has psykers).
3. Shooting Phase: Units fire their weapons at enemy units.
4. Fight Phase: Units engage in close-combat.
5. Morale Phase: Units that have suffered casualties test to see if they flee.

These phases repeat until one player's army is eliminated or the game ends due to other victory conditions (specified in your chosen mission). Understanding the order and mechanics of each phase is crucial for success.

II. Deployment: Securing the Battlefield Advantage

Deployment is the first crucial tactical decision. Combat Patrol typically uses a smaller battlefield than larger Warhammer 40,000 games, emphasizing strategic positioning. Each player secretly deploys their units, often within their own deployment zone. The specific deployment rules will vary depending on the chosen mission.

• Consider your army's strengths: Do you have long-range weaponry? Deploy them in positions that maximize their range while staying relatively safe. Conversely, melee-focused units might be better placed closer to the enemy deployment zone.

• Control key objectives: Many Combat Patrol missions involve controlling objectives scattered across the battlefield. Deploying units to secure these early can significantly impact your chances of victory.

• Anticipate your opponent: Try to predict your opponent’s strategy. What units do they have? How are they likely to deploy? Consider placing units to counter their anticipated movements.

III. Movement: Maneuvering for Position

The Movement phase allows you to reposition your units. Each unit has a specific movement characteristic determined by its profile. Units can move freely, but they cannot move through enemy units or certain types of terrain.

• Cover: Utilize terrain effectively to provide cover for your units, reducing the chance of them being hit by enemy fire.

• Flanking: Try to maneuver your units to flank the enemy, allowing you to attack them from an unexpected direction. This often grants you a significant advantage in combat.

• Holding the Line: Sometimes, it's beneficial to hold a strong defensive position rather than aggressively advancing. This is particularly important when guarding vital objectives.

IV. Shooting Phase: Unleashing the Arsenal

The Shooting phase is where the majority of damage is often inflicted. Each weapon has its own range, strength, and special rules. Accurate shooting can significantly weaken your opponent before close combat even begins.

• Targeting priorities: Prioritize high-value enemy units, such as characters or heavily armored units, to maximize your impact.

• Weapon range and accuracy: Pay close attention to weapon ranges and any special rules affecting your shooting.

• Cover saves: Remember that enemy units in cover will have a reduced chance of being hit.

V. Fight Phase: Close-Quarters Combat

The Fight phase is where melee units engage in brutal close combat. Units fight one at a time, rolling dice to determine how many attacks they make and how much damage they inflict.

• Combat resolution: Combat resolution is a crucial part of the game, involving determining initiative, allocation of attacks, calculating damage, and allocating wounds.

• Melee weapons: Pay close attention to the type of melee weapon your units are equipped with. Different weapons have different strengths and weaknesses.

• Character combat: Characters often play a crucial role in the Fight phase, as they can deliver significant damage and influence the outcome of combat.

VI. Morale Phase: Holding the Line

After each combat round, units that suffered casualties take a morale test. If a unit fails its morale test, it may flee the battlefield, removing its fighting strength from the game.

• Leadership: A unit's Leadership characteristic plays a major role in its morale test. Higher leadership generally equates to a higher chance of passing the test.

• Reinforcements: The impact of losing units can be substantial, so consider bringing reinforcements if your army takes significant losses.

VII. Victory Conditions: Defining Success

Combat Patrol missions typically have specific victory conditions. These could include:

• Controlling objectives: Controlling a certain number of objectives at the end of the game.
• Eliminating enemy units: Eliminating a certain number of or all of your enemy's units.
• Holding territory: Controlling a certain area of the battlefield.

Understanding the mission’s victory conditions is essential for developing a winning strategy. Adapting your deployment and tactics to achieve these conditions is key.

VIII. Advanced Tactics and Strategies

While the core rules are relatively simple, mastering the nuances of Combat Patrol requires strategic thinking and tactical adaptation. Here are some advanced concepts:

• Army composition: Carefully choose your units to complement each other and counter your opponent’s expected army list. A balanced force is often more effective than one relying solely on a single unit type.

• Combined arms: Utilize units with different strengths and abilities to create a synergistic force. For instance, combining long-range firepower with close-combat units can provide a powerful and versatile army.

• Terrain manipulation: Use terrain to your advantage, forcing your opponent into unfavorable positions while protecting your units.

• Exploiting weaknesses: Identify your opponent's weaknesses and develop strategies to exploit them. Are they weak against a particular type of weapon? Do they lack anti-tank weaponry?

IX. Understanding Unit Stats and Weapon Profiles

Successfully playing Combat Patrol requires understanding the key stats found on unit and weapon profiles:

• Movement: How far the unit can move in a turn.
• Weapons: A list of the weapons the unit is equipped with, detailing their range, strength, and special rules.
• Ballistic Skill (BS): Determines the accuracy of ranged weapons.
• Strength (S): Determines the damage inflicted in close combat and by certain weapons.
• Toughness (T): Determines the unit's resistance to damage.
• Wounds (W): How many wounds the unit can take before being destroyed.
• Attacks: The number of attacks the unit can make in close combat.
• Leadership (Ld): Determines the unit's morale.
• Save: The armor save characteristic, determining the unit's ability to resist incoming attacks.

X. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

• What is the difference between Combat Patrol and a full Warhammer 40,000 game? Combat Patrol is a simplified version of the game, designed to be more accessible to new players while still capturing the core gameplay experience. It uses a smaller scale and simplified rules.

• Can I use units from different factions in Combat Patrol? No, Combat Patrol generally involves two pre-built armies from specific factions.

• What if my unit fails its morale test? If a unit fails its morale test, it may flee the battlefield, removing its fighting power from the game.

• How do I determine who goes first? Typically, this is decided at the start of the game through a dice roll or some other method as specified by the mission.

• What happens if a unit is destroyed? A destroyed unit is removed from the battlefield.

XI. Conclusion: Embark on Your Warhammer 40,000 Journey

Combat Patrol is an excellent introduction to the captivating world of Warhammer 40,000. By understanding the core rules, deploying strategically, and mastering the nuances of combat, you can lead your forces to victory. Remember to adapt your tactics to the mission objectives and your opponent’s army composition. Embrace the grim darkness of the far future, and may your victories be many! The detailed rules explained here will empower you to master the intricacies of this engaging game mode. So gather your forces, prepare for battle, and conquer the battlefield! Good luck, and may the Emperor protect you!