Warhammer 40K boasts a Combat Patrol for every faction they run, providing a mix of units for every army someone could be interested. But which of them is the best?
There are many ways to rank the Warhammer 40K Combat Patrols, making it hard to crown an objective winner. So instead I’ll be looking at each metric and showing you the best Combat Patrols in each category.
Remember that ultimately, the best Combat Patrol is the one you yourself think is the coolest. But if the following points will help you decide, then read on.
Table of contents
Which Combat Patrols give the most points?
This is an important metric if you want to get the most value out of your Combat Patrol to grow a sizeable force quicker without spending too much money. Each Combat Patrol has around 500pts of minis, however, if you choose the more expensive options when building, you can inflate that number to broach near 1,000pts.
Adeptus Custodes
The Adeptus Custodes Combat patrol, if you choose the most expensive options, can swell up to 835pts, which makes for a powerful and expensive force.
This means you won’t have to buy many more units to hit that sweet 1,000pt mark, and you’ll be boasting some very powerful units with the Custodian Guard and Terminators.
Against other Combat patrols, the Adeptus Custodes perform very well, and that’s likely due to the larger point lead when constructing them in this way.
Grey Knights
The Grey Knights Combat Patrol, if you choose the most expensive options, can reach 770pts, making a formidable force.
This army only has a few unique option – and this Combat Patrol includes all of them, which is a huge bonus if you’re interested in this chapter.
The Grey Knights are known to be rather over-priced in terms of points, so this doesn’t speak too much to the quality of the combat patrol, although it is a strong one.
World Eaters
The World Eaters Combat patrol, if you choose the most expensive options, can hit 690pts, only 300pts off a desirable mark.
This army hoards this many points due to just how many minis is present. This faction isn’t a horde faction with cheaper units, like the Orks or Tyranids, so it’s surprising to see so many Berserkers.
However, the World Eaters aren’t known for their diversity of roster, so although this Combat patrol is pretty valuable, it isn’t the most dynamic.
Which Combat Patrols are the strongest?
This metric is likely the most important to consider. Naturally, you’ll want a strong army if you plan to play Warhammer 40K on the tabletop, so having a strong Combat Patrol to start off with is important. The best part of a strong Combat Patrol is that it can only get stronger.
Orks
When looking at the Combat Patrols in isolation, the Orks have a very powerful one. The Orks are already one of the best factions in Warhammer 40K and is a fan-favorite, and their Combat Patrols reflect this.
This combat patrol hosts some of the most powerful Ork units, allowing you to really stick it to them un-Orky gitz. Hosting good quick and anti-armor units that are supported by the vicious horde, this Ork army is ready for a lot of different combat situations.
With a good mix of horde and support, the Ork Combat Patrol is certainly capable in battle.
Dark Angels
Although the Dark Angels are fewer in number, they are a mean bunch.
Featuring high toughness and a good handful of squads, the Dark Angels present a challenge for any of the other Combat Patrols to face off against. Their resilience and reliable shooting make capturing objectives a smooth process.
You can’t really go wrong with these all-rounder stalwart space marines.
Drukhari
The Drukhari Combat Patrol provides a dynamic mix of powerful units that each don’t seem weak in isolation of each other.
You’ll be hitting hard and fast, but that’s what the Drukhari do best. Every unit in this Combat Patrol is regarded as good or great, which is more than can be said for most other Combat Patrols. There isn’t really anything specific to comment on – it’s just all good.
For a good quality mix of units, this Combat Patrol doesn’t even hit the 500pt mark, which also makes it an asset for any Dark Eldar fans.
Which Combat Patrols give the most minis?
For fans of horde armies who want to get started quickly, these Combat Patrols will be a great start. Do note that these Combat Patrols aren’t the strongest by any means, but they will get your horde started on the right track – you can always add the powerful units later.
And surprisingly, the Orks aren’t on this list.
Death Guard
The Death Guard Combat Patrol comes in with a whopping 39 models, which is insane for a non-horde army. If you want a Poxwalker-heavy Death Guard army, then the Death Guard will set you up nicely.
Due to the reliance on Poxwalkers, this Combat Patrol is surprisingly one of the weaker ones, however, it’ll save you from having to buy them yourself if you’re going to start a Death Guard army.
Poxwalkers aren’t mandatory for a successful Death Guard Army, but a handful is desirable, making this a good place to start if you plan on expanding this team with stronger units.
Chaos Daemons
The Chaos Daemons Combat Patrol has 34 models in its roster, making for a Bloodletter-heavy fighting force.
If you’re looking to appease mighty Khorne, then this is the right way to go about this. This Combat Patrol is bursting with plastic, allowing you to get a good mix of “run-of-the-mill” and pretty strong units into your army off the bat.
With the amount presented in this Combat Patrol, you’ll just have to focus on personalising your army with the units you want as all the basics will be covered.
Tyranids
Naturally, the Tyranids feature on this list with 32 models, and they are much more diverse than the Death Guard.
Boasting a character and a monster, this Combat Patrol, although only worth under 500pts, will form the foundation of any Tyranid army due to the number of units and the variety.
With 32 units spanning across six types, the Tyranid Combat Patrol makes for as good a start to this faction as any other.
Now that you know the most valuable and the strongest Combat Patrols, you can start or expand your army with ease.
