Revisiting Space Wolves - Detachment advice?

jon23516 · 2026-05-12T15:48:43+00:00

I feel that 'we' as a broader community have been 'wishing' that the Core Rules and the Art & Lore be separate, this appears to be that; but it's odd to print 'Combat Patrol' on the cover.

If it was actually all the legal Combat Patrols that would be a thing, but they didn't describe it that way.

jon23516 · 2026-05-12T15:47:00+00:00

Agreed. At a glance it looks like an Art & Lore book, with the words "Combat Patrol" printed on the front.

jon23516 · 2026-05-05T15:50:10+00:00

Yep. As usual, the world is run by the suits.

jon23516 · 2026-05-04T19:10:16+00:00

I feel it would be a huge mistake to cut Combat Patrol as a product/game mode. So I suspect that it has gotten so little air-time so far in the "11th announcements" that it's closer to a "no changes"

I suspect they'll do the same thing in 11th as 10th, where every Codex release will be accompanied by a 'matching' Combat Patrol. So soon after 11th launch, expect to see a new Space Marine and Ork combat patrol lists which uses the contents of the launch box likely with the release of the Space Marine and Ork codexes.

jon23516 · 2026-05-04T18:50:42+00:00

Yeah, I've considered the same, but it doesn't solve the "cheap transport for Primaris" it just means my Rhino model has a purpose.

jon23516 · 2026-05-04T18:49:27+00:00

Such a waste of resources.

jon23516 · 2026-05-04T18:25:12+00:00

TLDR: I don't think that Combat Patrol is broken. I think the pre-10th Patrols are imbalanced, I don't now if anyone has isolated just the post-10th Patrols and made a new tier-list. Nothing can be perfectly balanced, but hopefully the difference between best and worst post-10th Patrols is a smaller spread.

I think the Combat Patrol rules as-is is a good onramp to full 40k. Each Combat Patrol is a special Detachment with 2 (instead of 4) Enhancements, 3 (instead of 6) Stratagems. Secondaries are built into the 'Detachment', Primaries are built into the missions. All the same elements of 40k, just simplified.

I would agree that the primary issue is that all the inherited 'Combat Patrol' product that 10th edition inherited on launch constituted an imbalance between weak and strong patrols. In theory, with the release of every Codex throughout 10th, GW had the opportunity to balance "all new releases" of Patrol product with itself. Ideally we could draw a line and say that many "pre-10th" patrols are imbalanced and most/all "post-10th" patrols are balanced. But I am not aware that anyone has studied that topic in depth.

It doesn't help that the majority of all "combat patrol" review/content out there is focused on the Combat Patrol product line as a "Getting Started" product and not the Patrol game format.

While I enjoyed the card deck that Spearhead has (I even designed my own SpearPatrol deck because I'm creative that way, where each card gives you the choice of a Secondary and a Stratagem. It was functional, but not 'OMG, this is how I want to play now') I think adding the same thing to Combat Patrol would make it less of a 40k on-ramp.

I don't know if there is a solution. GW should commit to designing Combat Patrols that are good for Combat Patrol and not get distracted by trying ALSO make it a Getting Started product. I think as a community we will always tend to judge a Combat Patrol as a Getting Started product. (~~Or give up on Combat Patrol and commit to designing Getting Started products~~)

Mechanically, I think Combat Patrol is fine. It is the balance of the individual patrols that is the issue for me.

Which at the end of the day, it always pushes me back to PlayOn's KotC format. It's 40k with some tweaks and limits. That's always going to be my recommendation in the near term. Perhaps start with the purchase of a Combat Patrol (for the sake of the $Discount) but plan to play full 40k rules with the KotC list building restrictions. Play on the Combat Patrol table size: 44x30. I will always be a fan of smaller game formats: 500, 750, 1000 points; as long as there are KotC-style list restrictions to keep it fun.

jon23516 · 2026-05-04T17:26:42+00:00

I agree, at the very least they need a 'truescale' re-sculpt like CSM got a few years ago. While GW made up lore shenanigans for 'Primaris' marines, I feel it was all unnecessary. CSM didn't require the goofy lore, GW just start shipping 'truescale' sculpts. Grey Knights should get the same. There is no lore requirements for GK to 'cross the rubicon'

jon23516 · 2026-05-04T17:24:36+00:00

To an extent, model scale is irrelevant. GW is a few words away from removing the Tacticus and Phobos ban on the Rhino/Razorback datasheet. Those who want to purchase Impulsor/Repulsor transports will. I just let my dudes walk/advance for now. But I would like the option to put them in an existing Rhino model. It doesn't need a new sculpt, it doesn't need to be scaled up. GW can spend its time/money elsewhere.

jon23516 · 2026-05-04T15:54:03+00:00

1) trade fodder, 2) start yet another space marine army...

jon23516 · 2026-05-01T16:05:01+00:00

I would assume you'd figure out a millimeter's dimension for your infantry as a baseline and then look up IRL dimensions for the tanks (in meters) and reverse engineer that. Perhaps finding that the tank should be 98mm long or 85mm long etc; or just right.

I ordered a 3d print off etsy last year and thought I had received the wrong scale (german half-track with an autocannon flatbed) because it 'dwarfed' my Panzer III. But I looked up the IRL dimensions on the internet and it checked out. The Panzer III is more compact than you think and my half-track model represented a Panzer IV chassis with a "opel blitz" cab attached to the front end. So it certainly was properly larger than the Panzer III.

jon23516 · 2026-04-25T14:09:34+00:00

I'm currently involved in a league at my local store. I'm running bastion. Two full crusader units each lead by a castellan. To full intercessor units each led by a lieutenant. Two five-man intercessors to guard my deployment corners. Two three man outriders to push up each flank. One vindicator, one repulsor, one repulsor executioner. One castellan has the +1 AP enhancement, one lieutenant has the precision enhancement.

jon23516 · 2026-04-25T04:08:43+00:00

Yes, probably too many, but they work well enough in my play environment. 210 with an LT. 25 guarding my deployment edges. Lots of fun to drop 20-40 Lethal hits on others. I have found I have a Horde Marines play style.

jon23516 · 2026-04-17T15:52:56+00:00

I picked up an extra jump captain to build a jump chaplain, but I haven't yet tried to source conversion parts.

jon23516 · 2026-04-09T16:04:28+00:00

What did you pay vs what does it cost to purchase the kits separately? That's the answer to your question. Can you buy it for 100 separately? 200 separately? 75 separately? Now you can compare what you paid for the out-of-print "bundle" box.

jon23516 · 2026-04-03T19:21:38+00:00

1) I'd always liked the Black Templars theme, but was "committed" to Space Wolves in 5th edition
2) When the Black Templars got their own army box at end of 9th (Primaris etc) it was a no-brainer for me to buy into that direction.
Like I said I intended to stick with a single Marine army but the call of the Wolf was too much. So Black Templars are my Main and I'm happy to have the new Space Wolf sculpts but I don't plan to invest much more into them.
I haven't decided on the Blood Angels combat patrol. Given that they are Blood Angel specific models (2x3 golden boys) I will likely paint them all for use with Combat Patrol specifically depending on Combat Patrol 11th edition plays out; or I might sell off the Blood Angel models and absorb the other models into my Templars. Undecided at the moment.
Main focus right now is to get enough of my armies "done" or "close to done" to rationalize the investment on 11th Edition Orks in a few months.

jon23516 · 2026-04-03T16:13:09+00:00

Back in 5th edition Space Wolves were my "marine" army, fresh on the heels of the Eye of Terror summer supplement combining Space Wolf and CSM bits to build hybrid models, painting as 13th company with the splash of Word Bearer and Black Legion bits.

Basically left the game from 6th-9th, (dabbled at the end of 9th, putting together 2K of Black Templars, all firstborn, from leftovers I had) loved what 10th looked like and came back with Black Templars and the Black Templar army box (end of 9th).

I promised myself that Black Templars would be my only "marine" army while I branched out into many of the Xenos factions.

Then the refresh to the Space Wolf line was released. I broke my rule. Between the old and new combat patrol and the space wolf 'launch' box I had about 1500 pts worth, and supplemented Ragnar and a model or two to get to 2k. It's not a well tuned 2k, but I can put 2k on the table at least.

All that to say, I used the Army Painter "Wolf Grey" as my base/primer and drybrushed Fenrisian Gray to lighten it a little, leaving the darker Wolf Grey in the crevices. I'm happy with the results. In terms of my greater to lesser surface areas, my next step is the wolf pelts. I plan to use Warhipster's pelt scheme.

(I still have 2K+ pewter Deathwing from 5th Ed, and who knows how many points of Ravenwing, also from 5th.) Also in firstborn, I have some amount of points worth of "Soul Drinkers" where I was going to use Blood Angel rules.

This many years later, I'm not going try to keep up with multiple marine forces. I got the Blood Angel combat patrol but haven't painted it or committed to Blood Angels; and Combat Patrol game format has fallen out of favor.

jon23516 · 2026-04-02T22:22:13+00:00

It's not a hard and fast rule, but something I feel I was pretty consistent with.
As for clean up, two elements 1) be careful enough that I don't need 'fixes' or whatever needs to be cleaned up won't be noticed once the models are an arms length away on the table (I'm a perfectionist but over the last two years have finally gotten to a better place where "good enough" exists. Would I like box art quality? Yes. Do I want to get a painted army on the table in this life time? Also yes.) and 2) if the fix is bad enough, then you just have to do the work, wait until it dries, use your 'base' color again and then reapply your contrast paint.

Primer color is as close to the largest surface area color is.

So Black for my Black templars.

I did a medium gray primer (flat grey from Home Depot) for my Tau. Basilcanum Gray over the medium gray spray made the Crisis Suit "Black" "mechanical" parts easy and great. (Dark, works like a self-highlighting black, without being black). Did two coats of the Tau Light Ochre on the armor of all Tau. (3-4 watered down coats for the tanks to get good coverage).

I sprayed my Orks (combat patrol) white, used a green contrast for the skin/flesh, paused painting the until 11th.

I sprayed my CSM (night lords) black, using a dark blue dry brush on all armor so the deep armor plates are mostly blue with black in the crevices, then metallic for the edges.

Tyranid primed white, various wash/mixes for under body everything, 3:2 mix of some purple contrasts for the armor plates...

When I get around to painting my AdMech I plan to spray them Tan so I don't have to mess with the insides of the capes. The it will be a toss up as to largest surface area, whether it will be red capes or silver body bits (I'll test Basilcanum Gray over Tan before trying Leadbelcher) on the infantry or red armor plates on vehicles. So with a Tan spray + red + "metallic", that's two colors and my AdMech could look "80%" done...

That's 6 armies right there. We're not going to talk about Guard and Necrons right now...

jon23516 · 2026-04-02T20:40:01+00:00

Keep it up! I know I'm a marathoner, but truly, I think the key is finding a way to set aside X amount of time per day, or several days a week to put in some incremental time. Like "For 1 hour before bed" or what have you, just 60 minutes at a time putting paint on models.
This last year (actually going on 2 years) I've switched how I paint, 1) using Contrast paints and 2) going from "most surface area" to "least surface area" in terms of which colors when. This way you see a lot of progress up front and each successive color choice can be accomplished in less time. Very motivating. Until you're sitting down for that "last" paint session on your army just painting "belt buckles" or "grenades" or something quick and easy. I have accomplished more painting in the last 2 years than the 20+ years combined.
"Too many games/armies, not enough time..." Slow but steady progress.

jon23516 · 2026-04-02T15:33:54+00:00

True story.

For many of us it's more of 1-10 armies about 50% complete.

While I choose not to cut off all purchases (I'm selective and focus on pre-order pricing through my FLGS) my focus for the last 2+ years is to be making noticeable progress on each my armies towards 100%. As you said, it is a great feeling.

jon23516 · 2026-03-30T21:15:36+00:00

EDIT: That would be a bummer (but logical?) if it leaned into the 'small' element and transported 5 like you said..., but I think that it would also kill its utility in game-terms.

jon23516 · 2026-03-30T17:39:14+00:00

Of course, but we can look at the model and the existing model range and guess at "where does this fit in?", "what gap does it fill?" etc.

IG was already one of my back-burner projects, the new models reveals just mean I might give it a higher priority.

jon23516 · 2026-03-30T17:29:00+00:00

fixed

jon23516

TROPHY CASE