40K Combat Patrol: Lamenters vs Genestealer Cult

So, I played my first game of 40K in about 25 years... We used the Combat Patrol rules, which are slightly pared down and don't require list building. Each side is competing for points over five turns, via objectives which are the 40mm MDF discs. This was a learning game for both of us, and we forgot and likely misinterpreted many special rules. I've spiced up the pics with the LensFX app.

One one side: Lamenters Space Marines. Strengths include short-range firepower and armour, weaknesses include low numbers.

Lamenters Combat Patrol

• Terminator Captain
• Terminator Librarian leading five Terminators
• Five Infernus Squad Marines

Their opponents: the Genestealer cult. Lots of bodies and mobility, but squishy.

Genestealer Cult Combat Patrol

• Magus with ten Neophyte Hybrids
• Ten Neophyte Hybrids
• Five Aberrants
• Five Acolyte Hybrids
• Rockgrinder truck

The forces meet across a ruined mining facility.

The Cult dominate a rocky outcrop and prepare
to advance on both flanks

Merely six Astartes face down the xenos foe.

The Neophytes seize a ruin as the Rockgrinder rumbles forward

The Infernus Squad take an objective

Heavy Stubber fire ricochets off the tough Terminator plate

"Purge with flame!"

Terminators teleport in, but the Rockgrinder withstands
the ambush

However, the Captain leads a charge and the vehicle is torn
apart by powerfists.

The resulting explosion kills a Terminator
and wounds the Captain

The Astartes destroy the remaining hybrids.

The Aberrants seize the opportunity to tear down
the wounded captain.

The marines get their revenge.

A doomed counter-charge.

Behind us! More hybrids emerge from the shadows
and threaten the Astartes' rear.

The pyreblasters eradicate one threat.

The Terminators about-face to eliminate the other.

The Magus desperately leads her troop off the hill
to seize an objective as the marines are distracted.

But the Terminators' firepower is devastating

A charge finishes off the Cult.

A victory for the Lamenters, but they did lose their Captain. The cult will rise up again!

The rules were... fine. Nothing innovative, but they appear to be a streamlined improvement over previous editions. They behaved as expected, and I'm glad they're free. I struggled with all the special rules and multiple weapon types. Bigger games will be very bloody and complex.

The 'buckets of dice and then nothing happens' critique of 40K is reasonable, but as a player-participant it is quite fun. Sometimes it does all swing on a D6.

40K Combat Patrol: Genestealer Cult

I have enough figures already to put together a Combat Patrol for my Genestealer Cult. They are numerous but vulnerable. If destroyed, however, there is a chance they can come back elsewhere representing a fresh unit.

Genestealer Cult Combat Patrol

The Magus isn't particularly strong, but she augments other units.

Magus

There are two squads of Neophyte Hybrids. They have quite a variety of weaponry.

Twenty Neophyte Hybrids

The Acolyte Hybrids have powerful repurposed mining tools for cracking tough targets, but don't have range or numbers.

Five Acolyte Hybrids

The mutated Aberrants are a close combat hammer.

Aberrants

The Goliath Rockgrinder has a heavy stubber, clearance incinerator, blasting charges, and a drilldozer blade.

Goliath Rockgrinder

How will they perform? Find out soon!

40K Lamenters Combat Patrol

In WH40K 10th edition, 'Combat Patrol' is a great way to get into the grimdark. Each faction has a fixed small force list with slightly pared-down rules. There's no listbuilding, which I really appreciate.

Here is my Lamenters Combat Patrol. Just twelve figures (and a teleport beacon). Some of the base details are from Imitation of Life, and the decals are from GW and Forgotten Chapters. Not the chequers or bleeding hearts- all painfully freehanded. Curved pauldrons are a real challenge to chequer. The purity seals are Sigvald Burgundy Contrast.

Lamenters Combat Patrol

I tried stippling highlights for the captain's cloak. It sort of came off. I do like all the bling/ drip he has. He's on a 50mm base. The half-mask is a throwback to the original metal captain.

Lamenters Terminator Captain

I went for classical blue on the terminator librarian. I tried a few different ways of painting the runes on the armour, so it is a bit of a multilayered globby mess. The force axe, in Contrast (ahem), was easy with Aethermatic Blue Contrast over white. I tried to do the grip chequered as well.

Lamenters Terminator Librarian

Terminators! These new sculpts are really good. I gave them white veteran helmets, and the sergeant has a black stripe. They also have a teleport beacon on a Renedra 25mm base. I added some extra struts to it.

Lamenters Terminator Sergeant

Lamenters Terminator with assault cannon

Lamenters Terminators

Teleport homing beacon

Finally, an Infernus squad. A black drybrush gives a great effect on their pyreblasters.

Lamenters Infernus Squad Sergeant

Lamenters Infernus Squad

So, it's not a force list I would have crafted, but the fixed nature of Combat Patrol makes the choice easy. I think the flamers will be great against infantry hordes at close range but little else, whereas the Terminators have real sticking power but no numbers. If I ever actually play a game...

What you're really here for: the Skull-o-meter™

Captain 22

Librarian 15

Terminators 35

Infernus squad 14

Total: 86