Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Wild Speculation: AoS4 will have a Combat Patrol format and this time they're curating the forces ahead of time, hence the rebranding. So Speaheads will be balanced against each other, possibly without stat tweaks.

 lord_blackfang wrote:
So Speaheads will be balanced against each other, possibly without stat tweaks.

Not so sure about that
Spearhead Stormcast: 900 points
Spearhead Cities of Sigmar: 550 points
FEC is closer to Cities with 605 points so maybe Stormcast are just the special case here

Oh well.

How much do these boxes cost these days?

 NAVARRO wrote:
How much do these boxes cost these days?

We don't know yet but pretty likely at different price points as the Cities one has 185€ of models inside while the FEC only has 144€ inside.
For Cities and probably Stormcast around 120€ fits the expected discount, for FEC that would be around 95€

 Matrindur wrote:

 lord_blackfang wrote:
So Speaheads will be balanced against each other, possibly without stat tweaks.

Not so sure about that
Spearhead Stormcast: 900 points
Spearhead Cities of Sigmar: 550 points
FEC is closer to Cities with 605 points so maybe Stormcast are just the special case here

not like the boxes match in 40k with regular points cost either but get their own rules to be "balanced"

The FEC box could be a great addition to Cursed City, if all the units are included in the upcoming issue of White Dwarf...

Combat Patrol is the worst thing about 10th edition 40K and I wouldn't want to see it pollute AOS as well.

Of all the bad things I can think of about 40k 10th, I dont think Combat Patrol is the list. It is its own self-contained game mode that serves a specific purpose for a specific type of customer, and thats about the start and the end of it. Could it be better? Sure. Is it bad? Not even a little bit.

FEC Spearhead is a great box. I like all the minis from it.

 Shadow Walker wrote:
FEC Spearhead is a great box. I like all the minis from it.

Yes, rotten timing tho, right after single kits release, so I already ordered all the Guard and Knights I wanted.

 lord_blackfang wrote:

 Shadow Walker wrote:
FEC Spearhead is a great box. I like all the minis from it.

Yes, rotten timing tho, right after single kits release, so I already ordered all the Guard and Knights I wanted.

I have been waiting just for the Crypt Guard separate release (as AOS is just a fantasy minis source for me to populate my mini agnostic games) but that box is so tempting. Must remain strong

chaos0xomega wrote:
Of all the bad things I can think of about 40k 10th, I dont think Combat Patrol is the list. It is its own self-contained game mode that serves a specific purpose for a specific type of customer, and thats about the start and the end of it. Could it be better? Sure. Is it bad? Not even a little bit.

Lets just say that the next friend who insists that I run a CP box just to play a quick 500 point game, is going to experience - first hand - my impression of Will Smith...

SamusDrake wrote:

chaos0xomega wrote:
Of all the bad things I can think of about 40k 10th, I dont think Combat Patrol is the list. It is its own self-contained game mode that serves a specific purpose for a specific type of customer, and thats about the start and the end of it. Could it be better? Sure. Is it bad? Not even a little bit.

Lets just say that the next friend who insists that I run a CP box just to play a quick 500 point game, is going to experience - first hand - my impression of Will Smith...

This sounds like a personal anger issue more than an actual problem with combat patrol?

Combat Patrol being its own thing is fantastic and I hope it doesn't go away. It gives 40K a fantastic "get a box get playing" game which is sorely needs to really help get new blood into the game.

Those newbies can get a box of models and get into the game fast and the game works with that one box of models.


They aren't sacrificing half the functionality of the game or their army; they aren't playing with a crippled set of the core rules or accepting that its a bit wonky until you get more models. It works right out of the box.



Warcry and Underworlds do the very same thing. These small format games are ideal for getting people into the hobby and engaged with the game side of things.

I think its ever ever so important for the recruitment and retention of new fresh players into the hobby. You can't rely on newbies getting to 500-1K-1.5K worth of points to where the game "works properly" without burning out if they've got nothing to really properly engage with until they get there.

 Kanluwen wrote:

This sounds like a personal anger issue more than an actual problem with combat patrol?

If challenged to a 500 point game, and they want to use a CP box collection - no problem. But expecting me to also buy a CP box to replace my perfectly good patrols from 9th edition is another matter altogether.

They look like good boxes, depending on price obviously. Especially the cities one.

Should be £85, unless GW are raising their prices again.

SamusDrake wrote:

 Kanluwen wrote:

This sounds like a personal anger issue more than an actual problem with combat patrol?

If challenged to a 500 point game, and they want to use a CP box collection - no problem. But expecting me to also buy a CP box to replace my perfectly good patrols from 9th edition is another matter altogether.

Well, then, don't? Just use your existing models and the Combat Patrol datasheets, which are free.

 Manfred von Drakken wrote:

Well, then, don't? Just use your existing models and the Combat Patrol datasheets, which are free.

You're missing the point that some players have it in their heads that we must both use Combat Patrol rules or nothing, for a quick 500 point game. My Harlequin and Knight armies don't have CP rules. My Eldar army would basically boil down to purchasing the Eldar CP boxset anyway for the missing models. If they want to use CP rules for their army, fine, but I'm not buying extra models for the sake of a game that lasts an hour at best.

Naturally I pass on those games, and find others to play with, but its got to the point with "Combat Patrol" that it might as well become its own spin-off like Kill Team and be done with it. AoS feels like its easier to get started with than with 40K, and I've not heard as much grumbling about balance, so it doesn't feel like it needs to go as far with the only advantage being free rules( which is always a good thing ).

Weird, I've not encountered anyone who has played combat patrol, sounds like its really taken off in your area though.

I wonder if GW will eventually follow it up with "Battleforce" as a larger format version, with permanently (well, as permanent as combat patrols seem to be anyway) available battleforce sets for each faction. If Combat Patrol is ~500 and "Battleforce" is ~1000, and then you add a third format thats Combat Patrol + Battleforce, you now have a hobby path for new players to escalate to 2000pts. Start with a Combat Patrol, then buy a Battleforce, then add them together, and then customize and flavor with your choice of 500 pts or so worth of units of your choice.

40K has always been popular here in the UK and you'd have to be living right out of the way to not find a game happening nearby, with GW stores up and down the country. And where there's a GW there's also bound to be a gaming club or two. Last time I visited Nottingham it was about a 3-hour drive up the road from where I live...

Most people are just looking for a bit of fun, but you do encounter the odd person who take's it a bit too seriously...

The battleforce box idea sounds cool, but would probably put their production capacity under strain. Its probably why we get 500 point boxes throughout the year, and then the larger army boxes for Christmas.

https://www.warhammer-community.com/2024/02/14/the-hammerhal-herald-our-agony-aunt-returns-to-weigh-in-on-matters-of-the-heart/

Battlescroll is up!

https://www.warhammer-community.com/2024/02/15/warhammer-age-of-sigmar-metawatch-big-changes-abound-in-the-new-battlescroll/

Seems like somewhat decent buffs to my retired Fyreslayers. Mayhaps its time to get back to slaying?

So another update in which most factions received additional/continued points reductions (except Kharadron).

GW: "Now you need to buy even more models to fill out your 2000 points list. Then we will scrap everything and reset everyone in four months, and all of those cool models you just bought will get points increases, driving you to purchase other, more points-efficient models . . ."

Welcome to Games Workshop, enjoy your stay.

Which is why it's usually best to try and build around what you think is cool, rather than relying on the points.

that and avoid getting suckered in by end of edition lifecycle changes. They do seem to have a tendency to make drastic price cuts and mechanical revisions at the tail end of each edition of their games, only to then tighten up points again and undo any of the well-received mechanical improvements when the next edition launches. I've heard that may be because the team working the next edition and the team doing balance updates are different groups within the studio and they apparently don't really coordinate much or make much of an effort to try to maintain continuity between them. To some extent thats because lead times associated with things (rulebooks go to print before last round of rules updates for the previous edition are released or something to that effect), but I'm sure theres a bit of compartmentalization and politics involved as well.

after i was the one to complain about it, GW decided to wait until i was on vacation to drop the dataslate...

anyway this all seems fine. i'm most annoyed at the plague monks change, which is pretty inconsequential overall, but does make it harder to take them as allies in a nurgle list. otherwise, nothing major to any armies i play... a little boring after all this buildup

New one https://www.warhammer-community.com/2024/02/23/dawnbringer-chronicles-xxi-the-red-river/

Fun read. Whoever's writing these has a real flair for tension when Ushoran is involved.

 Inquisitor Gideon wrote:
Fun read. Whoever's writing these has a real flair for tension when Ushoran is involved.

Maybe there will be a BL novel from FEC perspective once Dawnbringers are finished? Would be cool to read a proper noble knights story.