Welcome to the first regular article on the Warhammer 40K Combat Patrol Magazine from Hachette! I would like to thank Hachette Partworks and Goonhammer for the opportunity to review these models, magazines, and materials.
After the first “introductory” issue package in March of 2025 (with the half-priced issue #1 and free issue 2), the April 2025 package contains four issues at full price. Hence the delay in getting this going a bit. But we have some issues, and we can get going. So let’s go!
Issue 3
Narrative Materials
Issue #3 starts off with “A Million Worlds”, discussing the various types of worlds in the Imperium and their role in the Imperium. The magazine once again pulls no punches, summarizing a million-world empire of quadrillions as, “Imperial citizens toil in the name of the God-Emperor. These worlds reflect the brutality of Imperial rule and are cruel places designed to feed an endless war effort.”
The writer of this magazine is not a fan of the Imperium of Man.
The magazine then turns towards an overview of the Space Marines, showcasing the vanguard, armoured support, and what the various Space Marine companies do. There is a short story from the perspective of an Ultramarines Terminator Sergeant who fights a Tyranid Winged Prime.
The issue then discusses the Infernus Squad, and gives us a table to name and characterize the Squad. I rolled a 4, and thus my Ultramarines 4th Company, 7th Squad Infernus Marines are now Squad Fabian, which are specialists in brutal boarding actions on enemy ships.
The issue also has a “Space Marine Unit Name Table”, which are two d6xd6 tables with the Squad Sergeant name and their unit epithet. Since I had previously rolled for my Infernus Squad as Squad Fabian (incidentally, a name not on the Unit Name Table list), I rolled a pair of d6 and wound up giving my Infernus Squad the epithet “Storm Walkers”.
Hobby Materials
Issue 3 presents us with five Infernus Marines. This is the same sprue as the Leviathan box and the various 40K starter boxes. These go together pretty quickly, but there aren’t really many options. Luckily, Issue #5 has an alternate Sergeant. But we’ll get to him later.
Gaming Materials
The gaming materials for this unit is a bunch of punch-out datasheets for the Space Marine and Tyranid Combat Patrols. There are also four punch-out cards for the mission in Issue #3, “Cleanse! Purge! Kill!”, which introduces shooting attacks. With a flamer unit. The issue notes that “Torrent weapons automatically hit their opponents.”
This mission pits one Infernus Marine against the four Tyranid Terrain Battlefield Cards. Each of these Terrain features has a different toughness and save, and the Infernus Marine has to destroy them all before the spores used by the terrain feature kill the Infernus Marine. I decided to play out the scenario.
Turn 1: Move up one square, attack Small Infestation Site. 6 attacks, 5 wounds, all saves failed. Infestation Site counterattack: All failed
Turn 2: Move up one to hit Large Infestation Site. 3 attacks, 2 wounds, all saves failed. Site destroyed. Infestation Site Counterattack: All failed
Turn 3: Move to hit the Armored Infestation Site. Two attacks, 1 wound, save failed. Armored Site takes 1 damage. Counterattack: Both failed.
Turn 4: No move, 1 attack. No wounds. Counterattack: Failed.
Turn 5: No move, 4 attacks, 2 wounds, both saved. Counterattack: Failed.
Turn 6: No move, 1 attack, 1 wound, saved. Counterattack: Failed.
Turn 7: No move, 5 attacks, 1 wound, saved. Counterattack: 1 wound, saves.
Turn 8: No move, 6 attacks, 3 wounds, 2 saves. Site destroyed. Counterattack: Nothing
Turn 9: Marine runs two squares, no attacks. Counterattack: Nothing
Turn 10: Marine moves in, 6 attacks, 6 wounds. Site saves 1, takes 5 wounds. Site destroyed, Marine wins.
Brother Regulus allows himself a moment of pride as the last infestation site is reduced to a charred husk. He takes a moment to reload and to upload the coordinates of this location to his battle-brothers, who will join him soon. Now purged of the xenos taint, this will be a fine staging post for the rescue of the missing Captain Marius.
Final Verdict
This issue retails for $15.00 (1), and provides five Tacticus bodies. That’s not a bad bargain. For a new player who has not purchased any other Space Marine kits, it’s a good deal (aside from the fact that the sprue gate for one of the Marines attaches to the empty panel of one of the pauldrons). For a veteran player who has a lot of Infernus Marines, these are bodies to make alternate poses. This issue also has the datacards for the first several issues, though none of the “extra” datasheets from the magazine make their appearance. It’s a good deal, even if the mission is kind of boring.
Until next time Combat Patroleers!
(1) I do not know if any of the…recent policy changes in the United States will affect this price.
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