Contemptor Kevin’s Combat Patrol Issue 9 Review

Good day Combat Patroleers!  Apologies for being a smidge late this week: It was a holiday weekend in the United States, and I was out and about with some friends I had not seen in awhile because the weather was absolutely perfect.  And while touching grass does wonders for my mental health, it did take away from hobby time.  Plus, what hobby time I did have was working on *next* week’s Combat Patrol review, so, yeah.  Anyway, Issue #9 is a paint issue.  As always, thank you to Goonhammer and Hachette for giving me the opportunity to review this magazine and materials.  

Narrative Materials

This issue introduces information about the various chapters of Space Marines, highlighting the Ultramarines, Dark Angels, Space Wolves, Blood Angels, and the Silver Templars.  The Ultramarines get a bit more of a discussion: They are a first founding chapter who have their own interstellar empire, while the Blood Angels have a dark secret (they’re vampires), the Dark Angels are secretive with Deathwing Terminators, the Space Wolves are savage, and the Silver Templars are Ultramarines who really like their weapons.

The issue has another story involving the Silver Templars, from the perspective of someone teaching Silver Templar aspirants.  In the last story, Sergeant Askarton lost his bolt rifle when it fell out of his ship while he was trying to save another Battle Brother.  Now, the Sergeant’s squad wonders what will be most important to the Sergeant: getting his gun back or doing his job.  Naturally, Sergeant Askarton is going to focus on doing his job.  The Silver Templars then begin shooting at an onslaught of Tyranids, until a Winged Tyranid Prime shows up.  Sergeant Askarton fights it in hand-to-hand, and it goes about as well as you’d think it goes.  The Space Marine who was saved by Sergeant Askarton feels really bad about it.  I am somewhat curious what will happen in the next chapter of this particular short story/fable.

Hobby Materials

This issue comes with two paints – Retributor Armor and Abaddon Black.  While both are Citadel staples, I personally only use one of those paints.  Retributor Armor, of course, is a 2015-era buttery gold paint, which I have found somewhat unique on the market.  It’s slightly warmer than other company equivalents, and has decent coverage.  I go through pots of this stuff regularly.  Another pot from Hachette is always welcome.

Abaddon Black, of course, is GW’s “starter” Black and it is amongst the most finnicky GW paints to use.  Abaddon Black has infamously weak coverage, making its use as a “base” black not great.  Instead, I tend to use Citadel’s Black Templar, Black Legion, or Corvus Black when I need an actual black.  On the flip side, Abaddon Black is a useful mix-in paint to darken and desaturate a color.  

The issue also instructs the reader to update their Space Marines by using Retributor Armor on all the various gold portions of the Marines (armor trim, aquilas, doodads, and sword hilts), and black to the various undersuits and gun casings.  The issue also suggests using the Abaddon Black to paint the claws of the Tyranids.  

Gaming Materials

This issue adds Advancing and Falling Back as concepts, and they feature in this week’s mission: Scenario 04 – Pitched Battle.

This battle features the five Infernus Marines and Terminator Captain against the Termagants, Von Ryan’s Leapers, and Barbgaunts.  This mission comes with some basic rules for playing the scenario as a solo mission versus having an actual opponent: the Marines are controlled by the solo player, while the Termagants and Von Ryan’s Leapers will shoot and then charge the closest Marine units.  The Barbgaunts do not seek to charge the Marines.  The Terminator Captain starts in combat with the Termagants.  

So I took my toys and tried out the mission.  Of note:  Aside from the TORRENT rule, the missions in the Combat Patrol magazine so far do not use any of the weapon special rules or unit abilities. 

Space Marines Turn 1: The Captain fell back, allowing the Infernus Marines to open fire with their Pyreblasters.  They kill six Termagants, and then go to charge the Termagants: even if they don’t kill off the Termagants, they would be in combat with the Termagants and thus untargetable by the brick of Barbgants.  It’s only a 5 inch charge, after all.  

The Infernus Marines roll a 3!  So that means they just kind of stand there, and the turn ends.  

Tyranid Turn 1: The Von Ryan’s Leapers move forward, the small size of the Combat Patrol mat being very beneficial to a unit that moves 10 inches.  The Barbgaunts wind up rolling 21 attacks on their guns, and thus mulch two Infernus Marines.  Luckily for the Sons of Guilliman, they do not have the benefit of BLAST and HEAVY in this scenario.  The Termagants take some shots at the Captain, failing to wound.   Termagants and Leapers charge and make it in.   The Termagaunts do not do any damage whatsoever to the Captain.  The Von Ryan’s Leapers deal two wounds to the Captain.  The Captain hits back, dealing two wounds at AP -2…and the Leapers roll two sixes for their save.  .  

Space Marine Turn 2: The Infernus Marines charge the Termagants, and kill two of them.  The Von Ryan’s Leapers take the Captain down to 1 wound.  Captain manages to slay one of the vile beasts on his strike back.  

Tyranid Turn 2: The Captain kills an additional Von Ryan’s Leaper, while the last Leaper is unable to finish off the Captain.  The Infernus Marines finish off the Termgants.   

Space Marines Turn 3: The Captain falls back, which allow the Infernus Marines to try and fry the last Von Ryan’s Leaper.  They knock off two wounds, before charging it and finishing it off

Tyranids Turn 3: The Barbgaunt brick is able to rain down another 20+ shot barrage on the Infernus Marines, dealing 13 wounds to the three Infernus Marines.  However, the Infernus Marines make just enough saves that enable the Sergeant to survive with one wound.  .  

Space Marines Turn 4: The Captain and Infernus Marines move forward, getting into shooting range.  They are able to take out one Barbgaunt, but not able to charge.   

Tyranids Turn 4: The Barbgaunts are able to kill the last Infernus Marine, but do not try and charge the Terminator Captain.

Space Marines Turn 5: The Terminator Captain’s storm bolter mulches another Barbgaunt, and he gets into combat against them and slices the remainder of the squad into mincemeat.

Captain Marius has triumphed against the Tyranid swarm!  However, the margin of this victory was slim.  Captain Marius voxes his nearby ship, the Triumph of Justice, for additional reinforcements.  If the Tyranids are truly to be defeated here, he will need more than mere might.  This infestation calls for the strange psychic talent of a Librarian!

Final Verdict

I’m gonna be honest, I don’t think $15 for this issue and for one good paint is really worth it (1).  The story materials are good, but we only get a few snippets.  The gaming scenario was fun, though.  There are actual rules and some mechanics to make a solo gaming session work with all these models, which I really appreciated.  This way I get instructions on how to play with all the toys I’ve been building and painting over the past three months.  

But hey, not every issue of this magazine is going to be perfect, and Retributor Armor is a very good paint for almost every Space Marine Chapter or Legion. 

Until next time Combat Patroleers!

-Contemptor Kevin 

1. Unless there is a pandemic-level supply chain disruption, like the one that prevented me from getting pots of Retributor Armor or any decent black acrylic paint at a certain point in 2021.  

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