Let’s be real for a second. The official Combat Patrol boxes released by Games Workshop are basically a double-edged sword. On one hand, you get a curated force that (usually) saves you a bit of cash compared to buying the kits individually. On the other hand, you’re stuck with whatever loadout the designers thought was "balanced" for a specific boxed-game format. If you’ve ever played the official game mode, you know the feeling. It’s tight. It’s fast. But eventually, it feels like playing Chess with the same opening moves every single time. That is exactly why custom combat patrol 40k lists are taking over local game stores and discord servers.
Players want the 500-point vibe without the 500-point restrictions.
The 10th Edition of Warhammer 40,000 introduced "Combat Patrol" as a standalone game mode with fixed datasheets. It was meant to lower the barrier to entry. No list building. No worrying about Enhancement points. Just grab the box and roll dice. But for the veteran who has been painting plastic soldiers since 4th Edition, or even the newbie who just thinks a specific unit looks cool, those fixed rules are a cage. Building a custom combat patrol 40k force is basically about reclaiming that 40-minute "lunch break" game while actually getting to use the toys you want to use.
The Problem With Fixed Boxes
Official Combat Patrol is great for balance, but balance can be boring. Take the Space Marine "Strike Force Octavius" box. You get Terminators. You get Infernus Marines. It’s fine. It works. But what if you want to play a stealthy Raven Guard list at that scale? You can't. Not in the official mode. You’re stuck with the flamer guys and the chunky boys in Gravis armor.
When we talk about custom combat patrol 40k, we’re usually talking about "Boarding Actions" style point limits (500 points) but using the standard Arks of Omen or Pariah Nexus mission rules. It’s the "Old School" way. You pick a character. You pick two squads of infantry. Maybe a light vehicle if you aren't feeling particularly nice to your opponent. It creates a completely different dynamic on the tabletop because the stakes are so high for every single model.
In a 2,000-point game, losing a squad of Intercessors is a minor inconvenience. In a custom 500-point skirmish, losing that squad is a catastrophe. It's a total flavor win.
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Why Custom Lists Beat Official Datasheets
- Loadout Freedom: In the official mode, your Captain has a specific sword. In a custom list, give him the power fist. Live your truth.
- Narrative Flow: You can actually build a force that reflects your Chapter's lore.
- Budgeting: You might already have 400 points of Orks sitting in a shoebox. Why buy a $160 box just to play a small game?
- Testing Grounds: It’s the best way to see if you actually like how an army plays before you drop $600 on a full 2k list.
Honestly, the biggest draw is the personality. A custom combat patrol 40k army feels like your army. You aren't "Player 4 with Tyranids." You’re the guy with the specific splinter fleet that relies heavily on Von Ryan’s Leapers because you think they look like nightmare grasshoppers.
How to Balance a Custom Combat Patrol 40k List Without Ruining Friendships
Balance at 500 points is a nightmare. Let's not sugarcoat it. Warhammer 40,000 is fundamentally designed and balanced around the 2,000-point tournament standard. When you shrink that down, certain units become absolute monsters.
If you bring a Redemptor Dreadnought to a 500-point custom game, you’re kind of being a jerk. Most 500-point lists won't have the high-strength weaponry to even scratch the paint on a T10 or T12 vehicle. The game ends on turn one because your opponent is just bouncing pebbles off a tank.
The "Gentleman’s Agreement" Rules
Most thriving local groups use a set of soft house rules for their custom combat patrol 40k nights. Usually, it looks something like this: No Epic Heroes (sorry, Guilliman), no Toughness over 9, and no more than one "tank-class" unit. The goal isn't to win the Las Vegas Open. The goal is to finish a game in under an hour and maybe grab a beer afterward.
Complexity is the enemy here. 10th Edition simplified things, but even then, a custom list can get bogged down. Stick to the basics. One Leader, two Battleline units, and one "Flavor" unit. That's the sweet spot. It keeps the game moving. It ensures both people actually have units left on the board by turn three.
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A Real-World Example: The "Oops, All Squigs" List
I saw a guy at a shop in Chicago run a custom Orks patrol that was basically just a Beastboss on Squigosaur and as many Squighog Boyz as he could squeeze in. Was it competitive? Not really. Was it terrifying to see a wall of red meat charging across a 3x3 table? Absolutely. That’s the kind of experience the official boxed sets can’t replicate. Those boxes are designed to be "safe." Custom lists are designed to be fun.
The Infrastructure of Small-Scale Games
If you're moving into the world of custom combat patrol 40k, you need to think about the terrain. The standard 60" x 44" table is way too big for 500 points. You'll spend three turns just walking toward each other.
Use a 44" x 30" space. This is the "Incursion" size, and it’s perfect. It forces engagement. It makes those short-range weapons like flamers and meltas actually terrifying. It also means you need less terrain to make the board look "full." A few ruins, a couple of crates, and you have a cinematic battlefield.
Picking Your Mission
Don't just play "Only War." It’s boring. The Pariah Nexus mission deck works surprisingly well at this scale, though you might want to trim out some of the secondary objectives that require you to be in four corners of the map at once. At 500 points, you usually don't have enough units to do "Signal Lenses" and hold the center at the same time.
Scaling Up vs. Scaling Down
There’s a misconception that custom combat patrol 40k is just "Baby 40k." It's not. It’s a different beast entirely. In a big game, you play for objectives. In a custom patrol game, you play for survival.
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Every casualty matters. If your Apothecary fails a revive roll, that might be 20% of your total board presence gone. That tension is something you lose when you're moving 100 models at a time. It's more akin to a skirmish game like Kill Team, but with the mechanical depth of the full 40k ruleset.
Actionable Steps for Starting Your Custom Patrol
Stop looking at the official Combat Patrol app tab for a second. If you want to dive into a more personalized experience, follow this progression to keep it fair and engaging for your local group.
Step 1: Set the Ceiling. Agree with your opponent on a Toughness cap. T9 is usually the safest bet. This allows for light transports like Rhinos or Trukks but keeps the unkillable heavy armor in the case.
Step 2: Limit the Keywords. Restrict the number of "Fly" units or "Indirect Fire" units. On a small table, a Desolation Squad or a Manticore can dominate the entire board from a safe corner. That’s a quick way to make sure nobody wants to play with you a second time.
Step 3: Focus on Terrain Density. Since the board is smaller, the density of terrain should be higher. You want to avoid "Fire Corridors" where one unit can see from one edge to the other. If you can draw a straight line of sight across more than 24 inches, you need more ruins.
Step 4: Use "Fixed" Secondaries. To keep the mental overhead low, choose two fixed secondary objectives before the game starts. "Assassination" and "No Prisoners" are classic for a reason. They reward you for doing what you were going to do anyway: killing the other guy's stuff.
Building a custom combat patrol 40k force is ultimately about the hobby. It’s about that one Captain you spent ten hours kitbashing finally getting his moment in the sun without being overshadowed by a Primarch. It’s about fast games, high stakes, and the freedom to play the army exactly how you pictured it when you first read the lore. Grab your 500 points, find a small table, and stop worrying about the "official" way to play. The best version of the game is usually the one you build yourself.