Contemptor Kevin's Combat Patrol Issue 30 Review

Welcome back, Combat Patrolers! We're going a bit out of order this week, thanks to some scheduling confusion on the backend. So despite reviewing Issue #31 last week, This week we're jumping back to Issue #30.

Issue #30 is the last of the US October package, and serves as the transition issue from the Aeldari to the Heretic Astartes Combat Patrols. The way Hachette accomplishes this transition (as opposed to the ping-pong of the first 20+ issues between Tyranids and Space Marines) is with a paint issue. How well does it work? Do the paints the issue comes with serve a vital purpose in painting both Aeldari and Chaos Space Marines? Let's find out.

Thanks to Hachette for providing a review copy of this issue.

Narrative Materials

The issue starts off by teaching us of the Harlequins, showing off the entire model range (bar the Starweaver and Voidweavers). We get an overview of who the Harlequins are (Aeldari who follow the Laughing God), their organization (Masques, which are a combination warrior and performer band), and their Schtick (violent stagecraft). They are also called out as the guardians of the Black Library.

We haven't covered Harlequins lore in full yet, but if you'd like to read more about the fall of the Aeldari, we did cover that topic in a Lore Explainer article.

Harlequins Troupe and Starweaver. Credit: Corrode

We then leave the Aeldari and turn to our next faction: the Realm of Chaos. We learn about the Warp, and the Chaos Gods who seek to consume and conquer the whole of the Phenomenal universe. We are introduced to the four main Chaos Gods, and what their schtick is. We have pictures of their daemons along with a written description of what the God is supposed to look like. Though in the case of Slaanesh, the description is "often depicted as an androgynous figure, garbed in finery, whose eyes can steal away the souls of any brave enough to look into them."

Blades of Khorne Blood Warriors. Credit: Rich Nutter

After that we get our introduction to the Chaos Space Marines, represented by the spikiest Chaos Space Marine to ever storm forth from the Eye of Terror. The magazine explains that the original Traitors all had their reasons, but they got their butts whooped after the Heresy War ended and they fled into despair and hiding. Now they bide their time, waiting to return and bring vengeance upon The Emperor's domain. Heretic Astartes are usually also all scheming and ambitious, willing to make grand deals but then stab each other in the backs. It's a quick overview, but thorough. We get "spikey folk who dislike The Emperor and wish to make the galaxy burn".

Chaos Space Marines. Credit: Rockfish

Hobby Materials

This magazine comes with two paints: Agrax Earthshade and Mechanicus Standard Grey. Mechanicus Standard Grey is a neutral grey. It isn't warm, it isn't cold. It's just neutral. Likewise it is not too light and not too dark, so it can be shaded or highlighted easily. It's a useful paint, especially if you're trying to use Citadel Paints to do some non-metallic metal. Agrax Earthshade is one of the iconic paints in the Citadel line, being extraordinarily flexible in adding definition and character to the model. If you're in this hobby, you're familiar with it. You get a pot of each. The painting guide also shows how to use the Agrax Earthshade. It does not suggest when and where to use Mechanicus Standard Grey (1).

Beanith's Ork Barricades - Agrax Earthshade Smooshed

Gaming Materials

More reprints from the Core Book. This time around we get Core Rulebook Mission #2, Archaeotech Recovery and the Core Rules' movement pages. This means that they do not have any of the errata or additions given to the movement phase by GW since the start of 10th Edition. So these pages do not have the Pivot movement rules or any other later additions. It's just straight reprints of the Core Rules from the Core Rulebook. Helpful for a new entrant to the hobby who is not gaming with folks beyond their garage, but not helpful to anyone who actually plays.

Archaeotech Recovery is the Combat Patrol version of Supply Drop, with one of the No Man Land's objectives being removed in Round 4, and then a second one in Round 5. Goal is to Hold 1, Hold 2, and Hold More; with 10 VP being available to whomever controls the last No Man's Land objective. I do not think this is a super-complicated mission, and I would be happy to play this with my Tyranids.

The Final Verdict

You get two excellent and versatile paints with this issue, but those two paints together cost less than the cover price of this magazine. So this time we have to look at the contents to determine if the value is worth it. The gaming materials are available via the Core Rulebook, and not fully complete with current errata. The painting guide is useful, though I think it's a bit too stingy with the use of Agrax Earthshade. The narrative transition from Aeldari to Chaos Space Marines was handled really well though, because the next several issues are all about the trim-laden bad boys of the 41st Millennium. So not the best issue of ComPat, but provides valuable hobby tools and a good dividing line in how you store your magazines.

Until next time, Combat Patrolers!

(1) I, however, have plans for it for Issue 32 and 33. Stay tuned!

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