Warhammer 40K: Combat Patrol – Aeldari Point Breakdown and Next Steps
We’re taking a closer look at the Aeldari Combat Patrol to determine the points inside and where to go next.
When Games Workshop released all the points as a free update we got to thinking — how do the previous Combat Patrols stack-up? In this series we’re going to revisit the older Combat Patrols, breakdown their points, and talk about where to build from that box. For previous breakdowns check the bottom of this article.
It’s time to take a look at the Aeldari’s Combat Patrol and see how this box works out in points. After that, we’ll put together a (roughly) 2000 point list. So let’s get started!
Aeldari Combat Patrol Points Breakdown
1x Farseer = 95 Points (+5 from Shining Spear) = 100
1x Wraithlord = 100 points + wargear
6x Windriders = 120 points + wargear
10x Guardian Defenders with 1x Heavy Weapons Platform = 90 points (guardians) + 20 points (weapon platform) + wargear = 110 points + wargear
Points Total: 430 + Wargear
Now, the Guardians can be built as Storm Guardians with 1x Serpent’s Scale Platform, but we’re tabling that for now.
So far, we’re at 430 points and we’ve still got wargear to spend. Like usually, we’ll leave some points left over for you to spend on whatever wargear you might need later. So what should we do to go to 2000 points? Here’s where the first decision comes in. As I mentioned in our initial impressions of this Combat Patrol box it’s a solid core. However, it’s an even better core for a Saim-Hann force. That’s really where the paths start to branch.
In this case, we’re going to lean hard into the Saim-Hann for this version. If you wanted to go with a different Craftworld then you probably want to maybe stop reading here. Heck, if you wanted to Ulthwé or Iyanden then you could certainly start from this box but your end result is going to look a lot different. Point is we’ve got a theme and we’re going to run with it.
Since we are leaning into that Saim-Hann theme it would be appropriate to snag another Combat Patrol box. Doubling down on this core allows us to do a few things. First, we get another 10 Guardians. We can use them to fill out the previous squad or use them as two 10-man squads. Either option is useful for various reasons. Second, it gives us a total of 12 Jetbikes. We’re gonna need them. The additional Farseer and Wraithlord are less helpful here but maybe not as terrible as you might think.
In any case, with a second box, we’re at 860 + wargear. That’s plenty of room to grow.
Now, if you’re the converting type, you could use the extra Farseer and one of those Windriders to convert yourself up a Farseer Skyrunner. We’re going to bypass that option and just go with an Autarch Skyrunner instead. And honestly, I’m a little conflicted about this because you could go with a Winged Autarch instead. You just want something to keep up with those bikes.
There’s also the new kit with a Warp Spider Pack…but just go with the Autarch you like the best.
An Autarch Skyrunner is 105 points. We’re sticking with that option. That rounds our our HQ choices (for now). Let’s move on. Now, for those foot slogging Guardians, I think we can do better. Plus, Wave Serpents can pack a punch and always seem to ride out edition swaps — this is a long haul option. Let’s snag two of those for now as that’s one for each 10 man unit. At 145 points + wargear that’s also a chunk of points. With the two rides and Autarch we’re at 1255 + wargear.
Now, since we’re running Saim-Hann, let’s go back to those pesky Jetbikes. The Aeldari army has a quite a few options when it comes to zipping around the board. We could get more Windriders — but we’ll pause that for now. Let’s dabble in some of the newer kits for fun. A unit of 6 Shining Spears seems fun. They can hit pretty hard and by going up to 6 you ensure a loss or two isn’t going to completely wreck that squad. at 35 points per, that’s 210 + Wargear. That brings our total up to 1465 + wargear.
Shroud Runners are a new unit. They are basically Pathfinders on Jetbikes. I’m honestly a little hesitant to include them for our theme… but a unit of 3 isn’t too much of a break from theme. And it scratches that “new unit” vibe. For only 105 points a unit isn’t going to break the point bank.
We’re now at 1570 + wargear. We’re getting close to our end goal. So what’s next? There’s two units I really want to include just for the zoom-factor. Plus they can spit out a decent amount of fire power. First up, is a Crimson Hunter. Honestly, I’d like to run two of them but instead of doing a second I want to bring out one of my favorite units — not because they are broken but because I just like the look: Vypers.
So again, this is all personal preference but a unit of 3 Vypers is 120 points + Wargear. A Crimson Hunter is 175 + wargear. You could go with two Crimson Hunters or two units of 3 Vypers. We’ve got the budget for either. We’re gonna split the difference and go with 1 and 1 for diversity and room to add either to our collection later.
That clocks our list in at 1865 + wargear. What’s the list look like? Well, like this:
The List
Farseer
Farseer
Autarch Skyrunner
Wraithlord
Wraithlord
6x Windriders
6x Windriders
6x Shining Spears
3x Shroud Runners
3x Vypers
Crimson Hunter
10x Guardian Defenders with 1x Heavy Weapons Platform
10x Guardian Defenders with 1x Heavy Weapons Platform
Wave Serpent
Wave Serpent
Points Total: 1865 + wargear
We’ve got a lot of fast moving elements in this list. We’ve also got a solid fire base provided by those Wraithlords, Guardians, and Wave Serpents. This isn’t an army that’s going to sit back and be a gunline — it’s going to zip around the board and pick off important elements from the enemy’s list. It’s a scalpel. You need to have excellent target priority and movement to get the most out of a list like this. If you’re looking for something that’s going to be complicated yet rewarding to play this might be for you.
Personally, I wouldn’t recommend this army to a brand new player. I’m not going to lie: this list is going to be fighting an uphill battle. Until you get the hang of positioning and how to really dissect an opponent’s army it’s gonna be rough. But it’s thematic and rewarding to play! If you’re up for a challenge then have at it!
For more tips and tricks on Aeldari check out our How To Play Aeldari in 9th Guide
Previous Combat Patrol Point Breakdowns And Next Steps
