Warhammer 40K: So Many Ways To Play – Which One’s Right For You?
There’s a bunch of different ways to engage with Warhammer 40,000: 10th Edition so which is right for you?
Warhammer 40,000: 10th Edition is out and about in the wild and offers players a lot of different ways to actually get a game in. As a game it scales surprisingly well although the more points you play the longer the games will tend to take — plan accordingly. And while you can go even larger with your games there’s a few other ways to engage in smaller scale battle, too. So what’s right for you?We’ll touch on each “version” to help point you in the right direction!
Many Ways To Play 40k
Kill Team
Warhammer 40,000: Kill Team is a great option for new players or anyone looking to just “dabble” with a small scale skirmish force. With the release of 10th Edition, the impact on Kill Team itself was minimal because it’s technically a different game. That said, there’s so much crossover between Kill Team and 40k “proper” that if you can learn one you’ll pick-up the other quite fast.
Kill Team also offers you the chance to play around with the kits and really customize your Kill Team. If you’re just looking for a fun hobby side project then check out one of the many Kill Team boxes to build and paint.
Ideally, with Kill Team, you’re playing a single Kill Team of a handful of models on smaller scale missions. These battles are typically faster and action packed as each model gets their chance to shine because they act individually. If you’re looking for a game type that has these “single model” types of interactions (vs entire squads) Kill Team is for you.
Boarding Actions/Patrols
Man, these were a nice option while they were available. Technically, Boarding Actions are still an option to play in 10th Edition. GW was clear that the Boarding Action rules were still valid in 10th Edition. Also the boxed sets made a lovely combo with the Combat Patrol Boxes to help you get an army going quickly. Unfortunately those boxes aren’t on the GW website so if see one in the wild you might want to snag it if it’s an army you’re interested in.
Boarding Action games were a half-step between Kill Team and Combat Patrol. Honestly, it’s an okay format for new players but I think Vets probably get more out of this one. Plus, since it’s not really available any more I doubt new players will get to dabble with it anyhow. Oh well.
Update: Games Workshop has released downloads to play Boarding Actions in 10th Edition.
Combat Patrol
Games Workshop just released all the new Combat Patrol rules for 10th Edition. But if you’re not aware, Combat Patrol has a new format for 10th. In this edition, Combat Patrol boxes can be played against each other in a more balanced way. The Combat Patrol Datasheets are fixed versions of the units inside the box and have been designed to be a more “even playing field” when fighting other Combat Patrols. These games are essentially smaller scale skirmish games with the unit rules and everything the “proper” 40k game has — except for the list building.
Combat Patrols are great for anyone looking to start a new army or just jump right into 40k. If you are brand new to 40k, this is my suggestion for where to start. Simply because you just build the models as shown on the front and can start playing. You don’t have to worry about points or list building — it’s all done for you. Just start playing with the contents in the box.
Warhammer 40,000: Crusade
Crusade armies are a great way to collect and build an army over time, too. Really there’s no reason you can’t start with a Combat Patrol army and then use the Crusade rules to expand from there — if you’re looking for a more “narrative” vibe for your army. If you’re just looking to get 2000 points ready for Matched Play (see below) then you can jump right in. But if you’re looking for a “slow grow” or thematic army this is a good way to do it.
Just be aware that Crusade armies, while fun, can be a lot more “bookkeeping” to keep up with. But that’s kind of the point of Crusade and these armies work extremely well in groups that want to play campaigns or are looking for more long-term community style interactions.
Matched Play
This is what lots of folks consider “proper” Warhammer 40,000. You’ll want to check your local area/groups but a 2000 point army is pretty standard size. It’s also what the majority of the Grand Tournaments play at which is what a lot of the Independent Grand Tournaments also use. If there is a “default” 40k style 2000 points in Matched Play is probably it.
Realistically, You can play at any points level in Matched Play. However, you might want to play with at least 1000 points. Any smaller and Combat Patrol is a better option. The guidelines in terms of time commitment are just that: guidelines. You might be able to bang out a 1000 point game in under an hour if you both know what you’re doing. But plan your time accordingly.
Matched Play at 2k is basically what new players are going to want to build towards and it’s what most Veteran players are already going to have ready to go. If you are new I highly suggest playing your army as you build up to 2000 points. That way you can learn your army, see what’s working for you, and expand wisely. Following a “net list” isn’t always the best idea when you’re brand new. Plus the meta shifts roughly every quarter or so and that can greatly impact those net lists.
Open And Narrative Play
Warhammer 40,000 has lots of various ways to play and these last two options really cover everything else. Did you want to just take all your minis and throw down with someone else? That’s more of an Open Play game. Did you want to run a weekend of gaming and play through a specific story/campaign/home brew battle? That’s probably Narrative Play. Both of these styles have their own pros and cons but still use the core game play.
As long as everyone participating is on the same page both options are a blast to engage with. If you get a chance to play in a Narrative or Open Play event, be sure to check with the folks in charge as to what sort of “vibe” they are going for before you show up. If you’re in line with what they are going for it’s gonna be a blast. And if you’re not interested then it’s okay to pass.
40k: Apocalypse
Apocalypse games of Warhammer 40,000 used to be the home for massive warmachines like Titans and more on the tabletop. These have since been rolled into Warhammer 40,000 but Apocalypse is still what some folks call these “Mega-games” of 40k. There have been various expansions over the years but none of those technically apply to 10th edition. We’ll see if GW decides to revive this subset of game type in the future but for now it’s really just Open Play (but with really big models).
There’s lots of other home brew and local clubs that have come up with their own variants as well. If you’re playing in one of those let us know in the comments!
How are you planning on taking on Warhammer 40,000: 10th Edition?
