Drukhari — Combat Patrol

The Blades of Torment — Full Guide

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How to Use This Guide (click to collapse)

This guide is a scaffold — not instructions.

This reference exists to help you learn what your Combat Patrol can do. Warhammer has many timing windows, abilities, stratagems, and scoring rules that can happen in different phases. Because of that, this guide may repeat certain reminders in multiple places.

These reminders are NOT commands. You do not need to use everything listed in every phase. You can skip entire sections if they are not relevant to the current situation. This guide shows your options, not the "correct" play.

Use as much or as little as you need. On your first game, you might follow the reminders closely. On later games, you may only skim or ignore sections entirely. That is normal — the goal is to reduce how much you depend on this guide over time.

You will make mistakes — that's part of learning. Spending CP too early, forgetting an ability, or using a stratagem at the wrong moment is expected for new players. This guide gives you the opportunity to try these tools so you can learn from your own decisions.

When in doubt: keep playing. If you're unsure about a rule, timing window, or reminder, keep the game moving and look it up after the turn. This guide is meant to support play, not slow it down.

Part 1: Game Setup Checklist

Use this checklist before the battle begins.

1. Create Battlefield & Choose Mission

  • Work with your opponent to create the battlefield (44"×30") and set up terrain.
  • Determine the mission (e.g., "Clash of Patrols"). This sets your deployment map and Primary Objective.

2. Determine Attacker/Defender

Roll off. The winner decides who will be the Attacker and who will be the Defender. This determines your deployment zone.

3. Make Your Army Choices

4. Declare Battle Formations

  • Attach Leaders: Secretly decide if your leader(s) will be attached.
    • Archon Malivex can attach to Kabalite Warriors.
  • Transports: Secretly decide which units start embarked.
    • Raider can carry units.
  • Reserves: Secretly decide which units start in Reserves.
    • Deep Strike: Raider, Ravager
  • Both players reveal their choices simultaneously.

5. Deploy Armies

  • The Defender sets up one unit first, then alternate placing units one at a time.

6. Determine First Turn

Both players roll off. The winner chooses who takes the first turn.

7. Army Rule: Power from Pain

Timing: Start of any phase

Gain 1 Pain token: at battle start, when enemy unit destroyed, when enemy fails Battle-shock. Spend tokens at start of any phase to Empower a unit. Empowered in Movement/Charge: re-roll Advance/Charge. Empowered in Shooting/Fight: re-roll Hit rolls.

Part 2: Turn-by-Turn Guide

Follow this during the game. Check each phase for reminders.

YOUR TURN

1. Command Phase

• Gain 1 CP

• Check Battle-shock: Test any units Below Half-strength (roll 2D6 vs Leadership).

Core Stratagems:

1CP
Insane Bravery — Use if one of your units fails a Battle-shock test.

2. Movement Phase

• Reserves: Units in Deep Strike can arrive (not Turn 1). Set up more than 9" from enemy models.

• Move your units. Each unit can make a Normal move (up to M"), Advance (+D6", cannot shoot or charge), Remain Stationary, or Fall Back (if in Engagement Range).

3. Shooting Phase

• Select your units and shoot. Declare targets, then resolve attacks (Hit → Wound → Save → Damage).

• (Reminder: Vehicles and Monsters can shoot even if they're in Engagement Range — Big Guns Never Tire)

• (Reminder: Units in Transports with Firing Deck can shoot from inside)

Core Stratagems:

1CP
Command Re-roll — Re-roll one Hit, Wound, or Damage roll.

📊 Check Secondary (Murderous Monster): Check if an enemy unit was destroyed.

4. Charge Phase

• Declare and make Charge moves. Select a unit, declare target(s) within 12", roll 2D6 to determine charge distance.

• (Reminder: Units that complete a charge get [FIGHTS FIRST] for this turn)

Core Stratagems:

1CP
Tank Shock — Use when a VEHICLE makes a Charge move to deal mortal wounds.

5. Fight Phase

(Players alternate fighting, starting with the player whose turn it is NOT. Units with [FIGHTS FIRST] go first.)

• Select units to fight. Pile in 3" → Make attacks → Consolidate 3".

Patrol Stratagems:

1CP
Quicksilver Reactions — Until end of phase, subtract 1 from Hit rolls against your unit.
1CP
Many Cuts — Until end of phase, weapons have SUSTAINED HITS 1 while targeting a unit below Starting Strength.
1CP
There and Gone — Your INFANTRY unit can embark within that TRANSPORT.

Core Stratagems:

1CP
Epic Challenge — Use when a CHARACTER fights to gain [PRECISION].
1CP
Command Re-roll — Re-roll one Hit, Wound, or Damage roll.

📊 Check Secondary (Murderous Monster): End of the Fight phase

End of Your Turn

  • Remove any abilities/effects that last "until the end of your turn".

OPPONENT'S TURN

1. Command Phase

• Your opponent gains 1 CP.

• (Reminder: Make sure your opponent checks Battle-shock for their units Below Half-strength)

2. Movement Phase

• Watch for enemies moving into range or within 24" of your units.

• (You can Fire Overwatch when an enemy starts or ends a move within 24")

Core Stratagems:

1CP
Fire Overwatch — When an enemy starts or ends a move within 24", shoot at them (hits on 6+).

3. Shooting Phase

• Make saving throws for your units. Roll saves (including any invulnerable saves) and allocate damage.

Core Stratagems:

1CP
Go to Ground — Use when INFANTRY is targeted. Gain 6+ Invuln and Benefit of Cover.
1CP
Command Re-roll — Re-roll a key saving throw.

📊 Check Secondary (Murderous Monster): Check if an enemy unit was destroyed.

4. Charge Phase

• Watch for enemy units declaring charges against you.

• (You can Fire Overwatch when an enemy declares a charge or ends a charge move)

Core Stratagems:

1CP
Fire Overwatch — When an enemy ends a Charge move within 24", shoot at them (hits on 6+).
1CP
Heroic Intervention — At the end of the phase, one of your units can make a 6" counter-charge move.

5. Fight Phase

(You fight first since it's your opponent's turn — unless they have [FIGHTS FIRST])

• Make saving throws and allocate damage when your units are attacked.

Patrol Stratagems:

1CP
Quicksilver Reactions — Until end of phase, subtract 1 from Hit rolls against your unit.
1CP
Many Cuts — Until end of phase, weapons have SUSTAINED HITS 1 while targeting a unit below Starting Strength.
1CP
There and Gone — Your INFANTRY unit can embark within that TRANSPORT.

Core Stratagems:

2CP
Counter-Offensive — Use just after an enemy unit fights to 'cut in line'.
1CP
Command Re-roll — Re-roll a key saving throw.

📊 Check Secondary (Murderous Monster): End of the Fight phase

End of Opponent's Turn

  • Remove any abilities/effects that last "until the end of the turn".

Part 3: Unit Datasheets

Archon Malivex

★ Warlord
1 model
M T SV W LD OC INV
8" 3 4+ 4 6+ 1 2+*

* Cannot re-roll. Lost after first failed save.

Ranged Weapons
Weapon Range A BS S AP D
Splinter pistol ANTI-INFANTRY 3+ ASSAULT PISTOL
12" 1 2+ 2 0 1
Melee Weapons
Weapon Range A WS S AP D
Huskblade ANTI-INFANTRY 3+
Melee 5 2+ 3 -2 2
Enhancement

Spiteful Predator

The bearer's unit is eligible to shoot and declare a charge in a turn in which it Fell Back.

Abilities

Core: Leader
Faction: Power from Pain
Invulnerable Save (Special)

Cannot re-roll invulnerable saves for this model. The first time an invulnerable save is failed, this model loses its invulnerable save for the rest of the battle.

Keywords: INFANTRY, KABAL, CHARACTER, AELDARI, ARCHON, MALIVEX

Kabalite Warriors

10 models
M T SV W LD OC INV
8" 3 4+ 1 6+ 2 6+
Ranged Weapons
Weapon Range A BS S AP D
Splinter rifle ANTI-INFANTRY 3+ ASSAULT
24" 2 3+ 2 0 1
Splinter pistol ANTI-INFANTRY 3+ ASSAULT PISTOL
12" 1 3+ 2 0 1
Shredder ASSAULT TORRENT
18" D6 N/A 6 0 1
Splinter cannon ANTI-INFANTRY 3+ HEAVY SUSTAINED HITS 1
36" 3 4+ 3 -1 2
Melee Weapons
Weapon Range A WS S AP D
Close combat weapon
Melee 2 3+ 3 0 1
Sybarite weapon ANTI-INFANTRY 3+
Melee 3 3+ 3 -1 1

Abilities

Faction: Power from Pain
Keywords: INFANTRY, KABAL, BATTLELINE, AELDARI, KABALITE WARRIORS

Incubi

5 models
M T SV W LD OC INV
7" 3 3+ 1 6+ 1 5+
Klaivex: W 2
Melee Weapons
Weapon Range A WS S AP D
Klaive
Melee 3 3+ 4 -2 2
Demiklaives - single blade
Melee 3 3+ 4 -2 2
Demiklaives - dual blades TWIN-LINKED
Melee 6 3+ 4 -1 1

Abilities

Faction: Power from Pain
Tormentors

Each enemy unit within Engagement Range of one or more units with this ability must take a Battle-shock test.

Keywords: INFANTRY, AELDARI, INCUBI

Raider

1 model
M T SV W LD OC INV
14" 8 4+ 10 6+ 2 6+
Ranged Weapons
Weapon Range A BS S AP D
Disintegrator cannon
36" 3 3+ 5 -2 2
Melee Weapons
Weapon Range A WS S AP D
Bladevanes
Melee 3 4+ 6 0 1

Abilities

Core: Deadly Demise D3 Deep Strike Firing Deck 11
Faction: Power from Pain
Keywords: VEHICLE, TRANSPORT, DEDICATED TRANSPORT, FLY, AELDARI, RAIDER

Ravager

1 model
M T SV W LD OC INV
14" 9 4+ 11 6+ 3 6+
Ranged Weapons
Weapon Range A BS S AP D
Dark lance
36" 1 3+ 12 -3 D6+2
Disintegrator cannon
36" 3 3+ 5 -2 2
Melee Weapons
Weapon Range A WS S AP D
Bladevanes
Melee 3 4+ 6 0 1

Abilities

Core: Deadly Demise D3 Deep Strike
Faction: Power from Pain
Damaged: 1-4 Wounds Remaining

While this model has 1-4 wounds remaining, subtract 1 from Hit rolls.

Keywords: VEHICLE, KABAL, FLY, AELDARI, RAVAGER