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.

4. Declare Battle Formations

  • Attach Leaders: Secretly decide if your leader(s) will be attached.
    • Mokhryst the Mindflenser can attach to Immortals.
  • Reserves: Secretly decide which units start in Reserves.
    • Deep Strike: Ophydian Destroyers (Unit 1), Ophydian Destroyers (Unit 2)
    • Infiltrators: Flayed Ones (Unit 1), Flayed Ones (Unit 2)
  • Both players reveal their choices simultaneously.

5. Deploy Armies

  • The Defender sets up one unit first, then alternate placing units one at a time.
  • Infiltrators: After all other units are deployed, set up your Infiltrators anywhere on the battlefield more than 9" from enemy models and the enemy deployment zone.

6. Determine First Turn

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

7. Army Rule: Reanimation Protocols

Timing: End of Command Phase

Each NECRONS unit reanimates D3 wounds. Regain wounds on damaged models, or return destroyed models with 1 wound if at full health.

Part 2: Turn-by-Turn Guide

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

YOUR TURN

1. Command Phase

Gain 1 CP

Reanimation Protocols: End of Command Phase

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.

📊 Check Secondary (Empirical Harvesting): From Battle Round 2+, at end of your Command phase

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).

Patrol Stratagems:

1CP
Prowling Efficiency — After that enemy unit ends that Fall Back move, your unit can make a Normal move of up to D6+1".

3. Shooting Phase

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

Patrol Stratagems:

1CP
Eldritch Nightmares — That enemy unit must take a Battle-shock test, subtracting 1 from the result if it is within 12" of your unit.
1CP
Extermination Directive — Until end of phase, each time a model in your unit makes an attack that targets an enemy unit, re-roll a Hit roll of 1. If that target is Battle-shocked, you can re-roll the Hit roll instead.

Core Stratagems:

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

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)

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
Extermination Directive — Until end of phase, each time a model in your unit makes an attack that targets an enemy unit, re-roll a Hit roll of 1. If that target is Battle-shocked, you can re-roll the Hit roll instead.

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.

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)

📊 Check Secondary (Empirical Harvesting): From Battle Round 2+, at end of your Command phase

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")

Patrol Stratagems:

1CP
Prowling Efficiency — After that enemy unit ends that Fall Back move, your unit can make a Normal move of up to D6+1".

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.

• (Reminder: Units with [STEALTH] are -1 to be hit from more than 12" away)

Patrol Stratagems:

1CP
Eldritch Nightmares — That enemy unit must take a Battle-shock test, subtracting 1 from the result if it is within 12" of your unit.
1CP
Extermination Directive — Until end of phase, each time a model in your unit makes an attack that targets an enemy unit, re-roll a Hit roll of 1. If that target is Battle-shocked, you can re-roll the Hit roll instead.

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.

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
Extermination Directive — Until end of phase, each time a model in your unit makes an attack that targets an enemy unit, re-roll a Hit roll of 1. If that target is Battle-shocked, you can re-roll the Hit roll instead.

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.

End of Opponent's Turn

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

Part 3: Unit Datasheets

Mokhryst the Mindflenser

★ Warlord
1 model
M T SV W LD OC INV
5" 4 4+ 4 6+ 1 -
Ranged Weapons
Weapon Range A BS S AP D
Abyssal lance
18" 1 4+ 6 -3 3
Melee Weapons
Weapon Range A WS S AP D
Abyssal lance
Melee 1 4+ 5 -3 3
Enhancement

Neuroflense Protocols

The bearer's weapons have PRECISION. While targeting a Battle-shocked unit, weapons have A3 and +1 to Hit.

Abilities

Core: Leader
Faction: Reanimation Protocols
Harbinger of Despair

Once per turn, select one enemy unit within 18" of this model. That unit must take a Battle-shock test, subtracting 1 from the test.

Keywords: INFANTRY, CHARACTER, CRYPTEK, PSYCHOMANCER, MOKHRYST THE MINDFLENSER

Immortals

5 models
M T SV W LD OC INV
5" 5 3+ 1 7+ 2 -
Ranged Weapons
Weapon Range A BS S AP D
Gauss blaster LETHAL HITS
24" 2 3+ 5 -1 1
Melee Weapons
Weapon Range A WS S AP D
Close combat weapon
Melee 2 3+ 4 0 1

Abilities

Faction: Reanimation Protocols
Implacable Eradication

Each time a model in this unit makes an attack, re-roll a Wound roll of 1. If the target is within range of an objective marker, you can re-roll the Wound roll instead.

Keywords: INFANTRY, BATTLELINE, IMMORTALS

Flayed Ones (Unit 1)

5 models
M T SV W LD OC INV
5" 4 4+ 1 7+ 1 -
Melee Weapons
Weapon Range A WS S AP D
Flayer claws SUSTAINED HITS 1 TWIN-LINKED
Melee 4 3+ 4 -1 1

Abilities

Core: Infiltrators Stealth
Faction: Reanimation Protocols
Keywords: INFANTRY, FLAYED ONES

Flayed Ones (Unit 2)

5 models
M T SV W LD OC INV
5" 4 4+ 1 7+ 1 -
Melee Weapons
Weapon Range A WS S AP D
Flayer claws SUSTAINED HITS 1 TWIN-LINKED
Melee 4 3+ 4 -1 1

Abilities

Core: Infiltrators Stealth
Faction: Reanimation Protocols
Keywords: INFANTRY, FLAYED ONES

Ophydian Destroyers (Unit 1)

3 models
M T SV W LD OC INV
10" 5 4+ 3 7+ 2 -
Melee Weapons
Weapon Range A WS S AP D
Ophydian hyperphase weapons
Melee 5 3+ 4 -2 2

Abilities

Core: Deep Strike
Faction: Reanimation Protocols
Keywords: INFANTRY, DESTROYER CULT, OPHYDIAN DESTROYERS

Ophydian Destroyers (Unit 2)

3 models
M T SV W LD OC INV
10" 5 4+ 3 7+ 2 -
Melee Weapons
Weapon Range A WS S AP D
Ophydian hyperphase weapons
Melee 5 3+ 4 -2 2

Abilities

Core: Deep Strike
Faction: Reanimation Protocols
Keywords: INFANTRY, DESTROYER CULT, OPHYDIAN DESTROYERS