Thousand Sons — Combat Patrol

Prism of Zadophon — 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.
    • Kaa'skrek can attach to Tzaangor Enlightened.
  • 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: Cabal of Sorcerers

Timing: Start of Shooting Phase

At the start of your Shooting phase, one model from your army with this ability can attempt one Ritual from those listed below. To do so, select one model from your army with this ability that has not yet attempted a Ritual this turn and select one Ritual no model from your army has manifested this turn, then take a Psychic test for that model by following the sequence below. **PSYCHIC TEST SEQUENCE** Roll 2D6 **Channel the Warp (Optional):** Then, if one or more doubles or triples were rolled during this test, that model's unit suffers D3 mortal wounds. If that model is not destroyed, the combined total of all the dice rolled during this test is the Psychic test result. If this equals or exceeds the Warp Charge value of the Ritual being attempted, that model manifests that Ritual and you resolve its effects. **DESTINY'S RUIN (PSYCHIC) — WARP CHARGE 5** Select one enemy unit within 24" of and visible to the manifesting model. Until the end of the phase, each time a THOUSAND SONS model from your army makes an attack that targets that unit, re-roll a Hit roll of 1. **TEMPORAL SURGE (PSYCHIC) — WARP CHARGE 6** Select one friendly THOUSAND SONS unit that is not within Engagement Range of one or more enemy units and is within 24" of and visible to the manifesting model. That unit can make a Normal move of up to D6", and until the end of the turn, that unit is not eligible to declare a charge.

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

• 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

• Cabal of Sorcerers: Start of Shooting Phase

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

Patrol Stratagems:

1CP
Paradigm of Rivalry — Your model can attempt one Ritual no model from your army has manifested this turn.
1CP
Curse Foretold — Until the end of the phase, the Malefic Curse weapon equipped by your unit's Aspiring Sorcerer model has the PISTOL ability and each time that model makes an attack with that weapon, add 1 to the Hit roll.
1CP
Mutable Illusion — Until the end of the phase, each time an attack targets your unit, subtract 1 from the Hit roll.

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
Mutable Illusion — Until the end of the phase, each time an attack targets your unit, subtract 1 from the Hit roll.

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

  • Check Secondary (Arcane Rite): From the second battle round onwards, if your RUBRIC MARINES unit is within range of one or more Arcane objective markers you control, you score 3VP. You cannot score more than 12VP from this secondary objective.
  • 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.

Patrol Stratagems:

1CP
Paradigm of Rivalry — Your model can attempt one Ritual no model from your army has manifested this turn.
1CP
Curse Foretold — Until the end of the phase, the Malefic Curse weapon equipped by your unit's Aspiring Sorcerer model has the PISTOL ability and each time that model makes an attack with that weapon, add 1 to the Hit roll.
1CP
Mutable Illusion — Until the end of the phase, each time an attack targets your unit, subtract 1 from the Hit roll.

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
Mutable Illusion — Until the end of the phase, each time an attack targets your unit, subtract 1 from the Hit roll.

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

  • Check Secondary (Arcane Rite)
  • Remove any abilities/effects that last "until the end of the turn".

Part 3: Unit Datasheets

Zadophon the Soul Eater

★ Warlord
1 model
M T SV W LD OC INV
9" 10 2+ 10 6+ 3 4+
Ranged Weapons
Weapon Range A BS S AP D
Infernal cannon
24" 3 2+ 5 -2 2
Melee Weapons
Weapon Range A WS S AP D
Hellforged weapons DEVASTATING WOUNDS PSYCHIC
Melee 12 2+ 6 -1 1
Enhancement

Perplexing Gibberhex

Timing: After shooting

In your Shooting phase, after the bearer has shot, select one enemy unit hit by one or more of those attacks; until the start of your next turn, that enemy unit is pinned. While a unit is pinned, subtract 2 from that unit's Move characteristic and subtract 2 from Charge rolls made for that unit.

Abilities

Faction: Cabal of Sorcerers
Spirit Snare

Each time a friendly THOUSAND SONS PSYKER model with the Cabal of Sorcerers ability is destroyed while within 9" of one or more models with this ability, select one of those models with this ability: until the end of the battle, each time the selected model attempts a Ritual, add 1 to the Psychic test result (to a maximum of +2).

Keywords: MONSTER, CHARACTER, DAEMON, PSYKER, CHAOS, TZEENTCH, DAEMON PRINCE, ZADOPHON THE SOUL EATER

Kaa'skrek

1 model
M T SV W LD OC INV
10" 4 5+ 4 7+ 2 5+
Ranged Weapons
Weapon Range A BS S AP D
Baleful Devolution BLAST DEVASTATING WOUNDS PSYCHIC
18" D6 3+ 9 0 1
Melee Weapons
Weapon Range A WS S AP D
Force stave PSYCHIC
Melee 3 3+ 5 -1 D3

Abilities

Core: Leader
Faction: Cabal of Sorcerers
Bestial Prophet

While this model is leading a unit, each time a model in that unit makes an attack, add 1 to the Hit roll.

Keywords: INFANTRY, MOUNTED, CHARACTER, FLY, PSYKER, CHAOS, TZEENTCH, MUTANT, TZAANGOR SHAMAN, KAA'SKREK

Rubric Marines

10 models
M T SV W LD OC INV
6" 4 3+ 2 7+ 2 5+
Aspiring Sorcerer: W 3, LD 6+
Ranged Weapons
Weapon Range A BS S AP D
Inferno bolt pistol PISTOL
12" 1 3+ 4 -1 1
Inferno boltgun
24" 2 3+ 4 -2 1
Malefic Curse ANTI-INFANTRY 4+ DEVASTATING WOUNDS PSYCHIC
24" 3 3+ 4 -3 1
Soulreaper cannon DEVASTATING WOUNDS
24" 6 3+ 6 -2 1
Warpflamer IGNORES COVER TORRENT
12" D6 N/A 4 -1 1
Melee Weapons
Weapon Range A WS S AP D
Close combat weapon
Melee 2 3+ 4 0 1
Force weapon PSYCHIC
Melee 3 3+ 6 -1 D3

Abilities

Faction: Cabal of Sorcerers (Aspiring Sorcerer only)
Keywords: INFANTRY, BATTLELINE, CHAOS, TZEENTCH, RUBRICAE, RUBRIC MARINES

Tzaangor Enlightened

3 models
M T SV W LD OC INV
10" 4 5+ 2 7+ 2 5+
Melee Weapons
Weapon Range A WS S AP D
Divining spear LANCE PRECISION
Melee 3 4+ 5 -1 2

Abilities

Prophesied Doom

Each time this unit ends a Charge move, select one enemy unit within Engagement Range of it, then roll one D6 for each model in this unit that is within Engagement Range of that enemy unit: for each 4+, that enemy unit suffers 1 mortal wound.

Keywords: MOUNTED, FLY, CHAOS, TZEENTCH, MUTANT, TZAANGOR ENLIGHTENED