Key takeaways
- Model count — an elite box with 15 models and a horde box with 35 models can cost the same. Count is not value; it is time.
- Playstyle — shooting, melee, horde, elite. This is the one criterion you cannot change later without starting a new army.
- Build complexity — push-fit versus multipart. Push-fit models assemble in 5–10 minutes each; multipart kits with weapon options take 15–30 minutes each.
- Rules included — less of a differentiator than it looks. Combat Patrol boxes generally ship with models only; the Combat Patrol rules and unit datasheets are free in the official app. Starter sets include a printed rules booklet and a small mission pack.
- Expansion path — how cheaply you can reach 1,000 and then 2,000 points without buying models you will never field.
- Cost per playable force — price divided by what you can actually put on a table, not price divided by model count.
The direct answer
If you want one purchase that puts a legal, playable force on the table, buy a Combat Patrol box for the faction whose models you actually like looking at — they run roughly $150–$180, hold 15–35 multipart models worth roughly 400–600 points, and are the only single-box product designed to be played as-is in the Combat Patrol format. If you have no idea which faction you want yet, buy a two-faction starter set instead: it is cheaper per model, the miniatures are push-fit, and it lets you try Space Marines and Tyranids side by side before you commit real money to one army.
What actually separates one starter box from another
Six things matter, and they pull in different directions:
- Model count — an elite box with 15 models and a horde box with 35 models can cost the same. Count is not value; it is time.
- Playstyle — shooting, melee, horde, elite. This is the one criterion you cannot change later without starting a new army.
- Build complexity — push-fit versus multipart. Push-fit models assemble in 5–10 minutes each; multipart kits with weapon options take 15–30 minutes each.
- Rules included — less of a differentiator than it looks. Combat Patrol boxes generally ship with models only; the Combat Patrol rules and unit datasheets are free in the official app. Starter sets include a printed rules booklet and a small mission pack.
- Expansion path — how cheaply you can reach 1,000 and then 2,000 points without buying models you will never field.
- Cost per playable force — price divided by what you can actually put on a table, not price divided by model count.
The boxes compared
Prices are general market ranges; third-party retailers commonly discount 15–25% off the manufacturer’s list price. Points are approximate — they shift with every rules update, and Combat Patrol rosters are fixed and separate from matched-play points.
| Box type | Typical price | Models | Rough points | Playable as-is? | Beginner assembly time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Two-faction introductory set | $55–$75 | 20–30 push-fit | ~200–300, split | No — starter missions only | 3–5 hours |
| Two-faction starter set | $100–$130 | 40–50 push-fit | ~500, split | No — neither half is a legal army | 6–9 hours |
| Two-faction ultimate set | $200–$230 | 60–75 push-fit + terrain | ~800–1,000, split | Close, but still two half-forces | 10–14 hours |
| Combat Patrol (one faction) | $150–$180 | 15–35 multipart | ~400–600 | Yes — the Combat Patrol format | 8–15 hours |
| Seasonal battleforce (one faction) | $210–$250 | 25–40 multipart | ~800–1,200 | Nearly — usually needs one leader swap | 12–20 hours |
| Kill Team box | $100–$140 | 10–20 | n/a — skirmish scale | Yes, in Kill Team | 4–8 hours |
Note what the table hides: a 15-model Custodes box and a 35-model Ork box both cost about the same, but the Custodes player finishes assembly and painting in a weekend while the Ork player is still priming in week three. Model count is the single biggest predictor of whether a new player stays in the hobby.
Cost per playable force, worked through
A Combat Patrol box at $165 giving roughly 500 points works out to about $0.33 per point — and crucially, that entire cost produces something you can play on day one. A $115 starter set works out to about $0.23 per point, which looks better until you realise neither half is a legal army: you need a second purchase before either force plays a standard game.
Budget for the hidden second half of the hobby too. Clippers and a mould-line scraper run $15–$25, plastic glue $8–$12, spray primer $15–$20, a starter brush set $10–$30, and individual paints $4–$6 each. You need roughly 10–15 colours to paint an army to a decent tabletop standard, so call it $60–$90 in paint on top of the box. A realistic all-in entry figure is $250–$350.
Match the box to your situation
| Your situation | Best pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| No faction preference yet | Two-faction starter set | Cheapest way to try two playstyles before committing |
| You know the faction, want to play this month | That faction’s Combat Patrol | Only single box that is a complete legal force |
| Small apartment, little storage | Kill Team box, or an elite Combat Patrol | 10–20 models fit in a single shoebox; a 2,000-point army needs roughly 2 cubic feet of foam |
| Kid aged 9–12 | Push-fit starter set | No glue, no weapon options to agonise over, fewer fragile parts |
| Time-poor, dislike painting hordes | Adeptus Custodes or T’au Combat Patrol | Low model counts, large flat armour panels, fast to finish |
| Cheapest route to 2,000 points | Combat Patrol + a seasonal battleforce of the same faction | Bundles are the deepest per-model discount in the range |
| Already own an army | Battleforce or a second Combat Patrol | Fills gaps at a lower per-model cost than individual kits |
Playstyle cheat sheet by faction
- Space Marines — the most flexible, best-supported, easiest to paint and expand. The safe default.
- Necrons — durable, forgiving, mostly metallics and a wash. Excellent first army.
- Tyranids — swarm pressure and melee; high model count, so slower to finish.
- Orks — melee, randomness, conversion-friendly; also high model count.
- Astra Militarum — infantry plus tanks; the most expensive faction to expand.
- Aeldari and Drukhari — fast and fragile; high skill ceiling, punishing for beginners.
- T’au Empire — shooting-dominant with almost no melee; low model counts.
- Death Guard and Chaos Space Marines — tough, short-range, forgiving to paint.
- Adeptus Custodes — roughly 10–15 models in a starting force; the fastest army to build and paint.
- Leagues of Votann — elite shooting, mid-sized force, newer model range.
Assembly realities nobody mentions on the box
Push-fit models still benefit from a touch of glue at the joints — dry-fit them first, because the tolerances are tight and a misaligned torso is permanent. Multipart kits should be built in sub-assemblies (body, arms, head, backpack) and painted before final assembly, otherwise you will be jabbing a brush behind a bolter you already glued across the chest.
What wears first: thin gun barrels, banner poles, antennae, and anything on a flight stand. Those break in transit long before paint chips. A 500-point force fits comfortably in a single 9-litre storage box with foam; plan on roughly 2 cubic feet of foam for 2,000 points, and budget $40–$70 for a case if you intend to travel with it.
For playing space, the current standard board sizes are 44″ × 30″ for Combat Patrol and 1,000-point games, and 44″ × 60″ for 2,000-point games. A standard 4 ft × 2 ft table handles the small format; the large format needs two pushed together.
Your expansion path
From a Combat Patrol box, the efficient route to 1,000 points is one additional infantry squad plus one vehicle or monster — usually $70–$110. From 1,000 to 2,000, a battleforce or a second Combat Patrol gets you most of the way for $150–$250. The trap is buying a second faction’s box before the first army is painted; unfinished piles are the single most common reason people leave the hobby.
FAQ
Do I need glue for a starter set?
No. The two-faction starter sets are push-fit and assemble without glue, though a tiny amount at the joints makes them sturdier. Combat Patrol and battleforce models are multipart and require plastic cement.
Can I mix two Combat Patrol boxes into one army?
Not in the Combat Patrol format, which uses fixed rosters. In standard matched play you can, as long as both boxes belong to the same faction or a compatible allied faction.
Which box is cheapest to finish?
Adeptus Custodes. Fewer models means less assembly, less paint and less storage, even though the box costs the same as any other Combat Patrol.
