Combat Patrol vs Spearhead vs Battleforce: which Warhammer box is best value?
Combat Patrol (40K) and Spearhead (Age of Sigmar) are the best way to START an army; Battleforce boxes are the best value for EXPANDING one. Here's how to choose.
SprueSentry strategy commentary, not official rules. Games Workshop updates points and rules regularly — always confirm against the current official rules and your latest dataslate before a game.
Games Workshop sells three very different kinds of "army in a box," and buying the wrong one is the most common — and most expensive — beginner mistake. Combat Patrol (Warhammer 40,000) and Spearhead (Age of Sigmar) are curated starter armies for a single faction. Battleforce boxes are larger, seasonal value bundles for growing an army you already collect. This guide explains what each is for, how the value compares, and which to buy first.
Product contents and prices change with each edition and seasonal release — always confirm the current box on its own page (linked below) for live prices before buying.
The quick answer
- Starting a 40K army → buy that faction's Combat Patrol. It's the cheapest curated entry point, playable in the Combat Patrol game mode straight out of the box.
- Starting an Age of Sigmar army → buy that faction's Spearhead (AoS's equivalent of a Combat Patrol, built for the Spearhead game mode).
- Growing an army you already own → wait for a Battleforce (usually a Christmas/seasonal drop). It bundles several kits at the biggest discount vs buying them separately — but it assumes you already know what you want.
Combat Patrol (Warhammer 40,000)
A Combat Patrol is a single-faction boxed force — a leader, a couple of troop units, and a heavier unit — curated to be a legal, playable small army and to save money versus buying those kits individually. It's the standard "start Warhammer 40K" purchase: one box, one faction, a game you can play immediately.
Best for: your first army in a faction. Browse every faction's Combat Patrol and live prices on the 40K boxes page, or jump straight to a popular one like Combat Patrol: Necrons.
Spearhead (Age of Sigmar)
Spearhead is Age of Sigmar's direct equivalent of a Combat Patrol: a single-faction starter force built around the Spearhead game mode. Same idea — a curated, discounted, playable box to begin a faction. If you're starting in the Mortal Realms rather than the 41st Millennium, this is your entry point. See current Age of Sigmar boxes for prices.
Battleforce (both games)
Battleforce boxes are the big seasonal value drops (most often around Christmas). Each bundles several full kits for one faction at a steeper discount than any Combat Patrol — often the best raw price-per-model Games Workshop offers all year. The catch: they're larger, pricier up front, sell out fast, and are built to expand an existing army, so they assume you already know which units you want. If you're one box in and hooked, a Battleforce is usually the most cost-effective next purchase.
How the value compares
- Cheapest entry: Combat Patrol / Spearhead — lowest up-front price, curated to be playable.
- Best discount per model: Battleforce — the biggest saving versus buying the same kits separately, but a larger outlay and only released seasonally.
- Most flexible: buying individual kits — full control, no discount. Only worth it once you know exactly what your list needs.
Because GW's discounts and contents shift each edition and season, the real test is always the live price on the box's own page. SprueSentry tracks the lowest current price for each box across stores — use the linked box pages to compare before you commit.
Which should you buy?
- "I want to start Warhammer 40K." → the Combat Patrol for the faction whose models you like most.
- "I want to start Age of Sigmar." → that army's Spearhead.
- "I already have an army and want more, cheaply." → watch for that faction's Battleforce (and set a price alert so you catch the drop).
- "I want a specific unit for my list." → buy the individual kit; skip the bundles.
Common questions
Is a Combat Patrol or a Battleforce better value?
Per model, a Battleforce is usually the bigger discount — but it costs more up front, releases only seasonally, and is meant for expanding an army. A Combat Patrol is the cheaper, curated way to START a faction and is available year-round. Beginners should buy the Combat Patrol first.
What's the difference between Combat Patrol and Spearhead?
They're the same concept in different games: Combat Patrol is the single-faction starter box for Warhammer 40,000, and Spearhead is the equivalent for Age of Sigmar. Each is a curated, discounted, playable force for one army.
Do you need anything else to play with a Combat Patrol?
A Combat Patrol gives you a playable force for the Combat Patrol game mode; you'll also want glue, clippers, the core rules (available free from Games Workshop), and eventually paints. The box itself is the models.
When do Battleforce boxes come out?
Battleforce boxes are seasonal — most commonly a pre-Christmas release each year — and tend to sell out quickly. If you're waiting for one to expand your army, set a price alert so you're notified the moment it's in stock.
Written by SprueSentry with SprueSentry editorial (hand-authored, research-grounded), grounded in the cited sources — original commentary, not Games Workshop rules text.