Ultramarines Combat Patrol Review & Guide (2026)

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The Ultramarines are the poster boys of Warhammer 40,000: disciplined, flexible and backed by more lore and models than any other chapter. Unlike in years past, they now have their own dedicated Combat Patrol box, led by one of the most famous psykers in the Imperium. For the full chapter breakdown, see our Ultramarines army guide.

What’s in the Ultramarines Combat Patrol?

The current box is Combat Patrol: Ultramarines, released in 2025 as part of a wave of chapter-specific Combat Patrols. It’s led by Chief Librarian Tigurius and mixes shooting, melee and close-range firepower. Here’s what you get:

1x Chief Librarian Tigurius: the Ultramarines’ most powerful psyker and your leader. He supports the units around him and can hurt the enemy with his psychic powers.
3x Bladeguard Veterans: elite melee veterans with storm shields and master-crafted power swords. Very tough and very hard to shift.
5x Intercessors: the standard Space Marine infantry squad, armed with bolt rifles. Reliable objective holders.
5x Reivers: lightly armoured shock troops who specialise in terrifying ambushes and fast, aggressive attacks.
3x Aggressors: bulky Gravis-armoured marines with heavy fists and close-range guns. They walk forward and wreck anything nearby.

That’s 17 models in total. The box also includes an Ultramarines upgrade set with 69 parts (shoulder pads, helmets, accessories and Ultima symbols) and a transfer sheet with 255 decals, so your squads look properly Ultramarine.

Games Workshop sold several of the 2025 chapter Combat Patrols in limited runs, so stock may be patchy in some shops. If you can’t find it, the Space Marine units inside are all available separately.

Previous box

An older version of this page said the Ultramarines used the standard Space Marine Combat Patrol (a Gravis Captain, Infernus Marines, Intercessors and an Impulsor). That’s no longer the case. The Ultramarines now have their own box, and the generic Space Marine Combat Patrol for 11th Edition is the Assault Force, covered in our Space Marines Combat Patrol guide.

Which Rules Does It Use?

Ultramarines use the 11th Edition Space Marines codex. Space Marines are one of only three armies with an 11th Edition codex so far (with Orks and Adeptus Custodes), and Games Workshop has said no more codexes are coming until 2027. Our Codex: Space Marines 11th Edition guide explains what changed. Roboute Guilliman, the Ultramarines’ Primarch, has a special relationship with the codex’s Combat Doctrines, which suits the chapter’s tactical style.

For Combat Patrol games, the box has its own datasheets and rules, released as a free download on Warhammer Community. In July 2026 Games Workshop moved Combat Patrol into the Warhammer 40,000 app. It has since added many older boxes (more than 20 forces at the time of writing), but this chapter box isn’t one of them yet, so check the app for the latest version. Our Combat Patrol rules guide explains how the format works.

What Each Unit Does

Chief Librarian Tigurius

Tigurius is the brains of the force. He’s at his best leading a squad and using his powers to protect it or punish the enemy. He’s not a frontline brawler, so keep him with a unit that can protect him. Learn more about him in our who is Tigurius lore guide.

Bladeguard Veterans

Three Bladeguard Veterans don’t sound like much, but they’re among the toughest infantry in the Space Marine range. Use them to hold the central objective or march into enemy lines. Few Combat Patrol units can shift them quickly.

Intercessors

The Intercessors are your steady backbone. Put them on an objective, ideally in cover, and let their bolt rifles do the work. They’re the unit you’ll use most as your collection grows.

Reivers

Reivers are fast, sneaky and great at causing trouble. Use them to grab objectives the enemy has left unguarded, or to charge into an exposed shooting unit. They’re not as tough as other Space Marines, so pick your fights.

Aggressors

Aggressors are short-ranged but brutal. They walk up the board, shoot everything close by and then punch whatever’s left. Point them at the middle of the board and let them push forward.

How to Play the Ultramarines Combat Patrol

The Ultramarines box is a balanced force. You have a solid core (Bladeguard, Intercessors and Aggressors) and a fast, flexible strike unit in the Reivers. The trick is using each unit for the job it’s built for.

Deployment

Put the Intercessors near your home objective. Deploy the Bladeguard and Aggressors towards the centre, where they’ll push forward together. Attach Tigurius to whichever unit you want to protect most, often the Intercessors or the Bladeguard. Keep the Reivers on a flank, ready to move.

Turn 1

Move the Bladeguard and Aggressors up behind cover. In 11th Edition, Infantry in terrain get -1 to Hit against ranged attacks, so ruins are your friend. Intercessors take their objective and start shooting. The Reivers head towards a flank objective.

Turn 2

Now the Aggressors and Bladeguard should be close enough to hit the enemy. Shoot with the Aggressors, then charge with whatever can reach. Use the Reivers to strike an isolated unit or take an objective the enemy has left open.

Will it actually kill that? Run the hit / wound / save odds with the dice calculator.

Crunch the numbers →

Turns 3 to 5

Hold what you’ve taken. The Bladeguard are perfect for sitting on the central objective, while the Intercessors keep your home one safe. Use Tigurius’s powers where they matter most, and don’t forget the mission. Combat Patrol games are won on objectives.

Key Tactical Tips

Keep Tigurius out of harm’s way. He’s valuable and not built for melee.
Aggressors need to get close. Use cover to get them there.
Reivers win games by grabbing objectives late. Don’t trade them away early.
Bladeguard are your anchor. Put them where the fight will be hardest.

Building and Value Notes

This is a strong box for a new Ultramarines player. You get a famous named character, a squad of Bladeguard Veterans, a battleline unit and two specialist units, plus a big upgrade set and transfers. Everything in it carries on into larger Ultramarines armies.

Strengths:

A good mix of tough, fast and hard-hitting units
Tigurius is a great centrepiece and a famous character
The upgrade set makes your army instantly recognisable as Ultramarines
Every unit is useful as you expand

Weaknesses:

No vehicles and little anti-tank firepower
Aggressors and Bladeguard are slow
May be hard to find in some regions

Painting the Ultramarines Combat Patrol

Ultramarines are one of the most iconic schemes in the hobby: deep blue armour, gold trim and white markings.

Recommended Colour Scheme

Armour: Macragge Blue spray, shaded with Nuln Oil or Drakenhof Nightshade, highlighted with Calgar Blue and Fenrisian Grey.
Trim: Retributor Armour washed with Reikland Fleshshade.
Weapons: Abaddon Black casings with Leadbelcher metal.
Squad markings: use the transfers included in the box.

Painting Tips

A blue spray primer saves a huge amount of time.
Edge highlighting makes the biggest difference to blue armour. Our guide to edge highlighting explains how.
Tigurius has lots of fine detail. Paint him last, once you’ve practised on the Intercessors.

For a full step-by-step, see our how to paint Ultramarines guide and our tutorial on painting blue armour.

Expanding Beyond the Combat Patrol

Our Space Marines 1000 point army list guide works for Ultramarines too, since they use the main Space Marines codex. Here are the best next purchases.

Path to 1,000 Points

Getting Started with Space Marines: adds a Captain, a Librarian, more Intercessors, Vanguard Veterans and a Land Speeder, plus paints. See our Space Marines Combat Patrol guide.
A Redemptor Dreadnought: a tough walker with plenty of firepower. See our Redemptor Dreadnought guide.
A Gladiator Lancer: long-range anti-tank, which this box lacks. See our Gladiator Lancer guide.
More Intercessors: a full ten-man squad for holding objectives.

Path to 2,000 Points

Marneus Calgar: the Chapter Master of the Ultramarines. Read our Marneus Calgar lore.
Roboute Guilliman: the Primarch himself. Our Roboute Guilliman lore covers his story.
Terminators or Sternguard Veterans for elite firepower
A Repulsor Executioner for heavy vehicle support

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there an Ultramarines Combat Patrol?

Yes. Combat Patrol: Ultramarines was released in 2025. It contains Chief Librarian Tigurius, 3 Bladeguard Veterans, 5 Intercessors, 5 Reivers and 3 Aggressors, plus an Ultramarines upgrade set.

Is the Ultramarines Combat Patrol good for beginners?

Yes. Ultramarines are a great first army: their rules are straightforward, the models are tough and the box teaches you both shooting and melee. If you’d rather start with paints and a brush included, Getting Started with Space Marines is the alternative, and you can paint it as Ultramarines.

Do Ultramarines have their own codex?

No. Ultramarines use the 11th Edition Space Marines codex, which covers every Codex-following chapter.

What paints do I need for the Ultramarines Combat Patrol?

Essentials: Macragge Blue spray, Calgar Blue, Fenrisian Grey, Retributor Armour, Abaddon Black, Leadbelcher and Nuln Oil.

How many models are in the Ultramarines Combat Patrol?

There are 17 models in the box: Chief Librarian Tigurius, 3 Bladeguard Veterans, 5 Intercessors, 5 Reivers and 3 Aggressors. You also get an Ultramarines upgrade set with 69 parts and a transfer sheet with 255 decals, so the squads are clearly marked as Ultramarines.

What are the best Ultramarines tactics for beginners?

Use each unit for the job it was built for. Intercessors hold your home objective, Bladeguard Veterans anchor the centre, Aggressors push forward behind cover and Reivers grab objectives late in the game. Keep Tigurius attached to a sturdy squad, because he is valuable and not built for melee. Ultramarines reward this kind of balanced, disciplined play more than all-in rushes.

Can I use the Ultramarines Combat Patrol models in normal games of 40k?

Yes. Every model in the box is a standard Space Marine unit, so you can field them in full Space Marines armies built from the 11th Edition codex. The Combat Patrol datasheets only apply to the smaller Combat Patrol format. For larger games, use the codex datasheets and current points, and expand towards 1,000 points with units like a Redemptor Dreadnought or Gladiator Lancer.

Are the Ultramarines Combat Patrol rules free?

Yes. The box’s Combat Patrol datasheets and rules were released as a free download on Warhammer Community. In July 2026 Games Workshop moved Combat Patrol into the Warhammer 40,000 app, so check the app for the latest version of the rules before you play.

Ultramarines Combat Patrol — Box Review & Guide