GW Really Said “No More Combat Patrols for You”

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It’s not just the 40k Space Marine Combat Patrols. From Death Korps to Harlequins, there is a catch now, as these boxes are not permanent stock items anymore… 

Games Workshop has been on a Space Marine kick lately (or always, depending on how you look at it), cranking out new Astartes releases. On top of all recent Ultramarines, Combat Patrol, they made boxes for Salamanders, Imperial Fists, Raven Guard, White Scars, and Iron Hands.

Normally, these sets are the bread and butter of onboarding new players into Warhammer 40k armies. Affordable, self-contained, and designed to be an easy entry point, they’re supposed to be stable stock items.

But now, something feels different as these Combat Patrol Boxes are limited, and its not just limited to Space Marines either…

GW Ditches New 40k Combat Patrol Boxes

Updated on November 21st, 2025, by Rob Baer with the latest from Games Workshop.

It’s the “While Supplies Last” Curveball now. 

If you’ve been watching the webstore closely, you’ll see that every one of these new Space Marine Combat Patrols, along with the Death Korps, and Harelquins carry the dreaded “while supplies last” tag, even the Ultramarines one.

Which means, sadly, these new 40k Combat Patrols are limited stock items.

That’s not what most of us expected from products meant to kickstart a collection. That’s because these aren’t supposed to be one-off collector’s boxes; they’re meant to sit on shelves for a good stretch, waiting for new hobbyists to snag them.

Instead, GW’s language makes it look like these new Space Marine Combat Patrol boxes are being treated more like limited runs. Which raises the question: are these really permanent additions to the product line, or just another short-term push designed to spark urgency? 

Currently, the Imperial Fists are sold out, and there is no guarantee that they will be restocked. And honestly, if you ask us, with all the current allocation and stock issues, we wouldn’t expect to see it back for a while, if at all.

Space Marine Combat Patrol FOMO or Factory Backlog?

There are a couple of ways to read the situation. Maybe GW is simply running with the current trend of high-pressure sales tactics, using scarcity to drive quicker purchases.

After all, nothing gets a hobbyist reaching for their wallet faster than the thought of missing out on a favorite Chapter box. You can see the difference in language between the regular Space Marines Combat Patrol box and the Raven Guard one above. 

The other possibility is less sinister but just as messy: production limitations. GW might be soft-launching these Combat Patrols under a temporary “limited” label until manufacturing catches up and regular stock levels stabilize.

It turns out, FOMO is the New “Starter Set”, get it on pre-order day or there are no more combat patrols for you.

GW’s turning what should be evergreen, newbie-friendly boxes into short-run “get it now or regret it later” drops. These Combat Patrols and entry sets should be hanging around to grow the hobby, but instead, they’re being treated like collector exclusives.

And now it’s confirmed straight from GW’s teaser post: the latest round of White Scars, Iron Hands, and Harlequins Combat Patrols are all listed as “while supplies last.”

So much for starter boxes sticking around to welcome new players; it’s looking more like FOMO season in power armor. 

Why the Missing Combat Patrol Boxes Matters for New Players

Here’s the real kicker: Combat Patrols are supposed to be the most straightforward way for a new player to join the game. When everything is flagged as “grab it now or regret it later,” the accessibility angle goes out the window. Instead of easing people into the hobby, it turns into a scalper’s paradise, with newer players left scrambling or overpaying on the secondary market.

For established hobbyists, the frustration is familiar, yet another example of Warhammer 40k starter sets being caught up in the hype machine. For newcomers, it’s a straight-up barrier to entry.

Final Thoughts on Space Marine Combat Patrol Shortages

This isn’t the first time GW has played the scarcity card, and it won’t be the last. But when core entry products like Combat Patrols get swept up in the same sales strategy used for limited edition models and event exclusives, it undercuts their original purpose.

If the goal is to bring more players into Space Marine factions, then making these Space Marine combat patrols consistently available should be priority one. Not everything needs to sell out in a frenzy. Sometimes, it’s better to let players pick up a box on their own timeline, whether they’re starting a new Chapter or just filling gaps in their collection.

Currently, it seems that every new product release is being processed through the same high-pressure funnel. And that’s a shame, because these kits should be about building armies and welcoming players, not fueling another round of FOMO.

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