Combat Patrol issue 52 starts Leagues of Votann painting focus

Combat Patrol issue 52 gave miniature painters something more useful than a token sprue dump: the first Leagues of Votann model in the collection, a Kâhl, wrapped in a paint-first package that leaned straight into army building. At 24 pages and £9.99, the issue was built around practical hobby value, with Hachette packing in build-and-paint guides, a prompt to create a name and backstory, and a new scenario that made the model feel like the start of a force rather than a one-off insert.

That mattered because the Kâhl was not just another anonymous infantry body for the pile. Goonhammer noted that the kit could also be assembled as Ulthar the Destined, giving the issue a named character option that immediately elevates it for painters who like their projects to have identity as well as table use. For a subscription series that often moves through broad combat patrol arcs, this one read like a deliberate pause to focus on the basics of turning a kit into a finished centerpiece.

The paint side was the real hook. The review pointed out that the guide inside the issue pushed the Votann toward a black-armored, yellow-suited Kronus Hegemony scheme, which is a sharper faction cue than the default look many magazine issues lean on. That makes the issue especially useful for painters who want a ready-made palette with clear visual direction, not just a generic starter recipe. In practice, it gives a workable answer to the first question many Votann collectors ask: how do these Kin look on the shelf without blending into every other grey-and-metal army?

The timing also fit the wider Warhammer 40,000 picture. The Leagues of Votann were introduced as a full faction in 2022, following the army set announcement for pre-order on September 17, 2022, and Warhammer Community describes them as a resilient, industrial clone-race of Kin guided by Ancestor Cores. Its current faction guide also frames Combat Patrol as a strong entry point, which lines up with an issue like this one: small-scale, beginner-friendly, and focused on getting models built, painted, named, and fielded quickly.

Goonhammer’s broader Votann painting guide adds another layer to that value by noting that the faction has five major Leagues plus minor leagues, each with its own color schemes and markings. Issue 52 fits neatly into that wider ecosystem, because it does not just introduce a model, it introduces a look, a character, and a faction identity. For painters looking for a manageable, paint-first way into the range, that is exactly the kind of Combat Patrol issue worth slowing down for.