AdeptiCon is back! And we are back in Milwaukee for the second year. I kicked off my AdeptiCon 2026 schedule with Bolt Action Combat Patrol – an event near and dear to my heart. It was a record-breaking year for Combat Patrol, with over 50 players amassing their forces for these fast and furious 500pt engagements. Full event rules are available, but here are the highlights:

• Three games played on 4×4′ tables
• 500pts
• 1-3 Platoons
• 9 Order Dice max
• Artillery and Engineer Platoons are not allowed
• 3 vehicles max, Armor 8 max
• No Company Commanders, Forward Observers, HE 3″, or HE 4″

My Army
U-boat Spotted off Florida Coast!

After a successful first patrol in January 1941, U-333 left her home port of La Pallice, France on March 30, 1942, and headed across the Atlantic to the coast of Florida. For the next five weeks, U-333 attacked US ships traveling up the Gulf Coast towards the Eastern Seaboard. The now veteran crew struck all the way from the Everglades to North Carolina and even made it as far north as Newfoundland, Canada.

During the fourth and eighth patrols off the coast of West Africa, U-333 was rammed by British ships and even lost her periscope as a result. After narrowly escaping attack by Allied anit-submarine aircraft, U-333 returned to France and continued operations for another two years. All told, U-333 completed 12 patrols over three years and was responsible for the sinking of seven merchant ships totalling 32,107 tons of shipping destroyed. She was sunk in the English Channel in July 1944 by depth charges launched by the British frigate Loch Killin.

My Combat Patrol represents the crew of the German submarine U-333. Although there is no record of the crew making landfall, U-333 attacked and sank US vessels just eight miles off the coast of Florida. It is possible, however unlikely, that the crew conducted a clandestine beach landing to further disrupt Allied shipping and material production. Thus, here we have a Kriegsmarine shore party supported by a handful of weapons teams and a small clutch of Panzerfauts. No vehicles for these sailors!

I did not attempt an elaborate display board this year; I was too focused on the one for Doubles. No new models either. Everything I brought to Combat Patrol was something already in my collection. I would have liked to have added a new unit or vehicle, but that time was spent working on Doubles and K47. Having a large Bolt Action collection pays off from time to time!

Rifle Platoon
Platoon Commander – Regular – 30 SMG – 4	34pts
Heer Grenadier Squad – Regular – 7 men – 70 LMG – 15 x1 Panzerfaust – 15	100pts
Heer Grenadier Squad – Regular – 7 men – 70 LMG – 15 x1 Panzerfaust – 15	100pts
Heer Grenadier Squad – Regular – 7 men – 70 LMG – 15 x1 Panzerfaust – 15	100pts
Heavy Weapons Platoon
Platoon Commander – Regular – 30 SMG – 4	34pts
Medium Machine Gun Team – Regular – 50	50pts
Medium Mortar Team – Regular – 45 Spotter – 10	55pts
AT Rifle Team – Regular – 25	25pts
Total – 8 Order Dice	498pts

Game 1
Get off the #%&@ing Beach! vs Tommy G (British)

Game 1 was played on Jeff’s lovely South Pacific Seabees table against Tommy and his Brits. He brought a mixed force of Veteran Infantry supported by a Vickers Mk VIc Light Tank and a Morris CS9 Armored Car. In this mission, the tide was rising and slowly crept up from a side of the table (which side was rolled at the start), turning it into Rough Ground (the tide moved 4″ further every turn). You scored points for enemy kills and for each friendly unit that ended the game on “dry land.” It made for a hectic and claustrophobic battle.

The game started out hot for me when my AT Rifle waltzed onto the table and aced the Mk VIc in a single shot on Turn 1. I needed to remove that little tank early and couldn’t have hoped for a better start to the game. The momentum was with the Kriegsmarine! Tommy held the middle with his infantry and concentrated his forces around a large building in the back. He pushed the right flank with his PIAT Team in a Jeep and harassed the left with the Morris Armored Car. Concentrated small arms fire from the MMG Team and LMGs in each Grenadier Squad kept the Brits at bay, and I was able to push up the table. Tommy launched a few desperate late-game assaults (Fix Bayonets! is no joke), but at the end of the scrum, it was the Kriegsmarine in control. A close game filled with tense moments. I would happily Grudge Tommy at a future event.

Oh, we also moved the U-boat up the table every time the tide rose higher – pictured above, left side of the photo. It just felt like the right thing to do.

Result – Win

Game 2
Push up and Take that Beach Objective! vs Joshua L (Imperial Japan)

It’s a Combat Patrol rematch! I played against Joshua in Game 2 last year and battled to a close Draw. It was all to play for this time around. Joshua was running Imperial Japan and had a Platoon Commander with two buddies, two IJA Squads of seven, an Infiltration Team, an AT Rifle with two additional crew, a Light Mortar, and two Ha-Go Light Tanks (Armor 7, Low-Velocity Light AT Gun, coax, and hull MMGs). My AT Rifle and Panzerfausts had their work cut out for them.

This mission had only a single objective in the middle of the table. And in an added twist, each unit was allowed to capture or contest the objective once. So we had to be very careful and plan ahead for when to move troops into the capture zone. Joshua got out to an early lead with his Infiltrators moving onto the objective right away. They didn’t hold out long, but scored points at the end of Turn 2. From there, it was back and forth, and we both threw unis forward to capture and contest. The Ha-Go tanks were starting to be a real menace, but a couple of lucky Panzerfaust shots knocked them out. Without the armor to worry about, my small arms poured it on. Two IJA units were caught out in the open and were unable to stop the Kriegsmarine from scoring the objective a couple of turns in a row.

It was another close game with a narrow win for my side. Joshua was once again a fantastic opponent who I would love to play again.

Result – Win

Game 3
Secure Inland Objectives! vs Darrin Z (British (Polish))

Third and final game against a long-time legend of the community – Darrin. We’ve attended many of the same events, but never had the chance to square off. That all changed today, and we were both thrilled for the opportunity to match up. Darrin was running a British list but themed on the Polish 1st Armored Division. He had a Platoon Commander with a buddy, four Infantry Squads (two with an LMG, two with SMGs), a Light Mortar, and an MMG Team all crammed into an LVT 4 Buffalo. And when I say “all crammed in” that is exactly what I mean. During deployment, Darrin placed one model on the table – the LVT. Everything else was aboard. It was incredible. What a play!

The game got off to a roaring start with Darrin getting an early pull and throwing the LVT (and by extension, his entire force) straight up the middle towards the objective. I managed to tag the LVT a few times and get Pins onto everyone inside, but it only slowed them down for a single turn. That +3 British Platoon Commander Morale Bonus is worth its weight in gold. From there, it was three turns of exchanging fire as we both moved our forces into position. Not many kills for either side, and we were both completely focused on the three objectives across the middle of the table. Kills made no difference; whoever held the most objectives would claim victory.

Through some insane close calls and shockingly strong Cover Saves, I was able to get a unit onto two of the three objectives. It was enough to get the win by the narrowest margins. Darrin is a strong player who knows exactly what was needed to win. But the dice didn’t go in favor of the Poles in a few clutch moments, and those small openings were all it took to swing the game in my favor. That was one hell of a game, Darrin. I look forward to a rematch.

Result – Win

Final Thoughts

Well, how about that to kick off AdeptiCon 2026? 3-0 and Best Overall at Combat Patrol! I was shocked at the outcome. I never expected to score three wins, and to have it come down to a third tie-breaker (Player’s Choice Votes) is insane. It couldn’t have possibly been closer. Major shouts to Terry, Nathan, and Nathaniel, who also went 3-0 – unreal. You can check out the full event results here.

Sadly and frustratingly, I only managed to snap a few photos of armies on display. The level of hobby on display was insane. Players went wild with the “Hit the Beach!” theme, and there were so many creative, impressive, and imaginative Combat Patrol forces on display. Just as an example, Zack had a full front and back newspaper with his army list, historical background, photos, and period-appropriate ads for his Yugoslavian force; amazing. August’s Austrian beach landing (shown above) was especially impressive and earned him the hotly contested Player’s Choice. Fifteen armies received at least one Player’s Choice vote, and that is truly something to celebrate. I’ve never seen the field spread that wide, and it speaks to the continuing leveling up of the hobby in the Bolt Action community. You love to see it.

Joe once again ran an excellent event. Building on the momentum of 2025, he led the biggest Combat Patrol ever with 52 players. I am at a loss for words; that is simply astounding. Well done, Joe, well done indeed. Sam also knocked it out of the park on the scoring side. Everything ran smoothly, and the results were quickly tabulated. Trust me, it is not easy to keep track of that many game results; I salute their efforts.

AdeptiCon Combat Patrol is a special event for me, and it makes me so happy to see so many players bring out their forces for this little (well, not so little anymore) event. I wonder what 2027 has in store for Combat Patrol? I cannot wait to see what comes next.