WarHammer 40,000: Kill team
40K’s little brother
Kill Team started life as a mod for Warhammer 40,000, a way for Games Workshop staffers to play quick lunchtime rounds of the sci-fi wargame. It developed a following, but was perhaps a bit of a tough sell for newbies – as well as the rules, you had to buy additional army books for every faction you wanted to play.
That has changed with this pumped up boxed set – seriously, you could work out with this thing. Inside are the usual dice, cards, tokens, a nice gaming mat, two Kill Teams (Genestealer Cultists and Skitarii) and a lot of scenery. But it’s the manual (also available separately) that’s key. It doesn’t just provide the core rules and lore, but details for playing 15 different factions. This means that most 40K fans will have the option to play with lots of different teams immediately – excellent!
Naturally, given its origins, Kill Team feels a lot like 40K. The statlines are all familiar, as is the choice of open, narrative and matched play. Rounds are broken up into the usual movement, psychic, shooting and combat phases – though alternating activations means less waiting
Naturally, Kill Team feels a lot like 40K
around for your opponent. Where the game differs is in its granular focus on building a team of named characters and choosing their wargear. It has similarities to Necromunda, with the added appeal of being able to fight with Space Marines, Eldar or whatever other races you have on your shelves.
After a couple of attempts at an ideal 40K skirmish game, Games Workshop has nailed it. Will Salmon
The first two expansions are Space Wolves and Orks. Both sets include rules, models and additional scenery.