Kill Team

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I USE A BROKEN NECRON WEAPON AS MY SWORD! FUCK YOU AND FUCK YOUR PREFERENCES XENO!

Kill Team refers to a singular form of squad organisation, closely related to the universe of Warhammer 40,000. But anyone known to role-playing are familiar with the concept.

In Warhammer 40,000, Kill-teams are squads of specialists, usually employed by the Space Marines of the Deathwatch, used in missions which large forces aren't the smartest idea to deal with them (It doesn't stop certain individuals from trying it anyway), like sabotages, assassinations, objective-identifiers, information stealers/retrievers and everything involving enemy territory and not a full-fledged invasion.

There are 3(or 4) forms to play with Kill-teams: the X-box360/PS3 videogame, the Warhammer 40.000 Roleplay books, and a digital supplement to the miniatures wargame.

Can be argued that the strikeforces lead by Hairgel during the events of the 1st and 2nd Aurelian Crusades can be considered Kill-Teams, but the sizes are close.

History of Kill Team Releases

Several products named "Kill Team" have been released over the years:

• 4th Edition Rulebook (2004): contained rules for playing Kill Team games with 40k minis.
• 5th Edition "Battle Missions" book (2010): contained a simplified 'Kill Team' Special Mission.
• 6th Edition "Kill Team", released in 2013.
• Kill Team video game, released May 2014.
• 7th Edition "Kill Team" boxed set (September 2016): included the Kill Team rules, a tiny copy of the 40k rules, a Space Marine squad, and a Tau squad.
  • Owners of the 6th Edition digital Kill Team received a free upgrade to a digital copy of the 7th Edition
  • The product has been EXTERMINATUS from GW's website, but the Digital Supplement version is still available on http://www.warhammerdigital.com/ (likely removed when 8th edition comes out)
• 8th Edition rules were announced on 14 March 2018, and are expected to be released sometime this year.

Warhammer 40.000: Kill Team Digital Supplement

RIP Kill team, now practically replaced by the new shadow wars Necromunda reboot. Can still use the rules for yourself if you have them, it just will not be a part of official GW events for the foreseeable future. Scratch that, ITS COMING BACK

In this game mode, players usually play a VERY small force (as small as 200 points), usually a single or a couple of squads with all models played individually. Limitations are huge in this mode, like no Flyers, H.Q., anything with more than 3 Wounds, or 2+ armor. It has its own missions, "Warlord Traits" and rules specific to certain codices, but it's actually pretty fun. Vehicles can be taken, but their total Front+Side+Rear AV must total up to 33 or less, and cannot have more than 3 Hull Points.

Also, Warhammer 40,000 made cheap and much cheese avoided. What's not to like?

Current Armies with 7e Kill Team Tactics Pages:

• Cult Mechanicus
• Deathwatch
• Genestealer Cults
• Inquisition
• Orks
• Skitarii

Things that rock in Kill Team

• Fucking Cheap: Let's take it like you want a Kill-Team from scratch and do not use any squads you already have which meet the criteria. Well, congrats! You probably only need one or two boxes of miniatures. This depends on armies and builds, of course; but on average, it's highly plausible to have a Kill Team for under $50.

• Much cheese avoided: Enough of the Riptide, Wraithknight, Heldrake (even with nerfs) and Wave Serpent dickery? Good news, many of the most overpowered units cannot be taken in a Kill-Team game. Some because they miss the requirements or because the 200 points limit makes them nonviable. In the HoR Kill Team spam and strong units are usually taken care of at army list level by the devs, so That Guy will have a hard time finding bullshit loopholes with which masturbate itself furiously.
• Your dudes friendly: While much harder in entire armies, it's easy to empathize with a squad of individual miniatures and make your Kill Teams truly unique and YOURS. The Specialist rules only makes this decision easier. Remember the Last Chancers, where everyone was different? Basically the same thing that you can do to your dudes, especially if you have bits of the race the Kill Team will be. "See that Necron Immortal with bits of Deathmark's rifle? That's X-547, my weapon specialist and a hotshot everywhere", or "I'm Kargoth, the Dirty fighter Berzerker! I'm here to kick asses and chew gum! I'M OUT OF GUM." That kind of thing.

Things that Suck in Kill Team (or don't)

• Every man for himself: That's the rule which makes all the models act as separate units. While it's cool and all, this also makes them a lot more vulnerable. There's no way any specialist can be saved from a Plasma gun unless in cover, pay an Invulnerable or a lucky Gets-Hot unless they are Characters, thus benefitting from 4+ LoS in a 3" bubble. (*cough*Medic*cough*FeelNoPain*cough*) Also, Blast and Template weapons have their effectiveness reduced heavily because of the spreading of the models.

On the other side it is also a boon: Going to ground works a lot better and everyone can throw grenades. If you send out your leader or specialists alone you are doing it wrong. Bring some bodyguards and move them in front of your special dudes, so they can at least enjoy a 5+ cover save if all else fails. Individual model movement also allows more efficient use (or abuse) of Line of Sight, such as a single high-cost shooter carefully positioning himself at a corner so that he can only see one enemy model, which he shoots.. but when the enemy turn comes, he's completely hidden from the majority of return fire.

• No place for vehicles: Honestly, the 33 combined armor limit is a good filter, but the vehicles which pass are squishy. Anything more durable than a metal box probably can't be included. And everyone knows how durable a Rhino is... Fortunately, many vehicles that can be included have nice rules that makes them gain some additional survivability. And, with the tiny points limit, it's unlikely that a "take all comers" Kill Team list will spend much points on expensive long-ranged anti-vehicle weaponry.. although meltaguns, krak grenades, (and their xenos equivalents) will show up.

Vehicles are incredible in kill teams: land speeders, sentinels, piranha, etc. are shooty as hell and almost impervious to small arms fire. Mount a heavy flamer if possible and bring a bucket for your enemy's tears. Just watch out for those heavy weapon specialists with the ignore cover USR and don't get to close to krak grenade wielding marines.

• Hard-as-hell assault: Given that anyone can die more or less easily, available Assault vehicles are scarce and weak and (probably) will be a lot of scenery and cover. Assault is highly unrecommended (more so than in vanilla 40K). This makes it so that certain available non-Jump assault units - like Slugga Boyz, Berzerkers, Striking Scorpions and the like - hit the bottom of choices. However, harder and jumpier units like Ogryns, Banshees, Vanguard Veterans and even Possessed can do the trick with careful movement and avoidance of LoS.

Assaults do not need to be hard, especially if the enemy exploits the going to ground rule. And the small scale makes it even more epic. The lists of some armies can only deal with vehicles in close combat. And nothing is more satisfying then pulling of that last-round 10 inch charge against the dude holding the objective, caving in his skull und use his intestines to embellish the objective itself.

Leaders

Leaders are the Kill team equivalent of Warlords. Your Kill Team's leader is the model with the highest Leadership (typically a Sargent or equivalent). Any model within a 6 inch "Command Range" can use the Leader's Leadership if the team is broken (more on that later).

Leaders also get to roll on their own little trait table.

1. A Cunning Ruse: D3+2 non-vehicle models gain the Outflank special rule.

2.Quick thinker: Your kill team successfully Seizes the Initiative on a 4+ instead of a 6.

3.Chasing Promotion: You gain 1 Victory Point for slaying the Enemy Leader in a challenge.

4.Iron Resolve: Your Leader's Command Range is increased to 12"

5.Been there. Seen it. Done it: Your Leader can select a special rule from one of the Specialist Categories, though this cannot be from the Same category as any of your other specialists.

6.Unshakeable Dedication to Duty: Your leader gains the Zealot Special Rule.

Specialists

These Guys are where a kill team draws most of its effective force. There are five Specialist categories, Combat, Weapon, Dirty Fighter, Indomitable, and Guerilla specialists. Combat and Dirty Fighter are geared for close combat, Weapon favors shooting, Indomitable is about staying on the board as long as possible, and Guerilla is for mobility. Each Kill team is required to have exactly 3 specialists, and each specialist must be from a different category (you can't take 3 Dirty Fighters for example). Players then choose (that's right choose, not randomly select, not roll on a table, choose) special rules from the respective categories to use in game.

Combat Specialist

• Counter-Attack - If this model is charged it must take an Ld test. If the test is successful you get +1A until the end of the phase.
• Furious Charge - The turn this model charges into combat it gets +1S (Unless it is a disordered charge).
• Hammer of Wrath - If you get base-to-base with the model you're charging you get a single attack that auto-hits at Initiative 10 with Str:User Ap:-
• Hatred - Choose a foe to Hate, you re-roll all misses during your first round of combat.
• Rage - +2 Attacks for charging unless it is a disordered charge.

Supplement Rules

• Deathblow - If a target suffers an unsaved Wound from a close combat attack made by this model, the target is reduced to 0 Wounds and is removed as a casualty
• Berserk Fighter - +D3 attacks if there are more enemy models than friendly in the combat.
• Killer Instinct - This model always wounds on a 2+ when making close combat attacks against non-vehicle models.
• Warrior Adept - This model has +1 weapon Skill.

Weapon Specialist

• Sniper - Always wounds on a 4+ regardless of toughness and to hit roll of 6 grants the Precision Shot rule. Against vehicles Snipers count as Str:3 with the Pinning and Rending rule.

Supplement Rules

• Bane Of Vehicles - When Making shooting attacks this model re-rolls failed armour penetration rolls against vehicles and can choose to re-roll glancing hits, in an attempt to get a penetrating hit - but the second roll must be kept.
• Eagle-eye - The range of any ranged weapons fired by this model is increased by half. For example, this model could fire a boltgun (Range 24") up to 36". This increase range also affects Rapid Fire and Melta Distances but has no effect on Template Weapons.
• Machine Saboteur - When this model hits a vehicle in close combat roll a D6 to determine the effect rather than rolling fore armor penetration normally, 1 - No Effect 2/3/4 - Glancing Hit 5/6 - Penetrating hit.
• Master Craftsman - When selecting this special rule, pick a ranged weapon carried by this model. You can re-roll one failed to hit roll per turn with that weapon.
• Reaping Volley - When attacking with a ranged weapon that fires more than one shot, this this model may target different enemy models with each shot Announce the intended target of every shot before making any To Hit rolls.
• Suppressing Fire - If a non-vehicle models suffers one or more hits from a shooting attack made by this model it must take a pinning test.

Dirty Fighter Specialist

• Fear - Before rolling to hit in the fight sub-phase the enemy must take an Ld test, if they fail they are reduced to WS 1
• Soul blaze - After taking a wound the enemy model must roll a D6 at the end of each turn. On a 4+ it takes D3 Str:4 Ap:5 hits. On a 3 or less the effect is lost.

Supplement Rules

• Blinding Distraction - Any target hit in close combat by this model must take an Initiative test at the end of the currant phase. If the test is passed, they have seen through the distraction. If the Initiative test is failed, the target is reduced to Weapon Skill and Ballistic Skill 1 until the end of their next turn. If any model does not have an initiative characteristic (Buildings, Non-Walker vehicles, Yada yada yada)is unaffected by this special rule.
• Exploit Weakness - When this model makes a close combat attack, for each roll of a 6, the target automatically suffers a wound regardless of toughness. These wounds are resolved at Ap2. Against vehicles, each armour penetration roll of a 6 allows a further D3 to be added to the total these hits are resolved at normal AP values.
• Executioner - This model re-rolls all failed To Wound rolls against targets with a Wounds characteristic of 2 or more.
• Low Blow - A target that suffers one or more hits in close combat from this model is reduced to Initiative 1 until the end of the following Assault Phase.
• Murderous Blows - This model Re-rolls failed To Wound Rolls in Close Combat.
• Poisoned Weapons - When attacking in close combat, this model always wounds their target on a 4+, unless a lower result would be required. In addition, if the Strength of this model is higher than the toughness of the target, this model re-rolls failed rolls To Wound in close combat. This special rule has no effect against vehicles.

Indomitable Specialist

• Adamantium Will - +1 to deny the witch rolls.
• Crusader - Roll an extra D6 when making a run move, use the highest result. Also adds D3 to the total for sweeping advances.
• Eternal Warrior - Ignores instant death.
• Fearless - Automatically pass any Ld test.
• Feel No Pain - An additional 5+ save (Or +1 to an existing fnp).
• Relentless - Can shoot Heavy, Salvo and Ordinance weapons as if the model was stationary if it has moved.
• Stubborn - Ignores negative Ld modifiers.

Supplement Rules

• Strikedown - Any non-vehicle model that suffers one or more hits from this model in close combat moves asi if it is in difficult terrain until the end of its next turn.

Guerrilla Specialist

• Fleet - Choose to re-roll run and charge dice.
• Hit & Run - This model can leave combat at the end of any assault phase. Take an initiative test, if passed then pick a direction and roll 3D6, if the distance rolled allows this model to be at least 1" away from the enemy it disengages from combat and moves.
• Infiltrate - After both sides have deployed, but before scout moves Infiltrators can set up anywhere on the table that is further than 12" from any enemy model and they don't have line of sight. Or deploy more than 18" away and have line of sight. this model can't charge on the first turn and this model has the Outflank rule.
• Move Through Cover - Roll an extra D6 when moving through difficult terrain and pick the highest result. This model also ignores dangerous terrain.
• Night Vision - Ignores the effects of night fighting.
• Preferred Enemy - Pick a foe to be preferred enemy. Re-roll to hit and wound against them.
• Scout - After deployment you can redeploy this model anywhere withing 6" of it's original deployment that is more than 12" away from any enemy model. Also has the Outflank rule
• Stealth - +1 to cover saves to a maximum of 2+, or a 6+ if no cover is present.

Supplement Rules

• Promethium Charges - This model counts as being equipped with assault grenades. However, cover saves cannot be taken against Wounds Caused by Promethium Charges in the shooting Phase

Kill Team: Heralds of Ruin

So GW released Kill Team, and saw that it was good. It was popular, used few models and so coaxed new players to invest in a few models and have some fun, and with the smaller size came a whole new set of possibilities...

GW had taken a hold on the skirmish tabletop scene, and everything was good. Or so they think. Unbeknownst to the british tycoon, their game had an effect on their customers, an effect they never learned to fear... Inspiration.

So hold the fucking phone, clear the goddamn calender and strap in, 'cause we're going warp speed - Suddenly was Kill Team: Heralds of Ruin, and gawd djammit isn't it the best fucking unofficial supplement for 40k since BattleScribe. Unlike the official Kill Team, Kill Team: HoR is more of a stand-alone game with its own rules, gear and playstyle, making it more of its own game than the official one. Not only that, the game took inspiration from Mordheim and Necromunda for this game, allowing for the fans of those games to get a compromise between playing the supported game and the good one.

While many rules are changed and amended in HoR to fit the new playstyle, these relatively light changes completely turns the game on its head, changing everything most players know about playing 40k. Space Marines are weak not-really-jacks-of-all-trades, masters-of-none infantry units, you say? Nope, in HoR they are among the most badass single models you can get, with powerful weaponry, grenades that can nail most things you come up against and an armour save that can really throw a wrench into any poor sod's plan. On the flipside, models like your Guardsmen are as good as toast - Imperial Guard is noticebly weaker than most other factions, and are generally poorly optimized for Kill Team, lacking any real sort of power unit (apart from Ogryns) and armoured vehicles.

Kill Team: HoR is still fully supported by the Heralds of Ruin blog, who originally made the supplement in the first place, and there are several for discussing the game around the webs, though the Facebook groups is the most active. In addition to any army currently available from GeeDubs, the good blog made sure to add some fan favorites like the Deathwatch, the Adeptus Arbites, Genestealer Cults and some vastly improved Sisters of Battle, which just goes to show what can be done when you try to make a game that caters to the wishes of the customers. Currently almost all the lists are undergoing updates to balance things out and update to 7th ed. More news on the Facebook Group.

Terrain

Bring a lot of terrain for kill team games. Large area terrain like ruins or forests are ideal for consolidating your troops and forming firing bases, besides providing cover and creating firing lanes. And do not forget about the terrain data sheets. If you are using weapons with the gets hot USR, bring a manufactorum to the table. If you like flamers, invest in the promethium relay pipes. Battlefield debris like the ammunition dump can make great focal points for your battles, and lines of razorwire or an aegis defense line can really spice up the terrain.

See Also

• Combat Patrol, another way to play 40k with smaller bands of units
• The different branches of Warhammer 40,000 roleplay:
  • Dark Heresy
  • Rogue Trader (RPG)
  • Deathwatch (RPG)
  • Black Crusade (RPG)
  • Only War.
• The blog The Heralds of Ruin have created their own Kill Team supplement which basically fucks over the Official rules by amending rules like Orders and War Hymns, having whole army lists for each faction and the most amazing Campaign system I have seen for smaller game since fucking Necromunda and Mordheim. Find it here and be amazed: http://heralds-of-ruin.blogspot.dk/p/kill-team-rules.html
  • Heralds of Ruin Kill Team Tactics
  • Now with a spanking new forum

Ways to Play Warhammer 40,000
Apocalypse - Cities of Death - Combat Patrol - Eternal War Kill Team - Maelstrom of War - Planetstrike - Zone Mortalis