The rules for choosing a kill team are different depending on what kind of game you want to play. The three ways to play Kill Team are described earlier in the book (see Different Ways to Play). Whichever way you choose to play, you’ll complete a datacard for each model in your kill team: this acts as a handy reminder for that model’s characteristics, wargear and abilities during the game, and also lets you record details like flesh wounds suffered. For matched play (and narrative play, in some cases) you will also complete a command roster that lists all of the models available for you to choose a kill team from.

Open Play

Simply choose a kill team from the models available to you (using the datasheets included in this book and other Kill Team products), choose one of those models to be the kill team’s Leader and fill in a datacard for each of your models. You can use any other of the rules on this page that you and your opponent(s) agree on.

Matched Play

For a matched play game, you need to create a command roster of up to twenty models available to you, all of which must share a Faction keyword. You’ll find a blank command roster here. Write the details of each of your models in the spaces provided. Once the mission has been determined, you then choose a Battle-forged kill team (see below) from the models on your command roster.

Battle-forged Kill Team

For your kill team to be Battle-forged, you must adhere to the following restrictions:

• Your kill team must consist of at least three models, and no more than twenty models.
• Your kill team must include one (and only one) Leader.
• Your kill team can include up to three other specialists
• Your kill team cannot include more than the maximum of any particular model, as detailed on its datasheet.
• All models must share a Faction keyword. Your kill team cannot cost more than 100 points. Each model and each of their pieces of wargear has an associated points cost, as detailed in the points section for each Faction. The total cost of your kill team in points is referred to as its ‘Force’.

It’s a good idea to work out your kill team on a piece of scrap paper first, as you may have to juggle the wargear and models to get as close as you want to the 100-point limit.

Narrative Play

If you want to play a narrative game, the mission may dictate how you choose your kill team, or you may decide to choose a kill team as for open play or matched play, making whatever adjustments you feel are necessary to create the best narrative experience.

In a Kill Team campaign you use the command roster to keep track of all the operatives that you have used in your missions. You can choose kill teams from the models on the command roster, but you can also add new models to the roster as the campaign progresses. In addition, during a campaign battle you may wish to make notes on your command roster or datacards to record details such as which specialists have used a Tactic.

Forging a Narrative

We strongly encourage you to come up with some background for your team: their personalities, quirks, names and the like. Tables full of inspiration for this can be found in the Faction sections of this book. Some of these tables require you to roll a D10 – that is, a tensided dice. Some others use a D66. To roll a D66, simply roll two six-sided dice, one after the other – the first represents tens, and the second represents digits, giving you a result between 11 and 66.

Datacards

You need to record the details of each of the models in your kill team on datacards. You’ll find a photocopiable page of blank datacards for this purpose here. Each datacard has spaces for you to note down all of the most important pieces of information about a model. Each model in your kill team needs to have one of these datacards, and each datacard describes a single, specific model. The example datacard at the bottom of this page is for a Skitarii Ranger.

Command Roster

The command roster contains a summary of all of the models available to you. You’ll find a photocopiable page of blank command roster here. The example command roster below is for a player partway through a campaign.

When you choose a Battle-forged kill team, you gain access to Command Points. These can be spent to utilise Tactics, each of which represents a tactical asset available to your kill team.

All Battle-forged kill teams generate 1 Command Point at the beginning of each battle round. In addition, at the start of the first battle round your kill team generates 1 additional Command Point for each 10 points difference between your kill team’s Force and that of the kill team with the highest Force (e.g. if your kill team’s Force was 19 points lower than that of the kill team with the highest Force, it would generate 1 additional Command Point. If it was 20 points lower, it would generate 2 additional Command Points). Kill teams may have other ways of generating Command Points in addition to this. Unused Command Points can be carried over to subsequent battle rounds until they are spent.

You can spend Command Points to use a Tactic during a battle. Each time you use a Tactic, reduce your Command Points total by the appropriate amount. If you do not have enough Command Points for a specific Tactic, you cannot use it. Unless otherwise stated, you can use the same Tactic multiple times during the course of a battle, but only once in any given phase. Note that the beginning and end of each battle round are not phases, so you may be able to use certain Tactics multiple times at these points.

The different Tactics available to players depend on the mission they are playing. Players can always use the six Tactics presented below. In addition, each specialism has its own Tactics, presented in the following section, each Faction has their own unique Tactics, presented in the Faction sections of this book, and some missions, killzones and expansions may introduce additional Tactics to your battles.

If you are playing an open play or narrative play game, you may choose to use the Command Point rules – simply discuss this with your opponent(s) before the game. Note that some Kill Team open play and narrative missions may include Tactics – it is best to use the Command Point rules in these games!

Including Commanders

You can only include a Commander in your kill team if you are playing a mission that says, in the Kill Teams section, that your kill team can include a Commander. Unless stated otherwise, a kill team can never include more than one Commander.

When you add a Commander to your kill team or command roster, you must choose their wargear in the same way as you would for any other model. A Commander’s wargear options are all described on their datasheet and, for the purposes of Battle-forged kill teams, the points values for these options are found in each datasheet.

Each Commander must have a specialism – this does not count towards the maximum number of specialists you can include in a kill team. The specialisms they can choose from are listed on their datasheet – note that some of these are specific to Commanders. A kill team can still only include one of each kind of specialist.

Commander Tactics

Commanders have access to specific Tactics. Each is identified either as a Commander Tactic or a Tactic, where is the name of a datasheet. The second kind of Commander Tactic is restricted to Commanders chosen from the named datasheet. Your Commander must be on the battlefield and not shaken in order to use them.

Aura Tactics

Kill Team: Commanders includes a new type of Tactic, called Aura Tactics. Aura Tactics are ‘passive’ abilities (i.e. they have a constant effect once they are used), that affect certain models within a given distance for a specific duration of time – most commonly until the end of the phase in which the Aura Tactic was used, or the end of the battle round.

Unless the Aura Tactic in question says otherwise, the model that used the Aura Tactic is always within range of its effects. For example, an Adeptus Astartes or Deathwatch Primaris Captain can use the Rites of Battle Aura Tactic, which affects all friendly models within 6" of him. As the Primaris Captain is a friendly model, he benefits from the Aura Tactic as well, effectively leading by example.

Commander Upgrades

Not all Commanders are created equal. When you include a Commander in your kill team, in addition to their weaponry, you can choose Commander upgrades for them, in the form of Commander Levels and Commander Traits. List the upgrades a Commander has on their datacard.

Commander Levels

When you first include a Commander in your kill team, you must choose whether that Commander is a Level 1, Level 2, Level 3 or Level 4 Commander. The different levels of each Commander have individual points costs for the purposes of Battle-forged kill teams, as detailed on Commander’s datasheet. The level of a Commander determines the Tactics they can use and the abilities they have. Some Kill Team expansions provide rules for Commander specialisms that vary from this system. Where this is the case, they will explain how to determine the abilities of your Commander.

Commander Traits

Different Commanders employ different tactics or have preferred styles of waging war. When you first include a Commander in your kill team, you can purchase up to three different Commander Traits for them from those listed on the following page. Each has a different points cost for the purposes of Battle-forged kill teams, as shown below.

Each set of Sub-factions tells you which Faction keyword it applies to (e.g. ADEPTUS ASTARTES). When you add a model with that Faction keyword to your kill team or command roster, you can choose for it to be drawn from a Sub-faction of your choice from those listed in that Faction’s section within this book (so when you add a model with the ADEPTUS ASTARTES keyword to your command roster, you could choose for it be drawn from the Ultramarines, for example). When you choose a Sub-faction for a model in this way, make a note of that on the model’s datacard. Its Sub-faction is treated as an additional keyword that the model has, so a model drawn from the Ultramarines has the ULTRAMARINES keyword.

If your kill team is Battle-forged and all models in your kill team are drawn from the same Sub-faction, models in the kill team gain a Sub-faction ability as described in that Faction’s section. The Sub-faction ability gained depends upon the Sub-faction you chose, as described in that Faction’s section. For example, if you chose the Ultramarines Chapter for your ADEPTUS ASTARTES kill team, the models in your kill team gain the Codex Discipline Chapter Tactic. In addition to gaining a Sub-faction ability for the models in your kill team, you also gain access to Tactics that are unique to that Sub-faction. For example, if you chose the Ultramarines Chapter, you can use Ultramarines Tactics.

Unless stated otherwise, if your kill team is drawn from a Sub-faction that does not have an associated Sub-faction ability, choose a Sub-faction from that Faction’s section that best describes its character and fighting style.

Choosing Specialists

Experienced warriors are represented in Kill Team with rules for specialisms, which reward you for taking specialists on missions by giving you access to their special abilities and Tactics.

Each model’s datasheet tells you which specialisms can be taken by that model. When you add a model to your command roster, you can choose one specialism for it from those listed on its datasheet. When you choose a specialism for a model, note that down on its datacard. You cannot change it later.

Some models can have the Leader specialism. You must include one model with this specialism in your kill team, and this model is your kill team’s Leader.

For a Battle-forged kill team, you can include up to three other models with specialisms, aside from your Leader. Each model’s specialism must be unique – you cannot have two models with the same specialism in your kill team. Note that you may have more than one of any kind of specialist (including Leaders) on your command roster.

Abilities

Each specialist has one or more abilities, depending on how experienced they are. These abilities are set out in an ‘ability tree’ on that specialism’s page. A specialist starts at Level 1, and has the ability shown in the band for that level. In a campaign, specialists gain experience and can advance up to Level 4.

When a specialist advances to Level 2, choose one of the abilities shown in the Level 2 band and make a note of this on their datacard. Be sure to choose carefully, as this will have a bearing on which ability you can choose at Level 3. The specialist gains this ability in addition to the ability gained at Level 1.

When a specialist advances to Level 3, choose one of the abilities shown in the Level 3 band that are connected to the ability you chose at Level 2 and make a note of it on the model’s datacard as above – note that you cannot choose abilities connected to the other Level 2 ability.

When a specialist advances to Level 4, you can choose any ability from the ability tree that you have not already chosen for them. They gain this ability in addition to those they already have – make a note of this on their datacard. A specialist cannot advance beyond Level 4.

Tactics

If you have a specialist in your kill team, and they are not currently shaken or out of action, you have access to Tactics that are specific to that model’s specialism. Each of these Tactics has a level: the specialist must be that level or higher for you to be able to use that Tactic.

You can use this specialist Tactic if you have a Sniper in your kill team who is not shaken or out of action.

Worth their Weight

Specialists bring valuable new abilities and Tactics to your kill team. In a Battle-forged kill team, these abilities carry an increased cost for that model, as shown in this table:


Note that, in a normal matched play game, you can only include Level 1 specialists in your kill team. The points provided for Level 2-4 specialists allow players to choose Battle-forged kill teams including these hard-bitten veterans in Kill Team campaigns.

A kill team’s Leader is its brain and its heart both. Typically the most experienced warrior in the team, the Leader has ultimate responsibility for his warriors’ actions on the battlefield, and the success or failure of their mission. With crisp, concise orders or bellowed roars, the Leader inspires courage or terror in his warriors – whatever they require to keep them in the fight and drive them on to overcome their foes. Nor are Leaders simple figureheads. Most are exceptional combatants who can go blade to blade with the finest warriors amongst the enemy ranks. With unparalleled access to some of their forces’ most powerful weapons and wargear, these individuals have the power to singlehandedly cut a path to victory.

Some warriors excel in the close-quarters cut and thrust of battle. Whether sublimely skilled bladesmen who fight with absolute composure, berserk savages who live to hack their victims limb from limb, or calculating murderers who know every dirty trick in the book, such warriors are an incredible asset to their comrades. Combat specialists are ideal for leading headlong charges into the heart of the foe, or for rushing to intercept and put down enemies that have broken through their own lines. They swiftly and quietly eliminate enemy sentries, charge down ranged combatants and butcher them up close, and often strike the final blow to break the enemy’s nerve altogether.

Some kill teams include a warrior whose area of specialisation is signalling and coordination. Be it an Imperial vox operator, an Ork Mek with a penchant for sowing confusion, or even a Tyranid node-beast capable of sending out powerful synaptic pulses, these warriors can prove potent battlefield assets. Providing their comrades with an eagle-eye view of the battlefield, Comms specialists support and enhance the efforts of the warriors around them. Some relay a constant stream of orders from high command, or beam targeting data directly to their allies, while others jam the enemy’s communications and leave them in disarray.

There are those warriors for whom the rush of gunfire or bladework simply is not enough, and whose eyes take on a dangerous glint at the mention of high explosives. Such Demolitions specialists excel in the deployment of bombs, grenades and other pyrotechnic munitions, and on a good day they can swiftly be responsible for the explosive demise of swathes of the foe. Fireballs billow to the skies and sundered corpses tumble through the air as the Demolitions specialists ply their lethal trade, and whether they are using carefully laid booby traps, explosive launchers or roaring flamethrowers, Demolitions specialists are terrifying warriors to face.

In a ferocious firefight between small, elite bands of infantry, a doughty warrior toting a suitably heavy weapon can be every bit as devastating as a battle tank or gun emplacement would in a larger battle. Feet planted, heavy weapon kicking and roaring, the Heavy specialist directs relentless hails of fire into the enemy. Those caught in the open are blown apart, reduced to bloody mist and spinning body parts in the blink of an eye. Even those ducked down in cover can only fire blindly back and scream in terror as their temporary haven is rapidly blasted apart by round after explosive round. Thus does the Heavy specialist act as a lynchpin for their kill team, suppressing and slaughtering the foe while their allies advance.

When fighting deep behind enemy lines, squads of warriors must be as self-sufficient as possible, for they have little – if any – hope of receiving support or aid. In such circumstances, a Medic specialist can prove invaluable. Whether they be a highly trained field surgeon, a leering flesh-stitcher or something altogether stranger, Medic specialists concentrate on keeping their comrades in the fight and allowing them to push through terrible injuries to claim victory regardless. Such warriors are instrumental in ensuring the longterm durability of their squad, repairing physical hurts that would otherwise leave permanent injuries, or even fitting whole new augmetics where necessary. Of course, their skills can also be turned to offensive purposes…

In fast-paced, squad-on-squad combat, information is key. Knowing the enemy’s disposition, feeling out their movements, spotting traps and ambushes or locating vital objectives to be eliminated: all of these are the role of the Scout specialist. Ghosting ahead of their comrades, these elite warriors are expert at tracking the enemy to their lair, observing without being observed, and scavenging crucial munitions and wargear that can be turned against their former owners. Many Scout specialists are skilled in evading the enemy’s fire, utilising camouflage or natural stealth and agility to defend themselves as effectively as any suit of armour might. Others spread sedition and confusion, ensuring the enemy’s plans fall apart even as battle begins.

Many kill teams include operatives who excel in the field of ranged combat. More than merely fine shots, these warriors are so skilled that they can pull off feats of marksmanship that appear nigh-on supernatural. Like predators of the battlefield they hunt their targets, lying concealed amidst the shadows for hours, even days at a time. Only when the moment is perfect do they exhale, squeeze the trigger, and place another perfect, killing shot. Of course, every sniper has their own areas of exceptional talent, from shooting with lethal accuracy while on the move, to finding weak spots in enemy armour or slaying targets far beyond what should be extreme range. Whatever their particular skill, all Snipers bring death from afar.

Some kill teams are lucky enough to include a warrior who has fought through dozens of war zones. These Veteran specialists have reaped vast tallies of battlefield experience, and are now able to share this bounty of martial wisdom with their comrades. The Veterans’ commanders know that they can be relied upon, absolutely and without exception, to do their duty no matter the circumstances. Veterans know when best to strike at the foe, and exactly where to hit them. They have seen the worst that the galaxy has to offer and fought on regardless, their nerves steely and their hands steady. They know all the most important tricks to survival, and in some cases even personalise and adapt their weapons to be even more lethal.

It is a dark galaxy, and sometimes all the skill and equipment a warrior can possess is simply no match for sheer, bloody-minded faith. Zealots are driven by an absolute belief in their chosen deity or particular world view, their eyes full of fire and their conviction plain for all to see as they storm into battle. It is their deranged fanaticism that allows them to shrug off wounds that ought to have killed them several times over, lends their arm inhuman strength and allows them to inspire their comrades to ever greater feats in battle. In extremis, such warriors think nothing of making the ultimate sacrifice, gladly martyring themselves for the glory of their deity or vindication of their creed.

Sheer, unchecked fury can be a powerful weapon for any warrior. A mad-eyed berserker charging into battle slathered in the blood of their foes is a fearsome sight to behold, striking terror into the hearts of even veteran soldiers as they bellow their terrible war cries. These ferocious killers live only for the sensation of gore splattering across their skin, and the feel of their weapons biting deep into flesh. Driven by an uncontrollable rage, they shrug off all but the most grievous wounds, striking back at their foes with frenzied blows that cleave heads and crush spines. Even when mortally wounded some berserkers are capable of entering a murderous frenzy, butchering their foes in one last surge of violence before death takes them.

Some commanders are legendary not only for their combat skill, but for their ability to dismiss pain and fight resolutely on through the most horrendous injuries. These iron-tough, utterly unyielding warriors refuse to give in even when all seems lost. Impossible odds are nothing to these heroes. They deny the enemy’s every attack with sheer stubbornness and strength of will, spitting defiance in the face of their foes. Such utter contempt for danger inspires those the commander fights alongside, lending them a portion of their leader’s implacable resolve.

It is a rare and invaluable gift to inspire true loyalty in those under your command. Those leaders who develop an unbreakable bond with their charges can motivate them to accomplish truly heroic deeds. With their force of personality and charismatic drive they can forge a ragtag squad of specialists into a band of heroes whose actions can change the course of a battle. Words are as much a weapon for these commanders as blades or bolters. With an exhortation of zealous fury or a passionate speech amidst the carnage of battle, they fill the hearts of their warriors with resolve, driving them to stand defiant in the face of impossible odds, fulfilling their mission even when horrendously outgunned.

It is a universal truth that the more prepared warrior has the advantage – the ability to produce the right equipment for any strategic situation can turn the tide of a battle in a moment. Logistics specialists know this well, and ensure that their warriors enter battle equipped for any possible eventuality, whether that means they carry armour-piercing slugs for bringing down towering foes or rangefinder scopes for precision, long-range kills. Of course, one cannot always rely on having a steady supply of munitions at hand, and so many logistical experts master the art of scavenging and improvisation.

True mastery of the blade takes a lifetime, but for those commanders who devote themselves to the arts martial the rewards are great indeed. Peerless duellists, these champions wield their weapons as if they were extensions of their own flesh. To even land a blow upon them seems all but impossible. They fight with almost preternatural grace, carving their foes apart with precise ripostes and counter-strikes, their bladework so swift it is little more than a blur. Though these champions favour precision over blunt savagery, they are not above using less subtle tactics in order to achieve victory. A swift haymaker or pommel strike can leave an enemy dazed and reeling, perfect prey for a killing strike.

Psyker commanders wield the devastating power of the warp, channelling psychic energies in order to bolster their allies and obliterate their foes. These imposing figures dominate the battlefield, summoning aetheric storms that melt armour and sear flesh even as they weave complex protective wards to deflect incoming fire. In order to fend off the corrupting influence of the immaterium these figures have developed formidable mental focus, and are capable of manifesting multiple psychic powers at once. To meet such a fearsome opponent upon the battlefield is to risk not just death, but complete annihilation of the soul.

The greatest sharpshooters and gunslingers in the galaxy can end a war with a single perfect shot. To these expert marksmen, the impossible is ordinary. Whether they opt to wield heavy rifles or pistols, they mow down their foes with uncanny accuracy. To the enemy it seems as if they are under fire from many opponents at once, so overwhelming is the intensity of the assault. Heavily armoured foes are slain by pinpoint shots that breach minuscule weaknesses in their defences. Even those who hunker down behind seemingly impenetrable cover are not safe – the sharpshooter’s bolts or las-blasts find them still, bursting heads and burning vital organs to ash. Some of these ranged-combat specialists have dedicated time to mastering the use of grenades, hurling these weapons seemingly impossible distances with the same unerring accuracy displayed in their shooting.

For some commanders, the best method for winning a war is not to meet the enemy head-on, but to strike from the shadows, crippling the foe before they even realise they are under attack. To these stealth specialists, concepts of honour and fair play are entirely irrelevant – only the success of the mission matters. They are the finest hunters in the galaxy, capable of stalking through densely populated war zones without alerting their prey before striking with a single, devastatingly precise assault. Should the enemy manage to return fire, they will find their assailants all but impossible to pin down, darting from cover to cover with lightning speed to outmanoeuvre their foes and deliver another unexpected strike.

At their best, a mastermind of battle strategy is a force multiplier, their perfectly timed commands enabling a few troops to have the impact of many times their number. To be able to think clearly and stay focused on tactical goals in the maelstrom of combat is a skill worth much more than mere brawn. The best strategic leaders can not only maximise their followers’ strengths, but capitalise on their foes’ weaknesses. They know when and how to drive their warriors onwards, and also when to employ a cunning ruse, such as a feigned retreat or a tactical counter that foils their enemy’s most carefully laid plans.

Those possessed of not just great but superlative strength can single-handedly wreck entire enemy warbands. Such power can be used to deliver piledriver blows or brutish body slams, and with fists alone the mightiest beings can shatter ferrocrete walls. Charging forwards with unstoppable momentum, these living wrecking balls throw themselves into the enemy ranks, not offering even a moment’s respite as they take the fight up close and personal. Against such raw force even the foes’ finest armour can be battered and rent. Combat tactics for these specialists range from barging attacks that hit multiple enemies like an avalanche, to physically picking up and hurling individual foes or pulverising them with bone-crunching impact.

When a Commander has the Legendary Hunter specialism, their datasheet will state what level they are (they are always at that level and cannot gain experience). The Commander has the abilities stated at that level and all lower levels (so a Commander who is a Level 3 Legendary Hunter has the Hard Case, Sudden Ambush and Stealthy Hunter abilities). You also have access to the Legendary Hunter Tactics for your Commander’s level and all lower levels. Legendary Hunter specialists cannot have Commander Traits.

This section gives you a series of rules that allow you to create new specialisms, of your own devising, to fit the skills and personalities of your own kill team fighters. Perhaps you’ve always wanted to use a Sicarian Ruststalker who is a master of stealth and assassination, killing his targets with a transonic blade in the back, before his prey is even aware. The following rules allow you to create such specialisms for your open play games, allowing you to devise exciting, bespoke missions, and play Kill Team in a completely new way.

Creating a Specialism

Firstly, you will need a blank specialism sheet.

Name and Archetype

The first thing to do is decide what to call your specialism. This can be as vague or as specific as you want, and will usually be influenced by the model it is intended for. This will also help to shape the decisions you make further down the line. It should be inspired by something in the background of Warhammer 40,000 ideally, but can be as prominent or as niche as you like. Examples include:

• Militarum Tempestus Scions can often be assigned as bodyguards to high-ranking officials. You might, therefore, decide to create a specialism called ‘Tempestus Bodyguard’, and give them abilities appropriate to this role.
• A Harlequin has taken on a role as part of their troop, playing a doomed hero destined to die to save their race. You might, therefore, create a specialism around this theme called ‘Tragic Hero’.
• A Tyranid Warrior has been specifically bio-engineered to slaughter hordes of foes as swiftly as possible, and equipped with an array of rapid-firing weaponry. They might be colloquially known by the survivors of their attacks as the ‘gun-beast’.

Once you have chosen your name, mark that in the ‘Specialism’ box at the top of your custom specialism sheet.

Abilities

The next thing to do is select an ability for each tier of your specialism. The specialisms found in other Kill Team publications usually feature a branching tree, which allows you to personalise that specialism to your tastes a little, and to suit the model that is gaining these abilities. In this case, we are creating a bespoke specialism, and so only need to select one ability for each level to help characterise your specialism. You should select one ability from the list of level 1 abilities, one ability from the list of level 2 abilities, and one ability from the list of level 3 abilities. Each of these should be noted in the appropriate box on your custom specialism sheet. Finally, select one other ability from either the level 1, level 2 or level 3 abilities, and note this in the box marked for your ability from either the level 1, level 2 or level 3 abilities, and note this in the box marked for your specialism’s level 4 ability.

Tactics

Once you have selected your abilities, you should then select one tactic for your specialism from the list of level 1 tactics, one tactic from the list of level 2 tactics, and one tactic from the list of level 3 tactics. Once you have selected each of these, write them into the appropriate tactics boxes on your specialism sheet, along with their Command Point costs.