Warhammer 40,000: Kill Team

WARHAMMER 40,000: KILL TEAM is a SKIRMISH-SCALE MINIATURE WARGAME published by GAMES WORKSHOP (UK). It is the smaller-scale companion to WARHAMMER 40,000 — instead of managing armies of 20-100+ models on a 6×4 foot table (as in main W40K), each player fields a KILL TEAM of 5-14 elite operatives on a compact 22×30 INCH (roughly 55×76 cm) board. Considered THE MOST POPULAR SKIRMISH WARGAME IN THE WORLD, competing with WARHAMMER: UNDERWORLDS + STAR WARS: LEGION. First released 2018 (as small-scale W40K variant); MAJOR REDESIGN in 2021 (2nd Edition, dropping many old rules; introducing OPERATIVE-focused activation system + BONE ROLLS mechanic + Ploy cards). Current KILL TEAM 2024 (HIVESTORM edition, 3rd major refresh). THEME: Set in the WARHAMMER 40,000 FICTIONAL UNIVERSE — 41st millennium grimdark science-fiction where SPACE MARINES, IMPERIAL GUARD (Astra Militarum), CHAOS SPACE MARINES, AELDARI (Elves), NECRONS, ORKS, T'AU, TYRANIDS, GENESTEALER CULTS + subfactions battle across 40,000-year war. In KILL TEAM, each player is a SMALL SPECIALIST OPERATIVE TEAM — SCOUTS + INFILTRATORS + KILL MARINES + CULT AGENTS + specialists — sent on high-stakes missions (assassinate, extract, sabotage, hold objective). GAMEPLAY: Each player has TEAM ROSTER of 5-14 OPERATIVES from a chosen faction. Setup: place KILL ZONE (22×30 inch board with LOS-blocking terrain — typically Sector Fronteris, Sector Mechanicus, Sector Imperialis, Killzone: Bheta-Decima, Ashes of Faith); place operatives in DEPLOYMENT ZONES; roll for MISSION card (mission = victory conditions + primary + secondary objectives). ACTIVATION: Alternating I-GO YOU-GO activation (unique to Kill Team) — one operative each per TURNING POINT (round); 4 TURNING POINTS = full game. Each operative activated once per turning point. During activation: OPERATIVE takes 2-3 ACTIONS from menu (Move, Charge, Shoot, Fight, Dash, Pick Up, etc.). SHOOTING/FIGHTING = ATTACK ROLLS using operative's ATK stat + defense's DEF stat; wound roll; damage roll. Called RETAIN + PARRY + CRITICAL system unique to Kill Team. PLOYS (Strategic + Tactical) = spent CP (Command Points) for special abilities. MISSION VP = primary + secondary + Critical Ops (competitive tournament format) or NARRATIVE OPS (campaign narrative missions). GAME END = after 4 turning points; highest VP wins. FACTIONS + BALANCE: 30+ factions officially supported (Space Marines with subfactions Adeptus Custodes, Space Wolves, Blood Angels, Deathwatch, Grey Knights, Sisters of Battle; Astra Militarum Kasrkin + Krieg; Chaos Space Marines subfactions; Aeldari incl. Corsair Voidscarred + Warpcoven; Necrons Hierotek Circle + Hunter Clade; Orks Kommandos; T'au Pathfinders + Kroot Hunters; Tyranid Genestealer Cults + Neophyte). CURRENT EDITION (2024 HIVESTORM): streamlines rules; new BALANCE DATASLATES released quarterly; competitive scene supported globally via GW's WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS. STARTER BOXES (published for each seasonal launch — 6 months typically): (a) KILL TEAM 2018 (Rogue Trader); (b) 2021 OCTARIUS (Orks Kommandos vs. Death Korps of Krieg); (c) NACHMUND (Chaos Legionaries vs. Aeldari Voidscarred); (d) SHADOWVAULTS (Novitiate Sisters vs. Hierotek Circle); (e) MOROCH (Traitor Space Marines vs. Kasrkin); (f) INTO THE DARK (Space Marines Phobos vs. Kroot Hunters); (g) SOULSHACKLE (Aeldari Corsair vs. Adeptus Custodes Wardens); (h) ASHES OF FAITH (Chaos Cult vs. Sisters of Battle); (i) SALVATION (Space Marines Scouts vs. Chaos Warpcoven); (j) HIVESTORM (2024, current — Adepta Sororitas Vanguard vs. Vespid Stingwings on ash-ruined Hive World). COMPETITIVE: (a) TOURNAMENTS in 30+ countries via GW's WARHAMMER WORLD (Nottingham UK) + local stores; (b) WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS annually; (c) Meta-game evolves via quarterly balance updates; (d) ART-OF-WAR + WARHAMMER TV podcasts + livestreams. Considered the most active competitive tabletop skirmish scene in the world.

Sum of Primary Objectives + Secondary Objectives + Critical Ops (competitive) or Narrative Ops (narrative) VP across 4 turning points.

Win condition · Highest total VP after 4 turning points. Tiebreak = operatives remaining alive.

Compact skirmish board with dense LOS-blocking + concealment TERRAIN (Sector Fronteris ruins, Sector Mechanicus industrial, Sector Imperialis buildings, Killzone: Bheta-Decima wetworks, Killzone: Volkus Ashes of Faith gothic ruins, Killzone: Gallowdark spaceship corridors). Terrain critical for cover + concealment mechanics.

• Kill Team: HIVESTORM starter box (2024, current)

  £150-160 / $200 USD; includes rulebook + 2 kill teams (Adepta Sororitas Vanguard + Vespid Stingwings) + terrain + tokens

• Core Rules (free PDF from GW)

  Basic rules downloadable free — buy starter for models + terrain

• 28mm Warhammer 40K miniatures (~5-14 per kill team)

  £25-50 per faction kit; require assembly + optional painting

• Terrain (Sector Fronteris, Mechanicus, Imperialis, Bheta-Decima, Volkus, Gallowdark)

  £40-100 per terrain set

• Killzone (playing mat)

  £25 for official; DIY neoprene mats popular

• Dice: multiple D6 + specialty dice

  Standard D6s only

• Tape measure (inches)

  Essential for movement/range

• Rulebook + Kill Team Compendium / Season books

  £30 each (Approved Ops, Balance Dataslate, faction rules)

• Command Point + wound trackers

  Cardboard tokens included in starter

• Terrain first; movement second

  22×30 board is dense — cover + concealment lines dictate every activation; scout your terrain before deploying.

• Activation order critical

  Alternating activation means WHEN you use your best operative matters; hold aces for late in turning point.

• Objective focus over kill count

  Most missions won on VP not kills; hold objectives + secure mission-critical spots.

• CP + Ploy economy

  You gain 1 CP per turning point; spend Ploys wisely — some abilities are game-swinging.

• Balance dataslate awareness

  GW releases quarterly balance updates; play the current meta.

• Faction specialization

  Pick 1-2 factions + master them; each has 20+ unique operative types + strategic depth.

• Practice list-building

  Pre-game roster selection = 40% of game; know matchup weaknesses + counters.

Operative

Individual miniature model on your Kill Team.

Kill Team

Full 5-14 operative roster for a faction.

Turning Point

One round; 4 total per game; each operative activates once per.

Ploy

Strategic (before turning point) or Tactical (during) special ability; costs CP.

CP (Command Points)

Currency for Ploys; gain 1 per turning point.

Killzone

Playing board (22×30 inches).

Sector (Fronteris, Mechanicus, Imperialis, Bheta-Decima, Volkus)

Terrain / setting themes.

Approved Ops / Critical Ops

Competitive tournament missions.

Spec Ops

Narrative campaign mission set.

Balance Dataslate

Quarterly rules update file from GW.

Killteam roster / Kill Team codex

Faction rules + operative stats.

Overwatch / Guard

Defensive actions preserving reactive capability.

• Warhammer World Championships

  annual · worldwide · since 2019

• Games Workshop US Open Kill Team

  annual · USA · since 2018

• European Team Championship Kill Team

  annual · Europe · since 2022

• Local Games Workshop store tournaments

  monthly · worldwide (30+ countries) · since 2018

• Best Coast Pairings Kill Team rankings

  ongoing · worldwide · since 2020

• Art of War Kill Team podcast + coaching

  ongoing · worldwide · since 2021

• 🇬🇧United Kingdom
• 🇺🇸United States
• 🇩🇪Germany
• 🇫🇷France
• 🇮🇹Italy
• 🇪🇸Spain
• 🇵🇱Poland
• 🇳🇱Netherlands
• 🇦🇺Australia
• 🇨🇦Canada
• 🇯🇵Japan
• 🇸🇪Sweden
• 🇨🇳China
• 🇧🇷Brazil
• 🇲🇽Mexico

• Games Workshop (publisher)

  Founded 1975 · Nottingham, UK

• GW Studio design team (Kill Team specialists)

  Founded 2018 · Nottingham, UK

• Warhammer World (competitive HQ)

  Founded 1997 · Nottingham, UK

• Games Workshop — Kill Team— Games Workshop
• Warhammer Community — Kill Team— GW Community
• BoardGameGeek — Kill Team— BGG
• Wikipedia — Warhammer 40,000: Kill Team— Wikipedia