Idea for a new game mode: a Kill Team vs 'Henchmen' & Boss

[firestorm40k]

Hello, I've been thinking about a new way to play Kill Team. Instead of Kill Team v Kill Team, basically it'd be a narrative/scenario based game where the opponent doesn't field a Kill Team, but a number of 'henchmen' (the lowest costed models their faction can take, e.g. Guardsmen, Chaos Cultists, Poxwalkers, Ork Boys, Guardians, etc), and maybe their 'Boss' (selected from the Commanders expansion).

 

Think of the typical scenario in many an action movie - the elite squad of 'heroes' have to hold put against wave after wave of the villain's henchmen (mooks, soldiers, horde, etc.), while trying to carry out their objective.

 

This is pretty close to how Kill Team was initially presented back in White Dwarf articles, and the appendix of the 4th Edition 40k Rule Book. But obviously different because it's using the current Kill Team rules and lists.

 

Currently I'm thinking that while one player picks their Kill Team using the core rules and/or an expansion as normal, the other picks a different faction, and is limited to taking the equivalent points worth of specific models (plus, depending on scenario, a commander from the chosen faction, on top of those points).

 

This player can only take 'henchman' from a restricted list, depending on their chosen faction. I'm currently thinking:

 

Adeptus Astartes: Scouts

Ad Mech: Skitarii Rangers

Astra Militarum: Infantry Squad Guardsmen

Heretic Astartes: Chaos Cultists

Death Guard: Poxwalkers

Thousand Sons: Tzaangors

Asuryani: Guardian Defenders

Drukhari: Kabalite Warriors

Tau: Gun Drones

Orks: Boyz

Necrons: Warriors

Tyranids: Termagants

Genestealer Cults: Neophyte Hybrids

 

These can never be gunners or Specialists.

 

Deathwatch, Grey Knights, Adeptus Custodes or Harlequins can never be 'henchmen' forces - they are too elite and fewer in number. (Plus, it makes more sense they'd be the elite Kill Team taking on waves of mooks! :D ).

 

Depending on scenario, this player can include a 'Boss' - a Commander from the same faction as the rest of the force. Which Level would depend on the points size of the other player's Kill Team and/or if they have a Commander.

 

In game, the 'Henchman' player splits their force in to two halves, deploying one before the game starts, then the other during the game (representing the 'waves' of henchmen the 'Boss' is throwing at the opposing Kill Team).

 

The rules for flesh wounds don't apply to henchmen, they are out of action when they have lost the wound(s) in their basic profile.

 

Depending on the scenario, the 'henchmen' from one of the halves of the force could be recycled as the game progresses (representing a seemingly endless tide that the Kill Team has to face while trying to achieve their objective).

 

I think this mode for Kill Team could make for some fun narrative driven games; sneaking in to the the enemy base to sabotage equipment or carry out an assassination - or a last stand against insurmountable odds when their foe has them cornered.

 

These are just my initial ideas - what do you think? Feedback, suggestions and further ideas are welcome :) Thanks for reading!

Edited October 3, 2020 by firestorm40k

[Ryltar Thamior]

Interesting idea; and as soon as you mentioned the basic concept my mind went back to those original WD / 4E rules. And, for that matter, the narrative battle report which accompanied the Last Chancers release, featuring a chaos lord on a landing pad with a few Black Legion sentries as the opposition.

The notion of repeated waves of mooks makes more sense for some forces than others - and I'd probably suggest that Astartes are more towards the Deathwatch end of the spectrum on that one, even despite the proposal meaning scouts in that role (in fact, perhaps particularly Scouts due to their intended battlefield function in background).

There's certainly still scope to utilize Marines as the OPFOR in such a game, however dependent upon what you're thinking for the style of mission, it may actually make more sense to have regular marines in such a situation. 

Speaking more broadly, there may also be scope to have rare/occasional elite mooks [i'm not sure if that's the terminology the original WD series used] involved as well. 

[firestorm40k]

Interesting idea; and as soon as you mentioned the basic concept my mind went back to those original WD / 4E rules. And, for that matter, the narrative battle report which accompanied the Last Chancers release, featuring a chaos lord on a landing pad with a few Black Legion sentries as the opposition.

 

Yes - I remember that report, back in White Dwarf's glory days... :D

 

The notion of repeated waves of mooks makes more sense for some forces than others - and I'd probably suggest that Astartes are more towards the Deathwatch end of the spectrum on that one, even despite the proposal meaning scouts in that role (in fact, perhaps particularly Scouts due to their intended battlefield function in background).

 

There's certainly still scope to utilize Marines as the OPFOR in such a game, however dependent upon what you're thinking for the style of mission, it may actually make more sense to have regular marines in such a situation.

 

I know what you mean, I did consider whether Astartes should be treated like Deathwatch, Grey Knights or Custody, and exclude them. But as you said, there are situations where it makes sense they'd be the Opfor. If 'regular' Tactical Marines are the 'henchmen', they'd be at a numerical disadvantage compared to other forces, which would go against the 'horde' type feel I was considering. On the other hand, it makes them a more formidable opponent, making a more tense scenario for the actual Kill Team.

 

Speaking more broadly, there may also be scope to have rare/occasional elite mooks [i'm not sure if that's the terminology the original WD series used] involved as well.

Yes, I'd also given consideration that Elites could be chosen as a 'mini' boss - like the real 'boss's second in command/bodyguard/pet. Again, it'd be scenario specific, but certainly a possibility :)

[Lysimachus]

Great idea, loved the old Last Chancers games! I'd definitely include the option to use an army's Monster units as the 'Boss', that would be very cinematic? Would also mean Teams need to take some heavier firepower as opposed to just maxing out on mook-killing small arms?

[firestorm40k]

I'd definitely include the option to use an army's Monster units as the 'Boss', that would be very cinematic? Would also mean Teams need to take some heavier firepower as opposed to just maxing out on mook-killing small arms?

Yeah, I think it'd encourage a different approach to Kill Team list building really, but to be fair it would probably be required for this different approach to the game!

 

Any units fielded by the Opfor as the 'boss' or otherwise would be restricted to choices from those available in the Commanders and Elites supplements - as much fun as it'd be to see something like a Carnifex or Helbrute in a game of KT, there's a reason they've been left in regular 40k ;):D

[Brother Navaer Solaq]

...

 

This player can only take 'henchman' from a restricted list, depending on their chosen faction. I'm currently thinking:

 

Adeptus Astartes: Scouts

Ad Mech: Skitarii Rangers

Astra Militarum: Infantry Squad Guardsmen

Heretic Astartes: Chaos Cultists

Death Guard: Poxwalkers

Thousand Sons: Tzaangors

Asuryani: Guardian Defenders

Drukhari: Kabalite Warriors

Tau: Gun Drones

Orks: Boyz

Necrons: Warriors

Tyranids: Termagants

Genestealer Cults: Neophyte Hybrids

 

These can never be gunners or Specialists.

 

Deathwatch, Grey Knights, Adeptus Custodes or Harlequins can never be 'henchmen' forces - they are too elite and fewer in number. (Plus, it makes more sense they'd be the elite Kill Team taking on waves of mooks! ).

 

 

I would change the Tau to firewarrior. Using Tau drone and their fly ability would make it harder for the elite team to kill the boss. Tau drones typically have 4 shots (2x pulse carbines). The volume of shots hitting MEQ will eventually lead to failed armour saves. I guess tau drone would be the hardcore mode in this type of game.   Thematically, I see firewarriors being bodyguards often for tau commanders.

 

Overall, this is an interesting idea I will have to try out with others

Edited October 3, 2020 by Mechanicus_Adept

[firestorm40k]

I would change the Tau to firewarrior. Using Tau drone and their fly ability would make it harder for the elite team to kill the boss. Tau drones typically have 4 shots (2x pulse carbines). The volume of shots hitting MEQ will eventually lead to failed armour saves. I guess tau drone would be the hardcore mode in this type of game. Thematically, I see firewarriors being bodyguards often for tau commanders.

 

Overall, this is an interesting idea I will have to try out with others

Thanks for the feedback! :) I don't play Tau, so your insight is really appreciated. This has given me the idea that there could be two different categories of 'henchmen': sentries, and 'mooks' (that make up the bulk of the force). You'd be able to take, say, 25-30% of your points on sentries that are deployed first.

 

With that in mind, for Tau the sentries would be the drones (which I think would make sense from a fluff point of view), so the bulk of the force would be Fire Warriors.

 

I guess some factions have models available in their list that make a clear distinction (Tau or Tyranids), but for others it's not (e.g. Astra Militarum, Necrons).

 

I think I'll rework the outline for this style of Kill Team though, and incorporate this - thanks again for your input :tu: :)

[Master Sheol]

I really like this idea of killteam play... it's looks a lot like the dirty dozen or in 40k words "Schaeffer's Last Chancers" :)

[Evil Eye]

This sounds like a great idea! I love "asymmetrical" scenarios, and the idea of a boss-fight type game would be perfectly suited to Kill Team IMO. I also reckon you could potentially take it a step further and (with some homebrewing) do away with the henchmen entirely, with the Kill Team going up against a single, very powerful model. This would be something that would be bigger than anything else normally useable in a Kill Team game and thus would need to be a team unto itself, but also not so big that it goes from Kill Team to small-points 40K. So as a few examples:
>Dreadnoughts

>Hive Tyrants

>Bloat Drones

>Wraithlords

>Smaller Battlesuits

>Killa Kans

>Penitent Engines

>Canoptek Spyders

I think you get the idea anyway. Nothing ridiculously big (no Tyrannofexes, Knights etc) but big and scary enough to pose a real threat to a Kill Team. Obviously there would need to be some homebrewing to make these units "work" in KT, but I reckon it might make for an interesting game.

[firestorm40k]

I also reckon you could potentially take it a step further and (with some homebrewing) do away with the henchmen entirely, with the Kill Team going up against a single, very powerful model. This would be something that would be bigger than anything else normally useable in a Kill Team game and thus would need to be a team unto itself, but also not so big that it goes from Kill Team to small-points 40K. So as a few examples:

>Dreadnoughts

>Hive Tyrants

>Bloat Drones

>Wraithlords

>Smaller Battlesuits

>Killa Kans

>Penitent Engines

>Canoptek Spyders

I think you get the idea anyway. Nothing ridiculously big (no Tyrannofexes, Knights etc) but big and scary enough to pose a real threat to a Kill Team. Obviously there would need to be some homebrewing to make these units "work" in KT, but I reckon it might make for an interesting game.

Thanks for your feedback! I think you'd have to be careful including those kids of models - if it's just them against the one Kill Team, it's still going to be tough for the KT player with certain forces (e.g. spamming Guard with Plasmaguns would possibly do better than, say, a Grey Knight squad).

 

At the moment I'd stick to models that have rules in Kill Team - though at some point I'd really like to see GW introduce rules for taking on a Helbrute or Dreadnought, say - so long as it doesn't make the game too one-sided!

[Dr_Ruminahui]

There's a thread back in time somewhere where a poster talked about doing a killteam mission where your team fought an armiger/wardog knight (the smallest one) - so certainly there are a lot of interesting things you can do outside of the missions in the book.

 

Myself, I'm fine with killteam being focused on team vs team, as that's where the rules are most balanced and make the most sense, with the more "out there" scenarios for the fans to design.