"Knives In The Shadows" Kill-Team Painting Challenge 2025

[Lysimachus]

The Bolter and Chainsword presents:

 

 

 

Some of you may remember the "Knives In The Void' Kill-Team Challenge from 2022/3. We had a really good turn out, and some fantastic Kill-Teams painted up! Well, it was originally planned that it should be an annual or even 6-monthly event… but two+ years have passed! Still, better late than never, right?

 

So, what's it all about? Here's a quote from the previous Challenge:

 

Quote

Have you ever had a cool idea for a 40k force, but couldn't face the thought of building and painting a whole army? Or maybe it was the cost, or maybe it was the time commitment, or maybe it was simply the influence of the dreaded 'hobby butterfly...' Or maybe you're totally cool with painting 15k of points in one colour scheme, and have in fact done so several times over… but you fancy painting one squad in a completely different colour, just for a change?

Then maybe Kill-Team might be the system for you!

 

If you want to take part in this Challenge, the rules are very simple: Build and paint one Kill-Team of whichever Faction you like by the deadline date below! This can be any of the 36 teams currently available* for download for free from the WH Community site. At a minimum it must include a fully playable team - but if you wish to go further and paint up a full Roster of all the available Operative choices, go for it!

 

*Also, we don't want to stop anyone who prefers an older Edition of Kill-Team from taking part, so you can also pick from the ‘retired’ teams included in any of the boxed games, or the Compendium, Annual or WD. Or even if you have homegrown rules for a Faction/Subfaction that doesn't have rules, we can work something out - as long as it's an appropriate squad size for that group, that's fine too!

 

Kitbashing, conversions and counts-as are all welcome, but the finished product must still be recognisably '40k' and playable as one of the various Factions. So if you want to do true-scale Terminators using the Custodes rules? - cool! Penal Legion Vet Guardsmen a la the Dirty Dozen or Last Chancers? - nice! Space Skaven scavengers using the Kroot Farstalkers (or Genestealer Cult list)? - no problem!

 

Of course, the current KT setting is on Volkus, in the shadow of the Massif Ballistus (hence this year's Challenge subtitle). So, while you aren't obliged to build or base your minis with a Cityfight theme, if you wish to do so that would be awesome!
 
Along with the painted models, we want you to write up some background! It could be as simple as just giving all your operatives names, or it could include information about their personalities or previous missions/victories! You could even go mad and include the history of your DIY Chapter/Regiment/Craftworld/Dynasty/whatever, or write a whole short story about your guys' exploits!

Multiple entries are allowed, but you must complete your first entry before vowing for a second.
 
The plan is for the Challenge to begin on 1st March 2025 and end on 31st May 2025. That's 3 full months, so there should be plenty of time to complete a single squad! You'll notice that the start date is also still a couple of months away. The intent of announcing the Challenge now is to give Fraters a bit of time to plan, source bitz for conversions, build their minis, apply an undercoat, etc, etc. Then painting can begin on March 1st!

 

If you have already recently started on a team, that's fine, as long as it's not too close to being complete you are welcome to join in! (This is all just for fun, after all!)
 
Vows:
I, (your name), vow to complete one Kill-Team of the (your chosen Faction), to be fully painted and based by the 31st May 2025, and to provide at least minimal fluff/background for them. May (the Emperor or whatever 40k deity you wish to swear by) curse me to darkness and ruination should I fail!

 

Vows (along with starting pics or links to your WIP threads) should be posted in the Challenge sign-up thread down in the KT subforum: https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/384972-knives-in-the-shadows-sign-up-thread/

The winner (possibly Gold, Silver and Bronze, if there are sufficient participant numbers again) will be decided by means of a public vote. There aren't any prizes, but there will be badges for winning or taking part!

 

The Factions will also be broken up into 4 'Grand Alliances':
Loyal Astartes
Imperials
Chaos
Xenos
The Alliance with the most completed Kill Teams on the 31/05/25 will get extra bragging rights!
 

 

We hope you can join us for the 2025 Challenge, and look forward to seeing the amazing teams that the Fraters create!

 

 

 

Edited Wednesday at 02:56 PM by Lysimachus