"Knives In The Shadows" Sign-up Thread

[Lysimachus]

 

 

This is the sign-up thread for the "Knives In The Shadows" Kill-Team Painting Challenge.

 

See the announcement thread here: https://bolterandchainsword.com/topic/384971-knives-in-the-shadows-kill-team-painting-challenge-2025/#comment-6084280
 

 

 Please post your Vows in the following format:

 

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!
 
Please also edit in either a starting pic or a link to a WIP thread once you have one. (When we get a bit further along, I will start a second thread for people to post their completed entries!)

 

We look forward to seeing what you come up with!
 

Participants by Grand Alliances:

 

Loyal Astartes:

Grotsmasha - Angels of Death (Angels of Absolution)

W.A.Rorie - Angels of Death (Exorcists) - started painting 06/01/25, deadline 06/04/25

Lysimachus - Angels of Death (Marines Adamant)

Ramell - Phobos (Ultramarines)

Brother Tyler - Legionaries (Fire Claws)

Grailkeeper - Legionaries (Luna Wolves)

Alby the Slayer - Angels of Death (Wolfspear)

Sigmundivarson - Angels of Death (Children of Dorn)

TheArtilleryman - Angels of Death

 

Imperials:

Dr. Clock - Imperial Breachers

Norman Paperman - Veteran Guard (Krieg)

Zulu.tango - Ratlings (Reginard's Irregulars) - started painting 12/01/25, deadline 12/04/25

Trokair - Admech Thallax

Nightwing1511 - Veteran Guard (Catachan)

Drakheart - Inquisitorial Agents

 

Chaos:

gaurdian31 - Nemesis Claw (Red Corsairs)

Lord Ikka - Legionaries (Word Bearers) (x2)

Dr_Ruminahui - Fellgor Ravagers

Endtransmission - Nemesis Claw (Word Bearers)

 

Xenos:

Dr. Clock - Blades of Khaine

Lord Marshal - Hernkyn Yaegirs

Rusted Boltgun - Vespid Stingwings

Sitnam - Veteran Guard (Gue'vesa)

Bouargh - Void Dancers

Firestorm40k - Hierotek Circle

 

 

Edited February 5 by Lysimachus

[Grotsmasha]

 

I, Grotsmasha, vow to complete one Kill-Team of the Angels of Death, to be fully painted and based by the 31st May 2025, and to provide at least minimal fluff/background for them. May the Emperor curse me to darkness and ruination should I fail!

 

 

Way, WAY back in 2019 (really, 2019?!?!?) I did a AoA tester for a Kill Team, and I set about eBay looking for more of those shoulder pads, which I now have. Now is the time.

 

Edited January 1 by Grotsmasha

[Dr. Clock]

I, Dr. Clock, vow to complete one Kill Team of the Blades of Khaine, to be fully painted and based by the 31st May 2025, and to provide at least minimal fluff/background for them. May the Crone curse me to darkness and ruination should I fail!

 

This is gonna be the Striking Scorpions I just received to kick off my year of Aeldari.

 

I, Dr. Clock, vow to complete one Kill Team of the Imperial Breachers, to be fully painted and based by the 31st May 2025, and to provide at least minimal fluff/background for them. May the Emperor curse me to darkness and ruination should I fail!

 

This is gonna be 10 Solar Auxilia converted to breachers using Arbites shotguns and whatnot. I did assemble one tester so far, so hoping that's not too far along to chuck them on this particular pile : )

 

 

 

Assuming multiple vows permitted?

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

Edited January 1 by Dr. Clock

[Lysimachus]

1 hour ago, Dr. Clock said:

Assuming multiple vows permitted?

 

 

Yes, no problem. I was thinking I'd prefer it if people finished one vow before starting another, but I guess it doesn't actually make any difference for keeping track of things if you're working on two at once?

 

[W.A.Rorie]

All the kill teams I have…..

 

WAR, vow to complete one Exorcist chapter Kill-Team of the Angels of Death, to be fully painted and based by the 31st May 2025, and to provide at least minimal fluff/background for them. May the Emperor curse me to darkness and ruination should I fail!

 

[Lord Marshal]

I, Lord Marshal, vow to complete one Kill Team of the Hernkyn Yaegirs, to be fully painted and based by the 31st May 2025, and to provide at least minimal fluff/background for them. May the Ancestors curse me to darkness and ruination should I fail!

 

 

This is just the excuse I needed to finally crack on with these.

[Norman Paperman]

In the announcement thread it says that the challenge will begin on/around March 1st. Is that still at play, or can we put brush to model now? 

[gaurdian31]

I, gaurdian31, vow to complete one Kill Team of the Nemesis Claw in Red Corsair colors, to be fully painted and based by the 31st May 2025, and to provide at least minimal fluff/background for them. May the Dark Gods curse me to darkness and ruination should I fail!

 

I am working on acquiring the bits to make the required 6 operatives and will get pics up for them at that point. Thanks for running this again!

[Rusted Boltgun]

I, Rusted Boltgun, will amend this post with a vow once I pick which of the teams I have waiting. 

 

Thanks for running this challenge again, I am looking forward to taking part and seeing all the other teams come together.

[Lysimachus]

1 hour ago, Norman Paperman said:

In the announcement thread it says that the challenge will begin on/around March 1st. Is that still at play, or can we put brush to model now? 

 

Oof, that's a tricky one… I wanted to give people a bit of extra time to get their teams built before we kick off, hence the March 1st start, and for fairness in the competition I don't want to give some people more painting time than others…

 

…but at the same time it's all for fun, and I don't want to discourage anyone from getting on with painting their minis if they are already built…?

 

Let me have a think about that one?

 

Edited January 2 by Lysimachus

[Norman Paperman]

28 minutes ago, Lysimachus said:

 

Oof, that's a tricky one… I wanted to give people a bit of extra time to get their teams built before we kick off, hence the March 1st start, and for fairness in the competition I don't want to give some people more painting time than others…

 

…but at the same time it's all for fun, and I don't want to discourage anyone from getting on with painting their minis if they are already built…?

 

Let me have a think about that one?

 

 

I, Norman Paperman, vow to complete one unit of Krieg Veteran Guardsmen to be fully painted and based by the 31st May 2025, and to provide at least minimal fluff/background for them. My duty is to serve the Emperor's will; curse me to darkness and ruination should I fail! 

 

[Lysimachus]

I, Lysimachus, vow to complete one Angels of Death Kill Team of the Marines Adamant, to be fully painted and based by the 31st May 2025, and to provide at least minimal fluff/background for them. May the Emperor curse me to darkness and ruination should I fail!

 

(Construction started, will add pics once I've got a bit more put together)

 

WIP thread added.

 

 

 

 

Of course I'm joining in myself!! 

Edited January 13 by Lysimachus

[Rusted Boltgun]

@Lysimachus how about you open the challenge now and fraters can paint multiple teams but at the deadline, a Frater must choose which one of those teams they would like to submit for consideration in the competition?

[Trokair]

What about saying that if one dose start painting early. Then that person’s three months for that Kill Team starts then and there. They still have three months, just an early deadline as they did no need as much of the building prep time.

[Lord_Ikka]

I, Lord_Ikka, vow to complete two Kill Teams of Chaos Space Marine Legionnaires, from the Ebon Word Chapter of the Word Bearers, to be fully painted and based by the 31st May 2025, and to provide at least minimal fluff/background for them. May the Lords of the Warp curse me to darkness and ruination should I fail!

 

Ok, I'll throw my hat in the ring- I had some CSM that have been in my pile o' potential for awhile and this will be perfect for that. I was going to do one 10/11-man Kill Team, but looking at the current rules it seems that CSM is limited to 6-man squads. Guess I'm doing two now. Pics will be incoming- I have 11/12 of the models already built and undercoated, but need to order the last one (it's not really getting new models if its only one, right?  ). Note- I don't play Kill Team, so my teams will not exactly be WYSIWYG, but they should be visually distinct in their Archtypes- I'm using both HH Despoiler squad models and the old Dark Vengence Chosen models for the majority. These will be my own chapter of Word Bearers, the Ebon Word, who are supposedly following Abaddon in the Black Legion. Their armor is WB norm, with the left arm in BL colors. 

 

Kill team 1 (Placeholder name)

Chosen w/daemon blade and plasma pistol

Butcher

Shrivetalon

Warrior

Warrior

Warrior

 

Kill team 2 (Placeholder name)

Aspiring Chamption w/power maul and tainted bolt pistol

Balefire Acolyte

Gunner w/meltagun

Heavy Gunner w/chaincannon

Warrior

Warrior

[Lysimachus]

Thanks for the suggestions guys! I think this:

 

8 hours ago, Trokair said:

What about saying that if one dose start painting early. Then that person’s three months for that Kill Team starts then and there. They still have three months, just an early deadline as they did no need as much of the building prep time.

 

is probably the simplest solution. So, if you get all your minis built and you want to start painting before the 1st March, please post to that effect in this thread. Then your finish date for the competition will be 3 months after that.

 

 

 

@Lord_Ikka you can totally do 2 teams if you want, but if you don't want to buy the extra mini, you could alternatively do it as 1 vow and just say that they are a full Roster of available Operatives rather than just the minimum playable team? (For example, I know I am planning on building/painting both a Captain and an Intercessor Sgt for my Marines, so I will have 7 minis in the team?)

 

 

[Lord_Ikka]

2 hours ago, Lysimachus said:

@Lord_Ikka you can totally do 2 teams if you want, but if you don't want to buy the extra mini, you could alternatively do it as 1 vow and just say that they are a full Roster of available Operatives rather than just the minimum playable team? (For example, I know I am planning on building/painting both a Captain and an Intercessor Sgt for my Marines, so I will have 7 minis in the team?)

Well, I kinda want the Traitor Esoterist Consul from HH anyway....

Edited January 3 by Lord_Ikka

[W.A.Rorie]

5 hours ago, Lord_Ikka said:

Well, I kinda want the Traitor Esoterist Consul from HH anyway....

 

and you deserve to own one too..... buy it

 

8 hours ago, Lysimachus said:

Thanks for the suggestions guys! I think this:

 

 

is probably the simplest solution. So, if you get all your minis built and you want to start painting before the 1st March, please post to that effect in this thread. Then your finish date for the competition will be 3 months after that.

 

 

 

Count me in starting this month.....say 01/06 until 04/06 for my Angels of Death Kill Team

[Machine God]

Perhaps Brother Sergeant Draak and the Third Devastator Squad of the Iron Gods....

[Ramell]

I, Ramell, vow to complete one Infiltrator Squad of the Ultramarines 10th [Phobos Strike Team], to be fully painted and based by the 31st May 2025, and to provide at least minimal fluff/background for them. May the Emperor curse me to darkness and ruination should I fail!

 

 

I intend to build a full squad of 10 that can be both a normal 40k Infiltrator squad (if you ignore the extra wargear), and also for this competition, a legal Kill Team force.

Because of that, it will be composed entirely of Infiltrators, with no Incursor or Reiver specialists. 

 

1x Infiltrator Sergeant

1x Infiltrator Veteran

1x Infiltrator Commsman

1x Infiltrator Helix Adept

1x Infiltrator Vox-Breaker

1x Infiltrator Saboteur

4x Infiltrator Warrior

 

I'm not quite up to date on Kill Team, so if that's too many models, you can just pretend the excess Warriors don't exist. 

 

I will post updates in my main thread (link in signature), but as I've already spent my hobby budget for this month, it won't be until February. I'll edit in a link to the exact post here. WIP thread here.

Fluff writeup will come later, I have an outline thought up, but I still need to write it all proper like.

Edited Tuesday at 05:18 PM by Ramell

[Brother Tyler]

I may be setting myself up for failure, but...

 

I, Brother Tyler, vow to complete one Kill Team of the Fire Claws Chapter, to be fully painted and based by the 31st May 2025, and to provide a team dossier for them. May the Emperor  curse me to darkness and consign me to servo-skull conversion should I fail!

 

 

I will return with more once the Conclave informs me which battle-brothers will comprise the kill team.

 

[zulu.tango]

I, zulu.tango, vow to complete one Kill-Team of Reginard's Irregular's (Ratlings), to be fully painted and based by the 31st May 2025, and to provide at least minimal fluff/background for them. May the Emperor curse me to darkness and ruination should I fail!
 

I intend to build the full roster, 10 ratlings, 3 ogryns, 3 bullgryns. Got started building last night.

*I want to make sure I'm adhering to the rules for the competition - I can begin painting before March 1st correct? I'm not particularly worried about running out of time since I'm taking them to an event in February just want to make sure I can still count the vow if I get them finished before the official start date. If not...no big deal, I'm going to be doing a lot of kill teams in the next couple of months. 

Edited January 7 by zulu.tango

[grailkeeper]

I, Grailkeeper, vow to complete one Kill Team of the Luna Wolves to be fully painted and based by the 31st May 2025, and to provide at least minimal fluff/background for them. May Erebus curse me to darkness and ruination should I fail!

 

I intend to produce 6 great crusade era luna wolves (should my cousin get his 3d printer running)

 

One squad leader

One librarian

One heavy gunner

One plasma specialist

One standard bearer

One Shrive talon.

[Lysimachus]

59 minutes ago, zulu.tango said:

I want to make sure I'm adhering to the rules for the competition - I can begin painting before March 1st correct? I'm not particularly worried about running out of time since I'm taking them to an event in February just want to make sure I can still count the vow if I get them finished before the official start date. If not...no big deal, I'm going to be doing a lot of kill teams in the next couple of months. 

 

Yes, if you choose. When you want to start painting, post here. I will mark it on the opening post and you will have 3 months from that date to complete your vow.

 

[Trokair]

I, Trokair, vow to complete one Kill Team of the TBD/Mal’kor (Vespid), to be fully painted and based by the 31st May 2025, and to provide at least minimal fluff/background for them. May the Omnissiah/Greater Good curse me to darkness and ruination should I fail!

 

I have some of the new Vespids, so they are my backup vow if the first idea does not work out.

 

 

As for the primary idea, that is to do a Kill Team out of what is probably one of my favourite models. The Thallax.

Lore wise they should still be around as the Ordo Reductor, who first made them as Shock Troops (or just better infantry than Tech-Thralls), is still around.

 

The AdMech Kill Team does not really seem set up to be a good proxy for Thallax (maybe if they had Kataphron options), and while I am aware that there have been some fan made 30k Kill Team rules all the ones I have found are for Legion Marine variants. So I guess, if Lys will approve it, I have to make something that looks like it could be a Kill Team (I don’t know enough about current Kill Team rules to write some custom rules myself).

 

Now Given that Thallax are on 40mm bases and (at least in 6^th and 7^th Edition) are Ogryns with Jump packs and better stats and better gear, a Team of 6 seems like it be much (given that MEQ appear to be in teams of 6 and GEQ are in teams of 10 to 12). So Instinct says a Team of 3 feels about right.

 

However I can imagine that that might be a few too few , and I guess at that point I would build one with a special weapon, one with a Lighting Gun with chainsaw attachment and one with just a Lighting Gun.  So perhaps up the numbers slightly.

 

If GW surprises us with plastic Ursurax any time soon then adding one or two of them might do the trick.

 

I am also looking at the Ambot (and maybe the Enforcer) at maybe providing some bodies for conversion into specialist/variants, as there is some shared design elements, though truth be told the shared elements are closer to the Castellax and other 30k Automaton.   

 

Lastly maybe including a Tech-Priest or Enginseer is the answer, resulting in a team of 4 with a character and 3 Thallax.