Kill Team 2024 Kill Team '24 January Balance Dataslate

[Indy Techwisp]

So this kinda got lost in the chaos surrounding the Armies on Parade stuff, but the 1st major Balance Dataslate of KT24 rolled out today.

 

The following Downloads have been updated:

Core Rules Update Log

Universal Equipment

Scout Squad

Gellarpox Infected

Inquisitorial Agents

Novitiates

Imperial Navy Breachers

Void-Dancer Troupe

Kasrkin

Hand of the Archon

Fellgor Ravagers

Nemesis Claw

Warpcoven

Blades of Khaine

Death Korps

Brood Brothers

Farstalker Kinband

Hunter Clade

Legionaries

Chaos Cult

Plague Marines

Hierotek Circle

Tempestus Aquilons

Vespid Stingwings

 

Main changes seem to be reducing the overtuned survivability of Warpcoven, Legionaries, Nemesis Claw and Plague Marines somewhat, tho Loyalist Marine KTs remain untouched for now.

[Interrogator Stobz]

'25??

[Indy Techwisp]

5 minutes ago, Interrogator Stobz said:

'25??

 

The current edition of Killteam launched in 2024, so it's KT24.
Same as how last edition was KT21 since it launched in 2021.

 

If I've put KT25 or '25 somewhere in here I apologise as that is an error.

[INKS]

I've watched 4 videos now on it and I am still confused. maybe it's just me but kill team seems overly complicated.

[Interrogator Stobz]

9 hours ago, Indy Techwisp said:

 

The current edition of Killteam launched in 2024, so it's KT24.
Same as how last edition was KT21 since it launched in 2021.

 

If I've put KT25 or '25 somewhere in here I apologise as that is an error.

Sorry, I think I misread your comment in haste. 

You are correct, my bad.

7 hours ago, INKS said:

I've watched 4 videos now on it and I am still confused. maybe it's just me but kill team seems overly complicated.

Now that, that is something I can comment on.

It's actually really good, but as usual GeeDub have put all the rules in the least helpful parts of the books.

[lhg033]

8 hours ago, INKS said:

I've watched 4 videos now on it and I am still confused. maybe it's just me but kill team seems overly complicated.

 

I've yet to build any of Hivestorm and have since bought Brutal and Kunnin (mainly for the extra terrain and Orks but Ratlings have always had a place in my heart too!)

I've watched through a few of the GW starter videos and a few others. There is definitely complexity but I am hoping a lot of it just becomes second nature as you play. 

I am hoping the solo play stuff in the rules helps with this too......

 

I plan to build up Hivestorm fair soon and make a start on this so that I can hopefully then teach my son the game - just need to find some time.

[Dark_Master]

Do we know what’s happening with Voidscarred? Seem to have been dropped 

 

DM

[INKS]

3 hours ago, Dark_Master said:

Do we know what’s happening with Voidscarred? Seem to have been dropped 

 

DM

some teams only had a year? or maybe no updates to them? we haven't hit that year mark yet but we are coming up to it. And when I say this they had a year of competitive play, so they should still get rules, just maybe less frequently?

[TheMawr]

4 hours ago, Dark_Master said:

Do we know what’s happening with Voidscarred? Seem to have been dropped 

 

DM

 

They will be in a couple of months, but thats probably not the reason they got no updates as 7 of the teams that did get updates will be dropped too.

 

I made an overview ( for speculation purposes in an abandoned post.)

 

Note the Season 3 2027 exit isnt hard confirmed, it should be "exit no sooner than Q3 2026".. I actually think some of the season 3 teams will get an evolution-replacement in white dwarf or something before that time because of their nature ( Blades of Khaine, Inquisition force, Chaos cultists.)

 

extra note, the rumored are not meant for this post, they are both uncertain rumors at this time and even when true might not be all for this season.

Edited January 30 by TheMawr

[INKS]

it's funny. but i was looking at buying a KT the other day. I could not get Yageris or however it's spelled. lol But I am not buying Salvagers when they are leaving semi soon. by the time i get them painted and on the table they will have a few months left. lol competitive of course. i don't really have time to show up and play casually, so I only go to a few tournaments a year. 1-2.

[Mandragola]

I really enjoy kill team and I’m surprised it doesn’t have more of a following here. It’s a really nice game and not especially complicated in my opinion. 
 

These updates are good, bringing some of the better teams down and buffing the weaker. Good for the game. 
 

I’ve recently finished painting my Volkus set. Had some fun with dirty down rust and moss. It gets a good effect but it’s pretty smelly!

 

 

 

[INKS]

looks awesome. my problem is I don't really like the teams.

no custodes.

no nids.

and I don't really like the votann teams. the salvagers are on their way out, and I don't like the Yaegers really.

the other problem is the way in which you give them loadouts for KT doesn't really work in 40k most of the time so i need at least 2 boxes if not more. And often more because a lot of teams aren't 1 box teams if you want to be competitive.

lastly. I find the rules to be written in a complicated way. not so much playing but my brain has a had time wrapping around what they are trying to say a lot of the time.

and right now, elite teams are king, the balance really needs work in my opinion.

 

this does not mean i think it's a bad game, please don't get that impression. but this is what keeps me from investing more in it.

[grailkeeper]

Theres a kill team challenge on here. I've ordered a kit to make a legionnaire kill team. I understand theyce been slightly nerfed but are overall still good. Is there anywhere I can get suggestions on a list? (Complete stranger to the rules)

[INKS]

25 minutes ago, grailkeeper said:

Theres a kill team challenge on here. I've ordered a kit to make a legionnaire kill team. I understand theyce been slightly nerfed but are overall still good. Is there anywhere I can get suggestions on a list? (Complete stranger to the rules)

I would look up "can you roll a crit" on youtube he did a whole series on every kill team and what to take and what to buy.

[Indy Techwisp]

Had my first game using the new Warpcoven and I can say with confidence that the Nerfs didn't change much and Navis Breacher's changes didn't do enough to help them in a noticeable way...

[irlLordy]

I think in general the top teams got taken down a fair bit, but I don't think there was enough done to buff the lower teams. It will still be an elite meta, just a tad more open than before.

[Tastyfish]

2 hours ago, INKS said:

looks awesome. my problem is I don't really like the teams.

no custodes.

no nids.

and I don't really like the votann teams. the salvagers are on their way out, and I don't like the Yaegers really.

the other problem is the way in which you give them loadouts for KT doesn't really work in 40k most of the time so i need at least 2 boxes if not more. And often more because a lot of teams aren't 1 box teams if you want to be competitive.

lastly. I find the rules to be written in a complicated way. not so much playing but my brain has a had time wrapping around what they are trying to say a lot of the time.

and right now, elite teams are king, the balance really needs work in my opinion.

 

this does not mean i think it's a bad game, please don't get that impression. but this is what keeps me from investing more in it.

 

I mean honestly, if you play enough for the Salvagers to be 'on their way out' in just under two years (~21 months) then I'd say there's a ton of play left in them given the whole cycle is only four years. And if you don't and have a slower play schedule amongst friends or a club etc then you've got at least another three months before a balance slate comes into play that doesn't include them and even longer before they don't get rules in the new edition?

[INKS]

3 hours ago, Tastyfish said:

 

I mean honestly, if you play enough for the Salvagers to be 'on their way out' in just under two years (~21 months) then I'd say there's a ton of play left in them given the whole cycle is only four years. And if you don't and have a slower play schedule amongst friends or a club etc then you've got at least another three months before a balance slate comes into play that doesn't include them and even longer before they don't get rules in the new edition?

I do not play very often. so by the time I would paint them up and get them on the table I would not see many games with them. and because you need to equip them in certain ways, some of the models just aren't really usable in 40k. like the backpack or knuckles guy. what would I do with those?

[Tastyfish]

Count them as basic troopers or squad leaders probably. The Dozr (knuckles guy) still has a pistol so could count as a Theyn with melee weapon, and the jump guy's movement is kind of irrelevant within a squad so would also just be a pistol and power-axe squad leader. The guy with a backpack is just a regular Hearthkin, but might add a bit of interest in a squad based out of a Sagitaur.

 

Fair enough if you don't like the models, but the game is faster so there's a decent chance of getting more games out of them than you would a 40K unit that isn't taken every battle and the Votann teams are going to last pretty much all of this edition.

Edited February 1 by Tastyfish

[INKS]

It's fine. I am just a wysiwyg person. this idea of "just ignore his jet pack" or whatever is not my style. I would just shelve them. I will concede I thought the salvagers had less time then they do. so you are right in that I would have them for a year plus at this point. For the yeagers. (i never spell them right). in 40k they should all have dagger and pistol but in kill team you want a mix of shotguns and stuff, so really you just have to either magnetize, or buy more than one box. I feel like more or less for a lot of teams, you need to have a 40k version with load out A and the kill team version with load out B. this isn't always true but it is true for a lot of the teams.

 

if KT was my main game then I wouldn't care. i would just build for kill team. but it isn't my main game and so the models are more important to me to be equipped properly for 40k.

i am likely a very very niche case. I don't play fun casual games. I don't have the time or opportunity for that. there is a monthly or bi-monthly tournament locally. I got twice a year more or less. And once every few years I might go to a bigger event. i have 1 day - 3 games of 10th edition under my belt with maybe 1 more day in the future for the rest of the year. So it's unlikely I'll get any kill team in this year even if I had a team I liked. Which is in short supply. No pun intended.

[The Yncarne]

FWIW, @INKS I feel the same way and that's why I won't get into Kill Team. It also seems a sneaky way to raise prices on 40K units. OTOH it does give some kit bash opportunities that the 40k boxes have moved away from.

[zulu.tango]

New balance slate isn't comprehensive, but its a great start. I think the Elite dominance will slowly even out as people re-learn how to play against them and while several other teams need buffs I'm glad to see they weren't TOO heavy on everything as an overreaction. Didn't expect the Aquilon or Death Korps bumps, but they've got me excited to run them again! 

 

 

 

On 1/31/2025 at 5:51 PM, grailkeeper said:

Theres a kill team challenge on here. I've ordered a kit to make a legionnaire kill team. I understand theyce been slightly nerfed but are overall still good. Is there anywhere I can get suggestions on a list? (Complete stranger to the rules)

Kill Team doesn't use lists like 40k does, you have access to every unit in the roster to build your team. If you bought the KT box for legion, build all the specialists and as many regular marines as you can. simple as. 

 

[Mandragola]

I’ll also enter the challenge. I’m not sure what with - I have a lot of grey plastic but also several half-done teams. It would be more useful to me to finish what I’ve started than start anew. I’ll check the rules.

 

Kill team certainly isn’t perfect. There are 35 teams (I think) and balancing them all is impossible - and would be worse if they didn’t cull some now and then. But the balance isn’t that terrible and it’s significantly improved by the dataslate.

 

I get that people are upset by the idea of teams phasing out. This happens in all games though, officially or not. New stuff comes out to replace old models or you move on to other armies. And anyway, the rules are never removed from casual play, only from tournaments.

 

Theres kind of no good option if more teams are constantly released. You either drop some teams, add to existing teams or end up with 60, then 90 teams. 
 

3.0 teams have all had some cool gameplay, which is great for the game. Deep striking aquilons, flying Vespid, puny/hulking ratlings and explosive wreckas all bring new things. But you wouldn’t want too many teams, each doing quite such outlandish things in my opinion.