Kill Team: Dead Silence review - "Brings back something I've desperately missed in the Warhammer game"

Even from the name, it's clear that Kill Team: Dead Silence means business. "Stealth versus savagery in a sinister Tomb World," the box proclaims. (Did anyone else read that with a 'movie narrator' voice, or was it just me?). Hell yes – I'm in. You feel pumped before even cracking open the box.

It's not just a throwaway line to draw in punters, either. Of all the descriptions Games Workshop could have used for Kill Team: Dead Silence, this is the most accurate. It really does tell you everything you need to know about the squads going head to head inside the Warhammer expansion; one picks off targets before they even realize anything is wrong, while the other… well. They've taken a dirty great wolf to a gunfight. I think that covers it quite nicely.

This also means that they're far from standard. Actually, they're an example of what I love so much about Kill Team – they're true specialists, the best of the best. Nevertheless, this does mean Dead Silence is aimed squarely at veteran players. It builds on the foundation that Kill Team: Tomb World laid down so is less accessible, and whether that's a good or bad thing will depend on your level of experience.

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Kill Team: Dead Silence features & design

• An add-on for the latest Kill Team season
• Space Wolves vs. Tau Stealth Suits
• No terrain, but there is a campaign

Dead Silence is the second expansion for Kill Team's Tomb World season, and it contains two new squads along with the rules needed to play them (not to mention glorious narrative fluff about why they've come to blows). However, it breaks with tradition by not featuring any terrain. Instead, it relies on existing Tomb World scenery from the eponymous box set or sold as a separate pack.

There is something taking its place, though – a campaign. This can be run competitively, cooperatively, or solo, allowing you to battle across the surface and inner sanctums of a Necron Tomb World. I've always been a fan of these, so am very glad to see their return.

In terms of our plucky warriors, Dead Silence allows us to get our grubby mitts on Tau Stealth Suits and Space Wolf Scouts. These factions take very different approaches to reconnaissance, living up to the moniker "stealth and savagery." I'll let you guess which one is which.

Both have very different strengths, and you'll find an in-depth breakdown of how they work below. A word of caution first, though: you only get enough pieces for five models on each squad (not including the drones and wolf), so it's a case of deciding which of the many loadouts you want in advance. Well, unless you're confident in magnetizing pieces to swap in and out, anyway.

Wolf Scouts
These Space Wolf Scouts utilize a mystical storm summoned by their resident spellcaster (the Rune Priest Skjald) to cover their advance and enhance attacks. These were generally straightforward to construct. Indeed, the only fiddly bits were the Fenrisian Wolf and aforementioned Skjald, whose torso didn't fit together as nicely as it should.

In terms of making you life easier, I'd recommend attaching the models' various accessories (like belts, pouches, rune stones, daggers, etc) after painting the bodies. These extra bits look amazing but clutter up the model in terms of brush access.

XV26 Stealth Battlesuits
My colleague and Greater Good fan Ian took a look at the Stealth Suits for me, and he had this to say on these reinforcements: "The Tau side of the box is a reimagining of the aging Stealth team — a set from way back in 2006 — and they look fantastic. Don’t get me wrong, the original kit has aged surprisingly well (papa time is kinda on curved shapes of the Tau and Eldar than most other models), but these new kits are a stunning upgrade. Tau are one of the few races in 40K who actually upgrade their technology, so this is literally a new suit for them, not a resculpt of the old XV25s. The new XV26 armour is more subtlety detailed, and the posing is so much more dynamic this time around.

"The squad size has also been bumped up to five, along with two drones who have also had a 2025 makeover, losing the iconic antenna of the classic models. I’m less sure how I feel about that one — it’s fewer thin pieces of plastic to snap off, but I think the older kits looked better.

"Mold lines are an eternal issue for the plastic model enjoyer, and they rear their ugly heads here too, but they’re not as bad as I’ve seen on other recent kits (looking at you Deathwatch Kill team)."

Gameplay

• Both teams require patience & care to use...
• ...but do some serious damage if handled correctly
• The campaign is a hotbed of sandbox narrative

After pitting these two Kill Teams against one another, it's clear that they're evenly matched - and equally deadly. However, it's worth saying up-front that these teams are more advanced so require careful management.

Much like the Necrons in Tomb World, the two squads are unusual; they need patience and planning to use effectively. As an example, the Wolf Scouts' abilities are largely tied to their Elemental Storm. This provides a six-inch zone of effect and provides buffs to any Space Wolf within it. While the Storm can be moved each turn (or more, if you're using your Skjald correctly), smart placement is key. Although it can be used defensively due to obscuring qualities, these guys truly excel at close-quarters and hit even harder whilst in the Storm, so riding it like a wave toward enemies will be crucial.

This kind of playstyle suits me down to the ground. I'm a cautious player but like to overwhelm foes with offense after a steady advance, so sneaking up under cover of the storm before unleashing a barrage of plasma bolts or sword strikes is like catnip for me. That does mean the Wolves won't jive with players who prefer sniping or keeping their distance, but anyone looking for Space Marines with spice will be pleased.

Just be sure not to throw caution to the wind and charge headlong into battle – tempting though it is. These may be Astartes, but they're much less durable than the warriors seen in the Kill Team Starter Set. Get caught with your trousers down outside of cover and you're in hot water.

The Tau operate at the other end of the sneaky spectrum. They gain bonuses when attacking at a specific distance, and can't be seen at more than three inches when given a Conceal order (curse those invisibility cloaks). In other words, they'll reward patient players who enjoy whittling away at the foe while running rings around their warriors. Perennial Tau-enjoyer Ian had this to say about their tactics:

"On the tabletop, the Stealth Battlesuits Kill Team functions as you might expect, skulking in the shadows and dealing their damage at range. Their faction rule is 'Kauyon,' which is the Tau principle of the Patient Hunter. This means ambush tactics are king, and they gain accuracy based on how deep into your own territory the enemy has progressed. This is a great rule against a bunch of angry space vikings who want to run up and chop you with their axes, but it might not come up much against other ranged-focused factions.

"Not to worry though, they have a second rule — Stealth Fields — which means they can be concealed outside of cover, as long as they’re more than three inches away from foes, and they can fall back for one less AP when concealed too.

"As fans can probably appreciate, these Tau are devastating at range, packing powerful long-ranged Burst Cannons and terrifying Fusion Blasters for close encounters, but they can’t fight their way out of a wet paper bag in melee. As such, their equipment and ploys are all based around staying away from your foes, and punishing them for walking into your fields of fire. The Stealth Team’s suite of rules means they’re likely going to get to start the ruckus on their own terms, but if you’re still standing when their tricks run out and the burst cannon turrets stop spinning, they’re in trouble."

Honestly, it's a great match-up. Still, the thing I'm most excited about here is the campaign mode. I love the usual mission packs and that's what I play most, but I'm a card-carrying fan of the best tabletop RPGs. The idea of a long-running campaign where you string missions together into a sandbox narrative grabs my attention with the force of an industrial magnet.

Taking place on the frigid Ctesiphus VII, you'll fight through an abandoned surface full of ruined settlements before delving into the Tomb World below. This allows you to utilize prior Kill Zones (like the Volkus city-scape or Bheta-Decima oil rig) for surface combat before breaking out Tomb World dungeons. This provides a more varied experience than exclusively using one biome.

The map itself is blank, but that allows you to fill in those details yourself by rolling on a location/conditions table. These tables aren't just for atmosphere; they provide tangible rules changes. This includes damage from radiation, temporal anomalies that reduce movement, or messed up gravity which allows your warriors to fly under certain circumstances. It's a formula for very memorable matches, and I'm already planning on how to represent this on the battlefield with terrain.

Should you buy Kill Team: Dead Silence?

I think the decision here will come down to a couple of things. Are you a competitive player, or an experienced Kill Team fan? If so, you'll enjoy these two squads. They give you something to get your teeth into like a Fenrisian Wolf ripping into a kill. The campaign mode will also suit regular players who have a group to fight against.

Beginners, though? I'd avoid this one for now in favor of a pack like Hivestorm (if you can still track it down, anyway). Much like Tomb World before it, Dead Silence is a more complicated beast that newcomers are likely to struggle with.

Everyone else should have a blast, though. The only thing I'm disappointed by is the lack of terrain or cool extra bits, honestly. Each Volkus pack included bonus scenery, as did Bheta-Decima, but this doesn't feature anything. Which makes sense considering the focus on campaigning, but hey ho. I'm a magpie – I like shiny things. What can I say?

Ratings

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How we tested Kill Team: Dead Silence

As well as studying the box-set's rules and each team's mechanics in detail, I had a hands-on match with Ian using the Volkus Kill Zone to fully test out their tactics. We both painted our squads in full, too.

For more information on our process, check out the full GamesRadar+ review policy.

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