Kill Team Starter Set (2024) review: "A great introduction to the mechanics, but it doesn't always capture what makes the game special"

Coming up with a review score for the Kill Team Starter Set has given me a headache. On the one hand, it's a great introduction to the game's mechanics. It also does a sterling job of bringing newcomers into the fold. And in so many ways, that's all it needs to be. Mission accomplished – right?

Not quite. Unfortunately, I don't think it's a good intro to the theme. This game isn't just a smaller, faster version of Warhammer 40K; it revolves around elite specialists duking it out on thematic battlefields that'd make '80s action movies proud. The Kill Team Starter Set doesn't do that, if you ask me. I'd argue the Hivestorm box is better at all of the above, and provides superior value too.

Plus, the Kill Team Starter Set doesn't set you up for full matches. Not truly. Although you'll be able to get the ball rolling well enough because the core mechanics are covered here, it omits a few key elements (like activation orders and ploys) that are pretty darn important.

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Still, there are reasons to drop into this particular warzone in spite of all that. It just depends on your experience level.

Kill Team Starter Set (2024) features & design

• Short tutorial missions show the ropes
• Push-fit Space Marines & Plague Marines
• Has MDF terrain & a game board

As you'd expect from a starter set, this beginner box includes everything you need to get going in Kill Team: two squads (provided unpainted and unassembled), the rules, a battlemat, dice, and tokens. You even get old-school MDF terrain that's slotted together like a cardboard puzzle.

However, it's not necessarily the 'complete' package. Much like Warhammer 40K's starter sets, it eases you into Kill Team whilst skipping over the game's more complex concepts. The tutorial booklet drip-feeds new elements chapter by chapter (complete with blow-by-blow descriptions of what to do next) until players are finally let loose in an open, no-holds-barred battle. But even then, you're still missing certain elements. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but this is definitely an introduction rather than the whole kit and kaboodle.

I can't argue with how it's all laid out, though. The tutorials are cleanly presented and carry clear instructions that'll get you rolling fast with some added narrative to provide atmosphere.

As for the models, they're predictably impressive. Even though we've seen both teams before (they were released separately as a collectible blind-box series), there's no getting around how characterful and well-posed they are. The Space Marine Angels of Death are likely to get more attention because they're Warhammer's poster children, but for me, the Plague Marines steal the spotlight. They're layered with detail and therefore more interesting to look at, though this does mean they can be a pain to paint.

Here's a quick breakdown of how the teams work.

Angels of Death (Space Marines)
These iconic warriors are the face of Warhammer, and they're reliable jack-of-all-trades who'll get the job done no matter what that job is. In the rules as presented here, they're not overly complicated; their unique ability is usually shooting or fighting in melee twice per round instead of once as usual.

So far as the miniatures are concerned, they're repackaged versions of the old 'Kill Team Justian' squad from Warhammer Heroes blister packs. They're pretty easy to paint too, so they're great for total beginners.

If you use the full Kill Team rules, you'll get access to some helpful Ploys that buff your abilities, enhance shooting, or allow you to shrug off certain attacks.

Plague Marines (Chaos Space Marines)
These followers of the dark gods are a twisted reflection of Space Marines, so they're also capable all-rounders. As written though, they come with the 'Disgustingly Resilient' special rule that helps them shrug off wounds. For my money, these are the more interesting of the two factions to paint and use. Still, we've seen this faction before in the Space Marine Heroes blister packs.

Although I'm a fan of them, it should be noted that these are trickier to paint as well. While Contrast or Speed Paints will serve you well, I'd say they're more advanced.

Much like the Space Marines above, the Plague Marines are a lot more interesting when used with the full rules; their various Ploys are incredibly nasty.

Gameplay

• Excellent at easing in newcomers
• Doesn't include all mechanics
• Thematic missions

Ideally, a starter set should ease you into a game with minimal headaches – it drip feeds ideas bit by bit to avoid overwhelming newcomers. And in that regard, this introduction to Kill Team is a roaring success. While some may be frustrated by the hand-holding of early missions, they do hammer home core concepts painlessly and in an easy-to-follow fashion. The added fluff of narrative descriptions gets you into the drama of it all too, side-stepping what could otherwise be a dry cavalcade of "do this, then roll that."

Yes, there are some issues. Occasionally, woolly language and the odd mistake can confuse, for example. The end of the book also leaves you with full access to the toybox and says "have at it," yet doesn't provide the Strategy/Firefight Ploys, Faction Rules, and full operative selection that is required for a 'normal' game. You're given a QR code to access this via the Kill Team app, true, but I would have preferred a deck of cards (or even a booklet, a la the datasheets included here) like we get in other Kill Team boxes. I'm not actually sure you're set up to tackle standard games as a result; these crucial elements aren't mentioned in the Starter Handbook at all, so beginners will rock up to their first session and be blindsided by a significant chunk of the game they didn't know about. What' here does a great job of onboarding greenhorns, and that's the whole point. I just would have preferred an 'advanced rules' section that could take them the rest of the way.

The featured missions do leave you plenty to sink your teeth into as well. Alongside the handful of named scenarios, you get alternative setups and different objectives to try – 'Loot' and 'Initiate Transmission' – that give you something else to focus on.

Both teams handle well too, and I can't argue with their inclusion as 'starter' factions. Besides being downright iconic, they're by-the-numbers warbands that don't rely on confusing or strategic combos that require a careful hand to use effectively. They can deal damage and take it too, while the group's smaller size limits the amount of painting you've got to do.

Are they the factions I would have chosen for a Kill Team Starter Set, though? No. This is a game about ultra-specialist operatives who are (normally) very good at something in particular. The hobbit-esque Ratlings are consummate snipers and trappers, for instance, while the Goremonger cultists are all about close-combat. I appreciate that Space Marines are supposed to be humanity's finest troops in-universe, but the fact they're so ubiquitous across Warhammer makes them feel like rank and file. That isn't what Kill Team is about, so I don't think this box introduces the central concept very well.

Nonetheless, I shouldn't complain too much. The Angels of Death and Plague Marines are excellent Kill Teams, and they're more than capable of holding their own in competitive matches. Once you're ready to graduate to the full game, they'll be rock-solid go-tos.

Should you buy the Kill Team Starter Set (2024)?

If you're totally new to wargaming and Kill Team, I'd have no trouble recommending this Starter Set. For those who are more experienced or would prefer the 'complete' package, I'd suggest opting for Kill Team: Hivestorm instead. That's a far better beginner box in my opinion, and one I've talked about at length; besides including the full rules, it's crammed with gorgeous terrain, two thematic and compelling factions that exemplify what the game is all about, accessories, and more.

Ratings

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How we tested the Kill Team Starter Set (2024)

I spent a few weeks with both Kill Teams, played through every scenario, and also took some troops into a full match using Ploys from the app (I called on the Plague Marines, if you're curious). I also made sure to paint up both squads for the 'full' experience, and so I could report back on how easy or hard that was.

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