I once joked that Games Workshops Warhammer 40,000 Kill Team was the sick man of the British company’s otherwise thriving family of sci-fi war games. After a high-profile relaunch in 2018, the small-unit miniature skirmish game has become one of the pillars of the entire 40K franchise. With the new Warhammer 40,000 Kill Team: Hivestorm Boxset, which is due to be released later this fall, Kill Team is effectively kicking off its third installment. But despite streamlining the core experience, the two new game modes – solo and co-op – feel a little thin.
Kill Team invites players to battle each other, traditionally 1v1 in a competitive format, with very small miniature collections – usually just six to twelve miniatures per person. The advantage of the format is that new players don’t have to spend a fortune on figures to get started, and hobbyists can assemble a powerful force much more quickly. The second edition, released in 2021, added light narrative elements to the game, including personalized factions that developed new abilities over time.
Swarm storm is a fairly large set, complete with multi-level plastic terrain pieces and two Kill Teams of 10 units each – the Vespid Stingwings of the Tau and the Tempestus Aquilons of the Imperial Guard. The unusual thing about these two factions is that they are both airborne and can fly around the map, unlike virtually all other factions released for the game so far. This makes the whole product feel more like Advanced Kill Team as an introductory starter set. And the marketing offensive, which is aimed directly at existing fans, seems to support this.
Image: Games Workshop via YouTube
Image: Games Workshop via YouTube
Image: Games Workshop via YouTube
Image: Games Workshop via YouTube
The improvements in this revised rulebook are a huge quality of life improvement for existing players. The game now uses inches instead of the awkward geometric symbols that previously represented inches. I particularly like the idea of universal equipment that can be shared between individual units. But I was looking forward to trying out the single player and co-op modes. Unfortunately, now that I’ve spent some time with them, they feel more like an appetizer than a main course.
In the entire 112-page Core book
Kill Team is known for an exotic collection of factions full of colorful little characters, many of which have bespoke rules inspired by the rich lore of the 40K universe. These new solo and cooperative rules reduce all of that material to six generic data cards that serve as replacements for standard soldiers. This means that players aren’t actually going up against another highly skilled opponent. Kill TeamInstead, they simply plough over a bunch of ordinary soldiers.
Image: Games Workshop via YouTube
The miniatures, on the other hand, are some of Games Workshop’s best. I’m particularly taken with the Vespid Stingwings, which look completely different to anything else in the 40K universe. I particularly like the way their tiny third pair of arms, so small as to be almost rudimentary, are positioned. Some use the small limbs to stabilize their weapons when aiming, while others hang them casually over other limbs in a more relaxed pose. But it’s the Aquilons that will probably sell the best Swarm storm boxes, as their gravity backpacks – some of the first airborne offerings for the new generation of plastic Guardsmen – are sure to be a hit in the kit-bashing scene.
The bottom line is that if you’re already invested in the Kill Team series, this box set is a no-brainer. The new rules and scenery will continue to be crucial in competitive play for years to come. If you were looking for a rich, narrative-driven solo or cooperative experience, you’ll likely be disappointed. On the other hand, if you’re a new player looking to get into the hobby, it’s probably best to start with a smaller box of miniatures. Then all you have to do is wait for the new version of the game. Core book to appear in stores as a standalone item.
