In part two of our Kill Team: Into the Dark review, we take a closer look at the Imperial Navy Breachers and Kroot Farstalker Kinband Kill Teams, both brand new models and Kill Teams. We also assess the value of the components and make the final judgement.

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Kill Team: Into the Dark model sprues
This item was provided by Games Workshop. Thoughts and opinions are our own.

Kill Team: Into the Dark will be available for preorder starting Saturday, September 3rd 2022, and is on sale one week after. It’s my impression that this box will have a single print run only, so when it’s gone it’s gone, likely to be replaced with separate releases for the warbands, terrain and books.

Check out part 1 of this review if you haven’t already, where we look at the Gallowdark terrain and its compatibility and dimensions and discuss the new rules expansion:

Imperial Navy Breachers review

The Imperial Navy Breachers are another Imperial faction we’ve never seen in model form before. The Navis Armsmen’s design is unmistakably Imperial, with chunky weapons and heavy magnetic boots, the helmets heavily inspired by classic 2nd Edition artwork.

Warhammer 40.000 Rogue Trader Imperial Navy artwork
© Copyright Games Workshop Limited, used without permission

Just like the Death Korps Veteran Guardsmen and The Blooded Traitor Guard, we have two medium sprues containing 10 models with standard armament, plus a small expansion sprue with the Kill Team specific bitz.

Kill Team: Into the Dark Imperial Navy Breachers sprues

The two larger sprues contain 10 models. One model makes a Sergeant-at-arms and has a choice of power sword, chainsword, combat shotgun or underslung helmet for the right hand, and a bolt pistol, autopistol, or pointing hand for the left arm. There is also an optional holstered power sword. One model is an Endurant, carrying a large breacher shield and heavy one-handed shotgun. One model is a gunner, and can receive either a las-volley, meltagun or plasma gun. The remaining 7 models are all Armsmen with combat shotguns.

All bodies are unisex, and their size and proportions match current human models such as the plastic Death Korps of Krieg and The Blooded Traitor Guard. The models come on 25 mm bases, except for the Navis Gunner and Endurant (the guy with the boarding shield), which come on 28 mm bases. Posing options are limited, legs and torso are linked and arms cannot be freely swapped either, except with the help of a knife and green stuff. However, there are 10 helmets and 12 bare heads (7 with male and 5 with female features) that fit each body, as well as pouches and hand-axes that fit the belts of each body. The hairstyles feature accurate side partings and chignon hairstyles and are something different from the usual cropped and bald heads.

Kill Team: Into the Dark Imperial Navy Breachers sprues

The small expansion sprue has all the additional bitz to convert the five of the seven regular Armsmen into Kill Team specific operatives: the Surveyor (the C.A.T. operator), the Axejack (large axe guy), the Grenadier, the Void-jammer (the servo skull operator), the hatchcutter (chainfist dude). There is also the C.A.T. unit and Gheistkull servo skull, as well as three additional specific helmets, a bare head with rebreather for the Hatchcutter, and another male and female head that can be used for the Seargent-at-arms for example.

Kill Team: Into the Dark rulebook Imperial Navy Breachers

The Imperial Navy Breacher Kill consists of 12 operatives, which means that to make a playable team out of the box contents, you must select the Navis Void-jammer and Navis Surveyor. This allows you to select the C.A.T. Unit and the Gheistskull, each of which replaces an operative. How powerful this really remains to be seen, as the two operatives are more like extensions of the Navis Void-jammer and Surveyor, and as support units are severely limited in the actions they can perform.

Kroot Farstalker Kinband review

The Kroot come on three medium-sized sprues like Ork Kommandos and Aeldari Corsairs and make ten Kroot and two Kroot hounds. The models come on 28 mm bases, with a 32 mm base for the Kill-broker (the Kill Team leader). The models are in the same scale as Dahyak Gregh, the Kroot mercenary from Warhammer Quest: Blackstone Fortress, and are such a few mm taller than the old Kroot warriors. The posing options are limited, as upper and lower bodies are connected, and arms are designed to fit only a specific body (it might be possible to swap some arms around as the arm attachment points are mostly flat). Each model has at least two poses, and all can be built as regular Warriors with Kroot rifles, so I guess this kit might replace the old models at some point. Heads are interchangeable and on ball joints, and there are 14 of them. You also get a few additional equipment pieces that can be attached to their belts as you see fit.

Here comes the rundown: The Kill-broker can either have a large blade, Kroot rifle, or pulse carbine in his right hand and a pulse rifle or blade for his left arm. The first Kroot Warrior can either be a Warrior with a Kroot rilfe or be assembled as a Long-sight (sharpshooter). The second warrior can either have a rifle or be assembled as a Cold-blood (the guy with the bionic leg). The third Warrior has two poses and can either carry a rifle in front of him or hold a scattergun resting on his shoulder. The fourth Kroot Warrior also has two poses, with a rifle in front of his chest, or a scattergun held for some hip shots. The fifth Kroot Warrior can either have a rifle while tossing a grenade, or be a Cut-skin (the one with the pair of close combat weapons). The sixth Warrior can be a Stalker (the kneeling one with a scattergun strapped to his back) or a Tracker (the one with the vulture on his rifle). If you don’t attach the vulture to the rifle he can also be a regular Warrior, which the assembly guide doesn’t tell you. The seventh Warrior can have a rifle or be a Pistolier (dual pistol guy), while the eighth Warrior can have a rifle or be assembled as a Bow-hunter. The ninth Kroot Warrior can either aim with his rilfe, and also be a Gunner, with a choice of Dvorgite Skinner or Londaxi tribalest (unfortunately, the guide doesn’t really tell you which is which). Finally, we have the Kroot hounds, which two heads can be swapped between both models.

Kill Team: Into the Dark rulebook Kroot

The Kroot Farstalker Kinband Kill Team has 11 operatives, which means you need to add at least one of the two Kroot hounds to make a legal Kill Team out of the box contents. Note that the Kroot Warrior datasheet has a choice of Kroot rifle or scattergun, yet the kit contains only two of them (three if you count the holstered scattergun of the Stalker).

Kroot Farstalker Kinband Kill Team, cinematic shot
© Copyright Games Workshop Limited, used without permission

I’m really impressed with the Kroot sculpts, they are a quantum leap compared to the old models. The many details and the unique design of the clothing and equipment make the Kroots’ very own culture much more tangible. I am very curious whether the models will also have their own rules for Warhammer 40,000, and whether they will also have an elite unit entry with all the Kill Team operations like the Aeldari Corsairs.

Value

Kill Team: Into the Dark is one of the biggest, heaviest and most jam-packed box sets Games Workshop has ever released. With 8 sprues of terrain, more sprues for the Kill Teams, and the barricades and combat gauges sprue, it even beats all previous Warcry starter boxes in terms of raw plastic. And lest not forget all models are completely new!

Kill Team: Into the Dark contents
© Copyright Games Workshop Limited, used without permission

At the same time, the box is also a good entry point, as it contains the complete Core Rules as well as all markers and templates needed to play regular games of Kill Team. For this I consider the RRP of £130 / 170 € / $210 to be more than reasonable compared to other Games Workshop products. Individual Kill Team boxes range from £35 to £40 pounds, Killzone boxes are £67.50, expansion books are £27.50, core rules are £32.50, and the templates and tokens £22.50, so you get about £225/230 worth of stuff for just £130, which is a pretty good deal in my book.

If you want to preorder Kill Team: Into the Dark or one of the rereleased Kill Team: Rogue Trader Kill Teams at a welcome discount of up to 20%, check out our partner stores Wayland GamesElement Games, and Taschengelddieb to see if the models are still available:

By using our links you’ll support our work here at Tale of Painters at no extra cost to you, thank you very much!

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9.5
Score

Pros

  • 2 completely new warbands
  • 8 large sprues of brand new modular Space Hulk terrain
  • Expanded close confines rules and two new mission packs plus new campaign system
  • Also includes Core Rules and all counters, dice, and gaming aids for regular Kill Team games

Cons

  • Game board is boring and drab
  • Reasonable price point, but still not cheap

Final Verdict

Kill Team: Into the Dark is an amazing box packed to the brim with no end of new miniatures. The Imperial Navy Breachers bring a whole new flavour of the Imperium to the table, the new Kroot look damn cool, and the modular Space Hulk terrain is just awesome. Plus there's a jam-packed new book with expanded rules and new missions. All in all, a fantastic evolution from Kill Team Arena and Kill Team Rogue Trader from the first edition of Kill Team. We are very excited to explore the Space Hulk Gallowdark even further with the next expansion boxes.