Review: Kill Team: Brutal and Cunning

Get ready to dive into the first expansion of the new edition of Kill Team, Kill Team: Brutal and Cunning. The explosive Ork Wrecka Krew clashes with the cunning Ratlings. In this review, we’ll take a detailed look at high-resolution sprue images, explore the assembly options for the unique operatives, and break down the included terrain upgrades. This set delivers a lot to unpack – so let’s see what’s inside!

Kill Team: Brutal and Cunning can be preordered from Saturday, December 4, 2024. It goes on sale two weeks later, following a two-week preorder window. Please note that these kinds of boxes have only one production run. So the box is available until stocks last, and Kill Team expansions sold out quickly in the past.

Included in the box are:

• The Wrecka Krew (1 Nob, 5 Orks, 2 Bomb Squigs)
• Ratlings (10 Ratling, 1 battlemut, 3 counters)
• Killzone Upgrade: Compound Siege (2 bunkers, 6 fire steps, 6 stockades terrain pieces)
• Brutal and Cunning dossier sourcebook
• Datacards and cardboard tokens for both Kill Teams

Kill Team: Brutal and Cunning is the first expansion box for the new edition of Kill Team, which I’ve reviewed in detail here. Like the expansions from the previous season, it includes two Kill Teams, new terrain (which you can use to expand the Killzone: Volkus from Kill Team: Hivestorm), as well as rules for both Kill Teams and a new mission pack. Let’s take a closer look at the contents.

Orks Wrecking Krew review

The Ork Wrecka Krew comes as 8 models on 3 medium-sized sprues. Each of the 5 Orks can be built as either a Tankbusta Gunner (with a rokkit launcha) or a Breaka Boy (with a hammer). Plus, there’s a ton of interchangeable parts, including heads, shoulder pads, rockets, blast shields, hammer heads, and more. As for bases, the Nob comes on a 40mm base, the Orks on 32mm, and the Squigs on 25mm bases.

Patreon bonus content: Ultra high-res, uncompressed versions of these sprue images (and backsides of the sprues) can be downloaded here.

Here’s what you can build:

• Wrecka Boss Nob: Can have one of two heads and one of two banner glyphs. For his right hand, you can choose between a rokkit pistol and a smash hammer. His left hand holds another rokkit pistol.
• Ork 1: Can be built as a Tankbusta Gunner (with a two-handed rokkit launcha), a Tankbusta Rokkiteer (with reinforced back armour and one of two additional rocket packs), or a Breaka Boy Fighter (with reinforced shoulder armour and a two-handed smash hammer).
• Ork 2: Can be built as a Tankbusta Gunner (with a shoulder-mounted ‘Eavy rokkit launcha), a Breaka Boy Fighter (with reinforced shoulder armour and a two-handed smash hammer), or a Breaka Boy Krusha (with the same reinforced back armour but a pair of arms with knuckle-bustas).
• Ork 3: Can be built as a Tankbusta Gunner (with a two-handed rokkit launcha), a Breaka Boy Fighter (with reinforced shoulder armour and a two-handed smash hammer), or a Breaka Boy Demolisher (with the same reinforced shoulder armour but a tankhammer rokkit head for the hammer).
• Ork 4: Can be built as a Tankbusta Gunner (with a shoulder-mounted ‘Eavy rokkit launcher) or a Breaka Boy Fighter (with reinforced shoulder armour and a one-handed smash hammer). The ‘Eavy rokkit launcher can be customized with one of the 6 separate rocket parts.
• Ork 5: Can be built as a Tankbusta Gunner (with a two-handed rokkit launcher) or a Breaka Boy Fighter (with reinforced back armour and a one-handed smash hammer). The rokkit launcher can be customized with one of the 6 separate rocket parts.
• Additionally, there are 2 Bomb Squigs (which are monopose).

Interchangeable Parts:

• For the 5 Ork models you can choose between 6 unhelmeted heads, 6 helmeted heads, 6 jaw plates to reinforce the helmeted heads to make Breaka Boys, 5 left and 5 right shoulder pads for the Tankbusta Gunners, 6 blast shields for the ‘eavy rokkit and rokkit launchas, 6 different rockets for the modular ‘Eavy rokkit launcha and rokkit launcha, and 9 different plates for the smash hammers and knuckle-bustas heads.

The Ork Wrecking Krew is a modeller’s dream, packed with tons of options and bits. While there’s plenty of customization, the arm joints aren’t flush, meaning each pair of arms only fits specific bodies. Unlike the freely interchangeable shoulder pads of the Tankbusta Gunners, the reinforced back and shoulder armour of the Breaka Boys can only be attached to specific torsos.

The Ratlings unboxed

The Ratlings are spread across two medium-sized sprues, containing 10 Ratlings, 1 Battlemut, 1 tripwire, and 1 ammo cache, all on 25mm bases, except for the Big Shot, who requires as 28mm base.

Patreon bonus content: Ultra high-res, uncompressed versions of these sprue images (and backsides of the sprues) can be downloaded here.

Here’s what you can build:

• Ratling 1: Can be built as either a Fixer (leader) or a Sniper. The Fixer has a choice of a right arm with a mug or a battle rifle, and for the left arm you can choose between a signal pistol with holster, an outstretched pointing arm, or an arm with binoculars. On the backpack, you can attach either a rifle or a folding chair, and you have a choice of two heads.
• Ratling 2: Can be built as a Big Shot or a Sniper. The Big Shot has a specific head, a hood, extra pouches, and a pair of arms with a Tankstopper rifle, which comes with an external power source and a scenic piece of ruin. The Sniper has an alternate head, a pair of arms with a sniper rifle, and a backpack.
• Ratling 3: Can be built as a Bomber or a Sniper. The Bomber has a specific head, extra body armor, a special pair of arms, and a heavy backpack with a holstered rifle. The Sniper has a pair of arms with a sniper rifle, a smaller backpack, and a hooded head that connects to the backpack part.
• Ratling 4: Can be built as a Hardbit or a Sniper. The Hardbit has a specific head, a right arm with a knife, a raised sniper rifle in the left hand, a heavy backpack, and a chest rig with extra equipment. The Sniper has an alternate head, a pair of arms with a sniper rifle, and a smaller backpack.
• Ratling 5: Can be built as a Raider or a Sniper. The Raider has a specific head, a grappling launcher in the right hand, a free left arm, a heavy backpack, and extra chest pouches. The Sniper has an alternate head, a pair of arms with a raised sniper rifle, and a smaller backpack.
• Ratling 6: Can be built as a Sneak or a Sniper. The Sneak has a specific head, a hood instead of a backpack that covers their entire body, and a pair of arms with a suppressed sniper rifle. The Sniper has an alternate head, a pair of arms with a sniper rifle, and a backpack.
• Ratling 7: Is female and can be built as a Spotter or a Sniper. The Spotter has a specific head, a special torso with extra pouches, the sniper rifle in the right hand, and binoculars in the left. There’s also a piece of wall for the base. The Sniper has an alternate head, a pair of arms with a sniper rifle, and one of two backpacks.
• Ratling 8: Can be built as a Stashmaster or a Sniper. The Stashmaster has a specific head, a heavy backpack, a right arm carrying a crate, and a left arm holding their head. The Sniper has a differentan alternate head, a pair of arms with a sniper rifle, and a backpack
• Ratling 9: Can be built as a Vox-thief or a Sniper. The Vox-thief has a specific head, a special backpack with a radio, a right arm with a shouldered rifle and a listening device connected by a cable to an earpiece in the left hand. There’s also a separate radio. The Sniper has an alternate head, a pair of arms with a sniper rifle, and a backpack
• Ratling 10: Is a Sniper and has no other options.
• The Battlemut, tripwire, and ammo cache token don’t have assembly options either.

Interchangeable parts:

• Unlike The Wrecking Krew, the build instructions don’t list any freely interchangeable parts. However, all backpacks have the same universal connectors. Most heads are also interchangeable, except the ones that are connected to a hood.

Overall, while the Ratlings have fewer build options compared to the Orks, these little scamps are packed with character, with all sorts of scavenged gear peeking out of their backpacks. And the Battlemut is absolutely adorable.

A quick note: The Ratling Kill Team also allows you to field Ogryns as operatives. However, they are not included in Kill Team: Brutal and Cunning.

Killzone Upgrade: Compound Siege terrain

The terrain pieces for the Volkus Compound upgrade are spread across two identical large sprues. These brand new sprues each contain 1 bunker (the name is a bit misleading as it has neither a roof nor a back wall), 3 stockades (1 of which has a door, 2 of which have removable pieces for breakthroughs), and 3 ammo crates used as fire steps. The stockades have a height of 5.4 cm (5.7 for the door), while the ammo crates fit exactly between two struts of the stockades. Since the sprue is included twice, you get all of that twice, so 2 bunkers, 6 stockades, and 6 ammo crates.

Patreon bonus content: Ultra high-res, uncompressed versions of these sprue images (and backsides of the sprues) can be downloaded here.

Additionally, there are two types of connectors to connect the stockades to the terrain pieces from the Hivestorm or Killzone: Volkus box. However, the connectors only fit the two strongholds, not the Battlezone: Manufactorum Ruins from the 9th edition.

A look into the Brutal and Cunning dossier

If you’ve got the Hivestorm Dossier, you’ll know what to expect from Brutal and Cunning. The XX pages softcover book follows the same format.

• Section 1 delves deeper into the ongoing narrative, taking us outside the Hive and into the ramshackle settlements and defences of the Undermuzzle Barrens. There’s lore for both Kill Teams, along with some atmospheric short stories. Unfortunately, the name generators from the previous edition are missing here as well.
• Section 2 covers the rules for The Wrecka Krew and the Ratlings. The Wrecka Krew includes 1 Nob, 2 Bomb Squigs, and up to 5 Tankbustas and Breaka-Boyz. Their unique mechanic lets operatives generate Wrecka points when they retain an attack dice result of 6. These points can be spent to turn failed attacks into successful ones. The Ratlings have 1 Fixer and 10 operatives, including Ratlings, the Battlemut, and up to three Ogryns or Bullgryns. The Scarper mechanic lets Ratling operatives perform free dash actions after the enemy activates. As with Hivestorm, both Kill Teams have extensive designer comments offering valuable gameplay tips.
• Section 3 is all about missions, including rules for the Compound Siege terrain. The Volkus Compound mission pack is designed for both PvP and PvE, offering thematic and narrative gameplay. One Kill Team attacks the compound, while the other defends it. There are two different maps that require both the Killzone Volkus terrain from Hivestorm and the terrain from Kill Team: Brutal and Cunning.

Value

At £85 / 110 € / $140, the RRP of Kill Team: Brutal and Cunning is on par with previous Kill Team expansion boxes. Compared to buying the models separately, you’ll make a significant saving, especially considering the recent price hike of individual Kill Team boxes due to the inclusion of new edition datacards.

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