The 2024 Edition of Kill Team has overhauled the game, changing rules, datasheets, and bringing with it an updated set of rules for every team in the game. In this series we’re taking a look at each team, how they’ve changed, and what it means for how they play in the new edition.

And here we are again, a new dawn has arrived and with it a new team. Today we’re talking about the Blades of Khaine – a fast, versatile and adaptable kill team whose elves move through the battlefield with light feet and heavy blows. In this review we’ll talk about what changed for the team in this edition and how they’ll play.

Before we dive in, we’d like to thank Games Workshop for providing a preview copy of these rules for review purposes.

The Video Version of the Review

If you’d like to watch a video review of the team, you should check out the following, courtesy of Can You Roll a Crit?

Team Overview

The Blades of Khaine are a faction known for their speed (7″ MOV) and the huge tactical possibilities made possible thanks to their 3 APL. They’re a team with only three types of models, but their techniques make them incredibly adaptable to whatever the enemy throws at you. It’s this flexibility which gives skilled players a significant advantage in the killzone. The downside? Durability – these operatives are extremely fragile, with just 8 wounds each, though they possess a variety of tricks to help them avoid danger and stay on the battlefield longer. Additionally, they have several mechanics which allow them to exert a lot of pressure, making them the ultimate glass cannons. That said, there’s a limit to this pressure – their weapons lack penetration, and that can cause them to struggle against elite teams with heavy armor.

Special Rules: Aspect Techniques

The hallmark of the Blades of Khaine are the Aspect Warriors who make up the team. Each aspect has a full page of abilities available. You cannot use more than one ability per activation or counteraction, and you cannot repeat a technique in the same Turning Point unless your entire team is mono-aspect, in which case you can use the techniques twice (though this will be quite rare). These rules will be familiar to most players returning from last edition, though a number of small changes have been made. The most noteworthy is Dire Avengers being able to gain Lethal 5+ on a Shooting action.

Team Composition

Here’s where the problems start. In Kill Team 2021, it was common to field a composition with all the aspects to fulfill their faction secondary. Something similar could happen here, as the number of aspects you assign will determine which secondary objectives you can play. I think it’s interesting to field several Striking Scorpions, for example, since the opening to infiltration Tac-Ops significantly improves this team.

A standard composition for this team could be: two Avengers, three Banshees, and three Scorpions, with the Exarch being either of the latter two. Another option against elites is to focus more on Banshees, but in that case, you might get locked into Recon, which could complicate the game.

Playing This Team

The Blades of Khaine are a hit-and-run team with several mechanics to prevent getting wounded, deny re-rolls at key moments, or even survive combats through pre-emptive parries. At all times, you’ll feel like you’re living on the edge, but that edge can quickly turn into an energy blade capable of cutting through multiple enemies. Move out, shoot at something with Seek using your Scorpions, or stun it with your Banshee, attack and switch to Conceal, shoot with your Avengers using Torrent or Lethal 5+… There are endless tricks available to you if you play them right.

What’s Changed?

The changes have been minimal in this edition, showing that this is a third-season team with fewer adjustments needed.

Regarding operatives, the Exarchs have lost their ballistic and combat improvements like other leaders. The Avenger Exarch has seen a few changes to make him more durable, thanks to his Shimmershield, and with his defense tactics, he’s become a bit more reliable. However, his shuriken pistols have lost Relentless, replaced with Ceaseless, and in my opinion, he remains the weakest Avenger. The Banshee Exarch has lost 1” of Torrent, but otherwise remains the same and is a great addition to your KT. The Scorpion Exarch remains unchanged. The warriors have stayed the same, though the change in pistol range (from 6″ to 8″) is very beneficial.

On the other hand, the techniques have seen minor tweaks, such as the Avenger now being able to gain Lethal 5+ in a shot or shoot more reliably with Unstinting, Immovable. The rest of the techniques have remained similar to what they were in KT 21. As for the ploys, their efficiency has improved (going from Balanced to Ceaseless), and they’ve gained Dance of Death, which allows you to swap the position of two operatives, either saving a wounded one or positioning the operatives as needed. The firefight ploys have not changed.

In terms of equipment, the Shielding Rune now applies to any operative, making it much more versatile, and they also gain a Bone Talisman, making them more efficient.

Three Cool Things About This Team

• Fast: With 3 APL and 7” movement, they are one of the fastest teams in the game.
• Lots of tricks: Like their Phobos counterparts, they are one of the teams with the most tools in the game. They are much more fragile, but they compensate for this by being 8 operatives with tons of possibilities in the Killzone, thanks to their powerful techniques.
• Feel the Eldar power: They truly feel like Eldar – fragile, fast, and with tricks in every activation. This faction is designed to delight the most skilled players.

Final Thoughts

The Blades of Khaine have received very few changes. It’s clear that this is a Kill Team already designed for the third year of our game. However, the subtle changes dramatically enhance their abilities. Pistols with 8″ range, the shield at any time… these are far more powerful tools than they were in KT2, and we’ll have to keep an eye on how the Blades develop in the current Kill Team.
I’ll see you in the comments!

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