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.
The Gellerfield has failed and Papa Nurgle comes to our aid; it is time to cover the Gellerpox Infected. This team has enjoyed a strong position in Kill Team 2021 basically for the entirety of its run, having received far fewer nerfs than its Chaos Cultist cousins. In this respect the Gellerpox have often skirted the line between very good and too good, allowing them to have a near constant representation in the winner’s circle and a high win percentage in general.
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
Gellerpox are a nearly pure melee horde bringing the largest number of operatives available to any team, maxing out at 15. The focus of the team is largely around the four Nightmare Hulks, who rank amongst the toughest and deadliest operatives in the game, backed up by a gang of lesser hangers-on many of whom are even more disposable than Devotees, the lowest of the low.
Special Rule: Techno-Curse, Revoltingly Resilient, Mutoid Vermin, and Nightmare Hulks
Hoo boy we have quite a few special rules here, but fortunately most of the changes are simply reworking rules and concepts we are already familiar with. Techno-Curse now affects enemies within control range of your operatives (three inches of Glitchlings), and has three different effects, one of which is chosen for the entire team at operative selection. Barrelwarp provides -1 to the attack profile of ranged weapons, Screaming Rustspikes cause 1 damage to enemies in combat whenever they discard any failed hits, and Viral Vox-Static prevents positive APL modification. The addition of these latter two finally gives Gellerpox players a few more options where they had very little; however, none of these are drastically game altering.
Mutoid Vermin and Nightmare Hulk are basically unchanged. Vermin allows opponents to ignore most of the restriction involving movement around opposing operatives, but makes said operatives not count against you in terms of scoring. Hulks still can’t hide behind Light Cover, and unique actions are barred to them (excluding Vulgrar); however, they can now Open Doors.
The biggest overall change is that Revolting Resilience now suffers the same changes almost every other wound ignoring ability has undergone. Every time an operative receives damage of 3+ they may reduce that amount by 1 on a 5+.
Credit: Pendulin
Team Composition
Gellerpox have long held the distinction of being an 11 operative team that uses its equipment to push itself up by additional four operatives in the form of Mutoid Vermin, and this hasn’t changed, making them technically the most numerous team in the game. This results in a very unique team dynamic where you almost have a pseudo-elite core surrounded by more than double their number of some of the weakest operatives in the game.
Playing This Team
Gellerpox play is rather simple in concept, but that isn’t to say that just anyone can win with them. Historically, they have relied on their extreme durability to carry them to victory, the unpredictable nature of 5+ “Feel No Pain” rolls being the bane of players everywhere. This would often require your opponent to over commit to kill a Nightmare Hulk out of fear of a spiked defensive roll. With this ability basically gone, Gellerpox players will have to be more careful than ever going forward.
With this in mind the strategy to victory remains the same, keep your Glitchlings safe, acting as objective holders or meeting the requirements of Tac Ops, while your Hulks and Mutants do the hard work of killing your opponent. Ultimately, the goal is get into combat with a foe who has already activated, or simply pass on fighting. Being caught in the open is now more than ever the last thing a Gellerpox player wants, and therefore hugging their opponent (preferably in their own territory) is a very solid strategy for staying safe. This strategy is made easier by ploys such as Barge and Frightening Onslaught, or operatives like the Bloatspawn preventing enemies from Falling Back.
Credit: Pendulin
What’s Changed?
In addition to the changes already mentioned there are some things that need to be covered, although most of this team’s capabilities remain the same.
In the Strategic Ploys we see some significant changes, with Drawn to the Hum receiving a massive nerf, no longer providing pre-Fight Phase movement but instead simply giving non-Vermin operatives +1 movement if they perform a Reposition or Charge action that brings them into control range of the selected Objective. Plagueridden Determination replaces Blessings of the Pox now allowing a single defense die to be re-rolled if failed while under an Engage Order.
Things are less dire when it comes to the Firefight ploys as Polluted Stockpile has been moved to equipment and replaced by Revolting Technology which allows you to give the Hot special rule to an enemy weapon.
Vulgrar has unfortunately lost his CP generation ability, and in exchange gained Spread the Glorious Gifts which allows him to mark an objective grant your select Techno-Curse to any enemies within control range with some of the variants being slightly stronger. While this perhaps not as useful as straight up receiving additional CP it is very likely to come into play given the reduction in markers. The Pyregut ability has lost 1 attack, but still remains one of the deadliest Flamer profiles in the game. The remaining Hulks are almost entirely unchanged with the exception that all have gained an additional 2 wounds, presumably to make up for Revoltingly Resilient changes, 1 less movement, and the Bloatspawn lost 1 attack from its ranged profile.
Glitchlings and Mutants both have a few light changes, with Glitchlings having a 6+ save but on three dice and their ranged attack normal damage increased by 1, while Mutants lose Relentless on their improvised profile. These are very minor, and will likely mean little in the grand scheme.
Lastly, equipment is somewhat improved with Vermin now being an option that grants two operatives of your choice, and that may be taken twice. As mentioned earlier Polluted Stockpile is here and now allows you to discard an opponent’s equipment selection of your choice on a 7+ using 2d6. If you roll less than 7 they get to choose, which is still pretty damn good. Plague Bellows is basically an auto-take option that returns the range of your Techno-Curse to 2 inches on Nightmare Hulks. Mutated Symptoms allows a single operative to be under the effect of an additional Techno-Curse effect, once per game. Rather unimpressive when you think of something like Warded Armor on Legionnaires that can be used every Turning Point.
Credit: Pendulin
Three Cool Things About This Team:
- Fantastic Sculpts. The Gellerpox Infected were released in KT18 alongside the Elucidian Starstriders who were both instant standouts in a version of Kill Team that was rather lackluster. The Gellerpox Nightmare Hulks are some of the more interesting Nurgle themed models released by GW along with a suitable gross lore backstory.
- Durability. If you want to run some of the most durable operatives in the game this is the team to take.
- Elites that aren’t Space Marines. The Nightmare Hulks are the entire selling point of this team, and if the idea of moving around what is basically the equivalent of Knights in a KT setting is your thing then here you are. Calling them “elites” might not be fair since they’re APL 2 models in a technically horde team, but they are the closest thing you’re going to find outside power armor or a Patriarch.
Final Thoughts
The Gellerpox Infected have taken a noticeable hit. The reduction in the effectiveness of Revoltingly Resilient and the complete change of Drawn to the Hum does a lot to really take this team down a step. While they’re not in the basement with their Chaos Cultist cousins they’re not likely to be the constant podium presence like they were before.
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