Alternative 40K?

Much of your 40K experience is dictated by the local gaming scene you exist in, be it large or small. My early 40K years were just three dudes playing 40K in the basement- my buddy Naps with marines, Miguana with squats (still hasn’t forgiven me!), and yours truly with Eldar baby! Later on, thanks to the magik of the internet my gaming experience has evolved into playing with the Battle for Salvation gaming club, along with other shops and groups in the New York area. An awesome time to be playing 40K, I have it great.

So what is the “norm” for our club? Honestly, the majority of the players are 100% competitive dudes who play mainly at the 2K level. Honestly, I have lots of fun playing at this level even if it is with less than optimal codex’s (read : ‘Nids, Eldar, and ‘Crons), but even I know I’m missing out on other 40K experiences.

I think it is safe to say many of us fall in the middle of 40K- we play the standard missions, maybe tweaked a bit for tournaments at 1500-2000 points, but keep in mind there is also Apocalypse games AND alternatives like city fight and battle missions to offer an alternative 40K experience.

And that is what this post is about, enjoying 40K in all its aspects…

Better late than never right? I picked up the Battle Mission book recently and was pleased to find the kill team mission in the back, especially since I have been rocking Mordheim recently with my Dwarves- 40K “Mordheim”, sign me up!

For those without the Battle Mission book (buy it!) Kill Team is a small skirmish based scenario where you have 200 point to build your army with 0-1 Elite, Fast, and 0-2 Troop choices. Once you have your army and deploy each model then acts as its own “unit”- moving, shooting, and assaulting as normal. Once you then take 50% losses you start making leadership tests to see if your squad falls back. One final layer is that you also get to assign a USR’ to three models representing veteran troopers. Right away you can imagine a relentless model with a heavy weapon, moving and firing on the go…

Quick, easy, and playable in 30 minutes or so even going slow and tactical.

So why has the Kill Team been a blast?

On average you play with around ten models or so, and it is a fantastic way to “start” a new army without really starting one. Maybe you have always liked Dire Avengers but don’t want to start Eldar fully, or just can’t commit to the $$$ right now- one box and you are set. Overwhelmed with the paint and build prospect of a 2K+ army, easy to do in with just a squad. Of course GW isn’t really happy with you playing their game with only a single box/few guys- one of the reasons they “killed” Mordheim. Could be a GW “protest” if that is your thing.

Surprisingly tactics with only ten or so dudes is HUGE, since every loss hurts and can lose you the game- think of real squad level tactics- no “It’s no big deal I lost a dread since I have FIVE more…”

Layered over this I’ve been further playing the battle missions and city fight scenarios using the Kill Team rules- battle reports and the like to follow of course.

So who are the two Fritz Kill teams?

First up is the Dark Angels…

While you rarely see me playing Space Marines, it’s not because I don’t like them, quite the opposite, I really do, but since everybody else at the club plays them, it gets boring real quick playing MvM- one of the main reasons I’ve taken up ‘Nids- but with Dark Angels I can have my cake and eat is also.

I’m both the good guy and the bad guy depending on my opponent. If I’m facing xeno scum or heretics I’m fighting in the Emperor’s name- if I’m facing my fellow battle brothers then I have to kill them so they don’t learn about the fallen, or maybe one of the fallen is even in their ranks and he needs to be brought back to the rock for a little chat.

Tactically I go in with a full tactical squad (and we’ll get down to breaking up the how and why in a few posts) with a melta gun, las-cannon, and a sarge with a plasma pistol. A good mix of bodies, fire support, and 3+ armor saves.

 

My other Kill Team is entirely new and fresh. I’ve always wanted to play Tau, but honestly at this point I’m not jumping into those waters till a new codex comes out. BUT in the mean time I can still play them in Kill Team taking along ten fire warriors and a suit. Minimal cost, built and painted in a weekend, and I’m playing “Tau”. A battle suit with FNP thanks to the injector AND eternal warrior thanks to the USR is a little one man (or should I say Tau) army. Been a blast…all for the greater good of course!

Nice to remember there is more to the 40K hobby then just however your group currently plays the game, be ready to explore and enjoy the alternatives to the game out there.

Put together a Kill Team- what are/would you run?