Kill Team is a fun, balanced skirmish game, with very thematic teams to choose from. Space Marines play like tough super soldiers and Orks are very anarchic. It also has a cooperative mode where players work together to beat NPOs (non player operatives) and achieve a shared objective. The range of available teams, 42 at the last count, and stats for various NPOs fills a very nice toolbox for the creation of narrative scenarios. This coupled with the fact that I’ve always wanted to play a big game hunt with dinosaurs since playing 40K as a kid has inspired me to build a kill team narrative mission. Of course there needs to be various twists and turns in there too. After all, no narrative mission is complete without secret objectives.
This mission is for six players plus a GM.
Mission Context
The Imperial Governor of Neblar Prime is celebrating his 150th birthday. Tradition dictates that he host a big game hunt as a core part of the festivities. Being useless with a gun, the Governor has engaged the famed Imperial hunter Thaddeus Ravenwick to bag a few dinosaurs for the feast. Of course, the hunters exploits will be televised across the planet so that all the citizens can share the excitement of this momentous occasion. It will be good for the morale of the workers.
However, the Governor should be more worried about the morale of the workers. Even now rebellion is fermenting, aided by a nefarious genestealer cult. The locals, who revere the dinosaurs are being stirred up and have been convinced that disrupting the hunt will spark an uprising that will overthrow their uncaring overlords once and for all!
The Imperial Hunter confronts the Young blood in thick jungles of Neblar Prime.
Factions and Objectives
This game is set for six players split into two factions, the imperial hunters and the zealous rebels/cult. A third faction, consisting of three dinosaurs will be run by the GM.
To win the imperials must kill more dinosaurs than the rebels can save. Five points each respectively. In addition each player will score three points for completing their secret objective.
Characters
Each player gets one character and one to two support operatives. I have listed them below including the equivalent Kill Team stats for each as well as their secret objective. All the Kill Team operative stats are free to download from the Warhammer website.
Team Imperial
Big Game Hunter:
The famous Thaddeus Ravenwick (Angels of Death Eliminator).
His trusty manservant Djeeves (Exaction Squad Vigilant).
Secret Objective: Keep your legend alive, kill at least two dinosaurs.
Long Suffering Security Detail:
Lt Salazza (Rogue Trader Void Master)
Shadowy guard (Rogue Trader Death Cult Assassin)
Secret Objective: Do your job, make sure Thaddeus is alive at the end of the scenario.
Imperial Scouts:
Lead scout Ragman (Space Marine Scout Sgt)
Scout (Space Marine Scout Hunter)
Secret Objective: Had a bar fight with the Rebel Gunna last night and need to finish what he started, make sure he is dead by the end of the scenario.
Rebels (Sneaky Genestealer Cult!)
The Boss:
Rebel Leader Vispoz (Wyrmblade Kelemorph)
Cult Brother (Brood Brother trooper)
Secret Objective: Make sure Thaddeus is dead by the end of the scenario and fuel the fire of the rebellion.
The Heavy
Gunna Bigarms (Brood Brother with grenade launcher)
Buddy (Brood Brother trooper)
Secret Objective: Had a bar fight with the Scout Ragman last night and need to finish what he started, make sure he is dead by the end of the scenario.
The Young Blood
Falco Soarer (Wyrmblade Primus)
Buddy (Brood Brother trooper)
Secret Objective: If The Boss doesn’t make it out alive you’ll get promoted. Make sure he doesn’t.
Kill Team Dinosaurs
The GM will control three mega fauna (dinosaurs) that the hunting party are stalking. These will be set up together in the designated area. Kill team stats as follows:
Grand Lizard (x1):
APL 3, Move 6″, Save 4+, Wounds 30
Melee Claws and Teeth Attack 6, 3+ 5/6 Relentless
Ignore piercing (tough hide), can attack twice per activation.
Sub Lizard (x2):
APL 2, Move 7″, Save 5+, Wounds 20
Melee Teeth Attack 4 3+ 4/5
The kill team dinosaurs operate in a simple way.
If they can see an operative – Charge and attack the closest.
If they cannot see an operative move in a random direction.
“I’m sure the lizard is around here somewhere”
Game Set Up
For this Kill Team narrative mission place thick jungle terrain across the board. Feel free to add ruined temples, abandoned hab blocks etc. Make the terrain denser than a normal Kill Team battle. A jungle stream with 2 bridges is also a fun addition. The dinosaurs start in a clearing to the right of the board. Make sure to have no firing lanes between the Imperial deployment and the dinosaur clearing.
Kill Team Narrative Mission map – play around with the set up to make something that looks thematic with limited firing lanes.
Terrain Rules
Some suggested rules for the terrain are:
Stream – minus 2″ to movement when crossing.
Jungle – blocks line of sight and gives light cover.
Ruins etc – heavy cover and blocks line of sight.
Playing The Mission
Players position themselves around the table in alternating order: Imperial-Rebel-Imperial-Rebel etc. Roll for initiative and play moves in the above order.
No tac ops, no crit ops. The sole mission is that described above.
Play lasts for 4 turns.
Final Thoughts
Although I’ve designed this narrative mission with Kill Team in mind this could very easily be ported to Space Weirdos or 5 Parsecs from Home. In fact I’m aiming to run this at the local club using Kill Team and Space Weirdos for the next Marty Con. I’ll write up a battle report when the dust has settled.
I’d love to hear if anyone uses this scenario. But if nothing else I hope I’ve shown that Kill Team can be used for some different narrative style missions. There is so much scope here. Lots of inspiration can be drawn from WW2 commando actions and I’m looking at how to create a 40Kified Battle of Termoli.
Following the success of my last Kill Team narrative campaign at my local club I’ve decided to run another one. This time I want to incorporate some of the feedback from the participants in an attempt to heighten the narrative and increase engagement. Membership at the club has increased over the last few months so I’m hopeful we can have even more players than previous. But first I need to plan the narrative and scope. So read on for my Kill Team campaign design notes, to get my take on where this next event might take us.
Campaign Scope
While the last campaign was purposefully kept as simple as possible I want to increase the length and scope of this attempt without stretching myself or the players too thin. A couple of goals I’ve set myself includes:
Longer event without losing momentum. 7 week campaign this time round.
Engaging storyline that goes beyond the regular 40 faction divides of Chaos, Imperium and Xenos.
More opportunities for narrative.
Links to previous Promethium Wars event.
Include more than 12 players if possible.
Accessible to all play levels.
Multiplayer events.
Multiplayer grand finale.
Succession War Narrative
In an attempt to open up the alliances to multiple factions I’ve worked in a narrative based around the death of a Planetary Governor on an Imperial World. His offspring are fighting for the governorship supported by multiple factions. The plot will look something like this:
In the dying embers of the Forge World Velkira Prime, the great Steward Magus Regulus Thane lies on the edge of death. His three children—each bearing different visions for the planet’s future—prepare to seize power.
Amid their silent war of diplomacy, bribery, and sabotage, an external threat looms: Rhyskar the Unbound, a newly ascended Daemon Prince, seeks dominion of the system to prove his worth to the Chaos Pantheon. With Pyrothis V already in ruin, Velkira Prime is next.
The Imperium watches. The Xenos listen. And the Forge World burns with secrets.
Players take the role of shadow operatives, kill teams loyal to hidden masters. At the beginning of the campaign, each player secretly chooses a sibling to support. Each sibling also has one player assigned as their Captain—privy to deeper strategy and mission briefings.
Sibling Factions
The player base will be split across the three sibling factions regardless of whichever faction their Kill Team is aligned to. While each sibling is outwardly aligned to a particular faction they actually appeal to all three as described below.
Darian Thane – The Iron Heir
Loyalty: The Imperium
Vision: A brutal but stable militarized technocracy. Increased tithe to the Imperium to win political favor.
Theme: Order, sacrifice, grim determination.
Support: Militarum, Adeptus Mechanicus hardliners, conservative Space Marine chapters.
Darian Thane the Iron Heir
Chaos Support: Chaos-aligned factions view Darian’s rigid order as fertile ground for insidious infiltration. His obsessive devotion to law and productivity blinds him to the slow rot within. Imperial Support: Darian is the traditionalist’s choice. He vows loyalty to the Imperium, pledges increased tithes, and promotes military strength and hierarchy. Xenos Support: Pragmatic T’au or mercenary Kroot may ally with Darian via under-the-table deals with his logisticians, supplying rare resources or weapons in exchange for toleration.
Selene Thane – The Hidden Flame
Loyalty: Xenos sympathizer
Vision: Secret alliances with the T’au and Aeldari to boost production and evade Imperial taxes.
Chaos Support: Chaos cults view Selene’s obsession with innovation and progress as an open door to Tzeentchian manipulation. Her radical reforms destabilize the status quo—perfect for seeding anarchy. Imperial Support: Some elements in the Imperium (Inquisition radicals, free-thinking Magi, or certain Rogue Traders) see her ideas as necessary evils for survival on the frontier. Xenos Support: Selene has already opened discreet trade lines with T’au diplomats and Aeldari seers. Her faction embraces alien tech, psychic insight, and fringe experimentation.
Kato Thane – The Pale Prophet
Loyalty: Chaos
Vision: A Forge World as a daemon-forge of flesh and steel. Secretly devoted to Nurgle and Tzeentch.
Chaos Support: Kato is a willing servant of Chaos. His hidden cults grow daily, and his daemon-forges swell with unsanctioned warp energies. He dreams of apotheosis. Imperial Support: Kato presents himself as a quiet, dutiful son. Loyalist factions that prefer a weak or pliable ruler may support him as a puppet candidate. Xenos Support: Genestealer Cult remnants, radical Necron Crypteks, or even Ork Mekboyz might be amused by Kato’s grotesque tech-heresy. Some see his reign as inevitable—and profitable.
Player Distribution and Captains
In an effort to even up the teams players will be assigned based on rough skill level and experience. A captain will also be assigned with the aim of hyping up their team as well as dishing out specialist campaign equipment. The captains will also be tasked with encouraging the narrative within the campaign, creating rivalries and grudges etc.
Campaign Progression
Campaign progression will look something like the following:
Week
Theme
Crit Ops
Notes
1
Fires of Ambition
Secure – Capture Key industrial sites on Velkias Prime
2
Silent Alliances
Dead Drop – Deliver/collect coded intel across the map
Team Captains will be given a selection of rare equipment to pass out to their team members.
3
Saboteurs Unleashed
Sabotage of key rival infrastructure
2v2 Half teams multiplayer missions
4
Assassination
Assassination crit op targeting rival leaders
The sibling with the weakest control is assassinated and removed from the race. Lost faction players redistributed to the winners.
5
Aftershocks Turf War
Seize and control disputed territory
Captains given further assets to distribute to their teams.
6
Final Strike
Kill Op, wipe out the other teams
2v2 Half teams multiplayer missions Adding double control points.
7
Control
Large multiplayer event set in the Governors Palace
Players bring 1-2 operatives for a final show down. Which faction will control the winning Sibling?
Victory Conditions
A simple map of Velkaria Prime divided into 5 sectors will form the basis of the win condition. Each game (decided or rolled for by the players) will take place in a different sector and a win will create a control point in that location. Control of the planet will therefore take on a visual aspect as control of the different sectors changes hands.
Having a map came up a lot in the player feedback and will form a central unifying aspect of this Kill team campaign design.
A separate element will be the Champion. Each player will nominate a champion (not their leader). Each champion gets a point for every Kill they make. This will form a different leader board giving players another victory condition to work towards.
Final Thoughts on the Kill Team Campaign Design
With regards to this Kill Team campaign design, I’m hoping that the mix of factions and player captains and map will all serve to keep the players engaged. As well as the multiplayer events and shifts in the story arc.
While players will be assigned to factions, it will be important that they develop a narrative around why their team is supporting the given sibling and work changes in the plot.
While a little more complicated than the previous campaign, the administration is actually fairly limited for me as the Arbitrator (organiser). Having the captains help corral players will also be a big help.
Looking forward to getting the map, missions and player pack finalized and kicking it off in a couple of months.
One of things I love about Dungeons and Dragons campaigns is the worldbuilding. Particularly when the world advances and changes through the player actions and creativity. My long standing Salkire campaign evolved from a ruined city to a huge world with kingdoms, factions and villains vying for attention. All formed through gameplay and collaboration between my players and me, as DM. Over the last couple of years I have rediscovered sci fi wargaming with a particular focus on Warhammer 40K lore. I discovered the incredible Corvus Cluster, a long running blog tying together a groups games into one long running and immersive campaign. Ultimately, not too dissimilar to a long term D&D campaign really. Using this as inspiration I wanted to do similar worldbuilding for my own 40K inspired games. Mordax Prime is the result.
What is Mordax Prime
Mordax Prime a sector of space in the Warhammer 40K universe that I have developed as a narrative backdrop for my 40K inspired games. While I have retrofitted some of my previous games into this Sector, future games will be informed by and change the setting. My hope is that the setting begins to take a life of it’s own. Dictated by the outcomes of games and player actions. As mentioned previously this is narrative focused, providing colour and setting to our games. Players will know that game outcomes will have impact and I hope that this will add flavour not present in a normal game.
Star chart of Mordax Prime. A good starting place.
The Mordax Sector begins the campaign under Imperial control. Of course, this is likely to change as the narrative progresses.
Current Worlds
These were easy to develop using AI prompts as well as additions from my own imagination. I knew that I needed Luthca IV and a jungle death world, based on previous skirmish games I’d run. Other than that I was open to other 40K tropes like the forge and hive worlds. The last addition was the navy watch station. As I’d had pirate captain Mad Claw make an appearance in a game I want to explore this narrative a bit more. An Imperial naval port is exactly the location needed to help it play out in an exciting way.
So far, Mordax Prime comprises the following worlds. Of course new worlds and clusters may appear over time as the narrative dictates. As you can see from the descriptions below there is plenty of scope for conflict already.
Helios Magna (Hive World and Sector capital)
Description: A sprawling, industrial hive world teeming with millions of souls and the Administratum center for the system. Its vast manufactorums supply weapons and armor for the Imperial Guard. The towering spires of the hive cities are hotspots for intrigue and rebellion, making it a critical point of interest for both Imperial and Chaos forces.
Strategic Importance: Helios Magna’s output is vital for sustaining Imperial war efforts. Control of this planet secures supply lines and access to vast manpower resources.
Challenges: Frequent underhive uprisings and the ever-present threat of Genestealer Cult infiltration.
Verdantia Prime (Death World)
Description: A lush, verdant world filled with dangerous flora and fauna. The thick jungles are a perfect hiding place for renegades and xenos. It’s rumored to be home to ancient artifacts of great power.
Strategic Importance: Control of Verdantia Prime offers access to rare resources and strategic defensive positions. It’s also a key site for potential xeno-archaeological discoveries. Thought to house a top secret Dark Angels training facility.
Challenges: Navigating treacherous terrain and dealing with constant ambushes from Tyranid bioforms or feral Chaos cultists.
Aetherion V (Forge World)
Description: A heavily fortified forge world, Aetherion V is known for its production of advanced weaponry and vehicles. It is a linchpin in the sector’s defenses, equipped with formidable orbital platforms and ground-based macro-cannons.
Strategic Importance: Control of Aetherion V ensures a steady flow of high-quality wargear and defensive capabilities. It’s also a prime target for sabotage by the Chaos Space Marines.
Challenges: Infiltration by Chaos cults and the risk of large-scale conflicts breaking out in its production facilities.
Luthca IV (Industrial World)
Description: Highly productive factorium world built over ancient ruins. Supplies nearby sectors with manufacturing and agricultural machinery. Caches of archaeotech are thought to lie hidden deep within the Cinder Desert and in the roots of the hive cities.
Strategic Importance: While of lower manufacturing importance than Luminara Secundus, Luthca IV is the focus of many expeditions looking for ancient artefacts thought to provide great power..
Challenges: Both Chaos cults and Xenos vie with Imperial and Mechanicus agents in the search for forbidden tech. It is also rumoured that a Chaos gate lies buried deep beneath Hive Secundo.
Watchpoint Epsilon (Imperial Port)
Description: Key naval station providing patrols of nearby warp lanes.
Strategic Importance: Home of Watchfleet Epsilon, key in the defense of the Sector and nearby warp lanes.
Challenges: Seen as a backwater posting has led to dissatisfaction and potential heresy amongst some of the officer cadre.
Luminara Secundus (Pleasure World/Trade Hub)
Description: Known for its beautiful landscapes and luxury, Luminara Secundus serves as a retreat for the sector’s elite and a bustling trade hub. Its relative tranquility makes it an ideal location for diplomacy or covert operations.
Strategic Importance: Though less militarized, control of Luminara Secundus provides economic leverage and a base for Rogue Traders. It also serves as a critical node for intelligence gathering.
Challenges: The planet’s affluence attracts both political machinations from Imperial Nobles and covert infiltration by Chaos agents.
Active Factions
A number of factions are thought to be active within Mordax Prime. These are listed below with significant personalities coming from previous games and player invention.
Inquisition: Rooting out heresy and maintaining order.
Inquisitor Jaegermann: Ordo Hereticus seeking out daemonic influences with the Imperial hierarchy.
Rogue Traders: Seeking profit and ancient relics.
Benedictus Sixtus: notorious Rogue Trader known to play all sides. Fond of tall tales.
Imperial Nobles: Defending their estates and political power.
The Duchess: Leader of the most powerful family on Helios Magna.
Sisters of Battle: Purging heretics and xenos.
Enclave of the Veiled Light: Located on Helios Magna.
Space Marines: Responding to major threats with precision strikes.
Dark Angels: Secret training base in the jungles of Verdantia Prime.
Lancet Hereticus: Elements of this Inquisition controlled chapter thought to be active in this sector.
Imperial Guard: Garrisoning key locations and mounting large-scale defenses.
Tyranids: Emerging from hidden bio-ships, consuming everything in their path.
Possibly identified on Verdantia Prime. Thought to be connected to the researches of the late radical Inquisitor Tiberious Glaze.
Genestealer Cult: Sowing rebellion from within.
Heralds of the Star Children: active on Luthca IV, threat level high. Currently being investigated by Dark Angels and agents of the Inquisition.
Forces of Chaos: Undermining Imperial control and seeking to bring the sector into the warp.
Acolytes of the Red Mist: active on Luthca IV threat level unknown.
Mad Claw Crew: notorious pirate currently working from a secret location in the Starfire Shallows.
Plenty of scope for interesting battles, with room enough for additional factions as play progresses.
Current Campaign Log
This was a really fun part of the worldbuilding for me. Placing past games into the sector started uncovering links between factions and planets. Consequently, Mordax Prime is beginning to feel more than a map with some planet names. Life has been breathed into it.
356.658.M41 Unrest on Luthca IV
During a period of unrest on Luthca IV an Inquisitor, Enforcers, Planetary Guard, Acolytes of the Red Mist, Mining Guild and Infractionist gangs fought a vicious skirmish. Each group was making the most of the unrest to pursue their own agendas. Ultimately, Inquisitor Jaegermans retinue won the firefight retrieving the infamous Chaos artefact “Belial Goblet”.
Gangers face off in the streets of Luthca IV
357.020.M41 Echoes of Xenos
Located in the nearby Lupin Sector, Rogue Trader Benedictus Sixtus competed with various Inquisitors and Adeptus Mechanicus to retrieve heretical research of the late Ordo Xenos Inquisitor Tiberious Glaze. The battle raged over a number of sectors and moons as the warbands pursued the trail of clues. Despite battling an emergent Xenos threat Sixtus escaped with the research and fled to the Mordax Sector intent on finding a buyer.
Gun servitor covers an Inquisitor as he explores the depths of an orbital gun platform
357.125.M41 Jungle Hunt
Imperial troopers of the navy and guard pursued the downed vessel of the notorious pirate captain Mad Claw into the jungles of the death world Verdantia Prime. A vicious firefight broke out between the renegades and the brave Imperial patrol. The noise of the firefight awoke some xenos terrors of the jungle, who grabbed combatants from both sides from the leafy darkness. Those lost were never seen again. Unfortunately, Mad Claw and his allies applied superior tactics and fought their way to freedom. The Captain and his crew are thought to be hiding in the Starfire Shallows nursing their hunger for revenge.
It is rumoured that some of the research uncovered by Benedictus Sixtus has made its way to the planet surface. But how or why is unknown.
A brave naval trooper hides as a xenos monster stalks the jungle
357.450.M41 Potential Heresy on Helios Magna
A small but lethal force of suspected Dark Angel space marines assaulted an Ecclesiarchy compound on Helios Magna. The garrison of Adepta Sororitas (Order of the Veiled Light) scrambled quickly to defend. However, could not match the firepower of the marines and their formidable dreadnought. By the time reinforcements arrived the Dark Angels had disappeared as mysteriously as they had appeared, their objective unknown.
Dark Angels capture the objective under the heavy yet ineffective fire from the Sisters of Battle
357.556.M41 The Heist: Luthca IV
On the edge of Hive Secundo a multitude of gangs competed to retrieve a dangerous xenos artefact from the convoy of a Mechanicus expedition. What started as a tense standoff erupted into extreme violence as the hivers made and broke alliances while mercilessly blasting one another. Before order could be restored the artefact was opened releasing a powerful daemonic entity onto the planet. Few survivors lived to tell the tale. Yet, the Planetary Governor has requested aid to eliminate the creature.
Tense standoff before the firefight erupted
The warp daemon materializes causing mass panic!
357.790.M41 Verdantia Prime Ambush
A Dark Angels patrol was ambushed by an unidentified xenos threat whilst on a training exercise in an abandoned outpost on Verdantia Prime. The space marines fought with characteristic courage obliterating the opposing force. Needless to say, agents of the Inquisition are currently investigating the source of this surprising incursion. It is rumoured amongst those who know that the xenos threat is connected to the research purloined by Benedictus Sixtus and his crew. This incident has been linked to the Xenos discovered during the pursuit of Mad Claw and his gang.
A group of unidentified xenos approach the Dark Angel position
357.800.M41 Heralds of the Star Children Bomb threat
Local enforcers on Luthca IV uncovered a plot to destroy the primary administratum building on Hive Primus. Members of the Heralds of the Star Children placed a large explosive device with the vicinity. Fortunately, it wasn’t set properly giving a small Dark Angels detachment the chance to intercept.
A vicious firefight erupted within the shadowed streets below the administratum. The Heralds employed a psyker of note giving the space marines a difficult time of things. Fortunately, the heroes of the Imperium killed wiped out the xenos heretics and diffused the bomb, saving the Hive from a terrible fate. Inquisitor Mattias Criese has been assigned the investigation of the rogue psyker and this cult, which are both now more than just minor annoyances.
Children of the Star Children advance through the empty streets intent on reaching the bomb first
357.850.M41 Xenos Hunt
Following the recent thwarted bomb threat on Luthca IV by Dark Angels Forces, Inquisitor Criese has been actively investigating the Heralds of the Star Children. In an effort to prevent any further insurrection the Inquisitor has dispatched a crack team of agents to take out Magos Drevender the revered leader of the cult.
The kill team tracked him down into the depths of Hive Primus. But before they could raid the xenos cult an unseen sentry alerted the Magos. Cult members frenziedly assaulted the agents trying to buy time for their illustrious leader to escape. However, Drevender couldn’t quite get there. Instead, he was gunned down by two agents in a hail of bolter shells.
So ended the uprising of the Star Children. The next battle will explore a different narrative from Mordax Prime.
Drevender flees round the corner towards a battle hardened agent of the inquisition, and ultimately his own doom!
Final thoughts on Worldbuilding
This exercise in worldbuilding has been a lot of fun. Tying together the battles into a narrative was much easier than expected and the sector began to take on a life of its own. Are the remnants of the Star Children thirsting for revenge? Will teh Sisters of Battle start investigating the Dark Angels? Where will Mad Claw and his pirates raid next? Is the chaos gate open and what came through? Will the Tyranid presence on Verdantia Prime summon a larger invasion fleet? So many options for exciting games ahead.
Spending a bit of time developing a campaign world for your games is a fun exercise and adds a fantastic narrative aspect to your games. I highly recommend.
How have you had success developing campaign backgrounds?
