The claustrophobic terrain of the Gallowdark presents brand new challenges for kill teams used to open spaces and high Vantage Points. Tight corridors will force operatives into close-range firefights and desperate charges – you’ll need to re-think your rosters before tackling the horrors of a space hulk.
As the hardworking everymen of the 41st Millennium, the Astra Militarum have a tool for every job, so we’re taking a look at how the Veteran Guardsman kill team can adapt to this voidbound setting.
Winding corners and cramped hatchways mean operatives don’t need to worry so much about Range limitations on weapons like meltaguns or pistols. Conversely, weapons that limit movement but would normally cover large areas – such as Heavy guns or the Sniper Veteran’s long-las – struggle with narrower sightlines.
If they can’t make a Normal Move and then Shoot in the same activation, operatives carrying these weapons are forced to risk giving up whole turns of precious shooting while repositioning. Leave the Trench Shovels at home, lads!
Narrow corridors force operatives to bunch up together, especially near objectives and key hatchways, giving extra value to Blast and Torrent weapons. Arm your Gunner Veterans with grenade launchers and flamers and light up the darkness!
The Condensed Environment of the space hulk amplifies the effects of such weapons. It also makes it harder for enemies to shoot past your front line fighters, such as the tough-as-nails Hardened Veteran. You can even use a Medic Veteran or the In Death, Atonement Tactical Ploy to keep your meatshields – er, valued comrades – on their feet for a little longer.
With the sheer number of Veterans you can field, there’s a very real danger of causing a traffic jam through key hatchways. The Move! Move! Move! Order – or the aptly-named Into the Breach Strategic Ploy – will be vital for spreading out models early, using the extra boost of speed to flank enemy positions while your main force surges onto objectives.
You’ll also want to avoid clustering too much for your own safety – you’re not the only ones who can toss a grenade through an open hatchway…
While you might be tempted to leave your Comms Veteran at home in favour of another special weapon, the ability to broadcast Orders over the entire killzone – rather than just affecting nearby operatives the Sergeant can see – is invaluable on a space hulk, allowing your Orders to transmit through the twisting labyrinth.
On the other hand, the limited visibility makes Spotter Veterans – and Tactical Assets like the Artillery Barrage* – less valuable than they might otherwise be. Grab a Bruiser Veteran for close quarters clubbing instead – or follow the example of your comrades in the Navis Imperialis and pick up a Hand Axe or two from the Equipment list.
We use the Veteran Guardsmen as an example here, but these points apply to almost every team in the game, so as you venture into the dark, you might want to broaden your roster.
Kill Team: Into the Dark is available to pre-order right now, and with Kill Team Organised Play coming to a hobby shop near you very soon,** it’s the perfect time to start learning your way around a space hulk mission or two. You can even download free Lite rules to pick up the basics!
* They still work, mind you. Presumably a friendly Navy ship is blasting away at the Gallowdark. While you’re, uh, still inside.
** And more space hulk skirmish action on the horizon…