Do I need Kill Team datacards?
No, not to start. Games Workshop calls datacard packs optional and publishes the rules for every team free online. Buy a pack later if you want your team's rules on cards in front of you.
We list 11 datacard packs, such as Wrecka Krew at £15.41 (sold out at the moment). The Core Book matters more than any of them once you outgrow the Starter Set.
What a datacard pack is
A datacard pack is a deck of quick-reference cards for one team. When Games Workshop launched the current edition, its packs held 34 to 40 cards each, with the team's faction rules, equipment and operative rules. The same rules are free online and in the Kill Team app. Many team boxes also carry a QR code that links to the team's up-to-date rules.
The cards put a team's rules on the table where both players can read them.
Datacards, ops cards and the Core Book do different jobs
| Product | What it does | Need it to start? |
|---|---|---|
| Team datacards | One team's rules on cards | No. |
| Ops card pack (£12.25) | Builds matched-play missions with varied objectives. Games Workshop updates it every year. | No. The Core Book has a head-to-head mission pack of its own. |
| Core Book (£31.60) | The rules everyone shares: actions, weapon keywords, terrain for three killzones and two mission packs, including the solo and co-op one. | Yes, once you move past the Starter Set's own rulebook. |
When a pack is worth buying
- You play one team often and keep reaching for its rules.
- You share a table and want your opponent to read your team without borrowing your phone, or you would rather hold cards than scroll.
Skip them when you are still choosing a team, or when you are happy with a printout. Printing the rules at home costs the least.
A printed card can fall behind
Games Workshop said team rules are updated every quarter, with smaller changes when needed. A card pack shows the rules as they stood when it was printed. Before a tournament or an important game, compare the cards with the online version.
Common questions
Are Kill Team team rules free?
Yes, online and in the Kill Team app. The Core Book holds the rules every team shares.
Do Kill Team datacards come in the team box?
Games Workshop sells them as separate packs, for example Nemesis Claw Datacards alongside the Nemesis Claw box. The team box has the miniatures and, in many cases, a QR code to the team's rules online.
Do I need the ops card pack for casual Kill Team games?
The Core Book has its own head-to-head mission pack, which is enough for friendly games. The ops card pack is the current way to build matched-play missions.
Datacard packs, free team rules and quarterly updates: Warhammer Community (Games Workshop's news site), 6, 15 and 20 September 2024. QR codes on team boxes: Warhammer Community, 21 August 2024. Prices and stock: this shop, read live.