Kill Team or Warhammer 40,000: which game should a new player start with?
Kill Team is the smaller start: a small box, a handful of models to paint and a game for two people from one purchase. Warhammer 40,000 is the better start if you want to build an army and play the main game.
They are two separate rule sets, so learning one helps little with the other. Kill Team has few models but a lot of rules, so do not pick it only because it looks simpler.
What each one costs to start
| Box | What is in it | Our price |
|---|---|---|
| Kill Team Starter Set | 14 miniatures in two teams, a 64-page learner's rulebook and printed MDF terrain. | £57.28 RRP £72.50, in stock |
| Warhammer 40,000 Starter Set (11th Edition) | Two Combat Patrol armies, battlefield boards, terrain, dice, rulers, the Core Rulebook and a starter handbook. | £126.40 RRP £160.00, in stock |
| A single Combat Patrol | One faction's starting army with a low model count. You need an opponent with an army of their own. | £82.95 to £86.11 RRP £105.00 to £109.00 |
Compare what each box holds as well as its price. The Kill Team Starter Set puts two complete teams on the table. A Combat Patrol gives you one army, so two people starting from scratch need two boxes or the 40,000 Starter Set.
Two separate games
Kill Team is skirmish combat in the 41st Millennium. You run a handful of individual operatives and decide what each one does. The Starter Set's 14 miniatures make up two whole teams.
Combat Patrol is Warhammer 40,000 played with a pre-set army and a low model count, and the Combat Patrol rules run from the Warhammer 40,000 app. The 11th edition core rules are a free download. Kill Team has its own Core Book and its own rules for every team.
Players who have tried both say they are different games in the same setting. One thread compares them to Dungeons & Dragons and a card game. Kill Team is called dense with rules and special abilities, whatever the team size. Plan a few teaching games first.
How to choose
Start with 40,000 if your friends or club already play it, so you have people to play with. If two of you are starting from nothing, the Kill Team Starter Set is one box with two teams.
Kill Team suits you if you want to paint ten or so models, not a hundred, or to play on your own or with a friend against the game (see playing Kill Team solo). Choose 40,000 if you want a big collection and the main game: the Starter Set, or a Combat Patrol for the army you like.
What carries over between them
Painting skill carries over completely. The models also overlap: many Kill Team boxes belong to the same factions as 40,000 armies. Our listings tag Wrecka Krew with Orks, Raveners with Tyranids and Nemesis Claw with Chaos Space Marines, for example. Players report that Kill Team models can also go into 40,000 armies, but check the rules for the unit before you build around one.
Common questions
Is Kill Team cheaper than Warhammer 40,000?
To start, yes. The Kill Team Starter Set is £57.28 for two teams, while a Combat Patrol costs £82.95 to £86.11 for one army. Each extra Kill Team is another box, though, so a large collection of teams adds up too.
Do Kill Team and Warhammer 40,000 use the same rules?
They use different rules. Kill Team has its own Core Book and its own rules for every team. Combat Patrol uses the 40,000 rules with a small, pre-set army.
Can I use Kill Team models in Warhammer 40,000?
Often, because the factions match. Players report that Kill Team models work in 40,000 armies, but some units may need breaking up or have different options. Check the 40,000 rules for the unit before you buy.
Is Kill Team easier to learn than Warhammer 40,000?
Not always. Each model carries its own abilities and the rules interact, even though the teams are small. The Starter Set's rulebook is written to bring you in gradually, so use it for the first few missions before you judge.
Kill Team Starter Set contents: Warhammer Community (Games Workshop's news site), 14 October 2024. 11th edition Starter Set, Combat Patrol and the free core rules: Warhammer Community, July 2026. Comparison of the two games: player threads on Reddit, 2026. Prices and stock: this shop, read live.