GW revealed a ton of new Terrain, Sisters, and Tau 40k Kill Team rules ahead of the release of Chalnath, here’s everything so far!
We had heard rumours about this box for a while, so actually seeing it revealed is always nice! Warhammer Community unveiled a bunch of new rules, but let’s start with what we’ve seen and then get into the new rules.
GW Reveals New Sprues & More: 40k Kill Team Chalnath Box
This new set includes two new kill teams – T’au Pathfinders and Battle Sister Novitiates, with new models and new equipment – as well as a vast array of plastic scenery and a double-sided game board.
There’s also a chunky 96-page rulebook containing detailed new rules for both teams and their operatives, as well as plenty of background on the escalating war for the Chalnath Expanse and nine new missions.
Compared to the new Kill Team Octarius starter this box set will cost $170, and may not be for everyone. You can see the value breakdown in our latest pricing post here.
The main difference about this one, there is just an upgrade sprue for the Pathfinders. Also, this probably means when they come out on their own, they will actually get a bump in price to $50 (unfortunately), because they were more expensive than the Cadian Shock troopers.
Sisters of Battle Kill Team Chalnath Rules
Before they become fully fledged Battle Sisters, aspirants must prove their piety on the front lines. Known as Novitiates, they are usually deployed as kill teams with an experienced Sister Superior directing their youthful zealotry.
They wield a wide array of sanctified weaponry, from humble autoguns to ancient maces. One can even carry a pair of neural whips, which are just as handy for driving your operatives forward as they are for lashing your foes. There are ten sisters in total, with twelve different types of operative to pick from.
Sometimes you just have to whip those initiates into shape apparently! Overall the minis are pretty interesting, even though they have received mixed reviews up until this point.
Novitiate Superior
The Sister Superior wears full Adepta Sororitas power armour and can wield a boltgun – the only member of the squad to have that honour. She has a range of wargear available to her (and, as you’ll see from her sprue, some fantastic hats), while her Lead by Example special rule lets her activate another Novitiate if she does something cool, like incapacitate an enemy.
With her better save and weaponry, she is going to be a force to be reckoned with. Then her Lead by example will let you get the most out of your Novitiates.
You can even encourage those who don’t lack enthusiasm, such as the Novitiate Penitent, who loves to go undercover with a chainsword that’s taller than she is…
If you’re playing Sisters, you always need an Eviscerator in the army, even if you’re playing a stealth mission!
Acts of Faith
All of this fervour and piety does actually pay off, you see. The more zealous your Novitiates are in the prosecution of their duties – skulking around, sneaking about, covertly chunking enemy operatives with giant swords – the more points you earn to spend on Acts of Faith. And what do faith points mean? Re-rolls and extra crits. Devotion pays dividends.
It’s nice to see them keeping this staple for the Sisters going even in Kill Team. This army is really focused on incapacitating the enemy, so be sure to get right into the thick of it! Then getting re-rolls is always a plus, but just getting a free hit is even better.
Wargear & Ploys
Of course, our brave Novitiates also have plenty of exclusive wargear they can collect on their travels. We’re particular fans of the Auto-chastiser, which lets you re-roll as many 1s as you like. Of course, if you roll more 1s, you take mortal wounds. The God-Emperor giveth, and He taketh away…
This army will have a bunch of re-rolls, which will make them so much more reliable.
Finally, there are also bespoke ploys to help you demonstrate your devotion to the Emperor even harder. We’ve chosen a couple of especially fervent examples – Glorious Martyrdom lets you hurt yourself in exchange for extra faith points, while Aegis of the Emperor lets you hurt perfidious psykers just by closing your eyes and thinking really, really hard about how much you love Him.
Glorious Martyrdom is really sweet for only 1 CP, if you can get a Novitiate up close and she does get incapacitated, this could dish out the damage and gain you a decent amount of Faith points.
Pathfinders
The T’au Pathfinders are already incredibly versatile, but the Earth caste has outfitted them with a ton of new gear. Kill Team Chalnath comes with a comprehensive new upgrade sprue for the existing Pathfinder kit, meaning new heads, new gadgets, new guns, and even a few new poses – all you need to bring the Greater Good to the recalcitrant Imperial citizens of the Chalnath Expanse.
This evolved Pathfinders kill team has access to exciting new toys including a manual control system for their drone support, a marksman rail rifle with inertial dampeners and silent dart rounds, and a debonair pair of wrap-around shades for every team member.
Shas’ui Pathfinder
Having spent their entire lives studying the T’au art of warfare, Shas’ui* Pathfinders are consummate commanders, able to deftly read the flow of battle and adapt their tactics on the fly.
You always need a strong leader, especially when you’re fighting someone as crazy as the Sisters.
T’au military strategy focuses around two main doctrines – Mont’ka, the Killing Blow, and Kauyon, the Patient Hunter – and the Shas’ui Pathfinder can use his Art of War ability to call on one of these for a powerful turn-long bonus.
Getting extra moves or rolls are pretty strong, so be sure to keep your Shas’ui alive!
Pathfinders Rules
Almost every Pathfinder carries a markerlight, and the cumulative benefits make coordination between team members vital for getting the most out of your powerful guns.
If they didn’t put markerlights in here, we would be awfully disappointed. You’ll have to decide how many markerlights to shoot each turn and how many regular guns, but if you play Tau, you’re used to that.
Pathfinders on specialised missions deploy into the field with advanced technology to disrupt and destroy tricky enemy targets. Transpectral Interference Pathfinders, for example, use sophisticated jamming devices to scramble enemy sensors and tie up their most important operatives.
For one AP, this can be pretty annoying for your opponent, but usually nothing too crazy.
Drone Controller
Drones are one of the hallmarks of T’au warfare and see frequent use during spec ops missions, with six different kinds available to Pathfinder kill teams. No matter which you choose, the Drone Controller Pathfinder will ensure they act with efficiency far surpassing their basic programming.
With six different options, you’ll have plenty of options depending on the mission.
Army Wide Rules
Despite their clandestine nature, Pathfinders don’t take to the field unsupported – specialist equipment gives them access to detailed sensor data from orbit, marking critical targets while the T’au remain safely behind cover.
Their light armour and intense reconnaissance training comes in handy for rapid movement around the battlefield. Pathfinders are able to surge around the flanks of their foes and even deftly retreat from enemies who’ve got a little too close for comfort.
Kill Team Terrain Rules From Chalnath
The grand, gothic architecture of the Imperium wouldn’t be complete without massive arched doorways, and now your elite, highly trained operatives have figured out how to operate the handles. They can also make use of hatches in the floors and ceilings to climb up and down buildings without being seen by the enemy.
Nothing too crazy here, but it makes sense they can move through these without penalty.
Especially tall platforms can now be designated as Punishing Vantage Points, which enable operatives to take advantage of their commanding position to gain bonuses when shooting at targets below. They’re a T’au marksman’s dream, and even the close combat-minded Novitiates will appreciate the extra cover.
This is really strong for your marksmen and if you can get a couple of Tau dudes up here, you’ll be sniping those Sisters with ease!
With Chalnath, Octarius, and a full lineup of new releases on the way, 40k Kill Team is in full swing!
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Are you excited about the rules in the new Kill Team Chalnath box? Will you be picking it up?
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About the Author: Travis Pasch
Travis Pasch
Job Title: Head Writer & Editor
Socials: @paschbass
About Travis Pasch: Travis has been a Warhammer 40k hobbyist since the 1990s, playing the game since Third Edition. Through extensive traveling, he’s seen a lot of the miniatures hobby from across the world, giving him a unique perspective on the latest gaming topics and trends.
Travis’s brother even owns a commission painting studio, where he’s picked up a lot of good advice and techniques for painting Warhammer and tabletop miniatures over the years, as well. Travis joined the Spikey Bits team in 2019 and has been the lead writer since 2020.
Currently, he’s working on converting all his 40k Adeptus Mechanicus models and becoming a true tech enjoyer, complete with both sad and happy robot noises!
