Kill Team: Typhon is the latest Warhammer 40,000 Kill Team expansion, dropping players into a desperate showdown beneath the fortress-world of Volkus. This narrative box set pits two very asymmetrical teams against each other – the cybernetic Battleclade of the Adeptus Mechanicus and a burrowing brood of Tyranid Raveners. It’s a classic clash of cyborg servitors versus xenos bio-horrors, and both new kill teams bring intriguing lore, unique mechanics, and lots of questions about their competitive potential. Let’s dive in and break down what makes each of these new squads tick, and how they might fare on the tabletop.
The Typhon Scenario – Tech-Priests vs. the Hive Mind
The setting of Kill Team: Typhon is all about desperate defense and dark discoveries. On Volkus, the Imperium’s war efforts revolve around a massive planetary cannon (the “Great Gun”) that causes earthquakes whenever it fires. After one such firing, strange alien growths are unearthed beneath Hive City Fissilicus, prompting the Adeptus Mechanicus to send explorator teams into the depths. The twist? A vanguard tendril of Tyranids has already infiltrated these caverns. Broods of Raveners – serpentine Tyranid shock troops – lie in wait underground, ready to ambush the intruders. With the planet’s regular military forces tied up elsewhere, the duty falls to a Mechanicus Battleclade – essentially a small army of armed servitors led by Tech-Priests – to purge the xenos threat.
Battleclades – AdMech Servitors Unleashed
The Battleclade is an all-servitor kill team fielded in emergencies by the Adeptus Mechanicus. Instead of Skitarii or elite tech-guard, you get waves of lobotomized cyborgs backed by a Technoarcheologist and a Servitor Underseer. The leaders offer strategic support, while the rest of the team overwhelms with volume.
You get 10 operatives total: eight are various types of servitors (gun platforms, medics, breachers, etc.), plus the two leaders. They're not elite shooters individually, but they shine in synergy—thanks to a noospheric network linking their augmented brains. Think buffs, coordinated actions, or support-triggered rerolls.
Key strengths:
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High model count
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Ranged firepower (plasma, heavy bolters, etc.)
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Tactical support from leadership units
Playstyle: Control-focused. You set up lanes of fire, hold objectives, and wear down the enemy. It’s attrition by algorithm. They might struggle against fast or elite units, but can dominate with map control and coordinated overwatch plays.
Raveners – Tyranid Burrowing Bio-Horrors
The Raveners are the opposite: low model count, high lethality. You get five total operatives, led by a Ravener Prime and supported by four specialized variants like the Felltalon, Tremorscythe, Wrecker, or Venomspitter.
They’re built for mobility and melee dominance. Each model hits like a truck, and they have tunneling mechanics to reposition anywhere on the board. This makes them ideal for ambushes, flanks, and backline assassinations.
Key strengths:
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High mobility via burrowing
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Brutal close-combat stats
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Specialized variants allow adaptability
Playstyle: Glass cannon. You need to strike surgically and decisively. One mistake costs 20% of your team. If you’re aggressive and plan ambushes correctly, you’ll dominate. If you hesitate or misposition, you’ll fold quickly.
Competitive Outlook
Battleclade: Ideal for objective-heavy missions or slow, grinding games. Lots of bodies, durable-ish, and they make excellent use of support and positioning. Their weakness lies in being outgunned by elite teams or overwhelmed if their synergy breaks down.
Raveners: High ceiling, high risk. Against certain teams they’ll wipe the board in two turns. Against others, they'll get whittled down before they make contact. Their ability to bypass terrain and pressure backlines is a massive strength, but they need precise execution to avoid being out-activated or objective-starved.
Final Thoughts
Kill Team: Typhon introduces two of the most asymmetric teams we’ve seen yet. Battleclades bring methodical power and gunline control. Raveners bring speed and savage ambushes. Both can thrive in competitive environments with the right mission structure and player skill—and both will absolutely shake up the meta.
Whether you want to drown your enemies in servitor firepower or tunnel up beneath their feet with talons ready, this box has you covered.
Kill Team: Typhon is available for preorder starting Saturday, June 14th, and begins shipping on its official release date of June 28th.
