Kill Team Justian is a specialized faction in the Warhammer 40,000: Kill Team universe that brings a blend of elite precision and tactical flexibility to the tabletop. Whether you’re a newcomer learning the ropes of Kill Team or a seasoned commander seeking to optimize your roster, understanding the unique rules of Kill Team Justian is essential. This team combines powerful operatives with strategic abilities that reward careful planning and aggressive execution. Knowing the mechanics behind their movement, abilities, actions, and synergies will give you the upper hand in competitive play and narrative campaigns alike.
Overview of Kill Team Justian
Elite Operative Focus
Kill Team Justian stands out because of its elite structure. Rather than fielding numerous low-tier troops, this team is built around a small number of powerful operatives. Each unit is well-armored, equipped with devastating weapons, and often has specialized traits that set them apart from generic kill teams.
- Smaller team size with highly skilled operatives
- Greater survivability due to improved armor saves and abilities
- Highly focused roles (e.g., sniper, leader, melee expert)
Faction Identity and Lore
In the narrative lore of Warhammer 40K, Kill Team Justian is often depicted as a loyalist force aligned with the Imperium. Their missions usually involve high-value targets, strategic assassinations, or covert retrieval operations behind enemy lines. This lore is reflected in their tactical rules, which emphasize precision and ruthless efficiency.
Kill Team Composition
Operative Types
The standard Kill Team Justian force consists of 68 operatives depending on the loadout and points configuration. Each operative may fall into one of the following categories:
- Leader (Justian Commander): Provides command abilities, aura buffs, and strategic actions
- Marksman: Specializes in ranged engagements with rerolls or enhanced AP
- Assault Specialist: Fast-moving melee fighter with bonus attacks or charge abilities
- Engineer/Tech Adept: Offers utility actions such as unlocking objectives or deploying tech drones
- Heavy Gunner: Equipped with powerful heavy weapons for area denial
Each operative is chosen with specific gear and tactical roles in mind. Unlike swarm-based teams, every decision with Kill Team Justian counts, making positioning and order of activation crucial.
Special Rules and Abilities
Strike With Precision
One of the core abilities of Kill Team Justian is their precision strike mechanic. This rule allows you to reroll one hit or wound dice per shooting or melee activation, representing their elite training. When paired with high-damage weapons, this dramatically improves damage output.
Oath of Execution
This team has a unique rule called Oath of Execution. At the start of the game, you select an enemy operative as a priority target. If your team successfully eliminates that target, you gain a Command Point and potentially a bonus activation if specific conditions are met.
Unyielding Discipline
Kill Team Justian operatives benefit from a passive trait called Unyielding Discipline, which allows them to ignore one modifier to their APL (Action Point Limit) per turn. This helps mitigate the effects of suppression, shock, or terrain penalties.
Strategic and Tactical Ploys
Key Strategic Ploys
- Coordinated Advance (1 CP): Two operatives within 6 inches of each other may move simultaneously when this ploy is used.
- Overwatch Discipline (1 CP): Allows an operative to fire overwatch without the -1 BS penalty for one turn.
- Valor Surge (2 CP): Once per game, all operatives gain +1 APL until the end of the turn, used for a decisive mid-game push.
Important Tactical Ploys
- Precision Shot (1 CP): Guarantees an auto-hit on a target in line of sight and within range.
- Combat Reflexes (1 CP): Lets one operative interrupt the normal activation order once per game.
Using these ploys at the right time is essential for winning close matches. CP management and reading your opponent’s positioning is the key to using them effectively.
Equipment Options
Gearing Up for Success
Each operative can be equipped with specialized gear that supports your tactical plan. Standard loadouts include bolters, plasma guns, power swords, and frag/krak grenades. However, Kill Team Justian also has access to unique faction relics:
- Justian Targeter: Grants +1 to hit rolls for one chosen shooting phase
- Purity Seal of Bhaal: Allows an extra reroll on a failed saving throw once per game
- Combat Stims: Temporarily increases movement and melee attack count for one activation
Mission and Objective Strategy
Positioning and Objective Control
Because of their elite nature, Kill Team Justian is best used in missions where controlling key points or eliminating high-value enemy units is the main goal. Avoid spread-out objectives that require mass coverage. Instead, focus on holding the central battlefield with your stronger units while denying access to your opponent.
Ideal Mission Types
- Seek and Destroy
- Capture Critical Asset
- Eliminate the Leaders
In these scenarios, your limited but powerful operatives can shine by prioritizing targets and maximizing damage output. Avoid missions where sheer numbers dominate the field, as swarm teams can overwhelm even your most powerful units if left unchecked.
Synergies and Counters
Combining Roles Effectively
Kill Team Justian thrives when roles are clearly defined. Pair a support operative behind a marksman to boost accuracy, or position your melee specialist near the objective to deter enemy advances. These synergies help balance out your limited numbers with optimized effectiveness.
What to Watch Out For
Swarm teams, psyker-heavy factions, or teams with high mobility can be difficult matchups for Justian. You’ll need to adapt quickly, use terrain to your advantage, and avoid overextending. Your strength lies in picking off key threats, not surviving prolonged engagements.
Kill Team Justian offers a unique and rewarding playstyle for players who prefer elite units and strategic control over sheer numbers. Mastering this faction requires understanding each operative’s role, careful deployment, and smart use of Command Points. When played well, Kill Team Justian can dominate the battlefield with efficient, precise action. Every decision counts, making it a satisfying choice for those who value tactical depth and lethal precision.