Kill Team Exodites use draconic steeds to outfox the opposition

The Exodite Dragon Masters kill team is more than just a band of incredible new miniatures – it also introduces an entirely new approach to Kill Team gameplay that feels like no other faction.

With only three major operatives and two drakolithe beasts in play, the Exodites are the most elite kill team in the game, and function as a lethal and fast assault force that rewards careful movement and planning with explosive damage. Their reptilian mounts are powerful creatures, but must be controlled with finesse using a wildly different movement system.

First, the three Dragon Masters don’t set up in the killzone when the game begins. Instead, their drakolithes scout the terrain until it’s time for their masters to activate, and only then do you deploy your mounted operatives as they begin their activations. This places the initiative firmly in your hands, as you can see where the opponent’s forces lie before deciding where to commit your limited numbers.

Once in the killzone, your mounted operatives activate twice in each Turning Point, splitting their 4AP between activations as needed – though you can’t spend more than 3AP in one go. This flexibility will be needed to keep them safe, as their towering size compared to other operatives means they can’t benefit from light cover or smaller pieces of terrain at all.

That’s not to say they’re completely vulnerable however, as raw speed is their best friend, and who needs a solid wall when you can just outpace the enemy’s aim? Each operative is marked with Speed 3-, Speed 4+, or Speed 7+ depending on how far it moved in its activation, with Speed 4+ allowing them to retain one defence die as an automatic success while Speed 7+ lets them keep one as a critical success instead. 

In short, keep moving.

The simple act of moving isn’t quite so simple either, as drakesteeds lack the fine motor control of elite operatives, and it takes a lot of skill to weave them through dense terrain at speed. Rather than using Reposition, Dash, Charge, and Fall Back actions, they manoeuvre through a series of Sprints and Turns, planning ahead to make sure they don’t get stuck against a solid wall while the enemy closes in. Even better, the Sprint action costs 0AP, meaning the exodites are ALWAYS moving!

You can turn once in a move for free, and can turn outside of a move as an action – be sure to pick your targets carefully to ensure AP economy. On the plus side, there are no restrictions for starting or ending in an operative’s control range, so you can Sprint into and out of close combat as the wyrd takes you.

… And that’s just how they move! We’ll be back later this week to talk all about how the Exodite Dragon Masters actually fight when they get in position, and the wide array of upgrades you can customise each operative with. It’s going to be a blast!