New Warhammer 40,000-set standalone skirmish game Kill Team will be released this month, Games Workshop has announced. The UK miniatures company also revealed the 16 factions that will be playable at launch, as well as details of the upcoming Kill Team product range.

Set in the same universe – and using the same miniatures range – as Games Workshop’s flagship Warhammer 40,000 game system, the fast-playing Kill Team will see squads of around 5-10 models battling over a 22″ by 30″ board using an alternate activation system.

Kill Team’s core rules manual will be available either on its own or as part of a boxed game that also includes a squad of Genestealer Cult Neophytes, a squad of Adeptus Mechanicus Skitarii, a double-sided terrain tile and new ‘Imperial Ruins’ 3D scenery.

In addition to the Genestealer Cult and Adeptus Mechanicus, players will initially be able to select their Kill Team forces from amongst the Adeptus Astartes (Space Marines); Deathwatch; Grey Knights; Astra Militarum (Imperial Guard); Heretic Astartes; Death Guard; Thousand Sons; Asuryani (Craftworld Eldar); Drukhari (Dark Eldar); Harlequins; Necrons; Orks; T’au Empire and Tyranids.

We also know of at least two factions that will be joining them, with the news that Games Workshop’s upcoming Rogue Trader box – which features the titular rogue traders against a variety of Nurgle monstrosities – will be a Kill Team expansion. Other expansions in the works include new Sector Imperialis scenery kits and faction starter sets, with the ‘Fangs of Ulfrich’ Space Wolves unit and ‘Krogskulls Boyz’ Ork warband already announced.

Like Warhammer 40K’s current 8th edition, this latest and, if first impressions are anything to go by, greatest iteration of GW’s Kill Team skirmish title will feature three primary gameplay modes: competitive matched play, campaign-focused narrative play and the loosey-goosey open play. The game will also feature detailed squad customisation, with players personalising their miniature heroes across a campaign via a skill tree system.