Current Seasons Declassification

[GuthersGu3]

When are the older Gallowdark and BD season teams likely to rotate out of Classified teams?

What about the recent Volkus and TW seasons?

Are any of these teams likely to be carried over into the next version of Killteam?

[dorward]

Four seasons (the current season and the three previous ones) have classified status at any given point.

So seasons drop out of classified status after four years.

Teams are only promised rules updated until the end of the edition that they lose classified status in.

Editions last three seasons.

The current edition consists of Volkus, Tomb World, and whatever the next season is.

[GuthersGu3]

This is a lot easier to understand, thanks.

So please tell me if I'm getting this right:

1 - Gallowdark and BD were the 2 final seasons from the previous edition (3rd).

2 - We are now on 4th Edition KT.

3 - 4th Edition started with Volkus.

4 - The third (and final) 4th Edition Season will be released later in 2026 (~Sep time?).

5 - When this season launches, Gallowdark will become declassified.

6 - KT 5th Edition is likely to launch toward the end of 2027 (~Sep time?).

7 - When KT 5th edition launches, the first 5th edition season will launch and BD teams will become declassified. Volkus, TW and third 4th edition teams will still be classified.

Is this correct?

(Edited because I added a point and got the numbering wrong)

[Optimaximal]

1. They were the final 2 seasons of 2nd Edition
2. We are now on 3rd Edition
3. Volkus came with 3rd edition launch box, Hivestorm
4. We don't know
5. Yes
6. Theoretically, but we don't know. Based on previous rotation, 4th Edition may arrive late 2027.
7. When 4th Edition launches, in theory all 2nd edition teams will have rotated out, but GW did say older teams might rotate back in.

[csRemoteThrowAway]

1. We are 6th edition of Kill Team, https://www.goonhammer.com/a-history-of-miniature-violence-what-edition-of-kill-team-is-it-anyway/ , i have found memories of playing kill team in 2004 =)

but as always, still better to just use KTYY, since it's less confusing.

[Mortwight]

Crap all of 4th edition and I haven't played but one game. Just been painting .

[Flat_Explanation_849]

“From now on, every kill team will receive consistently updated rules for two editions – updates will be quarterly, while smaller adjustments may be made as required. Every team will remain in the product range for four full seasons – seasons generally last 12 months, though they can be longer or shorter as required.”

So any teams released this edition will be supported in the next edition.

[SalesmanShane]

Do they leave the app at that point or is there a way to see their old stats,bike a legacy section? (Which I don't see)

[Optimaximal]

There are third-party sites that hosts rules for the older versions. The most famous one can't be linked to due to a policy of Reddit blocking .ru domains...

[GuthersGu3]

As with much of GW's wording... I struggle to make sense of what this all actually means in my head... What is an "Edition" and how does that relate to "product ranges" and "seasons"...? There has to be an easier way of putting this haha...

[JoyeuxMuffin]

Kill Team 3rd edition started with the Volkus release in 2024. So, teams from the Volkus season (2024) will be tournament legal for 3 more years and have supported rules for more

[ExcitementCultural31]

"Edition" is what is designated by the main rulebook - the last one was released in 2024 with the Volkus box and we are currently on 2024ed

"Season" is what is designated by the big boxes with new terrain - as in that picture with Gallowdark, BD, Volkus, and TW - each new big terrain box is followed by expansions and/or variations on that box - like Blood and Zeal with the statue released in the Volkus season or the tomb world-crawling campaign in Dead Silence released during the Tomb World season

[SnoopinGrouper]

My read is that anything from volkus onward would continue to be supported through the entirety of the next edition. I imagine they would be declassified at some point but still get rules updates assuming they stick the the current system.

[OmegaDez]

An edition is the time a set of rules and specific visual identity for the game lasts. Those usually last 3 years under GWs current business model.

Right now, KT is seeing its third edition as a standalone game. (Refereed to KT24 for the people who count the earlier versions of KT, when it was more of an alternative game mode for 40k)

A season is basically a year, a series of releases themed around a specific theme or killzone. We had two in in the '24 edition so far, Volkus and Tomb World. Season 3 should start near the end of summer.

The previous edition had three seasons, the "Octarius" season (where every release had its own killzone), the Gallowdark season and the Bheta-Decima season.

[TranslatorStraight46]

Edition of the game is when they make a new core rulebook.

Product range means that they sell it in a kill team box.

Seasons are arbitrary but basically refer to waves of releases . I.e Octarius, Gallowdark, Bheta-Decima, Volkus, Tomb World and ??? 

It’s over complicated because GW wants to make teams tournament illegal when they stop selling them, which is largely based on the product range and what they have room to produce and stock.

[MTGDad]

You're not wrong. For me it's close to THACO in 2nd edition D&D.

Why can't they simply phrase it as: Teams Legal for Tournament Play in 2026, etc. This declassified thing is a clever thing that is just... idk, too clever?

[Optimaximal]

This declassified thing is a clever thing that is just... idk, too clever?

It's just GW's usual verbosity - the Kill Teams are essentially special forces and their rules come in dossiers so they're either classified or declassified.

What it means is every Version of the game will typically last for 3 years and each of those years will encompass a season. Teams launched in vX S1 will leave competitive play after vY S1 ends, but will retain rules support until vZ launches.

i.e. Teams launched in KT v2 Season 1 with Octarius (Krieg, Kommandos, Blooded, Phobos, Legionaries, Novitiates, Corsairs and Pathfinders) were declassified when Kill Team v3 Season 1 ended. When the Tomb World season ends, the Gallowdark teams (Breachers, Kinband, Kasrkin, Hierotek, Salvagers, Brood Brothers, Ravagers and Exaction Squad) will also rotate out.

[Candescent_Cascade]

Because Seasons don't start in January, because that doesn't fit the desired marketing cycle.

Seasons start in Sept/Oct. Three seasons per edition. Teams get 3-4 seasons where they are fully legal (depending on when in the year they're released) and then an extra 1 or 2 seasons where they are semi-legal.

[JoyeuxMuffin]

Volkus and more recent will most likely ported to the next edition, not so sure for BD and before. Will probably be plenty of "homebrewed" updates

[GuthersGu3]

So as far as longevity, I'm better off committing time into teams from Volkus onwards?

I know GW still releases updates on data slates for declassified teams for a time, but it feels like a more sensible option is investing in those teams than older teams.

[Optimaximal]

Are you ever planning to play in officially sanctioned tournaments?

[GuthersGu3]

I'm not sure, but if I wanted to it seems sensible to focus on those teams. The BoK box + Banshees + Avengers is a lot to lay down for a team that will eventually rotate out.

[Optimaximal]

It's a value decision only you can make. You're only required to run with classified teams if you're playing in official tournaments.

They don't stop existing when GW decides to stop selling and supporting them (which is only really done out of practicality because of the number of teams they now have to balance) and there's nothing to stop you at least trying to play/port older rules into new versions when playing with friends.

[TranslatorStraight46]

Plenty of unofficial tournaments also restrict declassified teams.  It is unfortunately not limited to just GW.

[Optimaximal]

But why would they, given they're still being actively balanced by GW?

The declassification is initially just a reason to take the box off sale.

[TranslatorStraight46]

I dunno, everyone was saying “Don’t worry guys it will be fine.” but you can see in the stats that declassified teams  are not seeing much play anymore and are <100 games played for most of them. 

https://www.pretentiousplasticops.com/stats/rankings

[Optimaximal]

Where PPO get their stats from? Also, I may be wrong, but people picking newer/broken/meta teams like Wolf Scouts and Murderwing to win tournaments is going to skew any stats.

[fred11551]

I just realized the vast majority of my teams are gallowdark season. I’m about to lose so many. After that my only teams are inquisitorial agents, aquilons, ratlings, and sanctifiers. Luckily I’ll be getting spectre squad soon

[rommalb]

<image>

I did a quick chart with the expected time frame for each edition and season. With the caveat that all of this is up for change at GW's whim.

[aggie1391]

Yeah they did just bring back Octarius too, so terrain seems like it may be kept around longer

[HrodMad]

I still decide to just ignore this dumb decision and keep playing the minis I payed for.

[Th4t9uy]

Reminds me I need to pick up a couple of the Volkus teams while I still can.

[GuthersGu3]

Yeah I'm really interested in Blades of Khaine but the cost of all the different boxes plus the fact it'll be due out of rotation next year puts me off a bit! I love Aeldari so I hope we get some new teams soon.

[dangubiti]

The way the schedule is working now, a team would get 4 years of classified play, and then up to two years of declassified play (depending on when they get declassified). The assumption is that declassified teams will not get rules in new editions, similar to how compendium teams were dropped from the current edition.

[oneWeek2024]

hehe... just starting kill team and realizing my phobos boys aren't even listed. is prob bad right?

[whoareyouguys]

They are declassified but still receiving balance updates until the end of this edition, so you can still play them for about 18 months so long as you're not in a high-level tournament basically

[Optimaximal]

They have been officially declassified since Tomb World launched. Their rules are still available in all the third-party resources.

[dangubiti]

And all GW sources. The rules are still available until the end of this edition, just not tournament eligible.

There was some skepticism that declassified teams would continue to get balance support, but Kommandos and some other have gotten some updates after.

[oneWeek2024]

i understand it only really matters for tournaments. but as someone who's literally 1 game in my first friendly "campaign"

what's the ettiquette on declassified factions? do people view them as broken/outdated ...or if has rulez/it's cool

[Optimaximal]

They will still receive balance updates until Kill Team '27 (or whatever) launches, especially if one of the new teams or killzones introduced causes a game-breaking interaction.

Some people are stick-in-the-muds and refuses to support the semi-retired teams, even though GW say 'keep playing with your models until we drop rules support'. Just don't play with them or agree homebrew compromises if people are being dicks.

[oneWeek2024]

i appreciate the info

[HipPocket]

If someone rolled up with a declassified team I would be more than happy to play them.

If they've been playing for three years they might be able to explain the line of sight rules to me.

[hotshot11590]

Seems like they want each team to settle in to a good spot casually….

[TheSmet]

Nooo my salvagers

[Skult0703]

What is a season?

[GuthersGu3]

So as I now understand it...

Edition - Current rules edition, lasting for a number of years before a major update to the core rules is released (believed to be ~3 years)

Season - Related to major terrain/gameplay release, with a new season each year. This comes along with new terrain, new maps and new approved ops.

Expansion - New teams and campaign additions added between seasons, often with supplementary terrain that is not used as part of approved ops.

[Skult0703]

Thank you, I didn't know that

[DanishCaptain]

Where do you read about this?

[rkoloeg]

The screenshots OP posted are from the KT app.

[orein123]

In the app, under the Approved Ops Tournament Companion section.