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A closer look at Warhammer 40k’s new Astra Militarum Kasrkin

New plastic models for Warhammer 40k's Imperial Guard Kasrkin elites will make their debut in the next Kill Team box - here's a detailed look

Warhammer 40k Astra Militarum Kasrkin plastic models first look details - Games Workshop image showing a Kasrkin sharpshooter model

Games Workshop has lifted the lid on the contents of the Warhammer 40k Kill Team: Gallowdark box set, giving us our first close-up look at the sprues for the forthcoming Cadian Kasrkin. Previewed on GW’s Warhammer Community site on Tuesday (alongside their Necron foes) the Astra Militarum Kasrkin are among 40k’s most beloved elite units – and have never before been available as plastic miniatures.

First revealed back in June, these new Imperial Guard Kasrkin are a faithful update of their original metal models, released alongside the Cadian army list in 2003’s Codex: Eye of Terror campaign supplement. Seeing the new kit in the naked plastic tells us more about the Kasrkin loadout, and gives us an idea of how tricky they’ll be to build.

Warhammer 40k Astra Militarum Kasrkin plastic models first look details - Games Workshop image showing a full squad of Kasrkin including a sharpshooter

The sprue preview comes after GW showed off its upcoming Astra Militarum army set and brand new character the Cadian CastellanThose models have no release date yet – but the Kasrkin will  deploy first, when Kill Team: Gallowdark goes up for pre-order on Saturday, October 15.

The Kasrkin kit comes in three sprues, with parts to make ten elite troopers in total. Every model can be built with a stock hotshot lasgun, but there are two copies of each of the Kasrkin’s key special weapons: plasma gun, meltagun, grenade launcher, flamer and hotshot volley-gun. Squad sergeants have access to their own arsenal, including a hotshot laspistol, chainsword, power-sword, bolt pistol and plasma pistol.

Warhammer 40k Astra Militarum Kasrkin plastic models first look details - Games Workshop image showing one of the new Kasrkin plastic model sprues in detail

The WarCom article says there will also be the parts to make a “vox-trooper, recon-trooper, demo-trooper, sharpshooter, and combat medic”. This follows the pattern we’ve seen for new 40k kits that get their debut in Kill Team, which all contain customisation options to build special operatives for Kill Team (40k’s zoomed in, skirmishing sister game).

Warhammer 40k Astra Militarum Kasrkin plastic models first look details - Games Workshop image showing one of the new Kasrkin plastic model sprues in detail

From the pictures provided, the operatives look like fairly subtle adaptations – the demo-trooper’s carapace armour is augmented with bulky forward-facing armour plates; the sharpshooter is wielding a sniper rifle and draped in a camo cloak, but both are recognisably part of the Kasrkin unit.

Warhammer 40k Astra Militarum Kasrkin plastic models first look details - Games Workshop image showing one of the new Kasrkin plastic model sprues in detail

Despite bustling with parts, the kit does seem to be fairly well organised. All the heads and standard lasgun power packs are grouped onto one sprue, while the legs and torsos for each trooper appear to be clustered on the sprue with compatible weapons and special operative bits.