In the grimdark universe of Warhammer 40,000, the T’au Empire is known for its advanced technology, synergy-driven tactics, and diverse auxiliaries. Among these allies, the Kroot stand out for their primal savagery and biological adaptability. The Kroot Hunting Pack Detachment is a unique and thematic way to field an army comprised largely or entirely of these avian mercenaries. Unlike the sleek drones and pulse weapons of their T’au patrons, Kroot forces fight with instinct, speed, and ferocity, giving players a refreshing playstyle. Understanding the composition, tactics, and strengths of a Kroot Hunting Pack can elevate your experience on the tabletop whether you’re a new hobbyist or a seasoned general.
What Is a Kroot Hunting Pack Detachment?
The Kroot Hunting Pack is a specialized army detachment available within the Warhammer 40K framework, usually tied to T’au Empire codices or expansions. It focuses on fielding Kroot infantry, beasts, and characters, allowing players to build lists centered around mobility, ambush tactics, and sheer numbers. Rather than relying on traditional T’au ranged firepower, this detachment leans into stealth, board control, and mid-field dominance.
Core Theme and Aesthetic
Kroot detachments are thematic to their lore: tribal, cunning, and fiercely independent. The models emphasize lean musculature, predatory postures, and natural materials like bone and hide. On the battlefield, this is reflected in how they are played favoring hit-and-run tactics, flanking, and terrain exploitation.
Key Units in a Kroot Hunting Pack
The success of your detachment relies on understanding the synergy between your units. Here’s a breakdown of core and optional units commonly used in a Kroot-themed army:
- Kroot Carnivores: The backbone of any Kroot army. These fast, lightly armed infantry units excel in numbers and are ideal for objectives and skirmishing.
- Kroot Hounds: Highly mobile beast units used for early-game harassment, screening, or flanking maneuvers. They’re fast, efficient, and cost-effective.
- Krootox Riders: Heavier support infantry with ranged capabilities. These offer some firepower while maintaining the tribal theme.
- Kroot Shaper: A character unit who boosts nearby Kroot with leadership buffs and rerolls. A must-have for maintaining cohesion in battle.
- Krootox Rampagers: Newer units introduced in recent updates. They’re a melee powerhouse and ideal for punishing exposed enemy lines.
Support Units to Consider
- Kroot Lone-spear: A flexible, mobile leader unit capable of deploying independently to hunt down key targets.
- Kroot Trail Shaper: Offers utility, such as allowing units to redeploy or gain terrain-based advantages.
- Kroot Flesh Shaper: Provides healing or other utility effects for beasts and infantry alike.
Army Rules and Detachment Abilities
The Kroot Hunting Pack comes with its own detachment rules, distinct from the standard T’au Empire strategies. These usually enhance the flavor of ambush-style warfare and reward tactical thinking over brute strength.
Ambush Tactics
Kroot units often have rules that allow them to set up off the board and deploy later, sometimes called Forward Scouts or Ambushing Predators. This gives you flexibility in placement and can overwhelm enemies who overextend early in the game.
Stealth and Terrain Synergy
Many Kroot benefit from being in or near terrain. They may gain bonuses to saving throws, be harder to hit, or gain rerolls while in cover. This makes smart terrain usage crucial to success when piloting a Kroot detachment.
Mobility-Focused Traits
In keeping with their predator nature, most Kroot units have high movement stats, often 7 or more, and can fall back and charge or move after shooting. This allows for continual repositioning and denies the opponent a static target.
Strategies for Effective Play
To maximize the effectiveness of a Kroot Hunting Pack, you need to think like a hunter: patient, mobile, and opportunistic. Success often comes from isolating enemy units, denying objectives, and forcing mistakes.
Board Control and Screening
Use cheap units like Kroot Hounds to control key parts of the map early. Their speed and low point cost make them perfect for claiming objectives or blocking enemy movement.
Flanking and Pressure
With multiple units able to deploy from the sides or rear of the board, the Kroot can pin enemies into unfavorable positions. Time your reinforcements to exploit open lanes and weakened targets.
Synergy with Leaders
Keep your Shapers and support characters within range of your Carnivores and Rampagers to gain maximum benefit from rerolls or buffs. They aren’t strong on their own but make the rest of your force shine.
Harassment and Target Denial
Rather than brute-forcing your way through enemy lines, focus on picking off isolated units, denying heavy-hitter targets, and disrupting your opponent’s scoring plans. Kroot are ideal for asymmetrical warfare.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Every detachment has its pros and cons. Understanding these will help you better tailor your strategy and respond to different opponents.
Strengths
- High Mobility: Almost every unit has above-average movement, allowing constant repositioning.
- Board Control: Cheap and numerous units excel at spreading out and claiming objectives.
- Thematic Playstyle: Very flavorful and immersive for fans of the Kroot aesthetic and lore.
- Surprise Factor: Less commonly played, meaning opponents may not be familiar with how to counter it.
Weaknesses
- Low Armor: Most units have weak saves and low durability against high-damage weapons.
- Lack of Heavy Firepower: Kroot rely on numbers and tactics, not overwhelming shooting.
- Limited Options: Compared to full T’au lists, Kroot Hunting Packs have fewer units to choose from.
Building a Thematic List
A typical 1,000 or 2,000-point Kroot Hunting Pack list would include a mix of Carnivores, Hounds, Rampagers, and Shapers. Consider the following template when creating your army:
- 3 units of Kroot Carnivores (20+ models)
- 2-3 units of Kroot Hounds
- 1 unit of Krootox Rampagers or Riders
- 1-2 character units like a Kroot Shaper and Trail Shaper
- Support elements like Lone-spears for assassination roles
This kind of list gives you enough bodies to control the board, enough melee pressure to punish weak backlines, and enough leaders to maintain cohesion.
Expanding Beyond the Kroot
While a pure Kroot force is exciting, nothing stops you from blending a Kroot Hunting Pack with T’au support units in narrative or open play. Adding stealth suits, crisis teams, or long-range drones can compensate for some of the weaknesses of a pure Kroot list, especially in more competitive settings.
The Kroot Hunting Pack Detachment is a bold, thematic way to explore a different side of the T’au Empire in Warhammer 40K. With its emphasis on mobility, stealth, and aggressive tactics, it offers a unique playstyle that rewards careful planning and battlefield awareness. While it may lack the brute force of traditional T’au firepower, it more than makes up for it with cunning and flavor. Whether you’re drawn by the lore, the models, or the thrill of the hunt, the Kroot Hunting Pack delivers an unforgettable tabletop experience.