Learn to Master: Ratlings 2026, JAKTP201

Summary

This episode is a strategy discussion with Augustine, a Ratlings specialist who won the 2026 Paris Exposition and is preparing to attend the Warhammer World Championship. He describes Ratlings as a complex, highly skill-dependent Kill Team: a slow, fragile horde with unusually strong control tools, reactive movement, concealment, and ways to interfere with opponents’ plans.

How the team plays

• Control and denial are central. Ratlings use concealment, terrain, traps, and movement reactions to restrict where opponents can go and when they can attack. A successful game plan may involve staying safe and forcing the opponent to take risks rather than actively hunting kills.
• The team is very map-dependent. Ratlings can be exceptionally strong on Gallowdark and some Tomb World layouts, where terrain and sight lines let them control approaches. Their small models and 5-inch movement make careful planning around visibility and positioning essential.
• The matchup spread is polarized. Some opponents and layouts can feel nearly impossible to deal with, while others let Ratlings dominate. Fast melee hordes are particularly difficult because they can pressure the slow Ratlings before the team’s control plan comes together.
• Recent rules changes made the team more flexible. A revised reactive-movement rule lets Ratlings respond more often to enemy movement, while equipment changes let them improve shooting after seeing their dice. Together, these changes make their shooting more reliable and their turns less dependent on lucky rolls.

Key operatives and tools

• The Bomber is a useful problem-solver. His grenade threat can punish clustered enemies, and he can help recover a difficult position.
• The Big Shot provides a powerful sniper option, especially against tougher targets.
• The Raider offers a distinctive movement trick that can help reach objectives or score tactical objectives. Its destination and line of sight need to be planned carefully.
• The combat dog enables unusual reactive plays, including movement and attacks during an opponent’s activation. On suitable maps, it can help create layered interruptions that make it difficult for an opponent to act safely.
• Bulgryns are valuable defensive anchors with threatening melee attacks. Augustine generally prefers them, though taking an Ogryn can add a different kind of threat—especially against Mandrakes, where its ranged weapon can be dangerous.

Operative choices should vary with the map, mission, and opposing team. Augustine says no operative is an automatic never-take.

Strategies and practical tips

• Use terrain to funnel the opponent. Combine obstacles and the team’s control equipment to guide enemies toward positions where they can be threatened by a Bulgryn or a prepared shooter.
• Think through the opponent’s options. At each stage, consider what they can do to get back into the game, then use positioning and reactions to close off those options.
• Plan sight lines before the game. Ratlings’ small stature and limited movement can make it hard to find firing lanes. Learn the terrain and identify useful positions in advance.
• Exploit reactive actions carefully. Guards, concealment, dog-enabled movement, and other reactions can combine into punishing sequences. Their value depends on positioning and a clear understanding of what triggers each ability.
• Take advantage of objective rules. Certain Ratlings can pick up mission items without first controlling the marker. This can enable surprising objective plays, but can also make some opponent plans—such as relying on a banner—risky.
• Choose tactical objectives to suit the matchup. Ratlings can score a wider range of Tac Ops than many teams, including options involving planted devices, intelligence, and enemy tracking. Planted devices can be a dependable scoring plan, while tracking or stealing intelligence may rely heavily on the opponent’s behavior.
• Be cautious against aggressive teams. If the opponent can score easily while denying Ratlings opportunities to act proactively, the team may fall behind on points even if it avoids casualties. In those games, calculate which kills or critical objectives could realistically close the gap.
• Use shooting and defense tools together. Ratlings can threaten enemies even at close range, while concealment and movement help them avoid retaliation. Improved shooting equipment makes it more reasonable to take shots that were previously unreliable.

Augustine considers Ratlings a strong but not top-tier team. Their control and tactical flexibility are excellent, but their slow movement, fragile models, and difficult matchups remain significant weaknesses. He suggests that future improvements could focus on the Ogryn and Bulgryn offensive profiles without substantially changing the rest of the team.

Gamers and sources featured

• Augustine — Ratlings player and 2026 Paris Exposition winner.
• JustAnotherKillteamPodcast — the podcast source; the host is not identified by name in the subtitles.