The Five Kill Team Events Worth Travelling To In 2025

The United States offers one of the deepest competitive calendars in Warhammer Kill Team, with major conventions, Games Workshop events, and independent tournaments attracting players from across the country. For an Australian player, travelling to one of these events can mean more than entering a tournament: it is a chance to see different terrain styles, meet international opponents, and watch high-level matches in person.

The best choice depends on what you want from the trip. AdeptiCon delivers a huge hobby and gaming experience, while NOVA Open is closely tied to serious competitive play. Las Vegas Open brings spectacle and scale, and the Warhammer US Open events provide an official Games Workshop setting. The dates and Kill Team formats can change, so check each event packet before booking flights or accommodation.

How These Events Earn A Place

A strong Kill Team destination needs more than a large attendance figure. The most useful events for travelling players combine a properly published packet, reliable terrain standards, a clear round schedule, and enough side activity to make the trip worthwhile if your tournament run ends early. A good event should also offer opportunities to watch streamed games, browse hobby stalls, and meet players outside your local circuit.

The five events below represent different parts of the American tournament scene. Some are ideal for a first overseas competition, while others suit experienced players chasing difficult matchups and a stronger strength-of-schedule field. They also give Australian visitors a spread of locations, from the Midwest to the East Coast, Nevada, and the Pacific Northwest.

AdeptiCon In Schaumburg

AdeptiCon, held near Chicago in Schaumburg, Illinois, is one of the broadest tabletop conventions on the international calendar. Its Kill Team programming can include competitive tournaments, narrative games, learn-to-play sessions, and organised open play. Even if you are mainly there for matched play, the convention floor makes it easy to spend an entire day moving between miniatures, terrain, seminars, and trade stands.

For an Australian visitor, AdeptiCon is especially attractive because it resembles a large version of the all-in-one convention experience familiar from CanCon in Canberra, though at a much greater scale. The surrounding Chicago area has extensive hotel and transport options, but convention accommodation can disappear quickly. Schaumburg is outside central Chicago, so compare the cost of staying near the venue with the time and rideshare expense involved in commuting from downtown.

The competitive field is usually broad rather than narrowly regional. That makes AdeptiCon a valuable place to test whether a roster works against opponents who use different terrain expectations and tactical habits. Kill Team Stream viewers can also use coverage from the event to prepare for the tempo and mission choices likely to appear on the tables.

Las Vegas Open In Nevada

Las Vegas Open is built around spectacle, volume, and a packed schedule of Warhammer tournaments. Its Kill Team offering may sit alongside major 40,000 and Age of Sigmar events, creating an atmosphere that feels closer to a large gaming festival than a single-system championship. The event is a strong option for players who want a tournament weekend with plenty happening away from their own tables.

Las Vegas is convenient for domestic American travel, with frequent flights and a large supply of hotels. The city can be expensive during busy weekends, however, and the final cost is affected by resort fees, meals, local transport, and the distance between accommodation and the venue. An Australian player should budget in Australian dollars, allow for exchange-rate movement, and avoid assuming that the advertised room price is the complete bill.

The event suits players who enjoy a noisy, energetic convention environment and do not mind a little distraction between rounds. It is also a useful destination for content-focused visitors: photography, match reports, army showcases, and informal interviews are easier to find when so many hobbyists are gathered in one place.

Warhammer US Open Tacoma

The Warhammer US Open event in Tacoma, Washington, offers a more official Games Workshop environment and a strong Pacific Northwest identity. Its Kill Team schedule should be checked closely each year, as the exact format, number of rounds, and qualification arrangements can vary. When Kill Team is on the programme, the event is particularly appealing to players who want their tournament experience connected to the wider Warhammer US Open circuit.

Tacoma is a practical choice for Australians travelling through the western United States. Flights from Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane commonly connect through hubs such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, or Vancouver, making the Pacific Northwest less daunting than the US East Coast. Still, allow time for immigration, domestic connections, and possible delays before the first round. A roster packed in carry-on luggage is usually safer than trusting fragile miniatures to checked baggage.

The local setting also rewards a slightly slower trip. Tacoma and nearby Seattle offer independent game stores, coffee shops, and a substantial miniature community. Australian players used to club-based events and retailers supporting weekend leagues may find the regional scene familiar, while the official event structure provides a more formal competitive test.

NOVA Open In Arlington

NOVA Open takes place in Arlington, Virginia, close to Washington, DC, and has a reputation for serious tournament organisation across several tabletop systems. Kill Team players should look for the current event listing and packet rather than relying on an old schedule, since side events and game systems can change. When included, the Kill Team tournament benefits from the convention’s competitive focus and experienced event staff.

The event is well suited to players who care about round efficiency, pairings, terrain consistency, and a concentrated competitive field. Arlington also gives visitors access to museums, restaurants, and public transport, although the cost of accommodation around Washington, DC can be high. Staying near a Metro station may be more useful than choosing a hotel that appears close on a map but requires expensive rideshares.

For an Australian competitor, NOVA can provide a sharp contrast with the relaxed feel of many local weekend tournaments. The pace may be brisk, and American players can bring different assumptions about screening, tac ops, deployment, and mission scoring. That makes every round useful, even when a particular matchup exposes a roster weakness.

Warhammer Open Dallas

A Warhammer Open in Dallas provides a distinctly central US option, with the potential for official Games Workshop tournament support and access to a large regional player base. Dallas is a major aviation hub, so connecting flights are often easier than reaching smaller convention cities. Check whether the current year’s programme includes a dedicated Kill Team event, as Games Workshop may alter the systems and formats offered at each location.

Dallas also works well for a combined hobby trip. The metro area has large retail spaces, independent stores, and players travelling in from Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and other nearby states. The scale of the region means a venue may not be close to every attraction, so transport planning matters. A hotel within walking distance or a short rideshare from the convention centre can protect your energy for the tournament itself.

The event is a good fit for players seeking an official environment without committing to a huge multi-system convention such as AdeptiCon. It can also be a useful meeting point for online opponents and tournament contacts made through Discord, Twitch, and YouTube communities.

Choosing The Right American Weekend

The biggest decision is whether the event itself or the broader holiday matters most. If the tournament is the priority, choose the clearest packet, the most convenient venue, and an accommodation plan that minimises daily travel. If you are making a larger holiday of the trip, AdeptiCon, Las Vegas Open, and NOVA Open offer more non-tournament activity.

Australians should also account for the practical details that are easy to underestimate. US prices are generally displayed before sales tax, unlike the all-in pricing people often expect at home, and tax varies by state and city. A coffee, meal, or convention purchase can cost more at checkout than the shelf or menu price suggests. Bring a travel card with reasonable foreign-exchange fees, confirm whether your phone plan includes US roaming, and remember that Australian Eastern time makes live streams land at awkward morning or midday hours back home.

Event	Best For	US Region	Main Advantage	Watch Before Booking
AdeptiCon	Convention and tournament variety	Midwest	Huge hobby scene and broad player base	Accommodation and event tickets sell quickly
Las Vegas Open	Large-scale gaming atmosphere	Southwest	Strong spectacle and many surrounding activities	Resort fees, meals, and local transport
Warhammer US Open Tacoma	Official event experience	Pacific Northwest	Good access from the Australian west coast	Confirm the Kill Team schedule and format
NOVA Open	Focused competitive play	East Coast	Experienced tournament environment	High accommodation costs near Washington, DC
Warhammer Open Dallas	Official regional competition	South-Central	Major flight hub and large local scene	Check which systems are included that year

Whatever the destination, bring a compact, durable roster case, printed roster information, objective tokens, measuring tools, and a backup plan for damaged models. Australian players may also want to pack familiar snacks for long tournament days, since American convention food can be expensive and queues can be unpredictable. A small repair kit with superglue, spare components, and paint is worthwhile after a long international journey.

The strongest preparation comes from studying the event packet and watching recent competitive footage. Streams and recorded matches reveal how players approach the current season, while tournament results show which teams and missions are performing across different regions. That information helps you arrive ready for the American Kill Team scene rather than spending the first round learning its habits.