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[40k] Competitive Innovations in 10th: A Little Knight Music pt.2

By Lowest of Men

Welcome to Competitive Innovations, our weekly feature for a number of game lines across the tabletop wargame space. Each week our army list and tactics experts canvass the top tournaments for their game of specialty, looking at the week’s top match-ups and how they played out on the tabletop to let you know what’s hot, what’s not, and what might be coming next as the competitive meta evolves year-round.

Lowest of Men: Howdy folks! This week I have the honour, nay, the privilege, of aggressively self-promoting my team 6++ and our FIRST EVER GT, which took place at the brilliant Prestige Wargaming in Barnsley, UK last weekend. It’s noteworthy for you, readers, because we shoved that new dataslate right in and made our players stumble through all of the new detachments, nerfs, and competitive twists, and boy was it worth it as all new challengers came to the fore for the Goonhammer content machine to cover. It was also an incredible event thanks to the brilliant people that came, and John Swallow who hosted us in his sensational new venue and made us feel extremely welcome. Thanks gang, there will be more in future. Now, on with the show!

Today we have:

  • That 6++ Grand Tournament 2025 (new rules)
  • GRIMDARK 24: March Madness (new rules)
  • Battlefield Birmingham 24
  • Talvisota – Winter Assault 2025
  • Free State GT 2025
  • Kingdom of Ashes: Thronebreaker – KW 40k GT event series

On Wednesday Wings covered:

  • Grand Onslaught 9 (new rules)
  • Scheunenkloppen Open – War Zone Erkelenz 3: GT 2025
  • March for Macragge GT 2025
  • Iron Cage: Bedford Beatdown
  • Palladium Games Presents “the dumpster fire gt” Spring Edition
  • Skövde Battleforge III

That 6++ Grand Tournament 2025

53-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in England, United Kingdom on March 15 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

The Showdown

Matchup & Mission – Space Wolves (Champions of Russ) versus Orks (More Dakka!)

Paul James – Space Wolves (Champions of Russ)
Army List - Click to Expand

vs.

Jack Tite – Orks (Unknown Detachment)
Army List - Click to Expand

Thoughts

I had a front row seat to this game in the commentary chair and let me tell you, it ended up a hell of a lot spicier than I originally feared it might be. In the new meta hotness corner, Jack’s Orks are packing a LOT of Dakka – Flash Gitz, Lootas, and Tankbustas all souped up with the SUSTAINED 2 on tap in the new detachment. Ahead of these, 20 Boyz bricks act as tarpits to force enemy commitment and cause primary pressure. Ahead of even these, Zodgrod and his lads rush forwards in a turn one Waaagh to cause havoc. It’s an awful lot to manage, and layering waves from the Trukks usually sees the Orks break down their foe in the mid to late game through sheer weight of numbers. Props for the list title as well Jack, you provocative menace.

Our very own Paul James reps the Space Wolves to try and take Jack down. Paul tends to opt for one of two approaches in list writing – 4++ anvil units, or ‘trash rats’ MSU melee. The latter is his preference right now in a meta of elves, guard, and other flimsy things that are trying to trade up into you. It gives him a deceptive amount of give and go without committing too hard, which certainly makes Jack’s life more awkward – the Ork melee in this list isn’t really up to tangling too much with the Space Wolves so they will be relying on drawing Marines out so they can blast them. Behind the waves of bodies, Paul also has Murderfang and Bjorn lurking to make late game trouble. These guys can win games on their own – just ask our own Leigh Churchward and his not-so-small graveyard of Bile infantry from round three…

The first few turns of this played as we anticipated – Jack sends out Zodgrod to block, early trading Orks to threaten Terraforms, and Paul responds by sending out his throwaway units and Wulden to deal with those first layers. These are then evaporated in return by Jack’s next wave, which includes some Flash Gitz and Lootas. At this point, things start getting spicy. Murderfang absolutely races down a far flank and picks up a Loota brick (Jack hadn’t anticipated Murderfang fitting through the side walls on that side), which unexpectedly collapses a flank. The Wolf later waves all connect and evaporate a number of Ork shooting units, before dying to the man. This leaves a very fraught midboard situation, with Bjorn slinking towards the centre trying to capture late game primary for Paul as a lone injured Captain ticks off a number of secondaries in Jack’s deployment zone. The stage is set for an incredible come back to make it 10-10 and cost Jack the title and the bragging rights at our first GT!!!

Only, Bjorn stacks it in the middle and hurts his knee (fails a battle-shock test), and sits there in front of the last remaining Orks wincing, powerless to get any primary. Having almost overturned a 30 point deficit with three models in heroic, wolfy style, Paul is defeated. Jack claims the narrowest of 11-9s, and destiny prevails.

Result

Orks (More Dakka) Victory – 11 – 9

Jack Tite – Orks (More Dakka) – 1st Place

Ork Deathskulls Big Mek with Shokk Attack Gun

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

More Dakka Boy Tarpit

Thoughts

Jack takes the chassis of his Taktikal Brigade list and applies it to an even scarier detachment. Two bricks of Boyz is the perfect way to force the enemy out into your guns, and Jack applies Zodgrod on top of this to add even more chaos to the frontlines. Behind that, the list writes itself. Shokk Attack Guns, Lootas, and Tankbustas. Light em up! This will be a list to beat for sometime I think. Really well done on winning our first GT Jack, it couldn’t have gone to a more sporting guy! We’ll get you one day I swear…

Jonny Simmons – Chaos Knights (Traitoris Lance) – 2nd Place (Undefeated)

Carrion Hauler
Chaos War Dog. Credit – Norman

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

War Dogs

Thoughts

Jonny highlights the quiet resurgence of Knights both noble and spiky, with this excellent run on the lots and lots of War Dogs list. CK ebb and flow in the meta, but the game is full of flimsy units that don’t live indirect, low leadership armies that don’t like jump-scare Knights, and armies that struggle with the high OC denial game the Chaos War Dogs are capable of. He went through some strong opponents on Dakka, Guard and Bile at this event, highlighting the flexibility of Chaos Knights right now.  A sleeper hit for the meta to come? Or is Jonny just really, really good at Warhammer?! Time will tell. Well done mate.

The Best of the Rest

There were 7 more players on 4-1 records. They were:

  • 3rd – Harley Scully – Aeldari (Devoted of Ynnead): Incubi brick Ynnari with Windriders and MSU Aspect Warriors. A tragic lack of Shining Spears.
  • 4th – Courtney Rhodes – Orks (More Dakka!):  A more melee-centric Dakka build with Ghazgull leading the charge ahead of the Lootas.
  • 5th – Christopher Langton – Dark Angels (Gladius Task Force): Triple Deathwing Knights and plenty of supporting shooting – Dark Angels still kicking!
  • 6th – George Leathley – Space Wolves (Champions of Russ): Another Champions build, this one went heavier on bigger bricks of melee Wulfen.
  • 7th – Paul James – Space Wolves (Champions of Russ): Paul’s MSU Space Rats list from the Showdown. Champion in our hearts, you big damn hero.
  • 8th – Ed Watts – Ultramarines (Librarius Conclave): A super cute Librarius build with a Terminator brick, some sneaky Desolator tech, and plenty of shenanigans.
  • 9th – Aidan Brocklehurst – Astra Militarum (Siege Regiment): An infantry heavy Siege Regiment run out with a Dorn for support.

GRIMDARK 24: March Madness

36-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Stockholms län, SE on March 15 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

Joel Larsson – Adeptus Custodes (Shield Host) – 1st Place

Blade Champion
Blade Champion. Credit: Pendulin

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

Custodes Golden Slabs

Thoughts

Brace yerselves! The time of the golden slabs has come again. This excellent Shield Host list trades on the durability and reach of Warden / Blade Champion bricks, supported by some Guard and Allarus. I expect we will see a lot of variants on this in Lions of the Emperor very soon, as small points drops help get Custodes back in the game. Draxus in a Guard unit remains a very scary combination – we may see other Inquisitors joining the fray soon too! Really well done on the event win.

The Best of the Rest

There were 4 more players on 4-1+ records. They were:

  • 2nd (4.5-0.5) – Jesper Unander-Scharin – Chaos Daemons (Daemonic Incursion): Old school monster mash Daemons with Belly, Skarbs, a Chicken, and plenty of chaff.
  • 3rd – Juan Manuel Sánchez Molina – Orks (More Dakka!): Battlewagon Breaka Boyz ahead of the Lootas and Tankbustas. Zodgrod of course in attendance.
  • 4th – Jonas Axelsson – Necrons (Hypercrypt Legion): Nightbringer, Doomsday Arks, and plenty of Destroyers in Hypercrypt.
  • 5th – Sebastian Magnusson – Chaos Daemons (Shadow Legion): Good grief. An OBSCENE amount of Nurglings supported by Warp Talons, Belly, and some Horrors.

Battlefield Birmingham 24

81-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in England, GB on March 15 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

Nassim Fouchane – Astra Militarum (Combined Arms) – 1st Place

Krieg Combat Engineers. Credit: Rockfish

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

Combined Regiment Guard

Thoughts

Nassim doesn’t need Bridgehead to ruin your hopes and dreams. Until someone finally just nerfs him in a slate directly, he isn’t going anywhere. I like the symmetry here between his and Jack’s list from out GT – shove two durable bricks out (the 20 men of Kriegers) to force commitment, then hoover up in style with your big guns. The Dorn acts as an anchor and there is still a Scions drop punch to keep people honest. Guard are definitely casting around for answers after the recent nerfs – it might be the old ways are the best! Congratulations on the event win Nas.

Christopher Radford – Blood Angels (Liberator Assault Group) – 2nd Place (Undefeated)

Credit: Corrode

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

Go-Wide Bloodless Angels

Thoughts

A last hurrah for the ‘BA non BA’ hype, as Chris goes wide with MSU melee and a smattering of supporting shooting. Van Vet missiles are particularly nice, requiring a bit more effort to shift, and Chris has the Repulsor here to cycle Jump Pack units through for even more reach. If you don’t get to grips with this list fast, it will simply pick you off one yeeted MSU unit at a time. Really well done on the top placing!

Josh Bevington – Necrons (Hypercrypt Legion) – 3rd Place (Undefeated)

The Silent King
The Silent King. Credit: Pendulin

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

Hyperthicc

Thoughts

Skew is eternal. Necrons pivot back to some of their OG options as Starshatter drops off, with both Awakened and Hyperthicc seeing some play. This build can pick you off mercilessly with a Vault and Arks if you can’t get to grips with it, with lots of MSU nonsense out in front to stop you tagging anything important. The Silent King hands out buffs and then bullies objectives when the time is right. A tried and tested formula that still works a treat. Well done on the top placing!

Rees Darvill – Imperial Knights (Noble Lance) – 4th Place

Imperial Knight Lancer. Credit: Jack Hunter

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

Double Big Knight IK

Thoughts

Rees goes for the style points with two big Knights- Canis and a Cerastus- supported by lots of little Armigers. Knights sit in a similar spot to CK – they are quietly enjoying the lack of attention they’re getting as other meta armies tech for each other and then suddenly find themselves short on output for an all mech scrap. Patient piloting and clever leverage of the big Knights and you can romp to victory. Really well done on the top placing.

The Best of the Rest

There were 10 more players on 4-1 records. They were:

  • 5th – Mani Cheema – Chaos Knights (Traitoris Lance): Lots and lots of War Dogs!!
  • 6th – Andy Quas-Cohen – Necrons (Hypercrypt Legion): Tesseract Vault Hypercrypt.
  • 7th – Andy Mitten – Genestealer Cult (Biosanctic Broodsurge): Biosanctic Goodstuff with double Saboteur for those pesky elves.
  • 8th – Matt Bell – Necrons (Awakened Dynasty): Lots of Awakened Dynasty characters with a 20 brick of Warriors to pivot around.
  • 9th – Richard Kilpatrick – World Eaters (Berzerker Warband): Textbook WE Goodstuff with Angron.
  • 10th – Maciek “Magic” Chamier – Cieminski – Aeldari (Aspect Host): Aspect Host Aeldari with triple Wave Serpent.
  • 11th – Vik Vijay – Aeldari (Devoted of Ynnead): Incubi brick Ynnari with double Wraithlord and loads of Aspect MSU.
  • 12th – Ryan Richards – Thousand Sons (Cult of Magic): Tsons with a horde of chaff units out ahead.
  • 13th – Jonathan Gardener – World Eaters (Vessels of Wrath): Non-Angron Vessels with huge slabs of Eightbound for the buffs.
  • 14th – Jon Farrell – World Eaters (Vessels of Wrath): Similar bricks to above, but complimented by some Khorne Daemons and Brigands.

[40k] Talvisota – Winter Assault 2025

60-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Helsinki, Suomi on March 14 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

Niklas Ojalainen – Orks (Green Tide) – 1st Place

Ork Bad Moons Choppa Boyz. Credit: Greggles

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

Green Tide with Dakka

Thoughts

A very interesting mixed arms Ork list that takes the Horde pressure of Green Tide and compliments it with supporting Tankbusta and Flash Git shooting. Kommandos add forward push and this list can body the mid board if it gets going. I think finding that balance between durable horde and precision damage is key for Orks at the moment, and it is interesting seeing a list almost reverse engineered conceptually to the More Dakka lists with the Boy bricks in. A very good time for the Greenskins! Well done on the event win.

Jouni Haavisto – Aeldari (Devoted of Ynnead) – 2nd Place (Undefeated)

Yvraine & The Visarch. Credit: James “Boon” Kelling

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

Incubi Brick Ynnari

Thoughts

A nice, durable Wraithlord base, supported by Incubi brick shenanigans and lots of Aspect MSU. Ynnari have an incredible toolkit, it is simply about finding triggers and traps to maximise it. One such example is the awesome Archon with Borrowed Vigour in a venom with Kabs – this gives you an amazing irritation piece in the early game, that is hard to deal with properly without triggering Lethal Intent. The Archon himself fights deceptively well with the extra attacks – I’m looking forward to giving mine a run out this weekend! Well done on the event placing.

Juha Ottelin – Astra Militarum (Bridgehead Strike) – 3rd Place

Militarum Tempestus Scions Command Squad. Credit: Rockfish
Militarum Tempestus Scions Command Squad. Credit: Rockfish

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

Bridgehead Goodstuff

Thoughts

A run out for the Bridgehead of old, infantry layered in transports, a smattering of counter attack in the Rough Riders, and lots of drop shooting and artillery. Very effective, but potentially in decline after the slate – it will be interesting to see! Really well done on the to placing.

Eero Saukkonen – Astra Militarum (Combined Arms) – 4th Place

Leman Russ Exterminator. Credit: Rockfish
Leman Russ Exterminator. Credit: Rockfish

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

Combined Regiment Russ Spam

Thoughts

YES to Leman Russ. Loads of tanks here in this Combined Regiment list, that also packs a couple of Rough Rider squads for pushing back enemy forays into your half. The go-wide feel of this list is quite something and it shoots hard. Really well done on the top placing.

The Best of the Rest

There were 7 more players on 4-1 records. They were:

  • 5th – Juuso Kankkunen – Orks (War Horde): Good ole fashioned War Horde with a tasteful Tankbusta unit.
  • 6th – Tom Wikholm – Chaos Daemons (Legion of Excess): Be’lakor in Excess with multiple Soul Grinders.
  • 7th – Tatu Sipola – Chaos Space Marines (Creations of Bile): Vanella style Bile.
  • 8th – Indran Yogaswaran – Aeldari (Aspect Host): Aspect Host with some War Walkers alongside the bricks, with Lykhis leading the charge.
  • 9th – Heikki Puska – Imperial Knights (Noble Lance): Canis, Armigers, and an Immolator.
  • 10th – Pekka Koskivirta – Chaos Space Marines (Creations of Bile): Chunky Bile with a solo Terminator Lord.
  • 11th – Nino Lind – Necrons (Starshatter Arsenal): Triple Doomsday Ark Starshatter.

Free State GT 2025

47-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Holton, Kansas, US on March 15 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

Dan Sammons – Astra Militarum (Combined Arms) – 1st Place

Death Korps of Krieg Heavy Weapons Squad. Credit: SRM

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

Combined Regiment Guard

Thoughts

ANOTHER triumph for the Combined Regiment- the winds of change beckon! Being able to bring back an infantry squad helps this troubleshoot the late game, and it packs a fearsome punch for bossing the early exchanges. The double Dorn here gives opponents an awful lot to chew through as the rest of the guns go to work. Fantastic work on the event win!

Matthew Doughman – Imperial Knights (Noble Lance) – 2nd Place (Undefeated)

Imperial Knight Armiger Helverin
Imperial Knight Armiger Helverin
Credit: Pendulin

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

Canis / Armigers / Immolator

Thoughts

Not a tonne new to say here – IK lists have converged pretty hard, but the strip cover and shoot with Armigers combo keeps on taking heads. Really well done on the top placing!

The Best of the Rest

There were 6 more players on 4-1 records. They were:

  • 3rd – Cody Jiru – Drukhari (Reaper’s Wager): All-in Drukhari pressure with double Beastmaster, an infiltrating Troupe and some Talos.
  • 4th – Aaron Hermstedt – Death Guard (Plague Company): This DG tank spam list wins for it’s title ‘most of my models are T3’. Hell they are Aaron!
  • 5th – Nathan Blankenship – Orks (Taktikal Brigade): Shooty Taktikal Brigade with a couple of Beastsnagga squads.
  • 6th – Clint Eubanks – Imperial Knights (Noble Lance): Canis / Armigers / Immolator.
  • 7th – Broc Bowman – Imperial Knights (Noble Lance): Canis and Armigers!
  • 8th – John Indellicate – Genestealer Cult (Biosanctic Broodsurge): Combat heavy Broodsurge with a brick of Neophytes with an Iconward.

Kingdom of Ashes: Thronebreaker – KW 40k GT event series

27-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in England, Reino Unido on March 15 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

Alaeze Ugoala – Deathwatch (Black Spear Task Force) – 1st Place

Deathwatch Terminators by Craig “MasterSlowPoke” Sniffen

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

Deathwatch

Thoughts

An evolution of the Deathwatch build from LVO, with Terminator bricks for early solidity, Kill Teams to jump about, and just a smattering of Marine staples (Ballistus, etc) to anchor the rest and provide some cheaper utility. The toolkit in Deathwatch is really quite something – with Bridgehead on the down, might they become the premier jump up and down option for Imperium lovers?! We shall see! Very well done on the event win.

The Best of the Rest

There were 5 more players on 4-1 records. They were:

  • 2nd – Liam Callebout – Chaos Space Marines (Creations of Bile): Creations with triple Predator Destructor and some Plaguebearers in support.
  • 3rd – Danny Whitelaw – Death Guard (Plague Company): Mortarion tank car park Death Guard.
  • 4th – Robin Bhattacharyya-Dickson – Drukhari (Reaper’s Wager): Chunky triple Cronos / Voidraven Drukhari.
  • 5th – Sean McQuaid – Aeldari (Aspect Host): Massed Aspects and hulls in Aspect Host.
  • 6th – Matthew Bunker – Chaos Space Marines (Creations of Bile): MSU Warp Talons in a nicely tuned Bile list.

Wrap Up

There you have it folks! Meta that was is so over, all hail meta that is. Dakka prevalent, Elves ducking and weaving, Guard still winning, Knights seemingly on the rise – how will the year of Chaos impact things as it starts kicking off with the release of Emperor’s Children? Time will tell, the strands fall as they must. Keep being awesome and having a good time with good people.

Lowest of Men, out.

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