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.
Today we’ve got plenty of showings from factions outside the Necron/Marine/Daemon trifecta, once again highlighting that there’s plenty going on in the metagame.
Warzone: Atlanta Warhammer 40K Golden Ticket Tournament 2025
Wettcon Vinter 2025
Frost Hammer
WINTER ASSAULT INDONESIA’s 1st GRAND TOURNAMENT
Grand Tournoi 40K – Grand Clash 2025
104-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada on February 08 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.
Sebastien Geoffrion – Tyranids (Vanguard Onslaught) – 1st Place
Deathleaper. Credit: Rockfish
The List
Army List - Click to Expand
Can this beat John?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + PLAYER NAME: Sebastien Geoffrion + TEAM NAME: Trash-Tier + FACTION KEYWORD: Xenos – Tyranids + DETACHMENT: Vanguard Onslaught + TOTAL ARMY POINTS: 2000pts + + WARLORD: Char1: Deathleaper + ENHANCEMENT: Hunting Grounds (on Char4: Winged Hive Tyrant) + NUMBER OF UNITS: 20 + SECONDARY: – Bring It Down: (1×2) – Assassination: 7 Characters +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Char1: 1x Deathleaper (80 pts): Warlord, Lictor Claws and Talons
Char2: 1x Broodlord (80 pts): Broodlord Claws and Talons
Char3: 1x Broodlord (80 pts): Broodlord Claws and Talons
Char4: 1x Broodlord (80 pts): Broodlord Claws and Talons
Char5: 1x Winged Hive Tyrant (220 pts): Tyrant talons, Monstrous Bonesword and Lash Whip
Enhancement: Hunting Grounds (+20 pts)
Char6: 1x Winged Tyranid Prime (65 pts): Prime Talons
Char7: 1x Winged Tyranid Prime (65 pts): Prime Talons
10x Gargoyles (85 pts): 10 with Blinding Venom, Fleshborer
10x Hormagaunts (65 pts): 10 with Hormagaunt talons
10x Hormagaunts (65 pts): 10 with Hormagaunt talons
1x Biovores (50 pts): Chitin-barbed Limbs, Spore Mine Launcher
10x Genestealers (150 pts): 10 with Genestealers claws and talons
10x Genestealers (150 pts): 10 with Genestealers claws and talons
10x Genestealers (150 pts): 10 with Genestealers claws and talons
1x Lictor (60 pts): Lictor Claws and Talons
1x Neurolictor (90 pts): Piercing Claws and Talons
1x Neurolictor (90 pts): Piercing Claws and Talons
3x Raveners (75 pts): 3 with Ravener claws and talons, Thoracic bio-weapon
6x Tyranid Warriors with Melee Bio-Weapons (150 pts)
• 1x Tyranid Prime: Tyranid Warrior Claws and Talons
• 5x Tyranid Warrior: 5 with Tyranid Warrior Claws and Talons
6x Tyranid Warriors with Melee Bio-Weapons (150 pts)
• 1x Tyranid Prime: Tyranid Warrior Claws and Talons
• 5x Tyranid Warrior: 5 with Tyranid Warrior Claws and Talons
Archetype
Vanguard Onslaught Pressure
Thoughts
A return for the most baller of the Tyranid detachments here, as Vanguard Onslaught claims a GT win. Full send Genestealers feels like a lot of fun, and the Hive Tyrant helps dole out free strat support from the excellent VO toolkit. Melee Warriors are a fragile but brutal follow up to the first wave- if you’re not very careful, you’ll be overrun! Amazing work on the event win.
John Winter Russell – Astra Militarum (Bridgehead Strike) – 2nd Place (Undefeated)
Death Korps of Krieg. Rockfish
The List
Army List - Click to Expand
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Player Name: John Winter Russell
Factions Used: Astra Militarum
Army Points: 2000
Army Enhancements: Bombast-Class Vox-array
Detachment Rule: Bridgehead Strike
Number of units: 23
Bring it down: 4
Assassination: (7) 28 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Scion test (2000 Points)
Astra Militarum
Bridgehead Strike
Strike Force (2000 Points)
CHARACTERS
Death Korps Marshal (60 Points)
• 1x Plasma pistol
• 1x Power weapon
The brutal drop-punch of Bridgehead is making waves at the moment, and this build compliments them with a smattering of on board solidity (Taurox) and counterpunch (Rough Riders). When it picks it’s engagements and starts blasting this detachment slaps with all the fury of index release GSC, and it can build momentum very quickly after the first few salvos. A real meta contender, well done on the top placing.
Quentin Bois – World Eaters (Berzerker Warband) – 3rd Place
Credit: Robert “TheChirurgeon” Jones
The List
Army List - Click to Expand
Pains au chocolat (2000 points)
World Eaters
Strike Force (2000 points)
Berzerker Warband
CHARACTERS
Angron (435 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Samni’arius and Spinegrinder
Exported with App Version: v1.26.0 (67), Data Version: v541
Archetype
World Eaters Eightbound Spam
Thoughts
World Eaters just keep on trucking don’t they?! The same template has held up remarkably well and keeps finding new pockets to thrive in in the competitive meta. The speed and reach this index has helps it to hang at the moment in a world of fast shooting armies, and the Eightbound trap remains as deadly as ever. Really well done on the top placing!
Éric Marcoux – Ultramarines (Gladius Task Force) – 4th Place
Desolation Squad by Craig “MasterSlowPoke” Sniffen
The List
Army List - Click to Expand
Is guigui good? (2000 points)
Space Marines
Ultramarines
Strike Force (2000 points)
Gladius Task Force
Exported with App Version: v1.27.0 (71), Data Version: v569
Archetype
Ultramarines Gladius
Thoughts
Gulliman, Calgar and the boys are having a good few months. Not a tonne more to say here -new oaths is amazing and particularly good on the already very well supported Ultramarines unit roster. Desolators creep back in as a trouble shooting option for pesky elves and GSC and the like, leaving this list with very few outstanding weaknesses. Really well done on the event win!
The Best of the Rest
There were 8 more players on 4-1 records. They were:
5th – Serge Morin – Leagues of Votann (Oathband): Chonky Sagitaur / Fort combo with 12 Bikers.
6th – Antoine Boivin – Grey Knights (Warpbane Task Force): Plenty of Purifiers and Interceptors supporting some Dreadknights.
7th – Sid Secter – Chaos Space Marines (Creations of Bile): Chonky Possessed / Chosen heavy Bile with three Rhinos.
9th – Kim Bouliane – Orks (War Horde): A full-send War Horde list full of Nobz and Breakas in Trukks. Love this.
10th – Franck Lortie – Adeptus Mechanicus (Haloscreed Battle Clade): Massed Infiltrators and Ruststalkers in a very exciting new Ad Mech combat build!
11th – Alexandre Dombrowski – Death Guard (Plague Company): Chonky Plague Company with lots of Blight Haulers, Drones, Plague Marines and Deathshroud.
12th – Sebastien Potvin – Imperial Knights (Noble Lance): Canis, a truckload of Armigers, and the Sisters / Immolator plug in.
Wizards GT 2025
51-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Wichita, KS, United States on February 08 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.
Cody Jiru – Drukhari (Reaper’s Wager) – 1st Place
Credit: Keewa
The List
Army List - Click to Expand
Bam Me, Bam You, Bam Everybody named Bam.. Bam Bam by Bamming Bam… Bam Bam by Whamming Bam in the Clam behind Wizard’s Alley (2000 points)
Drukhari
Strike Force (2000 points)
Reaper’s Wager
Exported with App Version: v1.26.0 (67), Data Version: v541
Archetype
Reaper’s Wager Pressure
Thoughts
Cody likes to run quite unique, pressure heavy Drukhari lists, and I am delighted to see they’ve translated this style over to Reaper’s Wager. Two Beastmasters provide early jail, before a bunch of Talos and Grotesques follow up as the Voidraven blasts away from the edges. It’s a potent build and the toolkit in Reaper helps it get damage wherever it needs to. No need for the Harlequins at all here, which is a testament to how well the new detachment has been designed. Really well done on the event win!
Brent Simon – Chaos Daemons (Legion of Excess) – 2nd Place (Undefeated)
Credit: Svbfloorvg
The List
Army List - Click to Expand
Post Lvo (2000 Points)
Chaos Daemons
Legion of Excess
Strike Force (2000 Points)
CHARACTERS
Be’lakor (325 Points)
• Warlord
• 1x Betraying Shades
• 1x The Blade of Shadows
Exported with App Version: v1.26.0 (2), Data Version: v541
Archetype
Be’lakor Slaanesh
Thoughts
A distinct spin on Slaanesh that plugs Belly in to get a bit of ranged protection. Slaanesh is very dangerous but also has to make up ground in the face of heavy fire sometimes, so buying a turn or two to close on the enemy before the absolute madness that is the Slaanesh stratagems kicks in makes an awful lot of sense. Really well done on the top placing!
The Best of the Rest
There were 6 more players on 4-1 records. They were:
3rd – Dustin Doughty – Tyranids (Invasion Fleet): Big bug Invasion Fleet with a Norn.
4th – Howard Watts – Space Marines (Astartes) (Gladius Task Force): Ballistus / Vindicator Ultramarines.
5th – Matt Evans – Tyranids (Assimilation Swarm): Massed Pyrovores and Tyrant Guard in Assimilation Swarm.
6th – Steven Heitmeyer – Blood Angels (Liberator Assault Group): Bladeguard and Outrider spam in Blood Angels, I am here for it!
7th – Jeremy Capko – Black Templars (Righteous Crusaders): Mixed arms Templars with a big Terminator brick.
8th – Jacob Tromblee – Chaos Knights (Traitoris Lance): All dem War Dogs.
9th – Jonathan Mathis – Blood Angels (Angelic Inheritors): Shooty Inheritors with Inceptors and supporting Sang Guard MSU.
NSW Masters – NSWTC
39-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Padstow, NSW, AU on February 07 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.
Jordan McGregor – Imperial Knights (Noble Lance) – 1st Place
Knights are quietly enjoying the Grotmas meta, with a nice blend of decent shooting and sufficient stat-check to catch out some of the armies teching away from armour. This list plugs in a cheap Priest / Immolator combo for some scoring utility, and the ever-handy Watch Captain Artemis for the get back up again shenanigans. Armigers for the rest of your points and you have a very OC rich, punchy build! Well done on the event win.
The Best of the Rest
There were 6 more players on 4-1+ records. They were:
2nd (4.5-0.5) – Zakk Futura – Chaos Knights (Traitoris Lance): All the Dogs and some Nurgle Daemons.
3rd – Joshua Brodie – Chaos Space Marines (Renegade Raiders): Full send Accursed and some Predators.
4th – Michael House – Thousand Sons (Cult of Magic): Triple Mutalith Tsons. Tsons are eternal.
5th – Kirby – Blood Angels (Liberator Assault Group): LAG with Sang Guard, Vindicators and Outriders.
6th – Michael Rutkai – Chaos Daemons (Legion of Excess): Slaanesh Goodstuff.
7th – Adam Woznowski – Imperial Knights (Noble Lance): A Cerastus, an Errant, and plenty of Armigers.
Da Bolton GT
32-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Horwich, England, United Kingdom on February 08 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.
The Showdown – Astra Militarum versus Death Guard
Scorched Earth – Swift Action – Tipping point
Sam Boardman – Astra Militarum (Bridgehead Strike) Army List - Click to Expand
Guard – Infantry ++3 (2000 points)
Astra Militarum
Strike Force (2000 points)
Bridgehead Strike
CHARACTERS
Cadian Command Squad (65 points)
• 1x Cadian Commander
• 1x Plasma pistol
1x Power fist
• 1x Cadian Veteran Guardsman
• 1x Plasma pistol
1x Power fist
• 1x Cadian Veteran Guardsman with Master Vox
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Lasgun
1x Master Vox
• 1x Cadian Veteran Guardsman with Medi-pack
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Lasgun
1x Medi-pack
• 1x Cadian Veteran Guardsman with Regimental Standard
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Lasgun
1x Regimental Standard
Death Korps Marshal (60 points)
• 1x Plasma pistol
1x Power weapon
A very intriguing showdown here, as the Guard face off against the Plague Companies of the Death Guard. At first glance I thought this might be a bit one sided, with Bridgehead primed to pick the Death Guard off before they can close. But the Land Raider gives the smelly bois a bit of an in on that score, able to push Deathshroud up board quickly and absorb the first drop of Guard shooting. -1 to hit can make Guard life a bit precarious and there are a tonne of flamers for hoovering up the infantry bodies. The actual on-board presence and output of the Bridgehead list is a tad light, and on a mission like Scorched that gives the DG a chance to build up some score. In the end, it looks like the superior firepower eventually showed but what a tight game! Well played both.
Exported with App Version: v1.26.0 (67), Data Version: v541
Archetype
Bridgehead Infantry Carpet
Thoughts
As unpacked above, Bridgehead is definitely one of the armies to beat in the new meta. Horrendous firepower, lots of 6 inch deep strike, and the ability to switch up attacks and areas of focus on a whim. Indirect helps shore up those hard to reach places. Super strong. Really well done on the event win!
The Best of the Rest
There were 5 more players on 4-1 records. They were:
2nd – Craig Farrell – Death Guard (Plague Company): A heroic effort from Craig on his unique Land Raider Death Guard build from the showdown, well done mate.
3rd – Simeon Pollard – Adeptus Custodes (Solar Spearhead): Warden / Caladius / Venerable Contemptor spam in Spearhead.
4th – Paul Sheard – World Eaters (Berzerker Warband): Lord of Skulls / Eightbound heavy World Eaters.
5th – Adam Wass – Ultramarines (Gladius Task Force): Double Repulsor Executioner Marines dials it back to 8th edition, love it.
6th – Shaun Delaney – Blood Angels (Liberator Assault Group): Go-wide melee Blood Angels with some tasteful Ballistus in support.
Wrap Up
There you have it guys! Guard and Slaanesh flex their muscles but there are a lot of contenders out there and the field appears to have stayed wide open since the slate. A golden age for balance that makes writing these a lot less monotonous, well done GW. Keep on slaying out there!
Lowest of Men, out.
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