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[40k] Competitive Innovations in 10th: Beach Episode pt.2

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.

This column features:

  • Grand Tournoi 40K – Grand Clash 2025
  • Wizards GT 2025
  • NSW Masters – NSWTC
  • Da Bolton GT

Part 1 from Wednesday included:

  • Beachhead Brawl 2025
  • 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
Deathleaper. Credit: Rockfish

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

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
Death Korps of Krieg. Rockfish

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

Guard Carpet

Thoughts

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

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 in the scheme of the Rainbow Warriors
Desolation Squad by Craig “MasterSlowPoke” Sniffen

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

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.
  • 8th – Eloi Desjardins – Chaos Daemons (Legion of Excess): Triple Keeper / Triple Fiend Slaanesh.
  • 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

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

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

Imperial Knights - Armiger Helverins
Imperial Knights – Armiger Helverins
Credit: Pendulin

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

Armiger Spam IK.

Thoughts

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

vs.

Craig Farrell – Death Guard (Unknown Detachment)
Army List - Click to Expand

Thoughts

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.

Result

Astra Militarum (Bridgehead Strike) Victory – 77 – 68

Sam Boardman – Astra Militarum (Bridgehead Strike) – 1st Place

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

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

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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