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[40k] Competitive Innovations in 10th: Our Long National Nightmare is So Back pt.1

By Lowest of Men and James "One_Wing" Grover

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.

Wings: I had lots of pithy jokes about More Dakka on deck, but unfortunately I’m sick as hell after the GHO UK. Luckily, my wonderful co-writer Lowest of Men has stepped in to pick up the list writeups today!

Today:

  • Goonhammer Open UK March 2025
  • THE SOUTH-COAST 40k SUPER-MAJOR
  • All is Dust
  • OP Luck of the Irish GT
  • NurgleMania 6 – 2 Tagesturnier
  • OTT 2025

Friday:

  • Rocky Mountain Open 2025 – 40k Champs
  • Rosehammer III
  • Ogr Cubb 2025
  • Team Keelhaul Warhammer 40k Grand Tournament
  • Planet arKCanite 2025

Goonhammer Open UK March 2025

63-player, 6-round Grand Tournament in England, United Kingdom on March 22 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

Sam Nash – Ultramarines (Gladius Task Force) – 1st Place

Chapter Master Arcus Pluvius of the Rainbow Warriors armed with the gauntlets Rainbows Duplex
Rainbow Warriors Chapter Master Arcus Pluvius by Craig “MasterSlowPoke” Sniffen

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

Ultramarines Gladius

Thoughts

The Ultramarines domination continues, as Sam Nash claims a big win! Gulliman and Calgar wander about drawing fire for a bunch of souped up tanks to respond to. It’s a simple but effective model that causes all sorts of issues for the opponent. The Gladiator Reaper gives you a bit of horde coverage and the Invader ATV remains incredibly cheap for what you get – all in all, a fantastic list! Very well done Sam.

Nassim Fouchane – Astra Militarum (Combined Arms) – 2nd Place

Death Korps of Krieg infantry squad. Credit: SRM

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

Guard Combined Arms

Thoughts

Nassim slips to his second top placing in as many weeks, as brutal Guard nerfs finally begin to tell on his ceiling. It could be time he retired, frankly, he’s been at this all far too long. Plenty of tanks in the firebase, Kasrkin for early aggression and Krieg bricks for absorption – just as strong as it was, but in a meta that may be shifting around it a little bit now! Well done on the top placing.

Alex Fowler – Adeptus Custodes (Lions of the Emperor) – 3rd Place

Shadowkeeper Allarus Custodes. Credit: Pendulin

The List

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Archetype

Lions Custodes

Thoughts

Alex F gets in on the new Custodes action with a nice smattering of foot lads, some Bikes, some scoring and some Inquisitors. The latter really like the new detachment, which accidentally (or intentionally, who can say) buffs their plug-in weaponry to quite absurd heights with scope for double tapping via Guard squads. Lions has great combat control, boasts a terrific stat check in a crucial moment through Wardens, and can now swat tanks and monsters aside like they aren’t even there. One to watch for the future- really well done Alex.

James Webster – Aeldari (Windrider Host) – 4th Place

Windriders with Shuriken Cannons. Credit: Rockfish
Windriders with Shuriken Cannons. Credit: Rockfish

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

Windrider Host

Thoughts

A thoughtfully balanced Windrider list here, which takes plenty of the things working in other Elf detachments – Lykhis, Wraithlords, Warp Spiders – and couples them to the destructive uppy downy powers of 18 Windrider bikes. These are very violent in Host, able to drop in, blast things, and scoot away from reprisal in true elf fashion. As people start to get their heads around the Ynnari tricks, this may well be the direction for elf players as the raw output here is undeniable and there are still shenanigans aplenty too! Really well done James.

The Best of the Rest

There were 2 more players on 5-1 records. They were:

  • 5th – Luke Quadling – Aeldari (Devoted of Ynnead): Cheap Rangers and Aspects in transports, then two big Incubi squads and two full Reaver units.
  • 6th – Greg Chamberlain – Leagues of Votann (Oathband): Hearthgaurd-tastic Votann with 25 of them, two squads in reserve and one in a fort.

THE SOUTH-COAST 40k SUPER-MAJOR

254-player, 8-round Supermajor in England, United Kingdom on March 22 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

The Showdown – Ad Mech (Haloscreed) versus Orks (More Dakka)

Scorched Earth – Inspired Leadership – Crucible of Battle

Samuel Martin – Adeptus Mechanicus (Haloscreed Battle Clade)
Army List - Click to Expand

vs.

Ben Jones – Orks (More Dakka)
Army List - Click to Expand

Thoughts

Ok, let’s talk Dakka. It floods the board, it blocks you in, and it shoots you to pieces. One thing it doesn’t do easily, is break out of its deployment IF you get first drop, cover midboard, get first turn, and pin it in. Orks are footsloggers, they don’t have any particularly dangerous flying options, so if you can box them in you can buy time. This Ad Mech list is more than capable of that, with loads of forward deploy, good foot slogging troops and speedy shoot and scoot that can keep a jail going for some time.

IF, and only if, the Orks can be hemmed in for the majority of the game, and enough damage done, there is a win path here. What is more likely, and what ultimately played out here, is a rate of attrition that proves the jail simply unsustainable. The Ad Mech made a heroic effort here, before petering out.

Result

Orks (More Dakka) Victory – 82 – 62

Ben Jones – Orks (More Dakka) – 1st Place

Lootas. Credit: Rockfish
Lootas. Credit: Rockfish

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

It’s Possible

Thoughts

Ben Jones is a fantastic human being, and he romps to victory on Dakka here. I played him in Round 6 and the key to getting the list to sing is aggressively pushing flank angles with the Trukks, and reserved Lootas whilst also pressuring forwards spaces with Zodgrod and follow up waves of Boyz. There isn’t much that can handle it! Really well done on an event win Ben.

Mani Cheema – Orks (More Dakka) – 2nd Place (Undefeated)

Ork Deathskulls Big Mek with Shokk Attack Gun

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

That Dakka

Thoughts

Mani takes second on a list that opts for two forward Tarpits of Ork Boyz for when Zodgrod has met his untimely end. Otherwise the shooting plug ins are broadly the same, but 20 Flash Gitz gives him an absolute volley of supporting fire alongside the Lootas and Tankbustas. Really well done on the top placing!

Brian Seipp – Orks (More Dakka) – 3rd Place

Credit: Soylent Robot

The List

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Archetype

Might be Too Good

Thoughts

Brian packs in some Kommandos to prevent the reverse jail situation alluded to above, as long as he can get first drop. Otherwise, very much what you’d expect to see here but I do like the additional Big Meks – getting some accuracy for the Trukks without having to disembark is smart and, I’d imagine, nifty to have in the mirror! Well done on the top placing.

Samuel Martin – Adeptus Mechanicus (Haloscreed Battle Clade) – 4th Place

Tech-Priest Manipulus and Kataphron Breachers with Heavy Arc Rifles and Arc Claws
Tech-Priest Manipulus and Kataphron Breachers with Heavy Arc Rifles and Arc Claws. Credit: Pendulin

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

Haloscreed Mixed Arms

Thoughts

A sensational top showing for Ad Mech, who claims TWO spots in the top cut with different detachments. Haloscreed packs a great range of combat and shooting buffs that help various tools in Ad Mech sing. Breachers LOVE Crit 5s, and Ruststalkers love all the added reach they can get here as well. If you use the moving pieces correctly, this detachment absolutely sings, and I am delighted we got something a bit different up in the top cut here, despite the meta weather! Really well done on the top placing Samuel!

The Best of the Rest

There were 4 more players in the top cut. They were:

  • 5th – Toby Bennett – Dark Angels (Stormlance Task Force): Max Deathwing Knights running at the enemy.
  • 6th – Ed Watts – Adeptus Mechanicus (Skitarii Hunter Cohort): Elite Skitarii galore to try and pressure out the shooty builds, maxing out on Ruststalkers and supporting them with lots of Infiltrator MSUs and Pteraxii.
  • 7th – Martyn Cooper – Astra Militarum (Combined Arms): Kasrkin, Russes and a Dorn Commander, with a few extra
  • 8th – Tom Lowman – Aeldari (Devoted of Ynnead): Our boy rocks out with Ynnari, packing lots of Aspect MSUs with a full unit each of Incubi and Shining Spears as bigger threats.

All is Dust

70-player, 6-round Grand Tournament in Petawawa, Ontario, CA on March 22 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

Zach Comeau – Astra Militarum (Hammer of the Emperor) – 1st Place

Rogal Dorn Tank Commander. Credit: SRM

The List

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Archetype

TRIPLE DORN

Thoughts

Delicious Dorntastic violence here, as multiple Commanders and a standard Dorn provide an awful lot of heft. Hammer of the Emperor gives you some absurd reach on these, able to fly through walls and get fresh angles. Mortars chip away at range and there is enough MSU / Transport nonsense ahead of the guns to cause massive headaches for the opponent. Really well done on the top placing!

Dan Bruce – Space Wolves (Stormlance Task Force) – 2nd Place

Credit: Kevin Stillman

The List

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Archetype

Wolf Jail

Thoughts

Wolf Jail is eternal! Vindicators and an Impulsor for this slightly more mechanised version, but the concept remains as it has ever been – here come some Thunderwolves, enjoy your own third! Really effective and nice to see this still taking heads, well done.

Nick Jagiello – Astra Militarum (Combined Arms) – 3rd Place

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

The List

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Archetype

Guard Heroism

Thoughts

Rough Riders just speak to me, ya know? You can have 99% of a standard Guard list, plug a full ten brick of Rough Riders in and I will call you a hero. And that’s more or less what has happened here. Very well done Nick, you hero.

Will Paul – Orks (More Dakka) – 4th Place

Credit: Tom Alexander

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

Ghazgull Dakka

Thoughts

More Dakka can get real joy out of big melee units – I expect should adjustments arise we may see more experimentation along these lines, where Ghazgull is brought in to make the detachment more deadly in combat and offer forward melee pressure. Still an absolute wall of guns behind him mind you, so have fun dealing with him without getting blasted off the board! Very well done on the top placing.

The Best of the Rest

There were 3 more players on 5-1 records. They were:

  • 5th – Éric Marcoux – Imperial Knights (Noble Lance): Canis, Armigers, and Assassins.
  • 6th – Josh Crowe – Imperial Knights (Noble Lance): Canis, Armigers, and an Immolator.
  • 7th – François Lalonde – Ultramarines (Gladius Task Force): Another spin on the Bobby G gun club, adding the cursèd return of Stormhawk Interceptors to the mix.

OP Luck of the Irish GT

47-player, 6-round Grand Tournament in Santa Rosa, CA, US on March 22 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

Taylor Davis – World Eaters (Berzerker Warband) – 1st Place

Credit: Robert “TheChirurgeon” Jones

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

World Eaters Goodstuff

Thoughts

The World Eaters life is a very precarious one. Dependant on Eightbound trapping, vexed by Infiltrating units, very fragile when connected into on unfavourable terms. Nonetheless, they are DEADLY, and very fast, and capable of blowout wins in a meta of lower leadership and gunlines. I am delighted that a classic WE build has made it through the many trips and traps to storm a victory here -really well done.

Floof Cox – Genestealer Cult (Host of Ascension) – 2nd Place (Undefeated)

Genestealer Cult Benefictus.

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

Host of Ascension Neophyte Carpet

Thoughts

Neophyte carpet is eternal. Host rolls on, taking names via a combination of brutal drop shooting and massed OC. If you can’t delete 20 Neos in a go, you are going to have a very painful experience. Purestrains, Sabos and Mortars help you hunt down any pesky elves that have shimmied away from your main guns. Really well done on the top placing!

The Best of the Rest

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

  • 3rd – Enzo Burgan – Orks (More Dakka): All the shooty Infantry, the Super Grots, and one big squad of Meganobz with Ghaz.
  • 4th – Nick Farmer – Necrons (Hypercrypt Legion): Teleporting Doom Scythes, the Silent King, and a Tesseract Vault.
  • 5th – Emma Park – Adepta Sororitas (Hallowed Martyrs): Martyrs with a suite of hulls, one Paragon unit, and one big Sacresant squad.
  • 6th – Bryce Baxter – Adeptus Custodes (Shield Host): All-rounder Custodes with a bit of everything.
  • 7th – MATT DOMNAUER – World Eaters (Berzerker Warband): The One True World Eaters list, yes it still exists, yes it’s still good.
  • 8th – Brian Benn – Tyranids (Invasion Fleet): Shooty Monster Mash with an extra Psychophage for additional durability.
  • 9th – Erik Bowman – Orks (War Horde): Boyz bricks in Battlewagons with a mix of smaller stuff backing them up.

NurgleMania 6 – 2 Tagesturnier

40-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Nürnberg, BY, DE on March 22 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

Kayu Orellana – Tyranids (Invasion Fleet) – 1st Place

Hive Tyrant. Credit: Rockfish
Hive Tyrant. Credit: Rockfish

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

Invasion Fleet Hormagaunt Rush

Thoughts

Like something out of Starcraft, here come an absolute truckload of Gaunts to ruin your day! This list piles on the early pressure as the big bugs get into place. Tyranids have good game into elves which goes a long way in the current meta, but you still need some secret sauce to wrangle your way to the top – maybe 60 Hormas is the way! I absolutely love this build. Really well done on the event win 😀

Jens Gottfried – Genestealer Cult (Final Day) – 2nd Place (Undefeated)

Gargoyles. Credit: Rockfish
Gargoyles. Credit: Rockfish

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

Final Day

Thoughts

Final Day is a deceptively deadly detachment, juicing up GSC combat and shooting to new heights. You can FINALLY have reliable Mining Lasers coming out of Rockgrinders and Ridgerunners, and the Patriarch unit absolutely slaps with full wound rerolls. Gargoles bring jail potential and good OC, and there is still the relentless resurrection game behind it powering the late game. One of the sleeper detachments of the meta, expect to see more of it as the hobby lag catches up! Well done on the top placing.

The Best of the Rest

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

  • 3rd – Roman Kleiber – Orks (More Dakka): Max Lootas and Tankbustas, some Beast Snagga Boyz for melee.
  • 4th – Max Nitschinger – Tyranids (Invasion Fleet): Medium quantities of shooty monsters and lots of utility pieces.
  • 5th – Sebastian Mann – Death Guard: Deathshrouds, Poxwalkers and Nurglings with Mortarion in charge.
  • 6th – Fritz Peters – Chaos Daemons (Daemonic Incursion): Lots of Bloodletters and a Rendmaster as an infantry core, Skarbrand as an aggro hammer, Beasts of Nurgle and the Gift GUO as anvils.
  • 7th – Tobias Roth – Chaos Daemons (Daemonic Incursion): Mega monster mash with Kairos, a Lord of Change, Gift GUO, Bloodthirster and Be’lakor, supported with lots of Flesh Hounds.

OTT 2025

30-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Hamilton, Waikato, New Zealand on March 21 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

Ezra Blow – Adeptus Custodes (Lions of the Emperor) – 1st Place

Adeptus Custodes Blade Champion painted by Crab-stuffed Mushrooms

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

Lions Mixed Arms

Thoughts

A more conventional double Caladius build taps into the juice of the Lions detachment to make it’s forward bricks sing as the guns get to work. This can keep people honest at a distance before hitting the send button, and Draxus firing from a Guard unit is more dangerous than ever. Fantastic work on the event win.

The Best of the Rest

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

  • 2nd – Joshuah Megchelse – Leagues of Votann (Oathband): All-rounder Votann with one of almost everything.
  • 3rd – Luke Paruman – Astra Militarum (Hammer of the Emperor): Dorn Commanders, Hellhounds and supporting Infantry.
  • 4th – Mike Perry – World Eaters (Vessels of Wrath): Angron-free heavy Infantry World Eaters with lots of Exalted Eightbound and Terminators.
  • 5th – Charlie Kang – Orks (More Dakka): Super Grots, max Lootas, max Tankbustas.

Wrap Up

There you go guys! As we enter into a slightly lopsided meta for the first time in awhile, I want to briefly dwell on how awesome the game has been for the last few months. Writing for CI I see the diversity of builds and options being explored and there truly is SO much being tried. Dakka may put things out of whack for a little while, but we will get back to that state of things before long, have faith!

Lowest of Men, out.

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