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Competitive Innovations in 10th: Scramble Scramble pt.2

By James "One_Wing" Grover and 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.

Battle to End Alzheimer’s 2025 Warhammer 40,000 GT

155-player, 6-round Grand Tournament in Havre de Grace, MD, United States on April 12 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

Zach Point – Space Marines (Astartes) (Ironstorm Spearhead) – 1st Place

Marneus Calgar Credit: Alfredo Ramirez
Marneus Calgar Credit: Alfredo Ramirez

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

Somehow, 8th Edition Returned!

Thoughts

Triple Repulsor Executioners eh? That sure does take me back. A deceptively transport heavy mech take on Ultramarines that pushes hulls out and then retaliates with the named characters and a few bits of infantry. This build looks slightly lopsided to me but I suspect a lot of people just aren’t ready for the amount of fire multiple oathed Repulsors can bring to the party! Really well done on the event win.

Derek Apsche – Chaos Daemons (Shadow Legion) – 2nd Place (Undefeated)

Credit: Gerald Miller

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

Fadethirster / Accursed Shadow Legion

Thoughts

Fadethirster isn’t real, it can’t hurt you. At least some of the time. The rest of the time it’s very real, and it will tear your head off. Then he goes back to being not real for a bit. You get the idea. A glorious run from one of the lists to beat-  Accursed Cultists give this detachment and awful lot of jank. Really well done on the top placing.

Tyler Principio – Chaos Knights (Traitoris Lance) – 3rd Place (Undefeated)

Chaos Knight Wardog Brigands – Credit: Bair

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

Rotigus CK

Thoughts

I enjoy seeing Rotigus in a Chaos Knights list. Is he the most interesting bit? Arguably. But he sure does compound the OC nonsense of the War Dogs and Battleshocking, and he looks fabulous. Well done on the top placing.

Mark Hertel – Space Marines (Astartes) (Gladius Task Force) – 4th Place

Photo Credit: Musterkrux

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

Double Redeemer Ultramarines

Thoughts

Ok both Ultramarines players were evidently styling at this event- amazing to see Tigurius in and also two Land Raider Redeemers packing the heat like it’s early 10th. Everything in this list slaps deceptively hard once Oaths gets involved, and there is a lot to chew through. Desolators give you some nice extra reach for those annoying hidden Lootas or Elves. Great work!

The Best of the Rest

There were 10 more players on 5-1 records. They were:

  • 5th – Max Berlove – Necrons (Starshatter Arsenal): Silent King and triple Doomsday Arks.
  • 6th – Stephen Henry – Adeptus Custodes (Lions of the Emperor): Double bikes and double Caladius and some Sisters allies.
  • 7th – Joshua Campbell – Necrons (Awakened Dynasty): Big Warrior brick with supporting cast.
  • 8th – TJ Lanigan – Chaos Daemons (Shadow Legion): Uppy-downy Bloodthirster and 2x AC/DC.
  • 9th – Jack Murphy – Aeldari (Devoted of Ynnead): Go-wide with no Incubi brick.
  • 10th – Larry Oliver – Tyranids (Invasion Fleet): 3x Exocrines, Maleceptors, and Norn-Emissaries.
  • 11th – Jeffrey Kolodner – Adepta Sororitas (Hallowed Martyrs): Sacresant brick, Paragons, and Mortifiers.
  • 12th – Edward Appel – Astra Militarum (Combined Arms): A lot of infantry and a sprinkle of tanks.
  • 13th – Dustin Zeliff – Space Marines (Gladius Task Force): Everything you’re expecting to see.
  • 14th – Seth Oster – Orks (Green Tide): Per Seth, list stolen from Noah Beddome.

ADFWGA – ANZAC Cup 2025

55-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Campbell, ACT, Australia on April 11 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

Rowan Kennett – Chaos Daemons (Plague Legion) – 1st Place

Great Unclean One
Great Unclean One – Credit: RichyP

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

Plague Legion Infantry Spam

Thoughts

If you haven’t played against Plague Legion, you should. I think GW nailed a thematic, stodgy, and debilitating Nurgle Daemon detachment here, which wears you down with repeated battle-shocking and chip mortals and damage, whilst proving very annoying to dislodge in it’s own right. You do lose ONE COOL POINT for plugging the Changeling in, Rowan, but otherwise this absolutely rocks and I’m delighted to see my favourite Daemons take an event win. Well done!

The Best of the Rest

There were 8 more players on 4-1 records. They were:

  • 2nd – Ewart Searle – Orks (More Dakka!): Just close your eyes and remember it’s not real.
  • 3rd – Cody Howden – Imperial Knights (Noble Lance): A full 12 Armigers plus some allies.
  • 4th – Dale Mann – Aeldari (Devoted of Ynnead): Ynnari with an Incubi brick.
  • 5th – Joe Loke – Death Guard (Plague Company): Triple PBCs and Mortarion.
  • 6th – Josh Drew – Space Marines (Firestorm Assault Force): Flamer Aggressors, a stack of BGV, double Land Raider Redeemers. Peak 40k.
  • 7th – David Cottam – Orks (More Dakka!): It can’t hurt you any more.
  • 8th – Roger Barlow – Deathwatch (Blackspear Task Force): Triple Deathwatch Terminator Squads with supporting Kill Teams.
  • 9th – Guy Vincent – Orks (Taktikal Brigade): Stormboyz and Flash Gitz and Big Meks, oh my!

II GT Asturias

48-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Avilés, España on April 12 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

Borja David Palacio Valdueza – Tyranids (Invasion Fleet) – 1st Place

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

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

Invasion Fleet Goodstuff

Thoughts

An Abba greatest hits CD, but for Tyranids. Tfex – awesome anti-mech shooting. Maleceptors and Exos – just the right amount of scary and durable to flood the board with big bugs. 20 mans of Termagants – love the 5+++ from the stratagem and cause mayhem ahead of the guns. More intriguing, however, is the Psychophage! Two of these plug in – perhaps they’re just cheap enough now to use as an early push monster to bait out enemy shooting? Very cool to see either way. Well done on the event win!

Adrian Koba – Space Marines (Astartes) (Gladius Task Force) – 2nd Place (Undefeated)

Blood Ravens Techmarines. Credit – Soggy

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

Shrike Gladius

Thoughts

Shrike is actually great guys. Getting more OC on JPIs is awesome, he’s a good little combat unit in his own right and getting Lone Op for him is also very effective. It’s not quite Gulliman, but it is entirely playable! Delighted to see that demonstrated here – there is SO much untapped potential in the various less seen Space Marine Chapters atm. Well done for leading the charge!

The Best of the Rest

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

  • 3rd – Sergio Helguera – Aeldari (Devoted of Ynnead): Hey, a Fire Prism!
  • 4th – Juan Jose Menendez – Chaos Daemons (Daemonic Incursion): Big boys, triple Beasts of Nurgle, and double Soul Grinders.
  • 5th – Pablo Arrieta – T’au Empire (Mont’ka): A very wide Mont’ka build.
  • 6th – Adrián Nicieza – Imperial Knights (Noble Lance): 12 Armigers, a Moirax, and an Inquisitor.
  • 7th – Gabino Leon – Space Marines (Stormlance Task Force): Gabino asks the question, what if Roboute Guilliman could Advance and charge?

Bugle Bat Reps : Bugles Big Bash 4

37-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Roche, England, GB on April 12 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

George McCoulough – Drukhari (Reaper’s Wager) – 1st Place

Credit: Wings

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Archetype

Drukhari Pressure

Thoughts

An extremely brutal high tempo Drukhari list here, which slams TRIPLE Beastmaster at the opponent and follows up with Grotesques, Talos, Incubi, and a full Troupe of Harlequins. This build is absolutely vicious and not to be underestimated. Drukhari sit in an odd spot at the moment, but the faction is far more deadly in skilled hands than many appreciate, as George has ably demonstrated here. Great work!

The Best of the Rest

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

  • 2nd – Jonathan Summerfield – Chaos Space Marines (Renegade Raiders): Big bricks of Chosen backed up by shooty support and Chaos Bikers.
  • 3rd – Clive Keys – Leagues of Votann (Oathband): 5 Sagitaurs and a Land Fortress disgorge Beserks and Hearthguard in your face.
  • 4th – Liam Steptoe – World Eaters (Vessels of Wrath): See Showdown.
  • 5th – Tom Hicklin – T’au Empire (Kauyon): Triple Breachers, triple Stealth Suits, triple Hammerheads.

Wrap Up

There’s part two for you folks! The content machine rolls on!!!!

Lowest of Men, out.

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