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.

We’re back for part 2 of Competitive Innovations, with a healthy mix of top finishes for your perusal. We’ve got a first-time event win for one of the lesser-utilised Grotmas Detachments, we’ve got AdMech, we’ve got a Fortification for some fucking reason; it’s simply all happening on the tournament tables.

Today we’ll cover:

Milwaukee GT III
Oxford Onslaught 4
Waterloo Games Store Championship 40K Event Hosted by Away Games
casi casi GT 2.0
HWP Salty Classic GT February 2025

Yesterday (Wednesday) we looked at:

Cherokee Open 2025 – 40k Champs
6. Corsair Open GT
Heroes of the mid table winter 2025
Top Gun: Callsign Chilli
Toys of Mass Destruction – Hertfordshire Spring GT

Tomorrow (Friday) we’ll review:

NRW 40K Singles 2025 – Alpine Cup
22 & 23 Feb 2025 – OWN’s Breaking Point GT at Primal Nerds
Fire & Blood GT
DaBoyz GT Golden Sprue 2025 40K 1v1
I Torneo Iberian Open 2025 Cripta de los Héroes

Milwaukee GT III

56-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in New Berlin, WI, United States on February 22 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

The Showdown

Scorched Earth – Inspired Leadership – Crucible of Battle

Ben Cherwien – Aeldari (Aspect Host)
Army List - Click to Expand

9”

(1990 Points)

Aeldari
Aspect Host
Strike Force (2000 Points)

CHARACTERS

Autarch (75 Points)
• 1x Reaper launcher
• 1x Star glaive

Baharroth (115 Points)
• Warlord
• 1x Fury of the Tempest
• 1x Shining Blade

Fuegan (120 Points)
• 1x Fire Axe
• 1x Searsong

Lhykhis (120 Points)
• 1x Brood Twain
• 1x Spider’s Fangs
• 1x Weaverender

DEDICATED TRANSPORTS

Wave Serpent (115 Points)
• 1x Shuriken cannon
• 1x Twin bright lance
• 1x Wraithbone hull

OTHER DATASHEETS

Dark Reapers (180 Points)
• 1x Dark Reaper Exarch
◦ 1x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Missile launcher
• 9x Dark Reaper
◦ 9x Close combat weapon
◦ 9x Reaper launcher

Dark Reapers (90 Points)
• 1x Dark Reaper Exarch
◦ 1x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Tempest launcher
• 4x Dark Reaper
◦ 4x Close combat weapon
◦ 4x Reaper launcher

Fire Dragons (200 Points)
• 1x Fire Dragon Exarch
◦ 1x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Firepike
• 9x Fire Dragon
◦ 9x Close combat weapon
◦ 9x Dragon fusion gun

Howling Banshees (90 Points)
• 1x Howling Banshee Exarch
◦ 1x Executioner
◦ 1x Shuriken pistol
• 4x Howling Banshee
◦ 4x Banshee blade
◦ 4x Shuriken pistol

Striking Scorpions (75 Points)
• 1x Aspect Shrine Token
• 1x Striking Scorpion Exarch
◦ 1x Scorpion chainsword
◦ 1x Scorpion’s claw
◦ 1x Shuriken pistol
• 4x Striking Scorpion
◦ 4x Scorpion chainsword
◦ 4x Shuriken pistol

Swooping Hawks (170 Points)
• 1x Aspect Shrine Token
• 1x Swooping Hawk Exarch
◦ 1x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Hawk’s talon
• 9x Swooping Hawk
◦ 9x Close combat weapon
◦ 9x Lasblaster

Warp Spiders (95 Points)
• 1x Warp Spider Exarch
◦ 1x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Powerblade array
• 4x Warp Spider
◦ 4x Close combat weapon
◦ 4x Death spinner

Warp Spiders (95 Points)
• 1x Warp Spider Exarch
◦ 1x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Death weavers
◦ 1x Spinneret rifle
• 4x Warp Spider
◦ 4x Close combat weapon
◦ 4x Death spinner

Exported with App Version: v1.27.0 (3), Data Version: v569

vs.

Wesley St. Hines – Astra Militarum (Bridgehead Strike)
Army List - Click to Expand

Stock Standard Meta Guard with 0 Innovative Ideas

[Points: 2000, Faction: Astra Militarum, Detachment: Bridgehead Strike]
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Character
└ Militarum Tempestus Command Squad [Points: 100, Warlord: ✓]
Model
└ Tempestor Prime [Weapon: Command Rod]
└ Tempestus Scion – Command Squad [Weapon: Hot-shot pistol + Hot-shot lasgun + Medic]
Enhancement
└ Bombast-Class Vox-Array [Points: 25]
Model
└ Tempestus Scion – Command Squad [Weapon: Hot-shot volley gun]
└ Tempestus Scion – Command Squad [Weapon: Plasma gun]
└ Tempestus Scion – Command Squad [Weapon: Hot-shot pistol + Master vox]
└ Militarum Tempestus Command Squad [Points: 75]
Model
└ Tempestor Prime [Weapon: Command Rod]
└ Tempestus Scion – Command Squad [Weapon: Hot-shot pistol + Hot-shot lasgun + Medic]
Model
└ Tempestus Scion – Command Squad [Weapon: Hot-shot volley gun]
└ Tempestus Scion – Command Squad [Weapon: Plasma gun]
└ Tempestus Scion – Command Squad [Weapon: Meltagun]
└ Militarum Tempestus Command Squad [Points: 75]
Model
└ Tempestor Prime [Weapon: Command Rod]
└ Tempestus Scion – Command Squad [Weapon: Hot-shot pistol + Hot-shot lasgun + Medic]
Model
└ Tempestus Scion – Command Squad [Weapon: Hot-shot volley gun]
└ Tempestus Scion – Command Squad [Weapon: Plasma gun]
└ Tempestus Scion – Command Squad [Weapon: Meltagun]
└ Catachan Command Squad [Points: 65]
Model
└ Catachan Commander [Ranged: Plasma pistol, Melee: Power fist]
└ Veteran Guardsman (CCS) [Weapon: Lasgun, Wargear: Master vox]
└ Veteran Guardsman (CCS) [Weapon: Lasgun, Wargear: Regimental standard]
└ Veteran Guardsman (CCS) [Weapon: Lasgun, Wargear: Medi-pack]
└ Veteran Guardsman (CCS) [Weapon: Plasma Gun]
Epic Hero
└ Ursula Creed [Points: 65]
└ Gaunt’s Ghosts [Points: 110]
Battleline
└ Catachan Jungle Fighters [Points: 65]
Model
└ 2x Jungle Fighter [Ranged Weapon: Flamer]
└ Jungle Fighter [Ranged Weapon: Lasgun + Vox-caster]
└ Catachan Jungle Fighters [Points: 65]
Model
└ 2x Jungle Fighter [Ranged Weapon: Flamer]
└ Jungle Fighter [Ranged Weapon: Lasgun + Vox-caster]
└ Catachan Jungle Fighters [Points: 65]
Model
└ 2x Jungle Fighter [Ranged Weapon: Flamer]
└ Jungle Fighter [Ranged Weapon: Lasgun + Vox-caster]
└ Death Korps of Krieg [Points: 130, Models: 20]
Model
└ Death Korps Watchmaster [Melee Weapon: Power weapon, Ranged Weapon: Plasma pistol]
└ Death Korps Watchmaster [Melee Weapon: Power weapon, Ranged Weapon: Plasma pistol]
Model
└ 2x Death Korps Trooper [Ranged Weapon: Plasma gun]
└ 2x Death Korps Trooper [Ranged Weapon: Meltagun]
└ 2x Death Korps Trooper [Ranged Weapon: Lasgun + Medi-pack]
Infantry
└ Catachan Heavy Weapons Squad [Points: 50]
Model
└ 3x Heavy Weapons Team (Catachan) [Loadout: Mortar]
└ Catachan Heavy Weapons Squad [Points: 50]
Model
└ 3x Heavy Weapons Team (Catachan) [Loadout: Mortar]
└ Catachan Heavy Weapons Squad [Points: 50]
Model
└ 3x Heavy Weapons Team (Catachan) [Loadout: Mortar]
└ Kasrkin [Points: 110]
Model
└ Kasrkin Sergeant [Melee Weapon: Power weapon, Pistol: Plasma pistol]
Model
└ 2x Kasrkin Trooper [Ranged Weapon: Plasma gun]
└ 2x Kasrkin Trooper [Ranged Weapon: Meltagun]
└ Kasrkin Trooper [Ranged Weapon: Hot-shot marksman rifle]
└ Kasrkin Trooper [Ranged Weapon: Hot-shot + Vox]
└ Kasrkin Trooper [Ranged Weapon: Hot-shot laspistol + Melta mine]
└ Kasrkin [Points: 110]
Model
└ Kasrkin Sergeant [Melee Weapon: Power weapon, Pistol: Plasma pistol]
Model
└ 2x Kasrkin Trooper [Ranged Weapon: Plasma gun]
└ 2x Kasrkin Trooper [Ranged Weapon: Meltagun]
└ Kasrkin Trooper [Ranged Weapon: Hot-shot marksman rifle]
└ Kasrkin Trooper [Ranged Weapon: Hot-shot + Vox]
└ Kasrkin Trooper [Ranged Weapon: Hot-shot laspistol + Melta mine]
└ Ogryn Bodyguard [Points: 40, Weapon: Bullgryn maul, Weapon/Shield: Brute Shield]
└ Tempestus Scions [Points: 130, Models: 10]
└ Tempestor [Melee Weapon: Power fist, Pistol: Plasma pistol]
Model
└ Tempestus Scion [Ranged Weapon: Hot-shot laspistol + vox-caster]
└ 2x Tempestus Scion [Ranged Weapon: Plasma gun]
└ 2x Tempestus Scion [Ranged Weapon: Hot-shot volley gun]
└ Tempestus Scions [Points: 130, Models: 10]
└ Tempestor [Melee Weapon: Power fist, Pistol: Plasma pistol]
Model
└ Tempestus Scion [Ranged Weapon: Hot-shot laspistol + vox-caster]
└ 2x Tempestus Scion [Ranged Weapon: Plasma gun]
└ 2x Tempestus Scion [Ranged Weapon: Hot-shot volley gun]
└ Tempestus Scions [Points: 130, Models: 10]
└ Tempestor [Melee Weapon: Power fist, Pistol: Plasma pistol]
Model
└ Tempestus Scion [Ranged Weapon: Hot-shot laspistol + vox-caster]
└ 2x Tempestus Scion [Ranged Weapon: Plasma gun]
└ 2x Tempestus Scion [Ranged Weapon: Meltagun]
└ Tempestus Scions [Points: 130, Models: 10]
└ Tempestor [Melee Weapon: Power fist, Pistol: Plasma pistol]
Model
└ Tempestus Scion [Ranged Weapon: Hot-shot laspistol + vox-caster]
└ 2x Tempestus Scion [Ranged Weapon: Plasma gun]
└ 2x Tempestus Scion [Ranged Weapon: Meltagun]
└ Tempestus Aquilons [Points: 110]
Model
└ Tempestor Aquilon [Loadout Options: Power weapon, Pistol Options: Hot-shot laspistol]
└ Tempestus Aquilons [Loadout Options: Plasma carbine]
└ Tempestus Aquilons [Loadout Options: Hot-shot long-las]
Fortification
└ Aegis Defence Line [Points: 145]

Thoughts

Aspect Host blasts into a Showdown here, albeit facing what may be one of the very worst matchups for it. Not only does Bridgehead’s playstyle match well into MSU-heavy Aeldari anyway, this build doesn’t even have Tank Commanders of any flavour to provide some high-value targets for things like Fire Dragons. In the abstract I think the builds with two Dorn or Russ Commanders are better, but in this matchup being able to full send with Infantry is definitely superior, and leaves the Asuryani with almost nothing they can do about it. Even the Aegis Defence line, mostly here as a meme as far as I’m aware, actually does something here, taking the ten Fire Dragon unit from “bad” to “comically bad” if it has to shoot something hiding behind it.

Having Baharroth and Lhykhis in the Phoenix corner does help a little here, as they’re very much the kind of things you want, both able to do their thing from safety, inflict genuinely substantial losses, and then maybe bug out to do it all again. Having lots of Scorpions is also valuable, as it maybe gives the Aeldari a very narrow path to victory – just deploy them as aggressively as possible, hope you win the roll-off, then combine them with the speedy threats to fully box in Bridgehead’s ability to go big. Far from a reliable plan, but anything like a standard game plan is going to be a washout for the Aeldari, so you may as well go for it. Unfortunately, whether because he went second or because even that wasn’t enough, Ben’s elves weren’t even really able to scratch the militarum here.

Result

Astra Militarum (Bridgehead Strike) Victory – 91 – 25

Wesley St. Hines – Astra Militarum (Bridgehead Strike) – 1st Place

Militarum Tempestus Scions Command Squad. Credit: Rockfish

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Stock Standard Meta Guard with 0 Innovative Ideas

[Points: 2000, Faction: Astra Militarum, Detachment: Bridgehead Strike]
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Archetype

All Infantry Bridgehead

Thoughts

Should we be worried when a list wins a (fairly stacked) event down 150pts for a meme? Maybe a bit, yeah. This build is just incredibly nasty for any other Infantry-based build to take on, and with so many top players trying Infantry MSU-heavy Aeldari, it’s prime hunting season for the Scions. Well done to Wesley on the victory!

The Best of the Rest

There were 9 more players on 4-1+ records. They were:

2nd (4.5-0.5) – Matthew Root – Orks (Taktikal Brigade): Mostly shooty Taktikal Brigade with a few Beast Snagga units in Trukks for some melee heft.
3rd – Ben Cherwien – Aeldari (Aspect Host): See Showdown.
4th – Drew Schietinger – Chaos Space Marines (Pactbound Zealots): Hull-tastic Pactbound with Predators, Vindicators, Helbrutes and Daemon Engines.
5th – JP Marquart – Grey Knights (Warpbane Task Force): Extra-shooty Warpbane with five Dreadknights and three Purgation squads.
6th – John Van Dusen – Tyranids (Invasion Fleet): Shooty bug Monster Mash.
7th – Gary Frank – Adeptus Custodes (Solar Spearhead): Hull-maxed Solar Spearhead with triple Telemon and Vendread, plus two Caladius tanks.
8th – Kevin Leonard – Chaos Daemons (Daemonic Incursion): Ultra hefty pure-Nurgle Daemons with triple GuO, triple Soul Grinder and Rotigus.
9th – James “Boon” Kelling – Aeldari (Seer Council): Our boy Boon puts his money where his mouth is by unleashing a mind-bending Seer Council build with multiple Guardian deathstars and supporting Aspect Warriors and shooty pieces.
10th – Jason Moskalik – Salamanders (Firestorm Assault Force): A defiantly on-brand Salamanders build with lots of MSUs, a Land Raider Redeemer to Firestorm max, and Infernus Marines to wander round with Vulkan and Adrax.

Oxford Onslaught 4

50-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Drayton, England, United Kingdom on February 22 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

I went along to this one for the Saturday (unfortunately I had to work on the Sunday at short notice) and did my part to keep the Ynnari win rate down by getting kicked in by Chaos Knights and Aspect Host (literally and figuratively, respectively). As always, the TO Michael ran a fantastic event, even bringing along ample supplies of delicious home-made rocky road for the attendees. More of this sort of thing, especially when it’s within 20 minutes of my house!

Laurence Elliott – Chaos Daemons (Plague Legion) – 1st Place

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

“I genuinely don’t understand how this Detachment rule got printed.”

“It’s not good by any measure”

“This is one of the worst detachments I have ever seen in the three editions I’ve been playing 40K”

“This sucks”

Chaos Daemons
Strike Force (2000 points)
Plague Legion

CHARACTERS

Daemon Prince of Chaos (225 points)
• Daemonic Allegiance: Nurgle
• 1x Hellforged weapons
1x Infernal cannon
• Enhancement: Droning Shroud (Aura)

Epidemius (80 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Balesword and Nurgling attendants

Great Unclean One (250 points)
• 1x Bilesword
1x Plague flail
1x Putrid vomit
• Enhancement: Font of Spores (Aura)

Rotigus (230 points)
• 1x Gnarlrod
1x Streams of brackish filth

Sloppity Bilepiper (70 points)
• 1x Marotter
• Enhancement: Cankerblight (Aura)

BATTLELINE

Blue Horrors (125 points)
• 10x Blue Horror
• 10x Blue claws
10x Coruscating Blue Flames

Nurglings (40 points)
• 3x Nurgling Swarm
• 3x Diseased claws and teeth

Plaguebearers (110 points)
• 1x Plagueridden
• 1x Plaguesword
• 9x Plaguebearer
• 1x Daemonic Icon
1x Instrument of Chaos
9x Plaguesword

OTHER DATASHEETS

Beasts of Nurgle (65 points)
• 1x Putrid appendages

Plague Drones (110 points)
• 1x Plaguebringer
• 1x Death’s heads
1x Foul mouthparts
1x Plaguesword
• 2x Plague Drone
• 1x Daemonic Icon
2x Death’s heads
2x Foul mouthparts
1x Instrument of Chaos
2x Plaguesword

Seekers (80 points)
• 1x Heartseeker
• 1x Lashing tongue
1x Slashing claws
• 4x Seeker
• 1x Daemonic Icon
1x Instrument of Chaos
4x Lashing tongue
4x Slashing claws

Soul Grinder (180 points)
• Daemonic Allegiance: Nurgle
• 1x Harvester cannon
1x Iron claw
1x Phlegm bombardment
1x Warpclaw

Soul Grinder (180 points)
• Daemonic Allegiance: Nurgle
• 1x Harvester cannon
1x Iron claw
1x Phlegm bombardment
1x Warpsword

Exported with App Version: v1.27.0 (71), Data Version: v569

Archetype

Heavy Plague Legion

Thoughts

Someone actually went and did it, always worthy of serious respect to win an event with a detachment so rare that I have to go and look up everything it does to write about it. The Nurgle Daemon datasheets are much, much more dangerous than they might appear on first read, particularly as they do stacking buffs quite a bit more effectively than the other gods. You can, of course, just unleash that in Daemonic Incursion, but you can also decide that you want the enemy to take Battle-shock tests, so many Battle-shock tests, more Battle-shock tests than have ever been rolled in a single battle before. Plenty of currently popular armies really struggle if they fail a test at the wrong time (a bunch of Aeldari tricks vanish, Orders fall off of Bridgehead and Taktikal Brigade, many such cases), and running this list provides them with an ample well of opportunities to do so, especially via suddenly surging the Bilepiper’s unit forwards with Murkshadows.

The Font of Spores Enhancement is also incredibly real for Nurgle Daemons, being genuinely transformative for the damage output of an army that’s mostly on AP-1 and AP-2 at baseline, and I think a lot of players are going to look at this and not quite realise that it can actually murder them. You do sacrifice the mobility of Incursion, of course, but Laurence’s build addresses that by taking lots of small units for board presence, and adding a mobile, hard-to-shoot Daemon Prince as a roving threat. It’s super, super cool to see something so unique doing well, congratulations on the win!

The Best of the Rest

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

2nd – Paulie Wallis – Drukhari (Reaper’s Wager): Pipped to the post by Laurence, Paulie has assured me that playing the “just good stratagems” detachment into the Nurgle Daemons is quite painful. His list has plenty of the standard Drukhari skirmishing pieces, but with the advent of the new Aeldari book adds the powerful options of a large Troupe with a Shadowseer to Infiltrate and cause problems, and a single Voidweaver as a hard-to-shoot scoring piece and a way to reset the Wager if things line up right.
3rd – Richard Gaskell – Orks (War Horde): Infantry-heavy Horde with one large Flash Gitz unit and some Tankbustas to provide dakka.
4th – Sam Palmer – Necrons (Awakened Dynasty): Double Wraiths and double Doomsday as an anchor and threats respectively, plus a full Skorpekh murder brick as shock troops.
5th – Tom Spicer – Dark Angels (Stormlance Task Force): Stormraven Stormlance, but with the mixup of going Dark Angels to take the Lion and a Samael/Outrider unit as extra nasty threats.
6th – Daniel Latham – Ultramarines (Vanguard Spearhead): Another Stormraven here, this one “sneaky”, somehow. Love a sneaky plane. Teleporting Centurions also feature, as you’d expect.
7th – Harley Bessant – T’au Empire (Retaliation Cadre): Lots of suits of many shapes and sizes, including a double Broadside unit.
8th – Olly Bannister – T’au Empire (Retaliation Cadre): Crisis toolbox with lots of scoring chaff.
9th – Liam Keane – Aeldari (Aspect Host): a very aggressive Aspect Host build with lots of units, and a full Autarch-buffed Reaper squad, cutting down to only Lhykhis and Asurmen on the Phoenix front to afford it. Brutally murdered me in round 3, and it seemed to work!

Waterloo Games Store Championship 40K Event Hosted by Away Games

32-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Mechanicsville, VA, United States on February 22 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

Mark Hertel – Ultramarines (Gladius Task Force) – 1st Place

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Guilliman’s Autozone 2, electric boogaloo (2000 Points)

Space Marines
Ultramarines
Gladius Task Force
Strike Force (2000 Points)

CHARACTERS

Librarian (65 Points)
• 1x Bolt pistol
• 1x Force weapon
• 1x Smite

Marneus Calgar (200 Points)
• 1x Marneus Calgar
◦ 1x Gauntlets of Ultramar
• 2x Victrix Honour Guard
◦ 2x Victrix power sword

Roboute Guilliman (345 Points)
• Warlord
• 1x Emperor’s Sword
• 1x Hand of Dominion

BATTLELINE

Assault Intercessor Squad (75 Points)
• 1x Assault Intercessor Sergeant
◦ 1x Hand flamer
◦ 1x Power fist
• 4x Assault Intercessor
◦ 4x Astartes chainsword
◦ 4x Heavy bolt pistol

Intercessor Squad (80 Points)
• 1x Intercessor Sergeant
◦ 1x Astartes grenade launcher
◦ 1x Bolt pistol
◦ 1x Bolt rifle
◦ 1x Power fist
• 4x Intercessor
◦ 4x Bolt pistol
◦ 4x Bolt rifle
◦ 4x Close combat weapon

DEDICATED TRANSPORTS

Impulsor (80 Points)
• 1x Armoured hull
• 2x Fragstorm grenade launcher
• 1x Ironhail heavy stubber
• 1x Shield Dome

OTHER DATASHEETS

Assault Intercessors with Jump Packs (90 Points)
• 1x Assault Intercessor Sergeant with Jump Pack
◦ 1x Plasma pistol
◦ 1x Power fist
• 4x Assault Intercessors with Jump Packs
◦ 4x Astartes chainsword
◦ 3x Heavy bolt pistol
◦ 1x Plasma pistol

Company Heroes (95 Points)
• 1x Ancient
◦ 1x Bolt pistol
◦ 1x Bolt rifle
◦ 1x Close combat weapon
• 1x Company Champion
◦ 1x Bolt pistol
◦ 1x Master-crafted power weapon
• 2x Company Veteran
◦ 2x Bolt pistol
◦ 2x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Master-crafted bolt rifle
◦ 1x Master-crafted heavy bolter

Desolation Squad (200 Points)
• 1x Desolation Sergeant
◦ 1x Bolt pistol
◦ 1x Castellan launcher
◦ 1x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Vengor launcher
• 4x Desolation Marine
◦ 4x Bolt pistol
◦ 4x Castellan launcher
◦ 4x Close combat weapon
◦ 4x Superkrak rocket launcher

Land Raider Redeemer (285 Points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
• 2x Flamestorm cannon
• 1x Hunter-killer missile
• 1x Multi-melta
• 1x Storm bolter
• 1x Twin assault cannon

Sternguard Veteran Squad (200 Points)
• 1x Sternguard Veteran Sergeant
◦ 1x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Sternguard bolt pistol
◦ 1x Sternguard bolt rifle
• 9x Sternguard Veteran
◦ 9x Close combat weapon
◦ 9x Sternguard bolt pistol
◦ 7x Sternguard bolt rifle
◦ 2x Sternguard heavy bolter

Exported with App Version: v1.26.0 (2), Data Version: v541

Archetype

Bobby G Car Club

Thoughts

Apparently the lure of multiple Land Raiders was simply too much to resist, and after a productive outing with Deathwatch at the LVO, Mark has returned to big blue tanks. Fiery ones this time, set up to roast anything so foolish as to come within Overwatch range, and with some Sternguard to leap out and flense anything too resilient for the Redeemers. Mark duly got to roast multiple flavours of elves on the way to victory, so great stuff there!

The Best of the Rest

There were 3 more players on 4-1 records. They were:

2nd – Austin Wingfield – Space Wolves (Champions of Russ): Melee herohammer galore here, using a full squad each of Wolf Guard and Assault Centurions as seriously heavy hitters.
3rd – Edward Appel – Aeldari (Aspect Host): Maximum Aspect MSUs with a triumverate of Asurmen, Lhykhis and Jain Zar in charge.
4th – Michael Armstrong – World Eaters (Vessels of Wrath): Angron and a kool-aid Daemon Prince as the Character centrepieces, one big squad of Berzerkers with a Master for volume and Fight First deterrence, and lots of Exalted Eightbound for more murder.

casi casi GT 2.0

30-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Santiago, Región Metropolitana, Chile on February 22 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

Jose Tomas Vega – Adeptus Mechanicus (Haloscreed Battle Clade) – 1st Place

Kastelan Robots and a Cybernetica Datasmith. Credit: Pendulin

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Air Fryer Señores (1995 points)

Adeptus Mechanicus
Strike Force (2000 points)
Haloscreed Battle Clade

CHARACTERS

Belisarius Cawl (150 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Arc scourge
1x Cawl’s Omnissian axe
1x Mechadendrite hive
1x Solar atomiser

Cybernetica Datasmith (65 points)
• 1x Mechanicus pistol
1x Power fist
• Enhancement: Transoracular Dyad Wafers

Tech-Priest Manipulus (95 points)
• 1x Magnarail lance
1x Omnissian staff
• Enhancement: Cognitive Reinforcement

Tech-Priest Manipulus (70 points)
• 1x Magnarail lance
1x Omnissian staff
• Enhancement: Sanctified Ordnance

BATTLELINE

Skitarii Rangers (85 points)
• 1x Skitarii Ranger Alpha
• 1x Alpha combat weapon
1x Close combat weapon
1x Mechanicus pistol
• 9x Skitarii Ranger
• 1x Arc rifle
9x Close combat weapon
6x Galvanic rifle
1x Omnispex
1x Plasma caliver
1x Transuranic arquebus

Skitarii Vanguard (95 points)
• 1x Skitarii Vanguard Alpha
• 1x Alpha combat weapon
1x Close combat weapon
1x Mechanicus pistol
• 9x Skitarii Vanguard
• 1x Arc rifle
9x Close combat weapon
1x Omnispex
1x Plasma caliver
6x Radium carbine
1x Transuranic arquebus

OTHER DATASHEETS

Ironstrider Ballistarii (150 points)
• 2x Ironstrider Ballistarii
• 2x Ironstrider feet
2x Twin cognis lascannon

Kastelan Robots (360 points)
• 4x Kastelan Robot
• 4x Heavy phosphor blaster
4x Kastelan fist
4x Kastelan phosphor blaster

Kataphron Breachers (320 points)
• 6x Kataphron Breacher
• 6x Heavy arc rifle
6x Hydraulic claw

Kataphron Destroyers (210 points)
• 6x Kataphron Destroyer
• 6x Close combat weapon
6x Cognis flamer
6x Kataphron plasma culverin

Pteraxii Skystalkers (70 points)
• 1x Pteraxii Skystalker Alpha
• 1x Flechette blaster
1x Taser goad
• 4x Pteraxii Skystalker
• 4x Close combat weapon
4x Flechette carbine

Sicarian Infiltrators (70 points)
• 1x Sicarian Infiltrator Princeps
• 1x Flechette blaster
1x Taser goad
• 4x Sicarian Infiltrator
• 4x Flechette blaster
4x Taser goad

Sicarian Ruststalkers (75 points)
• 1x Sicarian Ruststalker Princeps
• 1x Transonic blades and chordclaw
• 4x Sicarian Ruststalker
• 4x Transonic blades

Archetype

Haloscreed Castle

Thoughts

The robots are unleashed here, teaming up with Kataphrons and Cawl for a truly terrifying shooty castle. Boosted defences from various accumulated buffs will make enemy firepower very unreliable, while ready access to re-rolls for both Kataphron units combined with their extremely broadly applicable damage output ensure that pretty much nothing in the game is safe to pop its head out. If stuff gets too close – robot time. Switch on conqueror protocol and punt them into the sun. You can’t even really pin the build down thanks to Guided Retreat, and it gets some good reactive skirmishing on the chaff from Analytical Divination. Taking this on means hitting it hard and fast through the boosted overwatch of the destroyers, then keeping it boxed in long enough to take victory, which is no mean feat, and Jose took a series of commanding victories on the way to the trophy.

The Best of the Rest

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

2nd – Renaud “El Berga” – Chaos Space Marines (Creations of Bile): Streamlined but ultra murderous Creations – two full Possessed units, a full squad each of Chosen and Warp Talons, then three Brigands for cost-effective fire support.
3rd – Bruno Fajardo – Blood Angels (Liberator Assault Group): Lots of small Infantry units, Astorath with a full Death Company squad as a full-bore hammer, and some Lancers as ranged threats.
4th – Juan Díaz – Imperial Knights (Noble Lance): Ultra aggro triple big Knights, using Canis, an Errant and a Lancer.
5th – Cristian del Basto – Adeptus Custodes (Missing List): Army list imprisoned in Black Vaults.

HWP Salty Classic GT February 2025

27-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Plantation, FL, United States on February 22 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

Shane Ragland – Chaos Space Marines (Creations of Bile) – 1st Place

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Tongue Bath (2000 points)

Chaos Space Marines
Strike Force (2000 points)
Creations of Bile

CHARACTERS

Chaos Lord (125 points)
• 1x Daemon hammer
1x Plasma pistol
• Enhancement: Prime Test Subject

Cypher (90 points)
• 1x Cypher’s bolt pistol
1x Cypher’s plasma pistol

Fabius Bile (85 points)
• 1x Fabius Bile
• Warlord
• 1x Chirurgeon
1x Rod of Torment
1x Xyclos Needler
• 1x Surgeon Acolyte
• 1x Surgeon Acolyte’s tools

BATTLELINE

Cultist Mob (50 points)
• 1x Cultist Champion
• 1x Autopistol
1x Brutal assault weapon
• 9x Chaos Cultist
• 9x Autopistol
9x Brutal assault weapon

Legionaries (90 points)
• 1x Aspiring Champion
• 1x Chaos Icon
1x Close combat weapon
1x Heavy melee weapon
1x Plasma pistol
• 4x Legionary
• 2x Astartes chainsword
4x Bolt pistol
4x Close combat weapon
1x Heavy melee weapon
1x Lascannon

DEDICATED TRANSPORTS

Chaos Rhino (75 points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
1x Combi-bolter
1x Combi-weapon
1x Havoc launcher

OTHER DATASHEETS

Chaos Predator Destructor (140 points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
1x Combi-weapon
1x Havoc launcher
2x Lascannon
1x Predator autocannon

Chosen (250 points)
• 1x Chosen Champion
• 1x Boltgun
1x Chaos Icon
1x Plasma pistol
1x Power fist
• 9x Chosen
• 6x Accursed weapon
6x Bolt pistol
3x Boltgun
4x Combi-weapon
2x Paired accursed weapons
3x Plasma pistol
1x Power fist

Possessed (240 points)
• 1x Possessed Champion
• 1x Chaos Icon
1x Hideous mutations
• 9x Possessed
• 9x Hideous mutations

Possessed (120 points)
• 1x Possessed Champion
• 1x Chaos Icon
1x Hideous mutations
• 4x Possessed
• 4x Hideous mutations

Possessed (240 points)
• 1x Possessed Champion
• 1x Chaos Icon
1x Hideous mutations
• 9x Possessed
• 9x Hideous mutations

Raptors (90 points)
• 1x Raptor Champion
• 1x Plasma pistol
1x Power fist
• 4x Raptor
• 2x Astartes chainsword
2x Bolt pistol
2x Close combat weapon
2x Plasma gun

Warp Talons (125 points)
• 1x Warp Talon Champion
• 1x Warp claws
• 4x Warp Talon
• 4x Warp claws

Exported with App Version: v1.28.0 (72), Data Version: v574

Archetype

Aggro Creations

Thoughts

Winning this week’s commitment to the bit award, Shane decided that the normal two full blocks of Possessed wasn’t enough, and added five more as a treat. In a world where there are quite a lot of small, high quality units around that seems pretty decent, as even five will comfortably carve through some Tankbustas or an Aspect Warrior squad, and die far harder than those units at similar-ish price points, and also lets you project Advance/Charge threat in more places. Past the extra Possessed this is Bile’s business as usual, a very nasty melee build with some cheap and cheerful shooting backing it up. Well done to Shane on the win.

The Best of the Rest

There were 3 more players on 4-1 records. They were:

2nd – David Miloseski – Chaos Daemons (Daemonic Incursion): Lots of big nasty Daemons and two units of Pink Horrors to soak up pain.
3rd – Christopher Herron – Necrons (Starshatter Arsenal): The Silent King, triple Doomsdays, plenty of cheap and cheerful Characters/Skorpekh squads and one Lokust Heavy unit.
4th – Trevor Ritter – Thousand Sons (Cult of Magic): Extremely character-heavy Tsons that also brings a Scarab Occult MSU.

Wrap Up

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[40k] Competitive Innovations in 10th: The Only Good Elf pt.2

Milwaukee GT III

The Showdown

Scorched Earth – Inspired Leadership – Crucible of Battle

Thoughts

Result

Wesley St. Hines – Astra Militarum (Bridgehead Strike) – 1st Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

The Best of the Rest

Oxford Onslaught 4

Laurence Elliott – Chaos Daemons (Plague Legion) – 1st Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

The Best of the Rest

Waterloo Games Store Championship 40K Event Hosted by Away Games

Mark Hertel – Ultramarines (Gladius Task Force) – 1st Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

The Best of the Rest

casi casi GT 2.0

Jose Tomas Vega – Adeptus Mechanicus (Haloscreed Battle Clade) – 1st Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

The Best of the Rest

HWP Salty Classic GT February 2025

Shane Ragland – Chaos Space Marines (Creations of Bile) – 1st Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

The Best of the Rest

Wrap Up

Related

Related

[40k] Competitive Innovations in 10th: The Only Good Elf pt.2

Milwaukee GT III

The Showdown

Scorched Earth – Inspired Leadership – Crucible of Battle

Thoughts

Result

Wesley St. Hines – Astra Militarum (Bridgehead Strike) – 1st Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

The Best of the Rest

Oxford Onslaught 4

Laurence Elliott – Chaos Daemons (Plague Legion) – 1st Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

The Best of the Rest

Waterloo Games Store Championship 40K Event Hosted by Away Games

Mark Hertel – Ultramarines (Gladius Task Force) – 1st Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

The Best of the Rest

casi casi GT 2.0

Jose Tomas Vega – Adeptus Mechanicus (Haloscreed Battle Clade) – 1st Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

The Best of the Rest

HWP Salty Classic GT February 2025

Shane Ragland – Chaos Space Marines (Creations of Bile) – 1st Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

The Best of the Rest

Wrap Up

Related

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