We soar across the Atlantic to the US for the second part of this week’s Competitive Innovations. Are the Wraithknights here too? Who can say?

Well, me. That’s my job. I write the column where I tell you about the army lists. Which i am about to do.

Today we will be looking at:

Texas Open (Major)
Iowaaagh! Open (Major)
Hammer of Wrath GT

If you’re looking for any of the following, go look at part 1 from Wednesday:

The WTC Warmaster GT (Supermajor)
Warhammer World Golden Ticket Event (major)
Killing Field of Istvaan

Texas Open

All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

Justin Moore – Genestealer Cult – 1st Place

Genestealer Cults Clamavus — DJ WON’T by Fowler

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

+ Character [570pts] +

Clamavus [40pts]

Clamavus [80pts]: Meticulous Planner [40pts]

Nexos [80pts]: Inscrutable Cunning [30pts]

Nexos [50pts]

Primus [85pts]: Prowling Agitant [15pts]

Primus [70pts]

Reductus Saboteur [55pts]: Warlord

+ Battleline [1,260pts] +

Acolyte Hybrids [150pts]

Acolyte Hybrid w/ Cult Icon
4x Acolyte Hybrid w/ Demolition Charge, and Cult Claws and Knife: 4x Cult Claws and Knife, 4x Demolition Charge
4x Acolyte Hybrid w/ Hand Flamer
Acolyte Leader: Hand Flamer, Leader’s Cult Weapons

Acolyte Hybrids [150pts]

Neophyte Hybrids [160pts]

Neophyte Hybrid w/ Heavy Weapon: Seismic Cannon
Neophyte Hybrid w/ Heavy Weapon: Seismic Cannon
Neophyte Hybrid w/ Heavy Weapon: Seismic Cannon
Neophyte Hybrid w/ Heavy Weapon: Seismic Cannon
10x Neophyte Hybrid w/ Hybrid Firearm: 10x Hybrid Firearm
Neophyte Hybrid w/ Hybrid Firearm & Cult Icon
Neophyte Hybrid w/ Special Weapon: Grenade Launcher
Neophyte Hybrid w/ Special Weapon: Grenade Launcher
Neophyte Hybrid w/ Special Weapon: Grenade Launcher
Neophyte Hybrid w/ Special Weapon: Grenade Launcher
Neophyte Leader

Autopistol, Hybrid Firearm, and Close Combat Weapon

Neophyte Hybrids [160pts]

Autopistol, Hybrid Firearm, and Close Combat Weapon

Neophyte Hybrids [160pts]

Autopistol, Hybrid Firearm, and Close Combat Weapon

Neophyte Hybrids [160pts]

Autopistol, Hybrid Firearm, and Close Combat Weapon

Neophyte Hybrids [160pts]

Autopistol, Hybrid Firearm, and Close Combat Weapon

Neophyte Hybrids [160pts]

Autopistol, Hybrid Firearm, and Close Combat Weapon

+ Vehicle [150pts] +

Achilles Ridge Runners [75pts]
Achilles Ridge Runner [75pts]: Heavy Mortar, Spotter

Achilles Ridge Runners [75pts]
Achilles Ridge Runner [75pts]: Heavy Mortar, Survey Augur

Archetype

Pure Horde Cults

Final Round Matchup

97-85 Victory vs. Jony Velazquez – Thousand Sons

Thoughts

So that would be Genestealers 1, Aeldari 0 for events so far today. Justin goes hard on the horde shooting options for GSC, and looks to have teched particularly hard for the mirror by maxing out on Clamavuses. Clamavi? The thing about GSC is that for a lot of people, they’re going to look at the list and have their eyes glaze over, and if they’re not considering the prospect that three shouty bois can suddenly shut them out from a section of the board, they might get crushed by it. Beyond that, we’re looking at all the normal toys for a non-Aberrant build – loads of Neophytes toting way too many guns, and a couple units of Acolytes to annihilate crunchy targets. Highly effective and in Justin’s hands worthy of taking down the event.

Kit Smith Hanna – Thousand Sons & Daemons – 2nd Place (Undefeated)

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

++ Army Roster (Chaos – Thousand Sons) [2,000pts] ++

+ Configuration +

Detachment Choice: Cult of Magic

+ Epic Hero +

Ahriman on Disc of Tzeentch [115pts]: Black Staff of Ahriman, Inferno bolt pistol, Psychic Stalk

Magnus the Red [410pts]: Blade of Magnus, Gaze of Magnus, Tzeentch’s Firestorm, Warlord

+ Character +

Exalted Sorcerer [90pts]: Astral Blast, Force weapon, Plasma pistol

Exalted Sorcerer on Disc of Tzeentch [105pts]: Arcane Fire, Force weapon, Plasma pistol

Infernal Master [75pts]: Force weapon, Inferno bolt pistol, Screamer Invocation

Infernal Master [95pts]: Force weapon, Inferno bolt pistol, Screamer Invocation, Umbralefic Crystal

Infernal Master [90pts]: Arcane Vortex, Force weapon, Inferno bolt pistol, Screamer Invocation

Thousand Sons Sorcerer [110pts]: Fires of the Abyss, Force weapon, Lord of Forbidden Lore, Plasma pistol

+ Battleline +

Rubric Marines [95pts]: Icon of Flame
. Aspiring Sorcerer: Force weapon, Warpflame pistol, Warpsmite
. 4x Rubric Marine w/ warpflamer: 4x Close combat weapon, 4x Warpflamer

Rubric Marines [95pts]: Icon of Flame
. Aspiring Sorcerer: Force weapon, Warpflame pistol, Warpsmite
. Rubric Marine w/ soulreaper cannon: Close combat weapon, Soulreaper cannon
. 3x Rubric Marine w/ warpflamer: 3x Close combat weapon, 3x Warpflamer

+ Monster +

Mutalith Vortex Beast [145pts]: Betentacled maw, Mutalith claws, Warp vortex

+ Dedicated Transport +

Thousand Sons Rhino [75pts]: Armoured tracks, Havoc launcher, Inferno combi-bolter, Inferno combi-weapon

+ Allied Units +

Flamers [65pts]
. 3x Flamer: 3x Flamer mouths, 3x Flickering Flames

The Changeling [75pts]: Infernal Flames, The Trickster’s Staff

Archetype

Go-Wide/Herohammer Thousand Sons

Final Round Matchup

100-90 Victory vs Robert Moreland – Astra Militarum

Thoughts

This is pretty cool to see in second, because while Thousand Sons are a known great faction, this build genuinely is doing something enough different from the norm that it’s worth talking about. Specifically, rather than going in on the big crunch of a Scarab Occult squad, this army takes lots of Rubricae, and leans on the huge number of Characters that allows it to protect to get stuff done.

Many fancy sorcerors (plus, of course, Magnus) means that this army is veritably swimming in Cabal Points, and has all sorts of nasty tricks in its toolbox, particularly as a bunch of those units can be crammed into the handy Rhinos. Dealing with a normal amount of Doombolts and double moves is bad enough, but this army is really going to take it to the next level. Some of the characters are still going to be riding solo, but that’s kind of fine – in games where there’s indirect they can either hide in reserves or shuffle into Rhinos, and at other times they’ll be fine just hanging out (or in the case of one Infernal Master, teleporting around).

The breadth of units also units make the army a bit better at covering the board than the Thousand Sons standard, and it further builds on that by bringing The Changeling and some Flamer friends. The Changeling is basically the ultimate objective babysitter, allowing the rest of this force to head out to cause problems while he inscrutably controls the backfield. I really like what this army has got going on, inverting normal plans by really focusing on being able to get around the board, and big congratulations to Kit for taking second with it.

Jony Velazquez – Thousand Sons & Daemons – 3rd Place

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Thousand Sons
Strike Force (2000 points)
Cult of Magic

CHARACTER

Ahriman (110 points)
• 1x Black Staff of Ahriman
1x Inferno bolt pistol
1x Psychic Stalk

Thousand Sons Sorcerer (85 points)
• 1x Fires of the Abyss
1x Force weapon
1x Inferno bolt pistol

Thousand Sons Sorcerer in Terminator Armour (125 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Coruscating Flames
1x Force weapon
1x Inferno combi-bolter
• Enhancement: Umbralefic Crystal

BATTLELINE

Rubric Marines (190 points)
• 1x Aspiring Sorcerer
• 1x Force weapon
1x Inferno bolt pistol
1x Warpsmite
• 9x Rubric Marine
• 9x Close combat weapon
1x Icon of Flame
8x Inferno boltgun
1x Soulreaper cannon

Rubric Marines (190 points)
• 1x Aspiring Sorcerer
• 1x Force weapon
1x Warpflame pistol
1x Warpsmite
• 9x Rubric Marine
• 9x Close combat weapon
1x Icon of Flame
9x Warpflamer

Rubric Marines (95 points)
• 1x Aspiring Sorcerer
• 1x Force weapon
1x Warpflame pistol
1x Warpsmite
• 4x Rubric Marine
• 4x Close combat weapon
1x Icon of Flame
1x Soulreaper cannon
3x Warpflamer

Tzaangors (65 points)
• 1x Twistbray
• 1x Tzaangor blades
• 9x Tzaangor
• 9x Tzaangor blades

OTHER DATASHEETS

Mutalith Vortex Beast (145 points)
• 1x Betentaled maw
1x Mutalith claws
1x Warp vortex

Scarab Occult Terminators (410 points)
• 1x Scarab Occult Sorcerer
• 1x Force weapon
1x Inferno combi-bolter
1x Warpsmite
• 9x Scarab Occult Terminator
• 2x Hellfyre missile rack
7x Inferno combi-bolter
9x Prosperine khopesh
2x Soulreaper cannon

Thousand Sons Forgefiend (135 points)
• 2x Ectoplasma cannon
1x Ectoplasma cannon
1x Forgefiend claws

Tzaangor Enlightened (45 points)
• 1x Aviarch
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Fatecaster greatbow
• 2x Enlightened
• 2x Close combat weapon
2x Fatecaster greatbow

ALLIED UNITS

Flamers (65 points)
• 1x Pyrocaster
• 1x Flamer mouths
1x Flickering Flames
• 2x Flamer
• 2x Flamer mouths
2x Flickering Flames

Lord of Change (230 points)
• 1x Baleful sword
1x Bolt of Change
1x Staff of Tzeentch

Archetype

Shooty Tsons

Thoughts

Ah, it’s another one of those weeks where many of Tzeentch’s plans come to fruition all at once. Despite being from the same faction setup, this build is very distinct from Kit’s, going much more for chunky units (including the full Scarab brick) and adding some hefty extra shooting tools. The Forgefiend is nice, but the Lord of Change is the big showpiece here, adding some very potent ranged output on a durable and mobile platform. It comes at the price of being able to include Magnus, but the list has clearly planned for that – rather than pushing out towards the enemy, cheap Tzaangor and Flamer units bait the enemy forwards, then the combined sorcerous inferno of the best Tzeentch has to offer incinerates them. It’s a bit less proactive, which means it has a higher chance to get a bit boxed in, but it also means it can afford to take less risks against really scary damage dealers like Eldar or Knights. On some level that was a coinflip that went against Jony in the final, as I’d say the choices here weaken the GSC matchup to improve the Eldar one, but he ran things pretty close even there, and earned a well-deserved bronze medal.

Sweet Lew – Aeldari – 4th Place

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

narrative aeldari list

Aeldari
Strike Force (2000 points)
Battle Host

CHARACTER

Asurmen (120 points)
• 1x The Bloody Twins
1x The Sword of Asur

Autarch Wayleaper (80 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Dragon fusion gun
1x Howling Banshee Mask
1x Star glaive

Avatar of Khaine (295 points)
• 1x The Wailing Doom

Farseer (65 points)
• 1x Eldritch Storm
1x Shuriken pistol
1x Singing spear

Farseer Skyrunner (90 points)
• 1x Eldritch Storm
1x Shuriken pistol
1x Singing spear
1x Twin shuriken catapult
• Enhancement: The Weeping Stones

Fuegan (115 points)
• 1x Searsong
1x The Fire Axe

Spiritseer (80 points)
• 1x Shuriken pistol
1x Witch staff
• Enhancement: Fate’s Messenger

OTHER DATASHEETS

Dire Avengers (70 points)
• 1x Dire Avenger Exarch
• 1x Avenger shuriken catapult
1x Avenger shuriken catapult
1x Close combat weapon
• 4x Dire Avenger
• 4x Avenger shuriken catapult
4x Close combat weapon

Falcon (140 points)
• 1x Bright lance
1x Pulse laser
1x Shuriken cannon
1x Wraithbone hull

Fire Dragons (85 points)
• 1x Fire Dragon Exarch
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Firepike
• 4x Fire Dragon
• 4x Close combat weapon
4x Dragon fusion gun

Rangers (55 points)
• 5x Close combat weapon
5x Ranger long rifle
5x Shuriken pistol

Shining Spears (120 points)
• 1x Shining Spear Exarch
• 1x Shimmershield
1x Shuriken cannon
1x Star lance
• 2x Shining Spear
• 2x Laser lance
2x Twin shuriken catapult

Support Weapons (105 points)
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x D-cannon
1x Shuriken catapult

Windriders (160 points)
• 6x Close combat weapon
6x Shuriken cannon

Wraithguard (310 points)
• 10x Close combat weapon
10x Wraithcannon

Archetype

Eldar Designed to Make a Very Specific Point…

Thoughts

…which is that even if you don’t take Wraithknights and even if you pack in some of the units that are, relative to the general Index, overcosted, Eldar still pack all the tools you need to earn 4th place at a major. It’s great to see Shining Spears out on the table, even if intellectually I know they’re a weak choice, while Fuegan is a model I think people are genuinely sleeping on, but this really does feel like proof positive that the Aeldari index needs to be staked through the heart at a crossroads, buried at midnight and never spoken of again. Nevertheless, well done to Sweet on picking up what is, pretty much by definition, the most stylish top Aeldari performance of the week.

The Best of the Rest

There were 7 more players on 5-1 records. They were:

5th – Eric Tadt – Genestealer Cult: Horde plus Aberrants.
6th – Brent Simon – Aeldari: A Wraithknight with all the go-wide trimmings.
7th – Vyasar Ganesan – Tyranids: A Tervigon and Swarmy backed by a Gaunt horde and various small utility units.
8th – Nick “Doots” Toomey – Necrons: Double Lychguard brick, one unit running with warscythes and Orikan, backed by the super C’tan and Doomsdays.
9th – Robert Moreland – Astra Militarum: Big tank energy – a Dorn and a Stormsword, with Hellhounds running ahead of them.
10th – Noah Pope – Aeldari: Wraithknight with go-wide backup.
11th – Michael Dehoyos – Aeldari: Wraithknight with go-wide backup.

Iowaaagh! Open 2023

60-player, 6-round Grand Tournament in Cedar Rapids, IA United States on August 12 2023. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

Ben Cherwien – Aeldari – 1st Place

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Eldar Iowaaagh (2000 Points)

Aeldari
Battle Host
Strike Force (2000 Points)

CHARACTERS

Autarch Wayleaper (95 Points)
• Warlord
• 1x Dragon fusion gun
1x Star glaive
• Enhancements: Fate’s Messenger

Farseer Skyrunner (100 Points)
• 1x Eldritch Storm
1x Shuriken pistol
1x Twin shuriken catapult
1x Witchblade
• Enhancements: The Phoenix Gem

The Yncarne (270 Points)
• 1x Swirling soul energy
1x Vilith-zhar, the Sword of Souls

OTHER DATASHEETS

Fire Prism (150 Points)
• 1x Prism cannon
1x Shuriken cannon
1x Wraithbone hull

Hornet (80 Points)
• 2x Bright lance
1x Wraithbone hull

Night Spinner (170 Points)
• 1x Doomweaver
1x Twin shuriken catapult
1x Wraithbone hull

Shadow Spectres (80 Points)
• 5x Shadow Spectre
• 5x Close combat weapon
5x Prism rifle

Warp Spiders (100 Points)
• 1x Warp Spider Exarch
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Death spinner
1x Death spinner
1x Powerblades
• 4x Warp Spider
• 4x Close combat weapon
4x Death spinner

Wraithknight (475 Points)
• 1x Heavy wraithcannon
1x Heavy wraithcannon
2x Starcannon
1x Titanic feet

Archetype

Wraithknight + Go-Wide

Final Round Matchup

100 – 75 Victory against Charlie Andre – Genestealer Cult.

Thoughts

Welp, back to normal service it is, with Ben taking a perfect 600VP with this nightmarish build. Ultimate killing power from the Wraithknight and Fire Prisms, best in breed objective scoring from Shadow Spectres and Warp Spiders, and the Yncarne to crush any hopes the opponent has of getting out from under it. No further questions, well done Ben.

Kyle McCord – Astra Militarum – 2nd Place

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Guard Idea 2 (2000 points)
Astra Militarum
Strike Force (2000 points)
Combined Regiment

CHARACTER

Gaunt’s Ghosts (115 points)
• 1x Ibram Gaunt
• 1x Bolt Pistol
1x Gaunt’s chainsword
• 1x Colm Corbec
• 1x Corbec’s hot-shot lascarbine
1x Straight silver knife
• 1x Elim Rawne
• 1x Rawne’s lascarbine
1x Straight silver knife
• 1x Hlaine Larkin
• 1x Larkin’s long-las
1x Straight silver knife
• 1x ’Try Again’ Bragg
• 1x Bragg’s autocannon
1x Straight silver knife
• 1x Oan Mkoll
• 1x Lascarbine
1x Mkoll’s straight silver knife

Lord Solar Leontus (125 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Conquest
1x Konstantin’s hooves
1x Sol’s Righteous Gaze

Primaris Psyker (60 points)
• 1x Force weapon
1x Laspistol
1x Psychic Maelstrom

Regimental Enginseer (45 points)
• 1x Archeotech pistol
1x Enginseer axe
1x Servo-arm

Ursula Creed (55 points)
• 1x Duty and Vengeance
1x Power weapon

BATTLELINE

Death Korps of Krieg (130 points)
• 2x Death Korps Watchmaster
• 2x Plasma pistol
2x Power weapon
• 18x Death Korps Trooper
• 18x Close combat weapon
1x Death Korps Medi-pack
2x Flamer
12x Lasgun
2x Meltagun
2x Plasma gun

OTHER DATASHEETS

Earthshaker Carriage Battery (80 points)
• 1x Battery close combat weapons
1x Earthshaker cannon

Manticore (125 points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
1x Heavy bolter
1x Hunter-killer missile
1x Storm eagle rockets

Medusa Carriage Battery (80 points)
• 1x Battery close combat weapons
1x Medusa siege cannon

Rogal Dorn Battle Tank (285 points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
1x Co-axial autocannon
1x Heavy stubber
2x Heavy stubber
2x Multi-melta
1x Oppressor cannon
1x Pulveriser cannon

Scout Sentinels (150 points)
• 3x Close combat weapon
3x Hunter-killer missile
3x Lascannon
3x Sentinel chainsaw

Scout Sentinels (50 points)
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Hunter-killer missile
1x Lascannon
1x Sentinel chainsaw

Archetype

Guard Gunline

Thoughts

Now that’s much more exciting. Astra Militarum have been struggling, but Kyle has found a recipe here that pushed to second place in a tough field. Mostly, it achieves that in a very guardy fashion, by pounding targets into oblivion with big guns, but it makes clever use of the tools in the index to minimise what it has to spend on effective board control, saving the bulk of the spend for guns. Gaunts Ghosts rock, that’s not really news, and respawning Scout Sentinels is great, but the trick here that’s not yet made waves is the big Krieg unit.

Sticking a Primaris Psyker with these for a 4+ invulnerable save gives you a surprisingly dense central tarpit against a lot of stuff for a relatively low price, and works with the other tools here to slow the opponent down and buy time for all those carriages and Manticores to do their dirty work. I also like the use of Dorns as something that can surge forward as a second blocking line if really needed, as they stay pretty lethal even if they get tagged, and it’s fun to see them on the table (even though they need a big point cut).

Astra Militarum haven’t been having much luck this edition, and we love seeing someone buck a trend here at Competitive Innovations, well done to Kyle.

Britton Rexroat – Genestealer Cult – 3rd Place

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

CHARACTER

Biophagus (80 points)
• 1x Autopistol
1x Chemical vials
1x Injector goad
• Enhancement: Inscrutable Cunning

Clamavus (80 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Autopistol
1x Close combat weapon
• Enhancement: Meticulous Planner

Nexos (50 points)
• 1x Autopistol
1x Close combat weapon

Primus (70 points)
• 1x Cult bonesword
1x Scoped needle pistol
1x Toxin injector claw

Reductus Saboteur (55 points)
• 1x Autopistol
1x Close combat weapon
1x Demolition charges
1x Remote explosives

BATTLELINE

Acolyte Hybrids (150 points)
• 1x Acolyte Leader
• 1x Cult claws and knife
1x Hand flamer
• 9x Acolyte Hybrid
• 1x Cult Icon
9x Cult claws and knife
4x Demolition charges
4x Hand flamer

Acolyte Hybrids (75 points)
• 1x Acolyte Leader
• 1x Cult claws and knife
1x Hand flamer
• 4x Acolyte Hybrid
• 2x Cult claws and knife
2x Cult claws and knife
2x Demolition charges
2x Hand flamer

Neophyte Hybrids (160 points)
• 1x Neophyte Leader
• 1x Autopistol
1x Close combat weapon
1x Hybrid firearm
• 19x Neophyte Hybrid
• 19x Autopistol
19x Close combat weapon
1x Cult Icon
4x Grenade launcher
11x Hybrid firearm
4x Seismic cannon

Neophyte Hybrids (160 points)
• 1x Neophyte Leader
• 1x Autopistol
1x Leader pistol
1x Power weapon
• 19x Neophyte Hybrid
• 19x Autopistol
19x Close combat weapon
1x Cult Icon
4x Grenade launcher
11x Hybrid firearm
4x Mining laser

Neophyte Hybrids (80 points)
• 1x Neophyte Leader
• 1x Autopistol
1x Chainsword
1x Leader pistol
• 9x Neophyte Hybrid
• 9x Autopistol
9x Close combat weapon
1x Cult Icon
5x Hybrid firearm
2x Mining laser
2x Webber

OTHER DATASHEETS

Aberrants (330 points)
• 1x Aberrant Hypermorph
• 1x Heavy power weapon
1x Hypermorph tail
• 9x Aberrant
• 9x Heavy power weapon

Achilles Ridgerunners (75 points)
• 1x Heavy mortar
1x Ridgerunner wheels
1x Survey Augur
1x Twin heavy stubber

Archetype

Horde and Aberrants

Thoughts

Once more we return to regular service. I’m reaching, but I’m afraid I genuinely do not have anything new to say about this one. Well done Britton.

Albert Lim – Imperial Knights – 4th Place

Cerastus Knight-Castigator. Credit: That Gobbo

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

command & conquer (1995 points)
Imperial Knights
Strike Force (2000 points)
Noble Lance

CHARACTER

Cerastus Knight Castigator (515 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Castigator bolt cannon
1x Tempest warblade
• Enhancement: Banner of Macharius Triumphant

Knight Crusader (515 points)
• 1x Avenger gatling cannon
1x Heavy flamer
1x Questoris heavy stubber
1x Questoris heavy stubber
1x Rapid-fire battle cannon
1x Stormspear rocket pod
1x Titanic feet
• Enhancement: Unyielding Paragon

BATTLELINE

Armiger Helverin (145 points)
• 2x Armiger autocannon
1x Armoured feet
1x Questoris heavy stubber

Armiger Warglaive (140 points)
• 1x Meltagun
1x Reaper chain-cleaver
1x Thermal spear

ALLIED UNITS

Callidus Assassin (115 points)
• 1x Neural shredder
1x Phase sword and poison blades

Archetype

Dakka Knights

Thoughts

An interesting spin on the normal double Crusader dakka knights build here. One of the potential weaknesses of that is that if it finds itself up against stuff with 2+ saves, it can struggle to push damage through if they have cover. The Castigator’s Bondsman ability pushes up both its own AP and that of one of the Helverins, giving them a much better chance of punching some wounds through when that arises, particularly if you combine the Castigator’s Twin-Linked with Trophy Claim to punch reliable damage into big targets no matter the size. Having the Castigator also gives you far more counter-charge potential than a second Crusader, and can play a more mobile game (as the Banner nods to) since it doesn’t need to stay still for Sustained Hits. It loses out a little on raw killing power, so it’s definitely “different” rather than definitely “better”, but it’s a cool twist on a formula. Well done Albert.

The Best of the Rest

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

5th – David Clark – Necrons: Double Lychguard brick with Doomsdays.
6th – James “Boon” Kelling – Aeldari: Maximum go-wide shooty Ynnari, adding Ravagers to the Aeldari standard, plus using a squad of Reapers in a Falcon to both protect them from enemy indirect early and give them the option of a spike turn.
7th – Charlie Andre – Genestealer Cult: Full horde with a couple of Cyclops as ultra-cheap strat reserve objective tools.

Hammer of Wrath GT

46-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Arcadia, CA United States on August 12 2023. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

The Showdown

Sites of Power – Chilling Rain – Hammer & Anvil

Daniel Olivas – Aeldari: Pure go-wide Aeldari with some extra Lone Operative action.
Army List - Click to Expand

yncarne (2000 points)
Aeldari
Strike Force (2000 points)
Battle Host

CHARACTER

Autarch Wayleaper (80 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Dragon fusion gun
1x Howling Banshee Mask
1x Star glaive

Death Jester (85 points)
• 1x Jester’s blade
1x Shrieker cannon
• Enhancement: Fate’s Messenger

Farseer (65 points)
• 1x Eldritch Storm
1x Shuriken pistol
1x Witchblade

Farseer Skyrunner (75 points)
• 1x Eldritch Storm
1x Shuriken pistol
1x Singing spear
1x Twin shuriken catapult

Illic Nightspear (65 points)
• 1x Aeldari power sword
1x Shuriken pistol
1x Voidbringer

The Yncarne (270 points)
• 1x Swirling soul energy
1x Vilith-zhar, the Sword of Souls

BATTLELINE

Guardian Defenders (110 points)
• 10x Guardian Defender
• 10x Close combat weapon
10x Shuriken catapult
• 1x Heavy Weapon Platform
• 1x Bright lance
1x Close combat weapon

OTHER DATASHEETS

Fire Prism (150 points)
• 1x Prism cannon
1x Shuriken cannon
1x Wraithbone hull

Hornet (80 points)
• 2x Bright lance
1x Wraithbone hull

Night Spinner (170 points)
• 1x Doomweaver
1x Shuriken cannon
1x Wraithbone hull

Rangers (110 points)
• 10x Close combat weapon
10x Ranger long rifle
10x Shuriken pistol

Shroud Runners (80 points)
• 3x Close combat weapon
3x Ranger long rifle
3x Scatter laser
3x Shuriken pistol

Warlock Skyrunner Conclave (100 points)
• 2x Destructor
2x Shuriken pistol
2x Twin shuriken catapult
2x Witchblade

Warp Spiders (100 points)
• 1x Warp Spider Exarch
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Death spinner
1x Death spinner
1x Powerblades
• 4x Warp Spider
• 4x Close combat weapon
4x Death spinner

vs.

Arthur Tu – Chaos Space Marines: Ultra-aggro Chaos Space Marines, going heavy on Advance/Charge threats.
Army List - Click to Expand

War Bears (2000 Points)

Chaos Space Marines
Slaves to Darkness
Strike Force (2000 Points)

CHARACTERS

Chaos Lord (75 Points)
• Mark of Chaos: Chaos Undivided
• 1x Daemon hammer
1x Plasma pistol

Cypher (105 Points)
• Warlord
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Cypher’s bolt pistol
1x Cypher’s plasma pistol

Dark Commune (55 Points)
• Mark of Chaos: Chaos Undivided
• 1x Cult Demagogue
• 1x Autopistol
1x Commune stave
• 1x Mindwitch
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Warp Curse
• 1x Iconarch
• 1x Autopistol
1x Chaos Icon
1x Close combat weapon
• 2x Blessed Blade
• 2x Commune blade

Master of Possession (70 Points)
• Mark of Chaos: Chaos Undivided
• 1x Bolt pistol
1x Rite of Possession
1x Staff of possession

BATTLELINE

Cultist Mob (55 Points)
• Mark of Chaos: Tzeentch
• 1x Cultist Champion
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Cultist firearm
• 9x Chaos Cultist
• 7x Close combat weapon
1x Close combat weapon
1x Close combat weapon
7x Cultist firearm
1x Cultist grenade launcher
1x Heavy stubber

DEDICATED TRANSPORTS

Chaos Rhino (85 Points)
• Mark of Chaos: Nurgle
• 1x Armoured tracks
1x Combi-bolter
1x Combi-bolter
1x Havoc launcher

OTHER DATASHEETS

Accursed Cultists (190 Points)
• Mark of Chaos: Chaos Undivided
• 10x Mutant
• 10x Blasphemous appendages
• 6x Torment
• 6x Hideous mutations

Chosen (230 Points)
• Mark of Chaos: Chaos Undivided
• 1x Chosen Champion
• 1x Bolt pistol
1x Chaos Icon
1x Combi-weapon
1x Power fist
• 9x Chosen
• 6x Accursed weapon
5x Bolt pistol
4x Boltgun
3x Combi-weapon
2x Paired accursed weapons
4x Plasma pistol
1x Power fist

Noise Marines (85 Points)
• 1x Noise Champion
• 1x Accursed weapon
1x Chaos Icon
1x Close combat weapon
1x Doom siren
1x Sonic blaster
• 4x Noise Marine
• 1x Blastmaster
4x Bolt pistol
4x Close combat weapon
3x Sonic blaster

Obliterators (320 Points)
• Mark of Chaos: Chaos Undivided
• 4x Obliterator
• 4x Crushing fists
4x Fleshmetal guns

Thoughts

More Aeldari (*crowd boos*), but there’s no Wraithknight (*crowd cheers*) and they’re up against an army that presents a serious threat to them (*crowd goes wild*).

Daniel’s Aeldari list shouldn’t pack too many surprises for regular readers, packed as it is with all the hottest go-wide tools, and the only thing to really highlight is that it goes hard on that plan, even more than normal. Extra Lone Operatives (including Illic with a full stack) and supporting one of the Farseers with a Conclave so they can rove without dying immediately really helps the army reach every corner of the board, and the latter is also particularly helpful on this mission.

That does not, to be clear, make this a good mission for the Aeldari – in fact it’s probably about as horrible as it can get, with the deployment substantially neutralising the value of the Lone Operatives, and demanding sustained engagement from an army that wants to hit and run. That’s further compounded by the Chaos list being well designed to take advantage of the setup.

Let’s talk about the Chaos list in general, because it rules, I love this. No mucking around with Abaddon here – instead, we’ve got four big Advance/Charge bricks that will hit like trucks when they connect, some Noise Marines as close support, and one big Obliterator unit to turn on Profane Zeal and nuke anything that looks at them funny. Chosen are just all-round pretty great, so the Dark Commune/Accursed Cultist bricks are the biggest thing to highlight here. These units are attractively priced, very durable for what you pay (5+ invulnerable into 6+ Feel No Pain on a high wounds unit goes a long way), and if you run them as Undivided for access to Zeal in the Fight Phase, get an extremely deadly go turn, because when you switch on their Advance/Charge they also get +1 to Hit and Wound. Quite genuinely (as we’ll see more of a bit later), pretty much whatever your CSM plan is one of these units will serve you well. This Chaos army defies the news of melee being dead in 10th Edition and plans to roll over the enemy like a gigantic wave, and honestly go off kings.

That’s obviously a great plan here, so do they just win? Eh, I mean they do still have to contend with the fact that the Aeldari are extremely good at killing Marine bodies, and the big Ranger brick provides a definite “out” for the Asuryani. Sniping out the Cult Demagogue from a Accursed Commune block turns off their invuln and their once-per-game Advance/Charge, and if the Aeldari get a line on them with either the Rangers or Death Jester, that’s pretty much certain to happen. The Night Spinner also helps a lot, as it lets them stop one target Advancing, staggering the arrival in melee. I figure the best play for the Aeldari here is to lean on the fact they’re way better at scoring Secondaries from a standing start, and accept a low early Primary score in service of trying to clear out the Chaos Forces, while ensuring they get 40/40 on Secondaries. As ever, Chaos’s incentives are thus rather the opposite – make sure they score primary early at as low cost in units as possible, denying the chance for the Aeldari to get back into the game later. Having Rhinos to stage helps a lot with that, as does the looming threat of the Obliterators, which will force caution from the Aeldari tanks. In the end, this was knife-edge close (and pretty low scoring, so I’d guess cagey plans from the Aeldari were in fact deployed), but the sheer force of the Chaos charge swung the day.

Result

Chaos Space Marines Victory – 68 – 65

Arthur Tu – Word Bearers – 1st Place

The List

See Showdown

Archetype

Aggro Chaos

Thoughts

I don’t think I have much to add beyond what was in the Showdown, but I’m still in love with this list – people have been finding lots of ways to make the Chaos Space Marines codex work, but this is a decent swerve away from most of them, and still took down the event in style. Even now, the writers of our CSM Faction Focus are hurridly taking notes, great work from Arthur.

James Carmona – Chaos Space Marines – 2nd Place (Undefeated with a Draw)

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Hammer of Wrath (2000 points)
Chaos Space Marines
Strike Force (2000 points)
Slaves to Darkness

CHARACTER

Abaddon the Despoiler (280 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Drach’nyen
1x Talon of Horus

Dark Commune (55 points)
• Mark of Chaos: Nurgle
• 1x Cult Demagogue
• 1x Autopistol
1x Commune stave
• 1x Mindwitch
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Warp Curse
• 1x Iconarch
• 1x Autopistol
1x Chaos Icon
1x Close combat weapon
• 2x Blessed Blade
• 2x Commune blade

Dark Commune (55 points)
• Mark of Chaos: Chaos Undivided
• 1x Cult Demagogue
• 1x Autopistol
1x Commune stave
• 1x Mindwitch
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Warp Curse
• 1x Iconarch
• 1x Autopistol
1x Chaos Icon
1x Close combat weapon
• 2x Blessed Blade
• 2x Commune blade

OTHER DATASHEETS

Accursed Cultists (190 points)
• Mark of Chaos: Nurgle
• 10x Mutant
• 10x Blasphemous appendages
• 6x Torment
• 6x Hideous mutations

Accursed Cultists (190 points)
• Mark of Chaos: Chaos Undivided
• 10x Mutant
• 10x Blasphemous appendages
• 6x Torment
• 6x Hideous mutations

Chaos Terminator Squad (195 points)
• Mark of Chaos: Nurgle
• 1x Terminator Champion
• 1x Accursed weapon
1x Combi-weapon
• 4x Chaos Terminator
• 1x Chainfist
3x Combi-weapon
3x Power fist
1x Reaper autocannon

Forgefiend (165 points)
• Mark of Chaos: Chaos Undivided
• 1x Armoured limbs
2x Ectoplasma cannon
1x Ectoplasma cannon

Helbrute (155 points)
• Mark of Chaos: Nurgle
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Helbrute fist
1x Multi-melta

Obliterators (320 points)
• Mark of Chaos: Nurgle
• 4x Crushing fists
4x Fleshmetal guns

ALLIED UNITS

The Changeling (75 points)
• 1x Infernal Flames
1x The Trickster’s Staff

Archetype

Double Accursed Commune – Shooty

Final Round Matchup

87 – 54 Victory against Jason McKenzie – T’au Empire.

Thoughts

That’s a double header right there. Which I guess could refer to either the victories or the Accursed Cultists. Anyway.

James taking second really shows how flexible a centrepiece the Accursed Communes are, because beyond them this build is very different, skewing much more to the gunline end of things. You’ve got Abaddon, lots of Obliterators and the super Forgefiend, and the Communes are fantastic for tangling up the enemy while those units do the work. I think you could make a real argument that the CSM index might be the biggest “sleeper” in the pack in terms of results, so it’s great to see it awakening in such a pronounced fashion, well done James.

The Best of the Rest

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

3rd – Eddy Goshorn – Aeldari: Go-wide shooting with a big Wraithguard block.
4th – Brandon Cating – Tyranids: Barbgaunts, Biovores and big bugs, plus Zoanthropes for shooty goodness.
5th – Matthew Geyer – Adeptus Mechanicus: Hilarious Breacher skew, packing 3×6, each with a Tech Priest, supported by lots of Transport-bound Skitarii for grabbing objectives.
6th – Samuel Shell – Necrons: Double C’tan (Transcendant and Nightbringer) and double Doomsday, with a squad of Lychguard to provide an anchor.
7th – Nico Urrea – Thousand Sons: Magnus-free sons, going for triple Mutalith, triple Forgefiend for chunky threats instead.

Wrap Up

That’s honestly a nice event to end on, because it highlights an important point – yes, Aeldari and Genestealers are way too good, but you can beat them, and when you try and succeed, everyone will cheer for you! Great to see tinkering with lists still proceeding, and hopefully we’ll get more of that next week.

Competitive Innovations in 10th: Wraithknights at the Warmaster pt.2

Texas Open

Justin Moore – Genestealer Cult – 1st Place

The List

Archetype

Final Round Matchup

Thoughts

Kit Smith Hanna – Thousand Sons & Daemons – 2nd Place (Undefeated)

The List

Archetype

Final Round Matchup

Thoughts

Jony Velazquez – Thousand Sons & Daemons – 3rd Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

Sweet Lew – Aeldari – 4th Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

The Best of the Rest

Iowaaagh! Open 2023

Ben Cherwien – Aeldari – 1st Place

The List

Archetype

Final Round Matchup

Thoughts

Kyle McCord – Astra Militarum – 2nd Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

Britton Rexroat – Genestealer Cult – 3rd Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

Albert Lim – Imperial Knights – 4th Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

The Best of the Rest

Hammer of Wrath GT

The Showdown

Sites of Power – Chilling Rain – Hammer & Anvil

Thoughts

Result

Arthur Tu – Word Bearers – 1st Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

James Carmona – Chaos Space Marines – 2nd Place (Undefeated with a Draw)

The List

Archetype

Final Round Matchup

Thoughts

The Best of the Rest

Wrap Up

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