Lowest of Men's in charge today, continuing to cover the especially crunchy week we've had.
Today:
- The Storm of Silence Warhammer 40,000 Grand Tournament
- Alberta Classic 40k 2025
- 17 & 18 May 2025 - OWN's Breaking Point GT at Game HQ
- Winchester 40K GT - May 2025
- Minsk Eternal GT II
- Mayhem 4: Live Free or Dice Hard
- Maryland Open 2025
- South Yorkshire GT 2025
- Grampian Gaming Guild GT
- Brighton 40k GT XI
- The Alamo 40K GT '25
- San Diego Classic Grand Tournament '25 - Warhammer 40K
- Giga-Bites May Warhammer 40k GT
- 2025 Game Grid Open
The Storm of Silence Warhammer 40,000 Grand Tournament
104-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Spokane, WA, United States on May 17 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.The Showdown
Matchup & Mission - Death Guard (Champions of Contagion) versus Chaos Knights (Traitoris Lance)
Timothy Grant - Death Guard (Champions of Contagion)vs.
Jason Byrd - Chaos Knights (Traitoris Lance)
Thoughts
A little symptom (hehe) of the meta to come, as the Death Guard throw down against a previous meta staple, the lots of War Dogs CK list. This Chaos Knights list compromises on a few hulls to get a bit more mission utility in - the double Blue Horrors gives it a starting mid board scoring presence alongside the Nurglings, which can help it ramp up on the secondaries and force commitment from the opponent before starting to apply the OC 8 walkers in response. A nice touch that offers some flexibility, and then its Karnivores, Brigands and Stalkers as usual to get it done!Champions of Contagion is one of the cool new Death Guard detachments, with amazing potential for placing the full array of Afflictions where it wants it via stratagem support. Double Plague Marine Rhino gives it plenty of punch and the ability to stick Fights First where it needs (again via the wonderful suite of Champions stratagems), without investing in the Foul Blightspawn across both units. Triple Heavy Bloat Drone with Blight Launcher is something we are going to see a lot - into the CK the S10 weapon continues to be incredibly consistent as Contagion range brings the dogs down to T9. If the question here is can new Death Guard handle a toughness skew, the answer appears to be a resounding yes, as the tricks and tools of Champions sweeps the Chaos Knights aside almost effortlessly. Huge Death Guard win!
Result
Death Guard (Champions of Contagion) Victory - 89 - 39Timothy Grant - Death Guard (Champions of Contagion) - 1st Place
Credit: Robert "TheChirurgeon" Jones
The List
Archetype
Champions of Contagion Rhino RushThoughts
Extremely potent infantry heavy Death Guard claims an event win, combining Plague Marines and Deathshroud with a solid base of supporting shooting vehicles. It is extremely hard to navigate pushing into Death Guard now, with the risk of a 6 inch counter charge from Deathshroud making the early game particularly deadly for the unwary. Poxwalkers claim the midboard and there are Chaos Spawn for a bit of additional action economy, but otherwise this list cracks on with the work of bodying people off the middle of the board. Very well done on the event win!Donald Plummer - Death Guard (Champions of Contagion) - 2nd Place (Undefeated)
Credit: Robert "TheChirurgeon" Jones
The List
Archetype
Champions of Contagion Rhino RushThoughts
Oh hey! Second place goes to a very similar list, with a few alterations here and there. Champions of Contagion coming out the dates hot as a powerful option for the Death Guard! Very well done on the top placing.Jaden Castelluccio - Thousand Sons (Cult of Magic) - 3rd Place (Undefeated)
Credit: Robert "TheChirurgeon" Jones
The List
Archetype
Old Tsons GoodstuffThoughts
Karnivores and Vortex Beasts provide some chonk out ahead of the old Tsons index, as it claims a rare podium placing as Tsons players await their new book. This index is, ironically, pretty good at hoovering up Death Guard units with mortal wounds - will the new one be as capable? Time will tell! Fantastic work on the top placing.Steven Ross - Necrons (Awakened Dynasty) - 4th Place
Necron Skorpekh Lord
The List
Archetype
Awakened Destroyer MSUThoughts
Go-wide Destroyer Necrons is always cool to see, and this build is singing at the moment thanks to the character resurrection tricks in Awakened Dynasty, which pose a massive headache for armies trying to trade into it. The Silent King / Wraith Brick one-two returns here to offer some solidity without being quite as wedded to the stat check life as some of the Warrior brick lists are. Very versatile, and, still, quietly one of the best armies in the game. Amazing work.The Best of the Rest
There were 14 more players on 4-1+ records. They were:- 5th (4.5-0.5) - Bryce Hobson - Chaos Daemons (Daemonic Incursion): Big boi Daemons with triple Soul Grinder in support.
- 6th - Jeff Cope - Imperial Knights (Noble Lance): Full Armiger spam with a tasteful smattering of Imperial Agents.
- 7th - Ryan Smith - Space Wolves (Stormlance Task Force): MSU Wulfen and Thunderwolves ride out ahead of some Predators in this mixed arms Stormlance build.
- 8th - Andrew Johnson - Leagues of Votann (Oathband): Double Land Fort and plenty of Thunderkyn in this punchy Oathband list.
- 9th - Jason Byrd - Chaos Knights (Traitoris Lance): The Daemon / War Dog combo from the showdown.
- 10th - Landon Elliott - Imperial Knights (Noble Lance): Massed Armigers with Agents again, lovely stuff.
- 11th - Craig Carlson - Space Marines (Astartes) (Gladius Task Force): Vintage Ultramarines Gladius with Vindicators and Ballistus.
- 12th - Hunter Siems - Chaos Space Marines (Creations of Bile): Vanella style all-in Creations melee with Possessed and two Huntsmen.
- 13th - Mason Dusome - World Eaters (Berzerker Warband): Warband WE with the new Forgefiends, two rhinos of Berzerkers and some Eightbound MSU.
- 14th - Noah Beddome - Orks (Green Tide): All-in Green Tide with some Tankbustas and Flash Gitz in support of the Boyz.
- 15th - Steven Willett - Emperor's Children (Coteries of the Conceited): Triple Daemon Prince, triple Noise Marine Coteries.
- 16th - Daman Hall - Emperor's Children (Coteries of the Conceited): Coteries goodstuff, but wait, there are some STYLE POINTS for taking a unit of Flawless Blades - epic.
- 17th - Luke Yankowski - Emperor's Children (Coteries of the Conceited): Triple Daemon Prince Coteries.
- 18th - Ryan Brown - Chaos Space Marines (Chaos Cult): Agro Chaos Cult with triple Accursed Cultist and triple Noise Marines behind it.
Alberta Classic 40k 2025
63-player, 6-round Grand Tournament in Calgary, Alberta, CA on May 17 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.Frasier Parry - Aeldari (Devoted of Ynnead) - 1st Place
The List
Archetype
Ynnari WraithlordsThoughts
The elf menace claims another event win, as the established formula of sneaky nonsense and Aspect Warriors propels Ynnari onwards. Wraithlords are a nice fire base in this detachment, where killing them is going to proc Lethal Intent so they force the opponent into a damned if they do, damned if they don't situation. There is some investment in Fights First but the Yncarne gets a run out in place of the Yvraine brick. Awesome work on the event win!Anthony Dalla Lana - Chaos Space Marines (Creations of Bile) - 2nd Place
Credit: Robert "TheChirurgeon" Jones
The List
Archetype
Creations of Bile GoodstuffThoughts
The template for Bile has been set at bricks of Chosen and Possessed, Legio MSU and then some supporting shooting of choice. In an infantry heavy meta I can see the appeal in making Predators the ranged contingent, and this list packs plenty of hulls in behind the wall of T6 infantry bodies. All in all, a very potent combination and it feels like Bile is continuing to hold its own even as newer, shinier combat armies come to the fore. Awesome to see! Well done on the top placing.Jake Chalmers - Chaos Daemons (Daemonic Incursion) - 3rd Place
Credit: Mildnorman
The List
Archetype
GUO rush DaemonsThoughts
A thoroughly enjoyable triple GUO build that slaps Rotigus, Kugath, and some other guy into the enemy lines to cause mayhem. Some very nice counter charge / push pieces in the Blood Crushers and Karnivores mean the opponent is going to have to screen the edges very rigorously even as they battle for control of the middle with the big Nurgle Daemons. Really well thought out list design here and I can see this being brutal to play against! Well done on the top placing.Simon Baines - Aeldari (Seer Council) - 4th Place
Iyanna Arienal - Credit: RichyP
The List
Archetype
Double Conclave Seer CouncilThoughts
With substantial free strat support, a lone op 18 stratagem and teleporting, Seer Council is increasingly seeing love amongst Eldar players. It can play keep away very effectively and whittle the opponent down at a distance before unleashing the Conclaves up close to finish the job. The flamer output on the Warlock units is BANANAS, and shores up a horde / volume issue that several of the non Ynnari detachments were having before. Awesome work, well done on the top placing.The Best of the Rest
There was 1 more players on a 5-1 record. They were:- 5th - Thomas Walker - Adeptus Custodes (Solar Spearhead): Big boi Solar Spearhead with lots of stompy robots and Caladius.
17 & 18 May 2025 - OWN's Breaking Point GT at Game HQ
43-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Oklahoma City, OK, United States on May 17 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.Cody Middleton - Chaos Knights (Traitoris Lance) - 1st Place
Chaos Knight Wardog Brigands - Credit: Bair
The List
Archetype
War Dogs and DaemonsThoughts
Release me, upcoming Chaos Knight codex, from the awkwardness of having nothing new to say about this enduring, and brutal build. Fantastic work on the event win!The Best of the Rest
There were 6 more players on 4-1 records. They were:- 2nd - Douglas Labov - World Eaters (Khorne Daemonkin): Douglas takes the 'BOOM! BLOODLETTERS!' detachment to second place. You're a hero Douglas.
- 3rd - Wyatt Harris - Death Guard (Virulent Vectorium): Mortarion led Vectorum Death Guard with Plague Marines, lots of Blighthaulers and some Blightlords.
- 4th - Cam Hawkins - Aeldari (Aspect Host): Chunky Aspect Host with the Avatar of Khaine leading Fuegan and a ten brick of Fire Dragons.
- 5th - Clinton Wagoner - World Eaters (Berzerker Warband): Mixed Arms WE with Forgefiends, Berzerker Rhinos and Eightbound.
- 6th - Talon Rooney - Genestealer Cult (Final Day): Ridgerunner heavy Final Day with plenty of Gargoyles and some Raveners for utility.
- 7th - Karac Rooney - Adeptus Custodes (Shield Host): Mixed Custodes Shield Host with Venatari, Wardens and Caladius.
Winchester 40K GT - May 2025
37-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in England, GB on May 17 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.Conor McNama - Dark Angels (Unknown Detachment, Presumed Gladius or Stormlance) - 1st Place
Credit: Robert "TheChirurgeon" Jones
The List
Archetype
Dark Angels Infantry RushThoughts
Dark Angels still pack some incredible combinations with Deathwing Knight rush, Inner Circle Companions with Firsts First, and Azrael juicing up a brick of Sternguard. Exactly what shell this was run in is unclear from BCP - I would guess Storm Lance just to help it all gets where it wants to go! Incredible work on the event win.The Best of the Rest
There were 7 more players on 4-1 records. They were:- 2nd - Adam Parmenter - Blood Angels (Angelic Inheritors): Punchy inheritors with MSU Sang Guard, some Vindicators and a drop unit of Inceptors.
- 3rd - Brett Keable - Adeptus Mechanicus (Haloscreed Battle Clade): Brutal gunline Ad Mech with plenty of Breachers and Disintegrators.
- 4th - Ben Baddour - Aeldari (Devoted of Ynnead): Cookie cutter Ynnari titled 'I miss Phoenix Lords'. It's within your own power to change that, Ben!
- 5th - Stephen Carmichael-Wilson - Chaos Daemons (Daemonic Incursion): Triple GUO and Rotigus, yikes!
- 6th - Alun Perkins - Adeptus Custodes (Lions of the Emperor): Finely poised Lions Custodes with a little bit of everything.
- 7th - James "One_Wing" Grover - Aeldari (Seer Council): My boss takes some names with a glorious mix of Aspect Warriors, Guardians, and Warlocks teleporting about causing mayhem as Wraithlords provide the fire base.
- 8th - Josh Truran - Necrons (Awakened Dynasty): Warrior and Wraith brick Awakened.
Minsk Eternal GT II
30-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Minsk, Minsk Region, Belarus on May 17 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.Dima "Floppy" Senchenko - Space Marines (Astartes) (Vanguard Spearhead) - 1st Place
Marneus Calgar Credit: Alfredo Ramirez
The List
Archetype
Ultramarines VanguardThoughts
Something of a fusion list here, as Dima splices together elements of recent Ultramarines success and takes both the double Vindicators AND the uppy-downy Devastator brick! Very interesting, shored up with all the infantry based trickery of the Vanguard detachment but with a less subtle counter punch if they come at you fast. Really cool, i've not seen one quite like this! Great work on the event win.The Best of the Rest
There were 2 more players on 4-1 records. They were:- 2nd - MaLal _ - Adepta Sororitas (Hallowed Martyrs): Triple Castigators and Morvehn Vahl in Hallowed Martyrs.
- 3rd - Ewgen Ranchenko - Necrons (Starshatter Arsenal): Silent King / DDA Starshatter!
Wrap Up
There we have it folks - our first ominous sightings of new Death Guard, a few heroic placings for new World Eaters, and plenty of the existing heavy weights continuing to battle it out. Let's see how these books settle as hot Chaos summer gets fully underway! I'm very excited for it.Lowest of Men, out.
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[40k] Competitive Innovations in 10th: An Ominous Stench pt.2


