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.
I (Wings) am out and about today, so no big intro - take it away Lowest of Men!Part 2 on Friday:
- Gem City GT 2025
- MobTown Mayhem
- BattlePub Barfight GT
- Cata Cup 2025 Warhammer 40,000 Grand Tournament
- Black Crow Gaming's Battle of the RAGNAR GT! OCT
- October Grand Tournament at GG presented by Warhound Tournaments
- Battle For Salvation GT 2025
- Call to Arms 40K Event Hosted by Away Games
- 7. Corsair Open GT
- OCTOBER OFFENSIVE
- Glasshammer GT - October
- 40k Hydra Grand Tournament III 2025
- Mektoberfest 40k gt 2025
- GT Terra'n'dins 2025
- Grampian Gaming Guild October GT
- Willen Games October Grand Tournament
- Laketown Apocalypse 2025
Gem City GT 2025
63-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Dayton, OH, United States on October 11 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.The Showdown
Matchup & Mission - Chaos Daemons (Shadow Legion) versus T'au Empire (Kroot Hunting Pack)
Geoff Perry - Chaos Daemons (Shadow Legion)vs.
Luke Rolph - T'au Empire (Kroot Hunting Pack)
Thoughts
A really interesting showdown here that pits two stodgy, rush hordes against one another. Hunting Pack and Shadow Legion both thrive for broadly similar reasons - they are fast hordes that are capable of shutting gunlines out of midboard, or blocking combat armies until they achieve a score victory. Both are a touch susceptible for out and out melee pressure but not without damage and tools of their own. The Shadow Legion list has gone heavy on Screamers and Nurglings for blocking, and a couple of Bloodletter bombs for applying Lance and Lethal and punching up. Belly and the Thirster then provide hard target removal.In the Kroot camp, the Krootox provide the gut punch at the front, with tonnes of Kroot bodies for OC and mission play. Two Hammerheads are, I think, quite spicy in this match up - Belly and his red friend enjoy coming to the mid-board for Shadow Legion to do the heavy lifting, and this becomes a very dangerous place to be with the Railguns lurking. I'd place a fair bit of emphasis on first drop and first turn in a blocking match up like this, but I actually rate the Rampagers in the key frontline melee one on one against the Screamers here - Rampagers will delete the Screamer bricks, -1 to hit or not, and the retaliation damage really isn't going to do as much into them in reply. That forces our big Daemons to come and play, where the Hammerheads will be waiting.... In the end, the T'au pack take the win!
Result
T'au Empire (Kroot Hunting Pack) Victory - 95 - 64Luke Rolph - T'au Empire (Kroot Hunting Pack) - 1st Place
Krootox Rider. Credit: Rockfish
The List
Archetype
Kroot JailThoughts
As other T'au detachments begin to thrive in this new meta, Kroot Hunting Pack reminds us of it's enduring calibre. This detachment has somewhat divided the T'au fanbase, but if you like adding a bit of melee and pluck into the usual roster of ranged devastation, it has an awful lot to offer. Capable of shutting enemy armies entirely out of the game and dying for the cause, it's scoring style has been greatly bolstered by challenger cards disappearing. T'au are having a ripe old end to the year, great work on the event win!Scott Ketcham - Adepta Sororitas (Bringers of Flame) - 2nd Place (Undefeated)
Credit: Evan "Felime" Siefring
The List
Archetype
Somehow, Bringers ReturnedThoughts
Sisters have been sneaking back into a pole position in the meta, and I think they're ready to make their ambitions known now. Bringers of Flame storms back to life in a meta rich with Marine bodies ripe for the hunting. Triumph / triple Castigator still has frankly terrifying reach and punch, and the MSU Seraphim and Arcos give you a bit of early give and go as you hunt down any threats to the vehicles before rolling to victory. Bringers boasts an incredible set of stratagems, and it's moment appears to have come again...Conan Jennings - Raven Guard (Shadowmark Talon) - 3rd Place
Aethon Shaan. Credit: Dan Boyd
The List
Archetype
Raven Guard GoodstuffThoughts
Raven Guard continue their run of dominance, with the Centurion / Inceptor / Van Vet combo taking heads with a mixture of brutality and trickery. Raven Guard have the right blend to apply pressure to armies that are more fragile and shy, and play keep away from the armies that wish them a bloody end in melee. It isn't an easy detachment to play to it's full potential, but once you've got the play patterns there isn't much it can't beat, especially with the recent boon of army wide +1 to wound against the oath target! Great work on the top placing.Josh Morrison - T'au Empire (Retaliation Cadre) - 4th Place
Farsight. Credit: Rockfish
The List
Archetype
Ret Cadre BattlesuitsThoughts
Continuing our theme of a T'au renaissance, Ret Cadre strikes out for a top placing again! The key to recent Ret Cadre success isn't dissimilar to Raven Guard - it has tools both for blasting in close to fragile opponents and running away from the more dangerous combat armies, and a very techy toolkit with different suit units capable of solving all the different meta problems one might encounter. Crisis Suits really don't mind a world of blood surging melee units either - tap a brick with one unit, and the other can simply fire into combat after the surge anyway. Brutal stuff. Amazing work on the top placing!The Best of the Rest
There were 7 more players on 4-1 records. They were:- 5th - Max Saylor - World Eaters (Vessels of Wrath): Epic massed Eightbound and Exalted Eightbound in Vessels, with a solitary Berzerker brick.
- 6th - Alex Brudnicki - Orks (War Horde): MSU Breaks, Flash Gitz, Nobz and Boys with Ghaz leading the charge.
- 7th - Git Gud - World Eaters (Berzerker Warband): 50 Berzerkers and supporting MSU.
- 8th - Michelle Mack - Adepta Sororitas (Champions of Faith): Champions triple Sacrosancts with Vahl.
- 9th - Andrew Ketcham - T'au Empire (Mont'ka): Mont'ka Pressure with Riptides Hammerheads and Ghostkeel.
- 10th - Nick Laney - Space Marines (Astartes) (Shadowmark Talon): Raven Guard Goodstuff.
- 11th - Aron Huckaba - T'au Empire (Auxiliary Cadre): Riptides Rampagers and Starscythe Crisis in Auxillary Cadre.
MobTown Mayhem
49-player, 6-round Grand Tournament in Mobile, AL, United States on October 11 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.Hunter Nichols - Space Wolves (Stormlance Task Force) - 1st Place
Credit: Keewa
The List
Archetype
Stormraven Space WolvesThoughts
Alpha strike Stormlance with the Stormraven has been popular in Ultramarines, but this list takes it to a wolfy place by ramming in turn one deep striking Terminators and plenty of MSU combat to back up the plane. I much prefer this ballsy, more honourable approach to 'flying a plane at the enemy', and it highlights once again that the Space Wolves ruleset isn't dead just yet. Amazing work on the event win!The Best of the Rest
There were 5 more players on 5-1 records. They were:- 2nd - Anthony Carter - Tyranids (Invasion Fleet): Classic big bug little bug card board box bug Invasion Fleet with Maleceptors, Exos, Hormagaunts and Genestealers.
- 3rd - Charles Barber - Genestealer Cult (Biosanctic Broodsurge): A re-emergence for old school Biosanctic with triple Abominant, a Metamorph brick and lots of Purestrains.
- 4th - Mark Perry - Chaos Space Marines (Pactbound Zealots): Melee missile MSU with Lords, some Havocs (in Nurgle!) and Huron, because Mark is a connoisseur.
- 5th - Tyler Ooton - Adeptus Mechanicus (Skitarii Hunter Cohort): Full Hunter Cohort MSU with a triple Disintegrator support base.
- 6th - Justin Madewell - Tyranids (Invasion Fleet): Double Norn / small bug carpet Invasion Fleet.
BattlePub Barfight GT
36-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in San Antonio, TX, US on October 10 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.David Villareal - Adeptus Mechanicus (Haloscreed Battle Clade) - 1st Place
Belisarius Cawl. Credit: Pendulin
The List
Archetype
Ad Mech PressureThoughts
Nice rushy Ad Mech pressure from Haloscreed here - the fastest and punchiest of the Ad Mech variants! This detachment helps things like Dragoons and Infiltrators shine with access to Crit 5s, and the additional speed on offer allows you to tag up and outmanouvre the opponent on a whim. It's awesome to see multiple Ad Mech detachments thriving after some time in the doldrums, they remain one of the armies to beat going into Christmas!The Best of the Rest
There were 5 more players on 4-1 records. They were:- 2nd - Justin Pizzoferrato - Genestealer Cult (Biosanctic Broodsurge): Double Metamorph brick Biosanctic, with scouting bikes ahead of the lines.
- 3rd - Ethan Cloos - Black Templars (Gladius Task Force): Rep Ex Sword Brethren Templars with some Eradicators in reserve.
- 4th - Travis Meyer - Necrons (Starshatter Arsenal): Nightbringer / Silent King Starshatter leading some Doomsday Arks.
- 5th - Dick McTrickle - Imperial Knights (Spearhead-at-Arms): A Lancer, Defender and Preceptor leading some Armigers.
- 6th - Sang Choi - Orks (War Horde): Lots of MSU and a big brick of Boyz with Ghaz.
Cata Cup 2025 Warhammer 40,000 Grand Tournament
34-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Machesney Park, IL, United States on October 11 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.Fred Fortman - White Scars (Gladius Task Force) - 1st Place
White Scars Praetor. Credit - Soggy
The List
Archetype
White Scars Mixed ArmsThoughts
Goodness gracious me, what an epic list. Lots of speedy pressure, a Brutalis yeeting about, and some Desolators for whittling down pesky elves that don't want to play the game. Triple Repulsor backline keeps the dakka flowing and there are even some ASSAULT CENTURIONS leading the charge. This list is awesome, and a testament to how many options Space Marines have access to at this moment in time. Fantastic work on the event win.The Best of the Rest
There were 5 more players on 4-1 records. They were:- 2nd - Joshua Falk - Space Marines (Astartes) (Stormlance Task Force): Stormraven Storm Lance Ultramarines.
- 3rd - Jesse Lopez - Space Marines (Astartes) (Forgefather's Seekers): Massed Infernus Marines in new Salamanders.
- 4th - Hugh Murphy - Space Wolves (Stormlance Task Force): Space Wolf Stormlance with Thunderwolves, Terminators and some Vindicators.
- 5th - David T. - World Eaters (Khorne Daemonkin): Angron and a big stack of Bloodcrushers in Khorne Daemonkin.
- 6th - Tyler White - Adepta Sororitas (Champions of Faith): Triple Sacrosanct Champions of Faith.
Black Crow Gaming's Battle of the RAGNAR GT! OCT
30-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in England, United Kingdom on October 11 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.Alan Percival - Dark Angels (Wrath of the Rock) - 1st Place
Rainbow Warriors Deathwing Knights by Craig "MasterSlowPoke" Sniffen
The List
Archetype
Wrath of the RockThoughts
Chunky Wrath of the Rock counter melee is an underrated build in our current meta. Plenty of pressure armies dislike being charged in their own turn by -1 damage DWK, and the Lion is a huge pest for such armies as well. The toolkit in Wrath is flexible and well suited if it can dodge the one or two armies that simply lift it at range. Excellent work on the event win!!!The Best of the Rest
There were 3 more players on 4-1 records. They were:- 2nd - Thomas Hicks - Adeptus Custodes (Solar Spearhead): All-in Dreadnoughts in Solar Spearhead, love to see it,.
- 3rd - Paul Bridge - Leagues of Votann (Dêlve Assault Shift): Massed Berzerkers and Earthshakers in Delve Assault Shift.
- 4th - Jack Sayer - Chaos Daemons (Blood Legion): Skarbrand, a Thirster, lots of Bloodletters and two Soulgrinders in the epic Blood Legion detachment.
October Grand Tournament at GG presented by Warhound Tournaments
26-player, 6-round Grand Tournament in Lehi, UT, US on October 11 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.Richard Kilton - Orks (War Horde) - 1st Place
Deathskulls Big Mek. Credit: Corrode
The List
Archetype
Massed BoyzThoughts
Loads of Orky MSU in War Horde- it just works right now! -1 to wound without cap, full fight on death, these are not things that enemy combat armies enjoy at all, and Orks can pressure anything that stands off them with enthusiasm too. They sit nicely in the meta after a rough time whilst Tsons and Death Guard were dominant, and it's nice to see them back again. Very well done on the event win - love the Cybork Body Defftrike, that's a lovely scoring / bait piece!!!The Best of the Rest
There was 0 more player on 5-1 records. They were:Wrap Up
There ya have it folks - Orks are back, T'au are back, Sisters are back - the wheel truly has turned, and I am very much here for it. Get out there and play some hams!!Lowest of Men, out.
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Competitive Innovations in 10th: Melting Pot pt.2


