It's Lowest of Men in the drivers seat today, as we cover off more results and ponder how the Dataslate might change them.
Part 2 on Friday:
- Feliz Exterminatus IV
- Wytch Trials 2025 Ascension
- Winter Warlords 2025 hosted by RWGC
- December Grand Tournament at GG presented by Warhound Tournaments
- Legion GT
- Shanghai 40K GT Dec 2025
- DicePodGT
- Everwinter Warhammer 40K GT
- Leoben Winter Sprint 40K Singles 2025 - Alpine Cup
- Bristol Crusaders GT
- 112. Bedburger Scheunenkloppen
- Hole in the Wall Hobbies December Iron Man GT
- Winter War Zone 2025 40K GT
- (new) Primer GT APEWAR
- THE LEICESTER 40K SUPER MAJOR
- Merry Slaaneshmass 2025
- Iron Cage: Winter Whammy
- FIGHT BEFORE XMAS 25
- The Vault Reforged: Anniversary Grand Tournament
- FA CUP 2025 Warhammer 40,000 Grand Tournament - Winter 2025
- Bulwark Events x CGC GT: Victors 50th Crusade!
Feliz Exterminatus IV
98-player, 6-round Grand Tournament in Saint Robert, MO, United States on December 06 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.Ryan Verbeck - Tyranids (Subterranean Assault) - 1st Place
Ravener Prime Credit: NotThatHenryC
The List
Archetype
Double Zoan Sub AssaultThoughts
Tyranids keep on plugging away, and this list innovates a little on the brutal double Zoan brick lists we saw in Sub Assault at WCW and after. I like the big slab of Neurogants - look how stupidly cheap that unit is for the bodies you get!! There are so many stupid ways to use a brick of idiots that cheap, and I am here for it. Raveners and Zoans do the heavy lifting and I am particularly struck by the triple Neurolictor - this list is really, really hoping to get a bunch of battle shocks going to shut down surges, defensive buffs and the like, at which point the Zoans will make hay. Excellent innovation, well done on the event win.Nathan Blankenship - Orks (War Horde) - 2nd Place
Deathskulls Big Mek. Credit: Corrode
The List
Archetype
Classic War HordeThoughts
Tried, tested, and true. War Horde is here for a scrap, with explosive speed and damage in the Waagh, full fight on death for the melee games, and the Ghaz brick with -1 to wound to ruin lives at a key moment. There isn't a tonne else to say - Orks have landed in a balanced but potent spot and seem to be doing just fine in the meta. I'll be interested to see how things go for them post slate! Amazing work.Treynor Wolfe - Ultramarines (Blade of Ultramar) - 3rd Place
Victrix Guard Chapter Ancient Credit: Keewa
The List
Archetype
Blade of Ultramar Mixed ArmsThoughts
I think the key to exploiting Blade of Ultramar is having a build which can really, really benefit from the double doctrine options. Here, because you have both a Victrix push threat AND a wall of speeders and guns, you have options depending on what the opponent asks of you and what is needed. Exceptionally powerful right now, expect Ultramarines to keep on rolling! Great work on the top placing.Dan Sammons - Adeptus Mechanicus (Skitarii Hunter Cohort) - 4th Place
Adeptus Mechanicus - Sicarian InfiltratorsCredit: Pendulin
The List
Archetype
Siegler Style Hunter CohortThoughts
Wall of bodies Hunter Cohort has been unleashed since WCW, with the 'maxed out chickens, lads on foot and gumption' combination doing work. Still the grindiest and most attritional way to play Ad Mech, it ruins armies without ways to surpass the modifiers at range, and boasts a phenomenal mission toolkit. Great work on the top placing.The Best of the Rest
There were 7 more players on 5-1 records. They were:- 5th - Jake Durham - Space Wolves (Stormlance Task Force): Go fast Space Wolves with lots of Terminators and Headtakers.
- 6th - Kyle McCord - Dark Angels (Wrath of the Rock): Brutal mixed arms DA with the Lion, DWK, some Speeders and some Centurions.
- 7th - Harout Baltayan - Death Guard (Virulent Vectorium): Morty / Mini Morty Virulent.
- 8th - Chris Green - Blood Angels (Liberator Assault Group): Dante leads MSU Death Company squads with Captains and a Land Raider Redeemer to war.
- 9th - Connor Johnson - Thousand Sons (Grand Coven): Triple MWB, triple Tzaangor Grand Coven with the Vortex Daemon Prince.
- 10th - Peyton Preece - Adeptus Mechanicus (Haloscreed Battle Clade): Brutal all-in Infiltrator and Ruststalker Haloscreed.
- 11th - Brent Aubuchon - Adepta Sororitas (Army of Faith): Lesser-seen Army of Faith Sisters, with Sacrosanct bricks, and two units of Paragons.
Wytch Trials 2025 Ascension
67-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Clemmons, NC, United States on December 06 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.Seth Piper - World Eaters (Berzerker Warband) - 1st Place
Credit: Robert "TheChirurgeon" Jones
The List
Archetype
World Eaters Mixed ArmsThoughts
Angron gets the nod here in a mixed arms WE list that takes a smattering of all the stand outs from the past year or so. The big lad gives you a wrecking ball that can trouble even the most durable skews, though delivering him requires some finesse. MSU Eightbound and Spawn give you plenty of mini missiles for the pressure game. The meta has become a lot more hostile to World Eaters in recent times, so a GT win deserves credit. Excellent work!Eric Hoerger - Genestealer Cult (Outlander Claw) - 2nd Place (Undefeated)
Kelermorph. Credit: Rockfish
The List
Archetype
Outlander Mission MastersThoughts
The 'truckload of OC' (hehe) that is Outlander Claw takes a top placing here, with waves of high OC bikes and vehicles and sticky objectives. It has good weaponry for clearing through hordes and infantry based lists, and it is interesting to see Kelemorphs called into action here- I assume this follows wider trends of trying to set up lots of battle-shock traps for opponents looking to exploit Blood Surge and counterplay traps. GSC are in an odd spot where they aren't seeing much use, but still seem more than capable of doing their thing in the right hands. Well done for demonstrating as such here!Chris Blackham - Drukhari (Spectacle of Spite) - 3rd Place
Credit: Keewa
The List
Archetype
All-in Spectacle of SpiteThoughts
Guns are for cowards, take the drugs instead. Wych Cults keeps on rocking as the standout competitive build for Drukhari since the new book - Hellions and Wyches slap here, and A Challenge Met blows games open the second a misplay is made, and offers a lot of mission play and primary control in particular. Drukhari are wobbling somewhat since release, but the same can't be said of Spite, which has established itself as a meta staple. Fantastic work on the top placing.Mike Robertson - T'au Empire (Retaliation Cadre) - 4th Place
Tau Coldstar Commander. Credit: Jack Hunter
The List
Archetype
That Lawyer Show with Meghan MarkleThoughts
Suits. Suits for days. Ret Cadre can redeploy and apply damage on a whim, and gives you a full Crisis toolkit for managing the many emergent threats of a very volatile meta. I can fully see why you would lean into it right now- Riptides and a Ghostkeel give you a little bit of solidity amidst the speedy, fragile Crisis Suits. Excellent work on the top placing!The Best of the Rest
There were 7 more players on 4-1 records. They were:- 5th - Riley Morris - Aeldari (Aspect Host): Aspect Host Goodstuff.
- 6th - Duncan Bluhm - Astra Militarum (Combined Arms): Dorn / Leman Russ Guard with a cheeky Krieg Weapons Team.
- 7th - John Casey - Space Marines (Astartes) (Gladius Task Force): Ultramarines Goodstuff.
- 8th - Jordan Adkins - Adepta Sororitas (Hallowed Martyrs): Triple Immolator / MSU Hallowed Martyrs with Vahl in tow.
- 9th - Justin Crain - Space Marines (Astartes) (Gladius Task Force): More Ultramarines Goodstuff- this one has some Bladeguard!
- 10th - Jordan Cole - Space Wolves (Stormlance Task Force): Thunderwolf / Wulfen speedy Wolves.
- 11th - Thomas Byrd - Space Marines (Astartes) (Blade of Ultramar): More Ultramarines Goodstuff.
Winter Warlords 2025 hosted by RWGC
51-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Henrietta, NY, United States on December 06 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.Alex Miller - Death Guard (Champions of Contagion) - 1st Place
Credit: Robert "TheChirurgeon" Jones
The List
Archetype
Champs with MortyThoughts
A deliciously techy Death Guard list that highlights there is life in this book yet- Champions with two full Plague Marine bricks AND Mortarion. This gives you reactive move antics on bricks that can pop a Fights First at will - couple that with Morty's 2+ Fight on Death and the flexible Contagion application of Champions, and you have a toolkit that is more than ready to go and make a mess of combat match ups. Triple Bloat Drones because, well, of course! A really cool list, well done on the event win!John Davison - Space Wolves (Saga of the Beastslayer) - 2nd Place (Undefeated)
Logan Grimnar. Credit: Rich Nutter
The List
Archetype
Mixed Arms BeastslayerThoughts
Space Wolves appear to be growing into the meta game, and the big stuff whacking power of Beastlayer takes a podium here. Access to Lethals and rerolls helps it punch up, and the Thunderwolves give you some of that Wolf Jail energy popularised in Storm Lance. Excellent work on the top placing!The Best of the Rest
There were 6 more players on 4-1 records. They were:- 3rd - Colton Miller - Adepta Sororitas (Champions of Faith): Another Champions Sacrosanct list! A break out build?!
- 4th - Jade Smith - T'au Empire (Retaliation Cadre): Massed Suits in Ret Cadre.
- 5th - Greg Seward - Blood Angels (Liberator Assault Group): Punchy all-in Liberator.
- 6th - Connor Reynolds - Tyranids (Invasion Fleet): Triple Norn Invasion Fleet.
- 7th - Donnie Wilkinson - Chaos Knights (Infernal Lance): Triple Despoiler CK.
December Grand Tournament at GG presented by Warhound Tournaments
40-player, 6-round Grand Tournament in Lehi, UT, US on December 06 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.Drake Valle - World Eaters (Berzerker Warband) - 1st Place
Credit: Robert "TheChirurgeon" Jones
The List
Archetype
Et Tu, Brute?Thoughts
World Eaters claim another event win here with old school chain react-fighting Helbrutes, lots of Eightbound and Berzerkers. No real guns here, as Khorne intended. This highlights the range of ways you can build out from the theme of 'go fast and smash' - as lists start to get their heads around the Berzerker brick plays, perhaps full MSU is the correct pivot? Amazing work on the event win!The Best of the Rest
There was 5 more player on 4-1+ records. They were:- 2nd (4.5-0.5) - Nick Gaddis - Genestealer Cult (Biosanctic Broodsurge): Classic triple Abominant / double Laser Runner Broodsurge - one of my OG lists! Love it.
- 3rd - Steven Hall - Emperor's Children (Mercurial Host): HERO points for taking Fulgrim in Mercurial Host, absolutely epic stuff.
- 4th - Jordan Gledhill - Dark Angels (Company of Hunters): Brutal speedy CoH with Centurions and Outrider bricks.
- 5th - Ryan Mcguire - Space Wolves (Stormlance Task Force): Speedy Terminator / Wulfen / Headtaker Stormlance.
- 6th - Cameron Newton - Chaos Knights (Infernal Lance): Rotigus and Double Despoilers in Infernal.
Legion GT
32-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Liberecký kraj, Česko on December 06 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.Jakub Klinský - Chaos Daemons (Plague Legion) - 1st Place
Credit: Robert "TheChirurgeon" Jones
The List
Archetype
Plague Legion Big Boy TimeThoughts
A twist on the classic Greater Daemon spam, leaning harder on GUOs and building into the many, many battle-shocks of Plague Legion. This detachment creeps up on you hard - it feels manageable, and then the shocks start to toll and you find yourself slipping on score as big fat gribblies chuckle at your dismay. It's awesome, underexplored, and further proof of just how good the Daemons are right now. Kairos makes the cut too - a bit of indirect and some CP gen / Vect is definitely valuable at the moment! Aspect Host beware... Excellent work on the event win!!!The Best of the Rest
There were 4 more players on 4-1 records. They were:- 2nd - Jan Ferjenčík - Aeldari (Aspect Host): Aspect Host Goodstuff with the Avatar of Khaine.
- 3rd - Adam Tetour - Chaos Daemons (Scintillating Legion): Buckets of Screamers and Chickens in Scintillating.
- 4th - Vlasta Král - Adeptus Mechanicus (Skitarii Hunter Cohort): Siegler style massed Chickens and bodies in Hunter Cohort.
- 5th - Niels Scheer - Space Marines (Astartes) (Shadowmark Talon): Raven Guard Goodstuff.
Shanghai 40K GT Dec 2025
30-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Shang Hai Shi, China on December 05 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.Qifan Zhu - Astra Militarum (Combined Arms) - 1st Place
Kasrkin Kill Team. Credit: Jack Hunter
The List
Archetype
Combined Arms GoodstuffThoughts
Team China stalwart Qifan takes names on classic Combined Arms Guard. I think this is the army to watch after the dataslate- new rules, no nerfs, and a rules and datasheet core that was already more than capable of winning events. Things might get... grizzly. Hehe. Amazing work on the event win :DThe Best of the Rest
There were 5 more players on 4-1 records. They were:- 2nd - Yun SHEN - World Eaters (Berzerker Warband): All-in melee MSU WE.
- 3rd - 我布道啊 IDK - Necrons (Starshatter Arsenal): MSU Lords / Destroyers out ahead of the DDA castle.
- 4th - Joe Shi - Adeptus Mechanicus (Haloscreed Battle Clade): A cheeky Onager Dunecrawler sneaks in admist the Haloscreed Goodstuff.
- 5th - yizheng shen - World Eaters (Berzerker Warband): Double Berzerker brick supported by MSU.
- 6th - Thomas Pendzinski - Blood Angels (Liberator Assault Group): MSU BA with a Rep Ex and Baal Predator for support.
DicePodGT
26-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Москва, Москва, Россия on December 06 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.Vladimir Dudkevich - Astra Militarum (Recon Element) - 1st Place
Shock Troops. Credit: Rockfish
The List
Archetype
Recon HordeThoughts
An event win for the Recon Guard infantry carpet. This list can put you in a relentless OC jail, using the Kasrkin and Rough Riders to snipe out any hard targets as it does so. You often see Recon run with some Dorns in support - no such cowardice here, every problem is solved by throwing organic meat under the bus. When the first man falls, pick up his rifle, and carry on! Glorious stuff, well done on the event win.The Best of the Rest
There were 2 more players on 4-1 records. They were:- 2nd - Nikita (Chester) Krokhin - Leagues of Votann (Hearthband): Double Land Fort / Hearthguard heavy Hearthband.
- 3rd - Dmitry Nielle - Adepta Sororitas (Champions of Faith): MORE Champions of Faith - this thing is in vogue!!
Wrap Up
There you have it folks! A meta wide open, with a slate coming in hot. Elves look to be slipping here, a trend one imagines is likely to continue. Guard on the rise, and the Ultramarine menace at least partially in check, for now. Will it last?!Have fun out there!
Lowest of Men, out.
Have any questions or feedback? Drop us a note in the comments below or email us at contact@goonhammer.com. Want articles like this linked in your inbox every Monday morning? Sign up for our newsletter. And don’t forget that you can support us on Patreon for backer rewards like early video content, Administratum access, an ad-free experience on our website and more.
Competitive Innovations in 10th: The Night Before Grotmas pt.2


