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.

This weekend is the World Championships of Warhammer, so we've got a few smaller events from around the world leading up to it! This week includes:

• 2D6 Carnage 2025
• Battle of the Bend 2025
• SAGT 2025
• The Poisoned Dice

2D6 Carnage 2025

64-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Oslo, Norway on November 01 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

The Showdown

Danny Elvestad - Ironjawz

vs.

Adam Sääf - Blades of Khorne

Thoughts

Due to including Kragnos, the Ironjawz list here is a bit lean on troops, and the Khorne list has them in spades. While both can deal out significant damage, Khorne gets to play a bit of the long game here which gives them more of an edge. The death of their own troops will only make them stronger (and they will put up a hell of a fight doing it). This is even before the Bloodthirsters get in, and can often pick up just about anything they get into a fight with.

This goes decisively to Khorne, only one point off from a perfect score.

Result

Blades of Khorne Victory - 79 - 19

Adam Sääf - Blades of Khorne - 1st Place

Credit: Robert "TheChirurgeon" Jones

The List

See Showdown

Archetype

Double Bloodthirsters with Mixed Infantry

Thoughts

It's good to see Khorne back in the limelight after Gorechosen got hit with the nerf bat.

The Bloodthirsters are naturally the main power hitters of the army. They can fly, move decently fast, and hit like a truck. Karanak, his followers and the Flesh Hounds make excellent objective grabbers, since Karanak can teleport with the Flesh Hounds, and the Claws of Karanak get a free deployment move, allowing them to snag objectives just outside the deployment zone.

The priest support the army with strong buff prayers, and the Bloodletters and Blood Warriors are effective infantry for killing and holding objectives.

Geir Vedeld - Stormcast Eternals - 2nd Place (Undefeated)

Iridan the Witness. Credit: Matthew 'chimp' Ward

The List

Archetype

Stormcast mixed arms

Thoughts

This list does a bit of everything and makes some pretty unique choices here. We haven't seen Yndrasta much in 4th, but she's undeniably a very strong beat stick, particularly against Monsters. She has a 3D6" Charge which means she can drop in and fight well alongside Prosecutors. Iridan in his Scourge of Ghyran form makes the Prosecutors more durable by letting them reroll their protective ability, and they're a priest so they have that all important teleport.

Palladors and Prosecutors are the primary damage here, while the Knight-Judicator can hang back and take potshots, and the Liberators and Vigilors can hold objectives.

The Best of the Rest

The rest of the top 8 includes:

• 3rd - Christian Brubakken - Kruleboyz: Utterly insane list of Kruleboyz Monsters with Kragnos and Rabble Rowza for the Run and 3D6 Charge.
• 4th - Jonas Rådemar - Gloomspite Gitz: Mixed force of Squiggs and Troggs.
• 5th - Danny Elvestad - Ironjawz: See Showdown.
• 6th - Oskar Jeszke - Skaven: Scourge of Ghyran Screaming Bell with Rat Ogors and Brood Terror and Plague Furance with Plague Monks.
• 7th - Tomasz Mucha - Sylvaneth: Alarielle and Belthanos big boys.
• 8th - Kuba Kostrubiec - Lumineth Realm-lords: Herohammer with Bladelords and Callis and Toll

Battle of the Bend 2025

36-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in South Bend, IN, United States on November 01 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

The Showdown

Michael Rausch - Fyreslayers

vs.

Jonathan Williams - Gloomspite Gitz

Thoughts

This is a pretty solid matchup and could really go either way. The Gitz player has a lot more models than the Fyreslayers, with a mix of fast glass cannons and brick walls. The Fyreslayers meanwhile have a lot more potential damage output with Magmadroths, and are pretty resilient with the number of wounds they have.

A lot of it would come down to the luck with the moon, since Skragrott isnt here to control it. It looks like ultimatlye the Fyreslayers take it.

Result

Fyreslayers Victory - 66 - 43

Michael Rausch - Fyreslayers - 1st Place

The List

See Showdown

Archetype

Magmadroths and Infantry Support

Thoughts

We've seen this style of list quite a bit since the SoG Magmadroth son got a price hike. The Magmadroths still put in a lot of work, with the sons becoming stronger when the Father is in combat, injured or dead (So basically always). The price hike means that many are sugmenting their forces with foot dwarves who still put in work. The positive is that it's more bodies for the board. The included KO Regiment of Renown lets you teleport one of those units, making up for the weakness of Fyreslayers troops, their slow speed.

Nick Carr - Flesh-eater Courts - 2nd Place (Undefeated)

Crypt Horrors. Credit: Rich "Cronch" Nutter

The List

Archetype

Flesh-eater Court Good Stuff

Thoughts

It's rare we see a list without Ushoran, but this shows you can function without him. The Abhorrant Ghoul King, a mainstay in most lists, takes top billing here. It hits hard, can boost its To Hit on a 3+ and gets more attacks against Command Models, and that's before its Heroic trait gives it even more. The Cardinal casts crucial buffs through its prayers, and most of the infantry can tear through things and are a lot of wounds to cut through.

A unique part of this list is the Regiment of Renown. It's pretty unassuming, but gives a lot of extra bodies and deals with enemies with wards. If something's got a Ward, it probably is a pain in the ass about it.

The Best of the Rest

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

• 3rd - Austin Thimesch - Ironjawz: Pigs.
• 4th - Rob Mulshine - Kruleboyz: Kruleboyz Good Stuff.
• 5th - Jonathan Williams - Gloomspite Gitz: Skragrott with Troggs and Snarlpacks.
• 6th - Justin Koeppel - Ossiarch Bonereapers: Katakros and Arkhan with double Archai.

SAGT 2025

28-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Edwardstown, Australia on October 31 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

The Showdown

Mark N - Seraphon

vs.

Kyle Tregloan - Nighthaunt

Thoughts

This is a tight matchup. The Seraphon list hits hard, both with conventional attacks and mortal wounds from spells and their terrain. Meanwhile, the Nighthaunt are very technical, with pieces that can deny charges (Bladegheist), shoot mortal wounds and reduce control (Pyregheists) and shut off healing (Harridans). It could go either way, since both have bodies to spare, even if the Nighthaunt have quite a bit more.

The game ends up in a very close tie, with Seraphon establishing a narrow victory.

Result

Seraphon Victory - 54 - 51

Mark N - Seraphon - 1st Place

Credit: JarloftheMoose

The List

See Showdown

Archetype

Kroak and Seraphon Good Stuff

Thoughts

It's been a while since we've seen Kroak on the board. As a 3 cast wizard with +2 to cast and +1 to unbind/banish, he's still one of the best Wizards in the game, even at his high price point. The Aggradons and Kroxigors are the primary hammers of the army, able to kill most things they go into.

The Raptadon Chargers are a unique pick, especially 2 reinforced units. They are deceptively strong, getting a lot of attacks, and thanks to the Speed of Huanchi spell from the lore they can run, shoot and then charge which gives them a lot of freedom to move around, destroy units and secure objectives.

The Best of the Rest

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

• 2nd - Kyle Tregloan - Nighthaunt: See Showdown.
• 3rd - Matthew Slattery - Flesh Eater-courts: Ushoran-less list of Royal King on Terrorgheist and a mix of troopd.
• 4th - Jared Haggard - Idoneth Deepkin: Volturnos and Storm of Eidolon with Eels.

The Poisoned Dice

28-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Mexico City, Mexico on November 01 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

The Showdown

Alberto Lopez - Nighthaunt

vs.

Eduardo Rodríguez - Lumineth Realm-Lords

Thoughts

This probably was one of the worst matchups Nighthaunt could run into. Since just about everything has a 5+ Ward (Like the nighthaunt) they're looking at similar defensive profiles. The Nighthaunt have worse saves, but can't be affected by rend so it hashes out about the same. However, the Pyregheists are a core unit that try and win by reducing control and dealing mortal wounds, but the Cathaller in Lumineth negates that.

In the end the Lumineth have an absolute blowout victory.

Result

Lumineth Realm-Lords Victory - 39 - 80

Eduardo Rodríguez - Lumineth Realm-Lords - 1st Place

Credit: Silks

The List

See Showdown

Archetype

Lumineth herohammer

Thoughts

Normally these lists include Ellania and Ellathor, but the jist is the same anyway. The Wizards in Lumineth can cast some very strong buffs and damage spells. Importantly, the Enlightener can dual cast Speed of Hysh to get around the board a lot faster. The Bladelords protect these heroes by giving themselves and the casters a 5+ Ward, they're also really good in a fight, with either crit mortals or guaranteed mortals with fewer attacks. Wardens are also pretty good, as they also carry crit mortals, strike first and anti-charge.

The Best of the Rest

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

• 2nd - Alberto Lopez - Nighthaunt: See Showdown.
• 3rd - Rodrigo Castillo - Ironjawz: Gordrakk with a mix of pigs and infantry.
• 4th - Ivan Moreno - Fyreslayers: Runefather on Magmadroth and his 5 sons.

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