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.

What’s going on in the metagame this week? Well, More Dakka and Ynnari still loom over proceedings, but the main new theme seems to be dogs. Not just War Dogs (though Chaos Knights are on the rise as an anti-elf option) – Daemons and Space Wolves are also surging, the former leveraging the big buffs on Greater Daemons and the utility of Flesh Hounds, and the latter sticking to the tried and true plan of hurling Thunderwolf Cavalry forward with abandon. People seem to be adapting as best they can to the Dakka menace by going for ultra aggressive builds with the speed to body them, and I say best of luck to them.

Let’s see how it went, starting today with:

AdeptiCon 2025 40K Championships
Fantasia Fanatic XLVII
Sydney GT Autumn – NSWTC
Welcome to ThunderMania GT
Space Hawg GT

On Friday Lowest of Men will look at:

The Gauntlet: Phoenix 40K GT
Queen City Clash GT @ The Mighty Meeple
II GT Hispalis
Geek Shack GT – Battle of the Zia Sun

Our Showdowns for the week will be:

More Dakka vs Mont’ka T’au in the gunfight of the century at Fantasia Fanatic
Invasion Fleet vs Gladius Task Force at Queen City Clash

AdeptiCon 2025 40K Championships

291-player, 9-round Supermajor in Milwaukee, WI, United States on March 27 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

Conan Jennings – Ultramarines (Gladius Task Force) – 1st Place

Cobalt Scions Ballistus Dreadnought. Credit: Charlie Brassley

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

G for Glad (2000 Points)

Space Marines
Ultramarines
Gladius Task Force
Strike Force (2000 Points)

CHARACTERS

Captain in Gravis Armour (90 Points)
• 1x Boltstorm gauntlet
• 1x Power fist
• 1x Relic chainsword
• Enhancements: Artificer Armour

Lieutenant with Combi-weapon (70 Points)
• 1x Combi-weapon
• 1x Paired combat blades

Marneus Calgar (210 Points)
• 1x Marneus Calgar
◦ 1x Gauntlets of Ultramar
• 2x Victrix Honour Guard
◦ 2x Victrix power sword

Roboute Guilliman (345 Points)
• Warlord
• 1x Emperor’s Sword
• 1x Hand of Dominion

OTHER DATASHEETS

Ballistus Dreadnought (140 Points)
• 1x Armoured feet
• 1x Ballistus lascannon
• 1x Ballistus missile launcher
• 1x Twin storm bolter

Company Heroes (105 Points)
• 1x Ancient
◦ 1x Bolt pistol
◦ 1x Bolt rifle
◦ 1x Close combat weapon
• 1x Company Champion
◦ 1x Bolt pistol
◦ 1x Master-crafted power weapon
• 2x Company Veteran
◦ 2x Bolt pistol
◦ 2x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Master-crafted bolt rifle
◦ 1x Master-crafted heavy bolter

Gladiator Reaper (160 Points)
• 1x Armoured hull
• 1x Icarus rocket pod
• 1x Ironhail heavy stubber
• 2x Tempest bolter
• 1x Twin heavy onslaught gatling cannon

Infiltrator Squad (100 Points)
• 1x Infiltrator Sergeant
◦ 1x Bolt pistol
◦ 1x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Marksman bolt carbine
• 4x Infiltrator
◦ 4x Bolt pistol
◦ 4x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Helix Gauntlet
◦ 1x Infiltrator Comms Array
◦ 4x Marksman bolt carbine

Invader ATV (60 Points)
• 1x Bolt pistol
• 1x Close combat weapon
• 1x Multi-melta
• 1x Twin bolt rifle

Scout Squad (70 Points)
• 1x Scout Sergeant
◦ 1x Astartes chainsword
◦ 1x Bolt pistol
◦ 1x Close combat weapon
• 4x Scout
◦ 2x Astartes shotgun
◦ 4x Bolt pistol
◦ 4x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Heavy bolter
◦ 1x Scout sniper rifle

Vindicator (185 Points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
• 1x Demolisher cannon
• 1x Hunter-killer missile
• 1x Storm bolter

Exported with App Version: v1.29.1 (1), Data Version: v581

Archetype

Bobby G Gun Club

Thoughts

The Ultramarines remind everyone that More Dakka isn’t the only ultra-shooty murder machine out there by taking down Adepticon (including scoring a fairly comfortable win against the Ork menace on the way). Ballistus and Vindicators are still incredibly efficient for their cost, and you get a nice bit of threat diversity for hosing down Aeldari from the Reaper. The high density of 2+ Saves in an Armour of Contempt army also gives you a key out against More Dakka, as it gives you a good shot of blanking one Loota volley on a go turn. Round out with a nice bit of late game melee push from the Primarch and Chapter Master, and this build has pretty much all the bases covered – well done to Conan for taking the trophy with them.

Folger Pyles – Aeldari (Devoted of Ynnead) – 2nd Place

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

40k but with alternate activations
(1985 points)

Aeldari
Strike Force (2000 points)
Devoted of Ynnead

CHARACTERS

Autarch (75 points)
• 1x Dragon fusion gun
1x Star glaive

The Visarch (90 points)
• 1x Asu-var

The Yncarne (250 points)
• 1x Swirling soul energy
1x Vilith-zhar

Yvraine (100 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Kha-vir
1x Storm of Whispers

BATTLELINE

Storm Guardians (100 points)
• 10x Storm Guardian
• 8x Close combat weapon
2x Flamer
2x Fusion gun
2x Power sword
6x Shuriken pistol
• 1x Serpent’s Scale Platform
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Serpent shield

DEDICATED TRANSPORTS

Wave Serpent (125 points)
• 1x Shuriken cannon
1x Twin bright lance
1x Wraithbone hull

OTHER DATASHEETS

Fire Dragons (110 points)
• 1x Fire Dragon Exarch
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Firepike
• 4x Fire Dragon
• 4x Close combat weapon
4x Dragon fusion gun

Howling Banshees (90 points)
• 1x Howling Banshee Exarch
• 1x Executioner
1x Shuriken pistol
• 4x Howling Banshee
• 4x Banshee blade
4x Shuriken pistol

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

Striking Scorpions (85 points)
• 1x Striking Scorpion Exarch
• 1x Biting blade
1x Shuriken pistol
• 4x Striking Scorpion
• 4x Scorpion chainsword
4x Shuriken pistol

Warp Spiders (95 points)
• 1x Warp Spider Exarch
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Powerblade array
• 4x Warp Spider
• 4x Close combat weapon
4x Death spinner

Warp Spiders (95 points)
• 1x Warp Spider Exarch
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Death weavers
1x Spinneret rifle
• 4x Warp Spider
• 4x Close combat weapon
4x Death spinner

Ynnari Incubi (150 points)
• 1x Klaivex
• 1x Demiklaives
• 9x Incubi
• 9x Klaive

Exported with App Version: v1.29.1 (74), Data Version: v581

Archetype

Yncarne Ynnari

Thoughts

In hot pursuit and second place we have the Devoted of Ynnead, here going in on the full Triumverate and (as is the fashion) supporting them with lots of Aspect Warrior MSUs. Fire Dragons shore up your game against hull-heavy builds, Banshee/Autarch units project threat miles across the board while providing excellent Heroic Intervention protection in your castle, and Spiders/Scorpions can roam, score, and die profitably to set up the Yncarne or Lethal Intent for a big play. If your opponent is more melee-focused, then the full Incubi/Visarch/Yvraine brick can dominate the board to a nigh-impossible extent. ALl of this stuff does die, but it can score incredibly well (see Monday’s Hammer of Math) while doing so, and is really only ever looking for one wrong move from the foe to make their demise inevitable. Well done to Folger on the runner up spot.

Robin Roberts – Genestealer Cult (Host of Ascension) – 3rd Place

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Scruffy Nerf Herder (2000 points)

Genestealer Cults
Strike Force (2000 points)
Host of Ascension

CHARACTERS

Benefictus (85 points) Ben Jamin
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Psionic Cascade
• Enhancement: Assassination Edict

Benefictus (70 points) Bid Head Todd
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Psionic Cascade

Jackal Alphus (55 points) Karen
• 1x Autopistol
1x Close combat weapon
1x Cult sniper rifle

Jackal Alphus (55 points) Eunice
• 1x Autopistol
1x Close combat weapon
1x Cult sniper rifle

Primus (100 points) Cousin Tony
• Warlord
• 1x Cult bonesword
1x Scoped needle pistol
1x Toxin injector claw
• Enhancement: A Chink In Their Armour

Primus (80 points) There is always that Guy
• 1x Cult bonesword
1x Scoped needle pistol
1x Toxin injector claw

Sanctus (50 points) OH sooo Spooky
• 1x Sanctus bio-dagger

BATTLELINE

Acolyte Hybrids with Autopistols (65 points)
• 1x Acolyte Leader
• 1x Autopistol
1x Cult claws and knife
• 4x Acolyte Hybrid
• 1x Cult Icon
1x Cult claws and knife
3x Heavy mining tool

Acolyte Hybrids with Hand Flamers (140 points)
• 1x Acolyte Leader
• 1x Hand flamer
1x Leader’s bio-weapons
• 9x Acolyte Hybrid
• 1x Cult Icon
9x Cult claws and knife
4x Demolition charges
4x Hand flamer

Neophyte Hybrids (145 points)
• 1x Neophyte Leader
• 1x Anointed pistol
1x Autopistol
1x Power weapon
• 19x Neophyte Hybrid
• 19x Autopistol
19x Close combat weapon
1x Cult Icon
2x Flamer
11x Hybrid firearm
2x Mining laser
2x Seismic cannon
2x Webber

Neophyte Hybrids (65 points)
• 1x Neophyte Leader
• 1x Autopistol
1x Close combat weapon
1x Hybrid firearm
• 9x Neophyte Hybrid
• 9x Autopistol
9x Close combat weapon
1x Cult Icon
1x Grenade launcher
5x Hybrid firearm
1x Mining laser
1x Seismic cannon
1x Webber

OTHER DATASHEETS

Achilles Ridgerunners (85 points)
• 1x Armoured hull
1x Heavy mortar
1x Spotter
1x Twin heavy stubber

Achilles Ridgerunners (170 points)
• 2x Achilles Ridgerunner
• 2x Armoured hull
1x Flare launcher
2x Heavy mining laser
1x Spotter
2x Twin heavy stubber

Atalan Jackals (160 points)
• 8x Atalan Jackal
• 4x Atalan power weapon
6x Atalan small arms
4x Close combat weapon
2x Grenade launcher
• 2x Atalan Wolfquad
• 2x Atalan small arms
2x Close combat weapon
2x Mining laser

Purestrain Genestealers (150 points)
• 10x Purestrain Genestealer
• 10x Cult claws and talons

Purestrain Genestealers (75 points)
• 5x Purestrain Genestealer
• 5x Cult claws and talons

Exported with App Version: v1.29.1 (74), Data Version: v581 The emperor is a Chad, come join us we have free cookies. For sure you will not be eaten, that is fake news, you can’t trust the emperor leaning media.

Archetype

Horde Host

Thoughts

The Genestealer Cults take third here, with Robin adapting to the points hits on big Neophyte units by cutting one out in favour of an Acolyte unit, plus keeping his signature Jackals. Those create a lot more early pressure for foes, and can certainly cause some headaches for anyone relying on hiding T3 Infantry behind walls (especially with their Mortal threat). Combining the Alphus buff with Assassination Edict on a Benefictus also lets you tee up a second Neophyte block to near the lethality of the Primus/Chink in their Armour squad, allowing you to go very hard on a big turn if required. Speaking of big turns, while a full Demo Charge Acolyte unit isn’t as nasty as it once was, it’s still extremely vicious, and here lines up very well with the respawn costs – if the game needs some heavy lifting, your 10 points will rebuy one big Neophyte unit and the big Acolyte squad. Combining that with Back to the Shadows, you can get alarmingly close to doing the full alpha strike two turns running, which many foes will struggle to deal with. Cults – still up to their old tricks, it would seem. Well done Robin.

Justin Curtis – Chaos Daemons (Scintillating Legion) – 4th Place

Credit: Liebot – https://instagram.com/liebot_pics

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

not six DPs (1985 points)

Chaos Daemons
Strike Force (2000 points)
Scintillating Legion

CHARACTERS

Daemon Prince of Chaos (220 points)
• Daemonic Allegiance: Tzeentch
• 1x Hellforged weapons
1x Infernal cannon
• Enhancement: Improbable Shield (Aura)

Fluxmaster (70 points)
• 1x Arcane Fireball
1x Herald combat weapon
• Enhancement: Inescapable Eye

Kairos Fateweaver (270 points)
• 1x Infernal Gateway
1x Staff of Tomorrow

Lord of Change (270 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Bolt of Change
1x Rod of sorcery
1x Staff of Tzeentch
• Enhancement: Infernal Puppeteer

The Changeling (90 points)
• 1x Infernal Flames
1x The Trickster’s Staff

BATTLELINE

Blue Horrors (125 points)
• 10x Blue Horror
• 10x Blue claws
10x Coruscating Blue Flames

Nurglings (35 points)
• 3x Nurgling Swarm
• 3x Diseased claws and teeth

Pink Horrors (140 points)
• 10x Pink Horror
• 10x Coruscating Pink Flames
1x Daemonic Icon
1x Instrument of Chaos
10x Pink claws

Plaguebearers (110 points)
• 1x Plagueridden
• 1x Plaguesword
• 9x Plaguebearer
• 1x Daemonic Icon
1x Instrument of Chaos
9x Plaguesword

OTHER DATASHEETS

Burning Chariot (115 points)
• 1x Fire of Tzeentch
1x Flamer mouths
1x Screamer bites

Soul Grinder (180 points)
• Daemonic Allegiance: Tzeentch
• 1x Harvester cannon
1x Iron claw
1x Warp gaze
1x Warpsword

Exported with App Version: v1.29.0 (73), Data Version: v579

Archetype

Shooty Tzeentch

Thoughts

Oh good, it’s time for the “Justin Curtis makes me learn some rules” show. Love that series.

Anyway, while this list wears the confusing guise of Tzeentch, it’s actually relatively simple in terms of what’s going on – it’s just a tremendously powerful old-school shooty castle, spiced up with some strong mobility options and a good melee counter-punch. Thanks to the Daemon Prince handing out Stealth and Improbable Shield, anything chilling out in the castle is going to be tough to take down, while hurling forth serious pain in response. Exactly how many targets it exposes can be modulated too, thanks to Infernal Puppeteer if the speed of the game needs to be controlled, and it’s also pretty resilient to being rushed down. Kairos hiking the cost of Stratagems and access to Flux re-rolls makes it really tough to guarantee a kill on the bigger threats, and they can then just zap away using Delirium Unmade and leave the Soul Grinders to execute a brutal counter-charge. All seems pretty great, and I think my only question mark would be whether the last Grinder should be two units of Screamers for extra board control instead – but the recipe clearly worked super well, and only the devious Ynnari were eventually able to take Justin down.

The Best of the Rest

The rest of the top eight were:

5th – Christian Valle – World Eaters (Berzerker Warband): A fairly elite World Eaters build with double Winged Daemon Prince and a Terminator brick.
6th – Matthew Root – Orks (More Dakka): Max Lootas, max Tankbustas, some Flash Gitz MSUs, Zodgrod’s super Grots, things of this nature.
7th – Logan Schmidt – Chaos Daemons (Daemonic Incursion): Be’lakor and four Bloodthirsters (one obviously being Skarbrand), which sure, yeah that’s definitely one way to make your point.
8th – Nick Keever – Chaos Daemons (Shadow Legion): A teleporting nightmare build combining the resetting Bloodthirster with lots of Accursed and regular Cultists to warp around the table.

Fantasia Fanatic XLVII

82-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Västerbottens län, SE on March 29 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

For this event, all top four players finished on 4.5-0.5.

The Showdown

Linchpin – Stalwarts – Crucible of Battle

Sami Sjolander – T’au Empire (Mont’ka)
Army List - Click to Expand

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ Theme song – Path of victory – Bob dylan
+ FACTION KEYWORD: Xenos – T’au Empire
+ DETACHMENT: Mont’ka
+ TOTAL ARMY POINTS: 2000pts
+
+ WARLORD: Char1: Commander Shadowsun
+ ENHANCEMENT:
+ NUMBER OF UNITS: 18
+ SECONDARY: – Bring It Down: (11×2) – Assassination: 2 Characters
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

CHARACTER

Char1: 1x Commander Shadowsun (100 pts)
1 with Battlesuit fists, Flechette launcher, 2x High-energy fusion blaster, Light missile pod, Pulse pistol
• Warlord

Char2: 1x Darkstrider (60 pts)
1 with Close combat weapon, Shade

OTHER DATASHEETS

10x Pathfinder Team (90 pts)
• 1x Pathfinder Shas’ui
1 with Close combat weapon, Pulse carbine, Pulse pistol, Semi-automatic grenade launcher
• 2x Shield Drone, Grav-inhibitor drone
• 9x Pathfinders
6 with Close combat weapon, Pulse carbine, Pulse pistol
3 with Close combat weapon, Ion rifle, Pulse pistol

10x Pathfinder Team (90 pts)
• 1x Pathfinder Shas’ui
1 with Close combat weapon, Pulse carbine, Pulse pistol, Semi-automatic grenade launcher, Drone burst cannon
• 2x Shield Drone, Recon droneDrone burst cannon
• 9x Pathfinders
6 with Close combat weapon, Pulse carbine, Pulse pistol
3 with Close combat weapon, Ion rifle, Pulse pistol

3x Stealth Battlesuits (60 pts)
• 1x Stealth Shas’vre
1 with Battlesuit fists, Fusion blaster
• Battlesuit support system, Homing beacon, Marker Drone, Shield Drone
• 2x Stealth Shas’ui
2 with Battlesuit fists, Burst cannon

1x Ghostkeel Battlesuit (160 pts)
1 with Ghostkeel fists, Cyclic ion raker, Twin fusion blaster
• Battlesuit support system

1x Hammerhead Gunship (145 pts)
1 with Armoured hull, Ion cannon, 2x Seeker missile, 2x Smart missile system

1x Piranha (60 pts)
• 1x Piranhas
1 with Armoured hull, 2x Twin pulse carbine, Piranha fusion blaster, 2x Seeker missile

1x Riptide Battlesuit (190 pts)
1 with Riptide fists, Ion accelerator, 2x Missile pod, Twin smart missile system

1x Sky Ray Gunship (140 pts)
1 with Armoured hull, Seeker missile rack, 2x Smart missile system

vs.

Björn Eriksson – Orks (More Dakka)
Army List - Click to Expand

Q: Whats the answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything?
A: More Dakka!

Orks
Strike Force (2000 points)
More Dakka!

CHARACTERS

Big Mek with Shokk Attack Gun (75 points)
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Shokk attack gun

Mek (60 points)
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Kustom mega-slugga
• Enhancement: Targetin’ Squigs

Warboss (75 points)
• 1x Attack squig
1x Kombi-weapon
1x Power klaw
1x Twin sluggas

Zodgrod Wortsnagga (80 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Da Grabzappa
1x Squigstoppa

DEDICATED TRANSPORTS

Trukk (65 points)
• 1x Big shoota
1x Spiked wheels

OTHER DATASHEETS

Battlewagon (160 points)
• 4x Big shoota
1x Deff rolla
1x Zzap gun

Flash Gitz (80 points)
• 1x Kaptin
• 1x Choppa
1x Snazzgun
• 4x Flash Git
• 4x Choppa
4x Snazzgun

Gretchin (80 points)
• 20x Gretchin
• 20x Close combat weapon
20x Grot blasta
• 2x Runtherd
• 2x Runtherd tools
2x Slugga

Gretchin (40 points)
• 10x Gretchin
• 10x Close combat weapon
10x Grot blasta
• 1x Runtherd
• 1x Runtherd tools
1x Slugga

Lootas (100 points)
• 2x Spanner
• 2x Close combat weapon
2x Kustom mega-blasta
• 8x Loota
• 8x Close combat weapon
8x Deffgun

Nobz (105 points)
• 1x Boss Nob
• 1x Power klaw
1x Slugga
• 4x Nob
• 4x Power klaw
4x Slugga

Stormboyz (65 points)
• 4x Stormboy
• 4x Choppa
4x Slugga
• 1x Boss Nob
• 1x Power klaw
1x Slugga

Tankbustas (135 points)
• 1x Boss Nob
• 1x Choppa
1x Rokkit pistol
1x Smash hammer
• 5x Tankbusta
• 5x Close combat weapon
1x Pulsa Rokkit
5x Rokkit launcha

Exported with App Version: v1.29.1 (74), Data Version: v581

Thoughts

In their infinite wisdom, the patrons decided I should write about a More Dakka game. Either they think they’re being clever, or they’re part of the alarmingly effective T’au voting block we’ve accumulated. A spectre haunts our discord, the spectre of T’au’va.

Anyway if they’re in the latter category they uh, may be about to be disappointed. You would look at this T’au list and think surely, surely this is enough ranged killing power to give the Orks a run for their money? So many shooty tanks, so many Riptides, and all running as Mont’ka to give them maximum reach to go hard early on. You’ve even got Pathfinders to Infiltrate and pick off survivors. Surely that’s something?

The answer is a resounding no, with Orks taking a 20-0 victory against T’au in a gunfight. Being fair to the T’au, the accumulated tools they have available here means that with the first turn, they probably do have a shot at just reaching out and blasting the Orks into oblivion, and I think you’re fully at “deploy on the line, hope you win the roll” hours here. That does, naturally, come with a big failure case if you don’t go first, and the fact that the Orks have brought wagons does make it a little riskier to lock in a win even with the first turn. Still. I’m going to believe in my heart that the Orks went first and just blew the T’au off the table, because the thought of the T’au getting 20-0ed in this game if they went first is just too horrible to contemplate.

Result

Orks (More Dakka) Victory – 20 – 0

Björn Eriksson – Orks (More Dakka) – 1st Place