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.

One more push for this week, providing some neat coverage across the Imperium, Xenos and Chaos forces. We’ve got:

Gamers Shop 40k GT 2025
The 2025 Central Arkansas Warhammer 40K Grand Tournament
São Paulo GT 2025
MNM Kevät GT 2025

If you’re looking for the week’s other events, on Wednesday I covered:

The Richmond Open 40K Event Hosted By Away Games
Turbulent Games GT @Ramkota Warhammer 40K Singles Tournament
Trono de Cráneos
Cross-Swords War At The Westward VII
The Collectors Market – Drop Bear Gaming 40k GT

While on Friday Lowest of Men looked at:

Rataclysm 2025
IOWAAAGH! KennedyCon
GITHAMMER Cinco De Cuatro GT
🔥Napalm Hobbies – SUMMER SWELTER GT – 40K – ITC

Gamers Shop 40k GT 2025

46-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Quezon City, NCR, Philippines on May 03 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

Francis Fernandez – Aeldari (Devoted of Ynnead) – 1st Place

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Devouted (1990 Points)

Aeldari
Devoted of Ynnead
Strike Force (2000 Points)

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

Ynnari Kabalite Warriors (110 Points)
• 1x Sybarite
◦ 1x Blast pistol
◦ 1x Phantasm grenade launcher
◦ 1x Sybarite weapon
• 9x Kabalite Warrior
◦ 1x Blaster
◦ 9x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Dark lance
◦ 1x Shredder
◦ 1x Splinter cannon
◦ 5x Splinter rifle

DEDICATED TRANSPORTS

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

Ynnari Venom (70 Points)
• 1x Bladevanes
• 1x Splinter cannon
• 1x Splinter cannon

OTHER DATASHEETS

Dark Reapers (90 Points)
• 1x Aspect Shrine Token
• 1x Dark Reaper Exarch
◦ 1x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Missile launcher
• 4x Dark Reaper
◦ 4x Close combat weapon
◦ 4x Reaper launcher

Fire Dragons (110 Points)
• 1x Aspect Shrine Token
• 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 Aspect Shrine Token
• 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 Scorpion chainsword
◦ 1x Scorpion’s claw
◦ 1x Shuriken pistol
• 4x Striking Scorpion
◦ 4x Scorpion chainsword
◦ 4x Shuriken pistol

Warp Spiders (95 Points)
• 1x Aspect Shrine Token
• 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: v1.32.0 (2), Data Version: v598

Archetype

Yncarne Ynnari

Thoughts

Ynnari take another trophy, here running with lots of Aspects and the Yncarne. Main standout is the rise of Dark Reaper MSUs here as well, just helping get that extra damage lift going. Otherwise, it’s business as usualy, effectively executed by Francis to take the top spot.

The Best of the Rest

There were 8 more players on 4-1 records. They were:

2nd – Dan Kawachi Higwit – Ultramarines (Stormlance Task Force): A stormlance spin on a Bobby G gun club, using a Stormraven and some Assault Centurions on top of the normal toys.
3rd – Mephant Corvus – Necrons (Starshatter Arsenal): An unusually melee-focused Starshatter build with the Nightbringer and Void Dragon supported by a big unit each of Lychguard and Skorpekh.
4th – Ahmad Sani – Leagues of Votann (Oathband): Speedy Votann with max bikes and max Sagitaurs.
5th – Han Gallegos – Drukhari (Skysplinter Assault): Go-wide Skysplinter with lots of Venoms and Scourges, plus a Voidraven as a bigger hitter. Good job on not having to eat a unit of Scourges, those things are spiky.
6th – Jiggz Abrigo – Aeldari (Aspect Host): Quad Phoenix Lord Aspect host with a big unit of Dark Reapers in a Wave Serpent for an alpha strike option.
7th – Bobby Pedeglorio – Grey Knights (Warpbane Task Force): Six Dreadknights and a big Purifier squad.
8th – Mark Yam – Chaos Space Marines (Chaos Cult): Horde cult with a couple of Brigands for shooting backup.
9th – Paolo Dela Cuesta – World Eaters (Berzerker Warband): Angron and loads of Eightbound going out from the Index era in a blaze of fury.

The 2025 Central Arkansas Warhammer 40K Grand Tournament

31-player, 6-round Grand Tournament in North Little Rock, AR, United States on May 03 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

Hunter Spakes – Orks (War Horde) – 1st Place

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Orks Hoping to Drive a Truck Across the Finish Line (2000 Points)

Orks
War Horde
Strike Force (2000 Points)

CHARACTERS

Beastboss (100 Points)
• 1x Beast Snagga klaw
• 1x Beastchoppa
• 1x Shoota
• Enhancements: Headwoppa’s Killchoppa

Beastboss (80 Points)
• 1x Beast Snagga klaw
• 1x Beastchoppa
• 1x Shoota

Boss Snikrot (95 Points)
• 1x Mork’s Teeth
• 1x Slugga

Ghazghkull Thraka (235 Points)
• 1x Ghazghkull Thraka
• Warlord
◦ 1x Gork’s Klaw
◦ 1x Mork’s Roar
• 1x Makari
◦ 1x Makari’s stabba

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

BATTLELINE

Beast Snagga Boyz (95 Points)
• 9x Beast Snagga Boy
◦ 9x Choppa
◦ 9x Slugga
• 1x Beast Snagga Nob
◦ 1x Power snappa
◦ 1x Slugga

Boyz (80 Points)
• 9x Boy
◦ 9x Choppa
◦ 9x Slugga
• 1x Boss Nob
◦ 1x Big choppa
◦ 1x Slugga

DEDICATED TRANSPORTS

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

OTHER DATASHEETS

Breaka Boyz (140 Points)
• 1x Boss Nob
◦ 1x Choppa
◦ 1x Rokkit pistol
◦ 1x Smash hammer
• 5x Breaka Boy
◦ 4x Smash hammer
◦ 1x Tankhammer

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

Kill Rig (155 Points)
• 1x Butcha boyz
• 1x Savage horns and hooves
• 1x Saw blades
• 1x Stikka kannon
• 1x Wurrtower
• 1x ’Eavy lobba

Meganobz (70 Points)
• 2x Meganob
◦ 2x Twin killsaws

Nobz (210 Points)
• 1x Boss Nob
◦ 1x Power klaw
◦ 1x Slugga
• 9x Nob
◦ 9x Power klaw
◦ 9x Slugga

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

Exported with App Version: v1.31.0 (1), Data Version: v589

Archetype

Mechanised War Horde

Thoughts

Seriously, I cannot stress this enough – just driving various buses full of War Horde Boyz and friends at the foe has been good all edition, and probably will be for the rest of the edition. Great to see Ghaz getting a runaround too. Good work from Hunter.

The Best of the Rest

There were tonnes of draws here and it was a six round event, so rather than only mentioning the sole other 5-1, I’m arbitrarily going down to 5th place, because the player in 5th paired up into the winner in the final and held them to a draw, so deserves a mention:

2nd – Stephen Henderson – Tyranids (Crusher Stampede): Large and Medium bugs galore, adding double Haruspex to max out the hefty threats.
3rd – Thomas Congdon – Aeldari (Devoted of Ynnead): Extreme go-wide Ynnari, with the unusual choice to run Yvraine/the Visarch in a Storm Guardian unit rather than Incubi.
4th – Chad Lapham – Raven Guard (Ironstorm Spearhead): A very unique build here using multiple squads of Bladeguard in RepExes (with Judiciars for anti-melee potential) plus a roving Shrike squad and some Dreadnoughts to finish.
5th – Josh Stuart – Deathwatch (Black Spear Task Force): Somehow even thiccer than the last Deathwatch build we looked at, Josh has got triple Indomitor team and a full Centurion Devastator build to teleport around the table.

São Paulo GT 2025

29-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in SP, Brazil on May 03 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

Lucas Gil – Adeptus Custodes (Lions of the Emperor) – 1st Place

Inquisitor Kyria Draxus. Credit: Rich Nutter

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

000 SÃO PAULO GT 2025 (2000 points)

Adeptus Custodes
Strike Force (2000 points)
Lions of the Emperor

CHARACTERS

Blade Champion (120 points)
• 1x Vaultswords

Shield-Captain in Allarus Terminator Armour (140 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Balistus grenade launcher
1x Castellan axe
• Enhancement: Admonimortis

BATTLELINE

Custodian Guard (170 points)
• 4x Custodian Guard
• 4x Guardian spear

OTHER DATASHEETS

Allarus Custodians (195 points)
• 3x Allarus Custodian
• 3x Balistus grenade launcher
3x Guardian spear

Allarus Custodians (130 points)
• 2x Allarus Custodian
• 2x Balistus grenade launcher
2x Guardian spear

Caladius Grav-tank (215 points)
• 1x Armoured hull
1x Twin arachnus heavy blaze cannon
1x Twin lastrum bolt cannon

Custodian Wardens (260 points)
• 5x Custodian Warden
• 5x Guardian spear
1x Vexilla

Prosecutors (40 points)
• 1x Prosecutor Sister Superior
• 1x Boltgun
1x Close combat weapon
• 3x Prosecutor
• 3x Boltgun
3x Close combat weapon

ALLIED UNITS

Inquisitor Draxus (95 points)
• 1x Dirgesinger
1x Power fist
1x Psychic Tempest

Exported with App Version: v1.31.0 (76), Data Version: v589

Archetype

No-Bike Lions

Thoughts

This week’s poster children take down another event, going for an Infantry-heavy spin on Lions with a Custodian/Draxus unit and some Allarus on top of the Wardens, and the regular two Tanks at the back. Lions good, what can I say (and yes, including the Draxus squad is correct). Good work Lucas.

The Best of the Rest

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

2nd – Matheus Damas – Dark Angels (Stormlance Task Force): Extremely scary melee aggro Dark Angels with the Lion, max Deathwing Knights and two full Inner Circle Companion squads.
3rd – Caique Mattos Castilho Bassoli – World Eaters (Berzerker Warband): Extra Berzerkers instead of a Master of Executions in what is otherwise a good example of the Index-standard WE build.
4th – Carlos Reinaldos Silva – Necrons (Starshatter Arsenal): Silent King and double Doomsday firebase with some Wraiths supporting.
5th – Silvio Fortes – Aeldari (Warhost): An ultra-rare sighting of Warhost, using Fire Prisms to support the Avatar and some Phoenix Lords.

MNM Kevät GT 2025

26-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Pirkanmaa, Suomi on May 03 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

The Showdown

Unknown Mission

Indran Yogaswaran – Adeptus Custodes (Unknown Detachment)
Army List - Click to Expand

Tuutstodes
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ FACTION KEYWORD: Imperium – Adeptus Custodes
+ DETACHMENT: Lions of the Emperor
+ TOTAL ARMY POINTS: 1990pts
+
+ WARLORD: Char2: Blade Champion
+ ENHANCEMENT: Fierce Conqueror (on Char4: Shield-Captain in Allarus Terminator Armour)
& Admonimortis (on Char5: Shield-Captain on Dawneagle Jetbike)
+ NUMBER OF UNITS: 13
+ SECONDARY: – Assassination: 5 Characters
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Char1: 1x Blade Champion (120 pts): Vaultswords
Char2: 1x Blade Champion (120 pts): Warlord, Vaultswords
Char3: 1x Blade Champion (120 pts): Vaultswords
Char4: 1x Shield-Captain in Allarus Terminator Armour (145 pts): Balistus grenade launcher, Guardian Spear
Enhancement: Fierce Conqueror (+15 pts)
Char5: 1x Shield-Captain on Dawneagle Jetbike (160 pts): Interceptor lance, Vertus hurricane bolter
Enhancement: Admonimortis (+10 pts)

2x Allarus Custodians (130 pts): 2 with Balistus grenade launcher, Guardian Spear
5x Custodian Wardens (260 pts)
• 4x Custodian Warden (Guardian Spear): 4 with Guardian Spear
• 1x Custodian Warden: Vexilla, Guardian Spear
5x Custodian Wardens (260 pts)
• 4x Custodian Warden (Guardian Spear): 4 with Guardian Spear
• 1x Custodian Warden: Vexilla, Guardian Spear
5x Custodian Wardens (260 pts)
• 4x Custodian Warden (Guardian Spear): 4 with Guardian Spear
• 1x Custodian Warden: Vexilla, Guardian Spear
5x Prosecutors (50 pts)
• 1x Prosecutor Sister Superior: Boltgun, Close combat weapon
• 4x Prosecutor: 4 with Boltgun, Close combat weapon
5x Witchseekers (65 pts)
• 1x Witchseeker Sister Superior: Close combat weapon, Witchseeker flamer
• 4x Witchseeker: 4 with Close combat weapon, Witchseeker flamer
2x Vertus Praetors (150 pts): 2 with Interceptor lance, Vertus hurricane bolter
2x Vertus Praetors (150 pts): 2 with Interceptor lance, Vertus hurricane bolter

vs.

Arto Lampila – Emperor’s Children (Coterie of the Conceited)
Army List - Click to Expand

3DP luci (1990 points)

Emperor’s Children
Strike Force (2000 points)
Coterie of the Conceited

CHARACTERS

Daemon Prince of Slaanesh with Wings (180 points)
• 1x Hellforged weapons
1x Infernal cannon

Lord Exultant (80 points)
• 1x Bolt Pistol
1x Close combat weapon
1x Phoenix power spear
1x Rapture lash

Lord Kakophonist (80 points)
• 1x Close combat weapon
2x Screamer pistol
• Enhancement: Pledge of Unholy Fortune

Lucius the Eternal (140 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Blade of the Laer
1x Lash of Torment

BATTLELINE

Infractors (85 points)
• 1x Obsessionist
• 1x Plasma pistol
1x Rapture lash
• 4x Infractor
• 4x Bolt pistol
4x Duelling sabre
1x Icon of Excess

Tormentors (85 points)
• 1x Obsessionist
• 1x Plasma pistol
1x Rapture lash
• 4x Tormentor
• 2x Boltgun
4x Close combat weapon
1x Icon of Excess
1x Meltagun
1x Plasma gun

DEDICATED TRANSPORTS

Chaos Rhino (80 points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
1x Combi-bolter
1x Combi-weapon
1x Havoc launcher

OTHER DATASHEETS

Noise Marines (135 points)
• 1x Disharmonist
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Sonic blaster
• 5x Noise Marine
• 2x Blastmaster
5x Close combat weapon
3x Sonic blaster

Exported with App Version: v1.32.1 (78), Data Version: v599

Thoughts

A lethal melee clash here, pitting what is already looking like the One True Emperor’s Children build against the Lions of the Emperor, here going for an all-pressure build without the normal Caladius Tanks.

Obviously both sides here are frighteningly lethal when they’re on the front foot in melee, but differ beyond that. The Emperor’s Children have some more balanced capabilities available to them thanks to the Noise Marines (who are pretty handy for shooting up Custodians), but their trade-off for that is that their units are far less sturdy (excepting the Daemon Princes, but even they are going to get punked out by full swings here).

It feels like this ends up favouring the Emperor’s Children if they can force it to be a more surgical game, but they’re at some risk of getting bowled over by a full send onslaught. What comes in clutch for them is that the Rhinos and the Charge Phase Mortals from the Princes really mess with the ability of the Custodes to commit to that, as it creates a fairly impossible choice as to when to trigger the Wardens once-per-game defensive buff – you could maybe just about navigate them through a mixed counterattack of blastmasters and melee, but having to factor in 15 Mortal Wounds in another phase is just too much. Without Caladius Tanks to create pressure from afar, I think that’s enough to swing this in the Emperor’s Children’s favour on most missions – the Custodes best chance is for this to be on something where they can play fairly defensively and force the EC to come to them, where they might be able to edge it. Sadly I couldn’t find the mission detail, but the Emperor’s Children took the win in the event.

Result

Emperor’s Children (Coterie of the Conceited) Victory – 82 – 68

Arto Lampila – Emperor’s Children (Coterie of the Conceited) – 1st Place

Slaves to Darkness Daemon Prince. Credit: SRM

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

3DP luci (1990 points)

Emperor’s Children
Strike Force (2000 points)
Coterie of the Conceited

CHARACTERS

Daemon Prince of Slaanesh with Wings (180 points)
• 1x Hellforged weapons
1x Infernal cannon

Lord Exultant (80 points)
• 1x Bolt Pistol
1x Close combat weapon
1x Phoenix power spear
1x Rapture lash

Lord Kakophonist (80 points)
• 1x Close combat weapon
2x Screamer pistol
• Enhancement: Pledge of Unholy Fortune

Lucius the Eternal (140 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Blade of the Laer
1x Lash of Torment

BATTLELINE

Infractors (85 points)
• 1x Obsessionist
• 1x Plasma pistol
1x Rapture lash
• 4x Infractor
• 4x Bolt pistol
4x Duelling sabre
1x Icon of Excess

Tormentors (85 points)
• 1x Obsessionist
• 1x Plasma pistol
1x Rapture lash
• 4x Tormentor
• 2x Boltgun
4x Close combat weapon
1x Icon of Excess
1x Meltagun
1x Plasma gun

DEDICATED TRANSPORTS

Chaos Rhino (80 points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
1x Combi-bolter
1x Combi-weapon
1x Havoc launcher

OTHER DATASHEETS

Noise Marines (135 points)
• 1x Disharmonist
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Sonic blaster
• 5x Noise Marine
• 2x Blastmaster
5x Close combat weapon
3x Sonic blaster

Exported with App Version: v1.32.1 (78), Data Version: v599

Archetype

The One True Coterie List

Thoughts

We’ve seen it before with World Eaters; a small unit range significantly increases the chances of an army being “solved”, and it looks like we’re there with Emperor’s Children already. This build squeezes the most value out of their best units, and it’s no surprise to see it succeeding (though does paint a target on its head, as we’re already seeing with builds adding in more Mortals to counter the Princes). Great work Arto.

The Best of the Rest

There were 5 more players on 4-1 records. They were:

2nd – Jouni Haavisto – Aeldari (Devoted of Ynnead): Lots of the standard go-wide stuff, but joins the trend of packing big Hawk units for extra Mortal output, here two of them.
3rd – Eero Saukkonen – Astra Militarum (Combined Arms): Combined Arms goodstuff.
4th – Anselmi Siltala – Adeptus Custodes (Lions of the Emperor): A heavier variant of Lions using double Bike squad (both with bolters), two Tanks and some Allarus units.
5th – Indran Yogaswaran – Adeptus Custodes (Lions of the Emperor): See Showdown.
6th – Kaarle Tukia – Leagues of Votann (Oathband): No-Hearthguard Votann with two Beserk-packed Land Fortresses as centrepieces.

Wrap Up

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[40k] Competitive Innovations in 10th: Going for Gold pt.3

Gamers Shop 40k GT 2025

Francis Fernandez – Aeldari (Devoted of Ynnead) – 1st Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

The Best of the Rest

The 2025 Central Arkansas Warhammer 40K Grand Tournament

Hunter Spakes – Orks (War Horde) – 1st Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

The Best of the Rest

São Paulo GT 2025

Lucas Gil – Adeptus Custodes (Lions of the Emperor) – 1st Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

The Best of the Rest

MNM Kevät GT 2025

The Showdown

Unknown Mission

Thoughts

Result

Arto Lampila – Emperor’s Children (Coterie of the Conceited) – 1st Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

The Best of the Rest

Wrap Up

Related

Related

[40k] Competitive Innovations in 10th: Going for Gold pt.3

Gamers Shop 40k GT 2025

Francis Fernandez – Aeldari (Devoted of Ynnead) – 1st Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

The Best of the Rest

The 2025 Central Arkansas Warhammer 40K Grand Tournament

Hunter Spakes – Orks (War Horde) – 1st Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

The Best of the Rest

São Paulo GT 2025

Lucas Gil – Adeptus Custodes (Lions of the Emperor) – 1st Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

The Best of the Rest

MNM Kevät GT 2025

The Showdown

Unknown Mission

Thoughts

Result

Arto Lampila – Emperor’s Children (Coterie of the Conceited) – 1st Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

The Best of the Rest

Wrap Up

Related

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