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.

Today it’s Lowest of Men in charge, but with a bit of bonus content from Wings. Today we’re covering:

Clutch City GT 2025
Leoben 40K Spring Sprint Singles – Alpine Cup
*Added*: The Carnival GT
East Anglian Grand Tournament 2025 March
CAGBASH XVIII 40k Event

On Wednesday we looked at:

The Manchester UKTC 40k Super-Major
Games of Westeros XIX – 40k
Triple Cities GT
Warhammer 40K Midtcon Spring 2025

Wings: About that bonus content – the stars have aligned such that we have not one but three Showdowns today. Lowest of Men is covering the final game of the winner of the Clutch City GT, but there was also an undefeated game featuring our boy Erik Nelson, which he’s sent us his writeup from. Finally, the community down in Buenos Aires got together for a GT-sized event over Sunday and Monday, which missed my normal sweep on Monday evening UK time. I’ve added that in here, with a Showdown to boot – big props to the players down in Argentina (and other parts of South America who travelled to the event), I love to see a new scene flourishing!

Lowest of Men: Hell yeah! Buenos Aires is an incredible city with a highly underrated underground rap scene… very exciting to see they’re getting in on the Warhammer hype as well!!

Clutch City GT 2025

144-player, 6-round Grand Tournament in Houston, TX, US on March 01 2025. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

The First Showdown

Take and Hold – Raise Banners – Search and Destroy

Alberto Nicolas “The Carthaginian” – Orks (War Horde)
Army List - Click to Expand

Orks 15 – Horde tankb (1990 points)

Read this list at your own risk, high risk of being waaaghed.

No one expected the Spanish Inquisition: Country Flags and other symbols can, and will be used during this match. You better enjoy it.

If you find a mistake, it is not a mistake but some Orks using his imagination. We don’t use a codex, as there are no rules.

You better yell with me the Waaagh!!! (Or there is no waaagh battle cry).

Try-hard and cry-hard not allowed. The orkish way is the only way.

Thanks, Miwel!

Orks
Strike Force (2000 points)
War Horde

CHARACTERS

Mek (45 points)
• 1x Killsaw
1x Kustom mega-slugga

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

Warboss in Mega Armour (115 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Big shoota
1x ‘Uge choppa
• Enhancement: Follow Me Ladz

DEDICATED TRANSPORTS

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

OTHER DATASHEETS

Battlewagon (160 points)
• 4x Big shoota
1x Deff rolla
1x Grabbin’ klaw
1x Kannon
1x Lobba
1x Wreckin’ ball
1x ‘Ard Case

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

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

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

Meganobz (175 points)
• 5x Meganob
• 5x Killsaw
5x Power klaw

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

Tankbustas (120 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: v1.26.0 (67), Data Version: v541

vs.

Dominic Gierber – Genestealer Cult (Final Day)
Army List - Click to Expand

GSC Masterclass (1995 Points)

Genestealer Cults
Final Day
Strike Force (2000 Points)

CHARACTERS

Abominant (95 Points)
• 1x Power sledgehammer

Biophagus (60 Points)
• 1x Alchemicus Familiar
• 1x Autopistol
• 1x Chemical vials
• 1x Injector goad
• Enhancements: Enraptured Damnation

Patriarch (75 Points)
• Warlord
• 1x Patriarch’s claws

Primus (100 Points)
• 1x Cult bonesword
• 1x Scoped needle pistol
• 1x Toxin injector claw
• Enhancements: Inhuman Integration

BATTLELINE

Acolyte Hybrids with Autopistols (65 Points)
• 1x Acolyte Leader
◦ 1x Autopistol
◦ 1x Leader’s bio-weapons
• 4x Acolyte Hybrid
◦ 1x Cult Icon
◦ 1x Cult claws and knife
◦ 3x Heavy mining tool

Acolyte Hybrids with Hand Flamers (70 Points)
• 1x Acolyte Leader
◦ 1x Hand flamer
◦ 1x Leader’s bio-weapons
• 4x Acolyte Hybrid
◦ 4x Cult claws and knife
◦ 4x Hand flamer

Neophyte Hybrids (130 Points)
• 1x Neophyte Leader
◦ 1x Autopistol
◦ 1x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Hybrid firearm
• 19x Neophyte Hybrid
◦ 19x Autopistol
◦ 19x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Cult Icon
◦ 2x Grenade launcher
◦ 11x Hybrid firearm
◦ 2x Mining laser
◦ 2x Seismic cannon
◦ 2x Webber

DEDICATED TRANSPORTS

Goliath Truck (85 Points)
• 1x Armoured hull
• 1x Demolition charge cache
• 1x Heavy stubber
• 1x Twin autocannon

OTHER DATASHEETS

Aberrants (300 Points)
• 1x Aberrant Hypermorph
◦ 1x Aberrant weapons
• 9x Aberrant
◦ 9x Aberrant weapons

Achilles Ridgerunners (85 Points)
• 1x Armoured hull
• 1x Heavy mortar
• 1x Survey Augur
• 1x Twin heavy stubber

Hybrid Metamorphs (160 Points)
• 1x Metamorph Leader
◦ 1x Hand flamer
◦ 1x Leader’s cult weapons
• 9x Hybrid Metamorph
◦ 1x Cult Icon
◦ 8x Hand flamer
◦ 9x Metamorph mutations

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

ALLIED UNITS

Deathleaper (80 Points)
• 1x Lictor claws and talons

Gargoyles (85 Points)
• 10x Gargoyle
◦ 10x Blinding venom
◦ 10x Fleshborer

Lictor (60 Points)
• 1x Lictor claws and talons

Parasite of Mortrex (80 Points)
• 1x Barbed ovipositor
• 1x Clawed limbs

Exported with App Version: v1.28.0 (1), Data Version: v574

Thoughts

This is another showdown I’m going to write before peeking at the final score, because I have a reasonable inkling how this should go in theory. Whenever my teammates pair into GSC or we need to take them on at a teams event, my advice is to apply maximum disrespect. Aim for every corner of the board and don’t stop til you get there, and try and root out the returnees from being anywhere significant! Final Day is a new and exciting take on GSC – you get some really good cheap lone ops in the Lictors, You get fast, obnoxious OC and blocking in the Gargoyles, and you get some good output synergies to help units like Aberrants punch up more than previously. It is, however, still fragile and prone to excessive pressure.

Which is a little unfortunate, as over in the GREEN corner we have War Horde! Taktikal has taken the crown as most popular Ork detachment but War Horde remains unmatched for pure, unbridled pressure and disrespect. Orks have often been an issue for the Cult, and the high tempo agro versions especially. This list is deceptively mixed arms, packing in a bunch of Tankbustas and Flash Gitz alongside the melee units, with a big brick of Meganobz as a central pivot. There is also a Battlewagon for style points. Screen clearing shooting, punchy combat pieces, massed MSU and transports? I’d say that’s all the right ingredients for playing the disrespect game and running the Cult out of town…

Result

Orks (War Horde) Victory – 100 – 59

The Second Showdown

Take and Hold – Raise Banners – Search and Destroy

Erik Nelson – Aeldari (Devoted of Ynnead)

Army List - Click to Expand

ynarri (2000 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

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 (115 points)
• 1x Shuriken cannon
1x Twin bright lance
1x Wraithbone hull

OTHER DATASHEETS

Dark Reapers (90 points)
• 1x Dark Reaper Exarch
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Tempest launcher
• 4x Dark Reaper
• 4x Close combat weapon
4x Reaper launcher

Fire Dragons (100 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

Striking Scorpions (75 points)
• 1x Striking Scorpion Exarch
• 1x Biting blade
1x Shuriken pistol
• 4x Striking Scorpion
• 4x Scorpion chainsword
4x Shuriken pistol

Warlock Skyrunners (45 points)
• 1x Destructor
1x Shuriken pistol
1x Singing Spear
1x Twin shuriken catapult

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

Windriders (160 points)
• 6x Windrider
• 6x Close combat weapon
6x Scatter laser

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

Exported with App Version: v1.28.0 (72), Data Version: v574

vs.

Jason Weeks – Imperial Knights (Noble Lance)

Army List - Click to Expand

The only thing standing between you and seeing God is the physical distance between our deployment zones (2000 points)

Imperial Knights
Strike Force (2000 points)
Noble Lance

CHARACTERS

Canis Rex (450 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Chainbreaker las-impulsor
1x Chainbreaker multi-laser
1x Freedom’s Hand

BATTLELINE

Armiger Helverin (130 points)
• 2x Armiger autocannon
1x Armoured feet
1x Questoris heavy stubber

Armiger Warglaive (140 points)
• 1x Meltagun
1x Reaper chain-cleaver
1x Thermal spear

ALLIED UNITS

Callidus Assassin (100 points)
• 1x Neural shredder
1x Phase sword and poison blades

Sisters of Battle Immolator (115 points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
1x Heavy bolter
1x Hunter-killer missile
1x Twin multi-melta

Sisters of Battle Squad (115 points)
• 1x Sister Superior
• 1x Bolt pistol
1x Close combat weapon
1x Plasma pistol
1x Power weapon
• 9x Battle Sister
• 9x Bolt pistol
7x Boltgun
9x Close combat weapon
1x Meltagun
1x Multi-melta
1x Simulacrum Imperialis

Exported with App Version: v1.28.0 (72), Data Version: v574

Thoughts

Erik: Thanks to The Lowest of Men for inviting me to write about my finals game at the Clutch City GT. First let me say that Jason was a pleasure to play against and his sunny disposition as our round started really gave me a burst of positivity to help overcome the 6th round fatigue

I had already played Chaos Knights and Imperial Knights this weekend, so I knew this would be a challenging matchup. His list, especially, was heavy on little knights, which are great against elves, their damage output is enough to kill a squad from my army, just like a big knight, so having more of them is better against elves. My army was also pretty heavy on ways to handle infantry threats that were not great in this matchup, so my scorpions, banshees, and spiders ended up mainly being move blocker and action monkeys.

My plan generally was to use my chaff to slow his movement by bottlenecking the little knights, and my movement abilities and death sticky to keep more primary than expected and outscore him on secondaries with elf movement. It still seems like an OK plan to me, and it had some successes. For example, I used Lethal Intent to stop his area denial on turn two and get 15 primary. However, 10 little knights are a lot to deal with, especially when the agents help him hold the back field and my opponent plays wisely. Jason was too good a player to just throw knights forward and hope I wouldn’t kill them, which meant I was in for a primary struggle. My secondary draws were less than optimal and on my go turn my damage fell flat while his damage was consistently getting him what he needed. In the end, it was extremely close. Jason played well, and I had to salvage a draw with some failed battle shocks by him and a charge to get baby area denial barely.

The list, shamelessly stolen from Matthieu Joncour, played really well all weekend. I think three dragons is the minimum you can get away with as the rest of the faction really struggles into massed armor. The bridgehead matchup is not quite as bad as I thought since you have so many ways to move after they drop or interfere with their drops but it’s still tough sledding.

Jason, was a pleasure to play from start to finish and I had a fun weekend of hams and friends.

Result

Draw! 70-70

Alberto Nicolas “The Carthaginian” – Orks (War Horde) – 1st Place

Wrecka Krew Kill Team by Craig “MasterSlowPoke” Sniffen

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Orks 15 – Horde tankb (1990 points)

Read this list at your own risk, high risk of being waaaghed.

No one expected the Spanish Inquisition: Country Flags and other symbols can, and will be used during this match. You better enjoy it.

If you find a mistake, it is not a mistake but some Orks using his imagination. We don’t use a codex, as there are no rules.

You better yell with me the Waaagh!!! (Or there is no waaagh battle cry).

Try-hard and cry-hard not allowed. The orkish way is the only way.

Thanks, Miwel!

Orks
Strike Force (2000 points)
War Horde

CHARACTERS

Mek (45 points)
• 1x Killsaw
1x Kustom mega-slugga

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

Warboss in Mega Armour (115 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Big shoota
1x ‘Uge choppa
• Enhancement: Follow Me Ladz

DEDICATED TRANSPORTS

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

OTHER DATASHEETS

Battlewagon (160 points)
• 4x Big shoota
1x Deff rolla
1x Grabbin’ klaw
1x Kannon
1x Lobba
1x Wreckin’ ball
1x ‘Ard Case

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

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

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

Meganobz (175 points)
• 5x Meganob
• 5x Killsaw
5x Power klaw

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

Tankbustas (120 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: v1.26.0 (67), Data Version: v541

Archetype

War Horde Mixed Arms

Thoughts

The glorious, rooting tooting Ork list from the Showdown. All the new ladz, plenty of guns for hard-target removal, and a powerful go-turn with the Meganobz. Sensational work on the first place finish!

Erik Nelson – Aeldari (Devoted of Ynnead) – 2nd Place (5.5-0.5)

Yvraine & The Visarch. Credit: James “Boon” Kelling