The twists and turns of the metagame continue unabated this week, as Necrons get marginally barged back into their tombs by a triumvirate of snappily-dressed factions. Whether it’s glorious golden armour, a Nemesis Dreadknight or just a straight-up Gundam, going hard on heavy pressure pieces can be enough to overwhelm the damage output of some Necron builds, continuing to create a pretty rapidly shifting top metagame. That’s not to say Necrons haven’t had their successes as well — as we’ll see starting in the very first event, Canoptek Court and Hypercrypt Legion still mean serious business. Marines are also seeing some pretty good placings thanks to Stormravens, Thunderwolf Cavalry and more, and the Astra Militarum continue to show the haters that they really do have the chops to take big trophies.

All in all the tournament scene is thriving and we’ve got another pretty huge week for you, albeit just about small enough to squeeze into two parts.

Today I’ll be looking at:

The Goonhammer Open UK March 2024
Clutch City GT
Toronto Winter Open 2024
Ogr Cubb Singles 2024
CAGBASH XVII Charity 40k Tournament
Big Beef Beat down
Gallicus Great Golden Gauntlet

On Friday Lowest of Men will be covering:

The South-Coast UKTC Supermajor
MidtconGT Warhammer 40.000 Spring tournament
Wheat City Open 2024
Melee At Shiloh
Warzone: Wellington GT
Rumble in the Rockies – Warhammer 40k GT

Our Showdowns will be (two voted for by the Patrons, one automatic for a Goonhammer event):

Canoptek Court vs Adepta Sororitas at the Goonhammer Open UK
Dark Angels vs Adeptus Custodes at the Clutch City GT
T’au vs Tyranids at the Wheat City Open

Goonhammer Open UK March 2024

49-player, 6-round Grand Tournament in England, GB on March 02 2024. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

The Showdown

Vital Ground – Chilling Rain – Sweeping Engagement

Jack Tite – Adepta Sororitas (Hallowed Martyrs)
Army List - Click to Expand

Nuns n Guns (1990 points)

Adepta Sororitas
Strike Force (2000 points)
Hallowed Martyrs

CHARACTERS

Imagifier (35 points)
• 1x Bolt pistol
1x Boltgun
1x Close combat weapon

Morvenn Vahl (145 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Fidelis
1x Lance of Illumination
1x Paragon missile launcher

Palatine (60 points)
• 1x Palatine blade
1x Plasma pistol
• Enhancement: Saintly Example

Palatine (65 points)
• 1x Palatine blade
1x Plasma pistol
• Enhancement: Blade of Saint Ellynor

BATTLELINE

Battle Sisters Squad (100 points)
• 1x Sister Superior
• 1x Bolt pistol
1x Close combat weapon
1x Condemnor boltgun
1x Power weapon
• 9x Battle Sister
• 9x Bolt pistol
7x Boltgun
9x Close combat weapon
1x Meltagun
1x Multi-melta
1x Simulacrum Imperialis

DEDICATED TRANSPORTS

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

Immolator (115 points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
1x Heavy bolter
1x Hunter-killer missile
1x Immolation flamers

Sororitas Rhino (75 points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
1x Hunter-killer missile
1x Storm bolter

OTHER DATASHEETS

Arco-flagellants (150 points)
• 10x Arco-flagellant
• 10x Arco-flails

Castigator (140 points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
1x Castigator battle cannon
3x Heavy bolter
1x Hunter-killer missile
1x Storm bolter

Crusaders (25 points)
• 2x Crusader
• 2x Power weapon

Paragon Warsuits (170 points)
• 1x Paragon Superior
• 1x Bolt pistol
1x Multi-melta
1x Paragon grenade launchers
1x Paragon war mace
• 2x Paragon
• 2x Bolt pistol
2x Multi-melta
2x Paragon grenade launchers
2x Paragon war blade

Repentia Squad (110 points)
• 1x Repentia Superior
• 1x Bolt pistol
1x Neural whips
• 9x Sister Repentia
• 9x Penitent eviscerator

Seraphim Squad (70 points)
• 1x Seraphim Superior
• 2x Bolt pistol
1x Close combat weapon
• 4x Seraphim
• 4x Bolt pistol
4x Close combat weapon
4x Ministorum hand flamer

Sisters Novitiate Squad (85 points)
• 1x Novitiate Superior
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Plasma pistol
1x Power weapon
• 9x Sister Novitiate
• 5x Autogun
9x Autopistol
9x Close combat weapon
2x Ministorum flamer
1x Sacred Banner
1x Simulacrum Imperialis

Exported with App Version: v1.10.1 (38), Data Version: v336

vs.

Josh Roberts – Necrons (Canoptek Court)
Army List - Click to Expand

Goonhammer GT List (2000 points)

Necrons
Strike Force (2000 points)
Canoptek Court

CHARACTERS

Illuminor Szeras (160 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Eldritch Lance
1x Impaling legs

Plasmancer (55 points)
• 1x Plasmic lance

Technomancer (75 points)
• 1x Staff of light
• Enhancement: Hyperphasic Fulcrum

Technomancer (80 points)
• 1x Staff of light
• Enhancement: Dimensional Sanctum

Technomancer (60 points)
• 1x Staff of light

BATTLELINE

Immortals (140 points)
• 10x Immortal
• 10x Close combat weapon
10x Tesla carbine

Immortals (70 points)
• 5x Immortal
• 5x Close combat weapon
5x Tesla carbine

OTHER DATASHEETS

Canoptek Acanthrites (85 points)
• 3x Canoptek Acanthrites
• 3x Cutting beam
3x Voidblade

Canoptek Doomstalker (135 points)
• 1x Doomsday blaster
1x Doomstalker limbs
1x Twin gauss flayer

Canoptek Scarab Swarms (40 points)
• 3x Canoptek Scarab Swarm
• 3x Feeder mandibles

Canoptek Wraiths (220 points)
• 6x Canoptek Wraith
• 6x Particle caster
6x Vicious claws

Thoughts

Can anyone stop Josh’s Canoptek Court-powered rampage? His list continues to eschew C’tan, focusing on loads of Wraiths and (in emergency) Szeras as speed bumps, with a couple of Doomstalkers and some Immortals to gradually chip away at the foe’s forces while they’re handling the Wraiths and the accumulated tricks of the Court often thwart counter strategies. I definitely like the inclusion of Doomstalkers here, as I mentioned last week I think they’re one of the big “gets” of playing Court in the first place, so leaving them out feels like a waste, especially with Custodes everywhere. I also think taking 2×5 Immortals with Plasmancers instead of a second big block is a good call; with Court re-rolls they’re still a real damage threat, and point-and-click mortals like those from the Plasmancer are a rare and precious resource in 10th.

Against them we’ve got a very potent all-rounder Sisters build, dipping into a bit of everything and using concentrated firepower from triple Castigators to blast through the foe; definitely a welcome tool against all those Wraiths here. Arco-flagellants provide speed bumps for this build, and there’s also some staging/utility placement from the transports. I like the choice to take the Flamers on one of the two Immolators, as it can force a helpful level of caution from some tools (it makes it much riskier for the smaller Immortal units to emerge here, for example).

Can they deal with the Wraiths though? On Vital Ground the answer is probably not. The Castigators can certainly take a big chunk out of a unit of Wraiths if they all get to fire on them, but setting up so that all of them are within range to not get no-sold by Countertemporal Shift is incredibly tricky, and will likely represent an overcommit that will get punished. There’s not really any other answer here though – Vahl’s squad will do nasty things if they hit melee, perhaps, but the Arcos are kind of dead weight here, as the Wraiths will take them to pieces in melee. On something like Priority Targets the Sisters might manage to free up one mid-board objective and then grind the robots down, as they definitely out-damage them over time, but on Vital I think it’s a bit too easy for the Necrons to dominate the mid-board for long enough that victory will escape the Sororitas’ grasp – which did happen.

Result

Necrons (Canoptek Court) Victory – 100 – 30

Josh Roberts – Necrons (Canoptek Court) – 1st Place

Immortals With Tesla Carbines. Credit: Rockfish

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Goonhammer GT List (2000 points)

Necrons
Strike Force (2000 points)
Canoptek Court

CHARACTERS

Illuminor Szeras (160 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Eldritch Lance
1x Impaling legs

Plasmancer (55 points)
• 1x Plasmic lance

Technomancer (75 points)
• 1x Staff of light
• Enhancement: Hyperphasic Fulcrum

Technomancer (80 points)
• 1x Staff of light
• Enhancement: Dimensional Sanctum

Technomancer (60 points)
• 1x Staff of light

BATTLELINE

Immortals (140 points)
• 10x Immortal
• 10x Close combat weapon
10x Tesla carbine

Immortals (70 points)
• 5x Immortal
• 5x Close combat weapon
5x Tesla carbine

OTHER DATASHEETS

Canoptek Acanthrites (85 points)
• 3x Canoptek Acanthrites
• 3x Cutting beam
3x Voidblade

Canoptek Doomstalker (135 points)
• 1x Doomsday blaster
1x Doomstalker limbs
1x Twin gauss flayer

Canoptek Scarab Swarms (40 points)
• 3x Canoptek Scarab Swarm
• 3x Feeder mandibles

Canoptek Wraiths (220 points)
• 6x Canoptek Wraith
• 6x Particle caster
6x Vicious claws

Archetype

Canoptek Court

Thoughts

No C’tan, no problem. As covered in the Showdown, this has the horrendous durability of three Wraith blocks in tandem with some actual damage output, with the clip from the Doomstalkers and Plasmancers adding up. Still very much a list to beat, as Josh showcases here by becoming our first double Goonhammer belt holder.

The Best of the Rest

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

2nd – Kyle Grundy – T’au Empire (Kauyon): Ultra-mechanised Tau, with triple Breacherfish and triple Riptide, plus Hammerheads to fill, saturating the board with threats and targets.
3rd – Matthew McCurdy – Space Wolves (Stormlance Task Force): Double-stacked ThunderCav, 3×5 Wulfen and lots of support.
4th – Jack Tite – Adepta Sororitas (Hallowed Martyrs): Tank-heavy Sisters with some Immolators and triple Castigator on top of the usual hits.
5th – Greg Chamberlain – Aeldari: Shooty Aeldari with triple Prism and triple D-cannon.

Clutch City GT 2024

154-player, 6-round Grand Tournament in Houston, TX, US on March 02 2024. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

The Showdown

Take and Hold – Chilling Rain – Search and Destroy

Kit Smith Hanna – Dark Angels (Ironstorm Spearhead):
Army List - Click to Expand

The Unkindness of Ravens (1990 points)

Space Marines
Dark Angels
Strike Force (2000 points)
Ironstorm Spearhead

CHARACTERS

Azrael (105 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Lion’s Wrath
1x The Lion Helm
1x The Sword of Secrets

Ravenwing Talonmaster (125 points)
• 1x Power weapon
1x Twin assault cannon
1x Twin heavy bolter
• Enhancement: Master of Machine War (Aura)

Techmarine (95 points)
• 1x Forge bolter
1x Grav-pistol
1x Omnissian power axe
1x Servo-arm
• Enhancement: Target Augury Web (Aura)

Techmarine (80 points)
• 1x Forge bolter
1x Grav-pistol
1x Omnissian power axe
1x Servo-arm
• Enhancement: Adept of the Omnissiah

OTHER DATASHEETS

Company Heroes (95 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

Ravenwing Darkshroud (115 points)
• 1x Assault cannon
1x Close combat weapon

Redemptor Dreadnought (210 points)
• 1x Icarus rocket pod
1x Macro plasma incinerator
1x Onslaught gatling cannon
1x Redemptor fist
1x Twin fragstorm grenade launcher

Scout Squad (65 points)
• 1x Scout Sergeant
• 1x Bolt pistol
1x Boltgun
1x Close combat weapon
• 4x Scout
• 2x Astartes shotgun
4x Bolt pistol
4x Close combat weapon
1x Combat knife
1x Heavy bolter

Storm Speeder Thunderstrike (160 points)
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Stormfury missiles
1x Thunderstrike las-talon
1x Twin Icarus rocket pod

Stormraven Gunship (240 points)
• 1x Armoured hull
2x Hurricane bolter
2x Stormstrike missile launcher
1x Twin heavy plasma cannon
1x Twin multi-melta

ALLIED UNITS

Inquisitorial Henchmen (40 points)
• 4x Inquisitorial Acolyte
• 4x Acolyte firearm
4x Acolyte melee weapon

Exported with App Version: v1.10.1 (38), Data Version: v336

vs.

Steven Salazar – Adeptus Custodes (Shield Host)
Army List - Click to Expand

Custodes (2000 points)

Adeptus Custodes
Strike Force (2000 points)
Shield Host

CHARACTERS

Blade Champion (150 points)
• 1x Vaultswords
• Enhancement: Ceaseless Hunter

Blade Champion (145 points)
• 1x Vaultswords
• Enhancement: Veiled Blade

Blade Champion (130 points)
• 1x Vaultswords
• Enhancement: Inspirational Exemplar

Trajann Valoris (160 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Watcher’s Axe

BATTLELINE

Custodian Guard (225 points)
• 5x Custodian Guard
• 3x Guardian spear
1x Misericordia
1x Praesidium Shield
1x Praesidium Shield
1x Sentinel blade
1x Vexilla

OTHER DATASHEETS

Custodian Wardens (250 points)
• 5x Custodian Warden
• 5x Guardian spear
1x Vexilla

Witchseekers (50 points)
• 1x Witchseeker Sister Superior
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Witchseeker flamer
• 3x Witchseeker
• 3x Close combat weapon
3x Witchseeker flamer

ALLIED UNITS

Callidus Assassin (90 points)
• 1x Neural shredder
1x Phase sword and poison blades

Lord Inquisitor Kyria Draxus (75 points)
• 1x Dirgesinger
1x Power fist
1x Psychic Tempest

Exported with App Version: v1.10.1 (38), Data Version: v336

Thoughts

Okay, so the one asterisk attached to me thinking the metagame looks great right now is that it does slightly feel like we’re back in an arms race towards just throwing down the most nightmarish possible shooting setup and gunning the foe off the table, as this Dark Angels build showcases. Two Stormravens, loads of Redemptors, and extra durability in a gunfight for the lot with Darkshrouds, and extra CP from Azrael. It’s legitimately horrifying how lethal this army is, and it’s certainly well adapted to blast a lot of popular stuff off the table.

That feels like it includes the Custodes army here, because I’m genuinely not sure what they can particularly do about it. The terrain maps for this event look pretty favourable for Custodes into a lot of games, but on this one I don’t think it will particularly matter – with a bit of planning, the Dark Angels definitely can emplace themselves on their near no-man’s land objective with great sight-lines to the mid board, after which they can just feed a Redemptor a turn onto the centre to demand the Custodes come fight it (and because of -1D it does need a unit to actually commit to killing them), then rinse and repeat, probably taking Assassination and something alongside it for fixed. With that plan, I basically think the Custodes just run out of stuff in the mid-game, and if you’re worried about them hiding there’s even the option of putting one of the Stormravens in plane mode so it can zip around with near complete impunity.

Sometimes for a game like this I think going all-out aggro on a broad front in response is the answer, but because of all the Redemptors I’m not even sure that super helps – there’s a very real prospect of missed kills on Dreads even if the angels walk right into it, which on a top table they probably won’t! A nasty mismatch, all things considered, and it looks like the Dark Angels played that to full effect – their score was only modest, but the Custodes scored super low, suggesting that a relatively cautious, methodical shooting gallery was unleashed to bring the golden host low.

Result

Dark Angels (Ironstorm Spearhead) Victory – 79 – 32

Kit Smith Hanna – Dark Angels (Ironstorm Spearhead) – 1st Place

Redemptor Dreadnought. Credit: Kevin Stillman

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

The Unkindness of Ravens (1990 points)

Space Marines
Dark Angels
Strike Force (2000 points)
Ironstorm Spearhead

CHARACTERS

Azrael (105 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Lion’s Wrath
1x The Lion Helm
1x The Sword of Secrets

Ravenwing Talonmaster (125 points)
• 1x Power weapon
1x Twin assault cannon
1x Twin heavy bolter
• Enhancement: Master of Machine War (Aura)

Techmarine (95 points)
• 1x Forge bolter
1x Grav-pistol
1x Omnissian power axe
1x Servo-arm
• Enhancement: Target Augury Web (Aura)

Techmarine (80 points)
• 1x Forge bolter
1x Grav-pistol
1x Omnissian power axe
1x Servo-arm
• Enhancement: Adept of the Omnissiah

OTHER DATASHEETS

Ravenwing Darkshroud (115 points)
• 1x Assault cannon
1x Close combat weapon

Redemptor Dreadnought (210 points)
• 1x Icarus rocket pod
1x Macro plasma incinerator
1x Onslaught gatling cannon
1x Redemptor fist
1x Twin fragstorm grenade launcher

Storm Speeder Thunderstrike (160 points)
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Stormfury missiles
1x Thunderstrike las-talon
1x Twin Icarus rocket pod

Stormraven Gunship (240 points)
• 1x Armoured hull
2x Hurricane bolter
2x Stormstrike missile launcher
1x Twin heavy plasma cannon
1x Twin multi-melta

ALLIED UNITS

Inquisitorial Henchmen (40 points)
• 4x Inquisitorial Acolyte
• 4x Acolyte firearm
4x Acolyte melee weapon

Exported with App Version: v1.10.1 (38), Data Version: v336

Archetype

Lionstorm

Thoughts

That’s so much dakka. Good grief. This list terrifies me, and I’m genuinely interested to find out if there’s anything that can actually stand up against it as the metagame continues to evolve. While Space Marines in general have had a fairly poor win rate, Dark Angels Ironstorm taken on its own has been thriving, and evidence here suggests it isn’t going anywhere. Stormraven meta is a throwback right to the start of 8th Edition, so once again everything old is new. Congratulations to Kit on the big victory.

David Hall – Chaos Daemons (Daemonic Incursion) – 2nd Place (Undefeated)

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Daemonic Thiccness (2000 Points)

Chaos Daemons
Daemonic Incursion
Strike Force (2000 Points)

CHARACTERS

Be’lakor (350 Points)
• Warlord
• 1x Betraying Shades
1x The Blade of Shadows

Great Unclean One (260 Points)
• 1x Bilesword
1x Plague flail
1x Putrid vomit
• Enhancements: The Endless Gift

Keeper of Secrets (305 Points)
• 1x Phantasmagoria
1x Shining Aegis
1x Snapping claws
1x Witstealer sword
• Enhancements: Soulstealer

Lord of Change (285 Points)
• 1x Bolt of Change
1x Rod of sorcery
1x Staff of Tzeentch
• Enhancements: The Everstave

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

BATTLELINE

Nurglings (40 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

Soul Grinder (190 Points)
• Daemonic Allegiance: Tzeentch
• 1x Harvester cannon
1x Iron claw
1x Warp gaze
1x Warpsword

Exported with App Version: v1.10.1 (30), Data Version: v336

Archetype

Monster Mash

Thoughts

…Yeah okay there’s my answer – if the shooting arms race continues, this build is ready to clean up. Be’lakor is a non-negotiable trump card if the opponent is planning to hide at a distance and blast you, while an Everstave Lord of Change with two Tzeentch Soul Grinders as backup represents some non-trivial firepower in response. That’s going to force the opponent closer, where they’re either going to get bogged down (perhaps literally) by the Great Unclean One or viciously counter-charged by the Keeper or Be’lakor himself. Horrors and the Changeling provide some nice, hard to shift objective pieces to finish up, and the overall built here looks great, and really well positioned as a smart counter-pick to where the meta is heading. Great stuff from David.

Diego Vilcahuaman – Thousand Sons (Cult of Magic) – 3rd Place

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Please don’t shoot indirect at me (2000 points)

Thousand Sons
Strike Force (2000 points)
Cult of Magic

CHARACTERS

Ahriman on Disc of Tzeentch (140 points)
• 1x Black Staff of Ahriman
1x Inferno bolt pistol
1x Psychic Stalk

Infernal Master (105 points)
• 1x Force weapon
1x Inferno bolt pistol
1x Screamer Invocation
• Enhancement: Arcane Vortex

Infernal Master (110 points)
• 1x Force weapon
1x Inferno bolt pistol
1x Screamer Invocation
• Enhancement: Umbralefic Crystal

Magnus the Red (440 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Blade of Magnus
1x Gaze of Magnus
1x Tzeentch’s Firestorm

Thousand Sons Daemon Prince (180 points)
• 1x Hellforged weapons
1x Infernal cannon

Thousand Sons Sorcerer (120 points)
• 1x Fires of the Abyss
1x Force weapon
1x Inferno bolt pistol
• Enhancement: Lord of Forbidden Lore

BATTLELINE

Rubric Marines (105 points)
• 1x Aspiring Sorcerer
• 1x Force weapon
1x Warpflame pistol
1x Warpsmite
• 4x Rubric Marine
• 4x Close combat weapon
1x Icon of Flame
1x Soulreaper cannon
3x Warpflamer

Tzaangors (65 points)
• 1x Twistbray
• 1x Tzaangor blades
• 9x Tzaangor
• 9x Tzaangor blades

OTHER DATASHEETS

Mutalith Vortex Beast (165 points)
• 1x Betentaled maw
1x Mutalith claws
1x Warp vortex

Tzaangor Enlightened (45 points)
• 1x Aviarch
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Fatecaster greatbow
• 2x Enlightened
• 2x Close combat weapon
2x Fatecaster greatbow

Exported with App Version: v1.10.1 (38), Data Version: v336

Archetype

Mutalith Mash

Thoughts

Thousand Sons get in on the arms race action, with a recent pivot back towards the ultra-durable Mutaliths continuing here. The trick with Thousand Sons (as the Best Chaos winner at this weekend’s GHO put it) is that if Magnus is alive in the late game you’re going to win, because the combination of durability, speed and damage he has going for him lets him trump most armies once they’re degraded. With lots of builds packing the kind of firepower that could kill him early on, it’s important that you have other big things that demand attention from it early on, and Mutaliths are perfect for that, while also providing a great ablative shield for all the nasty Characters to unleash vicious sorcery. This feels like a strong direction for Tsons at the moment (though the more standard lists are still good too), and well rewarded for Diego with third place here.

Steven Salazar – Adeptus Custodes (Shield Host) – 4th Place

The List

See Showdown

Archetype

Five Block

Thoughts

What if there were five big units though? All those Custodians with triple Blade Champ does maximise the build’s ability to go hyper aggro when required, which is definitely important if you’re all-in on melee, as you can’t afford to get blasted for too long. As the finals showed, I think the arms race we’re currently in could present a problem for pure Infantry builds like this, though if you’re going for it then triple Champ definitely is what you want (and Kyria letting you poke one squad out without them getting shot at ranged is also vital). Great at mowing through any flavour of tarpit, and against shooty lists that aren’t also -1D on all key pieces, the all-out rush definitely gives you a shot. Very strong stuff from Steven.

The Best of the Rest

There were 13 more players on 5-1 records. They were:

5th – Robert Moreland – Astra Militarum: Guard with extra focus on board presence and pressure instead of indirect, adding a Hellhound and some Russes to the normal setup.
6th – Carmine Battista – Blood Angels (Ironstorm Spearhead): Double Stormraven, each packed with ten foot Death Company, plus Lemartes’ jump brick. Ouch.
7th – Jared Gomez – Ultramarines (Gladius Task Force): All-rounder Ultramarines with all sorts of Infantry and Gladiators.
8th – TJ Bruce – Chaos Daemons: Triple Blood Throne memes continue unabated, here combined with Be’lakor and triple Bloodcrushers.
9th – Ryan Bridges – Drukhari (Skysplinter Assault): Venom-heavy Mechanised Drukhari, with Talos for a bit of extra crunch.
10th – Justin Moore – T’au Empire: Heavy mechanised Tau with Triptide, quad Hammerhead (one obviously being Longstrike) and quad Devilfish.
11th – Cory Russell – Leagues of Votann: Votann with a selection of the normal hits plus the big Iron-master/Thnderkyn stack.
12th – Travis Gray – Space Wolves (Gladius Task Force): 30 Wulfen say awooo.
13th – Chad Lapham – Space Marines (Ironstorm Spearhead): Hulls for days, adding some Invictors and Brutalis dreads to some of the normal toys.
14th – David Smith – Adeptus Custodes: Quad block with allied Armiger Warglaives as the flex pick.
15th – Vincent Martinez – Death Guard: Defilers? In this economy? I guess it’s a way of going even crunchier in a Mortarion/Daemon engine list.
16th – Dane Mercer – Drukhari (Skysplinter Assault): Another Venom-heavy build with Talos backing.
17th – George Pace – Black Templars (Righteous Crusaders):A hefty tag team of Helbrecht with 10 Sword Brethren (in a Redeemer) and Grimaldus with 20 Primaris Crusaders.

Toronto Winter Open 2024

87-player, 6-round Grand Tournament in Toronto, ON, Canada on March 02 2024. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

Christopher Rice – Adepta Sororitas (Hallowed Martyrs) – 1st Place

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

sisters (2000 points)

Adepta Sororitas
Strike Force (2000 points)
Hallowed Martyrs

CHARACTERS

Junith Eruita (90 points)
• 1x Mace of Castigation
1x Twin Ministorum heavy flamer

Morvenn Vahl (145 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Fidelis
1x Lance of Illumination
1x Paragon missile launcher

Palatine (65 points)
• 1x Palatine blade
1x Plasma pistol
• Enhancement: Blade of Saint Ellynor

Saint Celestine (135 points)
• 1x Celestine
• 1x The Ardent Blade
• 2x Geminae Superia
• 2x Bolt pistol
2x Power weapon

OTHER DATASHEETS

Celestian Sacresants (130 points)
• 1x Sacresant Superior
• 1x Inferno pistol
1x Spear of the faithful
• 9x Celestian Sacresant
• 9x Bolt pistol
9x Hallowed mace

Crusaders (25 points)
• 2x Crusader
• 2x Power weapon

Dominion Squad (110 points)
• 1x Dominion Superior
• 1x Bolt pistol
1x Close combat weapon
1x Inferno pistol
1x Power weapon
• 9x Dominion
• 9x Bolt pistol
5x Boltgun
9x Close combat weapon
4x Meltagun
1x Simulacrum Imperialis

Exorcist (180 points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
1x Exorcist missile launcher
1x Heavy bolter
1x Hunter-killer missile

Repentia Squad (110 points)
• 1x Repentia Superior
• 1x Bolt pistol
1x Neural whips
• 9x Sister Repentia
• 9x Penitent eviscerator

Zephyrim Squad (120 points)
• 1x Zephyrim Superior
• 1x Plasma pistol
1x Power weapon
1x Sacred Banner
• 9x Zephyrim
• 9x Bolt pistol
9x Power weapon

ALLIED UNITS

Callidus Assassin (90 points)
• 1x Neural shredder
1x Phase sword and poison blades

Exported with App Version: v1.10.1 (38), Data Version: v336

Archetype

Aggro Sisters

Thoughts

Moving on from the serious shooting from the previous events, we now get some brutal melee output. Triple Repentia is no joke on any board with reasonable staging, especially with Zephyrim/Celestine as well (bringing back the classic Miracle Charge from Deep Strike option) and triple Exorcist gives you a great clip of damage into anything that’s cowering back from them. It does also mean you don’t need the Triumph to help with your damage lift, there’s quite enough killing power without it, and the build is a lean, mean killing machine. Also a big fan of Junith/Sacresants, always faintly felt that should see more use. Great to see quite a different Sisters build, bringing back some real 9th Edition classics, getting work done here; congratulations Christopher!

Tim Deetlefs – Aeldari (Battle Host) – 2nd Place

Eldar Support Weapon - D-Cannon. Credit: Rockfish — Eldar Support Weapon – D-Cannon. Credit: Rockfish

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Skat (2000 Points)

Aeldari
Battle Host
Strike Force (2000 Points)

CHARACTERS

Autarch Wayleaper (140 Points)
• Warlord
• 1x Dragon fusion gun
1x Mandiblasters
1x Star glaive
• Enhancements: The Phoenix Gem

Avatar of Khaine (335 Points)
• 1x The Wailing Doom

Farseer Skyrunner (90 Points)
• 1x Eldritch Storm
1x Shuriken pistol
1x Singing spear
1x Twin shuriken catapult

Fuegan (115 Points)
• 1x Searsong
1x The Fire Axe

OTHER DATASHEETS

Skathach Wraithknight (490 Points)
• 1x Inferno lance
1x Inferno lance
2x Starcannon
1x Titanic feet

Support Weapons (125 Points)
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x D-cannon
1x Shuriken catapult

Swooping Hawks (75 Points)
• 1x Swooping Hawk Exarch
• 1x Aeldari power sword
1x Close combat weapon
1x Hawk’s talon
• 4x Swooping Hawk
• 4x Close combat weapon
4x Lasblaster

Warp Spiders (115 Points)
• 1x Warp Spider Exarch
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Death spinner
1x Death spinner
1x Powerblades
• 4x Warp Spider
• 4x Close combat weapon
4x Death spinner

Exported with App Version: v1.10.1 (30), Data Version: v336

Archetype

Skathach Blues

Thoughts

Ah, I see it’s once again time for me to screw my eyes shut and insist that Forge World isn’t real and can’t hurt me.

It’s still there, isn’t it?

Shit.

Okay, so this build is basically the Aeldari’s way to adapt to a rising arms race, because unlike the regular-flavour Wraithknight the Skathach can be kept safe in deep strike, and in concert with all those D-Cannons and speedy Aspects, it allows the army to set up to do trememdous damage at minimal risk. The Wraithknight can come in, punk a tank or big target (potentially including C’tan, the Inferno Lance is great into them), then Fire and Fade back behind a building to avoid reprisals. If the opponent pursues, then they get D-cannoned or Avatared, if they don’t it zaps back into the warp for another go the next turn. Undeniably very effective in concert with all those Aspects for scoring and the Avatar’s ability to roll out and hold a point at a key moment, and pretty daunting to try and tackle. Well done Tim, even if you did make me acknowledge a Forge World unit (the ultimate Competitive Innovations crime).

Quoc Lay – Chaos Daemons (Daemonic Incursion) – 3rd Place

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

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

COME ON AND SLAM, AND WELCOME TO THE JAM (2000 points)

Chaos Daemons
Strike Force (2000 points)
Daemonic Incursion

CHARACTERS

Be’lakor (350 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Betraying Shades
1x The Blade of Shadows

Great Unclean One (260 points)
• 1x Bilesword
1x Plague flail
1x Putrid vomit
• Enhancement: The Endless Gift

Lord of Change (285 points)
• 1x Bolt of Change
1x Rod of sorcery
1x Staff of Tzeentch
• Enhancement: The Everstave

Shalaxi Helbane (450 points)
• 1x Lash of Slaanesh
1x Pavane of Slaanesh
1x Snapping claws
1x Soulpiercer

BATTLELINE

Nurglings (40 points)
• 3x Nurgling Swarm
• 3x Diseased claws and teeth

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

OTHER DATASHEETS

Bloodcrushers (220 points)
• 1x Bloodhunter
• 1x Hellblade
1x Juggernaut’s bladed horn
• 5x Bloodcrusher
• 1x Daemonic Icon
5x Hellblade
1x Instrument of Chaos
5x Juggernaut’s bladed horn

Flesh Hounds (70 points)
• 1x Gore Hound
• 1x Burning roar
1x Collar of Khorne
1x Gore-drenched fangs
• 4x Flesh Hound
• 4x Collar of Khorne
4x Gore-drenched fangs

Seeker Chariot (65 points)
• 1x Lashes of torment
1x Seeker tongues
1x Slashing claws

Exported with App Version: v1.10.1 (38), Data Version: v336

Archetype

Monster Mash

Thoughts

Once again, in a world of escalating shooting, Be’lakor is king. This build doesn’t have quite as much ability to shoot back as the previous Daemons list we looked at, but makes up with it via the extra nasty Shalaxi as a counter-charge threat, and Bloodcrushers for a high-powered engagement on a second front. Otherwise the basic plan here is the same – the opponent has to close because of Be’lakor, whatever they push forward gets stuck on the GuO, and then the other big threats take them apart. Excellent work from Quoc.

Ryan Pearce – Necrons (Canoptek Court) – 4th Place

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
O Ye, Of Little Wraith
+ FACTION KEYWORD: Xenos – Necrons
+ DETACHMENT: Canoptek Court
+ TOTAL ARMY POINTS: 2000pts
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Char1: 1x Hexmark Destroyer (70 pts): Warlord, Close combat weapon, Enmitic disintegrator pistols
Char2: 1x Technomancer (80 pts): Staff of light
Enhancement: Dimensional Sanctum (20 pts)
Char3: 1x Technomancer (75 pts): Staff of light
Enhancement: Autodivinator (15 pts)
Char4: 1x Technomancer (60 pts): Staff of light
Char5: 1x Transcendant C’tan (275 pts): Crackling tendrils, Seismic assault
Char6: 1x C’tan Shard of the Nightbringer (255 pts): Gaze of death, Scythe of the Nightbringer
Char7: 1x C’tan Shard of the Void Dragon (270 pts): Canoptek tail blades, Spear of the Void Dragon, Voltaic storm

3x Canoptek Scarab Swarms (40 pts): Feeder mandibles
3x Canoptek Scarab Swarms (40 pts): Feeder mandibles
3x Canoptek Scarab Swarms (40 pts): Feeder mandibles
1x Lokhust Destroyers (30 pts): Close combat weapon, Gauss cannon
1x Lokhust Destroyers (30 pts): Close combat weapon, Gauss cannon
3x Tomb Blades (75 pts)
1 with Shadowloom, Close combat weapon, Twin tesla carbine
2 with Shadowloom, Close combat weapon, Twin gauss blaster
6x Canoptek Wraiths (220 pts): Particle caster, Vicious claws
6x Canoptek Wraiths (220 pts): Particle caster, Vicious claws
6x Canoptek Wraiths (220 pts): Particle caster, Vicious claws

Archetype

C’tan and Wraiths

Thoughts

Much though I do think you want some sort of ranged threat with Necrons right now, you very much can still just do this and thrive; many armies flat cannot handle this much durability and you can roll them over. Somewhat to my surprise, it was the Daemons list above that dealt this a loss, which I presume must be down to both Shalaxi and the GuO being able to fight a C’tan and expect to come off okay, and to largely bounce the Wraiths. Outside of that Ryan faced a brutal gauntlet of games and came out on top of them, providing more evidence that the Court has juice left in the tank. Also, glad to see the Autodivinator get use, it definitely feels like that was underrated, and squeezing Imotekh into a Court list can be hard.

The Best of the Rest

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

5th – Nicholas Redford – Chaos Space Marines: Extra cheap shooting from Predators, a cut down selection of the traditional brawler threats, and the new Raptor/Haarken hotness.
6th – François Lalonde – Dark Angels (Ironstorm Spearhead): Dreadnoughts and double Stormraven protected by a Darkshroud.
7th – Kai Niemi – Drukhari (Skysplinter Assault): Raider-heavy Skysplinter backed by a Voidraven.
8th – Dan Bruce – Space Wolves (Ironstorm Spearhead): Bjorn, a collection of Dreads, and one big ThunderCav block.

Ogr Cubb Singles 2024

53-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Hlavní město Praha, Czechia on March 02 2024. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

Vojtech Čistecký – Black Templars (Ironstorm Spearhead) – 1st Place

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

BT Repulse this Casual (2000 points)

Space Marines
Black Templars
Strike Force (2000 points)
Ironstorm Spearhead

CHARACTERS

Castellan (75 points)
• 1x Combi-weapon
1x Master-crafted power weapon
• Enhancement: The Flesh Is Weak

High Marshal Helbrecht (120 points)
• 1x Ferocity
1x Sword of the High Marshals

Techmarine (95 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Forge bolter
1x Grav-pistol
1x Omnissian power axe
1x Servo-arm
• Enhancement: Target Augury Web (Aura)

Techmarine (80 points)
• 1x Forge bolter
1x Grav-pistol
1x Omnissian power axe
1x Servo-arm
• Enhancement: Adept of the Omnissiah

OTHER DATASHEETS

Black Templars Gladiator Valiant (155 points)
• 1x Armoured hull
1x Icarus rocket pod
2x Multi-melta
1x Multi-melta
1x Twin las-talon

Gladiator Lancer (160 points)
• 1x Armoured hull
1x Icarus rocket pod
1x Ironhail heavy stubber
1x Lancer laser destroyer
2x Storm bolter

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

Land Raider Redeemer (260 points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
2x Flamestorm cannon
1x Hunter-killer missile
1x Multi-melta
1x Storm bolter
1x Twin assault cannon

Primaris Sword Brethren (280 points)
• 1x Sword Brother Castellan
• 1x Combi-weapon
1x Master-crafted power weapon
• 9x Primaris Sword Brother
• 1x Astartes chainsword
1x Heavy bolt pistol
2x Plasma pistol
4x Power weapon
4x Pyre pistol
2x Thunder hammer
2x Twin lightning claws

Repulsor Executioner (220 points)
• 1x Armoured hull
1x Heavy laser destroyer
1x Heavy onslaught gatling cannon
1x Icarus rocket pod
1x Ironhail heavy stubber
1x Repulsor Executioner defensive array
1x Twin Icarus ironhail heavy stubber
1x Twin heavy bolter

Scout Squad (65 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 Missile launcher
1x Scout sniper rifle

Vanguard Veteran Squad with Jump Packs (105 points)
• 1x Vanguard Veteran Sergeant with Jump Pack
• 1x Inferno pistol
1x Vanguard Veteran weapon
• 4x Vanguard Veteran with Jump Pack
• 4x Inferno pistol
4x Vanguard Veteran weapon

Archetype

Dakka Templars

Thoughts

Perhaps unsurprisingly Ironstorm continues to shine during the massive shooty arms race, and this build provides another variation on the theme of Sword Brethren being great support for the shootier detachments simply because they do not really need any help to be good. Ten of them with Helbrecht and a Castellan (ensuring they both hurt anything and can never be bogged down) provides a world class blending machine, happily encased within a board-dominating Redeemer till its time to strike. The rest of the list blasts opponents hard enough that they’ll have no choice but to tentatively push forward, then boom, sword time. Another scary Marine build that shows how deceptive the overall Astartes win rate can be, and congratulations to Vojtech for unleashing some serious purging.

Marek Vlnka – Tyranids (Invasion Fleet) – 2nd Place (Undefeated)

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Marek Vlnka Tyranids (1995 points)

Tyranids
Strike Force (2000 points)
Invasion Fleet

CHARACTERS

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

Hive Tyrant (260 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Heavy venom cannon
1x Monstrous bonesword and lash whip
• Enhancement: Adaptive Biology

Neurotyrant (105 points)
• 1x Neurotyrant claws and lashes
1x Psychic scream

BATTLELINE

Gargoyles (80 points)
• 10x Gargoyle
• 10x Blinding venom
10x Fleshborer

OTHER DATASHEETS

Biovores (75 points)
• 1x Chitin-barbed limbs
1x Spore Mine launcher

Exocrine (135 points)
• 1x Bio-plasmic cannon
1x Powerful limbs

Maleceptor (170 points)
• 1x Massive scything talons
1x Psychic overload

Neurolictor (80 points)
• 1x Piercing claws and talons

Pyrovores (35 points)
• 1x Chitin-barbed limbs
1x Flamespurt

Trygon (170 points)
• 1x Bio-electric pulse
1x Trygon scything talons

Archetype

Brainy Monster Mash

Thoughts

A classic Invasion Fleet setup here, six of the most efficient shooty bugs backed by loads of great objective pieces and a few flex tools like the Neurotyrant and Trygon. You’re definitely relying on the opponent having at least a somewhat tough time lifting three Maleceptors while under a bombardment of Battle-shock, but because of how reliably the army can score it doesn’t need to last forever, just long enough. That’s particularly true if the list can hold back the Shadow in the Warp for the mid-late game, as that can massively disrupt opposing scoring on the turn they try and pivot back into the game, or pick up enough key models with Exocrines early that they can just body block late. In practice it looks like Marek just absolutely romped through the opposition, taking several 100pt victories into powerful lists, so excellent stuff!

The Best of the Rest

There were 6 more players on 4-1 records. They were:

5th – Jan Jestribek – Aeldari: Avatar and go-wide shooting + D-Cannons.
6th – Jakub Jansa – Chaos Space Marines: A classic example of post-Dataslate CSM, a cut down central contingent of Chosen supported by Predators, Warp Talons and a big Raptor/Haarken block.
7th – Adam Tetour – Chaos Daemons: Monster mash with a Khorne skew, squeezing in a few squads of Bloodcrushers.
8th – To rapu – Necrons (Awakened Dynasty): Wraiths and Doomsdays with some Skorpekh and Szeras as counter-charge pieces.
9th – Ondřej Mýtina – Necrons (Hypercrypt Legion): Five C’tan, a Monolith and one Immortal block.
10th – Marek Bernard – Grey Knights: Dreadknight spam supported by two Paladin MSUs and the Purifier/Crowe unit.

CAGBASH XVII Charity 40k Tournament

46-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Hamilton, OH, US on March 02 2024. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

Folger Pyles – Aeldari (Battle Host) – 1st Place

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Eldar Test (1995 points)

Aeldari
Strike Force (2000 points)
Battle Host

CHARACTERS

Autarch Wayleaper (140 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Shuriken pistol
1x Star glaive
• Enhancement: The Phoenix Gem

Avatar of Khaine (335 points)
• 1x The Wailing Doom

Farseer (80 points)
• 1x Eldritch Storm
1x Shuriken pistol
1x Witchblade

Fuegan (115 points)
• 1x Searsong
1x The Fire Axe

OTHER DATASHEETS

Falcon (140 points)
• 1x Bright lance
1x Pulse laser
1x Shuriken cannon
1x Wraithbone hull

Fire Dragons (85 points)
• 1x Fire Dragon Exarch
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Firepike
• 4x Fire Dragon
• 4x Close combat weapon
4x Dragon fusion gun

Shadow Spectres (95 points)
• 5x Shadow Spectre
• 5x Close combat weapon
5x Prism rifle

Support Weapons (125 points)
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x D-cannon
1x Shuriken catapult

Swooping Hawks (75 points)
• 1x Swooping Hawk Exarch
• 1x Aeldari power sword
1x Close combat weapon
1x Hawk’s talon
• 4x Swooping Hawk
• 4x Close combat weapon
4x Lasblaster

War Walkers (110 points)
• 2x Bright lance
1x War Walker feet

Warp Spiders (115 points)
• 1x Warp Spider Exarch
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Death spinner
1x Death spinner
1x Powerblades
• 4x Warp Spider
• 4x Close combat weapon
4x Death spinner

Exported with App Version: v1.10.1 (38), Data Version: v336

Archetype

Avatar & Go-wide

Thoughts

More Aeldari, going a bit more on the offence than some variants with War Walkers instead of more D-cannons, ready to get early angles on enemy shooting and start tipping things towards the Aeldari. Elsewhere it’s business as usual: Lots of Hawks and Spiders for scoring, Fuegan and Dragons in a Falcon for a big power play, and the Avatar to go stand in a key position with Fortune up when needed. You know how this stuff works, it’s been going on for like eight months now, it’s just Folger’s build is particularly well tuned and able to be a bit more pro-active than some others when required.

Aaron Aleong – Orks (Waaagh! Tribe) – 2nd Place (Undefeated)

Ork Squighog Boyz. Credit: Magos Sockbert

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Eddies Waggghh (2000 Points)

Orks
Waaagh! Tribe
Strike Force (2000 Points)

CHARACTERS

Big Mek in Mega Armour (100 Points)
• 1x Grot Oiler
1x Kustom Force Field
1x Kustom mega-blasta
1x Power klaw
• Enhancements: Supa-Cybork Body

Kaptin Badrukk (80 Points)
• Warlord
• 1x Choppa
1x Da Rippa
1x Slugga

Mozrog Skragbad (195 Points)
• 1x Big Chompa’s jaws
1x Gutrippa
1x Thump gun

Nob on Smasha Squig (75 Points)
• 1x Big choppa
1x Slugga
1x Smasha squig jaws
• Enhancements: Kunnin’ but Brutal

OTHER DATASHEETS

Flash Gitz (190 Points)
• 1x Ammo Runt
• 1x Kaptin
• 1x Choppa
1x Snazzgun
• 9x Flash Git
• 9x Choppa
9x Snazzgun

Gargantuan Squiggoth (440 Points)
• 1x Huge tusks
1x Supa-kannon

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

Meganobz (150 Points)
• 5x Meganob
• 5x Kustom shoota
5x Power klaw

Squighog Boyz (250 Points)
• 2x Bomb Squig
• 6x Squighog Boy
• 6x Saddlegit weapons
6x Squighog jaws and saddlegits
6x Stikka

Exported with App Version: v1.10.1 (30), Data Version: v336

Archetype

Forge World still isn’t real, and still can’t hurt me.

Thoughts

Ugh, more resin nonsense. OK. I can face this. Gargantuan Squiggoths are in that classic Forge World bucket of being kind of broken on numbers and interaction, but so physically unwieldy that you sometimes can barely use them in a game. When you can? Super nasty, and very hard to stop (thanks to the unpleasant interaction with ‘Ard as Nails), and also extremely well-suited to attacking some current popular choices. 18 D3 melee attacks is going to give even Custodes pause, while the flat 12 damage Lance option is nifty into C’tan, and really any other heavy target you choose to throw them at. It’s not like the rest of the list is soft either; that big Squighog stack is also very scary and Mozrog is absurdly tough, meaning that this build ends up as an incredibly hard stat check for opponents, and one that dodges some of the normal shooting builds just by dint of the T13 on the big boys – the Dark Angels list from Clutch City, for example, could easily stumble trying to kill one and get brutally gored for its trouble. You just have to cross your fingers and hope you don’t hit either triple D-cannons or triple Prisms, and past that you’re golden – which seems to be what happened here for Aaron.

The Best of the Rest

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

3rd – Benson Bledsoe – Chaos Daemons (Daemonic Incursion): Nurgle’s best boys head out to play, sporting four Great Unclean Ones (incl. Rotigus) with Be’lakor.
4th – Austin Johnson – T’au Empire (Kauyon): More ultramech Tau, with loads of Breacherfish and double Riptide.
5th – Jamie Grigsby – Tyranids (Invasion Fleet): Extreme Monster Mash with OOE as a pure counter-charge piece.
6th – Conan Jennings – Black Templars (Gladius Task Force): Double Redeemer, one loaded with Helbrecht and some Brethren, the other with Apothecary Aggressors.
7th – Cory Gray – Chaos Knights: Whoops all dogs.

Big Beef Beat down

31-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Omaha, NE, United States on March 02 2024. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

Matthew Doughman – Imperial Knights (Noble Lance) – 1st Place

Loyalist Knight Atrapos. Credit: Jack Hunter

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

Knights (1995 points)

Imperial Knights
Strike Force (2000 points)
Noble Lance

CHARACTERS

Canis Rex (435 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Chainbreaker las-impulsor
1x Chainbreaker multi-laser
1x Freedom’s Hand

Cerastus Knight Atrapos (475 points)
• 1x Atrapos lascutter
1x Graviton singularity cannon
• Enhancement: Mysterious Guardian

Cerastus Knight Atrapos (440 points)
• 1x Atrapos lascutter
1x Graviton singularity cannon

BATTLELINE

Armiger Helverin (140 points)
• 2x Armiger autocannon
1x Armoured feet
1x Questoris heavy stubber

Armiger Warglaive (150 points)
• 1x Questoris heavy stubber
1x Reaper chain-cleaver
1x Thermal spear

ALLIED UNITS

Callidus Assassin (90 points)
• 1x Neural shredder
1x Phase sword and poison blades

Eversor Assassin (75 points)
• 1x Executioner pistol
1x Power sword and neuro gauntlet

Inquisitorial Henchmen (40 points)
• 4x Inquisitorial Acolyte
• 4x Acolyte firearm
4x Acolyte melee weapon

Exported with App Version: v1.10.1 (38), Data Version: v336

Archetype

Slice and Dice

Thoughts

See now I’m torn between “boo Forge World” and “yay big Knights.” This is what this column does to me. Anyway – with heavy duty builds on the rise everywhere the Atrapos sure does look attractive, and the flat four damage it’s using makes it fantastic into many Necron and Custodes toys (even into C’tan there’s just so much D4 that it’ll gradually get there). It’s a well-timed meta pick, and I ultimately come down on being keen enough to see Imperial Knights with big boys being viable that I will contain my seething hatred of all things resin, well done Matthew.

The Best of the Rest

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

2nd – Dan Sammons – Leagues of Votann (Oathband): Sagitaur spam with bonus Bikes.
3rd – Danny Gill – Drukhari (Skysplinter Assault): Extra Venom-heavy Skysplinter, going full board control with lots of Mandrakes too.
4th – Harout Baltayan – Death Guard (Plague Company): Mortarion, Plaguebursts, Brigands and 2×10 Plague Marines.
5th – Jason Jones – Necrons (Hypercrypt Legion): Triple C’tan, Szarekh and Doomsdays.
6th – Kyle McCord – Black Templars (Gladius Task Force): Lots of Sword Brethren in Impulsors.

Gallicus Great Golden Gauntlet

All the lists for this event can be found in MiniHeadQuarters.

Tomby – Black Templars (Gladius Task Force) – 1st Place

The List

Army List - Click to Expand

CHARACTERS

Apothecary Biologis (85 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Absolvor bolt pistol
1x Close combat weapon
• Enhancement: Fire Discipline

Captain (95 points)
• 1x Plasma pistol
1x Power fist
• Enhancement: The Honour Vehement

High Marshal Helbrecht (120 points)
• 1x Ferocity
1x Sword of the High Marshals

The Emperor’s Champion (75 points)
• 1x Black Sword
1x Bolt Pistol

Lieutenant with Combi-weapon (80 points)
• 1x Combi-weapon
1x Paired combat blades
• Enhancement: Artificer Armour

DEDICATED TRANSPORTS

Black Templars Impulsor (85 points)
• 1x Armoured hull
1x Multi-melta
1x Shield dome
2x Storm bolter

OTHER DATASHEETS

Eradicator Squad (190 points)
• 1x Eradicator Sergeant
• 1x Bolt pistol
1x Close combat weapon
1x Melta rifle
• 5x Eradicator
• 5x Bolt pistol
5x Close combat weapon
3x Melta rifle
2x Multi-melta

Eradicator Squad (95 points)
• 1x Eradicator Sergeant
• 1x Bolt pistol
1x Close combat weapon
1x Melta rifle
• 2x Eradicator
• 2x Bolt pistol
2x Close combat weapon
1x Melta rifle
1x Multi-melta

Inceptor Squad (130 points)
• 1x Inceptor Sergeant
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Plasma exterminators
• 2x Inceptor
• 2x Close combat weapon
2x Plasma exterminators

Land Raider Redeemer (260 points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
2x Flamestorm cannon
1x Hunter-killer missile
1x Multi-melta
1x Storm bolter
1x Twin assault cannon

Primaris Sword Brethren (140 points)
• 1x Sword Brother Castellan
• 1x Combi-weapon
1x Master-crafted power weapon
• 4x Primaris Sword Brother
• 1x Plasma pistol / Power weapon
1x Pyre pistol / Power weapon
1x Pyre pistol / Thunder hammer
1x Twin lightning claws

Scout Squad (65 points)
• 1x Scout Sergeant
• 1x Astartes shotgun
1x Bolt pistol
1x Close combat weapon
• 4x Scout
• 2x Astartes shotgun
4x Bolt pistol
4x Close combat weapon
1x Missile launcher
1x Scout sniper rifle

Archetype

Stage and Smash Templars

Thoughts

A mechanised Templar list to finish for today, leaning on a bunch of transports packed with serious nasties that can stage in the mid-board then unleash an Assault Doctrine turn that smashes the opponent to dust. Enemy hiding in tanks? Eradicators blob. Being shy behind walls? Pry them out with the Inceptors. Eventually they’ll have to face you, and when they do you can make sure it’s on your terms. Classic Templar stuff, and unconquered here.

The Best of the Rest

There was one other player on a 4.5-0.5 record. This event had spectacular numbers of draws, even by 20-0 scoring standards.

2nd – lugo – Aeldari: Avatar and speedy Aspects galore, including the full 3×5 Shadow Spectres.

Wrap Up

Part 1 down, another bumper-sized part 2 coming on Friday, make sure to come back then. And, you know, maybe play just a little bit less 40K this weekend. Some of us have Final Fantasy 7 to play.

Have any questions or feedback? Drop us a note in the comments below or email us at contact@goonhammer.com.

Competitive Innovations in 10th: Dressed for Success pt.1

Goonhammer Open UK March 2024

The Showdown

Vital Ground – Chilling Rain – Sweeping Engagement

Thoughts

Result

Josh Roberts – Necrons (Canoptek Court) – 1st Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

The Best of the Rest

Clutch City GT 2024

The Showdown

Take and Hold – Chilling Rain – Search and Destroy

Thoughts

Result

Kit Smith Hanna – Dark Angels (Ironstorm Spearhead) – 1st Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

David Hall – Chaos Daemons (Daemonic Incursion) – 2nd Place (Undefeated)

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

Diego Vilcahuaman – Thousand Sons (Cult of Magic) – 3rd Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

Steven Salazar – Adeptus Custodes (Shield Host) – 4th Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

The Best of the Rest

Toronto Winter Open 2024

Christopher Rice – Adepta Sororitas (Hallowed Martyrs) – 1st Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

Tim Deetlefs – Aeldari (Battle Host) – 2nd Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

Quoc Lay – Chaos Daemons (Daemonic Incursion) – 3rd Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

Ryan Pearce – Necrons (Canoptek Court) – 4th Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

The Best of the Rest

Ogr Cubb Singles 2024

Vojtech Čistecký – Black Templars (Ironstorm Spearhead) – 1st Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

Marek Vlnka – Tyranids (Invasion Fleet) – 2nd Place (Undefeated)

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

The Best of the Rest

CAGBASH XVII Charity 40k Tournament

Folger Pyles – Aeldari (Battle Host) – 1st Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

Aaron Aleong – Orks (Waaagh! Tribe) – 2nd Place (Undefeated)

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

The Best of the Rest

Big Beef Beat down

Matthew Doughman – Imperial Knights (Noble Lance) – 1st Place

The List

Archetype

Thoughts

The Best of the Rest

Gallicus Great Golden Gauntlet

Tomby – Black Templars (Gladius Task Force) – 1st Place

The List