Now that we are in the Post-FAQ phase of gaming, let’s take a look at our thoughts on what the meta could turn into. It may be refreshing after all.
If you don’t live under a rock, you probably heard about the FAQ and read over it a few times. There are some changes that trigger everyone. Especially the whole FLY mechanic. But we can’t do anything about it, so we have to adapt.
Warhammer 40k is Better Game To Play Now
So now that FLY units have to basically land and run through screens of units, there’s going to be somewhat of a meta shift. Slam Captains are still great choices and if your opponent catches you slipping, he will pulverize you. But assuming that everyone will start to screen up even more heavily, where will the meta go?
Guard has never been more enabled to take cheap battalions and mass infantry. The same goes for Chaos Cultists and GSC Neophytes. It’ll be screen galore. The weakness of screens is USUALLY horrible armor saves/low toughness mixed with bad leadership. Certain factions can get around the leadership with things like Abaddon and BL Cultists or having a Commissar close to some Guard. But that’s beside the point.
Bottom line is you CAN’T throw your hammer units into screens. They’ll lose all of their momentum and the scary thing you were trying to get into contact with will wipe you off the board the next turn.
Clearing away the Chaff
We think we will start to see a comeback of assault cannon, mortar, and Wyvern spam. Let’s look at an example army that can have some decent firepower and glass cannon melee units…I’m talking about Genestealer Cult.
As a personal belief of mine, I think GSC are in a FANTASTIC position to be the next competitive list. Even though they got hit with the “No turn one deepstrike” rule, they really don’t care.
The Cult’s breadwinning unit is a mass blob of Genestealers literally springing up into your face like a horrible pop-up ad that you can’t close out of.
Just for starters, your opponent will be forced to make guesses on where your Genestealers will be popping up in the turns following the first, so they’ll more than likely be making wonky plays and movements. Meanwhile, you use the BROOD BROTHERS rule to your full advantage by bringing a detachment of Guard Wyverns or Mortar teams to completely wipe their screens away from scary units. (You’ll probably need a turn to do this anyway which is why the no first turn deepstrike rule literally doesn’t affect you).
Once the second turn starts, your enemy will hopefully have just a sprinkling of screening units left that won’t withstand the weight of Twenty+ Genestealers bum rushing the heavy-hitting units that need to go.
The same exact strategy could be played with Space Marines. A Space Marine player could bring three Razorbacks with twin assault cannons or even a Guard detachment with Wyverns themselves. Turn one, shell the living #&@$ out of screens or chew them up with Assback firepower. Charge with Slam Captains, rinse and repeat.
Making a Case for Grey Knights
Just when we thought Grey Knights couldn’t get any worse, we can actually see them becoming viable again if you want to go that route. Let’s take a look at what they can bring to the table.
With Deepstriking turn one not being a thing (as we’ve said a bunch now), you can still get units up the board immediately with the psychic power, Gate of Infinity. Try bringing a ten-man Strike Squad, Gate of Infinity them up close to something, spend some CP for Psybolt ammunition(+1S and -1AP to bolter weapons) and unload twenty (basically heavy bolter shots) into the low-toughness screen.
If you put your guys down at the dividing line between two different units, you can actually shoot one into oblivion and charge the other.
Sure, there are more competitive ways of dealing with screens. But this is an idea that could at least make Grey Knights usable again.
How do you think the meta will shift in weeks to come? What does your personal list look like now? Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group.
About the Author: Wesley Floyd
