Here are all the top Warhammer 40k armies dominating the meta and placing at the latest big 10th Edition tournaments.
Thanks to Mr. Taste at Blood of Kittens, here’s a look at the latest placings and meta from the larger 10th Edition 40k tournaments last weekend!
The Best & Worst 40k Armies in the Meta: August 18th
With this, we can see some super exciting news! Eldar is finally falling off their throne (sort of), as most podium grabs by other factions belong to Daemons!
Competitive players rejoice!
But how about the larger meta picture overall? Well, Eldar are still good, as they have four top-place finishes.
Chaos Space Marines were also a surprise being neck and neck with GSC. Knights dropped to one second-place finish as events tend to home-rule the terrain regarding towering and such.
Overall, Chaos factions are slowly creeping up the charts with Imperial factions, as Necrons dropped off for this week at least.
Warhammer 40k Meta Overview
Statcheck.com has us covered on the overall Warhammer 40k Meta, too, compiling the data up to August 16th, 2023!
Comparing the newly updated rankings to the previous ones below, Eldar has slipped down to 67% win rate, Deathwatch has jumped Imperial Knights, and Necons have assimilated the spot Deathwatch left behind.
This all seems to line up with the results of last week, and the resurgence of Deathwatch perhaps due to their plethora of tactical options and re-rolls.
Warhammer 40k Meta Overview from August 8th 2023:
How to Read This Warhammer 40k Meta Overview Chart:
The Warhammer 40k Meta Overview Chart is color coded for the most part. Grey is the sweet spot; ideally, every faction would be light grey, or between a 45% and 55% win rate. Blues are overpowered, meaning Eldar, GSC, and Imperial Knights all need to be taken down a peg.
In contrast, Oranges are underpowered, with Votann and Death Guard needing some very serious help. Essentially the darker shades are too far gone and need some changes or shifts in the Meta. That’s not to say every darker blue and orange faction needs balance changes, but it DOES mean something needs to be done.
If Votann and Death Guard see buffs, maybe they’ll shift the meta and lower the blue factions down into grey, but make them too strong, and they’ll shoot up to blue themselves! Game balance and meta are super complex, with each faction (and general’s ability) being its own cogs in the bigger picture.
We know it’s extremely clear that Eldar is too good. Simply put, the most played faction in any competitive game should never be the most winning faction. As the popularity of a faction goes up, the skill, specified knowledge, and experience of the average player in that faction go down (new players moving to it).
With that in mind, you can check out six of the top army lists from events over the weekend below.
Deathwatch Steal The Golden Ticket Event: Top 40k Army Lists
We can look back at the event thanks to Best Coast Pairings as if we were all there ourselves. Save $20 by subscribing for a year of BCP by clicking this special promo link.
3rd Place: Matthew McCurdy – Space Wolves
2nd Place: Adam Shepherd-Jones – Adeptus Custodes
1st Place: Mikey Herbert – Deathwatch
Mikey’s Deathwatch won the Golden Ticket Event led by a Watch Master and Captain, while the Librarian provides psychic support.
Battleline then brings in 30 Deathwatch Veterans for the go-to troops for both melee (T Hammers) and ranged special weapons.
From there he had a Desolation squad, which has fantastic heavy-ranged weapons to target down armored threats.
A single Hellblaster Squad brings in solid plasma to take out lightly armored bodies like other space marines.
2 Inceptors bring in a hint of mobility, and an Infiltrator squad adds a few cheaper bodies with decent ranged weapons.
The list closes out on 2 Land Speeders for some solid mobility and relatively cheap too! Deathwatch overall gets tons of re-rolls coupled with all these options, and it’s no surprise they are starting to do well in the meta.
Genestealer Cults Steal The Show: Texas Open Top 3 40k Army Lists
We can look back at the event thanks to Best Coast Pairings as if we were all there ourselves. Save $20 by subscribing for a year of BCP by clicking this special promo link.
3rd Place: Jony Velazquez – Thousand Sons
2nd Place: Kit Smith Hanna – Thousand Sons
1st Place: Justin Moore – Genestealer Cult
Justin’s GSC were led by 3 Clamavus, 2 Nexos, 3 Primus, and a Saboteur, providing a mix of sources for good supportive abilities and even some decent bodies.
Battleline units keep it simple, with a total of 2 Acolyte units and 6 Neophytes, which are great troop options compared to most factions thanks to their access to heavy and Special weapons for some serious power on relatively cheap bodies.
Oh, and returning to the battlefield over and over again is nice too!
Vehicles included four Ridge Runners for solid transports and even some decent mortar shots packed in.
Click Here For More Top Warhammer Army Lists
What do you think about the top 10th Edition Warhammer 40k army lists dominating the meta now?
Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group, and make sure you enter the latest monthly giveaway for FREE today!
Get ad-free hobby videos, a monthly crate of miniatures, and support some of the best creators out there for as little as $6 a month on Patreon!
About the Author: Andrew Schrank
Andrew Schrank
Job Title: Miniatures & Warhammer Hobby Staff Writer
Socials: Facebook
About Andrew Schrank: Over the past 15 years, Andrew has played all the games, including tabletop and video games, and immersed himself in the associated lore. Andrew joined the Spikey Bits team in 2018 and covers the Warhammer hobby and tournament scene, along with the latest in tabletop miniatures, each week.
Aspiring diplomat, Lord of Fluff, and Master of Ice Hammer, He loves Star Wars, Chaos Undivided, and Gundam. During his free time, he hunts Platinum trophies on PS5 and reads international news. On weekends, Andrew plays commander and cEDH games, often with unique strategies that push the limits.
He believes each day presents a new opportunity to grow and be challenged.
