40k Meta: 10th Edition Army Lists Breakdown May 26th

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With Pariah Nexus on its way out, Ultramarines won another Major; here’s the top 10th edition 40k meta army lists for Warhammer from Monday, May 26th, 2025.

Updated on May 28th, 2025, by Rob Baer with new information and links to relevant content.

Today, we’ll take a quick peek at some of the last major events we’ll see using this mission pack from the 40k Rocky Top Rumble 2025 (110 players in Knoxville, TN), and a GW Event, The Dallas Open (279 players in Dallas, TX).

Here’s what did well, and what you should know about these army lists for your next game of Warhammer 40k.

Latest Warhammer 10th Edition Meta Lists

Oaths of Moment still hasn’t changed, just point and click reroll hits and +1 to wound (usually on TWO targets), and it’s still crushing all opposition. However, with new codex books landing, and particularly the end of Pariah Nexus, we *should* see absolutely massive shakeups coming.

Either way, if you’re playing 40k competitively, this one’s for you! With several new codexes already for 2025, the 40k Meta Mondays have been wild lately for every faction in the 10th Edition.

Dallas Open

I can unironically write the exact same list from my article in March (and also unironically against the same opponent, Folger Pyles). At the Dallas open, Conan won with the same army list from Adepticon 2025.

Much to everyone’s chagrin, Ultramarines are still insanely powerful, and Oaths still exist in the same fashion.

Conan Jennings: Space Marine Army Lists

Ultramarines:
Gladius Task Force
Strike Force (2000 Points)

CHARACTERS

Captain in Gravis Armour (90 Points)
• 1x Boltstorm gauntlet
• 1x Power fist
• 1x Relic chainsword
• Enhancements: Artificer Armour

Lieutenant with Combi-weapon (70 Points)
• 1x Combi-weapon
• 1x Paired combat blades

Marneus Calgar (210 Points)
• 1x Marneus Calgar
◦ 1x Gauntlets of Ultramar
• 2x Victrix Honour Guard
◦ 2x Victrix power sword

Roboute Guilliman (345 Points)
• Warlord
• 1x Emperor’s Sword
• 1x Hand of Dominion

OTHER DATASHEETS

Ballistus Dreadnought (140 Points)
• 1x Armoured feet
• 1x Ballistus lascannon
• 1x Ballistus missile launcher
• 1x Twin storm bolter

Second Ballistus Dreadnought (140 Points)
• 1x Armoured feet
• 1x Ballistus lascannon
• 1x Ballistus missile launcher
• 1x Twin storm bolter

Third Ballistus Dreadnought (140 Points)
• 1x Armoured feet
• 1x Ballistus lascannon
• 1x Ballistus missile launcher
• 1x Twin storm bolter

Company Heroes (105 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

Gladiator Reaper (160 Points)
• 1x Armoured hull
• 1x Icarus rocket pod
• 1x Ironhail heavy stubber
• 2x Tempest bolter
• 1x Twin heavy onslaught gatling cannon

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

Invader ATV (60 Points)
• 1x Bolt pistol
• 1x Close combat weapon
• 1x Multi-melta
• 1x Twin bolt rifle

Scout Squad (70 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 Heavy bolter
◦ 1x Scout sniper rifle

Vindicator (185 Points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
• 1x Demolisher cannon
• 1x Hunter-killer missile
• 1x Storm bolter

Vindicator (185 Points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
• 1x Demolisher cannon
• 1x Hunter-killer missile
• 1x Storm bolter

Conan Jennings’ Army List: 40k Meta Breakdown

“Stop me if you’ve heard this list before… Ultramarines are juiced. They have been ever since the changes to Oaths, and they somehow survived the balance dataslate.

Two Vindicators wound everything in the game on 2s with D6+3 [Blast] Shots and a 2+ Hull with essentially unlimited CP. It’s good stuff.

This list doesn’t even have anything exciting happening anymore, but it just proves how powerful the stat check of Vindi’s + Ballistus continues to be when fueled by Marneus and G-Man. -Me, two months ago

The 40k meta has changed a lot since then, but a list that’s wildly powerful and plays Warhammer effectively in every facet of the game doesn’t really need to innovate until something changes.

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, well, unless you’re GW, then maybe take a look at this?

Stephen Mitchell – Plague Legion

Plague Legion is probably the trickiest of the Daemons detachments now, with battleshock shenanigans to play a unique control style of Warhammer.

Stephen Mitchell was able to use Papa Nurgle’s gifts to achieve an undefeated Major win.

Chaos Daemons
Plague Legion

CHARACTERS

Epidemius (80 Points)
• Warlord
• 1x Balesword and Nurgling attendants

Great Unclean One (270 Points)
• 1x Bileblade
• 1x Bilesword
• 1x Putrid vomit
• Enhancements: Font of Spores (Aura)

Great Unclean One (285 Points)
• 1x Bileblade
• 1x Bilesword
• 1x Putrid vomit
• Enhancements: Droning Shroud (Aura)

Poxbringer (55 Points)
• 1x Foul balesword

Rotigus (250 Points)
• 1x Gnarlrod
• 1x Streams of brackish filth

Sloppity Bilepiper (70 Points)
• 1x Marotter
• Enhancements: Cankerblight (Aura)

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

BATTLELINE

Blue Horrors (125 Points)
• 10x Blue Horror
◦ 10x Blue claws
◦ 10x Coruscating Blue Flames

Plaguebearers (110 Points)
• 1x Plagueridden
◦ 1x Plaguesword
• 9x Plaguebearer
◦ 9x Plaguesword

Second Plaguebearers (110 Points)
• 1x Plagueridden
◦ 1x Plaguesword
• 9x Plaguebearer
◦ 9x Plaguesword

Third Plaguebearers (110 Points)
• 1x Plagueridden
◦ 1x Plaguesword
• 9x Plaguebearer
◦ 9x Plaguesword

OTHER DATASHEETS

Beasts of Nurgle (65 Points)
• 1x Putrid appendages

Soul Grinder (180 Points)
• Daemonic Allegiance: Nurgle
• 1x Harvester cannon
• 1x Iron claw
• 1x Phlegm bombardment
• 1x Warpsword

Soul Grinder (180 Points)
• Daemonic Allegiance: Nurgle
• 1x Harvester cannon
• 1x Iron claw
• 1x Phlegm bombardment
• 1x Warpsword

Stephen Mitchell’s Army List: 40k Meta Breakdown

Let’s start with Sloppity carrying Cankerblight, this enhancement allows him to basically one-shot any solo infantry model on a failed battleshock, or kill one out of a unit; your Deathwing knight failed one of the many battleshock tests? Dead!

Two soul grinders rocking up with indirect to force enemies out really allows for this list of beef to pile into you, and that’s where it wants to be.

The inclusion of Blue Horrors for a lot of objective control and durability, plus The Changeling being a complete nuisance, makes this list effective at scoring and a pain to deal with at the same time.

Oh, and Rotigus with a pair of Great Unclean Ones. The GUO’s buff Nurgle Toughness while reducing yours, much like Deathguard, then Rotigus adds +1 Damage to Nurgle attacks, making usually pillow-fisted Nurgle units hit well above their weight class.

Stacks of stats, plus buffing them while reducing yours, make for some surprising gameplay interactions that helped Stephen take down the entire event!

Final Thoughts on These 40k Meta Army Lists

And there you have it—Ultramarines still refusing to quit, and Nurgle proving that slow and gross can absolutely win the race. Whether it’s the stat-check brick of Ballistus + Vindi spam or a pile of rotting daemons bullying your leadership, the meta’s still got some tricks up its armored sleeve.

With Pariah Nexus heading for the bin and new codexes popping off, the real shake-up is just around the corner. So keep your tape measures ready, your dice warmed up, and maybe—just maybe—GW will do something about Oaths before Conan wins another major with the same list.

As players continue to innovate and adapt, these latest army lists from the 10th Edition Warhammer 40k meta are serving up a feast of tactical mayhem that’s sure to keep us on our toes. 

Innovation is alive and well, and there’s no better time to test out new ideas than right now, especially with all the new codexes being introduced alongside a whole new Mission Pack!

Click Here For More Top Warhammer Army Lists

What do you think of the top Warhammer 10th edition 40k Meta Lists for Monday, May 26th, 2025?

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