Don’t miss this week’s unbeatable Warhammer 40k army lists for the competitive meta from the absolutely massive LGT, to the Flying Monkey Con 40k Championships
Unbeatable Warhammer 40k Army Lists From The Competitive Meta: Sept 30th, 2024
With the World Championships of Warhammer on the horizon, the tournament scene is really revving up. We’ll look at the massive 832-player London GT (London) and the smaller but notable 125-player Flying Monkey Con 40k Championships (Wichita, KS).
Emperor’s Children Storm London:
Liam VSL takes down LGT again.
Liam VSL’s Chaos Space Marines
Emperor’s Children
Strike Force (2000 points)
Veterans of the Long War
CHARACTERS
Chaos Lord (105 points)
• 1x Daemon hammer
1x Plasma pistol
• Enhancement: Warmaster’s Gift
Cypher (90 points)
• 1x Cypher’s bolt pistol
1x Cypher’s plasma pistol
Fabius Bile (85 points)
• 1x Fabius Bile
• 1x Chirurgeon
1x Rod of Torment
1x Xyclos Needler
• 1x Surgeon Acolyte
• 1x Surgeon Acolyte’s tools
Huron Blackheart (80 points)
• 1x Exalted weapon
1x Tyrant’s Claw
Lucius the Eternal (95 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Doom siren
1x Duellist’s sword and Lash of Torment
BATTLELINE
Cultist Mob (50 points)
• 1x Cultist Champion
• 1x Bolt pistol
1x Brutal assault weapon
• 9x Chaos Cultist
• 9x Autopistol
9x Brutal assault weapon
Legionaries (90 points)
• 1x Aspiring Champion
• 1x Chaos Icon
1x Close combat weapon
1x Heavy melee weapon
1x Plasma pistol
• 4x Legionary
• 2x Astartes chainsword
4x Bolt pistol
4x Close combat weapon
1x Heavy melee weapon
1x Lascannon
Legionaries (90 points)
• 1x Aspiring Champion
• 1x Chaos Icon
1x Close combat weapon
1x Heavy melee weapon
1x Plasma pistol
• 4x Legionary
• 2x Astartes chainsword
4x Bolt pistol
4x Close combat weapon
1x Heavy melee weapon
1x Lascannon
Noise Marines (85 points)
• 1x Noise Champion
• 1x Chaos Icon
1x Close combat weapon
1x Doom siren
1x Power fist
1x Sonic blaster
• 4x Noise Marine
• 1x Blastmaster
4x Bolt pistol
4x Close combat weapon
3x Sonic blaster
Noise Marines (85 points)
• 1x Noise Champion
• 1x Chaos Icon
1x Close combat weapon
1x Doom siren
1x Power fist
1x Sonic blaster
• 4x Noise Marine
• 1x Blastmaster
4x Bolt pistol
4x Close combat weapon
3x Sonic blaster
DEDICATED TRANSPORTS
Chaos Rhino (75 points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
1x Combi-bolter
1x Combi-weapon
1x Havoc launcher
Chaos Rhino (75 points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
1x Combi-bolter
1x Combi-weapon
1x Havoc launcher
OTHER DATASHEETS
Chaos Predator Destructor (140 points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
1x Combi-weapon
1x Havoc launcher
2x Lascannon
1x Predator autocannon
Chaos Predator Destructor (140 points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
1x Combi-weapon
1x Havoc launcher
2x Lascannon
1x Predator autocannon
Chosen (125 points)
• 1x Chosen Champion
• 1x Boltgun
1x Chaos Icon
1x Plasma pistol
1x Power fist
• 4x Chosen
• 3x Accursed weapon
3x Bolt pistol
1x Boltgun
2x Combi-weapon
1x Paired accursed weapons
1x Plasma pistol
Chosen (250 points)
• 1x Chosen Champion
• 1x Boltgun
1x Chaos Icon
1x Plasma pistol
1x Power fist
• 9x Chosen
• 6x Accursed weapon
6x Bolt pistol
3x Boltgun
4x Combi-weapon
2x Paired accursed weapons
3x Plasma pistol
1x Power fist
Obliterators (170 points)
• 2x Obliterator
• 2x Crushing fists
2x Fleshmetal guns
Obliterators (170 points)
• 2x Obliterator
• 2x Crushing fists
This list says more about the pilot than it does about the faction. The Emperor’s Children Detachment is what would be considered “fluffy,” by competitive standards, but Liam proves skill outweighs rules even at the highest level of play.
The Veteran’s detachment gets “Oath of the Moment” as its detachment rule, making a datasheet that’s been sleeping since earlier in the edition a sneaky include: Obliterators. These guys can now use Oath to really obliterate some opponents from out of line of sight with the full rerolls to hit. Liam often used this to keep his army safe and deal with enemy chaff units without sacrificing anything in return.
A well-positioned Lord of Deceit (+1 CP Cost to all opponent strategies within 12″) can take over games, making it difficult for opponents to juggle multiple stratagems per turn or outright deny crucial 2CP stratagems like Interrupt or Fight On Death.
Predators, Noise Marines, Legionaries, and Chosen, are all just outright powerful datasheets that do their job. These are the bread and butter of the list. If you want to handle this list, you had better be able to kill power armor and a lot of it.
BAdmech out ADmech In!
Peyton Preece puts it politely, labeling his list, “Weaponized Wallet,” while taking his army to an undefeated placement at Flying Monkey Con.
Peyton Preece’s Adeptus Mechanicus
Skitarii Hunter Cohort
Strike Force (2000 Points)
CHARACTERS
Skitarii Marshal (65 Points)
• Warlord
• 1x Control stave
• 1x Mechanicus pistol
• Enhancements: Battle-sphere Uplink
Skitarii Marshal (60 Points)
• 1x Control stave
• 1x Mechanicus pistol
• Enhancements: Cantic Thrallnet
BATTLELINE
Skitarii Rangers (85 Points)
• 1x Skitarii Ranger Alpha
◦ 1x Alpha combat weapon
◦ 1x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Galvanic rifle
• 9x Skitarii Ranger
◦ 1x Arc rifle
◦ 9x Close combat weapon
◦ 6x Galvanic rifle
◦ 1x Omnispex
◦ 1x Plasma caliver
◦ 1x Transuranic arquebus
Skitarii Vanguard (90 Points)
• 1x Skitarii Vanguard Alpha
◦ 1x Alpha combat weapon
◦ 1x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Radium carbine
• 9x Skitarii Vanguard
◦ 1x Arc rifle
◦ 9x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Omnispex
◦ 1x Plasma caliver
◦ 6x Radium carbine
◦ 1x Transuranic arquebus
Skitarii Vanguard (90 Points)
• 1x Skitarii Vanguard Alpha
◦ 1x Alpha combat weapon
◦ 1x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Radium carbine
• 9x Skitarii Vanguard
◦ 1x Arc rifle
◦ 9x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Omnispex
◦ 1x Plasma caliver
◦ 6x Radium carbine
◦ 1x Transuranic arquebus
Skitarii Vanguard (90 Points)
• 1x Skitarii Vanguard Alpha
◦ 1x Alpha combat weapon
◦ 1x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Radium carbine
• 9x Skitarii Vanguard
◦ 1x Arc rifle
◦ 9x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Omnispex
◦ 1x Plasma caliver
◦ 6x Radium carbine
◦ 1x Transuranic arquebus
DEDICATED TRANSPORTS
Skorpius Dunerider (85 Points)
• 1x Armoured hull
• 1x Cognis heavy stubber array
Skorpius Dunerider (85 Points)
• 1x Armoured hull
• 1x Cognis heavy stubber array
OTHER DATASHEETS
Pteraxii Sterylizors (150 Points)
• 1x Pteraxii Sterylizor Alpha
◦ 1x Flechette blaster
◦ 1x Pteraxii talons
◦ 1x Taser goad
• 9x Pteraxii Sterylizor
◦ 9x Phosphor torch
◦ 9x Pteraxii talons
Pteraxii Sterylizors (75 Points)
• 1x Pteraxii Sterylizor Alpha
◦ 1x Flechette blaster
◦ 1x Pteraxii talons
◦ 1x Taser goad
• 4x Pteraxii Sterylizor
◦ 4x Phosphor torch
◦ 4x Pteraxii talons
Pteraxii Sterylizors (75 Points)
• 1x Pteraxii Sterylizor Alpha
◦ 1x Flechette blaster
◦ 1x Pteraxii talons
◦ 1x Taser goad
• 4x Pteraxii Sterylizor
◦ 4x Phosphor torch
◦ 4x Pteraxii talons
Serberys Raiders (60 Points)
• 1x Serberys Raider Alpha
◦ 1x Cavalry sabre and clawed limbs
◦ 1x Galvanic carbine
◦ 1x Mechanicus pistol
• 2x Serberys Raider
◦ 2x Cavalry sabre and clawed limbs
◦ 1x Enhanced data-tether
◦ 2x Galvanic carbine
Serberys Raiders (60 Points)
• 1x Serberys Raider Alpha
◦ 1x Cavalry sabre and clawed limbs
◦ 1x Galvanic carbine
◦ 1x Mechanicus pistol
• 2x Serberys Raider
◦ 2x Cavalry sabre and clawed limbs
◦ 1x Enhanced data-tether
◦ 2x Galvanic carbine
Serberys Raiders (60 Points)
• 1x Serberys Raider Alpha
◦ 1x Cavalry sabre and clawed limbs
◦ 1x Galvanic carbine
◦ 1x Mechanicus pistol
• 2x Serberys Raider
◦ 2x Cavalry sabre and clawed limbs
◦ 1x Enhanced data-tether
◦ 2x Galvanic carbine
Sicarian Infiltrators (70 Points)
• 1x Sicarian Infiltrator Princeps
◦ 1x Flechette blaster
◦ 1x Taser goad
• 4x Sicarian Infiltrator
◦ 4x Flechette blaster
◦ 4x Taser goad
Sicarian Ruststalkers (150 Points)
• 1x Sicarian Ruststalker Princeps
◦ 1x Transonic blades and chordclaw
• 9x Sicarian Ruststalker
◦ 9x Transonic blades
Sicarian Ruststalkers (150 Points)
• 1x Sicarian Ruststalker Princeps
◦ 1x Transonic blades and chordclaw
• 9x Sicarian Ruststalker
◦ 9x Transonic blades
Sicarian Ruststalkers (150 Points)
• 1x Sicarian Ruststalker Princeps
◦ 1x Transonic blades and chordclaw
• 9x Sicarian Ruststalker
◦ 9x Transonic blades
Skorpius Disintegrator (175 Points)
• 1x Armoured hull
• 3x Cognis heavy stubber
• 1x Disruptor missile launcher
• 1x Ferrumite cannon
Skorpius Disintegrator (175 Points)
• 1x Armoured hull
• 3x Cognis heavy stubber
• 1x Disruptor missile launcher
• 1x Ferrumite cannon
If you’re like me, you’re immediately loading up your Warhammer 40k app to figure out what these datasheets do. They are unimpressive for the most part, but once you slap [Stealth] and [Cover] on every unit, they become a real nuisance.
This list is a somewhat classic stat check with a surprising bit of punch. Ad Mech has always been able to layer up multiple buffs to really punch up into things while being cost-efficient to throw away.
The rust stalkers are going to come flying at opponents with an expected +2 to both advance and charge rolls, as well as the ability to advance and charge. This unit has Anti-Infantry 3+ with Devastating Wounds, and is swinging a whopping 5 S5 AP-2 1D attacks per model. They will quickly mince any infantry unit regardless of toughness or save profiles.
The list also relies heavily on a datasheet you probably haven’t seen before, the Skorpius Disintegrator. These guys will dish out the anti-tank for the army with D6 and D6+1 damage shots from the Disruptor Missile Launcher and Ferrumite Cannon.
The list also utilizes Pteraxii to jump around the board and score points efficiently. They can also be “uppy-downy” with a stratagem to continue scoring throughout the game.
The stratagems really make this list sing, giving the Rust Stalkers Advance and Charge, +1 AP in either shooting or fighting, +1 To Wound, and a 5+ Feel No Pain for most of the army. If those weren’t enough, they could be 18″ lone op to stay alive as well. CP Management is critical in this army, maybe consider a Lord of Deceit or packs of flamers to counter it!
In conclusion, it seems like Warhammer 40k players are bringing their A-game to the competitive scene, with Liam VSL’s “fluffy” yet effective Emperor’s Children army and Peyton Preece’s “Weaponized Wallet” proving that skill and strategy can triumph over brute force.
It’s always exciting to see how players innovate and adapt in the ever-changing meta. Innovation is clearly not dead, and the best time to try that new idea is right now. Especially with the new Warhammer rules changes from the latest Balance Dataslate and points updates.
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What do you think of the top unbeatable army lists for the competitive Warhammer 40k meta this week?
About the Author: Steven Ross
Steven Ross
Job Title: Competitive 40k Writer
Socials: Steven on Facebook
About Steven Ross: Steven plays more Warhammer 40k in a week than most people do in a quarter, maybe even a calendar year. He studies every Warhammer tournament army list each week, watches all the live streams, and interacts everywhere he can online.
After only being in the hobby for a few years, Steven placed 8th overall out of several hundred at the Warhammer 40k Adepticon Championships in 2024, and was selected to play in the Warhammer World Championships as well.
Basically, he knows 10th Edition Warhammer 40k like few others, so watch this space for some great advice from tactics to army list building.
