See which Warhammer 40k factions are crushing the meta and which ones are flopping hard in a full ranking of the best and worst 40k armies right now.
Games Workshop has been keeping a close eye on the competitive meta lately, trying to keep every Warhammer 40k army at that sweet 50% win rate with their Balance Dataslates, Points updates, Rules Commentary, and FAQs.
We’ll look at 40k win rates, event wins, and the occasional crisis of faith as we break down the best and worst Warhammer 40k factions, reshaping the landscape.
So, whether you’re gearing up for a tournament or just trying to figure out what to paint next, this is the scoop you don’t want to miss!
- Meta check (Jan 29, 2026): GW is still chasing that magic 50% win rate with dataslates, points, commentary, and FAQs, and the tier picture is pretty clear right now.
- S Tier bullies: Deathwatch, Drukhari, Necrons, and Chaos Daemons are the matchups you plan for, or you learn the hard way.
- A Tier bracket-ruiners: Genestealer Cults, Adeptus Mechanicus, Thousand Sons, Astra Militarum, and Leagues of Votann are one hot weekend away from the top, and they punish mistakes fast.
- B Tier “earn it” zone: a big pile of solid armies can still make a run with reps and a tuned list, but they are not printing trophies by default.
- C to D Tier grind: wins are possible, but you are working for them, with Imperial Knights, Orks, and Imperial Agents living in the real “hard mode” corner until the next balance pass throws a rope.
Warhammer 40k Factions: Win Rates (January 22nd, 2026)
Updated on January 29th, 2026, by Rob Baer, with the latest best and worst Warhammer 40k factions that are currently overpowered in the meta, by army.
Thanks to Stat Check for the latest data on the Warhammer 40k meta.
Most Popular Warhammer 40k Factions to Play: Tier List
Image Source: Auspex Tactics
If you’ve been wondering what the most popular factions are to play in 40k, or which Warhammer armies are currently overpowered? Well, that’s pretty easy: Drukhari, Death Watch, and Necrons!
These have worked their way from the mid pack to be at the top of the best Warhammer 40k tier list now!
The latest Warhammer 40k tier shake-up is already painting a pretty clear picture of who is running the table and who is scrambling for answers.
S Tier is where the bullies live right now: Drukhari, Necrons, and Chaos Daemons. Drukhari feel like the most consistently real deal at events, Necrons are the classic meta pillar with enough players to prove it is not a fluke, and Daemons keep quietly cashing checks when they show up.
Then you have the factions slightly below the top, Thousand Sons and Adeptus Mechanicus, which look downright nasty if you actually know what you are doing. Deathwatch is the weird caveat pick: the numbers can look cracked, but the population is tiny, so treat it like “danger in the right hands,” not “easy mode for everyone.”
If you are walking into a tournament without a plan for these matchups, you are basically volunteering to learn a lesson the hard way.
Warhammer 40k Factions A & B Tiers
A Tier
A Tier is stacked with factions that feel like they are one clean weekend away from kicking the door into S Tier: Genestealer Cults, Adeptus Mechanicus, Thousand Sons, Astra Militarum, and Leagues of Votann. Some of these are straight-up “high ceiling, rewards reps” armies, and some are just quietly efficient and punishing when you make a mistake.
This is the tier that ruins brackets because it is full of lists that do not look terrifying until you are halfway through turn two and wondering where your board went.
B Tier
The Warhammer 40k B Tier is the big, healthy middle where a ton of factions are hanging out and playing real 40k: Death Guard, Emperor’s Children, T’au Empire, Adepta Sororitas, Dark Angels, Space Marines, Blood Angels, Adeptus Custodes, Space Wolves, and Chaos Knights.
None of these feel like automatic trophies every weekend, but they are absolutely capable of making a run with a tuned list and a player who knows their lanes. It is fewer “free wins” and more “earn it,” which honestly is where the game should live.
Warhammer Meta C & D Tiers
C Tier
Once you drop into C Tier, things start to feel a lot more uphill: Aeldari, Chaos Space Marines, World Eaters, Tyranids, Black Templars, and Grey Knights are all in that zone where wins are possible, but you are usually doing extra work for them. Some of these factions can still spike if they dodge the wrong matchups, but the overall results say you are not getting much margin for error.
D Tier
And then there is D Tier, where life is just rude right now: Imperial Knights, Orks, and Imperial Agents. Knights are catching too many clean answers, Orks have that streaky “start strong then hit the shark tank” vibe, and Agents are basically a personal challenge mode.
They still have fans, and they still have moments, but competitively, you’re asking to fight uphill all day.
Overall, the meta looks pretty healthy in the middle, with a big cluster living comfortably in A and B. That said, the top is clearly defined right now: Deathwatch, Drukhari, Necrons, and Daemons are calling the shots, and the bottom end is quietly hoping the next balance pass throws them a rope.
Final Thoughts on The Best & Worst Warhammer 40k Factions List
At the end of the day, the Warhammer 40k tier list feels like a buffet where most armies get a decent plate, but a few are piling theirs sky-high. Necrons, Drukhari, and Deathwatch are clearly running the show, with Thousand Sons and Cults making sure nobody forgets their tricks.
The middle is stacked with capable armies that can swing high with the right pilot, while the bottom still needs a rescue mission from GW’s balance team. If you’re chasing trophies, lean into the top tables’ favorites. If you’re just rolling dice for fun, plenty of factions still have the tools to surprise.
Either way, the Warhammer 40k meta is alive and well now!
đź”— Related Reads:
- Find 40k Army Lists To Play
- Top 40k Meta Advice
- Update Your 40k Rules
- Upcoming Warhammer Events
- Warhammer 40k’s Next New Releases
- What 40k Codex Books Are Next
What do you think about the best and worst lists in the metawatch right now, the current Warhammer 40k meta tier lists, and which Warhammer 40k factions are currently overpowered?
Not sure why high player base is considered more impressive. Death Guard have the most wins and the highest playrate, which is statistically expected, and is less impressive than having most wins and a low playrate. Someone needs a stats lesson
Simply put, one is indicative of skill, and the other indicates a faction may be a little overpowered if “anyone” can do it, lol. Hope that clears it up for you.
High player count can be detrimental to the overall performance of a faction for example marines are the starter army for most players however new players aren’t as skilled as most players and can drag the statistics down however a complicated faction like admech with its low representation statistically bumps its numbers up as the more skilled players take to the stage also admechs price tag is just stupid in comparison but the point stands that skill will always beat over-representation