Don’t miss the top Warhammer 40k army lists featuring Space Wolves, Black Templars, and Chaos Space Marines from the California Cup ’25.
The California Cup ’25 brought the heat, and we’re not talking about plasma guns.
So, if you want to see which lists ruled the tables and what tricks they used to crush their foes, you’re in the right place.
Let’s break down the top 40k army lists from the California Cup ’25, shaking up the meta right now.
Top 40k Tournament Army Lists: California Cup ’25
Studying these winning army lists for their tactical synergies can provide great insights for playing your army since the latest balance dataslate rules changes and points updates. If you want to elevate your game even further, consider applying to Team USA to compete at the World Team Championships each year!
Thanks to Best Coast Pairings, we can look back at the event as if we were all there ourselves. Click this special promo link to save $20 on a year’s subscription to BCP.
1st Place: Michael Mann, Space Wolves Army Lists
Michael Mann’s Space Wolves army list hits the table looking to punch straight through the midboard and never let go.
How This Space Wolves Army List Actually Works
Arjac Rockfist jumps into the biggest melee block he can find and cranks the damage to rude levels. Bjorn lumbers up behind him with a mix of chip fire and claw work that reminds enemies why old Dreadnoughts are terrifying.
The Lieutenant pinballs between units, dropping rerolls where they matter, and Logan supercharges whatever squad he rides with. The Wolf Priest keeps the whole pack steady with Portents of Wisdom, so even the wild swings land clean.
Intercessors hold the backfield, screen trouble spots, and stop deep strikers from sneaking in. They stay home, the real monsters go forward. Scouts do the same job for fewer points, spreading out early so the melee units have room to line up charges.
Thunderwolf Cavalry give the army its speed. They peel wide, threaten flanks, and force opponents to split their attention. Wolf Guard Headtakers add a smaller melee punch, perfect for cleaning up weakened targets or punishing anything light that strays too close.
The small Wolf Guard Terminator squad is your lane anchor, bringing steady damage and thick saves. The big Terminator brick is the anvil around which the whole list swings.
Storm shields, assault cannons, and a wall of power weapons make them almost immovable once they plant on an objective. If Logan or Arjac joins them, the whole unit turns into a blender with legs.
Then there are the Wulfen. Two full squads with hammers and storm shields give the army its nastiest punch. They rocket into elite units, trade up every time, and rip out anything hiding behind the midboard line.
Scoring is simple. Flood the middle with tough bodies, bully the edges with Thunderwolves, and let the characters sharpen every swing. The list wins by forcing ugly trades and suffocating the table until the opponent runs out of anything that can fight back.
2nd Place: Celeste Lorch, Black Templars Army Lists
3rd Place: James Thomas, Chaos Space Marines Army Lists
Final Thoughts From Us: California Cup Army Lists
This year’s California Cup turned into a full-blown brawl, with Space Wolves, tearing through the field, Black Templars, refusing to back up an inch, and Chaos Space Marines scheming their way into every brutal trade.
Each faction showed off exactly why they belong at the top tables, and now players are scrambling to tweak lists, sharpen combos, and keep up with a 40k meta that just won’t sit still.
See the Top Warhammer Army Lists & Latest 40k Tournament Schedule
What do you think of the results from the California Cup ’25 Warhammer 40k Space Wolves, Black Templars, and Chaos Space Marines army lists?
