Checkout the undefeated lists from this weekend’s ATC’s, and where 40k may be headed meta wise!
Another fantastic 40k American Team Championships event has come and gone. Grats to winners Team Happy from the Illinois area, they took down the event with an impressive team score of 716 out of a possible 990 I believe.
They averaged about 143 points per player, which at 33 points a round seems to be very close to winning all their games on average.
Let’s take a look at Team Happy’s ‘unbeatable’ lists, for a glimpse perhaps about where competitive 40k is headed.
Team Happy 2015 40k ATC Champions
Undefeated Tony Grippando scored 172 points overall. He led his team with a vicious FOUR Wraithknight list that switched out a 5th ‘Knight for more fast movers to scoop up objectives and play grab ass in general. Looks like 6th and 7th Edition metas may have combined to form a monster here folks!
Tony’s List TeamHappyTonyGrippando
Justin Curtis finished 19th over all with a very synergistic Daemon lists that looks inspired by Allan ‘PJ’ Pants’ Bay Area Open winning list. Daemon bombs, beatsticks, potential deathstars and decoy units. They are all in here and combined to form a blazing daemon sword that cut down the competition.
Justin’s List TeamHappyJustinCurtis
23rd place Aaron Towler’s list teams up what’s normally mortal enemies; Tau and Imperial Knights. Moral of the story looks to be the Knights not caring if they cant ignore cover- because the Tau got that, um ‘covered’? Bad jokes aside, these Knights can run over whatever is left from the combined shooting of these two forces. Dramatic Fall Release Meta Foreshadowing? You decide..
Aaron’s List TeamHappyAaronTowler
Aaron Aelong snagged 28th overall with a Ravenwing version of Kenny Boucher’s White Scar/ Space Wolf Super Friends list. Adding in Sammael gives you the needed Scout plus Hit an Run for getting stuck in and bouncing out FAST. Depending on how you rule it, the Iron Priests and Wolf Guard Battle Leaders smash everything else in the face with strength 9 or 10 attacks (times a lot). Key to this list may be the Chappy yelling loud to make things re-roll ‘to hit’, and of course the wolves’ natural counter attack ability.
Aaron Aelong’s list TeamHappyAaronAelong
Last but not least was Tim with a list that was probably designed to take a serious amount of abuse and still get points. Yep this is the ‘notorious’ Blue Tide Gladius Strike force, with a Librarius conclave to protect whatever needs protectin’ at the time (most likely the Centurions, I’d imagine). Note the sneaky scoring Scouts for low points here folks!
He held it down with 90 points overall, well below the middle of the pack. But again, that is most likely by design and part of Team Happy’s overall strategy. Remember average wise this team was nearly undefeated….
Tim’s List TeamHappyTimGorham
Will these lists make it to the table tops of local game stores, and 40k tournaments the world ’round? So far I’d say yes as we’ve seen a variant of the Daemon list take down BAO (and Adepticon Championships sort of), and the rest look to just be getting started in the 7th Edition of Warhammer 40k!
American Team Championships Roundup
Where is your Emperor now?
About the Author: Rob Baer
Rob Baer
Job Title: Managing Editor
Founded Spikey Bits in 2009
Socials: Rob Baer on Facebook and @catdaddymbg on X
About Rob Baer: Founder, Publisher, & Managing Editor of Spikey Bits, the leading tabletop gaming news website focused on the hobby side of wargaming and miniatures.
Rob also co-founded and currently hosts the Long War Podcast, which has over 350 episodes and focuses on tabletop miniatures gaming, specializing in Warhammer 40k. and spent six years writing for Bell of Lost Souls.
Every year, along with his co-hosts, he helps host the Long War 40k Doubles Tournament at Adepticon and the Long War 40k Doubles at Las Vegas Open, which attracts over 350 players from around the world.
Rob has won many Warhammer 40k Tournaments over the years, including multiple first-place finishes in Warhammer 40k Grand Tournaments over the years and even winning 1st place at the Adepticon 40k Team Tournament.
With over 30 years of experience in retail and distribution, Rob knows all the products and exactly which ones are the best. As a member of GAMA (Game Manufacturers Association), he advocates for gaming stores and manufacturers in these difficult times, always looking for the next big thing to feature for the miniatures hobby, helping everyone to provide the value consumers want.
While he’s played every edition of Warhammer 40k and Warhammer Fantasy (since 5th Edition) and has been hobbying on miniatures since the 1980s, Titans of all sizes will always be his favorite! It’s even rumored that his hobby vault rivals the Solemnance Galleries, containing rulebooks filled with lore from editions long past, ancient packs of black-bordered Magic Cards, and models made of both pewter and resin.
