What version of 40k do you play 7th Edition A,B,C, or D? Grab your big boy pants and comfy chair, it’s tough talk time folks!
I want to preface this article with the statement that I am not purposely intending to offend or call out any one particular person or event, however some the examples I cite in here will point directly at certain events. Please remember that in that regard it is the job of the Tournament Organizers to put on an event that will maximize attendance, and that these TO’s are literally just doing their job.
In the past year I’ve put out quite a few editorial articles about perceived imbalances or rules conundrums with regards to new Games Workshop codex releases etc. They are usually followed closely by a tactics or satire article that cited a solution to the problem addressed in the editorial.
More recently when one event outlawed Super Heavies and Gargantuan Creatures I wrote up a “40k meta Flow Chart” of sorts that showed how the 40k environment tended to act when certain archetypes were adjusted or removed from that environment. The article suggested that in the meta above that lacked stomp mechanics, either Grav Heavy or a Death Star type list would reign supreme, and it did.
The thing that we could see in that completely unofficially and not even a little scientific (but hopefully mostly accurate) flow chart, was that there may be some reasoning to the way army mechanics were written by Games Workshop.
It also appeared that in a completely unaltered environment 40k seems to be a game of rock paper scissors between these seeming “top tier” lists, which can have a trickle down effect to local metas, and even casual games.
40k’s Top Tier Lists?
- Eldar Wraithknight / Scat Bike Spam. Weak against Gravstars, alpha stike gravs, and Kataphrons. D weapons are also very bad for them where “allowed”
- Adeptus Mechanicus Conclave Lists. Weak against flyers, hordes and Daemons, and perhaps Knights.
- Imperial Knight Formation Armies (like Tripartite or Adamantite Lances) Weak against Eldar Wraithknight / Scat Bike Spam, and Tyranid / Daemon FMCs.
- “Super Friends” Bikestar (OR Thunder Wolf Star) lists. Weak against Eldar Wraithknight / Scat Bike Spam, and possibly grav lists depending on the player. Plus of course D weapons and STOMPS.
- Daemonbomb Armies with Multi Flying Monstrous Creatures. Weak Against Adeptus Mechanicus Conclave Lists, and “Super Friends” Bikestar lists.
- Tyranid Flying Monstrous Creature Lists – Weak Against Invisible Mechanic Armies like Superfriends and Grav heavy lists.
- Necron Decurion – Weak Against Invisible Mechanic Armies like Superfriends and Grav heavy lists, and lists the can close fast on static battle lines.
I’m not saying this was done intentionally to make 40k this way, but it does seem when taken at face value that is the way Games Workshop set it up to be for 7th edition. But I’m not them, and they are not returning my calls so I can’t say for sure.
What I can say for sure is that went you read THIS ARTICLE and apply it to your personally tournament experiences, and what you’ve seen about top finishers in 7th edition 40k, there may just be something to it.
Now on to the part where I’m NOT purposely intending to offend or call out any one particular person or event while trying to make a point.
The BIG ITC Quarterly update poll came out today, and there is one innocuous question on here that has the potential to just really knock that meta thing above I was talking about on it’s side, and really allow two choice armies carte blanche to run all over that format IMHO (well three possibly depending on how Tau shake out). Format at this point being a very loose term altogether.
Should we treat Dark Angels, Blood Angels and Space Wolves as having Chapter Tactics when they mix with Space Marine units?Space Marine units lose their Chapter Tactics when they are in a unit that contains models with different Chapter Tactics. Per RAW, while Blood Angels, Dark Angels and Space Wolves have rules similar to Chapter Tactics, they are not explicitly listed as such.
The issue I have with the last solution is the immediate dissolution of the “Super Friends” type Death Star army, which was created in 6th Edition by Kenny Boucher (and discussed frequently on our former Forge the Narrative and current Long War Podcasts) to deal with the HUGE imbalance of Eldar and Tau.
It was even adapted by Aaron Aelong by the choice inclusion of Dark Angels for his recent big win in that no stomp meta we talked about above.
Now it seems to me that if you vote to destroy the only death star unit that has the most reliable chance to drop THREE to FIVE stompy type units, while allowing even one of those stompy type units in your event, the meta once again gets changed or skewed one way.
And that brings us to my title:
Are We Even Playing 40k at Tournaments Anymore?
I’ve written no less that a dozen articles this year alone showing what I feel like the imbalances in changing the fundamental rules of 40k at the FAQ level, and what may be a very thorough documentation of these effects on the 40k meta environment current to the Space Marine release in June.
I’ve also made suggestions as to how events can successfully hold players to better standards using a very clever hobby score that rewards players for being hobbyists, and honoring the social contract of playing with their opponents instead of against them.
Granted I only say it’s successful because I’ve ran one tournament in my local area using just the barebones ITC FAQ (not the comp rules) and this hobby score already. The result was out of 15 players the top 10 scores were only separate by a scoring spread of 10, something I’ve never seen before.
So what does this all mean you’re probably asking by now?
I feel like in my heart of hearts there is a need for fundamental change in the format of competitive 40k events, starting with the inclusion of Hobby Scores, and some sort of FAQ that does NOT change the fundamental rules of 40k.
Instead of FAQing and changing the game every month or quarter, how about we play the game as it was designed and police the events by using the hobby scores that actually matter?
There are a lot of folks out there that will not agree with what I have said about the current state of tournament play and heck I don’t want everyone to agree with me all the time anyways. I just feel morally compelled to defend and try to fix the hobby that I love and have enjoyed for so many years, back to its “golden age” state of yesteryear.
I feel like the ideas I’ve put forth here are as researched as any of this “toy soldier nonsense” can be really, and thank you for taking the time to read this article with an open mind.
#bringinghobbyback
The Long War Episode 20 – Are Tournament Players Ruining The Hobby?
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.
