This weekend was one of the last for the Warhammer 40k Leviathan Tournament Pack Meta, with new missions and a balance dataslate on the way.
With the Pariah Nexus mission deck, a new Balance Dataslate, and multiple Codex books on the horizon, the first era of 10th Edition Warhammer 40k seems to be coming to a close. We’ll take a look at the final standouts with two super majors taking place over the weekend.
Warhammer 40k Meta: The End is Where We Begin Again
With Leviathan winding down, the end is where we begin studying for the upcoming Pariah Nexus season!
Super Majors abound, we’ll be taking a look at Frontline Gaming ACO 2024 Warhammer 40k Champs (Atlantic City, NJ), and The Bristol 40k Super Major (England, UK) to see how this meta finishes up!
Check out the latest full articles on the current best armies in the Warhammer 40k meta and the recent updates from Games Workshop for all the juicy details.
- Weekly 40k Tournament Coverage & Top Army Lists
- Latest Balance Dataslate
- Current Munitorium Points Changes
Necrons: Back At It Again With The Reanimations
The First Army has been all over the meta since their codex was released, and Shaun Reynolds showed there’s still new spice to be investigated.
Shawn Reynolds’ Necrons
Necrons
Strike Force (2000 points)
Canoptek CourtCHARACTERS
Technomancer (105 points)
• 1x Staff of light
• Enhancement: Dimensional SanctumTechnomancer (85 points)
• 1x Staff of lightThe Silent King (420 points)
• 1x Szarekh
• Warlord
• 1x Sceptre of Eternal Glory
1x Staff of Stars
1x Weapons of the Final Triarch
• 2x Triarchal Menhir
• 2x Annihilator beam
2x Armoured bulkTranscendent C’tan (285 points)
• 1x Crackling tendrils
1x Seismic assaultOTHER DATASHEETS
Canoptek Acanthrites (85 points)
• 3x Canoptek Acanthrites
• 3x Cutting beam
3x VoidbladeCanoptek Acanthrites (85 points)
• 3x Canoptek Acanthrites
• 3x Cutting beam
3x VoidbladeCanoptek Doomstalker (135 points)
• 1x Doomsday blaster
1x Doomstalker limbs
1x Twin gauss flayerCanoptek Doomstalker (135 points)
• 1x Doomsday blaster
1x Doomstalker limbs
1x Twin gauss flayerCanoptek Doomstalker (135 points)
• 1x Doomsday blaster
1x Doomstalker limbs
1x Twin gauss flayerCanoptek Wraiths (220 points)
• 6x Canoptek Wraith
• 6x Vicious clawsCanoptek Wraiths (220 points)
• 6x Canoptek Wraith
• 6x Vicious clawsLokhust Destroyers (30 points)
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Gauss cannonLokhust Destroyers (30 points)
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Gauss cannonLokhust Destroyers (30 points)
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Gauss cannon
The Silent King is NEVER late, he arrives to the Meta exactly when he plans. Plus, this list isn’t even taking 18 Wraiths!?
While the Canoptek Datasheets are rather limited (but powerful), leading to a rather thin roster of choices, The Silent King still has a lot of really interesting abilities, like Ignoring Modifiers.
So yes, those flat six damage annihilator beams are doing six damage, not d6.
The list also revisited the Transcendent C’tan, a datasheet that really solidifies Necron’s ability to score tactical secondary missions or pivot to fixed if the time is right.
Chaos Space Marines: Stacks on Stacks of AP
Just a quick boat ride across a small pond will get you to the other Super Major of the weekend, taken down by Jonathan Summerfield’s Chaos Space Marines
Jonathan Summerfield’s Chaos Space Marines
Strike Force (2000 points)
Renegade RaidersCHARACTERS
Chaos Lord (115 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Daemon hammer
1x Plasma pistol
• Enhancement: Mark of the HoundFabius Bile (85 points)
• 1x Fabius Bile
• 1x Chirurgeon
1x Rod of Torment
1x Xyclos Needler
• 1x Surgeon Acolyte
• 1x Surgeon Acolyte’s toolsSorcerer in Terminator Armour (105 points)
• 1x Chaos Familiar
1x Combi-weapon
1x Force weapon
1x Infernal Gaze
• Enhancement: Despot’s ClaimBATTLELINE
Cultist Mob (50 points)
• 1x Cultist Champion
• 1x Bolt pistol
1x Brutal assault weapon
• 9x Chaos Cultist
• 9x Autopistol
9x Brutal assault weaponDEDICATED TRANSPORTS
Chaos Rhino (75 points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
1x Combi-bolter
1x Combi-weapon
1x Havoc launcherChaos Rhino (75 points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
1x Combi-bolter
1x Combi-weapon
1x Havoc launcherChaos Rhino (75 points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
1x Combi-bolter
1x Combi-weapon
1x Havoc launcherOTHER DATASHEETS
Chaos Bikers (70 points)
• 1x Biker Champion
• 1x Chaos Icon
1x Close combat weapon
1x Combi-bolter
1x Plasma pistol
• 2x Chaos Biker
• 2x Astartes chainsword
2x Close combat weapon
2x Combi-bolter
2x Plasma gunChaos Predator Destructor (130 points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
1x Combi-weapon
1x Havoc launcher
2x Lascannon
1x Predator autocannonChaos Predator Destructor (130 points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
1x Combi-weapon
1x Havoc launcher
2x Lascannon
1x Predator autocannonChaos Predator Destructor (130 points)
• 1x Armoured tracks
1x Combi-weapon
1x Havoc launcher
2x Lascannon
1x Predator autocannonChosen (250 points)
• 1x Chosen Champion
• 1x Boltgun
1x Chaos Icon
1x Plasma pistol
1x Power fist
• 9x Chosen
• 6x Accursed weapon
7x Bolt pistol
3x Boltgun
4x Combi-weapon
2x Paired accursed weapons
2x Plasma pistol
1x Power fistChosen (250 points)
• 1x Chosen Champion
• 1x Boltgun
1x Chaos Icon
1x Plasma pistol
1x Power fist
• 9x Chosen
• 6x Accursed weapon
7x Bolt pistol
3x Boltgun
4x Combi-weapon
2x Paired accursed weapons
2x Plasma pistol
1x Power fistHavocs (120 points)
• 1x Havoc Champion
• 1x Accursed weapon
1x Meltagun
• 4x Havoc
• 4x Close combat weapon
4x Havoc lascannonHavocs (120 points)
• 1x Havoc Champion
• 1x Accursed weapon
1x Meltagun
• 4x Havoc
• 4x Close combat weapon
4x Havoc reaper chaincannonWarp Talons (220 points)
• 1x Warp Talon Champion
• 1x Warp claws
• 9x Warp Talon
• 9x Warp claws
If you aren’t familiar with Raiders yet, it’s time to get to work. The Renegade Raiders detachment grants all Heretic Astartes Assault AND +1 AP against targets on objectives. Who could have guessed that faster guns are good? Faster guns plus AP are even better!
Taking a look at the list you can see how Jonothan is making otherwise uninspiring datasheets to new heights. The Sorcerer in Terminator Armor adds ANOTHER +1 AP for units with a psychic ability each turn. All of a sudden, those Havocs with Reaper Chaincannons and literally no Datasheet Ability (what happened there?) are blasting for 8, and S5, AP-2 shots a pop.
The other datasheets worth investigating are the Predator Destructors, a wildly valuable datasheet in almost any Imperium or Chaos army with access to it. For only 130 points, you get a solid tank chassis, two Lascannons, and a Three-Damage Autocannon.
Don’t forget that the Predator Destructor gives, you guessed it, +1 AP when shooting infantry. That has quickly become: 6 S9, AP-4 3D shots into your elite infantry, bye-bye.
It was a wild weekend of 40k wargaming, with more players eager to add their own twist to the meta. Innovation is clearly not dead, and the best time to try that new idea is right now.
Take your shot, have fun, and surprise the meta—this is what the hobby is all about.
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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.
Basically, he knows 10th Edition Warhammer 40k like few others, so watch this space for some great advice from tactics to army list building.
