The Warhammer 40k meta has flip-flopped this week, switching from hordes-style lists to MSU to bring us this week’s unbeatable armies.
Unbeatable 40k Armies: New Week, New Top Factions
With the Huge Super Majors of last week seeing Hordes take over, this week saw the opposite: Targeted MSU Strike Forces. We’ll take a look at the 96-player, The North East Open (Newcastle, England), and the 54-player Boise Cup 2024 (Boise, ID)
Blood, No, Dark Angels Take it in England:
Dark Angels “Good Stuff” is what Innes took to the top of The North East Open.
Innes Wilson’s Space Marines
Dark Angels
Strike Force (2000 points)
Gladius Task Force
CHARACTERS
Apothecary Biologis (85 points)
• 1x Absolvor bolt pistol
1x Close combat weapon
• Enhancement: Fire Discipline
Azrael (105 points)
• Warlord
• 1x Lion’s Wrath
1x The Lion Helm
1x The Sword of Secrets
Judiciar (85 points)
• 1x Absolvor bolt pistol
1x Executioner relic blade
• Enhancement: The Honour Vehement
BATTLELINE
Assault Intercessor Squad (75 points)
• 1x Assault Intercessor Sergeant
• 1x Plasma pistol
1x Thunder hammer
• 4x Assault Intercessor
• 4x Astartes chainsword
4x Heavy bolt pistol
OTHER DATASHEETS
Assault Intercessors with Jump Packs (80 points)
• 1x Assault Intercessor Sergeant with Jump Pack
• 1x Plasma pistol
1x Power fist
• 4x Assault Intercessors with Jump Packs
• 4x Astartes chainsword
3x Heavy bolt pistol
1x Plasma pistol
Assault Intercessors with Jump Packs (80 points)
• 1x Assault Intercessor Sergeant with Jump Pack
• 1x Plasma pistol
1x Power fist
• 4x Assault Intercessors with Jump Packs
• 4x Astartes chainsword
3x Heavy bolt pistol
1x Plasma pistol
Deathwing Knights (235 points)
• 1x Watcher in the Dark
• 1x Knight Master
• 1x Great weapon of the Unforgiven
• 4x Deathwing Knight
• 4x Mace of absolution
Deathwing Knights (235 points)
• 1x Watcher in the Dark
• 1x Knight Master
• 1x Great weapon of the Unforgiven
• 4x Deathwing Knight
• 4x Power weapon
Deathwing Knights (235 points)
• 1x Watcher in the Dark
• 1x Knight Master
• 1x Great weapon of the Unforgiven
• 4x Deathwing Knight
• 4x Mace of absolution
Eradicator Squad (190 points)
• 1x Eradicator Sergeant
• 1x Bolt pistol
1x Close combat weapon
1x Melta rifle
• 5x Eradicator
• 5x Bolt pistol
5x Close combat weapon
3x Melta rifle
2x Multi-melta
Inner Circle Companions (180 points)
• 6x Inner Circle Companion
• 6x Calibanite greatsword
6x Heavy bolt pistol
Repulsor (180 points)
• 1x Armoured hull
1x Heavy onslaught gatling cannon
1x Hunter-slayer missile
1x Repulsor defensive array
1x Twin lascannon
Scout Squad (65 points)
• 1x Scout Sergeant
• 1x Astartes chainsword
1x Bolt pistol
1x Close combat weapon
• 4x Scout
• 2x Astartes shotgun
4x Bolt pistol
4x Close combat weapon
1x Missile launcher
1x Scout sniper rifle
Scout Squad (65 points)
• 1x Scout Sergeant
• 1x Astartes chainsword
1x Bolt pistol
1x Close combat weapon
• 4x Scout
• 2x Astartes shotgun
4x Bolt pistol
4x Close combat weapon
1x Missile launcher
1x Scout sniper rifle
ALLIED UNITS
Callidus Assassin (100 points)
• 1x Neural shredder
1x Phase sword and poison blades
Assault Intercessors are great! We see them in every list, with or without Jump Packs. They’re wildly cost-efficient in either form, and both offer great benefits. Jump Packs go fast and hit solidly into almost any target with mortals (and a power fist), while the walking ones give you that beautiful battleline and reroll wounds (and a power fist).
The heart and soul of this list are definitely the Dark Angels exclusive units. Maximizing the number of Deathwing Knights you can fit in a list seems to be an effective strategy. Inner Circle Companions with Azrael are another stable. Basically, they’re turbo Bladeguards that give you a CP every turn. They’re just great.
Got a big problem? Not anymore. Eradicators with Harmacist will (almost) never let you down when it comes to obliterating a heavy target in your way.
Craftworld, No, Dark Eldar, take it in Boise:
Trenton Bates raided Boise with his Drukhari.
Trenton Bates’ Drukhari
Skysplinter Assault
Strike Force (2000 Points)
CHARACTERS
Archon (75 Points)
• Warlord
• 1x Blast pistol
1x Huskblade
Archon (95 Points)
• 1x Blast pistol
1x Huskblade
• Enhancements: Nightmare Shroud
Archon (75 Points)
• 1x Blast pistol
1x Huskblade
Beastmaster (105 Points)
• 1x Beastmaster
• 1x Agoniser
1x Splinter pods
• 1x Clawed Fiend
• 1x Clawed Fiend fists
• 2x Khymerae
• 2x Khymerae talons
• 3x Razorwing Flock
• 3x Razorwing feathers
Lelith Hesperax (85 Points)
• 1x Lelith’s blades
BATTLELINE
Kabalite Warriors (110 Points)
• 1x Sybarite
• 1x Blast pistol
1x Phantasm grenade launcher
1x Sybarite weapon
• 9x Kabalite Warrior
• 1x Blaster
9x Close combat weapon
1x Dark lance
1x Shredder
1x Splinter cannon
5x Splinter rifle
Kabalite Warriors (110 Points)
• 1x Sybarite
• 1x Blast pistol
1x Phantasm grenade launcher
1x Sybarite weapon
• 9x Kabalite Warrior
• 1x Blaster
9x Close combat weapon
1x Dark lance
1x Shredder
1x Splinter cannon
5x Splinter rifle
Wyches (90 Points)
• 1x Hekatrix
• 1x Blast pistol
1x Hekatarii blade
1x Phantasm grenade launcher
• 9x Wych
• 9x Hekatarii blade
9x Splinter pistol
DEDICATED TRANSPORTS
Raider (80 Points)
• 1x Bladevanes
1x Dark lance
Venom (70 Points)
• 1x Bladevanes
1x Splinter cannon 1x Splinter cannon
Venom (70 Points)
• 1x Bladevanes
1x Splinter cannon 1x Splinter cannon
Venom (70 Points)
• 1x Bladevanes
1x Splinter cannon 1x Splinter cannon
Venom (70 Points)
• 1x Bladevanes
1x Splinter cannon 1x Splinter cannon
OTHER DATASHEETS
Court of the Archon (85 Points)
• 1x Lhamaean
• 1x Shaimeshi blade
• 1x Medusae
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Eyeburst
• 1x Sslyth
• 1x Shardcarbine
1x Splinter pistol
1x Sslyth battle-blade
• 1x Ur-ghul
• 1x Ur-ghul talons
Court of the Archon (85 Points)
• 1x Lhamaean
• 1x Shaimeshi blade
• 1x Medusae
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Eyeburst
• 1x Sslyth
• 1x Shardcarbine
1x Splinter pistol
1x Sslyth battle-blade
• 1x Ur-ghul
• 1x Ur-ghul talons
Cronos (50 Points)
• 1x Spirit syphon
1x Spirit vortex
1x Spirit-leech tentacles
Incubi (75 Points)
• 4x Incubi
• 4x Klaive
• 1x Klaivex
• 1x Klaive
Mandrakes (65 Points)
• 1x Nightfiend
• 1x Baleblast
1x Glimmersteel blade
• 4x Mandrake
• 4x Baleblast
4x Glimmersteel blade
Mandrakes (65 Points)
• 1x Nightfiend
• 1x Baleblast
1x Glimmersteel blade
• 4x Mandrake
• 4x Baleblast
4x Glimmersteel blade
Scourges (120 Points)
• 1x Solarite
• 1x Blast pistol
1x Close combat weapon
1x Solarite weapon
• 4x Scourge
• 4x Close combat weapon
4x Dark lance
Scourges (120 Points)
• 1x Solarite
• 1x Blast pistol
1x Close combat weapon
1x Solarite weapon
• 4x Scourge
• 4x Close combat weapon
4x Drukhari haywire blaster
Tantalus (230 Points)
• 1x Dire scythe blades
1x Pulse disintegrators
Four Venoms filled with Dark Eldar means this list is moving fast, and moving everywhere. Easily accomplishing actions with the tried and true tactics of dumping out a transport’s contents to fight while the transport holds objectives and actions. Works every time. Mandrakes also can bounce around the map like the Scouts in Innes’ Dark Angels list to lock down even more points.
Two Court of the Archon and a Beastmaster give the list a surprising amount of “meat” to chew through. If you want to commit to it, you’ll be fired and faded by 8 Dark Lances from the Scourges, who always trade up.
It wouldn’t be Dark Eldar without a specialist flare, in this case it’s a solo Lelith and Tantalus. The former still fights first and kills almost any infantry in the game on average for just 85 points, and the latter is surely benefitting greatly from the new pivot rules to deliver knives to a gunline.
Regardless, 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. Especially with all the new Warhammer rules changes from the latest balance Dataslate.
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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.
