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Hi there,

I know that there's A LOT of lists which are "playable", but I wanted to know how many of them are competitive. It could be interesting to classify all of them, simply to know what to expect in tournaments and... to satisfy our insatiable curiosity.

It's hard to explain, but there's some exemples :

NECRONS :

-Destroyer Wing : Lot of Destroyer, Lord with Destroyer Body, Orb and with a suit of Wraiths.
-Trinilith : 3 Monoliths.
-[...]

ORKS :

-Green Tide : [...]
-Tsunami : [...]
-[...]

And, if possible to attach a sample of list or a link would be cool.

Here we go

BLACK TEMPLARS

-Blob : Lot of 10 Neophytes/10 Initiates squads
-CC Terminator Spam : Assault Terminators spam, LR
-Terminator Spam : Tank Hunter Terminators with AC spam

BLOOD ANGELS

-Descent of Angels (DoA) : Lot of assault squads with JP, Honour Guard with PG/Meltas.
-AV13 Spam : 3 Baal Predators, 3 Predators/Vindicators, 3 Furiosos.
-LR and Terminators spam : LR, lot of Assault Terminators with a Sanguinary Priest.

CHAOS DEMONS

-Fatecrusher : Fateweaver, Crusher spam, 3 DP, Plague Bearers
-Demonzilla : MC spam (DP, Blood Thirsters)

CHAOS SPACE MARINES

-LR Rush : Berzerkers in LR
-Terminator Spam : Lot of Terminators (with MoT), LR
-Dual Lash : 2 DP with MoS, Lash and Wings
-Mech : Lot of CSM with Meltas in Rhinos, 2 or 3 Chosen Squads

DEMONHUNTERS

-Tri LR : Three LR
-Terminators Spam : GK Terminators spam
-Hybrid : GK with Psycannons, Inquisitorial storm troopers with Meltas in Rhinos

DARK ANGELS

-Deathwing : Belial, DW Terminators spam, LR, Venerable Dreadnoughts
-Dual wing : Ravenwing Bikers, Deathwing assault terminators

DARK ELDARS

ELDAR

-Mech : 2 or 3 Fire Prisms, Dire Avengers, Fire Dragons in Serpents
-Elfzilla : Avatar, Eldrad, 3 Wraithlords
-Foot Eldars : Avatar, Harlequins, Lot of Dire Avengers/Guardians, Wraithlords
-Seer Council : Deathstar unit (Seer Council on Bikes)
-Reserve Mech : Dual Autarch, lot of Vehicles

IMPERIAL GUARD

-Blob : Lot of foot soldiers with Commissars
-Mech Guard : Chimera spam

NECRONS

-Destroyerwing : Lot of Destroyers, Lord with Destroyer Body and Orb
-Trinilith : 3 Monoliths

ORKS

-Battlewagon Rush : Battlewagons with KFF Mek
-Kan Wall : Lot of Orks protected by a wall of Killa Kans
-Green Tide : Lof ot Shootas with KFF Mek, 2-3 squads of Lootas
-Snikrot Green Tide : Similar to Green Tide but with Snikrot and Kommandos

SPACE MARINES

-Vulcan : Army built around Vulcan (expect a lot of Flamers and Meltas), MM/HF Land Speeders
-Bikers : Captain with Bike, Attack Bikes spam
-Shirke Assault : Army built around Shrike
-Dread Bash (Pain Train?) : MOTF, 6 Dreadnoughts
-Pod Spam : Lot of pods, Sternguards

SPACE WOLFES

-Razorwing : Lasplas Razorbacks spam, Runepriest with Storm Caller, Missile Long Fangs
-Loganwing : Logan, Missile Long Fangs, Cyclone Missile Terminators
-Wolfwing : Minimal mounted scoring units, Missile Long Fangs, Thunderwolf units
-Superhero : MEQ horde, troops accompanied by Njal, Logan, Arjac, Lukas or Ragnar

TAU

-Mech : FW in Devilfishs, Hammerheads, Crisis Suits
-Hybrid : FW in Devilfishs, FW without transport, Broadsides and Hammerheads, Crisis Suits
-Crisis min/max : 2 HQ with crisis bodyguards, lot of Crisis Suits, Kroot Squads for bubble wrapping, Piranha for movement blocking

TYRANIDS

-NidZilla : Hive Tyrant, Trygons, Carnifexes
-Genestealers rush : Lot of Genestealers with Broodlords (outflanking or infiltrating)
-Tervigon Spam : Some 10 Termagaunts squads, lot of Tervigons
-Flying Circus (?) : Gargoyles spam

WITCHUNTERS

-Mech : 3 Exorcists, lot of Battle sisters in Rhinos

ELDAR:

- mech: Dire Avengers, Fire Dragons, Storm Guardians in Serpents, Seer Council (in Serpent or on Jetbikes), 2 or 3 Fire Prisms.

DAEMONS:

fatecrusher: fateweaver, crusher spam, 3 daemon princes and plague bearers to hold objectives.

MC spam: 2 blood thirsters, 3 daemon princes, luck.

Off the top of my head and in alphabetical order:

Blood Angels
Hard to say because the codex is still to new. My guesses:
Mech armies with razorbacks and Predators
Land Raiders+ Terminators
Assault troops

Chaos Demons
Skittles (cherry picking the best units out of all of the Gods)
Armies based around Bloodcrushers
Armies based around Fateweaver

Chaos Space Marines
Plague Marines + Obliterators

Demonhunters
Tri-Land Raider

Dark Eldar
Way too early to know

Eldar
Mech
Seer Council
Foot Eldar

Imperial Guard
Leafblower/Mech Guard
Blob w/Straken/Harken/Commissars

Necrons
Build around Destroyers
Build around Monoliths

Orks
Battlewagon Rush
Loota /Shoota
Kan Wall

Space Marines
Army built around Vulcan
General list with no signature units to build your army around.

Space Wolves
Loganwing
Thunderwolves
Razorspam

Tau
Mech Tau
General list with no signature units to build your army around.

Tyranids
Lots of Tervigons
Little Bug swarm? (Swarmlord)
Flying Circus? (Gargoyles)
Genestealer Rush?
General list with no signature units to build your army around.

WitchHunters
General list with no signature units to build your army around.

Thanks a lot for the answers I'll make a summary tomorrow.

DAEMONHUNTERS:

-Psycannon spam : GK with Psycannons, inquisitorial storm troopers with Meltas

ELDARS:

-Eflzilla : Avatar, Eldrad, 3 Wraithlords

SPACE MARINES:

-Pain Train (?) : Dreadnoughts spam, MOTF
-Bikers : Army built around a Captain with Bike, lot of Attack Bikes, Meltas and Flamers.

DARK ANGELS:

-Deathwing : Terminators spam
-Ravenwing : Land Speeders, Bikes spam

BLACK TEMPLARS:

-Blob : 10 Neophytes / 10 Initiates spam
-TankHunters Terminators with AC spam

Just commenting on the first post, I would think Destroyer spam and Wraith wing are two separate builds and not under 1 category.

Blood Angels:
Descent of Angels- Using a lot of assault squads with JPs, Honour Guard with 4x plasma or melta, and then maybe some Baal preds and dreadnoughts. Add flavourful units like Sanguinary Guard and Death Company to your liking.
Mechanized- Similar to SW razor spam.

Tau:
Mechanized: Fire Warrior squads in Devilfish, Hammerhead Gunships, Crisis Suits Supporting

Hybrid (Mech/Gunline): Fire Warriors in Devilfish or w/o Transport, Combination of Hammerheads and Broadsides, Crisis Suits Supporting

Ninja: Utilizes pathfinder devilfish and positional relay for predictable and accurate deep striking and reserves.

Note: Basic Gunline is generally not competitive (afaik), but usually uses dismounted fire warriors, broadsides, and crisis suits.

Dark Angels:

Deathwing: Rolls over the enemy with Deathwing Terminators, Belial, Land Raiders, and Venerable Dreads.

Dual Wing: Uses Ravenwing Bikers to scout move and then use Deathwing Assault with no scatter. Supported by more deathwing (terminators, dreads, and Land Raiders)

Note: Normal Dark Angels and Pure Ravenwing are generally not competitive (again, afaik). Normal Dark Angels mirror a vanilla marine army, but suck. Ravenwing uses Bikes as troops and generally mirrors a vanilla bikers army, but again isn't as good.

nvm

Alphapod wrote:Tau:
Mechanized: Fire Warrior squads in Devilfish, Hammerhead Gunships, Crisis Suits Supporting

Hybrid (Mech/Gunline): Fire Warriors in Devilfish or w/o Transport, Combination of Hammerheads and Broadsides, Crisis Suits Supporting

Ninja: Utilizes pathfinder devilfish and positional relay for predictable and accurate deep striking and reserves.

Note: Basic Gunline is generally not competitive (afaik), but usually uses dismounted fire warriors, broadsides, and crisis suits.

Dark Angels:

Deathwing: Rolls over the enemy with Deathwing Terminators, Belial, Land Raiders, and Venerable Dreads.

Dual Wing: Uses Ravenwing Bikers to scout move and then use Deathwing Assault with no scatter. Supported by more deathwing (terminators, dreads, and Land Raiders)

Note: Normal Dark Angels and Pure Ravenwing are generally not competitive (again, afaik). Normal Dark Angels mirror a vanilla marine army, but suck. Ravenwing uses Bikes as troops and generally mirrors a vanilla bikers army, but again isn't as good.

So in what drug-induced tournament scene is Ninja Tau competitive?

Whoops, did they go under competitive? My bad. I typed up all the builds first and forgot to move it to the footnote.

Ah. Gotcha...here goes Space Wolves:
-Razorwing: 9-12 Lasplas Razorbacks, Missile Long Fangs, 3 Land Speeder Typhoons and a Runepriest w/ Storm Caller.
-Loganwing: Logan, Missile Long Fangs, Power Armor Wolf Guard with every 5th guy as a Cyclone Missile Terminator, and solo Fist-equipped Thunderwolf models to finish off stunlocked vehicles.
-Wolfwing: Minimal mounted Scoring Hunters, Missile Long Fangs, and several large Thunderwolf units.
-Ambush: A mix of Razorback Hunters, Missile Long Fangs and 2 Wolf Guard units with Meltagun and attached Combimelta Wolf Guard; optionally the Guard take a Razorback but don't use it, loaning it out to some Stormtroopers...

CSM- Double Lash, Zerker LR Rush, PM spam

Tau- as many suits as you can field

Eldar- footdar, mechdar, jetlock seer council

DH- GK TERMIES!!!

Orks- BW rush, Tide, Kan Wall

NIDS- Spore spam, NidZilla, stealer shock

BT- Assault Termies

SM- dread bash, pod spam, shrike assault

BA- DoA, Razorspam

SW- Razorspam, pod spam, loganwing, TWC

Rosarius wrote:It could be interesting to classify all of them, simply to know what to expect in tournaments

So, what you're looking for is lists which are competitive in TOURNAMENT games, not in regular games? Ork players can easily bring 300 models to a 2500 point tournament, but they won't win a game as they won't last past like turn 2, which is when they're just getting started. Just like playing 40k with special missions or in a campaign, tournament play has it's own peculiar set of things that works well in it. Certain things are worse at tournaments than other settings, and some things are better than they would be otherwise.

As for guard, it seems to me that one can be competitive by selecting two themes from a list containing infantry horde, mechanized, armored, artillery, and air-cav.

But really, so long as the list is diverse in killing power, redundant in unit types, sufficiently mobile and relatively straightforward in application, it can be competitive regardless of the specifics.

I edited the first post. Please take a look and say me if I did something wrong.

Now, let's do the hard part of the job : finding a link or a competitive list wich illustrates every army.

And yeah, DE

EmilCrane wrote:Blood Angels:
Descent of Angels- Using a lot of assault squads with JPs, Honour Guard with 4x plasma or melta, and then maybe some Baal preds and dreadnoughts. Add flavourful units like Sanguinary Guard and Death Company to your liking.

Dreadnoughts and preds can be exchanged for more jump troops. Priests are added to make the assault troops decent in assault, as well as maybe the sanguinor. All assault squads armed with two meltas and a fist. (maybe three meltas.). VV can be useful for tying up units.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Oh, and vanilla marines also have the regular old rhino rush.

Space Marine:

-Vulkan Army:

Lots of podding ironclad dreads, MM/HF speeders and a land raider for pure hammernators and vulkan. Minimum 2 Tacs with Flamer and Melta, 10 man config in rhinos or drop pods. Possible variation with stern guards for combi spam.

Pros: Lots of sure, close combat weapons like Thunder hammers, flamers and melta weapons. Super efficient HQ choice. Almost unstoppable.
Cons: Fight very closely. Not enough points for long range assets to reach critical mass. Drop pod variation demand reactive deployment. No Combat tactics.

-Pure Shooty Spam (mortis, typhoon, preds):

Pros: First turn BS4 torrent of fire forces enemy to go full reserves. Most SM ranged weaponry are ranged at 48. Troops are obscured most of the time due to target saturation.
Cons: Lack of pie plates against horde armies.


-Biker Army

Pros: Extreme mobility. Extended durability against small arms fire. Versatility: Bikers can whittle down enemy with twin linked bolter fire, or dogpile in assault. Captain gives acces to Command Squad Special Weapon Spam.
Cons: Low model count. Prone to bad dice. Poor performance in high terrain maps.

Blood Angels:

-DoA

Lots of Assault Space Marines in Jump packs, all of them are scoring, no problem in ousting enemy troops from objectives. 2 libbies provide cover and anti tank fire support with blood lance. Get 2 Honor guards for blood chalice and special weapon spam. Possible Sanguinor for anti IC duties and force multiplier.

Pros: Super mobility. Pure infantry approach makes enemy AT useless. Option to deep strike with relative safety. All units benefit from all Blood angel force multipliers. Scoring Jump pack troops en masse.
Cons: No tanks. Poor ranged fire power.

-AV13 Spam

3 Baal preds (TL AC only), 3 Preds/Vindicators and 3 Furioso. Minimum troops as 10 man jumpers or 5 man in razor backs. Possible Mephiston for hiding behind AV13. Possible Furioso conversion to 3 libbies with unleash rage and wings. Libbies provide mobile cover to tanks.

Pros: Awesome mobility. Av 13 resilience. Plays a game of attrition with armor. Awesome fire power.
Cons: Few model count. Prone to lucky shots.


-Fast Razorspam

5 man ASM taking razors being spammed. Idea is to fill the board with fast scoring razors. Dev squads are chosen to get more razor backs. Possible Mephiston, libby for mobile cover.

Pros: AV Target Saturation. Attrition and resilience to sheer number of vehicle models. Most vehicle are scoring, MSUs.
Cons: Lots of ez kill points.



Space Wolves:

-Razorspam

Same with fast Razorspam, but exchange fast status with free or cheaper special weapons. Can properly arm 5 man GH with wolf guard.

Pros and Cons: same as BA razor spam


-Wolfcav Min/max (2 min 5 man grey hunters, 3 TWC, 4 Thunder wolf lord, Iron priest TW)

Lots of TWC on the board, awesome fire support from long fangs.

Pros: Cavalier threat range. Lots of T5 models and assault power house.
Cons: Almost instant lose in Dawn of war, extremely small model count. Weak again alpha shooting armies.

-Loganwing

2 variants. First variant utilizes purely TDA to hold and contest objective. Other variant is simply Cyclone ML and ML spam. Possible drop pod alpha with combi spam.

Pros: TDA troops are hard to drive off objectives. Sheer number of ML is devastating and versatile.
Cons: Forced to foot slog.

-Superhero (Njal, Logan, Arjac, Ragnar, Lukas)

List is MEQ horde. Fills the board with greyhunters and blood claws accompanied by "super heroes", these troops are cheap and act as ablatives. Heroes with TDA foot slog with 15 blood claws or ride Land raiders. Rhino mechanization viable.

Pros: Lots and lots of troops. Only real way to kill super heroes are during assaults, which they will probably own.
Cons: Doesn't do that well from 1500 points or less.

Eldar

-Dual Autarch Reserve mech
-Seer Council Jetbike Deathstar

Ork

-KFF Kan wall green tide
-Snikrot Green tide


Tyranids:

-Stealer spam


Edited for list specifications.

Edited. Now, we need LISTS, DE pros and, of course, other suggestions

I think it would be very helpful to have this kind of list simply to help new players (or old players starting a new army) choosing an army to begin with.

Tau:

Tau Crisis Min/Max:

Minimum (2) 6 FW in Devilfish. Full Crisis (PR/MP) suit slots (HQ bodyguard and elite). Kroot squad for bubble wrapping and ample kroot hounds for running away from sweep with initiative 6. Piranha for movement blocking. Hammer head or broadside depending on missions (Stelek build)

Yeah, forgot about that one, thanks

Don't know if Necron Wraith spam is competitive or just playable. I heard Necron Lord + War Scythe + Orb + Destroyer Body + 3 Wraiths is one of the best CC unit in the game.



Automatically Appended Next Post:
List edited, thanks a lot for the help Yuber I'll begin to find some links this evening.

With the Templars, the Black Tide isn't that competitive, as they are slow and easy to pick off, and they have a nasty habit of failing RZ rolls and then half of your army is running. Then you've got to run Grimaldus, who's not that brilliant.