This article intended for people who are new to the tournament scene or those who just need a quick refresher of the current meta-game. It is probably a good time to mention that this article deals with tournaments that do not have a composition score, i.e. 'ard boyz. If this article generates a lot of positive response, I will tackle the meta-game of tournaments with a composition score.
What is meta-gaming?
Meta-gaming is a broad term usually used to define any strategy, action or method used in a game which transcends a prescribed rule set, uses external factors to affect the game, or goes beyond the supposed limits or environment set by the game.
In simple terms, using out-of-game information, or resources, to affect one's in-game decisions.
How do we apply meta-gaming to the 40k tournament scene?
We can examine the top lists and copy them or alter our lists and tactics to counter the lists we expect to see.
Tier I Lists
Nob Bikers
HQ:
- Warboss, Warbike, Power Claw, Bosspole, Cyborg Body, Attack Squig
- Warboss, Warbike, Power Claw, Bosspole, Cyborg Body, Attack Squig
Troops:
- Power Klaw, Cybork, Waaagh! Banner
- Power Klaw, Cybork, Boss Pole
- Power Klaw, Cybork
- Painboy Cybork
- Cybork, Big Choppa
- Cybork, Kombi-Skorcha
- Cybork
- Pain boy
etc. all end up with different equipment
- Power Klaw, Cybork, Waaagh! Banner
- Power Klaw, Cybork, Boss Pole
- Power Klaw, Cybork
- Painboy Cybork
- Cybork, Big Choppa
- Cybork, Kombi-Skorcha
- Cybork
- Painboy
etc. all end up with different equipment
Fast Attack:
Extra points go into grot herds to capture objectives and tar-pit units until the nobs arrive.
How it works
This list exploits the new wound allocation rules to create two large units that require 11 wounds before the first bike dies. This is all assuming that you break through their +4 armor, +5 invulnerable, and Feel no Pain. It usually only has around 5 kill points, and holds a unit or two of grots in reserve to capture objectives placed on their side.
Chaos Space Marines Dual Lash
HQ:
2x Demon Prince: Mark of Slaanesh, Wings, Lash of Submission
Troops:
2-4 units of Plague Marines with Rhinos
Heavy:
9 Obliterators
After that Termies/Berserkers or whatever else fits the rest of the points
How it works
Lash allows the player to move your models in to small clusters to be blown away by plasma cannon shots from the Obliterators. To a lesser extent Lash is also used to move troops off objectives, and/or into assault range.
Chaos Daemon Fatecrusher
HQ:
Kairos Fateweaver
Elites:
8 Bloodcrushers
Icon of Chaos
Instrument of Chaos
Fury of Khorne
8 Bloodcrushers
Icon of Chaos
Instrument of Chaos
Fury of Khorne
8 Bloodcrushers
Icon of Chaos
Instrument of Chaos
Fury of Khorne
After that troops then daemon princes and then another Greater Daemon
How it Works
they all drop within 6" of Fateweaver (using Icons for accuracy) and form a really tough nut to crack as they take objectives.
More Tier I lists to come:
The Green Horde
Vulkan Marines
Air Cavalry
Tier II Lists
Nidzilla
HQ
Flyrant, Wings, +1str, Scything talons, venom cannon, Warp Blast, warpfield
Tyrant, +1BS, +1S, twin linked devourers x2, 2 x guard
whom this may concern you cannon do focused warp blast with +bs on your hive tyrant,you also cannot take warpblast and warpfield you may onlt take one i suggest warpfield if you need help with this list i suggest you goggle the tyranid hive and find a person who posts on there named auxillion he is one of our competitive players i am not him.
HS
Carnifex, +1BS, +1w, barbed strangler, venom cannon
Carnifex, +1BS, +1w, barbed strangler, venom cannon
Carnifex, +1BS, +1w, barbed strangler, venom cannon
Elite
Carnifex, enhanced senses, twin linked devourers x 2
Carnifex, enhanced senses, twin linked devourers x 2
Carnifex, enhanced senses, twin linked devourers x 2
Troops
Genestealers x 8 w/ scuttlers
Sineguants x 8 without number
All extra points go into more genestealers
How it works
This list if really strait forward, genestealers out flank while 8 MCs march up the center of the board. They flyrant moves to shoot his VC and warpblast at the rear of tanks while the units with 2 x TL devourers chew up all the infantry. The one unit of guants is held in reserve to capture or contest objectives placed on their side of the board.
Mobile Eldar
Hq:
Eldrad
Farseer on jetbike w/ SS, doom, fortune
10 x warlocks on jetbikes, 1 Enhance, 1 Embolden, 5 Destructors
Troops:
10 x Dire Avengers
Exarch w/ PW, shimmer shield, Bladestorm, defend
Wave Serpent w/ SS, Star engines, TL shuriken cannons
10 x Dire Avengers
Exarch w/ PW, shimmer shield, Bladestorm, defend
Wave Serpent w/ SS, Star engines, TL shuriken cannons
Heavy:
3 x Fire Prisms
Extra points go into more DAs in WS or guardian jetbikes for scoring.
How it works
This list uses a lot of tricks to win.
Eldrad rides in a Waveserpent, and casts his spells from the hull of the tank, effectively increasing his range by 6"
Fortune to give the seer counsel a +3/+4 re-rollable save, meaning that every wound only has an 11% chance to kill a model.
Doom/Guide with a squad of DAs results in 27-32 BS4, STR4 shots that reroll to hit and wound.
Star engines on the Wave serpent allow them to ram at STR10
1 Fire Prism can boost the other 2
The seer counsel strikes at STR9 on the rear armor of tanks in assault, in addition to always wounding on +2
More Tier II Lists to Come
Battle Wagon / Truk attack
Landraider spam
SM Drop pods
Triple Monolith
Genestealer Shock Attack
Dark Eldar Raider spam
