Welcome to another Meta Monday 40K, the weekly roundup from Grimhammer Tactics covering the latest Warhammer 40K tournament meta trends.
See all past editions of Meta Monday 40K here.
This weekend was a busy one for competitive 40K as we saw three super major sized events each with over 100 players. The usual suspects seem to be in play with Space Marines and Necrons taking most of the top placings this weekend. First we are heading over to Germany for the Scheunenkloppen Open 2026: Warzone Erkelenz 4 (good luck pronouncing that one), then we go down to the great state of Texas where everything is bigger for the Clutch City GT, and finally out to the deserts of Arizona for the Scorched Earth Open 2026. Let’s take a look at how the meta shook out.
Scheunenkloppen Open 2026: Warzone Erkelenz 4 – Germany – 141 Players
Notably this event did not use WTC terrain layouts, unlike most European events opting to use GW layouts instead. Space Marines take a big event win here while legendary liam Vsl managed to make the top 5 as well with his Serpent’s Brood Aeldari. Aeldari have mostly been absent from top table performances since the last Balance Dataslate and, in fact, are posting the lowest win rate of all factions since, barring Imperial Agents. Let’s take a look at the top 5.
- Grischa Gerwert – Space Marines – 6-0
- Christian Breuer – Genestealer Cults – 6-0
- liam Vsl – Aeldari – 5-1
- Tim Schneider – Leagues of Votann – 5-1
- Guillaume Dusaussois – Space Marines – 5-1
The Winning List: Grischa Gerwert – Space Marines – Gladius Task Force
Click to see the List
CHARACTER
Char3: 1x Lieutenant with Combi-weapon (80 pts)
1 with Combi-weapon, Paired Combat Blades
Enhancement: Artificer Armour (+10 pts)
Char1: 3x Marneus Calgar (200 pts)
• 1x Marneus Calgar
1 with Gauntlets of Ultramar
• 2x Victrix Honour Guard
2 with Victrix Power Sword
• Warlord
Char2: 1x Uriel Ventris (95 pts)
1 with Bolt pistol, Invictus, Sword of Idaeus
6x Wardens of Ultramar (90 pts)
• 1x Aemelia Minervas
1 with Archeotech Laspistol, Power Weapon
• 1x Ancient Gadriel
1 with Bolt Rifle, Close Combat Weapon
• 1x Dainal Kornelius
1 with Astropathic Blast, Force Stave
• 1x Gaius Silva
1 with Archeotech Laspistol, Power Weapon, Refractor Field
• 1x Lucia Vestha
1 with Archeotech Laspistol, Close Combat Weapon
• 1x Veteran Sergeant Metaurus
1 with Heavy Bolt Pistol, Master-crafted Power Weapon, Storm Shield
BATTLELINE
5x Intercessor Squad (80 pts)
• 1x Intercessor Sergeant
1 with Bolt pistol, Astartes grenade launcher, Bolt Rifle, Power Fist
• 4x Intercessor
4 with Bolt pistol, Bolt Rifle, Close combat weapon
OTHER DATASHEETS
5x Assault Intercessors with Jump Packs (90 pts)
• 1x Assault Intercessor Sergeant with Jump Pack
1 with Plasma Pistol, Power Fist
• 4x Assault Intercessors with Jump Pack
3 with Astartes Chainsword, Heavy Bolt Pistol
1 with Astartes Chainsword, Plasma Pistol
5x Assault Intercessors with Jump Packs (90 pts)
• 1x Assault Intercessor Sergeant with Jump Pack
1 with Plasma Pistol, Power Fist
• 4x Assault Intercessors with Jump Pack
3 with Astartes Chainsword, Heavy Bolt Pistol
1 with Astartes Chainsword, Plasma Pistol
1x Ballistus Dreadnought (150 pts)
1 with Armoured Feet, Ballistus Lascannon, Ballistus Missile Launcher, Twin Storm Bolter
1x Ballistus Dreadnought (150 pts)
1 with Armoured Feet, Ballistus Lascannon, Ballistus Missile Launcher, Twin Storm Bolter
5x Incursor Squad (80 pts)
• 4x Incursor
3 with Bolt pistol, Occulus Bolt Carbine, Paired Combat Blades
1 with Bolt pistol, Occulus Bolt Carbine, Paired Combat Blades, Haywire Mine
• 1x Incursor Sergeant
1 with Bolt pistol, Occulus Bolt Carbine, Paired Combat Blades
1x Redemptor Dreadnought (195 pts)
1 with Icarus Rocket Pod, Redemptor Fist, Macro Plasma Incinerator, Onslaught Gatling Cannon, Twin Fragstorm Grenade Launcher
5x Scout Squad (70 pts)
• 1x Scout Sergeant
1 with Bolt pistol, Close combat weapon, Astartes Chainsword
• 2x Scout
1 with Bolt pistol, Close combat weapon, Missile Launcher
1 with Bolt pistol, Close combat weapon, Scout Sniper Rifle
• 2x Scouts
2 with Bolt pistol, Close combat weapon, Combat Knife
6x Victrix Honour Guard (220 pts)
• 1x Chapter Ancient
1 with Master-crafted Power Weapon, Banner of Macragge, Attached Unit
• 1x Chapter Champion
1 with Blades of Honour, Attached Unit
• 4x Victrix Honour Guard
4 with Master-crafted Bolt Carbine, Master-crafted Power Weapon, Attached Unit
6x Victrix Honour Guard (220 pts)
• 6x Victrix Honour Guard
6 with Master-crafted Bolt Carbine, Master-crafted Power Weapon, Attached Unit
1x Vindicator (185 pts)
1 with Armoured Tracks, Demolisher Cannon, Hunter-killer missile, Storm Bolter
No surprise here to find Ultramarines Gladius taking a top spot in a super major. Space Marines have been on fire since the release of the new Victrix Honour Guard and it seems despite several tweaks and nerfs they are still going strong. This list features a double brick of 6 Victrix one led by Uriel for the nasty Deep Strike and the other, of course, led by Calgar. The rest of the list features the usual suspects of Redemptors, Ballistus Dreads, a Vindicator and the much maligned Wardens of Ultramar (please GW do something about this unit). It’s very clear right now that Space Marines are sitting at the top of the meta tier at the moment and probably need some serious adjustments with what should likely be the last Balance Dataslate before the new edition launches this summer. One thing’s for sure this edition has been kind to the boys in blue and certainly the last few months have been a nice cherry on top for Space Marines players.
Clutch City GT – Houston, TX – 145 Players
The great state of Texas is known for it’s major events hosting several every year. This weekend we had the Clutch City GT featuring 145 players and was the largest event of the weekend in the U.S. Necrons pull out a win with Pantheon of Woe. You’ve heard me disparage this build for several weeks noting that it hadn’t really won anything aside from some smaller GTs and one single 70 player event. Well, that’s changed now as they take the top spot at an actual super major event. Let’s take a look at the top 5.
- David Hall – Necrons – 6-0
- Robert Moreland – Astra Militarum – 6-0
- Justin Moore – Space Marines – 5-1
- Mikroponis Hopontopodes – Chaos Space Marines – 5-1
- Zach Meyer – Imperial Knights – 4-0-1
The Winning List: David Hall – Necrons – Pantheon of Woe
Click to see the List
Necrons
Pantheon of Woe
Strike Force (2,000 Points)
CHARACTERS
C’tan Shard of the Deceiver (325 Points)
• 1x Cosmic insanity
• 1x Golden fists
C’tan Shard of the Nightbringer (345 Points)
• 1x Gaze of death
• 1x Scythe of the Nightbringer
C’tan Shard of the Void Dragon (330 Points)
• 1x Canoptek tail blades
• 1x Spear of the Void Dragon
• 1x Voltaic storm
Imotekh the Stormlord (100 Points)
• Warlord
• 1x Gauntlet of Fire
• 1x Staff of the Destroyer
Transcendent C’tan (330 Points)
• 1x Crackling tendrils
• 1x Seismic assault
BATTLELINE
Immortals (70 Points)
• 5x Immortal
◦ 5x Close combat weapon
◦ 5x Tesla carbine
OTHER DATASHEETS
Flayed Ones (60 Points)
• 5x Flayed One
◦ 5x Flayer claws
Lokhust Heavy Destroyers (55 Points)
• 1x Close combat weapon
• 1x Enmitic exterminator
Ophydian Destroyers (80 Points)
• 3x Ophydian Destroyer
◦ 3x Ophydian hyperphase weapons
◦ 1x Plasmacyte
Ophydian Destroyers (80 Points)
• 3x Ophydian Destroyer
◦ 3x Ophydian hyperphase weapons
◦ 1x Plasmacyte
Tomb Blades (75 Points)
• 3x Tomb Blade
◦ 3x Close combat weapon
◦ 3x Shadowloom
◦ 3x Twin tesla carbine
Tomb Blades (75 Points)
• 3x Tomb Blade
◦ 3x Close combat weapon
◦ 3x Shadowloom
◦ 3x Twin tesla carbine
Tomb Blades (75 Points)
• 3x Tomb Blade
◦ 3x Close combat weapon
◦ 3x Shadowloom
◦ 3x Twin tesla carbine
Necrons Pantheon of Woe finally win a real super major! Featuring 4 C’tan shards and a smattering of other cheap scoring units to actually play the game, David takes the grind check army all the way to the top of the Clutch City podium. Necrons have been steadily posting a crazy high win rate since the C’tan update and are obviously in need of some tweaking. No one will be sad to see the imminent Necrons nerf.
Scorched Earth Open 2026 – Phoenix, AZ – 115 Players
Scorched Earth Open is Arizona’s premier annual 40K super major. Once again we see Necrons take a top table placing with Starshatter (the better C’tan build in my own personal opinion). Some surprises sneak into the top 5 here in the form of Drukhari and Dark Angels. Let’s take a look.
- Ben Jurek – Necrons – 6-0
- Jason McKenzie – T’au Empire – 6-0
- Tanner Floyd – Dark Angels – 5-1
- Daniel Olivas – Drukhari – 5-1
- Durante Bozzini – T’au Empire – 5-1
The Winning List: Ben Jurek – Necrons – Starshatter Arsenal
Click to see the List
Necrons
Starshatter Arsenal
Strike Force (2,000 Points)
CHARACTERS
C’tan Shard of the Deceiver (285 Points)
• 1x Cosmic insanity
• 1x Golden fists
C’tan Shard of the Nightbringer (315 Points)
• 1x Gaze of death
• 1x Scythe of the Nightbringer
Hexmark Destroyer (100 Points)
• 1x Close combat weapon
• 1x Enmitic disintegrator pistols
• Enhancements: Chrono-impedance Fields
Illuminor Szeras (165 Points)
• 1x Eldritch Lance
• 1x Impaling legs
Nekrosor Ammentar (165 Points)
• 1x Blade tail and whip coils
• 1x Enmitic disintegrators
• 1x Nullstone Field Generator (Aura)
• 1x Unmaker Gauntlet
Psychomancer (55 Points)
• 1x Abyssal lance
The Silent King (400 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 bulk
Transcendent C’tan (305 Points)
• 1x Crackling tendrils
• 1x Seismic assault
OTHER DATASHEETS
Canoptek Reanimator (75 Points)
• 2x Atomiser beam
• 1x Reanimator’s claws
Canoptek Reanimator (75 Points)
• 2x Atomiser beam
• 1x Reanimator’s claws
Flayed Ones (60 Points)
• 5x Flayed One
◦ 5x Flayer claws
Triple C’tans and the Silent King backed up by a couple of annoying Canoptek Reanimators just to keep the King healed up while these 4 models spend 5 turns carving through your army like a hot knife through butter. Are we having fun yet? This build is absolutely disgusting and everything wrong with the game right now. Seriously, GW, get this bullcrap out of here already. We’re all fatigued with it by this point.
Final Thoughts
It seems the nerf to Astra Militarum has had the ripple effect of boosting Necrons even further pushing them from gatekeeper to actual legit contender in the competitive 40K meta. Meanwhile Space Marines and T’au continue to see event wins or high podium placings as well. Let’s see how this last Balance Dataslate shakes out. Needless to say I think GW has plenty of data to go ahead and make the necessary changes to the game. They are 2 months overdue at this point.
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