Hello, competitive Warhammer fans! SaltyJohn from TFG Radio here to bring you my first real article reviewing the ins and outs of the ITC standings for the 2020 season!
For those of you who might be new to competitive 40k, the ITC, or just the FLG site in general welcome to my weekly article series on the ITC standings for 40k. For those of you who are returning, welcome back. The season is still in its infancy and while Space Marines, read that as Iron Hands, continue to dominate early on the Psychic Awakening books are beginning to make their presence felt more and more, with Grey Knights receiving quite the boost. First, a quick look at the top 10 in the ITC right now.
With only one player having played in more than 2 events we have a wide-open field. Vik Vijay won the Beachhead Brawl Major as Adeptus Astartes faction. Congrats on being the first Major winner of the season!
The Gallery above shows Vik’s, Colin’s, and Gregory’s wins this year as well as the placings for the top 5 at Beachhead Brawl. It’s pretty impressive that newcomers Grey Knights took 2nd, also going 6-0. The list was a double Paladin bomb piloted by Lawrence Baker who discussed the list here. Stephen Box, who makes great content on his YouTube channel, came in 5 with a strong 5-1 with Blood Angels. The Gallery below has some of the factions I think will be interesting to watch early on this season.
Adepta Sororitas, Astartes, and Grey Knights form an unholy, or holy depending upon perspective, triumvirate of interest and potency in 40k right now. Iron Hands and Imperial Fists will be dominant until either their rules change or new rules for factions come out to counter them. Sororitas and Grey Knights both seem to have tools in the bag to challenge the supremacy of the Hands and Fists of the Emperor. Tau may have been given a similar boost. The saddest faction right now is probably Chaos and in particular anything with the Daemon keyword. Grey Knights will become more popular and as a result, a true hard counter to anything with the Daemon Keyword now exists. Like Gandalf on the bridge of Khazadum, the Grey Knights will topple any list reliant on Daemon Keyword units into the abyss of the mid-tier tables and out of contention.
With lists reliant on Possessed Bomb now being less viable what will Chaos Players come up with to stay in the running? The early season is a wild west time in the ITC usually but I have a small inkling of fear that Iron Hands/Imperial Fists will make it far less exciting than it’s been in the past. Hopefully, the last Psychic Awakening books, coupled with what’s been released, can dent their seeming invincibility enough to restore a healthy competitive meta.
As usual, let me know what you would like to see in future articles. If you know of someone tearing it up in your local scene with a unique list, or you know of something I didn’t cover that I really should let me know!
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