Competitive 40k scene stays busy as 11th edition looms

The most stealable tech from the current competitive window came in three pieces: Gonzalo de La Moneda’s double Defiler Emperor’s Children build, Dekkers’ undefeated Chaos Space Marines on Pactbound Zealots, and Terroxer El Rojo’s undefeated Thousand Sons. Those lists solved the same problem in different ways, how to keep pressure on a crowded board while still scoring cleanly, and they did it in the last stretch before 11th Edition resets the conversation.

That matters because Goonhammer is already dialing back its weekly Competitive Innovations coverage. In its June 3 column, the site said it would be on “minimal service levels” for the next few weeks as 10th Edition winds down, and it made clear it does not expect many deep opinions about “the 5th Defiler list of the day.” The tone says plenty on its own: the old edition is not dead yet, but the focus has shifted fast toward the next ruleset.

The strongest single result came at SouthCon 2026 V GT Andorra & Open Ordino, a 202-player, five-round Grand Tournament in Ordino, Andorra, held on May 29, 2026. Gonzalo de La Moneda won the event with Emperor’s Children using the Coterie of the Conceited detachment, and Goonhammer described the list as a double Defiler shell with a Maulerfiend acting as a trade-up threat. That is exactly the kind of late-10th answer competitive players can still mine for ideas: durable pressure pieces, strong counterpunch potential, and a way to punish overextension without building around a single gimmick.

Dekkers finished second with Chaos Space Marines on Pactbound Zealots and went undefeated, while Terroxer El Rojo placed third with Thousand Sons and also went undefeated. Best Coast Pairings listed 205 placings for the same event and showed a broad spread at the top tables, with Thousand Sons, Grey Knights, Black Templars, Blood Angels, Orks, Genestealer Cult, Necrons, T’au Empire, Imperial Knights, Death Guard, and Leagues of Votann all represented. The field did not look solved, and that is the real takeaway for players still grinding 10th.

Goonhammer’s broader roundup also tracked V GT Andorra and Open Ordino, BAF 40K GT 26, The Brawl 2026, Adeptus Five-0, Mountain West Classic Grand Tournament, Dark Sphere May GT, The Great Game - Gongaii GT Spring 2026, IceBreaker2026 - 40K GT, and Warhammer 40,000 GT at Warhammer Open UK Games Expo in Birmingham. At the same time, 11th Edition coverage was already rolling, with Goonhammer posting its main review on June 1 and Games Workshop’s launch plan built around Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon, plus the Combat Patrol Companion, Terrain Area Set, Core Rulebook, Chapter Approved Mission Deck and Dominatus Deck. The last good late-10th lists are still on the table, but the clock is clearly ticking.