This week in litanies of the Faithful, I finally get a game in against Michael, Erina gives me a cool Sushi dice and Aaron learns that starting 1000 points of Death Guard Terminators in Deep strike isn’t always the best idea.

Hello gamers, it’s your favourite Warhammer 40k blogger back again to talk shit about people that beat him.

Before I begin I would like to preface the fact that I am not, nor is any other Warhammer 40k write/content creator (think Art of War 40k, Vanguard Tactics, Goonhammer, Midwinter Minis, Paul is bad at stuff, Bricky, MagiKarpUsedFly, Omnipulus, Christian Von Carmain, Mike Pestilens/Warphammer; I mean these people are actually popular I’m just some idiot) are authorities on anything. We are just people with opinions, which are – most of the time – unequivocally, wrong.

Do not think because you read something here that it actually means anything. Use your critical thinking skills and form your own opinion. You can disagree with anything I write, and not be wrong.

I use this blog to help me put my thoughts outside of my head so I can stop thinking about them.

It’s like my good friend Jean Rasczak said, “Figuring things out for yourself is the only freedom anyone really has. Use that freedom. Make up your own mind, Rico.”

But, if you use ChatGPT to help you write things, you’re an idiot.

So, at this event I was playing the Genestealer Cult, a faction I’ve committed myself to for 2026, and I was running the Final Day detachment.

I love, the Final Day detachment. It is – in every sense of the phrase – a whale of a time. There is sort of a vibe where the index detachment was your “general army” detachment wherein every datasheet was welcome. Final Day feels like that detachment for GSC, but with Tyranid allies included (vanguard keyword only soz).

There is an incredible amount of potential for viable Final Day lists. I think I could spend an entire year brewing, creating and testing lists for this detachment and never really feeling like I found “the list”. This, funnily enough, is at complete odds with the Chaos Space Marine detachment Dread Talons, where in the previous Warhammer 40k dataslate I believe I found the actual best version of a list you could create for that detachment. Putting my ego aside, this is what I was running:

List:

• Abominant
• Benefictus: Inhuman Integration (Sustained hits)
• Biophagus: Enraptured Damnation (No Overwatch)
• 2x Reductus Saboteur
• 1×5 Acolyte Hybrids with Autopistols
• 1×20 Neophytes
• Goliath Truck
• 1×5 Aberrants
• 2×1 Ridgerunners w/ Mortar (1x Spotter, 1x Survey)
• 1×2 Ridgerunners w/ Mining Laser (Spotter)
• 1×5 Atalan Jackals w/ Mining Laser
• 1×10 Hybrid Metamorphs (Hand flamers)
• Deathleaper
• 2×5 Hyperadapted Raveners
• Neurolictor
• 2×3 Von Ryan’s Leapers

This list has more legs than I give it credit for, and it has four arms already. Could it be better? That depends on what you mean by better.

Are Gargoyles good in Final Day? Yes.

I often ruminate on how the outcomes of my games would differ if I ran Gargoyles. I’ve never felt as if they would make a significant difference, but I did feel this is my second game of the day, although there were many other decisions I made during this game that would have had a greater impact than just running Gargoyles in my list.

Generally speaking, you do not run Von Ryan’s Leapers, and you do run Gargoyles. However, Deathleaper, Hyper Rav’s and Neurolictor’s are fairly commonly seen in Final Day lists.

On the GSC side, everything I’m running is fairly standard. I am an allcomers gamer. I like allcomers lists. I like finding the appropriate hammer, identifying a nail, and then hitting it as hard as I can.

I got some guns, I got some move blocking, I got some melee, I got some screening. I love Genestealer Cult, but I hate that none of the GSC units have the fly keyword.

Gargoyles you say?

Shut up idiot, I already ordered some.

Round 1 – Alex’s Harlequins (Aeldari)

Linchpin, Search and Destroy

Alex’s List (Serpent’s Brood): Eldread Ulthran, Solitaire, Troupe Master: Weaver’s Wail, 2x Trouper Master, 1×10 Storm Guardians, 4×5 Troupe, 4×1 Starweaver, 2×5 Rangers, 1×4 Skyweavers, 2×2 Skyweavers, 2×1 Voidweaver

What? Ryan you’re back to your standard format of writing articles? What gives?

Yeah, I’m not done being a little bitch. Turns out, for whatever reason, I had a bad experience.

I’ve played 173 games of face to face tournament Warhammer since I attended my first tournament, Terracon 2023, and have only had 1 genuinely bad experience, and it wasn’t even that bad. But it felt good to play Warhammer again where I enjoyed it, and so I want to talk about it.

You must know, if you are considerate (Rowan I’m looking at you), that I am an incredibly immature person. But based on my undefeated Ratcon performance – Dread Talons for life – that I am not an idiot.

At this event we decided to go to a local food court for lunch and saw Liam & Aiden getting Roll’d. We joined them and sat down to chat over lunch. This was my favourite time spent at this RTT which was sadly cut short as we needed to get back to the shed (lunch was only 45ish minutes). As it was, my BIRTHDAY, it came up in conversation how old I was. Aiden exclaimed he thought I was younger than him, as do most because of my disposition.

Despite this, I do consider my actions, reflect on their potential impact, and make decisions accordingly.

Game 1 was against Alex who was playing a primarily Harlequin focused list. His list was based as hell, the primary problem I identified was how do you stop the villain (me) from just, running towards you?

Well, they hide in transports, but what happens if you just run at them anyway? They just die man, they’re 1 wound T3 infantry. Despite their relative ineffectiveness, the Von Ryan’s Leapers (fights first) were GOATED in this match up. 18 attacks at 5, -1, 1 damage meant Alex could never attack my army, else he lose his entire attacking unit.

I went first, I attack. The mission was Linchpin so I utilized my Lone Ops on no man’s land objectives to draw out Alex’s units and counter attacked accordingly.

As I have previously stated: Whos the beatdown Warhammer 40k edition the best games ever created are:

1. Chess
2. Magic the Gathering
3. Warhammer 40k

In chess, your goal is to try to create an imbalance in an initially balanced position, and twist it into your favour. In Warhammer 40k, your goal is to identify the imbalance that already exists, and exploit it. Sometimes this is easier than not, and you first need to find a way to overcome your imbalance before you exploit your opponents. This is what differs Warhammer 40k to other games, and will become relevant in my round 2 game.

Round 2 – Michael’s Ultramarines

Take and Hold, Tipping Point

Michael’s List (Blade of Ultramar): Cato Sicarius, Combi-Lieutenant, Marneus Calgar, Wardens of Ultramar, Gladiator Lancer, Gladiator Reaper, Impulsor, 1×5 Incursor Squad, 1×5 Infiltrator Squad, Storm Speeder Thunderstrike, 2×6 Victrix Honour Guard, 2×1 Vindicator

I’ve known Michael since a while ago I guess. Ian, an employee at my LGS first introduced me to Michael and my life has been on a downhill trajectory ever since.

He is an individual I have grown quite fond of, and despite his quirks I would consider him a close friend. I often have preconceptions of players that frequently do well at Warhammer 40k tournaments, but after finally getting to play Michael, I don’t know what all the fuss is about.

Maybe I am just not as attuned to the nuance and finesse of the game as the “My Cock’s Enormous” among us, or the “strength 5 Infractor Cunningham’s” amongst us.

Although Michael’s inability to stop mentioning how much he wanted to punch me, and how I’ve made it this far in life without being punched by someone, we had a phenomenal game of Warhammer. I played to my outs and gave myself the best opportunity at winning the game, while Michael made endless blunder after blunder, bolstered by the fact he was playing Victrix Ultramarines.

Despite the 10ish reps I’ve had with Final Day at this point, running the 20-Neophyte Brick, I keep losing it to a single enemy activation. This is despite learning that Gladiator Reapers do NOT have 16 Tempest bolter attacks, they have 8, and 16 at rapid fire 12″.

Irrespective, this game had many ups and downs, and was incredibly close at 84-83. I am trying not to be a more “competitive” Warhammer 40k player, but to be a more genuine competitor and I think that was reflected in this game.

I have no words to say to Michael except that I’m glad that you’re my friend and no one gives a shit if you win Geelong Town Open, you’re still washed up x.

Thank you for the game.

Round 3 – Aaron’s Astra Militarum

Purge the Foe, Crucible of Battle

Aaron’s List (Grizzled Company): Cadian Command Squad, Lord Solar Leontus, Rogal Dorn Commander: Aquilan Eye, Sly Marbones, 1×10 Cadian Shock Troops, 3×1 Chimera, 2×5 Attilan Rough Riders, 3×10 Kasrkin, 1×1 Tank girl Vanquisher, 2×1 Leman Russ Vanquisher, 1×1 Rogal Dorn Battle Tank

Of the three games I played at this event this was the game I was most concerned about losing. I even forced my opponent to be on a clock, something that I despise.

How sad is that. That I, have the money, time, and energy, to play a silly hobby based boardgame in my free time and be worried about not scoring more imaginary points than my opponent.

Luckily I was able to learn as much about playing Warhammer as I was about being a good opponent from Aaron during our game.

I have not been honest with you reader, and I have been unfair with this particular Aaron in the past. The details of which are few and far between but are still relevant.

The game I was able to share with this lovely man is something I won’t forget and one that I will remember. He was an excellent opponent and during our game was only concerned with being such.

His list was cool, and I was afraid. I have put a non-little-significant-amount of effort into researching Astra Militarum units thanks to the Brood Brothers detachment so I knew what I was in for, and what I was in for was pain. Especially going first on Purge the Foe.

But a thought entered my mind. What if I were to just table my opponent. So I did.

I utilized a few stupid move blocking, line of sight abusing, model regenerating, charge move manipulating bullshit tactics alongside some lucky dice rolling to construe a significant board state advantage over the Astra Militarum by the end of battle round 3.

I have developed a significant fear of the Astra Militarum thanks to Nic Burrows, another attendee at this RTT, but thanks to this I have also developed a significant counter-strategy to this army.

Honestly, had Aaron been as much of a dishonest gamer as I, this may have been a much closer game. But due to his limited ability to get reps in this game eventuated to a one-sided affair.

Aaron, I loved playing against you, and I hope we play again. I know what happened in the past with Guf Bendigo, I know it was shit. I made a mistake. I think it would be fantastic if you were to re-join the Bendigo community. You are a fantastic member of the Warhammer 40k community and that should be celebrated. I understand if you don’t want to. Thank you for the game.

May it be an unintended circumstance of affairs that divulged by inactions taken at a certain tournament in November 2025, however, once again an RTT in Ballarat turned out to be some of the best time I have spent playing Warhammer 40k in months.

At these more casual events I tend to wander during my games, and I was able to spend sometime away from my table seeing how other match ups were doing. I was a very lucky boy at this event, some of my favourite people were also in attendance.

I overheard Erina talking about her Baron of Dice order and commented on her custom ordered sushi dice. She gifted me a Sushi dice which I will cherish, it’s very cool.

I was able to see James Hughes, who is a lovely individual that I met in Geelong at a Narrative event – Lore Abiding Citizens – last year ran by Dave Guevara, another amazing person. Despite this, James has attended a number of events, namely I also saw him at the Risky Rollers Open in November, and he scored an 83-89 loss against Erina’s Adepta Sororitas (an insanely good player) in round 3 of the RTT, an excellent score against such a good player. It’s really cool to develop these relationships and see friends who have become as obsessed with the hobby as you are.

I saw Aaron Davies, who I was finally able to get a game against at the RTT which was my favourite game of the day.

I saw Aiden Campbell who is growing on me faster than Liam.

I met Alex Munro, who told me he was preparing to go to Cancon and play MESBG, unironically the most unbiased coolest person to attend that RTT. He was a really nice person.

Erina who has done more for the 40k Melbourne community than anyone I’ve met.

Erwin Jackson who has the most beautifully painted Eldar army that I’ve ever seen.

Hugh Titchener who gave me a chance and brought me in to teams 40k.

James Hughes, a lovely man who cheated me with the Sanguinor but still made it an enjoyable game.

Lachlan Morrison, the charisma of the Ratcon group.

Liam Stephens, captain of team Australia 2028.

Michael Hamilton, the only person that bought me a cake for my birthday.

Nic Burrows, I always check to see if you’re at an event, and if you are I make a point of finding you and talking to you.

Pranas, the other half of Guf Bendigo.

Stephen Reeves, you’re a king you know it.

Stuart Trainer – I’ve travelled to NSW and people have unprompted mentioned you and said you’re the nicest guy in Warhammer 40k, I aspire you have your reputation.

If I haven’t mentioned you, I’m sorry. It just means we haven’t met yet, and there’s a good chance I’ll mention you again in the future if you keep playing Warhammer. Because sure as shit I will.

Thank you for reading,

Until next time, I’ve been Ryan,

Ryan