People enjoy Warhammer 40K for a number of reasons. The stories and lore, the aesthetics of the models, or even just for the video games. Many players, however, are out to win tabletop battles. And for that, you’ll need a strong army.
Below is a list of 10 Warhammer 40K armies that have over a 50% win rate according to official statistics. So for one reason or another, they’re pretty good. It is thanks to Stat Check that we know these statistics, although the reasons behind each army’s success has been gathered from public opinion and my own knowledge.
Also remember that nothing good ever lasts in the grimdark future, so expect some nerfs to the top performers as time goes on. Additionally, I have not ranked these entries as the data will shift around, and subtle overtakes could occur at any time. Regardless, these ten are some of the strongest picks in the current meta.
Space Wolves
The Space Wolves are a formidable Adeptus Astartes chapter, likely thanks to their space marine hunting past. If you have what it takes, you could find yourself winning in any combat situation thanks to their versatility and core strengths.
The Space Wolves excel in close-quarters combat, although they are also skilled in the others ways of Adeptus Astartes warfare. With access to dreadnaughts, vehicles, and a wide variety of characters and champions, you can’t really go wrong with the Space Wolves.
Despite having a shaky start to 10th Edition, they have since proved their worth with big tournament wins and a good win rate, despite being largely under-utilized.
Orks
You know ’em, you love ’em. It’s easy to see why the Orks are on this list if you’ve ever been up against them. They’re loud, proud, and have an insurmountable amount of dakka to throw at anything standing in their way.
Despite being a horde army, the Orks are incredibly capable and have a wide variety of vehicles, meks, and characters to bolster their swathes of already lethal boyz. Also with a large array of tribes to become, you can mold your Ork army to your liking – and still be good at killing things.
The Orks are a fan-favorite, and they’re also a great pick for winning battles.
Grey Knights
The Grey Knights are a mysterious and enigmatic chapter of the space marines, and you can see this come to fruition in their matches. Relying more on trickery and a high skill level, the Grey Knights aren’t beginner-friendly. Although they are very strong if you have what it takes to figure them out.
Utilizing their teleportation abilities will be key to unleashing the full effectiveness of the Grey Knights, which takes attention away from the vehicles and more costly units in the faction. Although using dearer units isn’t unadvised, you’ll typically see the strongest armies using them lightly, or not at all.
They may be tricky to get the hang of, but they can face any other army with the right strategy.
Thousand Sons
The Thousand Sons are only one of the two Chaos factions on this list, and for very good reason. Consistently, the Thousand Sons are able to wreak havoc using their magical abilities and monstrous daemons.
The Thousand Sons are a little different than the other traitor Astartes. Being able to utilize so many warp abilities and spells can really turn the tide of battle, and having an army of formidable Astartes and daemons to back it up makes for a very powerful army.
Lots of tactics and skills will be needed to properly utilize the Thousand Sons to their best abilities, but they’re easier to play than the Grey Knights.
Adepta Sororitas
The Adepta Sororitas, or Sisters of Battle, are an incredibly elite and fervent sisterhood that worships and adores the Emperor of Mankind. Their aptitude for battle has manifested onto tabletops, apparently, as they have been performing exceptionally well.
Their Miracle Dice are a powerful feature of the Adepta Sororitas that is likely one of the core reasons for their success. Being able to substitute in a rolled die previously earned can guarantee success on many actions, which is something any other army cannot do, providing a staggering advantage thanks to circumventing RNG.
Not only are they incredibly effective, but the Adepta Sororitas are also thematically awesome.
Necrons
It should be no surprise to see the Necrons on this list. These ancient Xenos have not long benefited from some classic Games Workshop attention, giving them all manner of upgrades and changes.
These changes have made Necrons a meta unit, thanks to their sturdy armor and ability to come back to life. Being able to circumvent deaths in your already lethal army makes their slow movement trivial. What’s more, is that there are certain incredibly quick units that also deal a staggering amount of damage.
If you’re a fan of slow-marching walls of guns that can sometimes come back to life, then the Necrons have got you covered.
Drukhari
The Drukhari, or Dark Eldar, are an insidious and malicious army that has not seen the warmth of Games Workshop is quite some time. Nevertheless, they remain to be a formidable army on the tabletop.
These raiders may be fragile, but they are fierce, and make for a challenging army to master. With great cost effectiveness and mobility, the Drukhari can pose an unprecedented threat to those unfamiliar with the speed and damage they can bring.
When focusing on the mission as opposed to total enemy annihilation, the Drukhari are some of the best.
Black Templars
The Black Templars are a fan favorite Space Marine chapter, and are as barbaric as they are deadly. The Black Templars are most notorious for their close-quarters abilities, so any aspiring Black Templar strategist should consider honing in on that to wipe away their foes.
Naturally, being space marines, the Black Templars also have a range of vehicles, dreadnaughts, and characters to supplement the ranks, allowing for versatility. Although you should be able to chop your way out of almost any engagement.
If you want space marines that prefer to hack their foes to death, then the Black Templars are waiting for you.
Chaos Space Marines
The Chaos Space Marines are a classic Warhammer 40K army, which means it has a large pool of units to pull from. This army is a great pick for beginners and veterans thanks to their versatility and the range of strategies they can pull off.
Despite their versatility, they have a large investment in melee combat. These ferocious front-line warriors are in turn supported by a large assortment of vehicles, ranged marines, and daemons, for good measure.
Dependable, strong, slow, and versatile, the Chaos Space Marines are effective no matter the field.
Genestealer Cults
I’m personally surprised to see this army performing so well, considering how “light” the army is. 10th Edition gave them generally a good number of improvements, and they’ve been excellent on the battlefield.
Despite generally consisting of cheaper and weaker units, the Genestealer Cults have excellent board control potential. Being able to ambush and surprise your enemy with a strong force is always a terrifying possibility, forcing your opponent to be constantly adapting and anticipating.
As far as ambush armies go, the Genestealer Cults are one of the greatest in Warhammer 40K.
With this list of the most meta Warhammer 40K armies, you may find racking up wins a little easier now.
