As we head into the vacations, it’s time to check out the place the Warhammer: The Outdated World meta is on the finish of 2025.
2025 has been an enormous yr for the Outdated World. Although the sport is lower than 2 years outdated, it’s gotten a ton of affection. This yr we bought 9 full books and a significant FAQ/guidelines replace. We additionally bought a complete model new military. We noticed a ton of video games getting performed and lots of occasions occur as the sport has actually bloomed and are available into it’s personal. Over the course of the yr the meta additionally modified and advanced with releases and FAQs and improvements. So in the present day we check out the place the meta has ended up on the finish of the yr.
The Prime Armies
I don’t suppose it’s any secret just a few armies have risen above the remaining. Grand Cathay is one of the best military within the sport proper now. Arms down. It’s bought a loopy win price and completely dominates except there may be some very heavy comp (military composition guidelines). Behind, you have got Brets and Tomb Kings of their varied flavors rounding out the highest three. These two have been the discharge armies and have been robust for the entire sport. Nevertheless latest modifications have made them have somewhat extra parity of their military builds, the place as earlier than Exiles and Mort Cult the place by far one of the best variations.
I do know some folks will have a look at the straight stats and likewise argue that Wild Herd and Chracian Warhost needs to be up right here, in spite of everything each of those have win charges akin to Brets and TK. Nevertheless I’m not personally satisfied, whereas they might be robust I believe their win charges don’t inform the whole story. As an illustration each have far fewer video games, that means a handful of excellent gamers can throw off the information so much. Wild Herd has round 600 video games, vs plain outdated TK with over 4000 video games, that means to me the TK is more likely to be correct. Warhosts particularly, and Wild Herd to a lesser diploma, have so much much less occasion placings. I have to see some extra type these armies earlier than I’d put them within the high tier.
The Sturdy Contenders
To me they possible belong extra within the subsequent class down, which is a nonetheless a really robust zone to be in. Right here I’d additionally place Vampire Counts. In lots of methods I believe VC are up there as one of many strongest lists within the sport. However their win price doesn’t fairly again them up. I’m unsure why the military is struggling to totally break in, perhaps its standing as a legends faction pushes it in direction of extra informal gamers. I dunno. Perhaps not sufficient occasions are utilizing targets.
I believe I’d additionally place Orcs and Goblins right here, with an enormous asterisks. O&G have a reasonably run of the mill win price, however I believe that’s largely as a result of they’re a really various military and there isn’t a goblin Military of Infamy. Whereas O&G are fairly mid, a Night time Goblin fanatic heavy military is a extremely robust listing, and is up there with among the greatest. So once more I believe pure faction win-rate doesn’t inform the entire story right here. Ought to Chaos and Dwarves be up right here additionally? I’m not offered, however I can see arguments for it.
Skirmish Is A Little Much less Necessary
Final yr I might argue that skirmish was the king of guidelines and pushed lots of lists to victory. Now it’s nonetheless very robust. However they’ve put sufficient nerfs onto it that it’s now not the must-have rule. There are counters and your skirmishers can’t simply whiz across the desk with none worries or obstructions. There’s much more counter play now and issues to contemplate.
Dragons Are Toned Down
Dragons are one other unit that actually bought toned down. There was a time after they have been actually dominant. Nowadays, regardless of Cathay being the highest canine and land of dragons, they aren’t actually. Adjustments to static fight res, level caps and some different guidelines updates actually made them a bit extra mid tier. In actual fact I believe they’re in a reasonably honest place. Very robust, however with counters and never overpowering, so long as you may’t take a bunch of them.
Fly Is King
If there may be one rule you actually need as of late it’s fly. It’s a rule that’s powering lots of the highest lists. TK, Brets and Cathay all prefer to run lots of flying issues. A number of the greatest Dwarf lists additionally run a ton of flyers. If you may get a number of models with fly on the desk you may make it actually laborious for the opposite participant. I’d argue that that is the highest within the sport proper now and the place we’re seeing some points.
Infantry Has A Place
Due to the 1.5 FAQ Infantry has an actual place within the sport. Now it’s not all the time going to win video games. And it stays the much less offensive a part of your military. Nevertheless its additionally now not simply free factors for the opposite gamers which is the way it generally felt. Some armies in fact could make higher use of it, however most armies have a spot for some low cost infantry to tie issues up or maintain targets. This has been one of many higher and extra transformative modifications within the sport I believe. Armies have a look at lot extra like “warhammer armies” now. You may as well see some all, or principally, Infantry armies doing OK. Each Wild Herd and Warhost use lots of Infantry. Total this has been a fantastic change, and actually has reworked the meta.
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Abe is that uncommon factor, an Austin native born and raised right here. Although he retains on shifting round, DC, Japan, ETC., he all the time appears to search out his approach again finally. Abe has many years of expertise with a variety of tabletop and RPG video games, from historicals, to Star Wars to D&D and 40K. He has been contributing to BOLS since nearly the beginning, again when he labored at after which owned an area gaming retailer. He was large into the aggressive Warhammer match scene however age has mellowed him and he now appreciates an excellent informal match. He at the moment covers Warhammer: The Outdated World, in addition to all issues Star Wars, with occasional dabbling in different subjects. Abe mourned over lack of WFB for its whole hiatus, however has been reborn like a gaming phoenix with Warhammer: The Outdated World.
