How to be NOT Competitive in Horus Heresy

In this video, I tell you all about ways that you can build your army list and play to win without bringing the unfun parts of competitive armies.

I talk about popular competitive patterns and focus on what NOT to do so that you and your opponent can have great games - whilst still aiming to bring Death to the False Emperor or Burn the Heretics as appropriate!

Intro 00:00
In this video... 00:14
Important Announcement! 00:47
Why this video? 1:32
What Makes a Competitive Army? 4:33
How not to Skew 7:16
How not to Spam 11:02
How to be less Efficient 12:19
How not to Focus 15:39
Specifics to Avoid 18:05
Summary 21:42

[Sommeill]

Very sensible tips, specially for a lot of the competitive 40k players that are coming over to 30k due to burnout. My playgroup has had to give many new guys "the talk" already.

[jellydamgood]

You should do a list for each of the legions that has the balance between thematics and fun while being non competitive.

[pitbuell]

This is a really good video.
I noticed an incredible shift between age groups in players, were people with a younger disposition (or less time within the hobby) are very used to the idea of min/maxing (almost like a computer strategy game approach), while people who are old enough to not draw onto online games as their primary strategy game experience as well as having experienced early editions tend to opt for asymetrical loadouts, story or flexible driven lists and tending to take suboptimal choices due to the direction of their modelling choices etc.

[JohnnyCoyote]

Dang man, just the video I needed. I noticed I've been close on being burnt out of competitive 40k and playing some 30k, just pushing models around to have fun epic battles sounds amazing. I'm currently thinking of an Iron Warriors army that was a kind of testing battalion for energy weapons, with volkite-equipped destroyers and breachers, maybe a Sicaran Omega once the plastic model releases.
Also, if you had a Patreon, I'd give you money. Real, actual money. 😉

[etiennegarant]

Really interesting topic, thank you for taking the time to reflect on these potential issues and way to keep it fun for everyone. As someone new to wargaming who have yet to play any serious game, and that has been leaning more into the hobby/narrative side of things, I find it reassuring that there is a place for that kind of players, and it feels actively encouraged by that kind of video.

Also I really appreciate the tone and pace of your voice, as well as good enunciation, I find it super clear to understand everything you say, which is not always easy as a non-native English speaker. Your channel has been a nice discovery for me, I also appreciate the discreet yet useful visuals, I think it adds a lot, keep up the good work!

[kadeton]

This is such an important topic in wargaming, and GW games in particular, and I think you've summarised it really well. The point about it being a framework for setting personal goals rather than a way of gatekeeping or judging other people's behaviour is incredibly important. Thanks for the video!

[yagsipcc]

Loving all of these videos bud 😁 going over them now. So far I am thinking of word Bearers with two 20 man squads one more shooting the other more melee nutters. Custom character of some sort not sure yet a dreadnought. But that's all I have at the top of my head ha

[plasticcraic]

Great video Ian, I think it would have great value to people playing other systems too. Keep em coming!

[malcolmheather]

You nailed it again, Ian. I have made the same mistakes, especially focusing, and lost friendships as a result. Well played, Sir. Everton or Liverpool, BTW?

[leakycheese]

Great video, sage words indeed!

Another thing players can all do before starting a game is have a chat and compare their lists just to sense check each has capabilities to counter the other’s unit choices. If there are any glaring mismatches the minor adjustments can be made like dropping a Spartan flare shield or giving a few units melta bombs. This can be a quick fix to having an enjoyable game for both players when their armies have bad efficiency / skew match ups.

[ganzgrosseskino]

For me the worst offender is being gamey and doing all the min-maxing.
Getting started with Heresy and having watched people play, the first thing I chose I will not do is the artificer sergeant.
It completely breaks immersion when you actually picture the guy running up and down his unit and throwing himself into every shot (in slow motion, no less, as all bodyguards do).
And now that is what you will picture as well.

[SoldierAssassin]

This topic is really bugging me lately, I'm doing an IF army and I read everywhere that they are OP. I'd doing to do a 1st company themed Army with Sigismund as a warlord leading 10 Templars in Land raider carrier with a Chaplain, 2 units of 20 Phalanx Warders with apothecaries, a spartan and 1 of each dreadnought type (a full melee contemptor, a storm cannon leviathan and a lascannon deredeo) and of course the stone gauntlet RoW to make it legal. after seeing the video I still don't know if it's too much, probably I'm gonna take out the apothecaries and add a tactical squad. I don't think it's too much competitive since the Templars are not the best melee unit in the world and I'm investing a lot of points in that death ball (Sigismund and templars are the main and almost only reason I choose IF), also I have only 2 line sub type units that makes me score badly in many missions and 1 unit of phalanx will be on slow on foot. I wanted the different types of Dreadnought bc I like them all and this way they have each a different role (close, mid and long range). Did I make a list that's unfun to play or does it have enough weaknesses?

[dandyx]

Some fair points, I think still part of the problem is GWs pricing, it's a big ask for people to spend on "bad" units knowing "better" units exist

[selnik]

Great video, I'm currently a beginner to HH and these tips are very useful.

[doshutokeshi]

Another great video. I'm a narrative player so I watched this video to learn how to add competitive units but not overdo it! I usually get rofl stomped in 40k because I start with a story and I build the army around it. And being a Word Bearers fan it's just awful. But trying out World Eaters for Heresy (bloody tired of painting red!) Definitely want to mix it up and make a still "rule of cool" army but make sure I can win a game or two! Thanks again cheers!

[greyknight]

Good video, the one thing I've noticed around my club is they mostly go for things which are good due to money because they don't like spending money on things which are not very good. Especially when it comes to Forgeworld.

[brandonraasch]

Very good insight I'm doing IF and have been scared they may be a bit much 😬 I planned to run three ten man units of Phalanx warders with fafnir rann as warlord the the legion consul and two heavy support squads with the illiastus assault cannons with the stone gauntlet RoW. Hoping it's not to much I plan to run some more generic meh units to back it all up. If it's to much or to weak I suppose just adjust for next time.

[NapGod]

I've been thinking on this topic recently mainly because of your other videos. I found that if I flesh out the narrative aspect of my force and build units around that it shifts my focus away from my 40k/AoS instincts towards efficient listbuilding because you can end up with a list that's too competitive by accident. The process felt more natural than trying to be aware of what I usually do so that I don't do it, but still retain enough power that I'm not getting tabled you know? I also took your advice from the Imperial Fist videos and focused on the armory instead of the unique units. There's no way I can see to run Stone Gauntlet without it feeling spammy and/or skewed. Kitting out universal units with legion wargear (the legion trait goes a long way too) then having anyone able to deepstrike is a more thematic army that will be more fun to play I think. The narrative aspect is actually pushing me away from Hammerfall strikeforce and towards the Recon squad generic RoW which was something I didn't expect.

[MyNameIsntReallyNate]

There is one time where I set up a campaign that was very similar to Warhammer 40K chaos gate. Parts of units that you had die wouldn't get replaced until xyz part of the crusade and there was a limited amount that would return. You would have to juggle points as well as the bodies/models.

It was a challenge to think further ahead and people had way less sacrificial units and OP synergy units would quickly get cut down by opponents.

[Nurgüii]

This is interesting, ill keep it in mind i dont like tactical squads that much but ill get some canon fodder painted up if i play. I think there is a bit of an issue with the lack of units available in plastic right now making it easier to create more fun lists.